Gratuities are

[Wave61]

I haven't tipped extra since my second cruise unless the service has been extraordinary which has been once in 6 cruises to the dinin groom staff. I never push the issue of chosing twice a day cabin service when only once a day is offered but I refuse to tip over and above the auto gratuities.

[L1211]

Merriam Webster

Definition of gratuity

plural gratuities

: something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service; especially : tip added a gratuity for the server

 

It is not a gratuity as defined. Very tired of people saying it hurts the workers, the cruise lines are stealing money from guest and it needs to end. And yes it is on point to the OP post because the greedy worthless cruise lines are pushing people not only to pay these service fess but more on top of that.

 

Call me cheap or Scrouge I really do not care only drives me to do more to try and stop these fees. Let me be crystal clear here... I see it as no different than armed robbery and will fight the system to the end. If a cruise line makes service fees mandatory I stop booking that line.If the cruise lines told me people will die if you don't tip. My reply would be good population control is working and no mandatory service fees.[/quote

 

So you're comfortable letting others cover your share? So be it, to each their own.

[L1211]

No my fellow Americans are fools and have been brainwashed into believing tipping is something that is standard.[/quote

 

I tip extra because I can and feel blessed to be able to do so. I even give my older

Teen and young 20s daughters their own stacks of 1s and 5s to show gratitude for service received. I'd rather them learn to be gracious and appreciative to those who serve them. Sorry, I don't believe graciousness and generosity are just American traits.

[Expat Cruise]

Merriam Webster

Definition of gratuity

plural gratuities

: something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service; especially : tip added a gratuity for the server

 

It is not a gratuity as defined. Very tired of people saying it hurts the workers, the cruise lines are stealing money from guest and it needs to end. And yes it is on point to the OP post because the greedy worthless cruise lines are pushing people not only to pay these service fess but more on top of that.

 

Call me cheap or Scrouge I really do not care only drives me to do more to try and stop these fees. Let me be crystal clear here... I see it as no different than armed robbery and will fight the system to the end. If a cruise line makes service fees mandatory I stop booking that line.If the cruise lines told me people will die if you don't tip. My reply would be good population control is working and no mandatory service fees.[/quote

 

So you're comfortable letting others cover your share? So be it, to each their own.

 

No I am not comfortable paying fees the cruise line should pay their workers. The cruise line needs to set a total fare and then pay the workers. Do not lie and try to claim it is a tip it is not it is stealing from guest. If anyone is stupid enough to believe the cruise lines false claims you should be robbed. Say these fees are gratuities is like the defense lawyer for the rapist saying, it was only exercise for my client. Sorry call it what it is they are stealing money from guest so they can underpay their staff.

[L1211]

It is not my job or responsibility to pay these people I never see. It is not a gratuity by definition, cruise lines need to stop lying and trying to play this game. These cost should be paid by the company to the workers from the cruise fare. Auto tipping in fact hurts the people who give great service and you want to reward.

No one stops you from rewarding them... It feels great!!!

[L1211]

 

No I am not comfortable paying fees the cruise line should pay their workers. The cruise line needs to set a total fare and then pay the workers. Do not lie and try to claim it is a tip it is not it is stealing from guest. If anyone is stupid enough to believe the cruise lines false claims you should be robbed. Say these fees are gratuities is like the defense lawyer for the rapist saying, it was only exercise for my client. Sorry call it what it is they are stealing money from guest so they can underpay their staff.

 

It is the system we choose to cruise under. If you do not like it, don't cruise. Would you rather they raise cruise fares a few hundred bucks to cover higher wages? I'd totally be ok with that. We pay either their wages way, same as any industry. But it shouldn't be optional so some pay service fees and some do not. That's just cheapskates being cheap.

[dxvdxviii]

So how many folks who hate auto-gratuities choose to sail on Holland America instead of Carnival, Royal, NCL, Princess, Celebrity, etc.? Holland America does not require tips and allows you to leave what you choose (they do make a suggestion based on your stateroom category).

