Suggested Gratuities set to increase

[sooty10]

If Australians have the grat's included in the price why not everyone else. Having just returned from Australia it was still possible to book a cruise at a sensible price.

 

Sooty

[The_Big_M]

It's an option to have it added to the price here (as elsewhere).

[OBX-Cruisers]

Gratuities are typically for receiving a service that is well done. When added automatically there is a problem in defining what is being given for what level of service. Indeed, on ships the waiters and room stewards deserve the most respect as for waiters they typically work a minimum 12 hr day. I'm sure room stewards work similar times as the number of cabins/steward must be going up astronomically.

 

Most of us repeat cruisers feel honored to not only pay the daily gratuity but add something for the particular waiters, stewards, bar attendants etc etc. that make our cruise "special". I think that continuously increasing the daily gratuity however is self defeating for the cruise lines because it has the tendency to breed mediocrity............a level of we will get our "cut" regardless of how we work and behave. I personally would like to see a modest increase in fares for all the "behind the scenes people" plus envelopes issued to passengers with guidelines on how to truly pay gratuities to those who deserve them.

 

Many of the workers on the ship deserve a better level of pay from the cruise line. However, some workers are not pulling their weight and do not need "gratuities" to reward their lack of performance. So add 10% to the cruise fare for general distribution to the crew as it is said to now be done and leave additional "gratuities" to the passengers to decide.

[Aquahound]

It always amazes me when people get so fascinated over other people's salaries.

[cruisenfever]

It always amazes me when people get so fascinated over other people's salaries.

Which is really none of our business, wouldn't you agree?:)

[George&J]

I usually tip more than this anyway. I do the "envelope" and palm a bit of cash as well. I've heard stories how tips are shared and want to make sure they know that I've appreciated their hard work and excellent service.

 

 

I agree. The "envelope" ensures that the behind the scenes providers of service receive their recognition and for those who provide me excellent, one-on-one service I tip directly at the time that the service is provided.

[My2Kitties]

so willing to pay more for the wonderful service I receive...:)

[TheMiz]

no, it's the equivalent of the service industry raising the the suggested tip from 10 to 15 %. remember that?

 

 

Funny you brought this up, we always do at least 15% ( just an easy number to figure out in our heads ) just this past weekend there was an article in the paper that the CURRENT suggested tip of 18% should be raised to 20%, within the same article it said you only tip

( To Insure Promptness ) the actual amount minus Taxes . 99% of tips are figure the tip on the total.

[Gonzo70]

Which is really none of our business, wouldn't you agree?:)

 

While an individual's precise salary is not anybody's business, when someone is performing a service oriented role it is absolutely one's business to know if they are receiving a full salary or if they have a reduced salary expected to be supplemented by tips. That is why the cruise line spells out guidelines as to who is supposed to be tipped. The activities staff for example provides a service, but receive a full salary so they are not on the recommended gratuities list. The room steward provides a service and has almost no salary, so they are on the gratuities list. While it does not matter how much money a particular member of the activities staff earns, it is good to know that they are salaried and therefore you do not tip them.

 

Most people mistakenly believe that the "porters" (actually longshoremen) at U.S. cruise terminals are similar to a bellman at a hotel or skycap at the airport (people who earn low salaries expected to be supplemented by tips) when they are earning a middle class salary that is not expected to be supplemented by tips. That is why there are signs up at all U.S. ports saying not to tip them (i.e. in San Diego) or that tipping them is optional (i.e. in Miami).

[Gonzo70]

Funny you brought this up, we always do at least 15% ( just an easy number to figure out in our heads ) just this past weekend there was an article in the paper that the CURRENT suggested tip of 18% should be raised to 20%, within the same article it said you only tip

( To Insure Promptness ) the actual amount minus Taxes . 99% of tips are figure the tip on the total.

 

"To insure promptness" is an old wives tale and has nothing to do with what tipping is about. It doesn't even make any sense; I can see insuring one's car, and house etc., but have never heard of anybody insuring promptness. Ensure promptness would make more sense, but still is not what tipping is about.

[TheMiz]

You know the servers you have for dinner? Their the same dinners at the WJ for breakfast and lunch.

 

 

I for one all ways tip in the WJ , I stock myself with $2 bills before the cruise.

One thing we noticed when we are walking around looking for a table we will get the people we have tipped waving to us showing us there is a table other here etc. They seem to remember the $2 bills and look forward to them. It is not much but it keeps our coffee hot.

 

Also getting a tip nightly is the person who service the bread. But again thats just me.

[TheMiz]

No, it is just another move from RCCL I don't like...

