Prepaid Gratuities

[Roadranger73]

We have been on 22 cruises and I always prepay the gratuities. Many of our trips are comps from Casino Royale. Upcoming cruises - Mariner OTS, Brilliance, Brilliance, Harmony. 

Talking to our waiter last cruise, I asked him and he advised they are on a salary. They do get some small benefits from WOW reviews, but they don't get the gratuities. Talking to the agent at Casino Royale, they advised that I can ask that the gratuities not be added to my account prior to the second day on the cruise, but it was at the "discretion" of Guest relation whether they will do that. Be assured, I like to directly tip the waiter, asst. waiter and cabin attendant for the great service I normally receive. 

Can Guest Relations add the gratuities if I wish to pay them directly to those listed above?

[Biker19]

Very unlikely, you'll get the usual answer of all (to everyone) or nothing with grats. 

 

Biker, who was wondering what happened to good ole tipping threads.

Edited November 13, 2018 by Biker19

[karena1]

We always just have the tips added daily.  My understanding are that they are pooled and each area gets their cut.  Then we we give add'l cash to those we want to like our stateroom person and bar servers

 

[Grandma Dazzles]

Don’t want to turn this into another long tipping thread, but find it hard to believe the waiter who said that they didn’t get a share of tips - perhaps he was looking for more!

 

Rather than prepaying and with a comped cruise not sure who you paid tips to, just have them billed daily to your Seapass account, which is the norm. If anyone goes above and beyond you can always tip extra in cash.   The daily amount billed per person includes your cabin steward, all waiters and food services and behind the scenes staff. 

 

2 hours ago, Roadranger73 said:

We have been on 22 cruises and I always prepay the gratuities. Many of our trips are comps from Casino Royale. Upcoming cruises - Mariner OTS, Brilliance, Brilliance, Harmony. 

Talking to our waiter last cruise, I asked him and he advised they are on a salary. They do get some small benefits from WOW reviews, but they don't get the gratuities. Talking to the agent at Casino Royale, they advised that I can ask that the gratuities not be added to my account prior to the second day on the cruise, but it was at the "discretion" of Guest relation whether they will do that. Be assured, I like to directly tip the waiter, asst. waiter and cabin attendant for the great service I normally receive. 

Can Guest Relations add the gratuities if I wish to pay them directly to those listed above?

 

[ggo85]

There are all sorts of reasons (most good, some bad) for pooling pre-paid gratuities.  The positive reason is that it provides gratuities to those who may not be obviously passenger-facing, such as cooks, pool attendants, etc.  [We can all debate whether cruise lines should adequately compensate those folks with salary, but that's for another thread, on another day.]

 

If you are particularly pleased with someone's service, you are always free to tip that person more, individually.  Whether that person ultimately pools those "personal" tips is up to the ship, the department, and the individual.  

 

The reason Guest Relations is hesitant to remove tips is that there are too many people who just opt out of tips entirely, claiming they will pay in cash.  Since RCCL uses these tips to compensate non-officers, if too many guests remove them, there's an obvious problem.  Thus, it's hard to do, though at some level, they can't "force" you to pay tips unless the requirement is in the cruise contract you sign.  If not, you can insist.  Doing so, however, will (as noted above) hurt some of those you don't see yet make your cruise a very pleasant experience.  

[Roadranger73]

21 minutes ago, ggo85 said:

There are all sorts of reasons (most good, some bad) for pooling pre-paid gratuities.  The positive reason is that it provides gratuities to those who may not be obviously passenger-facing, such as cooks, pool attendants, etc.  [We can all debate whether cruise lines should adequately compensate those folks with salary, but that's for another thread, on another day.]

 

If you are particularly pleased with someone's service, you are always free to tip that person more, individually.  Whether that person ultimately pools those "personal" tips is up to the ship, the department, and the individual.  

 

The reason Guest Relations is hesitant to remove tips is that there are too many people who just opt out of tips entirely, claiming they will pay in cash.  Since RCCL uses these tips to compensate non-officers, if too many guests remove them, there's an obvious problem.  Thus, it's hard to do, though at some level, they can't "force" you to pay tips unless the requirement is in the cruise contract you sign.  If not, you can insist.  Doing so, however, will (as noted above) hurt some of those you don't see yet make your cruise a very pleasant experience.  

Thanks for your response. Another day for adequate compensation for crew. Have always paid above the prepaid to those I have contact with. Good advise.....smooth sailing my friend.    Jay

[cb at sea]

You've been lied to.  You can NEVER, EVER ask a "tipped" employee if they get their tips!  These folks aren't stupid.....but they must think YOU are!

 

They do get their tips...no fear.  If they didn't get tipped, they would NOT work for this company.

[Redrobo]

15 hours ago, Roadranger73 said:

We have been on 22 cruises and I always prepay the gratuities. Many of our trips are comps from Casino Royale. Upcoming cruises - Mariner OTS, Brilliance, Brilliance, Harmony. 

Talking to our waiter last cruise, I asked him and he advised they are on a salary. They do get some small benefits from WOW reviews, but they don't get the gratuities. Talking to the agent at Casino Royale, they advised that I can ask that the gratuities not be added to my account prior to the second day on the cruise, but it was at the "discretion" of Guest relation whether they will do that. Be assured, I like to directly tip the waiter, asst. waiter and cabin attendant for the great service I normally receive. 

Can Guest Relations add the gratuities if I wish to pay them directly to those listed above?

