Gratuities

[Tark]

Not really. If I never use the spa, it doesn't matter to me whether they raise their rates. It doesn't affect me. Only those using the service have to decide if it is still worth it.

 

In the same way, if they raise tips 3% on a package I will never use, it doesn't affect me. Only those buying the package have to decide if it is still worth it.

 

 

That is fine. Yet the poster said does not effect me and I am fine with the increase. Not sure why they even felt the need to say that. nevermind

Edited February 10, 2015 by Tark

[jakenashleysmom]

Its the typical "it doesnt affect me so I could not care less" attitude that abounds on this board. Right, wrong or indifferent, this place is full of it.

 

There are lots of things I do not and can not use. I dont want to see a charge for them though. With that attitude, I guess I could say I could not care less if they charge 50.00 for 1 minute on the Flowrider. I cant use it so I dont care :D

 

Would people not care if they started charging us 20.00 per person per day for tips when service is not getting better? The daily gratuities certainly affect everyone except those that totally remove them.

 

Just a thought.

 

Agreed. But more to the point, why post on a thread that doesn't affect you?

 

Tipping percentages have increased to 18 to 20 percent across this country years ago, frankly it's about time Royal caught up.

 

Sent from my KFTHWI using Forums mobile app

[Tark]

Its the typical "it doesnt affect me so I could not care less" attitude that abounds on this board. Right, wrong or indifferent, this place is full of it.

 

There are lots of things I do not and can not use. I dont want to see a charge for them though. With that attitude, I guess I could say I could not care less if they charge 50.00 for 1 minute on the Flowrider. I cant use it so I dont care :D

 

Would people not care if they started charging us 20.00 per person per day for tips when service is not getting better? The daily gratuities certainly affect everyone except those that totally remove them.

 

Just a thought.

 

 

Exactly this.. Of course there are things that I would not choose to do etc, but that does not mean I want others to have to pay more. But that is just my way of looking at it.

 

Special Dining. I may not use it but I do not think it should be increased as a lot against it. It makes no odd's to me, but still I like fairness. I like all to get treated fair but that is just me :D

[Ksimpson76]

If you noticed, most restaurants in the U.S. went from 15% to 18% on larger parties so I guess this increase is to be expected.

I worked in the service industry for many years and I am okay with tipping well, but the service needs to be there. It's when the service fees are automatic, like in this case, that there is no incentive for the server, or bar tender, to provide better service because they will get paid no matter what.

When I was a server and gave bad service...which never happened:-), my tip would reflect that; and making $2.13 per hour, my tips were my life.

[Folk Singer]

I wonder if the on board gratuity will also go up to 18%?

 

 

Hope not. :eek::eek:

[cruzsnooze]

If you noticed, most restaurants in the U.S. went from 15% to 18% on larger parties so I guess this increase is to be expected.

.

What does US land prices have to do with a cruise ship registered abroad that does not pay taxes?

The best way to protest an increase is to go to guest services and decrease the daily auto tips to a rate you're comfortable with. If enough people do this then they will reconsider and probably adjust their rate accordingly. If people just follow like sheep then why not keep leading them?

Edited February 10, 2015 by cruzsnooze

[Ksimpson76]

What does US land prices have to do with a cruise ship registered abroad that does not pay taxes?

The best way to protest an increase is to go to guest services and decrease the daily auto tips to a rate you're comfortable with. If enough people do this then they will reconsider and probably adjust their rate accordingly. If people just follow like sheep then why not keep leading them?

 

Not sure I call myself a sheep just because I am comfortable paying an extra $1 or $2 per day since inflation happens everywhere, including on sea.

If it is a concern to you then by all means make sure you go to guest services and prove your point.

[LMaxwell]

A gratuity rate percentage increasing for bar service is not inflation. Inflation is the cost of the cruise going up, or the cost of daily gratuity charge increasing, or even the cost of the actual drink increasing (thus generating more gratuity even if the same percentage rate is used as previously).

 

In the U.S. tipping norms have increased because restaurant owners have figured out how to screw more of their staff. For instance, in most restaurants servers don't keep all of their tips. They must tip out a percentage of their total sales to bussing staff, bar staff, and in some cases even kitchen staff, host/hostess staff. Therefore if a server doesn't earn at least, say, 12% or in some cases 15%, of their sales they actually are LOSING money on serving a table. I've had checks recently where they calculate the math and suggest 20, 25, and 30% gratuity. Many servers do not remember the days when 10% was "good" and 15" was "great". That was before the entire staff was getting conned by management.

 

This doesn't directly apply to cruises, but I thought it would be helpful to explain why tipping norms at land based restaurants (in the U.S.) have been creeping upwards, so that people don't conflate the two different structures at play.

[Big_G]

What does US land prices have to do with a cruise ship registered abroad that does not pay taxes?

The best way to protest an increase is to go to guest services and decrease the daily auto tips to a rate you're comfortable with. If enough people do this then they will reconsider and probably adjust their rate accordingly. If people just follow like sheep then why not keep leading them?