 

Last year I took a New Year's cruise on the Adventure of the Seas. Not a cheap cruise at more than $1,500 for a week/person. After taking my first shower on board I noticed there were no shampoo or conditioner on my balcony stateroom so I asked my cabin attendant for some. His shocking response: only guests staying on suites get those nowadays! My comment on the survey card at the end of the cruise: "it seems the only people with hair on their heads are the ones staying on suites."

 

 

Andres

 

WOW , this sort of happened to me on a 18 night cruise , I was in the shower and no shampoo or conditioner we always have those little bottles from hotel rooms with us so it was no big deal, I just told the attendent who said OK but the next day nothing not until after the 5 night we finally had them filled, but I had to ask every day and was never told it was just for suites, believe me finding our attendent was a job in its self. She just couldn't be found but it was funny how our room was always made up.

 

On a sad note , we had 3 items stolen from our cabin, we filed the claim with RCL who later turned the claim down saying I had no proof I ever had the items there !

[DebJ14]

All I'm saying is they make pretty good money or would not be there. I see so many people tip extra and even tip for room service. I have live all over the world and really don't like how we are expected to tip all the time. Charge me what you need to in the cruise price and pay the folks whatever it takes to get them to work. The supply and demand market will ensure they get a fair wage. People are not going to work if it isn't worth their while.

 

I talked to some people on a recent HAL cruise and they were saying there is a high demand for their jobs. I take that as the money is great and they are over paid for what they do.

 

Of course there is high demand for the jobs. HAL draws employees mainly from the Phillipines and Indonesia. There is little opportunity for the average person living there to make a decent living so they can support their families. We have had many, many conversations with our waiters, room stewards etc. about their lives at home. They have to make a huge sacrifice - namely being away 6-9 months a year- to support their families. Yes, they are considered fortunate in their countries because many of them are able to buy a home and a car and send their kids to school. But, they often miss the births of their children and funerals of their parents while they are toiling 16 hours a day cleaning your toilets, picking up your dirty towels and bowing and scraping to your every whim in the dining room.

We had a wonderful room steward on a 15 night HAL cruise who clearly was in distress. He finally broke down and confided in us that his wife was dying of cancer back in the Phillipines. He was exhausted from all the work and not being able to sleep due to the worry. He had three small children who were being cared for by his sister. We went and talked to several officers to see if something could be done to get him home in time to see her before she died. They said they could do nothing for him until the ship returned to its home port in San Diego. The one thing we could do was give him a tip like he had probably never seen in his lifetime and a review that would impress his supervisors.

 

The day after we arrived home we received a call from the ship. First one of the officers got on and asked our permission to allow the room steward to talk to us. I said I was surprised that he was still on the ship and wondered why they hadn't flown him home when the ship docked. The officer apologized and said they should have in light of the circumstances. The steward got on the phone and through tears told us that his wife died the night before. He was going to fly out of Cabo to Los Angeles and then the Phillipines the next day. He wanted us to know how grateful he was to us for our kindness. Due to our generosity he had the money to pay for his wife's funeral. He said he would never forget us. The officer got back on the phone and asked if it was OK if he gave the steward our home address as he wanted to send us a thank you note. We told him yes. The officer also told us that he would be promoted when he returned from his leave. We hear from our friend regularly now. He came back to the promotion, but he had to give up his job with HAL a year later in order to stay home with his children because his sister married and moved away with her husband. He sends us photos of his kids regularly and keeps us updated on how he is doing. HAL helped him get a job at a hotel.

 

What seems to be lost on these boards is that these tips are going to some wonderful people who make huge personal sacrifices to make your vacation special. And you are worried about a couple bucks a day. Stay out of Starbucks and you'll have the money for their tips!

FYI - I have been cruising since 1968. The balcony cabin fares today on many ships are much lower than what we paid for a 7 night cruise in 1981 for a standard outside. I have the receipt from a Home Lines Cruise on the Oceanic for May 1981 - 1329.00 per person. I recently paid $70.00 more for a GS on the VOS. It doesn't matter how low the fares go - the cheapskates will still find an excuse not to tip.

[H82seaUgo]

Funny you brought this up, we always do at least 15% ( just an easy number to figure out in our heads ) just this past weekend there was an article in the paper that the CURRENT suggested tip of 18% should be raised to 20%, within the same article it said you only tip the actual amount minus Taxes . 99% of tips are figure the tip on the total.

 

i figured they are trying to subliminally tell you the norm is now 18% with that "8 party or more" blurb, but i still use with the 15% (always of the subtotal), as the price of food is not static!

[TheMiz]

The Head Waiter appear at my dining table for the first time on day 13 his tip is still in my wife`s hand bag.

Yet only an 8% increase for the waiter and 12% for the assistant waiter I have always prepaid my gratuities but not any more.

 

We seen our HW one time also but that one time was on my wifes birthday he showed up to sing happy birthday , that was on the 3rd day of our 18 night cruise, on the last night

our waiter told us the Head Waiter was sorry he could personally stop by and wanted to thank us. We were prepaid and that was it no adjusting the tips because we pre paid.

