Not eating in MDR at all, fair to remove part of gratuities?

[styxfire]

A tip is for exceptional service. EXCEPTIONAL. Nobody should try to bully any customer into paying a bonus to a waiter. If a waiter does the correct job, then they earned the pay their employer signed a contract to pay.

 

If a waiter does an EXCEPTIONAL job, then you should pay him a tip.

 

I believe everybody should remove the pre-paid tips from their account, and then pay their waiters according to the service received.

 

Behind-the-scenes employees are not warranted to received tips. Someday, when they have paid their dues in the workplace, then they will get the chance to interact with customers and have the choice to offer regular service or EXCEPTIONAL, at which time they may or may not receive tips.

 

However, unless a customer has a face-to-face interaction with an employee and comes away from that interaction feeling like they just experienced something exceptional, they should NOT be guilted into tipping!!!!

!!!!!

[sxphil]

A tip is for exceptional service. EXCEPTIONAL. Nobody should try to bully any customer into paying a bonus to a waiter. If a waiter does the correct job, then they earned the pay their employer signed a contract to pay.

 

If a waiter does an EXCEPTIONAL job, then you should pay him a tip.

 

I believe everybody should remove the pre-paid tips from their account, and then pay their waiters according to the service received.

 

Behind-the-scenes employees are not warranted to received tips. Someday, when they have paid their dues in the workplace, then they will get the chance to interact with customers and have the choice to offer regular service or EXCEPTIONAL, at which time they may or may not receive tips.

 

However, unless a customer has a face-to-face interaction with an employee and comes away from that interaction feeling like they just experienced something exceptional, they should NOT be guilted into tipping!!!!

!!!!!

 

Well Said

[Miaminice]

As most of the time here on CC, innocent questions lead to endless, sometimes rude debates...

 

I wish some of the users here would get off their high horse!!!

Explanations why tips are paid, how tips are paid... bla, bla.

 

I wish we would all remember that the service-people on board are a HUGE factor why we all love cruising - they litterally make our day. They work 7 - 9 month, two shifts a day without one day off. Tips are a big part of their income. No matter if they personally talk to or just clean up the mess behind you.

 

I really wonder if all the posters here claiming to tip personally actually tip the same amount suggested !?

 

I gladly prepay the gratuities - and I gladly tip extra for good service - which we always receive.

I am grateful to be able to afford a cruise and to be the one on the side being served.

 

We are paying big bucks for a cruise - and then complain about the small gratuity-part. Oh sorry, we dont "complain" - we just find all kinds of excuses and explanations...

 

How can we expect a service staff to keep us happy when we do not value their service (seen or unseen).

 

And don´t even start with the the "bad cruise industry" ... granted, some things should be changed - but don´t let it out on the staff!

[jwm51]

UNBELIEVABLE. OP replied, and very graciously, in post #62 on their intention, which as it turns out, was never to cheat anyone. It is my belief s/he was asking a sincere question out of ignorance, which means they do not know - not that they are rude, in case anyone argues that point.

 

I see I'm alone here but I want to find the best in OP and so many replies here were really nasty, yours included. Wow.

 

EDITED to add this from OP's first post:

 

 

 

Clearly OP did not understand how tipping works if you do not dine in the MDR; our answers helped him/her to realize that all MDR staff work elsewhere onboard and just because one does not take dinner in the MDR does not mean the tips should be removed. It was a question to which many of us provided an answer, and now they can make an informed decision.

 

.

 

 

 

.

 

Clearly you DON'T get it and probably NEVER will!:mad:

 

NOT only was I not rude (boy are you reading WAAAY to much into what I said), but OP is pulling your chain!!!

 

'Out of ignorance", MY EYE! STAY FOCUSED HERE!!!;)

[NorbertsNiece]

As most of the time here on CC, innocent questions lead to endless, sometimes rude debates...

 

I wish some of the users here would get off their high horse!!!

Explanations why tips are paid, how tips are paid... bla, bla.

 

I wish we would all remember that the service-people on board are a HUGE factor why we all love cruising - they litterally make our day. They work 7 - 9 month, two shifts a day without one day off. Tips are a big part of their income. No matter if they personally talk to or just clean up the mess behind you.

 

I really wonder if all the posters here claiming to tip personally actually tip the same amount suggested !?

 

I gladly prepay the gratuities - and I gladly tip extra for good service - which we always receive.

I am grateful to be able to afford a cruise and to be the one on the side being served.

 

We are paying big bucks for a cruise - and then complain about the small gratuity-part. Oh sorry, we dont "complain" - we just find all kinds of excuses and explanations...