 

Did you post this on another thread because it almost seems like word for word what I've read before. That said, you want to penalize the waiters and cabin attendants because the bar servers are getting more?

 

By the way, this sheep is already a 20 percent tipper. Put that in your sheep shares and shave it. It doesn't matter to me either.

[RocketMan275]

What does US land prices have to do with a cruise ship registered abroad that does not pay taxes?

The best way to protest an increase is to go to guest services and decrease the daily auto tips to a rate you're comfortable with. If enough people do this then they will reconsider and probably adjust their rate accordingly. If people just follow like sheep then why not keep leading them?

 

Be sure and advise your waiters and room stewards that you are protesting the increase by reducing the amount of daily auto tips. I would recommend you do this on the first day because I'm sure they will be glad to know that they're not serving a sheep. Please feel free to explain to them why you think they're so overpaid that they do not deserve an increase.

[LMaxwell]

Be sure and advise your waiters and room stewards that you are protesting the increase by reducing the amount of daily auto tips. I would recommend you do this on the first day because I'm sure they will be glad to know that they're not serving a sheep. Please feel free to explain to them why you think they're so overpaid that they do not deserve an increase.

 

All hard workers on cruise ships deserve a wage increase. Perhaps the company that employs them should give them one, especially when they are earning record breaking profits. I don't feel anyone on a cruise ship is overpaid to start with. I feel they all work hard to earn the gratuities they are given. What a shame their employers do not feel the same.

[pennielz]

Quote:

 

.

What does US land prices have to do with a cruise ship registered abroad that does not pay taxes?

The best way to protest an increase is to go to guest services and decrease the daily auto tips to a rate you're comfortable with. If enough people do this then they will reconsider and probably adjust their rate accordingly. If people just follow like sheep then why not keep leading them?

 

What does where people are from have to do with earning a decent wage? And, don't forget, there are a number of Americans working behind the bar on RCCI as well. Many, if not most, are suppoorting a family back home and they are away from their families for approximately 9 months, If $0.23, on average, per drink is going to break you, don't cruise.

[graby5401]

I called RCI about this very same issue last evening. I had two premium packages sitting in my cart for purchase. When I went to pay for it, it showed the price increase. I called royal. After about 30 minutes of waiting for them to figure out what's happening, the resolutions dept came back and said there was "some issues with online reservations". They honored the original price. They even threw in two $25 obc for the inconvenience. Call if your having issues. As they stated. There is no price increases/gratuity increases at this time

[mark290]

As a prior post has already mentioned this is not inflation or a case of

all things go up at sea as well as on land. The gratuity goes up in dollars

when the price of a drink goes up. This is done without increasing the automatic gratuity percentage.

 

If the logic is that this is inflation or just a wage increase then by using the method of increasing the percentage by 3% every now and then the gratuity percentage will eventually be 100%.

 

If you are in sales wouldn't you love it if your compensation percentage went up every few years or even once every several years. Eventually you would be at a 100% comp rate.

[Ksimpson76]

As a prior post has already mentioned this is not inflation or a case of

all things go up at sea as well as on land. The gratuity goes up in dollars

when the price of a drink goes up. This is done without increasing the automatic gratuity percentage.

 

If the logic is that this is inflation or just a wage increase then by using the method of increasing the percentage by 3% every now and then the gratuity percentage will eventually be 100%.

 

If you are in sales wouldn't you love it if your compensation percentage went up every few years or even once every several years. Eventually you would be at a 100% comp rate.

 

The point was more that prices go up so peoples' pay must increase. Sometimes they will increase the cost of items, sometimes they will give raises. 3% increase in gratuities is like giving them a raise without having to increase pricing directly.

It will never be 100% gratuity so stop exaggerating the point. But to counter your point on inflation, I am sure you still make .25 per hour; or has your pay gone up since the 20's?

The point is pricing goes up, peoples' salaries must go up. There areseveral ways it can happen and increasing gratuities is sometimes one of the ways.

[Havingfun2010]

Just curious why an extra $1.47 a day matters? So many post have said that the bar staff feel they get less money overall because of the unlimited packages. I would tend to agree. Also, how many people already state they add an extra tip per drink. Most cases, they tip around 30%.

 

Honestly, the staff can keep the extra 1.47 per day in tips. Just stop asking me to sign a slip of paper only to toss out. (Yes, the slips w/o a extra tip added or not kept).

[icsys]

...The point is pricing goes up, peoples' salaries must go up. There areseveral ways it can happen and increasing gratuities is sometimes one of the ways.

 

If salaries must go up then raising gratuities is not the best way at all... they can be removed!

 

In any case, if you read post #38 the apparent increase from 15 to 18% is an error. There are apparently "some issues with online reservations".

 

All hard workers on cruise ships deserve a wage increase. Perhaps the company that employs them should give them one, especially when they are earning record breaking profits. I don't feel anyone on a cruise ship is overpaid to start with. I feel they all work hard to earn the gratuities they are given. What a shame their employers do not feel the same.

