deleting automatic gratuities

[poncho1973]

OMG. It has happened.

 

The perfect storm. While I was typing.

[bigque]

I have always done pre-paid Gratuities with my bookings and will usually give additional cash to my stateroom attendant and waiters for exceptional service on the last night of the cruise. Even if I was letting them do the auto gratuities, I would not have them removed. On cruises or in land based restaurants, service would reall have to suck for me to not want give a tip/gratuity. I have had bad service in a restaurant and I just gave less than I normally would but still give something. On the cruise I just won't give that extra cash in their hand if the service received was sub par!

[PennStateFan123]

OMG. It has happened.

 

The perfect storm. While I was typing.

 

 

"Perfect storm?" Now you went too far. Poor analogy considering we're talking about SHIPS!![emoji102]

 

 

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[poncho1973]

"Perfect storm?" Now you went too far. Poor analogy considering we're talking about SHIPS!![emoji102]

 

 

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HAHAHA!

 

You're just mad because we have to be BFFs now. You, me, your twin, LMax, and LGW.

[LMaxwell]

Well, this is a first. I'm going to agree with both LMaxwell AND LetsGetWet.

 

How do you think I feel? Is this what a hot flash feels like?

 

I've been finding myself agreeing with LGW more and more lately. Not on everything, but on many things he sees them for what they are and will call a spade a spade. I can respect that.

 

I'm a firm believer in giving someone the facts about what a policy is and then letting them decide what to do, not railroad them into something or belittle them for exercising one of several options, even if I do not personally agree with it.

 

As for the "rumors" of spitting on food, cleaning toilets with toothbrushes, etc. I don't know what is worse, that people believe it, or that people spread that sort of totally baseless garbage. Either the cruise line service workers all work really hard and deserve the gratuity or they have no integrity at all and will do mischievous and disgusting things at the drop of a hat. Get real. That's just fear mongering garbage. Ya know what I mean?

Edited February 26, 2015 by LMaxwell

[KelJ]

Haven't cruised since they started the auto gratuities, I think it's not $12/day and $14/day for suite guests...per person. They went away with the envelopes now? I read online that you could have the amount lowered if you're not happy with the service (http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=415&faqSubjectName=Gratuities&faqId=5524). Has anybody ever done this? I don't trust where the money goes if it's just being automatically charged to me, I thought gratuities were optional? I feel more comfortable handing the envelope with cash at the end of my cruise to the individuals intended to receive them, instead of the cruise line hitting up my sea pass each and every day.

Who are you to not TRUST where the money goes? Let RCCL run their business. I don't question it in the least bit. I agree it should be called a service charge, but it's not. Big deal. I have traditional dining, not MTD, so I just called last week and prepaid our gratuities for all three cabins we have booked. It's best to have it out of the way and paid for before I go. Why would you want to stand in line to have the gratuities removed and then mess around with cash and envelopes and tracking people down? Prepaying the gratuities simplifies things, bottom line. I don't worry myself silly about where my gratuities go. I worry about important things like where I'm going to get my next drink and what kind of seafood is going to be on the dinner menu tonight!

[Ocean Boy]

If you dine in US restaurants and leave a tip, you very likely do exactly that. In most cases, a portion of what you leave goes to the "busboy" who cleared the table and got it ready for you, before you were seated, and cleans it up after you leave. And if you ordered any bar drinks, a portion of the tip probably went to the bartender, even if the bar is completely out of sight of the table at which you're dining. Tips in such situations routinely go to people who are behind-the-scenes of providing you a nice meal out; it's not only for the servers who take your order, refill you glass and deliver the food to your table.

 

You tip the person that provided you direct service. How that gets split up later is none of my concern or business.

[poncho1973]

How do you think I feel? Is this what a hot flash feels like?

 

I've been finding myself agreeing with LGW more and more lately. Not on everything, but on many things he sees them for what they are and will call a spade a spade. I can respect that.

 

I'm a firm believer in giving someone the facts about what a policy is and then letting them decide what to do, not railroad them into something or belittle them for exercising one of several options, even if I do not personally agree with it.

 

Awesome!

