Getting out of paying tips

[RPD]

On our latest cruise on the Oasis, the couple sitting at our table near us came to dinner on the last night and asked our server (who was serving both of our tables) if they could get their food to go. According to the couple, they had cash in their room and it was stolen by their stateroom attendant. Our server promptly had their food made to go and they left the MDR.

 

After talking to our server, he said it's highly unlikely that their stateroom attendant (let alone anyone else) stole money from their stateroom. He said that every inch of the hallways are on camera and that they can match the time stamp on the video to the time Seapasses are used to enter a room and it's virtually impossible for any employee from getting away with stealing from guests. What's sad is that he said it's common for people who cruise nowdays to either come up with elaborate stories to get out of tipping or they just don't show up on the last night altogether. This must have been the case in this situation as the couple never tipped our server after a week of service.

 

For what it's worth, both my wife and I have never had better service on any of the 4 cruises we've been on. We were so impressed with our server that we not only gave him a generous tip, we also gave him our C&A WOW cards for a job well done.

[Cigar King]

Wow. I hate to read stuff like this. What makes people do things like this? I mean really, it's understandable if there was a problem with the service, but when the service is good, and you still don't tip the minimum there's just no excuse. The crew works hard, and to stuff them like this? There's just no excuse.

[rharvey999]

Correct on all accounts. I can deal with the chair hogs ok. Elevator crammers I can live with, even though my eyes do roll a bit one someone cuts one. ;) Couples dressing alike every day? A bit odd, but ok. A jam packed Promenade during the Captain's welcome. Hot but fun.

 

Stiffing the crew that works hard for you is simply not cool. If someone can afford to come on a cruise they should at least be decent enough to compensate those that work their butts off for them day after day.

[JAMESCC]

I've ranted enough on here on how despicable people are who cheat the crew of tips. Its a sad, sad thing. That being said I hope people that I sit with don't think I'm stiffing the crew because we have never used the tip envelopes, we always prepay.

[maryr65]

Very sad. Good service should be rewarded. They could of at least had the decency to eat somewhere else instead of having the gall to show up and ask for their meal to go.

 

One can only hope that the karma train doesn't forget to pick them up at some point.

[romnan]

I like many others do not enjoy reading this kind of stuff. It is truly amazing what people will go thru to get out of leaving a tip.

 

It's very easy to see when someone is going to stiff someone. The sad thing is,if they are doing it on the cruise they are doing it in other events of their life:(

[kaylinshaina]

By NO means are we great parents but we just got off the Allure and had an AMAZING experience. Our TA, as a perk, paid for our gratuities. We talked to our daughters, 12 and 13, about how hard the crew members worked to make our cruise amazing. We agreed to match any $$$ they wanted to add to their prepaid tips. We let our girls give the envelopes to the crew memebers. It REALLY seemed to hit home for our girls how hard people work to make money. Shame on those willing to sneak and not tip.

[wwcruisers]

What's sad is that he said it's common for people who cruise nowdays to either come up with elaborate stories to get out of tipping or they just don't show up on the last night altogether. This must have been the case in this situation as the couple never tipped our server after a week of service.

 

While your assessment of this particular situation may be "spot-on", please don't make the assumption that someone else is stiffing the dining room staff, just because they are absent on the last evening -- or that you did not see them leave a tip. Many people pre-pay or use the auto-tip system. For them, the vouchers are merely a formality -- the staff knows who has tipped, and who has not. On RC, we always have second seating, and usually tip in cash. We also have a tradition of going to the specialty restaurants on the last night -- usually getting an earlier dining time. So, as soon as the MDR opens for first seating, DH makes a special trip to take the envelopes to our waitstaff members, and thank for their great service. :cool:

[Driftwoodgal]

Just wondering how many crew members pay are cut because of people that don't tip? Most restaurants pool tips that are divided amoungst the dishwasher, waiters etc. Some people don't understand that the tip you give you waiter doesn't cover just them, but the other people that support the food you get on your table. This could be from the WJ or the Main dining room. They work as a team..... IMHO a really good team. That is why we sail with this company.

 

Just wondering how much contact I had with my last hotel. Front desk asking for my credit card. Never saw the maid that cleaned it, but I left her a tip. Food and beverage tipped at the table. There is a host of people behind the scenes that make your trip or vacation.

[maxx]

People can be so mean. As Aussies tipping is not mandatory, however we do tip when we feel it is warranted. However, we always tip when we cruise. The staff work such long hours & from my experience do a damn fine job. It's just mean spirited not to recognise exceptional work.

