"This might be YOUR vacation, but it's MY life"

[The_Big_M]

 

It's not common elsewhere for dishwashing staff and laundry staff to rely on a gratuity wage. Everyone should be compensated fairly for their labor efforts.

 

Well if we're talking who "should be compensated fairly " that applies to front of house as well. Instead of having to rely on tips from the business' customers...

[Thorben-Hendrik]

I like the fact that you can remove the auto-grats any time!

I am very sure they make a lot more money with the current grat system then any other "established" way would do!

[grapau27]

They shouldn't have it better. But back of house staff should be compensated differently than front of house because front of house interacts with the guests and back of house provides the supplies for front of house. They do not interact with guests. It is not fair to have back of house rely on a "gratuity" to make up a portion of their pay when, the reality is, they aren't providing services to a guest directly, nor is it fair for front of house staff who do interact with guests be made to divvy their pot further with back of house, unless there was an agreement or arrangement made between the two parties, and not as a company rule.

 

It's not common elsewhere for dishwashing staff and laundry staff to rely on a gratuity wage. Everyone should be compensated fairly for their labor efforts.

Exactly.

[grapau27]

When I go to a restaurant I tip the waiter. If the waiter tips out the dishwasher, that is between them. I don't tip the dishwasher. I am tipping the person who provided me face to face service. The owner of the establishment pays a higher hourly wage to the dishwasher than they pay to the wait staff.

 

 

It takes a team at my job to provide an end result for the client. However, in my role, part of my compensation is performance based and is variable. When the results I achieve are greater, so is my compensation. I interact with, educate, and negotiate front line with clients. No two days are the same.

 

Some that I rely on back at "home base" fulfill a clients order, but they don't interact with the clients and they are paid a different wage scale. Their job never really changes, they are performing trained tasks in repetition. They are not part of the sales incentives, because they do not deal with the clients or sell them anything. Yet they are still part of achieving the final result and of course I recognize that.

 

Everyone should be compensated fairly. That is not the same thing as saying everyone should be paid the same.

 

I understand on a cruise ship things are a little different and the "tipping" or "service charges" reach further down the line that we would otherwise find customary. But, like I said, it is unfair to have someone who never faces a guest rely on a gratuity, and it is unfair to force those who serve customers to share a gratuity with back of house staff; any deal they make amongst themselves is fine though.

Agree totally.

[grapau27]

Well if we're talking who "should be compensated fairly " that applies to front of house as well. Instead of having to rely on tips from the business' customers...

True.

[DirtyDawg]

Here's how I look at it. The cruise line sets the daily auto-tip rate. The staff know this rate and the splits when they sign their contracts. If they are happy with the set up, so I'm I. If it is cruise line policy to pool cash tips, so be it. This it their business not mine.

Now, if I start to read on the Cruise Customer Critic (CCC) discussion board that all those dishwashers, laundry workers, stewards, etc. are consumed with wondering how and why my clients pay me what they pay me, and how I split my income with my backroom staff, (Mrs. Dawg is my Accountant, Tax Advisor, Office Manager, Head of HR, and PR.etc.) then I might spend some quality time wondering about their pay issues. I’m not holding my breath.

[JLvacation]

~ Morning All ~ Read a few pages from the start / then the last few pages ! I agree certain people on the cruise whom go completely unseen may be entitled to a tip . However as it has been posted here already ! Shouldn't it start with the employer paying any individual what they are worth ! Tip's to us are for those who go that extra step / service !

 

We don't like the automatic tipping . Granted it may make it easier for some individuals to be paid that way.

However in real life situation's when going somewhere to eat or spend some time away . Who can say the service they receive is worth a certain $ tip $ !

 

This past cruise we took on RCCL ! The food quality was not what we expected at all / We had to send things back on more then one night. It wasn't our server's fault . Yet we tipped them every night in cash accordingly to our service !

 

We haven't cruised as much as other's / yet we are not first time cruisers either. We have tried different cruise lines as well as different itineraries. So we have a base line to judge certain standards from.

 

 

On this last cruise , yes they made it a point of reminding us of the survey we would be receiving. So every time one of them would mention it. Our reply was easy ... Are you sure you want me to reply about you on the survey. Once they heard that , they stopped reminding us , or asking us.

