Gratuities on RCCL

[invision]

Well this is all I found for breakout. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/onboard-service-gratuity-expense

 

I paid the room steward $200, the Waiter $150, Concierge $150, plus another $200 to folks that helped.  I think that was much more that the pre-paid, but who knows since I have not seen any official breakdown...

 

M

 

 

Edited December 31, 2018 by invision

[yosemiteSam]

2 hours ago, Thechamp555 said:

I just heard recently that you can ask to have the gratuities cancelled so you can decide yourself to whom these tips will be assigned.

 

Is it really the case ?

Yes always has been

[invision]

I can officially say not if you paid gratuities in advance and asked them to refund.

 

M

[Thechamp555]

No, my gratuities were not prepaid.

 

 

[FionaLouise]

It's a hard one, I see both sides of the situation. 

 

These people who work for Royal Caribbean should be getting a proper paid wage.

 

Tips should be classed as an extra for amazing service, but if your food is amazing who do you tip if you pay in cash what happens to the people cleaning all the dishes? 

 

Personally i think the pressure to pay the tips is madness, especially before you even receive the service.  

 

Being from the UK as well tips are not massive in our country but since we are travelling with a US company tips are expected, but I do find the service in the US is amazing to the UK, I have always tipped 18 percent in restaurants because its always been well deserved. 

 

I am going to leave the tips on as it will create less stress and hopefully it will be shared out fairly, but you can reduce the tips also and not just fully remove them. 

 

Don't be pressured by anyone once you're on the cruise do what you feel is right. its your holiday and you shouldn't be stressed out over paying some tips. 

 

Hope this helps 🙂 

 

[not-enough-cruising]

1 minute ago, FionaLouise said:

.......but you can reduce the tips also and not just fully remove them. 

 

This is inaccurate. One can not have the tip amount adjusted. It’s an all or nothing proposition on the auto-gratuity amount. 

[FionaLouise]

Just now, not-enough-cruising said:

This is inaccurate. One can not have the tip amount adjusted. It’s an all or nothing proposition on the auto-gratuity amount. 

I am sorry I am not stating about auto gratuities, why would you adjust before even cruising? 

 

I am stating you may adjust once on the ship. 

[not-enough-cruising]

Just now, FionaLouise said:

I am sorry I am not stating about auto gratuities, why would you adjust before even cruising? 

 

I am stating you may adjust once on the ship. 

And I am stating that no you can not. You either pay the prescribed amount per day, or nothing (and presumably tip in cash) You can not adjust the amount charged to your account to an amount of your liking.  

If I misinterpreted your original statement, I apologize. 

[FionaLouise]

4 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

8 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

And I am stating that no you can not. You either pay the prescribed amount per day, or nothing (and presumably tip in cash) You can not adjust the amount charged to your account to an amount of your liking.  

If I misinterpreted your original statement, I apologize. 

 

No problem maybe I should have stated on board to make this clear. 

But please see below which is of the official website for onboard. 

4 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

 

 

[ONECRUISER]

Oldest of 11 kids, have 38 nephews/nieces, with 3 married kids and 4 Grandchildren. When we go out to eat many places have a mandatory minimum gratuity for groups of 8, 9, or more. Last Thursday that amount was min $54 tip at restaurant we ate at

[invision]

I can say 

4 hours ago, zdad59 said:

 

From another thread on this topic.....

 

Stateroom Attendant: $3.55

Dining Room: $6.25

Other Hotel Services: $4.70

Total Standard Staterooms: $14.50 Previously $13.50

 

Stateroom Attendant: $6.20

Dining Room: $6.25

Other Hotel Services: $5.05

Total for Suites: $17.50 Previously $16.50

 

The other hotel services include the persons who wash the bed linings as well as whoever cleans balconies or restocks the mini bar. Other hotel services include any additional person other than the stateroom attendant that may attend to any stateroom need.

 

Ws this data from RCCL?  Because no one I talked to or emailed could break it out.  I also read some where when I googled that half your daily goes other not specified.

 

M

[LeeW]

Our waiters and stewards have told us they LIKE tipping.  They have to pay taxes on official wages to their home countries but routinely send extra cash tips home to their families.  If Royal operates like US restaurants they have to report official tip income to the home countries but I haven't asked the staff about this.

[cruisefan0110]

The tips collected by RCCL go far beyond the people you see every day.  They also go to some behind the scenes people such as laundry and others who serve the customer facing crew.  If you remove the auto-gratuity and tip cash, these tips must be reported to RCCL and pooled also.  If you leave the daily gratuity in place and tip extra to those who serve you, they will get all of that.  

 

If you remove tips and feel only tipping the people who serve you is the way to go, you are doing a dis-service to laundry help, dish washers, etc.  All of the people who make the customer facing staff look good.

 

And if you feel this way about cruise line tipping, do you advocate for honest wages to be paid for service people in the U.S.?  Just raise the prices of the food and beverages.

 

I will continue to pre-pay gratuities and add extra where deserved.

[BillieJeanKaraokeKing]

6 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

And I am stating that no you can not. You either pay the prescribed amount per day, or nothing (and presumably tip in cash) You can not adjust the amount charged to your account to an amount of your liking.  

If I misinterpreted your original statement, I apologize. 

 

You are not actually correct, and you are able adjust what you pay.

 

It does means all the individual daily entries are credited/stopped, but you fill out and sign a gratuity form stating the one-off total amount you would like to pay for the cruise (RCCL), and this is added to your account.

Edited January 1, 2019 by BillieJeanKaraokeKing

[cb at sea]

15-20% is the common tip amount here in the States for any service that requires a tip.  They averaged it out, and made it 18%. Buy a drink package and it will most likely work to your favor, if you drink more than the cost of the package.

