Royal to raise gratuities

[CptSticky]

Correct, I have not pre paid them.

 

Guess I was questioning if I would still get the $12 rate since the number is stated on the invoice (but not as a explicit booking charge item).

It tends to take Royal a while to catch up on all the language in all the different spots after they make a change. So, it's entirely possible that you are looking at old language. On another thread, someone was just complaining that they were still using photos of rooms with the old bedding from several years ago.

[LuCruise]

Thank you both. Will give them a call to ensure we get the $12 rate....even if we need to pay that charge now.

[Angelsea57]

What's next? Room Service service fee? :confused:

Actually they do charge. While on Quantum a few weeks ago,

We ordered room service at 11PM and there was a $4.95 charge.

I think they changed the time, I thought it was for after midnight before.

Food was fresh and hot, so I can't complaint.

[Desert Cruizers]

Clint, the other thing my TA told me, she also shows final payment date on her invoices as a week earlier then what the cruise lines will show so she can make sure she receives all finals and her final invoices to her clients are out. When I have her call in a payment, I will receive her updated invoice within 5 to 7 days. If I need to I can email her on a weekend and she will reply.

 

Gay

[BigB0882]

I don't think people are complaining about the money. Most people admit that it is a small amount. However, there are times when the amount can be a factor. A family of 4 on a 10 night cruise sees a roughly $40 increase in a regular room. $40 will not make or break most people's vacations but we should not overlook the fact that people budget for their vacations and some people budget very tightly. There is nothing wrong with that and there is nothing wrong with people voicing there dislike of having to rework their budget. It does not mean they are too poor to go on vacation as someone else so politely suggested. :rolleyes:

 

The other issue is that people do not like the price of their cruise changing after the fact and sometimes well after booking but right before cruising. That does feel like someone did a bait and switch on you and no one likes that. If I go to the store and pick up a snack for $1.50 and get to the counter and they tell me it is $1.75 I am not going to just pay it and not question it. I doubt any of you would either.

 

With something like gratuities, RCCL should really implement this change for NEW BOOKINGS only. That would be the best way to go about this.

 

People deserve the right to complain and vent without being told they should just shut up and cancel their reservation because they obviously can't afford it.

[setsail]

I doubt you would still get the $12 rate if the cruise is after June 1. There's probably some text somewhere about terms changing without notice.

 

I might expect the terms of this increase to be worded something like the last one

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=334&faqSubjectName=Life+Onboard&faqId=4599

[NewSalt]

We have a cruise scheduled for the end of July with MTD so we have already paid for the cruise in full including prepaid gratuities.

 

Does this mean that our steward will receive $X for handling our cabin but $X+8% for handling the cabin next door where Mary and Joe have traditional dining and haven't prepaid the gratuities? Seems like an accounting nightmare, and I have a hard time believing that the employees are really going to see all the benefits of this increase.

[NewSalt]

Oh Royal, where will it stop? An extra $0.95 per day:eek: To keep on budget, that means people will have to cut back and not buy that one beer on their cruise. Or maybe they will skip the $10 sale and then you will be down $3.35 in revenue.

 

What will you do then? Have $10.95 sales? Have spa specials increase to $139.95? If we believe the statistics that the average cruiser will spend $222.00 a day this year, you just bumped that to $222.95. It sounds like many can not afford this.

 

And just what part of the increase will my assistant waiter get? Twenty cents? That's what, maybe two cents an hour. Oh the outrage.

 

Where will it stop? Where will it stop?

 

Sorry to go off topic, but I found this statistic interesting. Does this mean that the average cruiser will spend $220 per day above the cruise fees?

 

If so, I have to have a talk with DH. It would appear that we are serious slackers and need to step up our game. ;)

[setsail]

I have a hard time believing that the employees are really going to see all the benefits of this increase.