 

Well said!

[LMaxwell]

The point was more that prices go up so peoples' pay must increase. Sometimes they will increase the cost of items, sometimes they will give raises. 3% increase in gratuities is like giving them a raise without having to increase pricing directly.

It will never be 100% gratuity so stop exaggerating the point. But to counter your point on inflation, I am sure you still make .25 per hour; or has your pay gone up since the 20's?

The point is pricing goes up, peoples' salaries must go up. There areseveral ways it can happen and increasing gratuities is sometimes one of the ways.

 

Charging a mandatory gratuity and increasing it as a way of paying your employees puts the onus on the guest, not the company. Will they make more money? Yes. Is it a raise? No. I have my sincere doubts as to whether the company has increased their pay at all.

[Ksimpson76]

Just curious why an extra $1.47 a day matters? So many post have said that the bar staff feel they get less money overall because of the unlimited packages. I would tend to agree. Also, how many people already state they add an extra tip per drink. Most cases, they tip around 30%.

 

Honestly, the staff can keep the extra 1.47 per day in tips. Just stop asking me to sign a slip of paper only to toss out. (Yes, the slips w/o a extra tip added or not kept).

 

Agreed.

[bluegirlum]

Just curious why an extra $1.47 a day matters? So many post have said that the bar staff feel they get less money overall because of the unlimited packages. I would tend to agree. Also, how many people already state they add an extra tip per drink. Most cases, they tip around 30%.

 

Honestly, the staff can keep the extra 1.47 per day in tips. Just stop asking me to sign a slip of paper only to toss out. (Yes, the slips w/o a extra tip added or not kept).

 

For me with something like this, it's that they increase the tip/do something else without telling us first. If you receive a message from them saying "Hey, we're increasing gratuities to 18% starting Feb. 1" then you're prepared for it when you go in to purchase the drink package that you were expecting to only pay 15% for because that's what you read here/on the RC website. $1.47/day isn't much, but I think if they do this for a lot of things and you aren't expecting it, then you might have made other decisions because then it could become $15/day or something. To me it's more of a communication issue.

[littlej]

I called RCI about this very same issue last evening. I had two premium packages sitting in my cart for purchase. When I went to pay for it, it showed the price increase. I called royal. After about 30 minutes of waiting for them to figure out what's happening, the resolutions dept came back and said there was "some issues with online reservations". They honored the original price. They even threw in two $25 obc for the inconvenience. Call if your having issues. As they stated. There is no price increases/gratuity increases at this time

 

Oh no. I just went to my reservation and added a drink package to see what would happen. Sure enough:

"A 18% gratuity charge will be added to each package price listed above."

 

Guess I won't beat myself up for buying it sooner, it's $4.41 extra over a 3-day cruise. I probably will be tipping extra here and there more than that anyway.

Edited February 10, 2015 by littlej
I did the math.

[squadron]

Today I was purchasing my Booze package and guess what ?????

 

Gratuities have gone up from 15% to 18% !!!!! What's up with that ??

 

Think of it as tipping in a bar or restaurant where 15% is thought of as a minimum and then you won't feel so badly!

[pcur]

If the daily gratuities increase, any bookings that have prepaid won't be affected. So, if you have a future booking, and expect the daily grats are going to go up, you might want to add them to your booking now. It increases your final payment, you don't pay them until then, and your amount is locked in on the reservation.

 

Since we always book with MTD, we prepay our gratuities all the time, anyway.

[Wilda]

What does US land prices have to do with a cruise ship registered abroad that does not pay taxes?

The best way to protest an increase is to go to guest services and decrease the daily auto tips to a rate you're comfortable with. If enough people do this then they will reconsider and probably adjust their rate accordingly. If people just follow like sheep then why not keep leading them?

 

We are talking about tips on the drink packages. You do not have the option to have them reduced at guest services- it is built into the package.

[mark290]

The point was more that prices go up so peoples' pay must increase. Sometimes they will increase the cost of items, sometimes they will give raises. 3% increase in gratuities is like giving them a raise without having to increase pricing directly.

It will never be 100% gratuity so stop exaggerating the point. But to counter your point on inflation, I am sure you still make .25 per hour; or has your pay gone up since the 20's?

The point is pricing goes up, peoples' salaries must go up. There areseveral ways it can happen and increasing gratuities is sometimes one of the ways.

 

Of course the few dollars is meaningless. It is calling this increase a form of inflation. Using your example of the price of things in your time, which I guess was the 20's, the price of a drink was (to use a term you might have used) two bits. Now the price of the drink is $10. The amount of the tip has thus increased to account for inflation. To raise the minimum gratuity percentage also would mean the compensation has out paced the inflation amount.

 

I don't know what the gratuity percentage was when you were buying drinks in the 20's but when I started it was 12-15% (as a minimum). If the minimum is now 18% and increases as a device for increased compensation then at some point it would hit 100%. It might not be until I am as old as you but it would be mathematically guaranteed.