Gratuity Removal Too Easy?

[Rdclfamily]

Why? They are usually getting a price break on the 3rd and 4th person, or kids sail free promotion. Kids are actually usually more work than adults. Cabin stewards have to clean up after them, linens, towels, etc. Dining room staff bends over backwards for kids.

 

I travel solo. My cabin is neat and tidy ...... I usually pay a hefty single supplement. I wouldn't dream of expecting to pay less based on fact that I am less work. In fact, I normally tip on top of the suggested gratuities.

 

Kids grow up - when my kids were sailing with me, and now they sail with their kids, it's part of the budget. We tipped for four in a cabin - and clean and neat as we tried to be, it was a mess. Try two adults and two teenagers in an inside cabin on the Majesty or Rhapsody! Sorry, if you choose to cruise, or eat out with your kids, you need to tip accordingly.

 

No different than going out to eat and tipping a percentage of the bill, which might include a kids meal.

 

LOL. And the tipping back then was? These responses are all so difficult to read. All too unfriendly sounding. Our kids have been raised properly. They throw their trash away. Re-use towels. Geesh. You make them sound like animals. They are also used to eating at nice restaurants and behave themselves accordingly. The restaurant doesn't have to "go out of their way for them". My kids are more adventurous eaters than I am. Yes, they are charged less. Because the cruise line understands that they will make more by cramming as many people into a room as possible. So while you are all comfy and cozy in your room, we're fitting 3 additional people in there. The cruise will make more off of us. Actually, if you think about it, the poor room steward is losing money on just one person in the room. He could make so much more with us awful and terribly messy families. These comments are so belittling. I just wanted to have a friendly discussion. I didn't say I didn't want to tip. I just feel that $500 is a bit much for one room of people who typically stay in the buffet. If I could have deleted my comment to dodge the rest of these unfriendly replies, I would. Does anyone know how? And thank you to those that actually offered productive and friendly feedback.

[BNBR]

Ok - first off, let me say I've always prepaid my tips, and tip extra in the restaurant, bars and room steward. However - as long as Royal are happy to play the game of making gratuities optional to get around their responsibilities to their staff, then customers have the right to remove this optional payment (some folk above seem to struggle with the fact that discretionary = optional).

 

It's not that simple.

 

 

Royal's tipping policy:

 

 

"Any modifications or adjustments to your gratuities are required to be requested before you depart your cruise ... In the unlikely event that a guest onboard being charged the daily automatic gratuity does not receive satisfactory service, the guest may request to modify the daily amount"

 

From a technical standpoint, it's discretionary. It has to be. But reading their policy hardly reads as though it's some sort of optional charge. The spirit of the policy is not really optional. If people want to play technicality games to save a few bucks and screw poor workers, then they should be prepared to be judged when they defend this uncivil behavior publicly. Telling people you are (not YOU) partaking in behavior that most of society finds repulsive is opening the door to ridicule.

 

 

And the only way to remove gratuities at guest services on the last day is in the unlikely event the guest does not receive satisfactory service. And if you have cruised before, which you have, you know that the chances of these people receiving unsatisfactory service that justifies removing the gratuities at guest services is a near zero. So these people, to be in line with the policy, would have to be liars as well, and tell guest services all about their make believe horrible service with every member of the crew they came in contact with.

 

 

It seems that the guest services personnel really just make exceptions and remove the gratuities, sparing the passenger the responsibility of inventing a fake reason about why they weren't satisfied with the overall guest experience.

[BNBR]

LOL. And the tipping back then was? These responses are all so difficult to read. All too unfriendly sounding. Our kids have been raised properly. They throw their trash away. Re-use towels. Geesh. You make them sound like animals. They are also used to eating at nice restaurants and behave themselves accordingly. The restaurant doesn't have to "go out of their way for them". My kids are more adventurous eaters than I am. Yes, they are charged less. Because the cruise line understands that they will make more by cramming as many people into a room as possible. So while you are all comfy and cozy in your room, we're fitting 3 additional people in there. The cruise will make more off of us. Actually, if you think about it, the poor room steward is losing money on just one person in the room. He could make so much more with us awful and terribly messy families. These comments are so belittling. I just wanted to have a friendly discussion. I didn't say I didn't want to tip. I just feel that $500 is a bit much for one room of people who typically stay in the buffet. If I could have deleted my comment to dodge the rest of these unfriendly replies, I would. Does anyone know how? And thank you to those that actually offered productive and friendly feedback.

