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gratuities, this is how they are officially spread out

luckyinpa

By luckyinpa,
in Royal Caribbean International

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markeb Great Review Rare

markeb

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If you are in a Hotel or other Accommodation do you Tip the laundry Staff, the Refuse Staff, Cooks, Dish Washers etc I don't think so, so why should we Pay the wages of Staff in the Background on Cruise Ships, we are Being Brainwashed into thinking it is the Correct thing to Do, soon we will be Tipping Security, Engineers and Entertainers for Doing what they are supposed to do.

 

 

This is the apparent oddity of cruising, although Royal is very vague on terminology. Shoreside tipping in the US is for "front of the house" employees. There are actually legal requirements that prevent pooling tips to share with cooks and dishwashers, although these always get mentioned on Cruise Critic. Royal's terminology is "Dining Services", which I'd interpret as front of the house (waiters, assistants, bussers, drink servers/wine stewards, etc.). The "Other Hotel Services" is a confusing term. It's not unusual (although I really don't) to leave a few dollars in your room at a hotel for housekeeping which is likely pooled, but "other services" aren't something I'd normally tip in a hotel. I'd tip the doorman for handling a bag, concierge for doing more than answering a question, and the valet if I have to valet a car, but none of those are on a ship.

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Jarmo

Jarmo

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My simple question. How do we know who controls the funds. As I have stated previously, I DO NOT TRUST the bean counters. I suspect 100% of the funds collected don't make it to the crew.

Why is this relevant? The less we give the less they receive.

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markeb Great Review Rare

markeb

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My simple question. How do we know who controls the funds. As I have stated previously, I DO NOT TRUST the bean counters. I suspect 100% of the funds collected don't make it to the crew.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

 

Do you believe your tip on your credit card at a restaurant ashore goes to the employees? In the US (yes, I know the cruise ship isn't subject to US law), a gratuity is legally the property of the employee. The employer can compel pooling, and hold back the credit card fees, but the rest legally belongs to the employee(s). Do you trust those bean counters?

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markeb Great Review Rare

markeb

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I always give cash tips in restaurants in the UK as this is how they like it if you get a chance to speak to the waiters they will tell you it either takes weeks to get it from the credit card or they don't get it at all.

 

Sent from my Kestrel using Forums mobile app

 

 

I don't know how UK law is written, as you've only recently inherited our tipping habits. And I don't know that it's fast in the US. Cash probably works better here as well, although in theory the employer needs to know how much you received, at least if you're receiving a reduced minimum wage. And you can still be liable to contribute to the pool if there is one.

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funship freddy

funship freddy

Posted
Posted
Do you believe your tip on your credit card at a restaurant ashore goes to the employees? In the US (yes, I know the cruise ship isn't subject to US law), a gratuity is legally the property of the employee. The employer can compel pooling, and hold back the credit card fees, but the rest legally belongs to the employee(s). Do you trust those bean counters?

 

 

I don't mean to disagree.

 

A restaurant tip in US establishment is regulated much differently than a vessel registered in a foreign country for the same reasons I don't trust the bean counters. As has been posted earlier, even crew agree that the "envelope" system worked. I did many cruises on the envelope system. I prefer it. I doubt many tip more (aggregate) than I do. JM0.

 

 

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pcur

pcur

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My simple question. How do we know who controls the funds. As I have stated previously, I DO NOT TRUST the bean counters. I suspect 100% of the funds collected don't make it to the crew.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

 

I have cruised with RCCL for 43+ years. I have met crew members that have worked for the company for 15, 20, 28 years. They love their jobs, and they love the fact that they can give their families a better life back home.

 

Seriously, they have message boards, internet access, KNOWLEDGE about the company they are working for. Just pay the dear hard working people their gratuities.

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grapau27

grapau27

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I have cruised with RCCL for 43+ years. I have met crew members that have worked for the company for 15, 20, 28 years. They love their jobs, and they love the fact that they can give their families a better life back home.

 

Seriously, they have message boards, internet access, KNOWLEDGE about the company they are working for. Just pay the dear hard working people their gratuities.

Or RC pay them a minimum wage and let a tip be a reward for good service. In defence of RC though I have spoken to waiters who tell me they look after their crew better than other cruise lines.

 

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nelblu

nelblu

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as opposed to NCLs secret division. i'm glad to see RCI being up front who gets what.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=415&faqSubjectName=Gratuities&faqId=5523

 

 

The automatic gratuity is $13.50 USD, or $16.50 USD for suite guests, applied to each guest's SeaPass® account on a daily basis. Here's how it is shared between your onboard service team:

Standard Staterooms:

  • $6.35 - Dining Services
  • $3.45 - Stateroom Attendant
  • $3.70 - Other Hotel Services

Suites:

  • $6.35 - Dining Services
  • $6.10 - Suite Attendant
  • $4.05 - Other Hotel Services

 

 

I haven't read all of the posts, but do you by any chance have a further breakdown of the dining staff?