You have a choice... Do you exercise it?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[L1211]

So how many folks who hate auto-gratuities choose to sail on Holland America instead of Carnival, Royal, NCL, Princess, Celebrity, etc.? Holland America does not require tips and allows you to leave what you choose (they do make a suggestion based on your stateroom category).

You have a choice... Do you exercise it?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

 

Right? Cruise or don't, pay or don't. I do not understand the logic of "the cruise line should pay their workers more but I'm ok with lower fares AND I want to cancel my auto grats". Both cannot be so... but maybe that's just me.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Motegi]

We always pay the standard gratuity and I don’t understand those who ask to have them taken off or reduced as a means of saving money.

 

That being said we will also tip extra if we find a bartender who makes good drinks. We do this in the hopes that the bartender will remember us when we return again later and continue to provide good service. It usually works.

 

Also we will tip our cabin steward extra if they are friendly and attentive. For this we also expect the room to be cleaned in the morning and turned down at night with fresh towels each time and cups replaced. We find this happens routinely on NCL but is hit or miss on Carnival.

 

We were told by our most recent Carnival steward that they are now responsible for 30 cabins each!

[summersigh]

There are those who say if the cruise lines paid the staff better wages we would not need to tip.

I don't understand anyone not understanding that if the cruise lines pay a higher wage it will cause the cost of the cruise to go up for all of us. The $$ have to come from somewhere.

There are folks on here that go ballistic that Carnival is ripping them off by charging $4.50 for a 12 pack of water (38 cents a bottle) I can't imagine the outcry if the price of the cruise goes up by $13 a day.

Like the old saying ,,,, Pay me now ... or pay me later.;)

[RWolver672]

And remember that this is the Internet. You can say anything you want behind a keyboard and people take it for real. I've always wondered why I always see people on here saying that they tip X amount of dollars over and above to their wait staff on the last night yet I've never seen anyone do it out of ten Carnival cruises. I could say I tipped each waiter $100 a night on here and people would take my word for it.

[StolidCruiser]

And remember that this is the Internet. You can say anything you want behind a keyboard and people take it for real. I've always wondered why I always see people on here saying that they tip X amount of dollars over and above to their wait staff on the last night yet I've never seen anyone do it out of ten Carnival cruises. I could say I tipped each waiter $100 a night on here and people would take my word for it.

 

Three dozen cruises and only once did I not provide an extra gratuity to the dining staff. You must not have been scrutinizing my every move.

 

Tipping is a personal choice and should be done in a discrete manner. Unless you are parading around the entire dining room at the end of everyone’s meal to catch “tippers”, you could very well be sitting right next to one and not know it happens.

 

Like a million other justifications made here, just because you’ve never seen it happen doesn’t negate it. Under your philosophy, every negative (and postive, for that matter) comment/review is fake and unreliable because “its the internet and people can make things up”.

 

You say you’ve been on ten cruises. Must not be true because you said it on the internet.

 

Never saw it happen? Maybe toy did and want to say you didn’t to bolster the “never tip extra, no matter what” crowd.

 

Usually these arguments when the situation involves trying to prove a negative and makes the poster giggle over that nuance. It’s entertaining.

Edited March 17, 2018 by StolidCruiser

[jimbo5544]

Has been covered many times. Myself I do not like auto Gratuities or service fees. Never have and never will, as a matter of policy I feel they are wrong and should not be charged. I also check everything and remove from my account if possible. If the cruise line will not remove my credit card providers seem to be willing to remove the fees.

 

I know this post is like throwing gasoline on a fire... but I am entitled to handle my money as I see fit. If others feel different I will allow you to handle your money your way, that seems more than fair. I do not tip for average or normal service, I tip for extra services provided.

 

 

 

You certainly can do what ever you want. For the record, you do nit set policy, they do. It is their ship, but "doing the right thing" is up to you. You can disparage America all you want, it changes nothing.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[jimbo5544]

An obsession for Americans.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

 

Well that is one way to look at, there are other ways.......

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[L1211]

Well that is one way to look at, there are other ways.......