 

You originally said you find it "very difficult" and a "struggle" paying the $486 in gratuities for a 9 day cruise for a family of 4, and then went on to explain how clean and perfect your family is, and how you eat in the buffet, so the steward just doesn't have to work as hard, and buffet staff just don't have to work as hard - apparently... and began rationalizing why you shouldn't have to pay the same. What sort of response were you expecting?

[Rdclfamily]

You originally said you find it "very difficult" and a "struggle" paying the $486 in gratuities for a 9 day cruise for a family of 4, and then went on to explain how clean and perfect your family is, and how you eat in the buffet, so the steward just doesn't have to work as hard, and buffet staff just don't have to work as hard - apparently... and began rationalizing why you shouldn't have to pay the same. What sort of response were you expecting?

 

Yes, you are right. I admitted that I struggle to pay $500 on top of the rest of gratuities for a week's vacation EVEN THOUGH I DO and will continue to. I know, that sounds horrible. I expected friendly, adult discussion. Maybe, gasp..., a "yeah, that really does end up being a lot for a week". Not the ridicule and hype in these posts. The responses are uncalled for. I do not want to take anything away from the service staff. I simply feel that Royal Caribbean needs to start paying their staff more. They keep finding more and more ways to put their hand in your pocket. I'm sure some of you are off on some other post complaining about the new room service fee.

[Rdclfamily]

Yes, you are right. I admitted that I struggle to pay $500 on top of the rest of gratuities for a week's vacation EVEN THOUGH I DO and will continue to. I know, that sounds horrible. I expected friendly, adult discussion. Maybe, gasp..., a "yeah, that really does end up being a lot for a week". Not the ridicule and hype in these posts. The responses are uncalled for. I do not want to take anything away from the service staff. I simply feel that Royal Caribbean needs to start paying their staff more. They keep finding more and more ways to put their hand in your pocket. I'm sure some of you are off on some other post complaining about the new room service fee.

 

In case anyone cares about my opinion, I prefer the new room service fee because I prefer to have better food delivered to the room. And yes, I do think people should be paid for their efforts. I sure hope the staff is getting the fee. ;)

[BNBR]

In case anyone cares about my opinion, I prefer the new room service fee because I prefer to have better food delivered to the room. And yes, I do think people should be paid for their efforts. I sure hope the staff is getting the fee. ;)

 

I agree with this one :)

[Rdclfamily]

I'm wondering how much you all TYPICALLY give to buffet staff when you are not cruising. And housekeeping staff at non-cruising hotels you stay at. Just wondering... I'm sure you pay FOUR TIMES as much when you are traveling with four people, right? And I'm sure you give buffet staff JUST AS MUCH as you do when you go to a fancy dinner. These responses are out of line.

[BNBR]

Yes, you are right. I admitted that I struggle to pay $500 on top of the rest of gratuities for a week's vacation EVEN THOUGH I DO and will continue to. I know, that sounds horrible. I expected friendly, adult discussion. Maybe, gasp..., a "yeah, that really does end up being a lot for a week". Not the ridicule and hype in these posts. The responses are uncalled for. I do not want to take anything away from the service staff. I simply feel that Royal Caribbean needs to start paying their staff more. They keep finding more and more ways to put their hand in your pocket. I'm sure some of you are off on some other post complaining about the new room service fee.

 

So your expectation was that everyone should have just agreed with you? I think that's very cheap for a week (again, 9 days, not a week) considering how cheap the cruise is to begin with. 9 days of the full service you get on a cruise for $486 for 4 people? I'll be polite and say I simply disagree :)

 

Cruises are very inexpensive for the product being offered - which has a lot to do with their popularity. I've spent more on a weekend in the Bahamas than a 7 day cruise. If they pay their staff more, the prices of the cruise will reflect that. You'll pay one way or the other. The value seems to be good - if not great, so I just personally find it a non-issue.

[Rdclfamily]

Allow me to apologize. I prefer not to take on a sassy tone just because I feel attacked. That's why I have. I'm sorry. I just really feel like the responses were out-of-line compared to what I actually said.

[Harvey1976]

Being from the UK we are not used to paying a service charge or being told what gratuities we have to pay. I do not agree with the charges, however i would feel guilty removing the charges as it is the staff that suffer.

