Automatic Gratuities

[Merion_Mom]

When you buy a dress in Macy's,or any other item of clothes or footwear do you leave a tip for the people who made these garments,people in india or pakistan or many third world countries,ok you paid the utility bills,you paid

macy's,you paid staff benefits.Maybe you should shop on Rodeo Drive

 

Reading comprehension.

 

Such a lost art.

[tinkertwo]

I do believe you, but I also know they do get time off to spend however they wish. If they have cash, I'm sure they make it a priority to take care of the situation as soon as possible. Some crew and staff sleep, others exercise, some use the Internet - I'm sure they all have time to take their cash to their staff purser. :)

 

Of course they have time off to spend however they wish but do you really think they want to spend the little time they have going to the pursers office to make a deposit? They work 7 days straight and its long hours so when they get rewarded with a half day off there thinking about other ways to spend it.

Again, everyone is free to do it the way they like and no staff will ever refuse cash. My point is not to remove it just to hand it to the staff member. That is not helping them, as some seem to think.

Edited August 20, 2016 by tinkertwo

[CapeCodCruiser]

I completely agree with not having it done automatically. We are travelling with our 4 kids and will be doing it in cash. This gives them a way to see that we are grateful for the services we received and allows our kids to partake in it. We plan to write thank you notes and put it in the envelopes with the tips. So, yes, never assume you know someones motive for not having tips automatically charged.

 

You think the note will actually be read? My guess is the cash will be removed and note & envelope will end up in garbage! Do you leave your waitress a thank you note? or the maid in a hotel?

 

They are not there for some social event - they are working. Being nice to you is in their job description - they are not there to be your new friend. Be polite, treat them with respect and tip appropriately - your cash is thank you enough.

Edited August 20, 2016 by CapeCodCruiser

[postmeome]

Reading comprehension.

 

Such a lost art.

 

Diversion such a good skill.

[Grandma Dazzles]

I completely agree with not having it done automatically. We are travelling with our 4 kids and will be doing it in cash. This gives them a way to see that we are grateful for the services we received and allows our kids to partake in it. We plan to write thank you notes and put it in the envelopes with the tips. So, yes, never assume you know someones motive for not having tips automatically charged.

 

If you plan to tip the correct/suggested amount for 6 people it would be approximately $600 for standard cabins for a week. I personally would not like to have that amount of cash on me. So much easier to have it charged to your daily account,

 

Also very simple to write a thank you note. You can reference the already paid gratuities and say thank you, but the staff receives notification of you having paid, so would know any way. You can also do this and add an additional amount to the envelope if you wish.

[KG1924]

Diversion such a good skill.

 

I don't understand what you are so angry about....but I do need to ask you this-if you find $500 and some change to be an exorbitant amount for employees serving you food and cleaning your cabin daily for 14 days, then how much are you actually tipping in cash? Since you claim that you tip "fairly", what do you honestly consider "fair"?

 

In my head, it's one less thing to even think about while on vacation. The auto tips allow me to know that I've covered the services provided, and we then tip extra to people that made it even more special. We had a great main server and drink server on the Allure for the last 5 nights of MTD, so we tipped them an extra $20 each and my family tipped extra as well (I don't know how much) But they were the best I've ever had. The server would have cheese and fruit and the drink server would have our drinks ready to go all at our table before we even sat down. To me that, was above and beyond the required service. Now is that $20 enough or will it even really make a difference to them? I have no idea....it's what I felt was "fair" for the service we were given. So I guess I'm just trying to understand what you feel is fair for just regular service.

[deliver42]

This thread is making me sick. Good bye

[lonerchick]

As someone who just finished her first cruise a couple weeks ago, I found the automatic gratuity a turn off. Especially since I was getting emails from my credit card everyday with the amount RC was "charging". I think my bartenders made less money than if I could have tipped them like I would have back home.

[Merion_Mom]

As someone who just finished her first cruise a couple weeks ago, I found the automatic gratuity a turn off. Especially since I was getting emails from my credit card everyday with the amount RC was "charging". I think my bartenders made less money than if I could have tipped them like I would have back home.

 

You can still tip in cash. If 18% isn't enough of a tip for you, add cash (or write it on the receipt) when you get your drink.

[lonerchick]

You can still tip in cash. If 18% isn't enough of a tip for you, add cash (or write it on the receipt) when you get your drink.

 

I usually added what I wanted to the receipt, but I had a drink package so I don't think they got anything other than what was on the receipt. I was told the 13.50 per day was given to the staff that were serving me.

[Grandma Dazzles]

I usually added what I wanted to the receipt, but I had a drink package so I don't think they got anything other than what was on the receipt. I was told the 13.50 per day was given to the staff that were serving me.

 

If you look at your original receipt when you purchased your drink package the 18% was added to the purchase price of the package. So unless you wanted to tip extra you could, but it is not required. If you don't purchase a package and buy your drinks individually there is an automatic 18% tip added to each drink - again on your receipt. Anything you added is in addition to the automatic gratuity.

 

The $13.50 covers your room steward, food service staff and miscellaneous behind the scene staff. It has nothing to do with bar personnel.

[vol1967]

Some of you act like these workers are forced to be on the boat. They all took the job of there own free will if they don't like the money they are paid they should get a different job.

I personally don't think the matre d (spelling) deserves a tip,they have never done a thing for me. But I pat all my tips when I book so I pay him anyway

[Merion_Mom]

Some of you act like these workers are forced to be on the boat. They all took the job of there own free will if they don't like the money they are paid they should get a different job.

I personally don't think the matre d (spelling) deserves a tip,they have never done a thing for me. But I pat all my tips when I book so I pay him anyway

 

The Maitre D' is not included in your gratuities. The headwaiters are.