 

I go to a bar as ask for a glass of ice water.  No charge...no tip needed. (unless you want to tip!)  When we go to a bar where you have to order your own drink, we tip $1 per ORDER.  If we have TABLE service, we tip 15-20 % of the tab.  

 

It's customary to tip in restaurants...and in hotels for maid service....you do the same on a ship.  There are no prices on the MDR menu, so you simply  tip the "suggested" amount. The tip for your cabin attendant is well within line for a hotel room housekeeper...except you're getting TWICE a day service on a ship!

 

Consider the tip to be part of the cost of a great vacation.  It's easier to take.

[grandgeezer]

I don't mind tipping the recommended amount if the price of the item is reasonable. I know of nothing on the ship priced reasonable. The argument is that that is the price in the area I live. I can find those prices locally too, only I have the option of avoiding those places. On the ship, you are a captive audience and no other options. Yes you do, go without like we do. I go weeks without drinks or dining out at home, so a week or two on the ship is no big deal. We do it in the ports for a lot less money.

We do pay the daily gratuity begrudgingly, but that's a subject for another time. 

[invision]

Pandoras box.  sorry...  I get the tipping part but if it is just subsidizing salary because they pay so low that is a whole other thing.  Not really a gratuity.   Full disclosure where the money goes is required.  Period.  BTW - I don't tip the folks that wash sheets and dishes in hotels.... doh.  

 

You all have a good new year.  hope to meet you sometimes on the water.

 

M

[yogimax]

Bottom Line - Just wonder how many of those removing tips are simply doing so to cut their spending and making nonsensical excuses to justify their actions???  At the same time I wonder if they are spending big bucks on their drink packages and other goodies?

 

Hey look, the staff are on the ship, away from their families for months at a time, so that their kids can have a better future.  Shame on those who would deny them a better life so that they can have ten more martinis!

 

Sorry for the rant, but that's how I feel!

[grandgeezer]

2 hours ago, yogimax said:

Bottom Line - Just wonder how many of those removing tips are simply doing so to cut their spending and making nonsensical excuses to justify their actions???  At the same time I wonder if they are spending big bucks on their drink packages and other goodies?

 

Hey look, the staff are on the ship, away from their families for months at a time, so that their kids can have a better future.  Shame on those who would deny them a better life so that they can have ten more martinis!

 

Sorry for the rant, but that's how I feel!

 

The cruise line can eliminate this anytime they want by to changing it from calling it a gratuity to a service charge. I think they get a big chuckle out of reading the banter on this subject.

[Thorben-Hendrik]

17 hours ago, invision said:

Background: Just completed our 12th cruise on RCCL.  Current Level is Dia+.

 

Statement:  I believe gratuities have gotten out of hand.  18% is collected on everything clear down to a bottle of water.  Pre-paids are expensive.  I personally like to tip members who are helpful or go the extra mile.  After talking with members on this last trip I have surmised that members are not paid enough by RCCL and us travelers are subsidizing those low wages.  Programs like WOW "Additional tip" envelopes etc...  are annoying.  In no way should gratuities be automatically added.  Can you image if every mechanic that worked on your auto or the garbage man started demanding 18% gratuity etc...  Gratuities should be earned not automatically charged to your account.

 

I realize this will not be a popular topic here and especially for a first post.

 

Happy New Year !!

Daily gratuities are obtional and can be removed at guest services no questions asked.... 👍

The 18% unfortunately are fixed but that way you can balance what you give RCI as the gratuities are distributed the wah they want anyway... 🙄

[Thorben-Hendrik]

17 hours ago, Thechamp555 said:

I just heard recently that you can ask to have the gratuities cancelled so you can decide yourself to whom these tips will be assigned.

 

Is it really the case ?

Yes just a phone call to GS and grats are history... 👍

[Thorben-Hendrik]

13 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

This is inaccurate. One can not have the tip amount adjusted. It’s an all or nothing proposition on the auto-gratuity amount. 

Correct! 👍

[Thorben-Hendrik]

1 hour ago, grandgeezer said:

 

The cruise line can eliminate this anytime they want by to changing it from calling it a gratuity to a service charge. I think they get a big chuckle out of reading the banter on this subject.

They can not..... because service charges are illegal in most of Europe 👍and they want to sell cruises in Europe.... 😊

[papaflamingo]

6 hours ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

They can not..... because service charges are illegal in most of Europe 👍and they want to sell cruises in Europe.... 😊

 I believe you are mistaken.  There are often "service charges" added to restaurant bills in Europe. 

As for gratuities not being gratuities on the ship, actually they are, except drinks of course.  You can remove a gratuity, but not a service charge.  

In Europe and Australia, where tipping is not normal,  RCCL raises the drink prices to cover the  the 18%.  You're still paying it.  The same would be if they factored the gratuity into the price of the cruise. You'd pay a higher cost for the cruise.  Then you'd have no recourse if you felt the service was lacking.  

 

 

 

[Saab4444]

58 minutes ago, papaflamingo said:

 I believe you are mistaken.  There are often "service charges" added to restaurant bills in Europe. 

As for gratuities not being gratuities on the ship, actually they are, except drinks of course.  You can remove a gratuity, but not a service charge.  

In Europe and Australia, where tipping is not normal,  RCCL raises the drink prices to cover the  the 18%.  You're still paying it.  The same would be if they factored the gratuity into the price of the cruise. You'd pay a higher cost for the cruise.  Then you'd have no recourse if you felt the service was lacking.  

 

 

 

He is correct. Costa and MSC called it a non-removable service charge for a while in Europe, they lost at court and removed it. If it is not optional it must be part of the published base fare. Royal does not want to publish a higher price that simply includes gratuities = higher wages. They want to increase the base fare and add all kind of extra payments at the same time. This all comes in combination with decreasing quality of service and adding more people to the ships.