MSC to include service charge for UK passengers, will RCL be next?

[kernow]

http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/335731/msc-cruises-to-include-service-charges-within-fare?fbclid=IwAR0AfEGhJ9Fbu22YVZoQP1XhcsyR26448dvzfnfVCBFE7V76aYF8_2Xu3hY

 

As yet another cruise line is to include service charges in the basic fare, hopefully RCL will consider doing the same for UK bookings. I think most of us in the UK would prefer this even if it means prices increase to cover it. 

[Clarea]

I'd be curious to get feedback from those who cruise on MSC when the service charge is included.  I wonder if they will be giving envelopes or offering other ways to add more gratuity.

[kernow]

Officially MSC don't encourage extra cash tips on top of the service charge, they actually print words to that effect in the daily planner (can't remember the actual wording). Some people do still discreetly give extra cash at the end of the cruise. 

[Clarea]

Just now, kernow said:

Officially MSC don't encourage extra cash tips on top of the service charge, they actually print words to that effect in the daily planner (can't remember the actual wording). Some people do still discreetly give extra cash at the end of the cruise. 

 

Good to hear,  maybe it will start a trend. 

[h20skibum]

Didn’t P&O start doing that there?

[kernow]

Yes, P and O started including tips from May 2019. 

[Thorben-Hendrik]

1 hour ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Good to hear,  maybe it will start a trend. 

👍 👍 👍

[Thorben-Hendrik]

1 hour ago, kernow said:

Some people do still discreetly give extra cash at the end of the cruise.  

👎👎👎

[John&LaLa]

When we sailed HAL back in the day. They had an official no tipping required, but they still left envelopes in cabin

[grapau27]

4 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

I'd be curious to get feedback from those who cruise on MSC when the service charge is included.  I wonder if they will be giving envelopes or offering other ways to add more gratuity.

On P&O an abundance of tip envelopes are on the counter at GS.

[SantaFeFan]

5 hours ago, kernow said:

http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/335731/msc-cruises-to-include-service-charges-within-fare?fbclid=IwAR0AfEGhJ9Fbu22YVZoQP1XhcsyR26448dvzfnfVCBFE7V76aYF8_2Xu3hY

 

As yet another cruise line is to include service charges in the basic fare, hopefully RCL will consider doing the same for UK bookings. I think most of us in the UK would prefer this even if it means prices increase to cover it. 

 

Makes no difference to me if it's included in the base fare or added on a daily basis. It's all the same money in the end since the fares will have to rise accordingly to make up the difference. Anyone who thinks that the cruise lines will be charging the same fare and paying the crew's gratuities themselves out of the same revenue earnings is smoking some pretty good weed! 😉

 

I consider the auto gratuities no different than port taxes and fees - all are just part of the total cost of cruising. We pre-pay the gratuities along with those port fees, so including the gratuities in the base fare would only be a very minor convenience. 

Edited June 24, 2019 by SantaFeFan

[venicia]

We had an amazing Butler, Cabin Stewart and waiter in MSC Seaside Yacht Club and we tipped extra at the end of the cruise.  DH shook hands with them with currency in his hand.  I think he also tipped extra to one of the waiters in the lounge, but not sure about that.  

 

We always pay our grat's with the final payment and we think it would be fantastic to simply have them included in the price.  So what if they raise the price, if you pay your grat's it will still come out to the same amount of money.   

[twangster]

I've always imagined that Royal already bumps fares up in the UK knowing a consistent percentage of cruisers have them removed once on board.  There is no way they will let this come off the bottom line or lower profits from it.  

[kernow]

8 minutes ago, SantaFeFan said:

 

Makes no difference to me if it's included in the base fare or added on a daily basis. It's all the same money in the end since the fares will have to rise accordingly to make up the difference. Anyone who thinks that the cruise lines will be charging the same fare and paying the crew's gratuities themselves out of the same revenue earnings is smoking some pretty good weed! 😉

 

I consider the auto tips no different than port taxes and fees - all are just part of the total cost of cruising. 

I agree with you, we always pre pay and count them as part of the cost of the cruise. The problem is though that in the UK we don't have the same tipping culture and many don't want to pay extra. We were on Indy in May and the amount of people openly removing the tips was unbelievable, the staff must be losing a lot of money.

