Tips charged to sea pass daily?

[LMaxwell]

Regarding this, you may find this page interesting reading as it explains why it's actually not true.

 

I posted that exact link earlier but it is gone. Or maybe I didn't hit submit:confused:

 

I should start drinking to cover up for this.

[renech]

If that is going to be the way it's done, wrap it up in the price of the cruise.:(:mad:

 

Or, you could just factor in the cost of gratuities when planning your cruise.

[mr walker]

Due to my wife's disability we dont even eat in the dining room but we have to tip the waitstaff?

 

No clue as to the nature of your wife's disability & none of my business, but searching for what would be something that would make it better for her to eat in WJ, with all that that involves, then eating in MDR and having full table service?? If you don't want to have your tips charged to your account, then you can arrange that as others have indicated

[Disconnections]

Tips, Gratuities...same thing different wording. Tips stand for To Insure Proper Service! And Just because you feel i am late to the game and it has been beaten to death does not mean I get the answer I was searching for!

 

I didn't know you could insure prompt service. I thought you ensured it.

[Merion_Mom]

Since when did RCI start charging your sea pass daily for tips? Due to my wife's disability we dont even eat in the dining room but we have to tip the waitstaff? What's wrong with this picture? If that is going to be the way it's done, wrap it up in the price of the cruise.:(:mad:

 

Or, you could just factor in the cost of gratuities when planning your cruise.

 

Donna, it seems to be mostly the way that you are choosing to think about this. Just modify your thinking a little bit. Think: This is part of the price of my cruise.

 

You can even have your travel agent add them to your invoice before you cruise, or if you booked directly, you can call Royal Caribbean and have them added to the bill.

 

Then it IS wrapped up in the price of your cruise.

 

Problem solved.

 

:)

[cofgren]

Donna, it seems to be mostly the way that you are choosing to think about this. Just modify your thinking a little bit. Think: This is part of the price of my cruise.

 

You can even have your travel agent add them to your invoice before you cruise, or if you booked directly, you can call Royal Caribbean and have them added to the bill.

 

Then it IS wrapped up in the price of your cruise.

 

Problem solved.

 

:)

 

Modify your thinking a little bit. Are you crazy. Why not give every crew member a tip (gratuity). There is around 2000 of them. I'm sure they all work very hard.When we cruised Hawaii a few years ago our room attendant never cleaned our room. He never brought us towels. We went to the pool and got towels. We set our plates outside the room. The rest of the crew were awesome, but yet he received a tip (gratuity).Please, Really.

[cruisnseas]

Modify your thinking a little bit. Are you crazy. Why not give every crew member a tip (gratuity). There is around 2000 of them. I'm sure they all work very hard.When we cruised Hawaii a few years ago our room attendant never cleaned our room. He never brought us towels. We went to the pool and got towels. We set our plates outside the room. The rest of the crew were awesome, but yet he received a tip (gratuity).Please, Really.

 

I'll never understand this. Why would you have let this go one more than one day? I would have immediately asked to speak to the Exec. Housekeeper and remedied the issue on the spot.

 

I don't reduce tips for poor service, I address the poor service with management. I won't "punish" for sub-par service, I will get quality service and then reward it.

 

As for why we don't "tip" all 2000 crew? Not all crew are in tipped positions (some are paid a higher salary because they are not tipped). Those that are in tipped positions, are all tipped - and that is spread throughout the passenger base.

Edited June 21, 2014 by cruisnseas

[cofgren]

I'll never understand this. Why would you have let this go one more than one day? I would have immediately asked to speak to the Exec. Housekeeper and remedied the issue on the spot.

 

I don't reduce tips for poor service, I address the poor service with management. I won't "punish" for sub-par service, I will get quality service and then reward it.

 

As for why we don't "tip" all 2000 crew? Not all crew are in tipped positions (some are paid a higher salary because they are not tipped). Those that are in tipped positions, are all tipped - and that is spread throughout the passenger base.