 

How can we expect a service staff to keep us happy when we do not value their service (seen or unseen).

 

And don´t even start with the the "bad cruise industry" ... granted, some things should be changed - but don´t let it out on the staff!

 

Too many posts here I want to quote.

 

 

I agree with the above.

 

• Can't eat 3 times a day in the MDR.
   
  
• I cruise solo. No-one has been forced to share with me nor I with them.
   
  
• When I eat in WJ the table has to be cleared and wiped down. Someone has to do that. I am always offered drinks to be brought to the table there. A service is provided.
  

 

My gratuities will stay in place of course with MTD but even if I were dining at traditional seatings or not in the MDR at all (come on.... you'd miss the Tutti Salad on sea days.... and the eggs benedict at breakfast.... I could go on and on) I would still prepay without removing a portion. I budget appropriately. And believe me with a year to go before my next cruise with RCCL that is no mean feat!

[Clarea]

Why would anyone ask a question, which implies they are asking for opinions, when obviously they do not want an opinion, but instead a debate?....

I think some threads are created just for the fun of seeing a bunch of people get worked up.

[gerif]

A tip is for exceptional service. EXCEPTIONAL. Nobody should try to bully any customer into paying a bonus to a waiter. If a waiter does the correct job, then they earned the pay their employer signed a contract to pay.

 

If a waiter does an EXCEPTIONAL job, then you should pay him a tip.

 

I believe everybody should remove the pre-paid tips from their account, and then pay their waiters according to the service received.

 

Behind-the-scenes employees are not warranted to received tips. Someday, when they have paid their dues in the workplace, then they will get the chance to interact with customers and have the choice to offer regular service or EXCEPTIONAL, at which time they may or may not receive tips.

 

However, unless a customer has a face-to-face interaction with an employee and comes away from that interaction feeling like they just experienced something exceptional, they should NOT be guilted into tipping!!!!

!!!!!

 

I'd like to know the actual SOURCE of your definition. Tips are for service - if service is "exceptional" (is there even a set criteria for that?), then a larger tip would be warranted. Often waitstaff and cabin attendants must "tip out" helpers that you don't even notice but that enable them to provide the expected service.

 

Heck, there have been trips where I've never even met the cabin attendants but the cabin is clean, towels replaced, ice refilled, and often a cute towel animal left. That's service and warrants a tip. You can justify being cheap all you want but don't expect others to validate it for you.

[gerif]

You got that right, Tom.

 

Unlike some others, I'd prefer it if tipping went away entirely. I don't want the staff to feel beholden to me for their pay. I didn't hire them. I'm not their boss.

 

At this point, I see the recommended "tip" as a service charge to cover what the cruise line should be paying their employees.

 

So, do you never eat in a land based restaurant? Do you tell the owners they should be paying the staff more so that you don't need to tip? How exactly do you handle that? I see you are in the US, so that's why I'm asking. How about hotel chambermaids, taxi drivers, hairdressers?

[micmacmissy]

We aren't cheap, thanks for calling us that thou, really helpful reply.

 

We have always tipped at least the minimum recommend and often extra.

 

It is 100% not a matter of the 14.25*7 dollars, it's a matter of tipping being a thank you for good service.

 

 

I don't know...when you're spending upwards of what, $5,000? $7,000? even more? on a week long cruise, it is cheap to gripe about a nominal $14/day fee/tip/whatever you call it. Everyone knows the costs upfront when they book...you're willing to spend that much money on yourselves for a nice vacation, what about spending a pittance (in comparison) on those who are serving you...either directly or indirectly?

 

Come on, all you tip removal people...you know who you are...just OWN it- just ADMIT it- you're cheap! I have no sympathy for those who try to reason their way (I don't eat there, I don't use that service, etc) out of paying tips. I'd have a lot more sympathy if you said, "Look, I am extremely cheap. I break into a sweat when I have to pull out my wallet. I separate layers of toilet paper at home. I can't help it, I've been that way my whole life." :D

 

Just pay your tips, people!

[marci22]

OP has a fair question. Back in the days when there were fewer specialty restaurants there wasn't a need to think about this. Now when many people are paying extra for the majority of their meals in specialties, it's valid to question if you need to tip MDR servers as well.

 

If someone is eating all specialty and room service (and tipping for room service)

I don't see why they should have to pay MDR waiters on top of that if they don't want to. If a table is reserved for you in MDR, then you should tip regardless.

 

This doesn't matter to many people here who may have a lot of discretionary income. There are also people here who save for awhile to be able to afford to cruise and I don't think it's wrong for them to want to tip who is serving them.

 

I would try to switch out of MTD if you want to have control over your tips.