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

 

 

Ha ha, were a terribly generous lot, we Americans!! Now that's something to be known for. I'll take it and even say thank you.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[cb at sea]

You are under NO obligation to tip more than what is added to your account....the "suggested" tips are perfectly fine.

[torcruise]

Ha ha, were a terribly generous lot, we Americans!! Now that's something to be known for. I'll take it and even say thank you.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

no just naively allow businesses to make millions and millions of dollars not paying there employees a fair wage, yet they feel the right thing to do is support the employee out of their own pocket. While the rich just keep getting richer. worried about the price of the cruise going up as if the companies don't already have more then enough money to pay a fair wage already! These companies should not be allowed to pocket all the profits for themselves and pay their employees peanuts! And they should't be allowed to raise the prices when they make millions in profit already.

[summersigh]

Ha ha, were a terribly generous lot, we Americans!! Now that's something to be known for. I'll take it and even say thank you.

(y)

[summersigh]

And they should't be allowed to raise the prices when they make millions in profit already.

Last I checked ... cruise lines are money making businesses ... not State run charities....

 

Free Market ... Supply & Demand ...

 

Just sayin ...

[torcruise]

Last I checked ... cruise lines are money making businesses ... not State run charities....

 

Free Market ... Supply & Demand ...

 

Just sayin ...

Profit sharing should be regulated, it almost like using slave labor if the companies pocket most of the money that the worker earn.

[djcass4199]

Profit sharing should be regulated, it almost like using slave labor if the companies pocket most of the money that the worker earn.

 

What is this, Communist China?

[Expat Cruise]

You certainly can do what ever you want. For the record, you do nit set policy, they do. It is their ship, but "doing the right thing" is up to you. You can disparage America all you want, it changes nothing.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Consumers do control policy by the actions they take. If people just accept the lies of the cruise lines and pay these fees nothing changes. But if they make it a issue the cruise line or business will address it. Not disparaging America or the United States at all just stating simple facts. Most US citizens do not even hold passport, of those that do many have never left North America/ Caribbean. Really big World out here that is not all about the United States. Take the blinders off, US ways of doing standard business is not always right.

 

Cruise lines need to pay workers a fair wage for the workers, not a fair US wage, as not US ships. Our 35 % of ships crews now are from Philippines, except for officers or select highly skilled workers, if they work here in the Philippines they will earn US$200 to $300 dollars per month. Or get on a cruise line and earn a base pay of several times that. FYI: Don't try to say working on ship is hard because working in the Philippines is harder for many of them. If I ask 10 people here would you want to work on a cruise ship, 9 out of 10 say yes.

 

It is not my job as a guest to improve the quality of life for all the workers. I pay the cruise fare the cruise line pays its works and makes a profit in the end. If I choose to reward select staff members that is my choice.

[Johnny60]

I tip extra because I really believe the service is great....not because I feel I have to. Our waiters on Splendor were amazing.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[jimbo5544]

Consumers do control policy by the actions they take. If people just accept the lies of the cruise lines and pay these fees nothing changes. But if they make it a issue the cruise line or business will address it. Not disparaging America or the United States at all just stating simple facts. Most US citizens do not even hold passport, of those that do many have never left North America/ Caribbean. Really big World out here that is not all about the United States. Take the blinders off, US ways of doing standard business is not always right.

 

 

 

Cruise lines need to pay workers a fair wage for the workers, not a fair US wage, as not US ships. Our 35 % of ships crews now are from Philippines, except for officers or select highly skilled workers, if they work here in the Philippines they will earn US$200 to $300 dollars per month. Or get on a cruise line and earn a base pay of several times that. FYI: Don't try to say working on ship is hard because working in the Philippines is harder for many of them. If I ask 10 people here would you want to work on a cruise ship, 9 out of 10 say yes.

 

 

 

It is not my job as a guest to improve the quality of life for all the workers. I pay the cruise fare the cruise line pays its works and makes a profit in the end. If I choose to reward select staff members that is my choice.

 

 

 

It is fairly easy to call others liars when you don’t have to back it up with facts.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[CruisingAgain]

You cannot argue with ignorant and self-absorbed and boorish behavior as I'm seeing here. Why bother!!