 

What i would like made clear though is how much do RCL make out of this as I do not believe that 100% of it goes to the staff.

 

If i was in a restaurant here and i was to tip you have options as if you want to add it onto your bill when paying by card and i would never do that as the restaurant takes a percentage which i thing is wrong.

[Rdclfamily]

So your expectation was that everyone should have just agreed with you? I think that's very cheap for a week (again, 9 days, not a week) considering how cheap the cruise is to begin with. 9 days of the full service you get on a cruise for $486 for 4 people? I'll be polite and say I simply disagree :)

 

Cruises are very inexpensive for the product being offered - which has a lot to do with their popularity. I've spent more on a weekend in the Bahamas than a 7 day cruise. If they pay their staff more, the prices of the cruise will reflect that. You'll pay one way or the other. The value seems to be good - if not great, so I just personally find it a non-issue.

 

No, my expectation wasn't that people agreed. It was an expectation of friendly responses. Something I teach my kids, and hope you all do as well.

[nancy513]

Many people choose to remove them to pay cash instead. Also, some never eat in the dining room and understandably don’t want to tip a wait staff that they never used. If service wasn’t up to par, they may just be giving less than the suggested amount.

There should be an ability to remove the gratuities. I think it gives a greater incentive to provide better service.

 

 

 

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[BNBR]

I'm wondering how much you all TYPICALLY give to buffet staff when you are not cruising. And housekeeping staff at non-cruising hotels you stay at. Just wondering... I'm sure you pay FOUR TIMES as much when you are traveling with four people, right? And I'm sure you give buffet staff JUST AS MUCH as you do when you go to a fancy dinner. These responses are out of line.

 

Your response is simply showing that you are ignorant of how cruise tipping works. A cruise is not Golden Corral. This is totally fine and actually expected, which is why the cruise makes it easy by simply applying a standard gratuity so you don't have to concern yourself with learning about it. But for simplicity, there is a tipping standard that makes it quite easy. At a buffet, 10% - 20% is pretty standard and on a cruise it's $13.50/pp per day.

 

As for tipping somewhere else, I follow the customary and socially accepted practices. Though I'm not a great example because I generally tip quite a bit more. Last cruise, we gave our dining room waitress an extra $300 or so for our group of 6, on top of the auto grat.

[BNBR]

Many people choose to remove them to pay cash instead. Also, some never eat in the dining room and understandably don’t want to tip a wait staff that they never used. If service wasn’t up to par, they may just be giving less than the suggested amount.

There should be an ability to remove the gratuities. I think it gives a greater incentive to provide better service.

 

 

 

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Are you suggesting these people starved themselves the entire cruise?

[BNBR]

Allow me to apologize. I prefer not to take on a sassy tone just because I feel attacked. That's why I have. I'm sorry. I just really feel like the responses were out-of-line compared to what I actually said.

 

You are probably right. I apologize as well.

[Rdclfamily]

Are you suggesting these people starved themselves the entire cruise?

 

I'm pretty sure they are suggesting that servers are tipped when they serve. Do you all tip at McDonald's, too? Why not? Someone handed you the food. Someone cleans up the tables and bathrooms. I'm guessing it is because you assume they were paid by the company that employs them? No? And I'm not trying to sound snarky. It's just where we are coming from...

[BNBR]

Being from the UK we are not used to paying a service charge or being told what gratuities we have to pay. I do not agree with the charges, however i would feel guilty removing the charges as it is the staff that suffer.

 

What i would like made clear though is how much do RCL make out of this as I do not believe that 100% of it goes to the staff.

 

If i was in a restaurant here and i was to tip you have options as if you want to add it onto your bill when paying by card and i would never do that as the restaurant takes a percentage which i thing is wrong.

 

It's highly illegal for a restaurant to take a percentage of tips in the US. I have also not seen, anywhere, any evidence at all that Royal keeps any portion of the daily gratuity.

[nancy513]

Are you suggesting these people starved themselves the entire cruise?

 

 

 

No, but that doesn’t mean they are eating in the main dining room. Many will just stick with the buffet. Not sure how dining at the specialty restaurants works as I never do it, but I believe that has a separate service charge

 

 

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[Rdclfamily]

You are probably right. I apologize as well.