[cruzeluver]

I abhorred the old way of handling gratuities. You were expected to bring cash to dinner in an envelope they provided on the last night of the cruise, and it was so upset when those who wanted to get out of paying mysteriously did not show up to the main dining room that last night!:mad:

 

I am not wasting one precious second of my vacation hunting down crew members to give them cash nor going to guest services to remove gratuities. No way! The amount charged is beyond reasonable and my time is far too valuable to me.

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

Question--back when we ate all 3 meals in the MDR with the same waitstaff, how did everyone tip then? I was too young to remember how it was done.

 

Were the tipping guidelines higher since you ate there for 3 meals instead of the 1 that we do now? Or were the guidelines basically the same? I'd take a guess that they were the same, but hopefully someone who remembers can answer for me.

[hazeleyez3]

According to the OP's signature, he/she has been cruising since 2008, mostly on RCI owned ships; therefore, he/she isn't new to cruising.

 

Opinion poll....

 

On our upcoming Allure cruise, due to eating at 4 specialties and in suite the other nights most likely, we do not forsee us eating in the MDR at all.

 

We are on MTD (because early/late normal was not available), so our gratuities were prepaid when we booked the cruise. (that's a separate issue, we always pay gratuities gratefully, but do not like it being pre-applied).

 

Are we justified/ok with removing part of the gratuities from our bill? The webpage doesn't even break it down anymore, just 14.25/day/pp for our suite.

 

Again, we always tip, and often give extra for service above and beyond. And we do appreciate that the MDR service folks depend on their tips to flush out their wages.

 

We just do not see it as appropriate in tipping someone that we will never use and that will perform no service for us.

 

Your thoughts?

 

The $300 you already paid will be split between dining services, stateroom attendants, and housekeeping.

 

You will be eating breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner in specialty restaurants? You won't ever use places like Park Cafe, Sorrentos, Cafe Promenade, the boardwalk doghouse (I think thats the name), etc? The staff that you see in these venues are part of the dining staff.

 

Also, since there is no specific breakdown between the job roles now, how exactly will you determine the amount that you want removed?

[mommabean]

For the record - since I said I saw this somewhere.

 

On the front page of the day 1 cruise compass on Oasis of the Seas May 18 - "Important things to know" - right hand column - "gratuities" - "A $12.00 gratuity will be automatically added to each guest's SeaPass account on a daily basis to be shared among dining services, Stateroom Attendants and other housekeeping services crew who work to enhance the cruise." There is more but that is the relevant part - OTHER housekeeping services crew. There is no mention of who gets how much anymore. RCI is taking these automatic gratuities and distributing them as they wish which means the people who used to get cash from us may be getting less than they used to get even if we tip extra.

[temple1]

I abhorred the old way of handling gratuities. You were expected to bring cash to dinner in an envelope they provided on the last night of the cruise, and it was so upset when those who wanted to get out of paying mysteriously did not show up to the main dining room that last night!:mad:

 

I am not wasting one precious second of my vacation hunting down crew members to give them cash nor going to guest services to remove gratuities. No way! The amount charged is beyond reasonable and my time is far too valuable to me.

 

 

Big yea for this one!

 

I never realized on our early cruises that some people might think we were skipping out on the last night because we never go to the MDR on the last night. We always did late seating and on the last night I would go by the MDR with the gratuity envelopes and let the waiters know we would not be there for dinner and to thank them for the great service. That is why I thought it odd on here that some people would actually skip out. :o

 

As I posted in another thread - my total gratuities are paid as part of my cruise fare before I board the ship. I know that the money is shared with other staff, just like many land based restaurants, so I just leave it where it is and not worry about such a few dollars. I don't advocate throwing money away, but honestly, parsing your daily service charge?

[boo214]

A tip is for exceptional service. EXCEPTIONAL. Nobody should try to bully any customer into paying a bonus to a waiter. If a waiter does the correct job, then they earned the pay their employer signed a contract to pay.

 

If a waiter does an EXCEPTIONAL job, then you should pay him a tip.

 

I believe everybody should remove the pre-paid tips from their account, and then pay their waiters according to the service received.

 

Behind-the-scenes employees are not warranted to received tips. Someday, when they have paid their dues in the workplace, then they will get the chance to interact with customers and have the choice to offer regular service or EXCEPTIONAL, at which time they may or may not receive tips.

 

However, unless a customer has a face-to-face interaction with an employee and comes away from that interaction feeling like they just experienced something exceptional, they should NOT be guilted into tipping!!!!

!!!!!