[mac_tlc]

15 minutes ago, SantaFeFan said:

 

Makes no difference to me if it's included in the base fare or added on a daily basis. It's all the same money in the end since the fares will have to rise accordingly to make up the difference. Anyone who thinks that the cruise lines will be charging the same fare and paying the crew's gratuities themselves out of the same revenue earnings is smoking some pretty good weed! 😉

 

I consider the auto gratuities no different than port taxes and fees - all are just part of the total cost of cruising. We pre-pay the gratuities along with those port fees, so including the gratuities in the base fare would only be a very minor convenience. 

^^^ +1

[Thorben-Hendrik]

1 hour ago, grapau27 said:

On P&O an abundance of tip envelopes are on the counter at GS.

😂🤣😂

[little britain]

7 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

I'd be curious to get feedback from those who cruise on MSC when the service charge is included.  I wonder if they will be giving envelopes or offering other ways to add more gratuity.

I’ve done 2 MSC cruises so far this year.  

When you sign for a drink there isn’t even a line for you to add extra gratuity!

Imagine that! 15% included and that is it. 

I’ve never seen anyone tip cash and there definitely no envelopes left in your cabin either, and I haven’t seen any at GR! 

Refreshing.  To echo Graham I Hope RCI UK go this way too....

 

 

Edited June 24, 2019 by little britain

[SantaFeFan]

7 minutes ago, little britain said:

I’ve done 2 MSC cruises so far this year.  

When you sign for a drink there isn’t even a line for you to add extra gratuity!

Imagine that! 15% included and that is it. 

I’ve never seen anyone tip cash and there definitely no envelopes left in your cabin either, and I haven’t seen any at GR! 

Refreshing.  To echo Graham I Hope RCI UK go this way too....

 

Almost all cruise lines include the gratuity in the total cost of a drink when you sign for it.  The line to add extra gratuity is just that - EXTRA, and entirely optional. No one has to tip extra. "Imagine that! 15% included and that is it." 

 

Not sure why you think what MSC is doing is somehow something to get excited about. 😕

 

 

Edited June 24, 2019 by SantaFeFan

[mjkacmom]

NCL did this briefly and went back to the DSC, I guess cruisers were turned off by th3 higher price.

[little britain]

1 minute ago, SantaFeFan said:

 

Almost all cruise lines include the gratuity in the total cost of a drink when you sign for it.  The line to add extra gratuity is just that - EXTRA, and entirely optional. No one has to tip extra. "Imagine that! 15% included and that is it." 

 

Not sure why you think what MSC is doing is somehow something to get excited about. 😕

 

 

My point is, that there is no where to add extra, unlike the RCI receipts which seem to be designed to hope that you fail to notice that it is there already and you will add more. 

[Clarea]

1 hour ago, little britain said:

I’ve done 2 MSC cruises so far this year.  

When you sign for a drink there isn’t even a line for you to add extra gratuity!

Imagine that! 15% included and that is it. 

I’ve never seen anyone tip cash and there definitely no envelopes left in your cabin either, and I haven’t seen any at GR! 

Refreshing.  To echo Graham I Hope RCI UK go this way too....

 

 

 

Very nice to hear!

[goldfish65]

1 hour ago, little britain said:

My point is, that there is no where to add extra, unlike the RCI receipts which seem to be designed to hope that you fail to notice that it is there already and you will add more. 

 

The bartenders can't be too happy about the change making it harder for people to tip extra if they want to, I feel bad for them.

[Paulette3028]

4 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

When we sailed HAL back in the day. They had an official no tipping required, but they still left envelopes in cabin

Well, by leaving the envelopes in cabins they are subtly telling you 'to tip' regardless of their official 'no tipping required' message.

 

[sloopsailor]

6 hours ago, little britain said:

My point is, that there is no where to add extra, unlike the RCI receipts which seem to be designed to hope that you fail to notice that it is there already and you will add more. 

 

Ahhh, the old conspiracy theory mentality!!! Must be a popular pastime in Sussex! 😉

 

That "extra tip" line is there so people who want to be generous can tip extra if they feel they have been served "above and beyond". Nothing unscrupulous about it. The cruise lines get no benefit from people giving extra tips out of generosity. It is there ONLY for the benefit of the people serving you. 

 

Try the generosity thing. You might actually feel good about yourself if you do! 👍

Edited June 25, 2019 by sloopsailor

[Thorben-Hendrik]

7 hours ago, SantaFeFan said:

Not sure why you think what MSC is doing is somehow something to get excited about. 😕

Genuine good service - no hunting for tip bribes! 👍 👌