 

The truth is no one on this site knows how gratuities work. However the only known fact is that if you haven't pre paid you can remove all or some  of the gratuities added daily to your on board account. This can be done by either a visit or telephone call to guest services. 

[StolidCruiser]

1 hour ago, Redrobo said:

 

The truth is no one on this site knows how gratuities work. However the only known fact is that if you haven't pre paid you can remove all or some  of the gratuities added daily to your on board account. This can be done by either a visit or telephone call to guest services. 

 

Another incorrect statement.  There are many on this site who factually know exactly how the DSC and gratuities work (myself included). 

 

The real fact is that the masses refuse to accept the logical reality and therefore choose to argue the issue repeatedly.

[Redrobo]

11 minutes ago, StolidCruiser said:

 

Another incorrect statement.  There are many on this site who factually know exactly how the DSC and gratuities work (myself included). 

 

The real fact is that the masses refuse to accept the logical reality and therefore choose to argue the issue repeatedly.

 

Please enlighten us and impart some of this knowledge that you have. Please clarify how you came about this knowledge. 

Perhaps it may stop all the BS attached to any tipping thread.

[Roadranger73]

I really didn't know that I would hit such a nerve with my post. Been cruising since 2008, remember the Monarch OTS, that had envelopes for the waiter, Asst. waiter, and room attendant. If you prepaid, you had a piece of paper that you put in that envelope so that superior service was rewarded. That stopped with the invention of the WOW envelopes for an extra tip for any employee that, well WOWED you, in addition to the prepaid. RCCL states in its own policy that PPG are shared with those behind the scenes, cooks, laundry staff, etc. There is one ship that I have been on more than a half dozen times and know most of the staff very well. I have a tendency to over tip. A conversation with a waiter that was superb, after I gave cash to him, I told him that I also PPG. He responded to my statement, not in manner of wanting MORE, told me with a smile  that waiters, were on a salary. I thanked him again as it was my last night. I did NOT ask him if he gets his PPG tips. Spending 28 years in law enforcement investigations you learn how to read people (not always correctly). I guess I had an old grouchy moment when I asked this question in an effort to see that my PPG's went to those that provided my services and not subsidize crew salary for RCCL. I am going back to PPG and extra tips for those listed above. I always tip the bartender in the casino even though my drinks are free because I know  who hard and long hours that they work. Also casino comps aren't really free. You earn 1 point for each $5 spent or won. Thanks to those that have responded and I will move along

45 minutes ago, Redrobo said:

 

Please enlighten us and impart some of this knowledge that you have. Please clarify how you came about this knowledge. 

Perhaps it may stop all the BS attached to any tipping thread.

"I believe you understand the truth about what I am saying but I am not sure that you realize that what you heard is exactly what I meant.

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, StolidCruiser said:

  There are many on this site who factually know exactly how the DSC and gratuities work (myself included). 

So, you are the guy that pays the salaries of the DSC employees and knows exactly where that money comes from?

[Redrobo]

55 minutes ago, Roadranger73 said:

I really didn't know that I would hit such a nerve with my post. Been cruising since 2008, remember the Monarch OTS, that had envelopes for the waiter, Asst. waiter, and room attendant. If you prepaid, you had a piece of paper that you put in that envelope so that superior service was rewarded. That stopped with the invention of the WOW envelopes for an extra tip for any employee that, well WOWED you, in addition to the prepaid. RCCL states in its own policy that PPG are shared with those behind the scenes, cooks, laundry staff, etc. There is one ship that I have been on more than a half dozen times and know most of the staff very well. I have a tendency to over tip. A conversation with a waiter that was superb, after I gave cash to him, I told him that I also PPG. He responded to my statement, not in manner of wanting MORE, told me with a smile  that waiters, were on a salary. I thanked him again as it was my last night. I did NOT ask him if he gets his PPG tips. Spending 28 years in law enforcement investigations you learn how to read people (not always correctly). I guess I had an old grouchy moment when I asked this question in an effort to see that my PPG's went to those that provided my services and not subsidize crew salary for RCCL. I am going back to PPG and extra tips for those listed above. I always tip the bartender in the casino even though my drinks are free because I know  who hard and long hours that they work. Also casino comps aren't really free. You earn 1 point for each $5 spent or won. Thanks to those that have responded and I will move along

"I believe you understand the truth about what I am saying but I am not sure that you realize that what you heard is exactly what I meant.

 

. I replied to StolidCruiser, asking for clarification of his post, you will see I am not the only poster to do so. However I did answer in part your original question

[DISFANS3]

Good info..

[grest]

3 hours ago, StolidCruiser said:

 

Another incorrect statement.  There are many on this site who factually know exactly how the DSC and gratuities work (myself included). 

 

The real fact is that the masses refuse to accept the logical reality and therefore choose to argue the issue repeatedly.

I'm interested if you care to share.  Thanks.

[infohunter]

Went searching to learn more on the breakdown and found this thread of interest!

 

[springfire]

The automatic service gratuity is $14.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Junior Suites and below, or $17.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Grand Suites and above, applied to each guest’s SeaPass account on a daily basis. The gratuity applies to individual guests of all ages and stateroom categories. As a way to reward our crew members for their outstanding service, gratuities are shared among dining, bar & culinary services staff, stateroom attendants and other hotel services teams who work behind the scenes to enhance the cruise experience.

 

What a terrible gratuity policy Royal has!