 

We weren't real happy with a few things on this last cruise. Getting a splinter in my back side while sitting in the sauna was just one of a few things. Being charged for room service . as well as tipping the person who delivers! As if we didn't already pay enough.

 

We realize this is a living for these individuals. Just as it is a vacation from our day to day work life. So with that! I hope the upper crust realizes to stay on top / they first need to stay on top of customer / consumers satisfaction!

 

 

Have a nice day !

 

J.L.

[grapau27]

Here's how I look at it. The cruise line sets the daily auto-tip rate. The staff know this rate and the splits when they sign their contracts. If they are happy with the set up, so I'm I. If it is cruise line policy to pool cash tips, so be it. This it their business not mine.

Now, if I start to read on the Cruise Customer Critic (CCC) discussion board that all those dishwashers, laundry workers, stewards, etc. are consumed with wondering how and why my clients pay me what they pay me, and how I split my income with my backroom staff, (Mrs. Dawg is my Accountant, Tax Advisor, Office Manager, Head of HR, and PR.etc.) then I might spend some quality time wondering about their pay issues. I’m not holding my breath.

Then the cruise line openly expect you to give more when they say -you are free to tip crew members more if you receive exceptional service.

[grapau27]

~ Morning All ~ Read a few pages from the start / then the last few pages ! I agree certain people on the cruise whom go completely unseen may be entitled to a tip . However as it has been posted here already ! Shouldn't it start with the employer paying any individual what they are worth ! Tip's to us are for those who go that extra step / service !

 

We don't like the automatic tipping . Granted it may make it easier for some individuals to be paid that way.

However in real life situation's when going somewhere to eat or spend some time away . Who can say the service they receive is worth a certain $ tip $ !

 

This past cruise we took on RCCL ! The food quality was not what we expected at all / We had to send things back on more then one night. It wasn't our server's fault . Yet we tipped them every night in cash accordingly to our service !

 

We haven't cruised as much as other's / yet we are not first time cruisers either. We have tried different cruise lines as well as different itineraries. So we have a base line to judge certain standards from.

 

 

On this last cruise , yes they made it a point of reminding us of the survey we would be receiving. So every time one of them would mention it. Our reply was easy ... Are you sure you want me to reply about you on the survey. Once they heard that , they stopped reminding us , or asking us.

 

We weren't real happy with a few things on this last cruise. Getting a splinter in my back side while sitting in the sauna was just one of a few things. Being charged for room service . as well as tipping the person who delivers! As if we didn't already pay enough.

 

We realize this is a living for these individuals. Just as it is a vacation from our day to day work life. So with that! I hope the upper crust realizes to stay on top / they first need to stay on top of customer / consumers satisfaction!

 

 

Have a nice day !

 

J.L.

You would be warmly received with these comments on P&O UK threads because 90% would agree totally with you.

[JLvacation]

You would be warmly received with these comments on P&O UK threads because 90% would agree totally with you.

I'm sure they would be . However we are happy here where we are ! :)

[Andy99]

The last royal cruise we were on we got the speech from the waiter the assistant waiter and the head waiter. It is annoying. If they want 5s on everything they need to earn them not beg for them

[grapau27]

I'm sure they would be . However we are happy here where we are ! :)

Ok still a good post.

[grapau27]

The last royal cruise we were on we got the speech from the waiter the assistant waiter and the head waiter. It is annoying. If they want 5s on everything they need to earn them not beg for them

Seems to be the norm now wherever there is customer service eg shops, travel agents, phone companys,car servicing,restaurants etc the list is very long.

[DirtyDawg]

Then the cruise line openly expect you to give more when they say -you are free to tip crew members more if you receive exceptional service.

 

If I'm free to tip crew members more, I am also free not to tip crew members more.

 

And concerning what the cruise line expects, who cares what the cruise line expects? My car dealer also expects that I pay full list price for my new car. BA HA HA HA! That isn’t going to happen in my lifetime.

[grapau27]

If I'm free to tip crew members more, I am also free not to tip crew members more.

 

And concerning what the cruise line expects, who cares what the cruise line expects? My car dealer also expects that I pay full list price for my new car. BA HA HA HA! That isn’t going to happen in my lifetime.

I like your attitude good post.

