New gratuities by May 1st, 2016

[warezbabe]

I am a nurse. Some people find my job confusing. I use to think it was my job to help people feel better. Now after 15 years of working in a nursing home I realize my role has become expanded. I'm the cook when the chef forgets to show up. I've laundered clothing and special items. I make beds and mop floors at times. After providing personal care, I remove the trash from the room. I plunge toilets when they become backed up. I am a social worker when a patient needs to cry. I save lives. I work 16 hour shifts, sometimes without a meal break and a few bladder emergencies. Tomorrow I might save your life or someone in your family. I work just as hard as these waiters and stewards. More often than not I don't even hear a thank you. My job depends greatly oncustomer service and quality. Yet there is no thread about how to tip a nurse...

 

I find it humorous that we are spending this time talking about tips. How many times have you walked by a pan handler in your own town and looked the other way? Why do the righteous on CC only care about cruise ship workers?

[mauicruiser]

We are taking our children and grandchildren on a cruise. We got suites for each family. One family has two kids--age 5 and 7. They sleep on the sofa bed. The tips for their seven days will cost $462 OR $66 a day. That's half of the fare for third passenger. There should be full disclosure at booking for those traveling with kids. I wonder what the cruise line contributes when a cabin has "free gratuities". Do they pay $16.50 pp per day to the crew?

[hapster85]

There should be full disclosure at booking for those traveling with kids.

 

It clearly states that it's per PERSON, per day. Kids are people. I'd call that full disclosure. You're right that it can significantly increase the overall cost. Which is why I'd personally like to see the whole gratuity system done away with.

 

Don't rope me in with "low" fares, and then tack on other charges. Pay the staff. Don't make them beg for tips. We are paying for it regardless, so just bottom line it for me from the start.

Edited March 31, 2016 by hapster85

[Cruisin Kay D]

Our upcoming family cruise (that I am paying for in entirety) is for 17 people!!! Maxed out my RCCI Credit Card before I finished paying for everyone & their insurance earlier this month....

Now $0.55 doesn't sound like much but multipy 7 days x 17 people -- that is ALOT -- more than what I was going to pay for 1 excursion at St Maarten. I am already paying MORE to take them all on Freedom OS, than if we were all on Princess or Celebrity or Holland -- so NO I am not happy about this news today!!.....I will be prepaying next week!!

We NEVER remove the gratuities from our bill -- and ALWAYS pay extra to our room because they do work very very hard! Often pay extra to the waiter & assistant.

[Ourusualbeach]

Our upcoming family cruise (that I am paying for in entirety) is for 17 people!!! Maxed out my RCCI Credit Card before I finished paying for everyone & their insurance earlier this month....

Now $0.55 doesn't sound like much but multipy 7 days x 17 people -- that is ALOT -- more than what I was going to pay for 1 excursion at St Maarten. I am already paying MORE to take them all on Freedom OS, than if we were all on Princess or Celebrity or Holland -- so NO I am not happy about this news today!!.....I will be prepaying next week!!

We NEVER remove the gratuities from our bill -- and ALWAYS pay extra to our room because they do work very very hard! Often pay extra to the waiter & assistant.

 

17 days X 17 people comes out to $59.50.

 

Perhaps our definitions of ALOT are different.

 

Would I still pay ahead of time to save the $60...absolutely it's still a dinner for 2 at Giovanni's. Would I be upset about the gratuities for 17 people going up by $60 in total for the week when I just paid $xxxxx for the cruise...no.

Edited March 31, 2016 by Ourusualbeach

[warezbabe]

I think there poster meant 17×12.95 is 220.15 per day in gratuity. When you multiply that by 7 days, it becomes a lot! Almost a cruise fare for 2!

17 days X 17 people comes out to $59.50.

 

Perhaps our definitions of ALOT are different.

[CRUISEFAN0001]

We have no issue with the increase - no one likes paying more for anything in general - but this will not be a show stopper on any of our future cruise plans.

 

Typically, we add a cash tip to onboard staff who have demonstrated exceptional service.

[woodyren]

People get flamed for whining about the 55c increase (mostly) but it seems all the rage to pre pay your auto grats before the cut off date to save that same 55c and no one bats an eyelid.