 

Really:rolleyes::rolleyes: The monies are pooled and then divided

[Desert Cruizers]

ourselves we do not begrudge the staff getting more money for the hard work they do, and BigBo I will agree with you on the one point and that is cruises booked after a specific date will be affected by the change. However I am sure that RCCL wants to set it up so ALL employees receive the benifit increase at the samtime. When we decide to cruise, we have to budget for for it so plan ahead knowing we will spend X 1000 dollars. I have set up a Cruise Acct which is kept up so when we cruise, the money is there to make the payments to my AE card and other cruise expenses. The way I see it, whether we pay the $12/day or $12.95 during the cruise or pay in full at the beginning, we will have paid the same amount in total. In some respect I would rather pay if off at the beginning.

Edited May 13, 2015 by Desert Cruizers

[h20skibum]

Sorry to go off topic, but I found this statistic interesting. Does this mean that the average cruiser will spend $220 per day above the cruise fees?

 

If so, I have to have a talk with DH. It would appear that we are serious slackers and need to step up our game. ;)

 

It is what they anticipate including your cruise fare.

 

http://www.cruisemarketwatch.com/home/financial-breakdown-of-typical-cruiser/

[CptSticky]

Clint, the other thing my TA told me, she also shows final payment date on her invoices as a week earlier then what the cruise lines will show so she can make sure she receives all finals and her final invoices to her clients are out. When I have her call in a payment, I will receive her updated invoice within 5 to 7 days. If I need to I can email her on a weekend and she will reply.

 

Gay

A lot of TA's use an earlier final payment for exactly that reason. I'm on more of a friendship type relationship than a customer type relationship with my TA after all this time. So, Weekends mean nothing and we sometimes talk at night on the weekend. He is on the cruise with us next week and another one next year. We both love cruising so that gives us something in common to share. He called me to inform me of the gratuity change. Then he called Royal to make sure of the details and then called me back. Nice to know exactly what the rules are and not try to figure it out based on what one reads here. Already one poster was given incorrect information by their TA.

[Angelsea57]

I don't think people are complaining about the money. Most people admit that it is a small amount. However, there are times when the amount can be a factor. A family of 4 on a 10 night cruise sees a roughly $40 increase in a regular room. $40 will not make or break most people's vacations but we should not overlook the fact that people budget for their vacations and some people budget very tightly. There is nothing wrong with that and there is nothing wrong with people voicing there dislike of having to rework their budget. It does not mean they are too poor to go on vacation as someone else so politely suggested. :rolleyes:

 

The other issue is that people do not like the price of their cruise changing after the fact and sometimes well after booking but right before cruising. That does feel like someone did a bait and switch on you and no one likes that. If I go to the store and pick up a snack for $1.50 and get to the counter and they tell me it is $1.75 I am not going to just pay it and not question it. I doubt any of you would either.

 

With something like gratuities, RCCL should really implement this change for NEW BOOKINGS only. That would be the best way to go about this.

 

People deserve the right to complain and vent without being told they should just shut up and cancel their reservation because they obviously can't afford it.

Agree.

[NewSalt]

It is what they anticipate including your cruise fare.

 

http://www.cruisemarketwatch.com/home/financial-breakdown-of-typical-cruiser/

 

Thanks! I feel better knowing I'm not that far under the average.

[John&LaLa]

A lot of TA's use an earlier final payment for exactly that reason. I'm on more of a friendship type relationship than a customer type relationship with my TA after all this time. So, Weekends mean nothing and we sometimes talk at night on the weekend. He is on the cruise with us next week and another one next year. We both love cruising so that gives us something in common to share. He called me to inform me of the gratuity change. Then he called Royal to make sure of the details and then called me back. Nice to know exactly what the rules are and not try to figure it out based on what one reads here. Already one poster was given incorrect information by their TA.