 

Yeah, I think changing the actual policy would be better for everyone at this stage in the game. The workers, the guests, and the company would benefit.

 

I don't want to pay taxes on my cruise fare, but it's just not an option because the policy (the law in this case) is that it's just there on the end of the bill. I don't start threads about it and I never read any. I don't complain about paying the electric bill in the casino (well, via the fuel used) when I never use the casino because that cost is in my overall cruise fare. I don't start threads about it and I never read any.

 

Just make a service charge part of the bill and stop trying to hide it.

[Ocean Boy]

semantics. I don't use the term petrol in daily conversation but I know it's gas for my car.

 

Not semantics at all. Petrol and gas are the same thing.whether one is familiar with both terms or not. Service charge and gratuity are not the same thing whether one familiar with both terms or not.

[PennStateFan123]

Anyone have a rope?[emoji99]

 

 

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[Ocean Boy]

OMG. It has happened.

 

The perfect storm. While I was typing.

 

Go buy that ticket!:D

[Kamloops50]

If they cancelled the gratuities and paid them an American based wage scale. Would the average person be able to cruise or will it become any elitist way of travellin

 

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[KelJ]

Tried to edit my post to add this, but the edit time had expired.

 

If you pay your gratuities with RCCL Visa card, you get double points. If you pay with cash, you get zero points. No brainer for me. :p

[Boytjie]

Many people benefit from the tipping process. The people behind the scenes, like busboys and dishwashers. If you give your money directly to the bartender, do you know if he will share with his staff that does the dirty work? You will never know where the money goes regardless of who you give it to. Does the drink gratuity, automatically charged , go directly to the bartender who served you, or into a pool for all bartenders and staff..?

 

Often tips to the bartender goes into a communal tip jar. It seems like a pool of tips to be shared . :)

[Ocean Boy]

I have asked. some say this is the case, some do not( different cruise lines, different employees of the same cruise line) but the majority did say that this was the policy, so I go by majority rules.[/Quote]

 

Well that is good enough to make something a fact.

Edited February 26, 2015 by Ocean Boy

[Boytjie]

I agree it should be called a service charge, but it's not. Big deal.

 

On other cruise lines it is called a service charge: e.g. on HAL is is a "hotel service charge" and the same debate happens on the HAL message boards. So it doesn't matter what they call it. :)

[A&L_Ont]

Never mind. It isn't worth it.

 

My thought on the entire thread, no matter your opinion you can't win.

 

However, it is nice to see new cc friendships blooming. A strange new world. :)

Edited February 26, 2015 by A&L_Ont

[Debde]

Thanks everyone, great info so far. I will not be doing the pre paid gratuities, I know this much. I guess I just have that feeling that when tipping someone, I prefer to have it directly handed to the person I intend it to go to, via cash. Like stated before, by doing the auto tip to my sea pass like RCCL does now, I don't know where that's going, and after reading some stuff online (who knows how accurate it is or isn't), is the cruise line really giving all of my tip money to the intended crew members I dealt with? Plus with the fact of giving them extra if we become close and have an enjoyable vacation with them....I might as well just give them the whole intended tip as I'm giving them an envelope with the extra money anyway. Also, with only the 3 or 4 folks we are to tip (waiters, room attendants) it isn't an inconvenience to track people down to give them the cash....in my opinion.

 

Also-if you are staying in a suite category-the concierge can remove/stop the daily added tips. Very easy to do. If not in a suite-just go to guest services at any quiet time and it is removed or stopped. Easy Peasy!!!:)

 

Agree with you 100%. :D

[Ocean Boy]

My thought on the entire thread, no matter your opinion you can't win.

 

However, it is nice to see new cc friendships blooming. ;)

 

I don't know why I get sucked in. However, I agree about the new friendships. Just when you thought a tipping thread could have no value....

[A&L_Ont]

I don't know why I get sucked in. However, I agree about the new friendships. Just when you thought a tipping thread could have no value....

 

OB, like I have said before, you should join me in the windjammer for "coffee break". Sometimes that break is all important for one's sanity.

