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Paid Tips Query

Lucia13

By Lucia13,
in Royal Caribbean International

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Sam Ting

Sam Ting

Posted
Posted
I might just do that. Unlike you, I think employees deserve good compensation, and understand the cruise lines are in business to make money, have to be accountable to share holders, and we would get the experiences we do if they weren't "billion dollar companies."

 

Thank YOU for being one of the reasons fares go up.

 

Have YOU gotten a raise ever? Was there something wrong with that? Maybe you should return it to your employer since you seem to thing raises and compensation are an injustice to society. Sounds like you would prefer to live in a socialist or communist country. I'm sure there are plenty accepting new citizens.

 

Raises from my employer yes. I am not in the habit of donating to companies so they can pay their employees.

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grapau27

grapau27

Posted
Posted
Just a smart consumer, who wont be guilt tripped into paying the cruise lines staff. I love cruising and do so often and will continue to do so. Only doing what's allowed in the contract and couldn't care less what you think!

 

Hey, but thanks for playing along, keeping my fare low by subsidizing the behind the scenes crew wages. Next time why don't you throw the company a few extra bucks so they can give the captain a raise?

 

Enjoy your next cruise!

Bad attitude IMO.

 

Sent from my Kestrel using Forums mobile app

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grapau27

grapau27

Posted
Posted
It sounds as though your parents wanted you to be free from $ worries on the cruise--what a nice thing to do.

When we've had prepaid grat., on some ships, it shows as a daily charge and right below the charge, it shows as a minus, so that the net is zero. On our last sailing, the charge simply didn't show at all. If you were to remove the pre-paid grat. it would be on board credit, not money you could access to give tips. And, as others have said, people you don't really see (staff during the day in restaurants like the Windjammer, for example) and probably wouldn't think to tip because no one else does, would get no tips at all.

As it is, they each get a certain small percentage of each guests tips--literally a few cents per guest, but with a ship full of people, the few cents does add up: 3000 guests @ .10 a person = $300.00 for the week.

The ship's accounting department will probably do a better job of rewarding crew members that you wouldn't think of than you would--and those you do think of (cabin steward/dining room wait staff/a favorite bartender, etc.) are certainly pleased when you give them an extra tip in addition to what they will receive from the grat. that are added each day.

Good post.

 

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LH25

LH25

Posted
Posted
Just a smart consumer, who wont be guilt tripped into paying the cruise lines staff. I love cruising and do so often and will continue to do so. Only doing what's allowed in the contract and couldn't care less what you think!

 

Hey, but thanks for playing along, keeping my fare low by subsidizing the behind the scenes crew wages. Next time why don't you throw the company a few extra bucks so they can give the captain a raise?

 

Enjoy your next cruise!

 

Problem I have with this stance is that while we debate if it's right or not, the crew is the one getting short-changed. Just doesn't seem fair. I don't see paying the tips/service charge as donating anything. I also realize we aren't going to change any minds here.

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grapau27

grapau27

Posted
Posted
I might just do that. Unlike you, I think employees deserve good compensation, and understand the cruise lines are in business to make money, have to be accountable to share holders, and we would not get the experiences we do if they weren't "billion dollar companies."

 

Thank YOU for being one of the reasons fares go up.

 

Have YOU gotten a raise ever? Was there something wrong with that? Maybe you should return it to your employer since you seem to think raises and compensation are an injustice to society. Sounds like you would prefer to live in a socialist or communist country. I'm sure there are plenty accepting new citizens.

I don't understand his reasoning but great post by yourself.

 

Sent from my Kestrel using Forums mobile app

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cruisingn09

cruisingn09

Posted
Posted
Awww thanks! I'm honestly not sure if he's serious, or just a troll trying to rile people up. I can't imagine anyone saying the things he says being serious, but who knows.

 

^^^^He is both. There is another thread about tipping that he trolled and spewed the same crap. IMO...ignore him...don't feed him. He is like a stray animal, if you feed him he will keep coming back for more.

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

Posted
Posted
To me, the best room steward is one who keeps the cabin clean and responds to any requests I might make via post-it note. I don't care if we never see each other. I do not need a new bff nor do I need to make myself feel like a big shot handing out cash to a few while stiffing others. Best to just leave auto tips in place. If you feel anyone went above and beyond, you can always tip extra.

