How do you feel about the new change in RCI's tipping

[reney313]

I am definitely FOR this new policy. One less hassle when I dine Traditional dining vs. MTD. I hated the awkwardness of handing cash or having to make sure I had my form filled out and turned in (and then having to stand in line and verifying it was received..or standing in line to have them apply it then).

 

Actually, I will more often NOT dine in the MDR on the last night. I felt guilted into it before so people didn't think I was stiffing the waitstaff, even when I had the charges put onto my account and no vouchers were delivered. But I really hate dressing up that last night and much prefer to be wearing casual clothes. This makes that perception go away, I hope.

 

As a former service employee, pooled tips are nothing new. If you tip in cash, it is my opinion the cash is still pooled for the standard amount anyway. Anything above and beyond can be kept.

 

To answer questions about RCI keeping any of it...I think that is bogus and an excuse. There is some distribution that goes to other service employees (like tipping out bussers, hostess, expo people in a land based restaurant). In this scenario, RCI does "keep" some of the tips and redistribute so the employee themselves do not have to "tip out" these folks. (In this case, other housekeeping folks and kitchen staff, etc). I think that might be where some of the rumors of RCI keeping tips come from. Tipping in cash will not prevent this....

[Cuizer2]

As we have heard people supporting both sides of the argument i thought i would be interesting to see how we all really stand on the issue. I for one am for it because i think the people who end up stiffing the crew should be stopped.

 

I did enjoy handing my cash to them personally as i felt it was a better way of saying thank you but its not the end of the world.

 

1) I prefer the auto tips.

 

2) You can still hand cash to the people you believe deserve it.

[oneputt18]

1) I prefer the auto tips.

 

2) You can still hand cash to the people you believe deserve it.

 

Agree 100%

[AmandaKaye79]

While in a perfect world I would prefer the old cash in envelopes policy, the new policy will eliminate the problem of deadbeats not tipping. For those who still want to reward extraordinarly great service, RCI will still provide tip envelopes for providing cash tips at the end of the cruise.

 

You are seriously mistaking if you think this new policy will eliminate the problem of deadbeats not tipping. If they didn't tip on the old policy, they will not tip on this new policy. All it takes is one extra step to go down and remove the tips. Have you ever seen the lines of people doing this on other cruise lines? I'm not for or against the new policy. Doesn't make a difference to me at all.

[Sunebeach]

Have always pre-paid gratuities so no biggie for us...just glad we've already pre-paid for upcoming cruise, so we wont be 'upcharged' per an email they sent us.

Although we usually tip a little extra to our room steward the first day, especially if they'd introduce themselves and we ask them to keep our ice bucket stocked for us, as they usually do without asking anyway...but hand them a little at the beginning, we always have towel animals every night, regardless and we can tell they go out of their way to keep us 'happy'...and we usually slip them a little extra at weeks end, so it ends up about the same in the end.

[midwife1021]

I'm ok with it, but would prefer to be able to pay for it beforehand, rather than add it to the seapass account on a daily basis.

[bigboffs]

Princess has had virtually the same tipping policy for years as now instituted by RCCL. While many will leave the charges on their accounts, seeing the lines at the guest services on Princess ships of people taking them off tells me many will not. The choice is up to each cruise passenger.

[LadyGodiva]

Unfortunately, there will always be obnoxious people who don't feel they need to tip. This way, you're forced to whether you want to or not and these hard working people at least get a minimum tip.

[BND]

I'm ok with it, but would prefer to be able to pay for it beforehand, rather than add it to the seapass account on a daily basis.

 

Pretty sure you can still prepay.

[pattle66]

as a Brit Im in favour of it because i really am fed up with whats been said about Brits not tipping up. Alot of us do and well .... I do have to add and please dont shoot me down in flames why dont they just add the cost to the cost of the cruise and then if we want to we can add an extra tip members of staff as and if we feel like it.

 

I agree, but that may be because i am an Aussie. A lot of comments on this forum say the staff need tips because they are not paid well. I would prefer to see them paid fairly and I can choose to tip when the staff go over and above what is expected. The cost of the cruise isn't really increasing for us as we always prepay our tips and consider that part of the cost of cruising. We tip extra when we recieve exceptional service.

