Gratuities on RCCL

[time4u2go]

21 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. 

According to their website, the amount can be modified.  It's not an all or nothing proposition:

 

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 at their discretion by visiting Guest Services onboard and will be able to do so until the morning of their departure. Guests who have pre-paid their gratuity will not see a daily charge during their cruise.

Edited January 1, 2019 by time4u2go

[flamingos]

I like the WOW envelopes because you can use them for people that do not normally get tips or that did you a good service but aren't one of your usual servers.  I have used them for a maintenance woman I often met in the restroom outside the theater, for the smiling guy who spends all day cleaning the railings on the stairways, people like that.  

[invision]

Ok all well and fine but...  What is the OFFICIAL RCCL breakout of the $17.50 USD we pay per person go.  If that is known then I can decide where to wow a crew member.  If it mostly goes to a category of "Other" then I would choose no automatic gratuities.  IMHO based on party of two the suite steward should get $15 a day depending on service.  The waiter and staff should get about the same also depending on service.  Concierge should get about $10 a day depending on service.  We tip $1 per drink in the concierge suite.  We tip $5 for room service and $5 for laundry or pressing.  This amounts to much more than the silly gratuities they collect.

 

Please someone point me to the OFFICIAL RCCL gratuities breakout so I can get my arms around this monster!!

 

M

[Ourusualbeach]

6 minutes ago, invision said:

Ok all well and fine but...  What is the OFFICIAL RCCL breakout of the $17.50 USD we pay per person go.  If that is known then I can decide where to wow a crew member.  If it mostly goes to a category of "Other" then I would choose no automatic gratuities.  IMHO based on party of two the suite steward should get $15 a day depending on service.  The waiter and staff should get about the same also depending on service.  Concierge should get about $10 a day depending on service.  We tip $1 per drink in the concierge suite.  We tip $5 for room service and $5 for laundry or pressing.  This amounts to much more than the silly gratuities they collect.

 

Please someone point me to the OFFICIAL RCCL gratuities breakout so I can get my arms around this monster!!

 

M

 

23 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.

 

 

It was already posted.  The amounts above for other do not go to concierge or drink servers.

 

less than a third goes to “other”

Edited January 1, 2019 by Ourusualbeach

[Husky1987]

3 minutes ago, flamingos said:

I like the WOW envelopes because you can use them for people that do not normally get tips or that did you a good service but aren't one of your usual servers.  I have used them for a maintenance woman I often met in the restroom outside the theater, for the smiling guy who spends all day cleaning the railings on the stairways, people like that.  

 

Awesome....my wife passes out much of our $1 and $5 bills in tip money to these folks during the week and loves to see the smiles.

[invision]

2 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

 

 

 

It was already posted.  

Yes I seen this forum post but no official link to RCCL.  This is what RCCL said was the official breakout which tells you nothing.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/onboard-service-gratuity-expense

[Clarea]

Just now, invision said:

Yes I seen this forum post but no official link to RCCL.  This is what RCCL said was the official breakout which tells you nothing.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/onboard-service-gratuity-expense

 

That other info was from an official link from RC, before the latest change to the website.

[Thorben-Hendrik]

16 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

According to their website, the amount can be modified.  It's not an all or nothing proposition:

 

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 at their discretion by visiting Guest Services onboard and will be able to do so until the morning of their departure. Guests who have pre-paid their gratuity will not see a daily charge during their cruise.

There website has wrong information.... nothing unusual! 🙄👎

[Ourusualbeach]

1 minute ago, invision said:

Yes I seen this forum post but no official link to RCCL.  This is what RCCL said was the official breakout which tells you nothing.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/onboard-service-gratuity-expense

 

The above that I quoted used to be on the website.  When they changed the format of the website they omitted a lot of information.  

 

What I quoted above was directly from Royal.

[Thorben-Hendrik]

16 minutes ago, invision said:

Please someone point me to the OFFICIAL RCCL gratuities breakout so I can get my arms around this monster!! 

There is no such thing.... the breakdown quoted here is not in use anymore and people find it on outdated websites.... 🙄

Edited January 1, 2019 by Thorben-Hendrik

[nelblu]

On ‎12‎/‎31‎/‎2018 at 10:46 AM, invision said:

I don't think the $17.50 a day per person they charge us is bad.  Trouble is who get how much of this amount is not clear.  RCCL should state that somewhere but I have not been able to put my hands on that info.  

 

M

 

 

There have been many threads on the subject and that identify how the amount of grats was allocated.  I'm not sure if it was Bob or Meriam Mom.  Remember if it was included the price of a cruise would increase .  One pays one way or another.  Also, try to find a TA that has free grats promo.  Mine is running one at present.

[invision]

Ok thank you.  Last cruise we talked with many folks in the concierge lounge that have hundreds and hundreds of cruises.  The consensus was that they do not pay gratuities anymore since nearly half of the gratuities were no longer broke out and they felt that the right folks were not getting enough of the pot.  I asked the steward how much he gets for our Owner's suite and he said he could not say or face firing (translation involved).  Pretty sure those folks we talked to knew something that we did not.