 

There have been posts for threads I have typed and proof read only to go on delete them and not post. I just know there is no reason as it won't solve anything. However, maybe I should hit submit more and make a few more "friends". :)

[Havingfun2010]

How do you know who should receive tips during your cruise?

 

Honestly, who cares! However, cruise lines have a method of figuring it out in such a way, that even if you give cash, they still will distribute the tips. The old days of cruising are no longer here. Computer models of tipping are used, to distribute tips.

 

So the simple answer is, leave it alone, since it is barely any money at all, and if you want, hand over a larger tip to the people you want. Everyone wins and you don't look like a scrooge.

[Ocean Boy]

Honestly, who cares! However, cruise lines have a method of figuring it out in such a way, that even if you give cash, they still will distribute the tips. The old days of cruising are no longer here. Computer models of tipping are used, to distribute tips.

 

So the simple answer is, leave it alone, since it is barely any money at all, and if you want, hand over a larger tip to the people you want. Everyone wins and you don't look like a scrooge.

 

This actually made be laugh! Now tipping has been elevated to the same level of designing the next generation of cruise ships and airliners.:D:D:D:D:D

[viperrtblck]

you have to explain why. they pretty much assume that if you remove them that the service rendered was sub par and the stuff will get yelled at and asked to explain WHY you removed all the tips. you can claim all you want that would rather give it in person, but they will take that with grain of salt. and really, they may have to pool any cash tip anyway

 

if you do not trust the cruise line to be fair then do not sail that cruise line. anything else just reeks of cheapness and self importance by making yourself look and feel good.

 

the auto charge daily is the most efficient method of making sure EVERYONE gets their fair share. if you find that the service has been outstanding in some areas, then give extra on top at the end in cash. if you find it is lousy than COMPLAIN FIRST before removing the tip.

 

When doing this, according to what you said, they'll just have to take the extra I give them and put in in a pool. Again, that's not my intention, to share it. I'm giving you extra because YOU deserved it. If I'm in the next section down the hall and that stateroom attendant was horrible, I don't want my tip being split with them, I want my tip intended to MY waiter/attendant. So according to your statement, giving cash above what the daily amount it, will result in it being divided up.... honestly what's to keep them from holding the cash themselves. it's cash so there's no record of it being

[viperrtblck]

you have to explain why. they pretty much assume that if you remove them that the service rendered was sub par and the stuff will get yelled at and asked to explain WHY you removed all the tips. you can claim all you want that would rather give it in person, but they will take that with grain of salt. and really, they may have to pool any cash tip anyway

 

if you do not trust the cruise line to be fair then do not sail that cruise line. anything else just reeks of cheapness and self importance by making yourself look and feel good.

 

the auto charge daily is the most efficient method of making sure EVERYONE gets their fair share. if you find that the service has been outstanding in some areas, then give extra on top at the end in cash. if you find it is lousy than COMPLAIN FIRST before removing the tip.

 

When doing this, according to what you said, they'll just have to take the extra I give them and put in in a pool. Again, that's not my intention, to share it. I'm giving you extra because YOU deserved it. If I'm in the next section down the hall and that stateroom attendant was horrible, I don't want my tip being split with them, I want my tip intended to MY waiter/attendant. So according to your statement, giving cash above what the daily amount it, will result in it being divided up.... honestly what's to keep them from holding the cash themselves. it's cash so there's no record of it being transferred...

[bigque]

When doing this, according to what you said, they'll just have to take the extra I give them and put in in a pool. Again, that's not my intention, to share it. I'm giving you extra because YOU deserved it. If I'm in the next section down the hall and that stateroom attendant was horrible, I don't want my tip being split with them, I want my tip intended to MY waiter/attendant. So according to your statement, giving cash above what the daily amount it, will result in it being divided up.... honestly what's to keep them from holding the cash themselves. it's cash so there's no record of it being

 

The way I look at that is I gave some extra cash to them in their hand for what I thought was excellent service, then whatever they do with it after that be it keep it for their self or put it in a pool...I use the Gone From The Wind line....."Franky Scarlett, I don't give a Damn"! :cool:

Edited February 26, 2015 by bigque