I don't understand the voucher system, I guess it's just the "envelope". I'm all in favour of the auto tipping as it goes to all the staff.

I am amazed to read some of the things people do to as you say "stiff" the staff''. it's the good, the bad & the ugly side of cruisers.

[Ocean Boy]

On our latest cruise on the Oasis, the couple sitting at our table near us came to dinner on the last night and asked our server (who was serving both of our tables) if they could get their food to go. According to the couple, they had cash in their room and it was stolen by their stateroom attendant. Our server promptly had their food made to go and they left the MDR.

 

After talking to our server, he said it's highly unlikely that their stateroom attendant (let alone anyone else) stole money from their stateroom. He said that every inch of the hallways are on camera and that they can match the time stamp on the video to the time Seapasses are used to enter a room and it's virtually impossible for any employee from getting away with stealing from guests. What's sad is that he said it's common for people who cruise nowdays to either come up with elaborate stories to get out of tipping or they just don't show up on the last night altogether. This must have been the case in this situation as the couple never tipped our server after a week of service.

 

For what it's worth, both my wife and I have never had better service on any of the 4 cruises we've been on. We were so impressed with our server that we not only gave him a generous tip, we also gave him our C&A WOW cards for a job well done.

 

Really? Read this thread....

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1640394

[Scotsguy31]

Agree totally about not tipping and how disgusting this is when people make things like that up!

 

Just curious about the part where it said you can get food to go from the MDR? Is that available on all ships and how does it work?

[crusinpeg]

This is why I firmly believe that RCCL should do as Princess does and charge tips daily to EVERYONES on board account. Granted passengers could still have the tips removed but they would have to go to Guest Relations and explain why. I could be wrong but I believe that this would definately cut down on the number of crew members getting stiffed. Plus you can still tip extra in cash those that you feel more deserveing.

[ryano]

This is why I firmly believe that RCCL should do as Princess does and charge tips daily to EVERYONES on board account. Granted passengers could still have the tips removed but they would have to go to Guest Relations and explain why. I could be wrong but I believe that this would definately cut down on the number of crew members getting stiffed. Plus you can still tip extra in cash those that you feel more deserveing.

 

Agreed

[Jfoley37]

if i prepaid gratitudes how does it work and how do i know if the right person getting the money?

[crusinpeg]

if i prepaid gratitudes how does it work and how do i know if the right person getting the money?[/QU

 

Tips would be evenly distributed among all staff....the "right person" is the crew members that serve everyones needs..doesn't need to be singled out...like I said if they are exceptional..tip them extra.

[Starry Eyes]

Really? Read this thread....

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1640394

 

The iPhone incident on Disney has been heavily reported. I think any crew member who steals is risking their job....I imagine that crew member is now sorry he stole. any guest who leaves cash laying around rather than locking it up is taking an unnecessary risk.

 

still, it is possible the cash went missing from the room. It is possible one of them gambled or spent it, but pretended it was stolen. It is possible that the guests were simply lying to the waiter. Regardless, it is sad that a good waiter was stiffed. It is heartening that the waiter did not believe his fellow crew member stole his tip.

[temple1]

if i prepaid gratitudes how does it work and how do i know if the right person getting the money?

 

If you go to the RCCL website it will explain tipping procedures. As far as the "right person" getting the grauity - your stateroom attendent, the staff at your assigned table in the Main Dining room if you opt for traditional and the entire staff in the MTD section pools the gratuities.

 

Dining room staff rotate between dining venues so your MDR team might be working the Windjammer (buffet) on the next cruise. So by tipping as recommended by RCCL everyone gets tipped. If not this week, next week.

 

To the original post - what I don't get - why would someone concoct such a ridiculous story? Why not just go to the WJ on the last night if you're going to blow off the wait staff? I wonder what story they told their cabin attendant? Too bad the waiter didn't say something to the effect of - Oh, how awful, what did they say when you reported the problem?

[lovetotravel700001]

If you go to the RCCL website it will explain tipping procedures. As far as the "right person" getting the grauity - your stateroom attendent, the staff at your assigned table in the Main Dining room if you opt for traditional and the entire staff in the MTD section pools the gratuities.

 

Dining room staff rotate between dining venues so your MDR team might be working the Windjammer (buffet) on the next cruise. So by tipping as recommended by RCCL everyone gets tipped. If not this week, next week.