[DirtyDawg]

Seems to be the norm now wherever there is customer service eg shops, travel agents, phone companys,car servicing,restaurants etc the list is very long.

 

Very true! Last month I had an issue with my cell service provider. Called them up and the issue wascorrected in less than a minute. A couple of days later they texted me and asked me to do a survey on how they did. The damn survey was 10 minutes long! In the "any further comments" section I told them that their customer service was great but if they ever sent my one of their surveys again I'd move to another provider.

[Biker19]

Being charged for room service . as well as tipping the person who delivers! As if we didn't already pay enough.

I assume you knew that the new room service charge includes a tip.

[grapau27]

I assume you knew that the new room service charge includes a tip.

Difficult to break habits. Just got off Independence and i ordered cooked breakfast each day.The waiter gave me the receipt to sign for cooked breakfast and i handed him $2 tip,he thanked me and left.

[JLvacation]

I assume you knew that the new room service charge includes a tip.

Yes we did !

 

 

Yet it's the same as automatically tipping ! We make it a point to get to know at least one or two crew members per cruise !

 

 

So when we cruise on vacation / with or without kids ! We have seen them working the late night room delivery / or poolside during the day ! They are looking for that one extra tipper per cruise .

 

We are that tipper ! Yet this past cruise when tipping ~ It felt more like we where contributing to their weekly salary , then it did for tipping them for that little extra we have come to expect when we cruise !

 

Not sure completely how to word it ! All I'm saying is that we paid $ $ $ and $ $ $ paid & paid $ $ $ ~ I guess Their trying to get some of there money back from what they are spending to update CocoCay Pier so they can make even more $ $ $ ~ HaHaHa ~

 

Have a nice day

 

J.L.

[Biker19]

We are that tipper ! Yet this past cruise when tipping ~ It felt more like we where contributing to their weekly salary , then it did for tipping them for that little extra we have come to expect when we cruise !

 

Not sure completely how to word it ! All I'm saying is that we paid $ $ $ and $ $ $ paid & paid $ $ $ ~ I guess Their trying to get some of there money back from what they are spending to update CocoCay Pier so they can make even more $ $ $ ~

The crew members may be counting on the fact that habits are hard to break even when the math says otherwise.

[bUU]

The last royal cruise we were on we got the speech from the waiter the assistant waiter and the head waiter. It is annoying. If they want 5s on everything they need to earn them not beg for them

Does anyone have a short, cutting-but-courteous, reply that will cut off such pleading? Something that makes it clear that pleading itself wipes away the effect of most of the good service already provided.

 

I assume you knew that the new room service charge includes a tip.

Other threads I've recently read in other cruise line forums, going back a decade, make me wonder whether the standard gratuities on all mainstream cruise lines always included room service,. While "the tip is included" is what we've heard about room service after this change, perhaps what is meant by that is that the tip has always been included and that this fee is a new fee for convenience and/or revenue enhancement and/or truly is going toward upgrading the quality of the offerings.

[grapau27]

Does anyone have a short, cutting-but-courteous, reply that will cut off such pleading? Something that makes it clear that pleading itself wipes away the effect of most of the good service already provided.

 

Other threads I've recently read in other cruise line forums, going back a decade, make me wonder whether the standard gratuities on all mainstream cruise lines always included room service,. While "the tip is included" is what we've heard about room service after this change, perhaps what is meant by that is that the tip has always been included and that this fee is a new fee for convenience and/or revenue enhancement and/or truly is going toward upgrading the quality of the offerings.

How about ' my cousin,uncle brother in law is the CEO of RC.

[the mistral wind]

I just want to say something that happened on one of my cruises on rccl ship. I like to have those frozen drinks while watching the shows. I am aware that the tip is included in the drinks at 18% when purchased. I think thats enough. But every night in the show auditorium one waitress made me feel so special. She actually remembered my name and came by my seat and asked me if i wanted to order anything. She was so good at her job that i gave her an additional tip every time she waited on me. This was extraordinary service. I was very impressed.

[Biker19]

Does anyone have a short, cutting-but-courteous, reply that will cut off such pleading?

When the pleading starts say: So far you have a 10.....

[Clarea]

Does anyone have a short, cutting-but-courteous, reply that will cut off such pleading? ... .

I hold up my index finger and say "You're number 1 with me".