Tipping Question

[Saab4444]

6 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Royal doesn't care what was given to the crewmember.

 

If a guest removes automatic tips, Royal assumes that crewmember was given cash in at least the amount of the standard tip.  That amount is deducted from their pay.  In the case when the crewmember does not get at least the standard tip in cash, they have to submit paperwork attesting to the fact that they got no (or less than the standard) tip in order to stop Royal from deducting the standard tip from their paycheck.

That works for cabin stewards but how would it work for waiters in my time dining? Guests are no longer allocated to one table and server team. And the suggested amount for waiters is much higher than for cabin staff.

[springfire]

6 hours ago, gerif said:

Fact - bartenders get 18% of drinks sold plus any extra cash given to them (which is sometimes shared). They are not part of the auto tip pool. 

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.

 

So this is Royal's gratuity policy about the automatic service gratuity. 

FACT - It clearly states that bar staff is part of the auto tip pool.  

 

Royal has shifted gratuities so much over the years, they now want us to pay so many other crew members besides the dining team and stateroom attendants.    Royal is telling us that our automatic service gratuity also includes paying bar and culinary staff,  and other hotel services teams who work behind the scene.  Nobody really knows what Royal is doing with the money

 

 

 

Edited March 20, 2019 by springfire

[not-enough-cruising]

2 hours ago, springfire said:

 

Royal has shifted gratuities so much over the years, they now want us to pay so many other crew members besides the dining team and stateroom attendants.    Royal is telling us that our automatic service gratuity also includes paying bar and culinary staff,  and other hotel services teams who work behind the scene.  Nobody really knows what Royal is doing with the money

Which is why I don’t let them handle my tipping.

[The Sunset Glow]

Curious - how do people who do My Time Dining and remove auto grats handle tipping the various dining staff? I genuinely want to know this as it seems impossible to me so I'm interested in how people do it.

[mafig]

9 hours ago, Saab4444 said:

That works for cabin stewards but how would it work for waiters in my time dining? Guests are no longer allocated to one table and server team. And the suggested amount for waiters is much higher than for cabin staff.

Isn't that why they ask you for your stateroom number before you are seated in MTD.???

 

We have always been asked every single time even when we are seated at the same table with the same wait staff.

[Clarea]

14 minutes ago, The Sunset Glow said:

Curious - how do people who do My Time Dining and remove auto grats handle tipping the various dining staff? I genuinely want to know this as it seems impossible to me so I'm interested in how people do it.

 

They can tip in cash at the end of every meal.

[ScottVV]

8 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

They can tip in cash at the end of every meal.

 

So, if you tip, let's say for argument sake (which is an oxymoron on this site lol), $20.. Does that entire $20 go to your wait staff only or to a pool that the auto grat goes to?

Edited March 20, 2019 by ScottVV

[Clarea]

1 minute ago, ScottVV said:

 

So, if you tip, let's say for argument sake (with is an oxymoron on this site lol), $20.. Does that entire $20 go to your wait staff only or to a pool that the auto grat goes to?

 

Sorry, I don't know about any tip pooling that may or may not occur with the wait staff.

[marci22]

4 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Sorry, I don't know about any tip pooling that may or may not occur with the wait staff.

 

I don't think anyone knows. And that is part of their business model. They ask for 'tips' to subsidize various crewmembers, some you may directly interact with and some 'behind the scenes'. 

 

Sorry, behind the scenes is not my problem. I've gone from one tipping extreme (always pay your suggested gratuities) to the other (tip as you see fit) because of this. 

 

I like the auto grats because you are essentially 'done' after that. But I wouldn't like auto grats if I was eating every night in specialty (I don't) and was tipping there also.

[grapau27]

20 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

I'm not sure if they know if gratuities have been prepaid or are being automatically paid, but they do know if automatic gratuities have been discontinued.

We always prepay our tips.

When I give our CS extra cash tips I often tell them I have prepaid our cash tips so they know the cash is exclusively for themselves.

[grapau27]

18 hours ago, brillohead said:

The tipping standard is to allow the charge to accrue to your on-board account (or prepay as part of your cruise fare) so that everyone gets the allotted amount.

What you're asking about is DIVERTING from the tipping standard.

 

We prepay tips and give extra cash tips which I believe the crew deserve.

In my experience especially reading UK tipping threads what normally happens is the people who say they pay cash rarely give the same.

Some comments I have read and heard people say are at the end of a 2 week cruise when $400 per couple is due they say.

How Much?

Then they proceed to pay cash in a much smaller amount.