 

Ok, that is interesting and pretty much answers what I was going to ask. My husband wants to be completely casual, so we won't be going to the mdr for dinner at all. We have MTD and have prepaid tips. I was going to ask for it to be credited back so we could tip directly to servers in WJ etc, but if the above is true, then I will just leave it as is and forget about it.

[crusinpeg]

Ok, that is interesting and pretty much answers what I was going to ask. My husband wants to be completely casual, so we won't be going to the mdr for dinner at all. We have MTD and have prepaid tips. I was going to ask for it to be credited back so we could tip directly to servers in WJ etc, but if the above is true, then I will just leave it as is and forget about it.

 

So glad you understand how the system works...now if everyone understood we would have no tipping threads since its all pretty simple.

 

Haven't cruised RCCL in awhile..just curious how could the WJ staff servers be tipped directly? I don't see how you could get the same WJ waitstaff every time you visited. Are they assigned certain sections on a weekly basis?

[ryano]

Ok, that is interesting and pretty much answers what I was going to ask. My husband wants to be completely casual, so we won't be going to the mdr for dinner at all. We have MTD and have prepaid tips. I was going to ask for it to be credited back so we could tip directly to servers in WJ etc, but if the above is true, then I will just leave it as is and forget about it.

 

Totally off base from the topic at hand but PLEASE dont avoid the MDR of an evening because your husband wants to go "completely casual"........Contrary to what you will read from certain people, he will be more than welcome in the MDR in casual clothes........Even in jeans. As long as he isnt wearing his bathing suit, he will be allowed in and no one in there will care what he is wearing.

 

In fact, your waiters in the MDR will reassure him that he doesnt have to "dress up" even on formal night and practically beg you both to come to dinner.

 

You are paying for it. You might as well enjoy it :)

[DrD]

Totally off base from the topic at hand but PLEASE dont avoid the MDR of an evening because your husband wants to go "completely casual"........Contrary to what you will read from certain people, he will be more than welcome in the MDR in casual clothes........Even in jeans. As long as he isnt wearing his bathing suit, he will be allowed in and no one in there will care what he is wearing.

 

In fact, your waiters in the MDR will reassure him that he doesnt have to "dress up" even on formal night and practically beg you both to come to dinner.

 

You are paying for it. You might as well enjoy it :)

 

wait a minute, isn't there a dress code? why discourage these people from having the good manners to follow the dress code? and how do you know no one will care? We care, not so much about the clothes itself, but what not following the code says to your fellow passengers, ie I only care about myself.

 

I don't necessarily like wearing a tie to work every day, but it's not about me, it's sbout others.

 

so please don't speak for everyone, thanks.

[ryano]

wait a minute, isn't there a dress code? why discourage these people from having the good manners to follow the dress code? and how do you know no one will care? We care, not so much about the clothes itself, but what not following the code says to your fellow passengers, ie I only care about myself.

 

I don't necessarily like wearing a tie to work every day, but it's not about me, it's sbout others.

 

so please don't speak for everyone, thanks.

 

*yawn* :rolleyes:

[Cotswold Eagle]

Totally off base from the topic at hand but PLEASE dont avoid the MDR of an evening because your husband wants to go "completely casual"........Contrary to what you will read from certain people, he will be more than welcome in the MDR in casual clothes........Even in jeans. As long as he isnt wearing his bathing suit, he will be allowed in and no one in there will care what he is wearing

 

The poster you are quoting said their husband wanted to "be completely casual", not "go completely casual". The WJ is a casual dining experience in many ways other than the clothing context you immediately assumed and then made this yet another dress code thread :D

[bbbearden]

By NO means are we great parents but we just got off the Allure and had an AMAZING experience. Our TA, as a perk, paid for our gratuities. We talked to our daughters, 12 and 13, about how hard the crew members worked to make our cruise amazing. We agreed to match any $$$ they wanted to add to their prepaid tips. We let our girls give the envelopes to the crew memebers. It REALLY seemed to hit home for our girls how hard people work to make money. Shame on those willing to sneak and not tip.

 

 

What a great lesson for your kids. On our last cruise we selected MTD so our tips were all prepaid. I was a little nervous about this as I had never done it before but our service was great. My daughter, who was 9 at the time, really hit it off with the head waiter and the cabin steward. At the end of the cruise we decided to give extra cash to several crew members who did a good job for us, we let her help put the cash in the envelopes, and then hand them to the crew members with a big smile and a thank you. It was good for her to learn, and I think the crew members enjoyed the way she did it.