Tipping or not with prepaid gratuities?

[caribbean sailor]

I am not sure if this is totally true. We always prepay our tips but because envelopes are left in your cabin on the second last day, we have felt pressured to tip extra.

 

On most of our recent cruises, almost all American passengers on MTD gave their waiters an envelope on the last night. I realise you do not have to give extra, but I felt waitstaff were looking for it!

 

Let them look if your tips were taken up front by Royal.Your tips are paid.Tips are given not taken.:)

[caribbean sailor]

Has anybody heard of stopping the automatic gratuities?

Is it possible to stop that and also not pre-pay?

I like to tip and have no problem tipping the amount that would be deducted automatically, or even more, but I like to do it personally.

It's the way I've done it for many years and it allows me to not only take care of the people who've done the most for me and my family, but it adds a personal touch that is missing with the auto gratuities.

Just wondering

 

If you are on my time dinning you can't stop the royal money grab by royal.Any other type dinning go to customer service and tell them not to charge tips to your account.I DECIDE WHO TO GIVE MY MONEY TO NOT ROYAL CARIBBEAN. :)

[laura Bra]

If you are on my time dinning you can't stop the royal money grab by royal.Any other type dinning go to customer service and tell them not to charge tips to your account.I DECIDE WHO TO GIVE MY MONEY TO NOT ROYAL CARIBBEAN. :)

 

You Go Girl.

I work so hard for my vacation, I can only afford one every two years.

I will decide who and when to tip.

Its another money grab.

[calypso73]

If you are on my time dinning you can't stop the royal money grab by royal.Any other type dinning go to customer service and tell them not to charge tips to your account.I DECIDE WHO TO GIVE MY MONEY TO NOT ROYAL CARIBBEAN. :)

 

My understanding was that the automatically charged tips were shared so that everyone who has something to do with your cruise going smoothly gets a tip not just the people you have face to face contact with. Eg the poor suckers who get stuck washing dishes, doing the laundry, cleaning the common areas, working the engines etc. Without these people your experience would probably not be anywhere near as nice but they are the people left out of tipping when people only give it to people they have face to face contact with.

[LMaxwell]

My understanding was that the automatically charged tips were shared so that everyone who has something to do with your cruise going smoothly gets a tip not just the people you have face to face contact with. Eg the poor suckers who get stuck washing dishes, doing the laundry, cleaning the common areas, working the engines etc. Without these people your experience would probably not be anywhere near as nice but they are the people left out of tipping when people only give it to people they have face to face contact with.

Nobody working the engines gets tipped.

 

Making a dishwasher rely on tips is insulting and demeaning.

[calypso73]

Nobody working the engines gets tipped.

 

Making a dishwasher rely on tips is insulting and demeaning.

 

personally I think making anyone rely on tips is insulting and demeaning ;) but its the accepted practice in certain cultures and situations so I go with it. I'd much rather see people paid a fair wage in the first place.

[laura Bra]

personally I think making anyone rely on tips is insulting and demeaning ;) but its the accepted practice in certain cultures and situations so I go with it. I'd much rather see people paid a fair wage in the first place.

 

Another money grab by Royal.

We work hard, we pay our taxes and we wont pay tips.

these people dont pay tax.

its unfair on our society and its grab all by royal

we wont pay,I tell you, we wont pay.

[Ocean View]

My understanding was that the automatically charged tips were shared so that everyone who has something to do with your cruise going smoothly gets a tip not just the people you have face to face contact with. Eg the poor suckers who get stuck washing dishes, doing the laundry, cleaning the common areas, working the engines etc. Without these people your experience would probably not be anywhere near as nice but they are the people left out of tipping when people only give it to people they have face to face contact with.

 

 

I could be wrong but I don't thinks so about all of the behind the scenes people being part of the tip pot. When they just did the envelopes it was just those few ie: waiter, cabin steward,asst waiter, head waiter, if we only tipped them in the past how were those other crew getting their cut? Just a thought. I never not tipped but it is easier the new way I just liked handing an envelope directly to someone.

[scottie99]

I think this thread is losing the point.

 

It is not about the principal of tipping, rather it's about been pushed to pay extra tips

[Jenhem31]

I always bring cash for tips for room service. There is no slip to sign so you can't add a tip. We typically leave an extra tip for the steward. We don't usually eat in the MDR so we don't tip extra there.

[P&O Lynn Knickers]

There have been so many threads on this subject, and people still dont get it.

Tipping is explained in the terms and conditions, it is a part of your contract.

Please tip the waiter, the cabin steward.

 

Some people are so cheap.

Tipping is required when you cruise.

sadly, the cheaper the cruises the cheaper the standards of passengers, or so it would seem to be.

 

Tip, tip tip.

 

I do love all the waiters and cabin stewards. they do look after me in so many ways. Bless them, the little dahlings.

 

 

 

.

Edited May 5, 2015 by P&O Lynn Knickers
Lynn is beautiful GO LYNN

[Cigar King]

Another money grab by Royal.

We work hard, we pay our taxes and we wont pay tips.

these people dont pay tax.

its unfair on our society and its grab all by royal

we wont pay,I tell you, we wont pay.

 

I'm having a hard time seeing the relationship between taxes and tips. Are you somehow suggesting that only people who pay taxes in the US deserve tips?