 

Thanks BNBR. :) We need more kindness and honest discussion in this world. No need for any of us to feel threatened or ridiculed.

 

 

Have a great day!:)

[BNBR]

I'm pretty sure they are suggesting that servers are tipped when they serve. Do you all tip at McDonald's, too? Why not? Someone handed you the food. Someone cleans up the tables and bathrooms. I'm guessing it is because you assume they were paid by the company that employs them? No? And I'm not trying to sound snarky. It's just where we are coming from...

 

Which would be inaccurate. Again, compensation on a cruise line does not work like it does at an American restaurant. You are trying to relate your experiences at an American restaurant with how you "believe" cruise tipping functions. But you are simply incorrect. Tips aren't distributed that way.

 

For example. Day 1 you eat at the dining room. Gratuity included of course. Day 2 you don't show up - because you eat at Windjammer. Day 3 dining room... Day 4 Solarium Bistro. You didn't tip any server along the way - because tips are charged automatically. Maybe you recognize the same waiter in the morning when you decided to enjoy breakfast in the main dining room...

 

Because of the dynamic nature of dining on a cruise ship, tips are more generally distributed among the wait staff - who may work the buffet, or the dining room, or solarium, or anywhere else. That waiter you didn't feel needed a tip in the dining room is also the person who worked all night setting the dining room for the morning service that you enjoyed... It's a large team effort to provide that seamless experience that you enjoy.

 

And no, I do not tip at a McDonalds because it's not customary to do so. A $13.50 per day gratuity on a cruise ship is customary and disclosed prior to booking your cruise. It's not a surprise.

Edited November 15, 2017 by BNBR

[Grandma Dazzles]

LOL. And the tipping back then was? These responses are all so difficult to read. All too unfriendly sounding. Our kids have been raised properly. They throw their trash away. Re-use towels. Geesh. You make them sound like animals. They are also used to eating at nice restaurants and behave themselves accordingly. The restaurant doesn't have to "go out of their way for them". My kids are more adventurous eaters than I am. Yes, they are charged less. Because the cruise line understands that they will make more by cramming as many people into a room as possible. So while you are all comfy and cozy in your room, we're fitting 3 additional people in there. The cruise will make more off of us. Actually, if you think about it, the poor room steward is losing money on just one person in the room. He could make so much more with us awful and terribly messy families. These comments are so belittling. I just wanted to have a friendly discussion. I didn't say I didn't want to tip. I just feel that $500 is a bit much for one room of people who typically stay in the buffet. If I could have deleted my comment to dodge the rest of these unfriendly replies, I would. Does anyone know how? And thank you to those that actually offered productive and friendly feedback.

 

Actually, I was responding to the previous poster who had asked about thoughts on the possibility of a family gratuity rate, as opposed to individual rates.

 

I have tried to give you honest answers, without flaming or criticizing, but you seem to be having a problem with anyone's opinion other than your own.

 

I cruise occasionally with my grandkids and they too have been raised properly and know how to behave. I stand by my statement that dining room staff are wonderful to kids. From cutting up food for really young ones so that parents can eat, to magic tricks, bringing items not on the menu because they knew it would be a surprise and the kids would like.

 

Incidentally, tipping years ago that you thought was funny, was in the way of cash the last night of the cruise. Many people skipped the dining room to avoid paying on the last night. In today's dollars it was probably more than we are billed today, or at least equal, so please don't find that so funny.

[BNBR]

No, but that doesn’t mean they are eating in the main dining room. Many will just stick with the buffet. Not sure how dining at the specialty restaurants works as I never do it, but I believe that has a separate service charge

 

 

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Should the buffet staff work for free? Or maybe you should pay an extra fee to dine at the buffet, the fee covering the additional staff salaries since no tipping?

 

The all inclusive nature of a cruise ship is why they have set daily gratuities. What a nightmare it would be if you were trying to figure out every tipping scenario... buffet 10%, server in dining room 20%... how much for room steward?

[Rdclfamily]

Which would be inaccurate. Again, compensation on a cruise line does not work like it does at an American restaurant. You are trying to relate your experiences at an American restaurant with how you "believe" cruise tipping functions. But you are simply incorrect. Tips aren't distributed that way.