[The Sunset Glow]

29 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

They can tip in cash at the end of every meal.

 

I thought about that also, but then you have to consider there's a waiter and also assistant waiter - do you tip both of them? And what about the windjammer and other food venues? Do they just lose out? 

 

Is there a way to ask guest services to allocate a certain amount to "dining staff" in general and let them figure it out? Probably not.

 

[ScottVV]

18 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

We always prepay our tips.

When I give our CS extra cash tips I often tell them I have prepaid our cash tips so they know the cash is exclusively for themselves.

 

So, to play Devil's Advocate with you.. Even if you say that, how can you be "100% Sure" that your tip stays in the pocket of the person or team that you actually tip?  That's the fear and/or question for most and it's been beaten to death on this thread, that you just don't know for a guaranteed certainty that your tip stays with whom you're giving it to....

[retrembl]

On 3/18/2019 at 9:38 PM, EaganCruiser said:

does anyone know what the tipping standard is for the cabin steward...waiter and bus person / asst, waiter...per day for each...and do we need to go to guest relations and tell them not to ad it to our sea pass acct...that we will be paying them cash at the end of the cruise...thank you in adavnce

$13.50 for balcony and below, $14.50 for mini suite, $15.50 for full suite.

[ScottVV]

4 minutes ago, retrembl said:

$13.50 for balcony and below, $14.50 for mini suite, $15.50 for full suite.

 

^^ Sorry Sir.. ..  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.

 

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

Edited March 20, 2019 by ScottVV

[Ourusualbeach]

5 minutes ago, retrembl said:

$13.50 for balcony and below, $14.50 for mini suite, $15.50 for full suite.

You must be thinking of a different cruise line.

 

$14.50 pppd for JS and below

$17.50 for full suites 

[The Sunset Glow]

21 minutes ago, marci22 said:

 

I don't think anyone knows. And that is part of their business model. They ask for 'tips' to subsidize various crewmembers, some you may directly interact with and some 'behind the scenes'. 

 

Sorry, behind the scenes is not my problem. I've gone from one tipping extreme (always pay your suggested gratuities) to the other (tip as you see fit) because of this. 

 

I like the auto grats because you are essentially 'done' after that. But I wouldn't like auto grats if I was eating every night in specialty (I don't) and was tipping there also.

 

Marci, we still either pre-pay or leave the daily charge on but I am seriously considering exactly what you are saying. The way RCI has changed the breakdown does not sit well with me. It used to be less than $2 for "other behind the scenes staff" when they first introduced it and now it's nearly $5 and way back it was the service staff's responsibility to "tip out" to the behind the scenes people. I prefer the old way as the people I don't interact with is not my problem.

 

I feel they are using this to subsidize the non-tipped staff which I don't think is right. I have no issue paying my tips to the  service staff and we, 9 times out of 10, pay more than the recommended by leaving an extra tip but RCI should be paying the others (like laundry staff, etc) This is getting out of hand and I have to re-think it.

[ScottVV]

2 minutes ago, The Sunset Glow said:

 

Marci, we still either pre-pay or leave the daily charge on but I am seriously considering exactly what you are saying. The way RCI has changed the breakdown does not sit well with me. It used to be less than $2 for "other behind the scenes staff" when they first introduced it and now it's nearly $5 and way back it was the service staff's responsibility to "tip out" to the behind the scenes people. I prefer the old way as the people I don't interact with is not my problem.

 

I feel they are using this to subsidize the non-tipped staff which I don't think is right. I have no issue paying my tips to the  service staff and we, 9 times out of 10, pay more than the recommended by leaving an extra tip but RCI should be paying the others (like laundry staff, etc) This is getting out of hand and I have to re-think it.

 

I agree 100000%  Just like when you eat at a restaurant..  You tip your server..  That's it!  Then, the server "Tip's Out" the Bartender, the Food Runner and the Bus Boy (at least at every restaurant I've worked at).  You don't tip out the Dishwasher or the Hostess or the Cooks or the Cleaners, etc.  They get paid more than the server, bartender and food runner does..  If the cruise lines just paid the back of the house personnel a bit better, the auto grats would be easier to understand.. And I know a cruise is much different then going out to your favorite eatery, but the situations don't change much with regard to how and who to tip...

[marci22]

7 minutes ago, The Sunset Glow said:

 

Marci, we still either pre-pay or leave the daily charge on but I am seriously considering exactly what you are saying. The way RCI has changed the breakdown does not sit well with me. It used to be less than $2 for "other behind the scenes staff" when they first introduced it and now it's nearly $5 and way back it was the service staff's responsibility to "tip out" to the behind the scenes people. I prefer the old way as the people I don't interact with is not my problem.