Edited March 31, 2016 by woodyren

[ChipLondon]

I had the same problem with a can of beer, although I found a suitable way to carry it around for an hour or so :eek:

 

 

Heck, our last cruise on Oasis I bought a glass and the guy got 18% for picking it up and handing it to me. He didn't even pack it in anything to make sure it would survive the trip home.:rolleyes:

[BeachChik]

I am a nurse. Some people find my job confusing. I use to think it was my job to help people feel better. Now after 15 years of working in a nursing home I realize my role has become expanded. I'm the cook when the chef forgets to show up. I've laundered clothing and special items. I make beds and mop floors at times. After providing personal care, I remove the trash from the room. I plunge toilets when they become backed up. I am a social worker when a patient needs to cry. I save lives. I work 16 hour shifts, sometimes without a meal break and a few bladder emergencies. Tomorrow I might save your life or someone in your family. I work just as hard as these waiters and stewards. More often than not I don't even hear a thank you. My job depends greatly oncustomer service and quality. Yet there is no thread about how to tip a nurse...

 

I find it humorous that we are spending this time talking about tips. How many times have you walked by a pan handler in your own town and looked the other way? Why do the righteous on CC only care about cruise ship workers?

 

Yeah I don't get it either. I don't pity these people. Where they are from and what they do with monies received means nothing to me. I don't question a server at a restaurant or worry about how much he/she makes so why would I do it with a cruise ship worker.

[LA_CA_GAL]

...... I don't go into a store and then barter with the clerk about the amount on the price tag - I pay it or I don't buy.

 

But, if the cruise line ran and owned the store, they would charge an extra fee for the product, calling it something like "employee supplemental fee" which is not a mandatory charge.

 

According to your logic, you would pay it. Others have the option not to.

 

Cruise line gratuities are beyond ridiculous. Just add "whatever" to the total cost of the cruise and be done with it. That way, EVERYONE pays.

 

Another benefit would be these threads would disappear.:D:eek:

[Ocean Boy]

But, if the cruise line ran and owned the store, they would charge an extra fee for the product, calling it something like "employee supplemental fee" which is not a mandatory charge.

 

According to your logic, you would pay it. Others have the option not to.

 

Cruise line gratuities are beyond ridiculous. Just add "whatever" to the total cost of the cruise and be done with it. That way, EVERYONE pays.

 

Another benefit would be these threads would disappear.:D:eek:

 

But something else would appear to fill the void. Remember the old saying.... be careful what you wish for.:D

[Kmcspoon]

Why can't the final payment date determine the gratuities charged for our cruise? I'm locked into the final price, why can't RCCL be locked in as well? Why is the "sail date" the set point?

 

From an accounting standpoint, I can see the plan for allowing people to "pre-pay" at the already agreed on amount. What a nice way to raise cash without paying interest, and to paint it as being benevolent to the passengers to "allow" us to avoid this increase.

 

I've seen this with NCL, now RCCL. Cruise lines realize people will rush to prepay to avoid the increase on an already agreed upon charge, so it is just another way to make money. Better than going to a bank for a loan. Just borrow from the passengers interest free.

[Paulette3028]

I am a nurse. Some people find my job confusing. I use to think it was my job to help people feel better. Now after 15 years of working in a nursing home I realize my role has become expanded. I'm the cook when the chef forgets to show up. I've laundered clothing and special items. I make beds and mop floors at times. After providing personal care, I remove the trash from the room. I plunge toilets when they become backed up. I am a social worker when a patient needs to cry. I save lives. I work 16 hour shifts, sometimes without a meal break and a few bladder emergencies. Tomorrow I might save your life or someone in your family. I work just as hard as these waiters and stewards. More often than not I don't even hear a thank you. My job depends greatly oncustomer service and quality. Yet there is no thread about how to tip a nurse...

 

I find it humorous that we are spending this time talking about tips. How many times have you walked by a pan handler in your own town and looked the other way? Why do the righteous on CC only care about cruise ship workers?

 

If you have not been thanked by any of the family members of one of your patients that is sad, very sad. I am sure your days are difficult, and it sounds as if you must have had a particularly bad day and needed to vent.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

We are taking our children and grandchildren on a cruise. We got suites for each family. One family has two kids--age 5 and 7. They sleep on the sofa bed. The tips for their seven days will cost $462 OR $66 a day. That's half of the fare for third passenger. There should be full disclosure at booking for those traveling with kids.

 

First, "per person" is spelled out. So unless you're saying the kids aren't people, then yes, they pay the service fee/gratuities too.