[pattle66]

Hi,

 

Can someone please post a link to the page on the RCCL site regards the new tipping policy. Thank you.

 

I'm an Australian & just finished my 2nd RCCL cruise last week to NZ, I haven't heard of this change (nor received an email) until reading this thread, is it only for US based cruises or worldwide?

 

We have not pre paid in the past but always took cash & always tipped above the recommended rate, with quite a bit extra at times for really good service (despite coming from a non tipping culture - when in Rome...as they say).

 

But I would prefer to have it included as getting the right cash sorted etc is sometimes a hassle.

 

We will still tip extra for good service on top of the prepaid tips.

 

Have you booked through RCI or an Australian TA? They have always been added on and included in our cruise fare. I was under the impressions that Australians didn't get a choice when booking. Maybe you have been per paying and didn't realise :eek:

[MrPete]

As long as the tips taken from me are not going to non service personel, I am fine with it.

 

Haven't seen the breakdown, but if I notice ANYTHING going to people my fare goes to, I will reduce the tip entirely and pay in cash to those assigned to me.

[BillOh]

I We noticed absolutely NO effect on the level of service.

 

 

That is/will be the only issue for me.

[caribbean sailor]

I would prefer that the cruiselines give all their workers extra instead of depending on us to do so.

 

And before I am slammed let me clarify that I am one of these people who will always give extra at the end of the cruise each and everytime.

 

I agree with you Royal Caribbean should pay there people more.Fifty dollars a month is an insult to them and to me.Shame on you Royal,maybe you should tip them also.And not depend on customers to pay their salary.Just think how much better their lives would be,if you and i tip them together.:eek: :( :mad:

[caribbean sailor]

Like we needed to re-hash tipping. I'm with the one less form to fill out crowd.

 

I got my email a couple of days ago letting us know about the new policy. I might be reading too much into this, but it seems to me the number of employees eligible for my gratuity has increased with the new policy. (BOLD) I really don't see the difference here, $12/day on SeaPass instead of a lump sum. It's still charged to my credit card at the end of the cruise and we will still give the three people that count (waiter, assistant waiter, and cabin attendant) extra cash for great service.

 

"Dear Stephen,

 

We look forward to welcoming you onboard for your upcoming Royal Caribbean International cruise vacation!

 

As you prepare to set sail, we wanted to notify you of a change to our gratuity policy. As of March 1, 2013, Royal Caribbean will add an automatic daily gratuity of $12.00 USD ($14.25 USD for Suite guests) to the onboard account of each guest to be shared by Dining Services Staff, Stateroom Attendants and Other Housekeeping Services Personnel that work to enhance your cruise. This gratuity replaces our previously recommended gratuity guidelines.

 

If you have already prepaid gratuities for your upcoming cruise, this policy change will not affect you. Accordingly, we will not apply the daily gratuity to your account while you are onboard. If you have not prepaid your gratuities, you will see the daily automatic gratuity applied to your onboard SeaPass® account during your upcoming cruise."

 

If I can allowed one rant, which I'm sure will be flamed by someone.

 

Please stop with the liveable wage argument! I'm tired of a group of people getting to decide what a liveable wage is for employees. If I have 5 kids at home should I be paid more? If I'm a single mother? What if I'm single, should I get paid less? Should it depend on the country? These employees decided to accept this contract knowing what the terms are. Shouldn't they expect to be paid more, (gratuities) if they do their job better than others? My two cents.

 

 

Extra tips not a bad idea.But i think Royal Caribbean can pay them more then fifty Dollar a month.Large company's tend to take advantage of the poor.Shame on you Royal Caribbean.:eek: :( :mad:

[steveru621]

Extra tips not a bad idea.But i think Royal Caribbean can pay them more then fifty Dollar a month.Large company's tend to take advantage of the poor.Shame on you Royal Caribbean.:eek: :( :mad:

 

Sorry but I'm not buying it. They can't take advantage of you if you choose not to work for them. I refuse to belive these waiters are poor people picked up on the street and forced to slave on a cruise ship. Every public contact employee I have dealt with knows two languages and seemed to be very intelligent. 25,000+ crew members and many of them have signed up for more than one contract.