 

I'm really not. I've been forced to justify my feeling that dropping $750'ish (with other tips) on one week's vacation (on top of the thousands we spend to actually go) is a bit out-of-line with other vacations I take where I also eat out the entire time, drink beverages, have daily housekeeping service, uber around, etc. Again, I love the staff. They work hard. I reward them for their efforts on each and every cruise. I just think Royal Caribbean, who makes "I imagine" billions in profit, can afford to give more to their staff. Multiplying gratuities in one room by four to start with feels a little out of line. Again, I said earlier, maybe I'm just a control freak. Even if the gratuities did add up to be that much if I did it all personally, it would be nice to see how it all adds up and where I spent it.

[BNBR]

I'm really not. I've been forced to justify my feeling that dropping $750'ish (with other tips) on one week's vacation (on top of the thousands we spend to actually go) is a bit out-of-line with other vacations I take where I also eat out the entire time, drink beverages, have daily housekeeping service, uber around, etc. Again, I love the staff. They work hard. I reward them for their efforts on each and every cruise. I just think Royal Caribbean, who makes "I imagine" billions in profit, can afford to give more to their staff. Multiplying gratuities in one room by four to start with feels a little out of line. Again, I said earlier, maybe I'm just a control freak. Even if the gratuities did add up to be that much if I did it all personally, it would be nice to see how it all adds up and where I spent it.

 

As for multiplying gratuities by 4 for one room. Let's discuss that. Consider again the unique nature of a cruise. You mentioned that they stuff 4 in your room, implying that they just smash as many people in the rooms as possible. Well, not really true. Cruises have life boats and maximum occupancy. They often sail at maximum occupancy. 4 people in your room could literally mean an empty cabin somewhere else on the ship.

 

The daily gratuities are based on the occupancy of the ship. Your 2 children that you think should be cheaper, or whatever, could be taking the place of 2 adults in another room. Which is interesting, right? Since you implied that to the solo traveler, the cruise makes more on your cabin... that may not technically be true. Consider that the solo passenger has to pay a double occupancy rate, so pay for 2 people, but only 1 soul on board.. which means Royal can sell another booking and essentially get paid twice. Your 2 kids may also mean 2 adults weren't able to book the cruise, and the 2 adults would almost certainly spend more.

 

The staff is captive, they are there. At an American restaurant, on a slow night, maybe they go home, they aren't working. Cruise staff are there working no matter what, for your benefit. And since cruises deal with occupancy requirements and a captive crew that they cannot cut or modify for the cruise... having a set gratuity per soul on board makes perfect sense.

 

And just to reiterate. You don't go to the dining room, but that server is there anyways. That server can't just go home because it's a slow night. They can't leave and maybe work a side job. They are there, for your benefit, whether you use that service or not. Hence a standard gratuity that is split among all relevant crew to make sure services are there when and where you desire to use them. Buffet, dining room, etc. Cruises are not the same as land based businesses.

Edited November 15, 2017 by BNBR

[Rdclfamily]

Actually, I was responding to the previous poster who had asked about thoughts on the possibility of a family gratuity rate, as opposed to individual rates.

 

I have tried to give you honest answers, without flaming or criticizing, but you seem to be having a problem with anyone's opinion other than your own.

 

I cruise occasionally with my grandkids and they too have been raised properly and know how to behave. I stand by my statement that dining room staff are wonderful to kids. From cutting up food for really young ones so that parents can eat, to magic tricks, bringing items not on the menu because they knew it would be a surprise and the kids would like.

 

 

Incidentally, tipping years ago that you thought was funny, was in the way of cash the last night of the cruise. Many people skipped the dining room to avoid paying on the last night. In today's dollars it was probably more than we are billed today, or at least equal, so please don't find that so funny.

 

I do not have a problem with other thoughts and opinions. I had a problem with the unfriendly manner in which people were responding to me. Calling me ignorant. Making assumptions on what I could and could not afford. Assuming that my room must be messier, just because I had kids with me. If you read back all of the responses and my original response, you might understand why I was on the defense. I wouldn't talk to any stranger the way people were talking to me. Not on purpose, anyways. I did say I was sorry for the way I reacted to these posts. I just didn't expect such a harsh response when I wasn't even saying that I wouldn't tip. I just said the amount feels like a lot and we had been struggling with the thought of spending $500 in addition to all of the other gratuities we would give out in a week. Again, sorry. I ended up responding harshly to you and didn't intend to.