 

We went to customer service daily and was told they would fix the problem. It went on deaf ears.The entire crew comment was sarcasim.When you stay at a hotel how many of the staff do you tip (gratuity).

[Coralc]

When you stay at a hotel how many of the staff do you tip (gratuity).

 

Uhhh. Lots. Housekeeping (that make up the room), front desk, concierge services, valet if we use it. :rolleyes::D And also luggage service, baggage handlers, taxi callers.

Edited June 21, 2014 by Coralc

[cofgren]

Uhhh. Lots. Housekeeping (that make up the room), front desk, concierge services, valet if we use it. :rolleyes::D And also luggage service , bell keeps.

 

Wow,good for you. Good for you.

[Coralc]

Dang. Bellhops...that's the word I was looking for. :D

 

We tip a lot at hotels too, especially in Las Vegas. It's like a land cruise. :)

[Adayatatime]

Royal really should just increase the cost of a cruise and pay their staff a good salary. This would be of benefit to all - the passengers wouldn't have to worry and the staff could plan ahead with their lives. I think its irresponsible to expect some crew to rely on tips whilst others get paid properly.

 

How many of us rely on tips in our jobs? Are we really so patronising that we feel we won't get good service unless we tip?

 

I think there are two main issues here. It obviously works for RCs marketing and I also think it makes some passengers feel superior.

[gerif]

Dang. Bellhops...that's the word I was looking for. :D

 

We tip a lot at hotels too, especially in Las Vegas. It's like a land cruise. :)

 

And don't forget room service. I stay in a lot of hotels as well - am in one right now, wish it were Vegas!

[Adayatatime]

Uhhh. Lots. Housekeeping (that make up the room), front desk, concierge services, valet if we use it. :rolleyes::D And also luggage service, baggage handlers, taxi callers.

 

In a UK hotel I wouldn't tip housekeeping, front desk (they are paid a salary) concierge services, valet service. I might tip luggage service if I needed extra help with my bags but try to do it myself, taxi callers? ....

[peteukmcr]

In a UK hotel I wouldn't tip housekeeping, front desk (they are paid a salary) concierge services, valet service. I might tip luggage service if I needed extra help with my bags but try to do it myself, taxi callers? ....

The doormen, especially in US hotels that wave taxis to the front door and open the doors for you and help put your bags in the boot (trunk) - those are taxi callers and it's customary to tip them at least a dollar. Bellhops (hotel porters) who both deliver and collect your bags to/from your room should also get a tip. Edited June 21, 2014 by peteukmcr

[petesweet]

Or, you could just factor in the cost of gratuities when planning your cruise.

This is what I do, and I really don't understand comments about just raising the price of the cruise. To me, the price of the cruise is the $___ for the cabin AS WELL AS the $12/day gratuity. What is so hard about that? There you have it - the price of the cruise.

 

One thing that has been mentioned before is that if it is simply added to the price of the cruise, then the commission to travel agents increases accordingly, so your actual cost is going to creep up a bit over time.

 

Happy sails.:)

 

Kathy

[marci22]

This is what I do, and I really don't understand comments about just raising the price of the cruise. To me, the price of the cruise is the $___ for the cabin AS WELL AS the $12/day gratuity. What is so hard about that? There you have it - the price of the cruise.

 

One thing that has been mentioned before is that if it is simply added to the price of the cruise, then the commission to travel agents increases accordingly, so your actual cost is going to creep up a bit over time.

 

Happy sails.:)

 

Kathy

 

I think the reason people say that is because if it was all one price, it would end the debate about 'fair wages', how much tip is reasonable, if they are going to do it or not, some cultures don't tip, etc etc etc

[Adayatatime]

I think the reason people say that is because if it was all one price, it would end the debate about 'fair wages', how much tip is reasonable, if they are going to do it or not, some cultures don't tip, etc etc etc

 

I think you are right. And I think the only reason Royal do it his way is because it must be cost effective.