 

Besides RCCL doesn't pay them, you do, when you decide how much you are willing to pay for a cruise.

[whippet]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mtaakkly_qU

 

eye opener

[pattle66]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mtaakkly_qU

 

eye opener

 

I guess Loan is looking for a new job now....:(

 

Scrap the pre-paid gratuities, increase the fare by the gratuity amount, pay the service staff adequately and let the customer tip for service they believe is over and above.

[scotlanddreamin]

I don't understand why everyone is so upset about this. We have prepaid on every cruise we've ever taken (carnival, disney, princess, and the dreaded costa) and our service on all (except costa) was exceptional. I see it being no different on RC. It's about time they got with what everyone else has been doing for years.

[fishtaco]

I voted yes and I think its fair to all staff.

 

For those that dont like it and have been tipping cash over and above to staff that serve "Them only" then they may have been stiffing certain staff all along without even knowing it?

 

A modern Cruise is a cashless society so why buck the trend and tip cash only? just my thought!

 

If crew knew cruisers did not carry cash around to give tips they would not "Push The Envelope" for that cash!

 

Very hard for some US cruisers to change and I understand why but how did they change to paying up front for each meal in the cruise price when they first decided to cruise?

Surely paying for a meal before you have eaten it and decided weather it was up to scratch or not is worse than giving a tip up front for that meal? Personally I would not pay for a really bad meal with bad service so the tip wouldnt even enter the equation. But I am on a cruise!

 

Cashless society on a cruise is simple:)

[fishtaco]

Sorry but I'm not buying it. They can't take advantage of you if you choose not to work for them. I refuse to belive these waiters are poor people picked up on the street and forced to slave on a cruise ship. Every public contact employee I have dealt with knows two languages and seemed to be very intelligent. 25,000+ crew members and many of them have signed up for more than one contract.

 

Besides RCCL doesn't pay them, you do, when you decide how much you are willing to pay for a cruise.

 

Not sure how they buy those expensive watches and iPhones on such a small slave labour wage especially when they have to send every penny they earn back home to support a very poor extended family:confused: lol

[Aldeya]

We have been on 14 cruises and have always tipped the standard+. I believe tips do motivate service personnel to provide better service so I'm against the new plan. I know some people claim prepaying doesn't affect service but when it's across the board, it very well might.

 

I agree. It will affect service as it happened already on the other lines we cruised. There is no incentives for the crew to be more personable.

 

Look what happened to MTD. Why bother if you know that tips are paid and you will not see these people next night?

 

Mandatory disclaimer: we always pay the tips and always pay extra on top of it. But the level of service IMO definitely declined with auto-tipping (at least from our experience on other lines).

Edited February 20, 2013 by Aldeya

[beachnative]

I agree. It will affect service as it happened already on the other lines we cruised. There is no incentives for the crew to be more personable.

 

Look what happened to MTD. Why bother if you know that tips are paid and you will not see these people next night?

 

Mandatory disclaimer: we always pay the tips and always pay extra on top of it. But the level of service IMO definitely declined with auto-tipping (at least from our experience on other lines).

 

I disagree.

 

If service suffers, individuals will not receive "excellent" on the COMMENT CARD and then the individual will suffer.

 

The COMMENT CARD rules and is a far more powerful tool for assignments than tips or WOW cards.

[marci22]

I disagree.

 

If service suffers, individuals will not receive "excellent" on the COMMENT CARD and then the individual will suffer.

 

The COMMENT CARD rules and is a far more powerful tool for assignments than tips or WOW cards.

 

They most certainly like the WOW cards as well.

[f7prez]

I always found the tipping thing a joke. It's a clever way to hide the REAL cost of the cruise. Add the cost to the cruise fare and be done with it. It's like the airlines charging for luggage. Just bump the price up $50 and stop nickle and dimming us.