[thelion]

Deb, that is why I no longer work for the cruise lines. During my time there I saw:

 

several fathers miss the birth of their children

2 mothers miss the funerals of their children

10+ people miss their parents funerals

1 lovely man have to be away from his dying spouse

 

and so much more. It isn't just that they cannot afford to fly home - they are also contracted. They are not often ALLOWED to fly home. Beyond that, they are almost always the sole source of income for a multi generational household. If they lose their job, everyone suffers in ways most of us cannot imagine.

 

I was lucky. As an American, I had options open to me that many of my crewmates did not.

 

It is this experience that moves me to work hard to show my generosity when I cruise. I don't ask for extras, I don't get angry if things are a bit slow, and I don't expect miracles.

[critterchick]

If Australians have the grat's included in the price why not everyone else. Having just returned from Australia it was still possible to book a cruise at a sensible price.

 

Sooty

 

I agree with you - I think that Australia is pretty much a no-tipping culture (maybe rounding up a bill but that's about it), so the crew were getting hammered on those itineraries. I even noticed that my spa treatment had a "service charge" added automatically. It was a terrific service so I had no problem with it, but it was the first time I'd seen it and the tech said that was why.

 

I for one all ways tip in the WJ , I stock myself with $2 bills before the cruise.

One thing we noticed when we are walking around looking for a table we will get the people we have tipped waving to us showing us there is a table other here etc. They seem to remember the $2 bills and look forward to them. It is not much but it keeps our coffee hot.

 

Also getting a tip nightly is the person who service the bread. But again thats just me.

 

If you're talking about bread in the main dining room, it's usually your assistant waiter, who is part of the suggested gratuity scale.

 

And I've heard that $2 bills are tough to negotiate in some countries. I think that the crew will remember your generosity whether it's in the form of unusual currency or singles.:)

[Gonzo70]

 

And I've heard that $2 bills are tough to negotiate in some countries. I think that the crew will remember your generosity whether it's in the form of unusual currency or singles.:)

 

Correct; $2 bills are not accepted in many places outside the U.S. and are looked at suspiciously. While the staff appreciates all cash tips, $2 do often create some difficulties for them in terms of putting the money to use. It is much better to give staff two $1 bills than one $2 bill.

[H82seaUgo]

Correct; $2 bills are not accepted in many places outside the U.S. and are looked at suspiciously. While the staff appreciates all cash tips, $2 do often create some difficulties for them in terms of putting the money to use. It is much better to give staff two $1 bills than one $2 bill.

 

they might like one $5 even better!

[DebJ14]

Deb, that is why I no longer work for the cruise lines. During my time there I saw:

 

several fathers miss the birth of their children

2 mothers miss the funerals of their children

10+ people miss their parents funerals

1 lovely man have to be away from his dying spouse

 

and so much more. It isn't just that they cannot afford to fly home - they are also contracted. They are not often ALLOWED to fly home. Beyond that, they are almost always the sole source of income for a multi generational household. If they lose their job, everyone suffers in ways most of us cannot imagine.

 

I was lucky. As an American, I had options open to me that many of my crewmates did not.

 

It is this experience that moves me to work hard to show my generosity when I cruise. I don't ask for extras, I don't get angry if things are a bit slow, and I don't expect miracles.

 

I try to show my generosity on land as well. On a cruise to Progreso we were sitting on the beach at a table and chairs having lunch. A Mexican family with Mom, Grandma and Grandpa and a toddler were also at the beach. Clearly the older couple were having difficulty standing in the wet sand and did not want to get their clothes wet. I picked up the 2 extra chairs at our table and carried them down to the people. They were so grateful. The waiter came running over and said NO, NO they must buy something to sit down. Thankfully I speak Spanish so I ordered the entire family lunch and put it on my tab. When we saw them later walking in town the old man came over and hugged us and was so nice. By the time we finished talking to them we were all crying.

 

I was in the waiting room at my son's orthopedic surgeon and an elderly Mexican couple came in. The lady clearly was in severe pain. She apparently had a hip replacement and something was very wrong. The bi--- at the front desk told her that her appointment was tomorrow, not today. They would have to drive about 20 miles to the doctor's other office if they wanted to see him that day. The poor lady burst into tears - not enough gas in the car to get there and no money for gas either because the social security check wasn't due until the following week. I rifled through my wallet and asked my son if he had any money on him. I scrounged up $25.00 and ran out after them and gave them the money. You would have thought I gave them a million dollars with all the hugs and tears. I am just thankful that I speak and understand Spanish so that I was able to help them. I still tear up when thinking about them and pray that everything turned out well for them. My son was terribly embarrassed and I got quite a few nasty comments from others in the waiting room but I will never regret helping them out. If I can afford several cruises a year I can afford to pay it forward every chance I get.