 

It’s kind of ironic that the folks who think they will get bad service if they allow auto tipping because there is "no incentive" essentially not trusting the implied agreement between them and their server think the servers should just trust that everyone that has auto tips removed will have an envelope full of cash to reward their hard work when the server has been stiffed many times before.

[cruisenfever]

For the record - since I said I saw this somewhere.

 

On the front page of the day 1 cruise compass on Oasis of the Seas May 18 - "Important things to know" - right hand column - "gratuities" - "A $12.00 gratuity will be automatically added to each guest's SeaPass account on a daily basis to be shared among dining services, Stateroom Attendants and other housekeeping services crew who work to enhance the cruise." There is more but that is the relevant part - OTHER housekeeping services crew. There is no mention of who gets how much anymore. RCI is taking these automatic gratuities and distributing them as they wish which means the people who used to get cash from us may be getting less than they used to get even if we tip extra.

RCI pays the crew a set salary each month. I believe it's $1065 or slightly higher. If, after calculating pre-paid gratuities, this figure is not met, then RCI makes up the difference. This new payroll system has replaced the $50 per month they used to get.

 

Any cash received from guests is theirs to keep. They do not have to share it.

 

MTD gratuities stay in the MDR unless someone who has signed up for MTD does not eat one meal there. Then those gratuities are redirected to those that work in the WJ and Speciality Restaurants.

 

Other Housekeeping Staff would be those that bring up the luggage on embarkation day, collect the luggage the night before debarkation. They also collect laundry bags and help get cabins ready for new arriving pax.

[Langley Cruisers]

Clearly you DON'T get it and probably NEVER will!:mad:

NOT only was I not rude... 'Out of ignorance", MY EYE! STAY FOCUSED HERE!!!;)

 

 

 

LOL! OK. :) Bless you today.

.

[Archaegeo]

And I have to say again, thanks to those who gave reasoned responses. We are not removing any tips, but it turns out we cannot even if we wanted to do so.

 

When you are charged with no ability to remove it even if poor service, that's a fee, no different than baggage check fee on airlines.

 

The industry needs to rename it to the service fee, not the automatic gratuities.

[babyher]

UNBELIEVABLE. OP replied, and very graciously, in post #62 on their intention, which as it turns out, was never to cheat anyone. It is my belief s/he was asking a sincere question out of ignorance, which means they do not know - not that they are rude, in case anyone argues that point.

 

I see I'm alone here but I want to find the best in OP and so many replies here were really nasty, yours included. Wow.

 

EDITED to add this from OP's first post:

 

 

 

Clearly OP did not understand how tipping works if you do not dine in the MDR; our answers helped him/her to realize that all MDR staff work elsewhere onboard and just because one does not take dinner in the MDR does not mean the tips should be removed. It was a question to which many of us provided an answer, and now they can make an informed decision.

 

.

 

 

 

.

 

 

NO you are not alone .

 

I think many times people ask these questions precisely as you have said . They don't know and are asking what would be appropriate.

 

People who are just going to do what they are going to do , don't usually ask for other people advise or opinions . They just do it.

[PhillyDad]

Head spinning here...not so much about the topic but more about the way people on the internet behave. :confused: :eek: :confused: :(

[hazeleyez3]

RCI pays the crew a set salary each month. I believe it's $1065 or slightly higher. If, after calculating pre-paid gratuities, this figure is not met, then RCI makes up the difference. This new payroll system has replaced the $50 per month they used to get.

 

Any cash received from guests is theirs to keep. They do not have to share it.

 

MTD gratuities stay in the MDR unless someone who has signed up for MTD does not eat one meal there. Then those gratuities are redirected to those that work in the WJ and Speciality Restaurants.

 

Other Housekeeping Staff would be those that bring up the luggage on embarkation day, collect the luggage the night before debarkation. They also collect laundry bags and help get cabins ready for new arriving pax.

 

Everyone gets the same set salary? Where, then, is the incentive for a promotion?

[Langley Cruisers]

NO you are not alone .... I think many times people ask these questions precisely as you have said . They don't know and are asking what would be appropriate....

 

 

Aww, thanks. Appreciate it. :)

 

PhillyDad, the Internet is somewhat anonymous... that's why we often see the behavior we do.

[cruisenfever]

Everyone gets the same set salary? Where, then, is the incentive for a promotion?

I think they call it "a bonus" depending on position.:D

[Debde]

With all due respect to all posting here:

It should be in no way shape of form any of our business what these folks make.

It is our personal business to tip and personal preference on how we each do tip.

simple as that!!

I don't go around asking any of you how much you make. Why-because my Mom taught me it's none of your business and not a question to ask. It's just plain rude!!