[cruisnseas]

We went to customer service daily and was told they would fix the problem. It went on deaf ears.The entire crew comment was sarcasim.When you stay at a hotel how many of the staff do you tip (gratuity).

 

So again I ask, why did you not demand to speak to the manager on day one? You were complacent in your bad service. Ridiculous. You have to be your own advocate in these situations. I wouldn't have left that desk until the Exec Housekeeper was standing in front of me.

 

As for who I tip? The maid service, laundry service (if offered and used), the bellmen, room service, the concierge (if offered and used), the door man, any wait staff (if offered and used). I tip people that provide service to me unless that person is a professional (doctors, lawyers, teachers, etc). This is standard practice and polite manners. I do this because I know their wages are dependent upon it (whether or not I agree that they should be) and because they work hard providing a service to me.

[cruisnseas]

I think you are right. And I think the only reason Royal do it his way is because it must be cost effective.

 

They do it this way because it is industry standard.

[spookwife]

Since when did RCI start charging your sea pass daily for tips? Due to my wife's disability we dont even eat in the dining room but we have to tip the waitstaff? What's wrong with this picture? If that is going to be the way it's done, wrap it up in the price of the cruise.:(:mad:

 

many month ago. do you seriously eat exactly zero times outside of your cabin? as in all three meals PLUS random snacks in the cabin? then I suppose you could justify removing THAT PORTION of the auto gratuity.. but then you;d just be paying that to the Room service delivery guy instead.. and then I'd double the amount for the cabins steward as he will have much work work to do with far less leeway to get his daily tasks for your room done if you are always in it and leaving lots of plates around.

 

Tips cover ALL meals regardless of where you eat them in included venues. Buffet, poolside, park cafe, etc.

[Kim4]

I'm reading this thread, and I'm trying to play out the scenario in my mind mentioned in this thread where my family goes to dinner each night but then we skip the last night because we don't want to tip. I just can't do it.

 

I just can't believe people would do that - I guess I'm too Pollyanna-ish in my view of the human race. I don't think I'd be able to sleep a wink at night if we stiffed our waiter like that.

 

I have only been on 5 cruises, but on each one by the end of the cruise the waiter had done such a great job that we really wanted to show him how much we appreciated his effort.

 

Did people really do that? Skip out on the last night just to avoid the tip?

[caribbean sailor]

I think you are right. And I think the only reason Royal do it his way is because it must be cost effective.

 

Cost effective you bet it is,we pay Twenty Four Dollars a day.And they pay the crew Fifty Dollars a month.Again tips are given not taken.:)

[Adayatatime]

They do it this way because it is industry standard.

 

It's industry standard for a company to take a given amount out of someone's account (or charge it) each day in anticipation that that is the amount someone wants to tip? I thought either people usually tipped on the spot (as you described) or didn't tip.

[sjb317]

I'm reading this thread, and I'm trying to play out the scenario in my mind mentioned in this thread where my family goes to dinner each night but then we skip the last night because we don't want to tip. I just can't do it.

 

I just can't believe people would do that - I guess I'm too Pollyanna-ish in my view of the human race. I don't think I'd be able to sleep a wink at night if we stiffed our waiter like that.

 

I have only been on 5 cruises, but on each one by the end of the cruise the waiter had done such a great job that we really wanted to show him how much we appreciated his effort.

 

Did people really do that? Skip out on the last night just to avoid the tip?

 

We have had tablemates that did not show up on the last night. I don't believe all of them did it just to avoid tipping but I do think it was likely that a few of them did. We had one couple (out of a table for 10) who came every night on a 14 night cruise, except for the last night. And they complained a lot each night they were there, nothing was right as far as they were concerned. I'm pretty sure they did not come that last night to avoid tipping.:mad:

 

I just consider the daily amount to be part of the overall cost of cruising. Out of 35 cruises, I have yet to feel that the tips were not deserved.

 

Sherri:)