[Stags14]

Part of your port fees goes to their pay - you are already paying for their service in your cruise fare. They are fully salaried and are not receiving a low wage expected to be supplemented by tips. Tipping them is the equivalent of going to a land based restaurant where there is a sign saying an 18% gratuity has automatically been included in your bill, and then tipping the server 18% if they proffer you average service. You seem to think that the people who take your luggage at the cruise terminal do a lot more than is the case; they have almost zero to do with how fast you receive you luggage; all they do is place the luggage you hand them on the cart that is right next to them, push the cart a few yards, and then others take over from there.

 

Now if you have them do extra work such as carry your luggage out to your car, cab etc. at the end of the cruise, I certainly understand tipping them as you are having them do extra work in the form of a personalized service for you. However if all you are doing is handing them your luggage as you enter the cruise terminal, they are simply carrying out their basic job duties for which you have already paid them (via the port fees you pay in your cruise fare) and no gratitude is needed beyond giving them a thank you.

 

I understand your point, but I'm afraid you're missing mine - so nevermind. It doesn't really matter anyway.

 

I wouldn't recommend it; they are highly, highly coveted positions where you need connections to land a job. They earn upper middle class salaries without tips and when they are serving as porters they are often working overtime and earning time and a half. With the ridiculous amount of money most cruise passengers throw at them, they are easily pulling in hundreds of dollars an hour during that detail. All they are doing is pushing your luggage a few yards on a cart and moving on to the next group of people. They handle hundreds of people's luggage in a few hour period - so if every tips them a few bucks, they rake in over $1,000 in tips for the morning in addition to their nice salary.

 

 

What's wrong with a working man/woman making a decent living? They put in their time - they're earning their money. I say good for them. Maybe they didn't have the opportunity to go to college, and they're doing the best they can. If you don't want to tip them, fine - but there's no reason to discourage it. Not all of these guys are making $30/hr, probably most aren't in S. Fl. I have heard of these guys donating their earnings from tips to charity in the past as well. If you're an hourly employee, and you're working weekends - you need the money. I'm an hourly employee and if I'm as well off as you're describing - you're not gonna find me at work on Saturday or Sunday morning.

 

As porters it may not be OT. They are contracted, which means it might be a flat rate - say maybe $200 to work for that day or $X.XX/ship. Either way, it probably is a very reasonable fair for a day's work - I see where you're coming from.

 

Bottom line - if you think they deserve a buck or two, then give it to them. If it bothers you that they are making an hourly wage - then don't.

 

And like I said before - you're better off giving these guys $2 and keeping them happy than having them renegotiate a higher salary at their next CBA - I guarantee you the cruiseline isn't going to absorb that incerase - and everyone will be back here crying the blues about fare hikes.

[EVALUATOR]

I

As porters it may not be OT. They are contracted, which means it might be a flat rate - say maybe $200 to work for that day or $X.XX/ship. Either way, it probably is a very reasonable fair for a day's work - I see where you're coming from.

 

 

They are definitely paid hourly. The master contract, and the wage scales are available on line

[Redtravel]

My last Azamara cruise included gratuities. No problem and no debate. A true tip would be for great service and not a suggested fee. Cut out the suggestion and either let people give a true tip or include in cost of the cruise. Telling me that the tips are included is fine. Telling me that I must tip in addition is lame. I hate the petty idea of being told what I should tip. Just include the tips and cut out the middle men.

[tnt10]

My last Azamara cruise included gratuities. No problem and no debate. A true tip would be for great service and not a suggested fee. Cut out the suggestion and either let people give a true tip or include in cost of the cruise. Telling me that the tips are included is fine. Telling me that I must tip in addition is lame. I hate the petty idea of being told what I should tip. Just include the tips and cut out the middle men.

 

 

The big difference between Azamara and RCI is the substantial difference in cruise fares that requires the "suggested tip" stuff for RCI and makes it included for Azamara. The problem is that nowadays people are looking for less expensive cruise costs, but ignore the need for additions like tips, cruise insurance, etc. Just like the airlines are doing; keeping the basics at rock bottom prices with the eventual addition of necessary add ons....

Personally, we always tip the recommeded amount plus, depending on service.

Sadly, on our last cruise, a D+ member was complaining of the added expense and hassle of the $.00 + per day for tips, as well as some other additional expenses.... Made me wonder if he and his spouse ever tipped anyone at all. You'd have thought after 46 cruises, they'd have figured it as part of the cruise expense on RCI.

Happy Cruising,

TnT

[Stags14]

They are definitely paid hourly. The master contract, and the wage scales are available on line

 

6:1 half dozen the other...