 

I think I love you. :D

article-0-16A9E6C2000005DC-670_640x427.jpg

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Dennis#1

Dennis#1

Posted
Posted
Crew know EXACTLY who have removed tips. There is a printed list. I have seen it.

 

 

I also have seen the list from the floor supervisor of staterooms who have removed the automatic tips. The head waiter in the dining room on the Radiance also said that the dining room staff have a similar printout.

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

Posted
Posted
Raises from my employer yes. I am not in the habit of donating to companies so they can pay their employees.

 

What do you think happens to ANY of the money that you spend with the cruise line? Does it matter in which category those payments fall?

 

Awww thanks! I'm honestly not sure if he's serious, or just a troll trying to rile people up. I can't imagine anyone saying the things he says being serious, but who knows.

 

 

Joined last month. All posts are like this. You draw your own conclusions. I have drawn mine. :)

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caribill

caribill

Posted
Posted
I also have seen the list from the floor supervisor of staterooms who have removed the automatic tips. The head waiter in the dining room on the Radiance also said that the dining room staff have a similar printout.

 

Which is why many of those who remove the auto-tip wait until the last evening of the cruise to do it.

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HaraldOslo

HaraldOslo

Posted
Posted
Just a smart consumer, who wont be guilt tripped into paying the cruise lines staff. I love cruising and do so often and will continue to do so. Only doing what's allowed in the contract and couldn't care less what you think!

 

Hey, but thanks for playing along, keeping my fare low by subsidizing the behind the scenes crew wages. Next time why don't you throw the company a few extra bucks so they can give the captain a raise?

 

Enjoy your next cruise!

 

I agree completely that the (american) tradition of paying employees less and having the customer tip instead should be abolished. However, we are not there yet. So even if I hate the practice of tipping, I still do it while visiting countries that have it.

 

Employers shouldn't have a "service charge" added to the bill either, in form of a fixed percentage. It should just be included in the cost of doing business. You don't have a electricity charge, gas charge, water charge etc on the bill.

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yuvraj

yuvraj

Posted
Posted

Here is an input from someone from the UK ...

 

Thirty years of experience of cruising has taught me that it is customary to tip individuals who have provided you a service. Historically this was a select number of the crew members including dining room staff and stateroom attendants. The cruise lines would recommend an amount for each person and we would choose whether to pay more or less than this based on the quality of service received. This made a lot of sense and no different to going to a restaurant and leaving the tip or paying a service charge. We were never obliged to pay the pot washer or anyone else behind the scenes. That goes beyond custom IMO and was a matter for the cruise company.

 

The problem is that gratuities have become obligatory. They automatically get added when you order a drink. Plus you automatically get charged the daily charge. You also lose the discretion over how much goes to each person who has served you. It is now more of an obligatory service charge than a discretionary payment based on quality of service received or the performance of any individual.

 

I don't really care about tipping the pot washer or others behind the scenes. That is a matter for the cruise company. As with restaurants, different schemes do operate so that tips you hand over individually are either pooled and shared or kept by the person. That is again a matter for the company.

 

So I do understand the different view points on this. I choose to go with the flow and leave the auto gratuities in place. It contributes to the crews' remuneration irrespective of whether I agree with the method. For me it has become an obligatory service charge just as some restaurants include a 20% service charge to the bill and expect you to pay it.

 

Personally, I believe cruise companies should make it clear that it is a service charge and remove the confusion by suggesting people can remove it. You should only be able to do this if service was not to expectations IMO.

 

One final point. It is good to have the discretion to pre-pay or have it charged to your on board account. Quite often we get OBC and this is one good way of spending it.

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grapau27

grapau27

Posted
Posted
Yes, but many of the removers know this and remove them on the last day.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Anyone who leaves it to the last minute to remove tips for no reason are not nice people and hopefully the crew they have stiffed will see them again on another cruise.

 

Sent from my Kestrel using Forums mobile app

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grapau27

grapau27

Posted
Posted
Yes I do, as explained we have PRE PAID TIPS with our cruise, I don't want to pay twice,and I will tip extra who I want to tip. Not that ted any of your business.

You have been honourable and done what the cruise company suggest.

If you leave any extra cash tips that is your decision,i always do for excellent service and to the DL staff.

 

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