 

I feel they are using this to subsidize the non-tipped staff which I don't think is right. I have no issue paying my tips to the  service staff and we, 9 times out of 10, pay more than the recommended by leaving an extra tip but RCI should be paying the others (like laundry staff, etc) This is getting out of hand and I have to re-think it.

 

Royal is providing a suggestion, one that I am sure benefits their bottom line. 

 

Last cruise I removed tips. They did it at guest services with no questions asked. I tipped MTD, WJ, and specialty as we went, right after eating. I gave my cabin attendant twice the recommended, in cash. He seemed really happy (the next to last day). Then the next day (maybe he saw I removed tips?) he was a little cooler to us. Definitely acted differently after, so who knows. But regardless, I gave him twice the suggested amount! Be happy! 

 

Give what you feel is fair and don't look back. You can't please everyone, especially on cc!

Edited March 20, 2019 by marci22

[ShillyShally]

14 minutes ago, marci22 said:

Give what you feel is fair and don't look back. You can't please everyone, especially on cc!

I've started doing this and when I know better I do better!  I admit I've never quite understood all the ins/outs of tipping nor do I necessarily think they're all justified.  So I try to do the best I can and don't sweat it.

 

I do prepay and tip extra as warranted too, but someone needs to go above and beyond to get extra.

[Clarea]

34 minutes ago, The Sunset Glow said:

 

I thought about that also, but then you have to consider there's a waiter and also assistant waiter - do you tip both of them? And what about the windjammer and other food venues? Do they just lose out? 

 

Is there a way to ask guest services to allocate a certain amount to "dining staff" in general and let them figure it out? Probably not.

 

 

If I was tipping in cash, I'd give separate tips to the waiter and assistant waiter.

[The Sunset Glow]

10 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

If I was tipping in cash, I'd give separate tips to the waiter and assistant waiter.

 

One time they used to give us the recommended amount for the waiter and assistant waiter but now it's just a lump sum of $6.25 per day. More obscurity from RCI.🙄 

Edited March 20, 2019 by The Sunset Glow

[JeffT237]

19 minutes ago, marci22 said:

You can't please everyone, especially on cc!

Agreed.  These type of posts (tipping, dress code, should I purchase or not purchase the drink package, MDR food vs Specialty dining food, ships water vs bottled water, etc), usually start innocently enough with a legitimate question often with a new cruiser looking for advice.  They quickly turn into opinions and references to "this is how I do it, so you should do it that way as well"  Not looking to offend, but most of these issues are addressed by the cruise lines in their policies and recommendations. To my knowledge the tipping policy is posted on the website and it simply states the industry standard is auto charged and can be removed or altered if necessary.  I have no idea what happens to my auto gratuity once I pay it but I've read many posts and online articles how it's divided, who gets it or how it subsidizes workers pay.  I really have no idea if any of those are accurate.  We try and do what we think is right and fair and realize others may or may not do the same based on their income or other factors. This issue won't be settled here on a message board, people will continue to tip, tip less or not tip at all long after this thread is closed.  Now if we could just do something about chair hogs or people from the back of the plane that rush to the front to try and get off first then I say post away!

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, ScottVV said:

 

So, to play Devil's Advocate with you.. Even if you say that, how can you be "100% Sure" that your tip stays in the pocket of the person or team that you actually tip?  That's the fear and/or question for most and it's been beaten to death on this thread, that you just don't know for a guaranteed certainty that your tip stays with whom you're giving it to....

I trust people unless or until I have reason not to trust them.

For several years now we have prepaid gratuities because in the UK it used to be required if you booked My Time Dining and we just carried on doing it.

The crew have always been brilliant with us and thanking them and giving an extra cash tip seems natural to me.

[springfire]

2 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

I trust people unless or until I have reason not to trust them.

For several years now we have prepaid gratuities because in the UK it used to be required if you booked My Time Dining and we just carried on doing it.

The crew have always been brilliant with us and thanking them and giving an extra cash tip seems natural to me.

Good for you!  You should tip the way you feel most comfortable with and tip the way that works best for you.  It is your money.

 

The only part of the gratuity policy I agree with is that we have a choice on how to pay our tips.  Prepay, automatic charges or to pay in cash.   I prefer to pay in cash but respect everyone's decision to tip the way they feel is best for them.