[cruzin76]

lmao ;)

 

Old School can learn if they want too. I just googled IMAO.

[cruzin76]

Never heard of anyone complaining about port charges. A extra fee the cruise lines pass on. Why cant we treat automatic tipping the same?

Edited August 20, 2016 by cruzin76
ommission

[BekkaW]

So....if you NEVER eat in a MDR who gets your tip? And if you use My Time Dining and have a different server each night, who gets the tip? There's no way I am believing any cruise line/BUSINESS is on the up and up with this. You're talking about thousands of possible combinations per meal to calculate it all out. I also think - MDR teams especially - are making out much better these days with so many people tipping extra.

 

It's time to call it what it is and add it to the cruise fare. Pay your employees a decent salary.

 

Then why do you do business with them? Seriously, if you believe a business is stealing from you and their employees then why are you supporting them?

[Merion_Mom]

then why do you do business with them? Seriously, if you believe a business is stealing from you and their employees then why are you supporting them?

 

+1.

[Donna_In_India]

Then why do you do business with them? Seriously, if you believe a business is stealing from you and their employees then why are you supporting them?

 

I can always remove the gratuities and tip the way I want, can't I? :D And I think their employees are doing just fine.

[Donna_In_India]

Never heard of anyone complaining about port charges. A extra fee the cruise lines pass on. Why cant we treat automatic tipping the same?

 

Because a tip is a tip for excellent service. Automatic gratuities for unknown service before that service should be called a service charge. That's really what it is.

[squadron]

As someone who just finished her first cruise a couple weeks ago, I found the automatic gratuity a turn off. Especially since I was getting emails from my credit card everyday with the amount RC was "charging". I think my bartenders made less money than if I could have tipped them like I would have back home.

 

I do think the automatic tip is less than what most people tip in restaurants and bars - hence - the ability to "top" up the tips . I agree with you on that point. However I don't think it is a "turn off" for the credit card to keep you informed of the charge - what if the charge was for something that you didn't authorize? That is why I can't understand those who think the tip amount is too much and want to run to guest services to remove them.

[Thorben-Hendrik]

I am cutting my tips to 50% - as everybody else is tipping obove anyway - no need for me to pay full price!:)

[cruzin76]

Because a tip is a tip for excellent service. Automatic gratuities for unknown service before that service should be called a service charge. That's really what it is.

 

Cant agree with you that a tip is for excellent service. That is why we have a tipping scale. I give the porter a dollar a bag not because he did it excellent but because, that is a job that is designed to be supplemented by tips. If he makes my day I give him more. Also my point is we don't know if the Cruise lines really pays all that fee to the cruise ports. If we take their word for that, why not believe they give their employees the tip they charge.

[packercruising]

I don't understand what you are so angry about....but I do need to ask you this-if you find $500 and some change to be an exorbitant amount for employees serving you food and cleaning your cabin daily for 14 days, then how much are you actually tipping in cash? Since you claim that you tip "fairly", what do you honestly consider "fair"?

 

In my head, it's one less thing to even think about while on vacation. The auto tips allow me to know that I've covered the services provided, and we then tip extra to people that made it even more special. We had a great main server and drink server on the Allure for the last 5 nights of MTD, so we tipped them an extra $20 each and my family tipped extra as well (I don't know how much) But they were the best I've ever had. The server would have cheese and fruit and the drink server would have our drinks ready to go all at our table before we even sat down. To me that, was above and beyond the required service. Now is that $20 enough or will it even really make a difference to them? I have no idea....it's what I felt was "fair" for the service we were given. So I guess I'm just trying to understand what you feel is fair for just regular service.

 

Absolutely! People spend a couple thousand dollars for a cruise and want to go cheap the the gratuities? The server in the MDR for supper may also be serving in the Windjammer for breakfast. The duties of the crew are varied. All any passenger has to do on a ship is look around to see how much indirect service is being provided. Cruise prices would go up a whole lot more than the cost of gratuities if they removed them.

[packercruising]

If you plan to tip the correct/suggested amount for 6 people it would be approximately $600 for standard cabins for a week. I personally would not like to have that amount of cash on me. So much easier to have it charged to your daily account,

 

Also very simple to write a thank you note. You can reference the already paid gratuities and say thank you, but the staff receives notification of you having paid, so would know any way. You can also do this and add an additional amount to the envelope if you wish.

 

Simple right? And a lot fewer headaches.:cool:

[ColoradoGurl]

When you buy a dress in Macy's,or any other item of clothes or footwear do you leave a tip for the people who made these garments,people in india or pakistan or many third world countries,ok you paid the utility bills,you paid

 

macy's,you paid staff benefits.Maybe you should shop on Rodeo Drive

 

 

You're not comprehending what Merion_Mom is trying to say. It's not a matter of whether you tip other people, it's a matter of the structure the cruise line has chosen to use in order to maximize their profits and pay their people. It might not make sense to people who don't deal with finance or accounting in a business setting, but there are some benefits they may get for being able to separate some of their revenue into a different category by calling it tips. Who knows. There are so many loopholes in corporate tax code, the main point is, there are some industries where it is considered standard practice to tip, and some where it is not.

 

In this instance, tipping is not seen as out of place, as it would be to tip the person at the Macy's counter. A business that can get away with utilizing the cultural norms of tipping because it is standard practice in their industry, will do so, because it helps their bottom line. If someone else is paying the workers a tip, the company doesn't have to pay as many employer taxes because their wage and salary expense is lower (and some taxes are calculated as a percentage of that expense). That saves them money. If they had to pay that, they would charge even more money for the cruise fare than they already do, and would have to pay additional taxes that would also be passed on to us. Either way, as a consumer, YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR IT! Just try to wrap your head around that, because that's the point.

 

 

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Edited August 21, 2016 by ColoradoGurl