 

Why don't you have your TA give you free tips instead of or in addition to OBC. :what:

[Desert Cruizers]

I also have a close relation with our TA and the on thing she commented on was my receiving first hand information from CC before the cruise lines notify her. One example, back in 2010 they canceled all future Mariner Sailing affective Jan ? of 2010 off the West Coast. We had a group Ca cruise booked. I called to let her know I leanred it off CC and RCCL hadn't even contacted her yet.

[CptSticky]

Why don't you have your TA give you free tips instead of or in addition to OBC. :what:

Several reasons. He is a small operation and doesn't offer that kind of money for the price of the rooms that I'm booking these days. I know some big outfits do but then they don't offer the service level that he does. My TA has saved me thousands of dollars in price drops. I don't even check for them anymore because he usually finds them before I do. On just the two cruises coming up this Friday he has saved me well over $1k in drops. As I said, he will even call one in on a Sunday. I get other levels of service also. So, it's not always bottom line price that is the bargain.

[Cruisin'4Us]

Just spoke to the D+ desk and you only need to have added MTD or pre-paid gratuities to any booking you may have by June 1, 2015 to lock in the old gratuity rate.

 

Full Text:

Effective June 1, 2015

 

Taking effect June 1, 2015, for all sailings departing on or after July 1, 2015, the new recommended gratuities guideline will be $12.95 per day, per guest in standard accommodations, and $15.95 per day, per guest in suites.

 

For guests convenience, Royal Caribbean automatically registers the daily gratuities in guests' folios, although guests are free to change the amount at their discretion with the ships Guest Services.

 

Guests who prepay their gratuities prior to the effective date can still do so based on the current guideline of $12.00 per day, per guest in standard accommodations, and $14.25 per day, per suite guest.

 

The adjustment will help recognize the exceptional work that Royal Caribbean's staff and crew does to deliver unforgettable vacations every day. Encourage your clients to take advantage of the current rate if they prepay their gratuities prior to June 1.

 

These conflict. Is there a consensus on which is correct?

[TM38Rob]

I doubt the crew will see an increase in their share of gratuities.

 

With the announcement of ending deep discounts for many last minute cruises, I'm sure the extra $.95 a day is to offset the empty cabins expected.

 

There was an article recently (don't remember which one) where Vicki Freed balked at the idea that Royal Caribbean was nickel and dime-ing their passengers. Yet here is another example of being nickeled and dimed.

 

For the record, I've always prepaid gratuities (never done MTD) and always give an additional amount in cash to waitstaff and stateroom attendant.

[LuCruise]

I doubt you would still get the $12 rate if the cruise is after June 1. There's probably some text somewhere about terms changing without notice.

 

Fyi, I called Royal and got the $12 US rate locked in (converted to CAD for us). It now shows up as an item under Booking Charges. I have until final payment to pay it off.

[John&LaLa]

I doubt the crew will see an increase in their share of gratuities.

 

With the announcement of ending deep discounts for many last minute cruises, I'm sure the extra $.95 a day is to offset the empty cabins expected.

 

There was an article recently (don't remember which one) where Vicki Freed balked at the idea that Royal Caribbean was nickel and dime-ing their passengers. Yet here is another example of being nickeled and dimed.

 

For the record, I've always prepaid gratuities (never done MTD) and always give an additional amount in cash to waitstaff and stateroom attendant.

 

One nickel and nine dimes

[Clarea]

Fyi, I called Royal and got the $12 US rate locked in (converted to CAD for us). It now shows up as an item under Booking Charges. I have until final payment to pay it off.

Thanks for reporting back.:)

[Bold Spirit]

I wish the cruise lines would just include gratuities in the fares and stop nickle and diming! I'm sure the room service charge will be next!

[TheMiz]

Why don't you have your TA give you free tips instead of or in addition to OBC. :what:

 

In some cases the TA comm/admin rate is lower than the tips.

[TBone2K]

Don't want to have to go through all the pages of this thread, but has this been confirmed anywhere but the original Australian travel site that the OP mentioned?