 

Funny... When we cruised way back when I was in 6th grade with a "kids sail free" promotion, my parents never questioned that they should tip for us. It was built in as part of the budget. We had to be served too. Our cabin steward had to pull down and put up our beds. The suggested gratuities (as then it was give cash at the end) were per person and there were four people in the cabin. Period.

[LMaxwell]

First, "per person" is spelled out. So unless you're saying the kids aren't people, then yes, they pay the service fee/gratuities too.

 

Funny... When we cruised way back when I was in 6th grade with a "kids sail free" promotion, my parents never questioned that they should tip for us. It was built in as part of the budget. We had to be served too. Our cabin steward had to pull down and put up our beds. The suggested gratuities (as then it was give cash at the end) were per person and there were four people in the cabin. Period.

Yeah they totally don't bury the gratuities so that most people don't see them.....[emoji57] .

 

They should be up more front about it so no one is surprised. A lot of people are.

[knittinggirl]

We always prepay our tips, unless there's a good reason not to. For example, getting a lot of OBC and using that toward the tips. But w/ Royal's new stingy open booking policy, I don't see that happening.

[MrWhiplash]

While it's a shame to see the additional costs go up I cant really restrict my criticism to RCI.

This culture of tipping as a requirement and less about rewarding outstanding service is bred in America. In Europe we pay a wage and those who perform well are rewarded justly.

 

It sucks but unless RCI suddenly changes culture, its to be expected.

[marci22]

While it's a shame to see the additional costs go up I cant really restrict my criticism to RCI.

This culture of tipping as a requirement and less about rewarding outstanding service is bred in America. In Europe we pay a wage and those who perform well are rewarded justly.

 

It sucks but unless RCI suddenly changes culture, its to be expected.

 

The gratuities can be thought of as a service charge, if you want to. The fact that RC gives people the option of tipping means they don't have to include it in their overall price (which I think they should).

 

But the way they handle the tips, by distributing them to various workers, makes it a service charge similar to what they do in Europe. We might say, "why can't European restaurants pay their servers a decent wage and stop including that darn service charge?" Why do you need a service charge if you are paying your servers a decent wage?

 

It's a dumb argument.

 

I would prefer they call it a service charge, make it mandatory, and do not provide an option to remove. Or don't call it anything, and just raise the prices. But then cheapskates won't cruise. And they need a certain amount of bodies to fill the empty cabins.

Edited March 31, 2016 by marci22

[MrWhiplash]

The gratuities can be thought of as a service charge, if you want to. The fact that RC gives people the option of tipping means they don't have to include it in their overall price (which I think they should).

 

But the way they handle the tips, by distributing them to various workers, makes it a service charge similar to what they do in Europe. We might say, "why can't European restaurants pay their servers a decent wage and stop including that darn service charge?" Why do you need a service charge if you are paying your servers a decent wage?

 

It's a dumb argument.

 

I would prefer they call it a service charge, make it mandatory, and do not provide an option to remove.

 

Yeah but a service charge is traditionally added for large groups or special occasions. Every single cruiser isnt a special requirement. But I agree making it static is the solution, but im not sold on the name

[marci22]

Yeah but a service charge is traditionally added for large groups or special occasions. Every single cruiser isnt a special requirement. But I agree making it static is the solution, but im not sold on the name

 

That's how it is here. I was comparing to restaurants in Europe, where we are told to tip nominal amounts because there is either service built into the menu price or added to all bills.

[MrWhiplash]

Well in my experience in Ireland, only times where service charges are applied are during holiday periods and for groups of 6+. A living wage is payed is encouraged for staff while tips & gratuities are reserved for outstanding performance.

 

I would happily pay 5 - 10% more for my cruise if it meant I didnt look at a long list of extras and the staff who Ill be honest, more than deserve it, are payed a living wage.

[oldguysandgalls]

We agree, Service Charges do add to the total cost of a cruise and depending on the length of a cruise, the same way as one's bar-bill.... :D ;)

[Lionesss]

For us it is what it is.

 

We already pre-paid.

 

But, cannot wait to cruise to see if the lines at customer service increases with passengers removing their tips.

 

Only time will tell.

 

Thanks

[CruisingChick]

But, cannot wait to cruise to see if the lines at customer service increases with passengers removing their tips.

 

 

Thanks

 

But the majority won't. Most don't want the bother of going down to Guest Services to stand in line and then having to get cash and envelopes in order to hand out tips the "old fashioned" way.

 

Unless of course they plan not to tip at all. :(