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nelblu

nelblu

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We always tip the hotel housekeeper, unless it's a 1 nighter....

 

And yes....it's much easier to have the tips added to your bill....apparently, some folks don't know how to tip, and are totally flustered by extending tips in person on the last evening.

 

 

No grats for a 1 nighter?:(

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Clarea

Clarea

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I haven't read all of the posts, but do you by any chance have a further breakdown of the dining staff?

 

 

Ever since they went to automatic gratuities, they no longer publish any breakdown of dining staff.

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nelblu

nelblu

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I must be on a different cruise line. Since 1991, service has only declined. At one point, your waiter, cabin steward, etc. would know your name before you even got on the ship. They would talk to you for a significant time in the dining room asking about your day, etc. Now they are so overworked in terms of number of tables, number of staterooms, etc. they do not have time for all the "little" details they used to have time for.

 

Cruising is significantly cheaper now, and I gladly give up those small "details" for the lower price, but that doesn't mean I don't miss it.

 

 

I guess, we've been on different ships & cruise lines. The only time that I found the service to be a problem was with the announcement of the Quantum going to China. You sensed a lot of uncertainty & unhappiness.

 

However, I will agree with you if you go back to the early days of cruising of the 70s, on such lines as the Home Lines, Italian Lines, etc. Small ships, but it was a culinary delight, which was offset by the lack of entertainment & activities.

 

Also, talking to a crew member recently, this individual dreaded sailing out of Southampton as the cruisers regularly remove/reduce the amount of grats.

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KnightsFan

KnightsFan

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however it is becoming apparent that Cruise Lines are using Tips to Pay the Wages of those in the Background, in IMHO it is NOT up to the Cruise Passenger to subsidise the wages of other Staff, a Gratuity is Meant to Reward Good Service not supplement Wages.

 

 

Either way the passengers are paying the crew members' wages. The "gratuities" merely make it clear where that roughly 20USD per day is going. Even if it wasn't a "gratuity" it would just be an extra 20USD on the cabin fare.

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grapau27

grapau27

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Either way the passengers are paying the crew members' wages. The "gratuities" merely make it clear where that roughly 20USD per day is going. Even if it wasn't a "gratuity" it would just be an extra 20USD on the cabin fare.

Yes but now it is really a service charge and expected by the crew and we are still actively encouraged to give more tips which I happily do but i understand why a lot of people grumble about this.

 

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nelblu

nelblu

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P&O have sailed out of Southampton for years and the crew are happy to do so.Tipping is not in British culture so many would prefer a slightly higher cruise price so crew can be paid a minimum wage ,and any tips was for exceptional service.

 

Sent from my Kestrel using Forums mobile app

 

 

What is the allocated minimum wage & is it tiered & sufficient. I've found in the States even those restaurants that went to minimum wages, I now see an explosion of jars for tipping.

 

Heck, one time in Rome, the waiter was telling us that no tipping was included, even though we knew that it was included. For the service & gall we gave him a few Es. lol

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  • 1 month later...
Colorado Babe

Colorado Babe

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Wow, Haven Suites are extremely expensive and out of reach for most of us! The cheapest 7 night cruise price I could get for one of those cabins was above $6,000. Considering the level of your cabin, I imagine that a tip of $100 may have been low. lol

 

 

We usually give the conceirge anywhere from 100-150 per cruise but we keep them busy. Since I have celiacs I try to do specialty dining each night and they ensure I have snacks in the lounges.

 

On last cruise our stateroom attendant was awesome and had towel animals in our stateroom every night. We gave him an extra $25.00. I also gave the Giovanni manager $25.00 for always taking care of me in the windjammer at lunch and getting me hummus, and special things because he knew what I liked.

 

 

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jimmyzwei

jimmyzwei

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How many people tip at the specialty dinning spots like Chops and if so how much?

 

We used to give them $20 but our friends said we were over tipping. We now give them $10 from the two of us!

 

Don't leave them any extra. RCI says that a service charge has been included in the $35 pp upcharge. figure with an 18% tip that is still $29 pp extra charge for food.

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grapau27

grapau27

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What is the allocated minimum wage & is it tiered & sufficient. I've found in the States even those restaurants that went to minimum wages, I now see an explosion of jars for tipping.

 

Heck, one time in Rome, the waiter was telling us that no tipping was included, even though we knew that it was included. For the service & gall we gave him a few Es. lol

UK minimum

wage is £7.50 per hour for over 21 year olds roughly $9 per hour.

 

We cruise with RCCL and P&O.

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