Edited May 5, 2015 by Cigar King

[LoveyHowell]

Tipping is required when you cruise.

 

Expected and customary; yes.

 

Required; no.

[tserface]

Although I voiced it differently I used to feel this way as well. We always do MTD and I didn't get why we had to prepay tips. Now, after doing it a few times I find it very convenient to have the tips prepaid so that I don't have to figure out each night how to tip. We sometimes get different waiters and assistants so we couldn't just do the normal weekly thing.

 

So, I plan to tip anyway and having it prepaid doesn't affect the bottom line. I don't know why they can't do it like other tips where it's just charged by day. My guess is that it just seems convenient to have it done and they can keep track of who serves you each day and parse it out accordingly.

 

I can see that this would be an issue if you plan not to tip at all. I suspect that a majority of people just do what the cruise line suggests so this is likely only an issue with a few people.

 

It's easy to just consider it part of the cruise cost. It's another $12/day or so. That's cheaper than many of the drinks these days :)

 

Tom

 

If you are on my time dinning you can't stop the royal money grab by royal.Any other type dinning go to customer service and tell them not to charge tips to your account.I DECIDE WHO TO GIVE MY MONEY TO NOT ROYAL CARIBBEAN. :)

[galavant3]

Another money grab by Royal.

We work hard, we pay our taxes and we wont pay tips.

these people dont pay tax.

its unfair on our society and its grab all by royal

we wont pay,I tell you, we wont pay.

 

I understand that some people are just philosophically opposed to tipping. If you choose not to tip, I hope that you will notify all servers and attendants at the beginning of your cruise. That way, they can provide the bare minimum of service and give their attention to those that will appreciate it. It has been our experience that the staff goes well above and beyond what is required to make our vacation special.

 

Personally, in many cruises, on many lines, I feel that the recommended gratuity of about $12-15 is the biggest bargain out there. We are treated so incredibly well by every one we come into contact with.

 

So, please, as a courtesy, let the staff no that you have no intention of tipping. That way, they won't wonder if you are disappointed with the level of service. Really, it is the least you can do.

[LoveyHowell]

If you choose not to tip, I hope that you will notify all servers and attendants at the beginning of your cruise. That way, they can provide the bare minimum of service and give their attention to those that will appreciate it.

 

Hey guess what, it's not the workers choice to choose if they want to do their job or not. They're contracted for a job and they get their tips afterwards. The employer determines their job tasks. So do us all a favor and stop talking out of your backside.

[galavant3]

Hey guess what, it's not the workers choice to choose if they want to do their job or not. They're contracted for a job and they get their tips afterwards. The employer determines their job tasks. So do us all a favor and stop talking out of your backside.

 

 

It has been my experience that they go well above and beyond that which is required. I am getting the sense that not every is receiving that same level of exception service and I am beginning to understand why.

[LoveyHowell]

It has been my experience that they go well above and beyond that which is required. I am getting the sense that not every is receiving that same level of exception service and I am beginning to understand why.

We get phenomenal service and we pay for it. A LOT. No problem for us. But if someone else doesn't want to, that is THEIR CHOICE, not yours big shot.

[sky0000547]

I'm just curious at what so phenomenal service that you receive and nobody gets?

 

I prepay my tips and I forget about it. My cabin is made up and I get served at the restaurant, I'm happy. I'm not expecting them to start polishing my shoes or start kissing my backside.

[galavant3]

We get phenomenal service and we pay for it. A LOT. No problem for us. But if someone else doesn't want to, that is THEIR CHOICE, not yours big shot.

 

You missed my point entirely. I completely understand that some will choose not to tip. However, when you book a cruise, you do so with the understanding that tipping is expected (not required). That being the case, it doesn't seem right to me, for a worker to go above and beyond when the cruiser has no intention of tipping regardless of the level of service. Why not be upfront about the decision and let them know? It only seems fair.

 

It also lets the staff member know that the reason for no tips had nothing to do with the level of service.

 

And, as charming as you are, I had no doubt that you receive phenomenal service :)

Edited May 6, 2015 by galavant3

[LoveyHowell]

I'm just curious at what so phenomenal service that you receive and nobody gets?

 

I prepay my tips and I forget about it. My cabin is made up and I get served at the restaurant, I'm happy. I'm not expecting them to start polishing my shoes or start kissing my backside.

 

I don't know if we get better service than anyone else, but we're quite happy with it, and we pay accordingly for the service. We consider it excellent. Someone else might consider it average. Yet another person might consider it world changing.

 

But it's still everyones choice to do what they want and no one has to listen to Mr. Galavant tell them what to do. Do whatever you think is best. I absolutely hate the tip police; they don't know how to mind their own business and have to try to control others. Usually pig headed and wrong too.

[LoveyHowell]

However, when you book a cruise, you do so with the understanding that tipping is expected (not required).

 

That's the long and short of it. ANything else is your opinion only and not useful to those seeking factual input.

[galavant3]

I really do try and treat everyone with courtesy and respect. I'm not always as successful as I'd like to be but that is always my goal. I would never publicly name call anyone, let alone a total stranger.

 

I consider myself to be an average tipper. According to what I read here, maybe a little below average.

 

For me this is more of a Golden Rule issue. If I were the cabin attendant, I would really appreciate knowing in advance, if someone had no intention of tipping. That way, I would not be left scratching my head at the end of the week wondering what I did wrong.