 

I appreciate all the replies and sorry to stir this pot but we have signed up for many cruises since my wife finally retired earlier this year.

 

Thank You.

Edited January 1, 2019 by invision

[Thorben-Hendrik]

16 minutes ago, nelblu said:

One pays one way or another. 

Not necessarily! 🤔👍

[clean1owner]

My first day on the ship I have the Daily Service Charge removed and tip in cash at the end of the trip.

 

On land, I only tip in cash. 

 

I do this because I have a complete distrust of any corporation passing all of the Daily Service Charge or charge slip added tip through to the employee.

[flamingos]

54 minutes ago, invision said:

Ok thank you.  Last cruise we talked with many folks in the concierge lounge that have hundreds and hundreds of cruises.  The consensus was that they do not pay gratuities anymore since nearly half of the gratuities were no longer broke out and they felt that the right folks were not getting enough of the pot.  I asked the steward how much he gets for our Owner's suite and he said he could not say or face firing (translation involved).  Pretty sure those folks we talked to knew something that we did not.

 

I appreciate all the replies and sorry to stir this pot but we have signed up for many cruises since my wife finally retired earlier this year.

 

Thank You.

 

When they 'don't pay gratuities' does that mean they do not tip at all, or that they give their tips directly to the staff members?

[invision]

They tip in cash.  Sorry I will edit if I can.  TY

 

Ugh - Can't edit

 

Edited January 1, 2019 by invision

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, time4u2go said:

According to their website, the amount can be modified.  It's not an all or nothing proposition:

 

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 at their discretion by visiting Guest Services onboard and will be able to do so until the morning of their departure. Guests who have pre-paid their gratuity will not see a daily charge during their cruise.

It is an all or nothing proposition. Just because something is stated on their website doesn’t make it accurate (by a long shot). I have tried multiple times )as well as multiple travel partners) and no one has ever successfully accomplished modification of the daily amount. 

[time4u2go]

7 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

It is an all or nothing proposition. Just because something is stated on their website doesn’t make it accurate (by a long shot). I have tried multiple times )as well as multiple travel partners) and no one has ever successfully accomplished modification of the daily amount. 

Interesting.  We have been successful modifying the amount without removing it.  Not sure why they wouldn't do it for you.

Edited January 1, 2019 by time4u2go

[not-enough-cruising]

25 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

Interesting.  We have been successful modifying the amount without removing it.  Not sure why they wouldn't do it for you.

Thanks for the feedback. 

 

RCI: Really Consistently Inconsistent 

[postmeome]

14 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!

If they are spending Big Bucks on a drinks package,they are giving a BIG 18% gratuity.

[invision]

Not to mention big buck for a Sh&&&$ internet access.  Can't wait to get Pinnacle...

 

M

[springfire]

1 hour ago, clean1owner said:

My first day on the ship I have the Daily Service Charge removed and tip in cash at the end of the trip.

 

On land, I only tip in cash. 

 

I do this because I have a complete distrust of any corporation passing all of the Daily Service Charge or charge slip added tip through to the employee.

Well said!

[HBE4]

16 hours ago, time4u2go said:

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 at their discretion by visiting Guest Services onboard and will be able to do so until the morning of their departure. Guests who have pre-paid their gratuity will not see a daily charge during their cruise.

 

16 hours ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

There website has wrong information.... nothing unusual

 

Seems to be vaguely worded.  What a surprise!

 

From what I read, it seems that you can modify the tip amount only when it's not pre-paid. Once pre-paid, you can not have the tips refunded.

[RhinoMomIL]

So if you tip strictly in cash do the behind the scenes folks get any money? I'm talking about the people washing the bedding, the busboys, etc. I am all for going around the corporate process but I don't want to punish people because I didn't see them face to face. Someone said earlier that if you take your gratuities off and pay in cash that those still get reported and split but if you give them cash over and above that they don't have to split those but my question is how do they know the difference when you are just handing someone cash? I will have 3 staterooms/6 people cruising in my party in June and I would love to have a plan going in. I'm tempted to leave them on and just give extra to the room steward and wait person. 

[brillohead]

29 minutes ago, FriscoTxMom said:

So if you tip strictly in cash do the behind the scenes folks get any money? I'm talking about the people washing the bedding, the busboys, etc. I am all for going around the corporate process but I don't want to punish people because I didn't see them face to face. Someone said earlier that if you take your gratuities off and pay in cash that those still get reported and split but if you give them cash over and above that they don't have to split those but my question is how do they know the difference when you are just handing someone cash? I will have 3 staterooms/6 people cruising in my party in June and I would love to have a plan going in. I'm tempted to leave them on and just give extra to the room steward and wait person. 

 

That is what I always do.  

I've had staff from different positions and on different ships confirm that if the daily service charge remains on the account, they can keep any additional cash they receive, but if the auto-grats are removed, they have to turn in cash received to be pooled with other employees.  

I like that the people I give cash to are able to keep the full amount I give them, so I keep the auto-grats in place so everyone gets their amount, plus hand out cash to those who I feel are deserving of extra.