Gratuities envelopes - first first time cruisers

[legaljen1969]

9 hours ago, snaefell said:

Sadly that is not what we were told at the Customer Services desk,we were assured that reducing the amount was no problem.

Did you not understand that the auto-gratuities are charged per day? Surely you knew the per diem rate was the same per day but would be more since you are aboard for more days.  I don't understand why or how they would have been "too much." It is not like the crew worked some days and didn't work other days.   I have a very hard time understanding your logic that the tips were too much for the length of the cruise.  

[legaljen1969]

3 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

Problem with envelopes is how to tip the 20 or 30 who help you everyday.  You will have waiters morning noon and night.  At Dining rooms, buffets, food service on the promenade.  Just leave your auto tips in place and everyone is taken care of. I doubt only a handful of people use envelopes anymore, I have not seen one in years. 

I usually take some extra envelopes with me so I can add tips for those who are particularly helpful.  I always use the auto gratuities that are charged daily to my sea pass card, but I also add for those who are really great.   

[mayleeman]

I just handed cash directly to the great waiter and stateroom attendants we had. You sctually can also fill out a form authorizing an extra gratuity to certain crew members and it will be charged to your account. After we changed tables due to claustrophobic surroundings, I did this for the waiter/asst waiter we left behind because I didn't know if I would see them.  GS was very helpful.

[little britain]

16 hours ago, Familyofjust3 said:

Thanks for the advice everyone. It seems tipping at the start is the way to go. 

Yes, prepaying is the easiest thing to do, then you don’t have to worry about it.

Just consider it as part of the cruise fare cost. 
 

[time4u2go]

12 hours ago, goldfish65 said:

Just wondering since I enjoy tipping, does anyone who reduces or removes their daily gratuities make it a point to reduce their use of the services those people provide?

Yes.

[springfire]

23 hours ago, Familyofjust3 said:

Thanks for the advice everyone. It seems tipping at the start is the way to go. 

Just remember if you prepay your tips, you can not make any adjustments on the prepay tips if you have any issues.   

[grapau27]

14 hours ago, RCCLNYMETS41 said:

"Do not kiss or drink in public areas either. "

Forgive me for I have not traveled to this part of the world...

Is this referring to when you are on land in those countries, or do you mean on the ship?

Please educate me.  Is this a cultural thing?

It is on land in the UAE.

Several people have been caught kissing in public and imprisoned.

Alcohol is illegal but all the hotels allow you to drink in their grounds.

The UAE are Muslim countries and if you visit any of the Mosques cover up and do not wear shorts or vest tops.

[ONECRUISER]

53 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

It is on land in the UAE.

Several people have been caught kissing in public and imprisoned.

Alcohol is illegal but all the hotels allow you to drink in their grounds.

The UAE are Muslim countries and if you visit any of the Mosques cover up and do not wear shorts or vest tops.

Do remember a multiple cases of Passenger's being arrested in Caribbean Ports for Breaking Island Laws(Sex)while on own Cruise Ship Balcony. Would think same sex/drugs on a Ship's Balcony in port in Gulf States could or would happen...

[grapau27]

2 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

Do remember a multiple cases of Passenger's being arrested in Caribbean Ports for Breaking Island Laws(Sex)while on own Cruise Ship Balcony. Would think same sex/drugs on a Ship's Balcony in port in Gulf States could or would happen...

Port Rashid in Dubai is well isolated from Dubai so any on board activities would be unseen.

[RCCLNYMETS41]

grapau27    - thank you as well

[brillohead]

On 11/10/2019 at 1:41 PM, snaefell said:

Just love it when people twist your words!

In what way were your words twisted?

You said:

 

On 11/10/2019 at 5:22 AM, snaefell said:

We decided on our recent cruise to reduce to daily amount as we felt that for a near 2 week cruise it was too much,we thought we had done that with a quick trip to CS but when we got home & checked the bill it had been removed completely,bit sad about that as it wasn't what we intended.

We want to know why you think the daily amount would be acceptable for 7 days but not for 14 days?  It's a per-day amount, so the number of days you are on board is going to (rightfully) increase the grand total, but it's still the same cost per day. 

If you ate on the ship and slept on the ship and bathed on the ship for 14 days, that means that the crew members worked on your behalf for 14 days and deserve to be paid for those 14 days. 

 

Reducing what the crew members get paid because you would rather take a longer (and more expensive) vacation for a cheaper price while depriving hard-working crew members of their rightly-earned salary is unconscionable. 

[ladybug.2009]

7 hours ago, brillohead said:

In what way were your words twisted?

You said:

 

We want to know why you think the daily amount would be acceptable for 7 days but not for 14 days?  It's a per-day amount, so the number of days you are on board is going to (rightfully) increase the grand total, but it's still the same cost per day. 

If you ate on the ship and slept on the ship and bathed on the ship for 14 days, that means that the crew members worked on your behalf for 14 days and deserve to be paid for those 14 days. 

 

Reducing what the crew members get paid because you would rather take a longer (and more expensive) vacation for a cheaper price while depriving hard-working crew members of their rightly-earned salary is unconscionable. 

'snaefell', I agree with you, tip whatever YOU think is fair.

 

brillohead: what's unconscionable is not knowing the difference between 'salary' and 'gratuity'.  Both are earned, but only one is dependant on the service received!

[grapau27]

23 hours ago, RCCLNYMETS41 said:

grapau27    - thank you as well

You are welcome.

[time4u2go]

43 minutes ago, Heymarco said:

Do you not eat, sleep on the ship, or use public facilities some days. Sorry, trying to understand how this is justified?

I can't answer for the person you are asking this of, but quite often on long port days we don't eat on board the ship.  And on those days, we use few, if any, public facilities.

Edited November 13, 2019 by time4u2go

[Desert Cruizers]

I have done the Auto Pay, it is factored into your cruise price  & paid for on final payment,then at the end of the cruise will use the envelopes for our Cabin attendant, Waiter & Assistant Waiter or others I felt did exceptional service. 

[ladybug.2009]

2 hours ago, Heymarco said:

Do you not eat, sleep on the ship, or use public facilities some days. Sorry, trying to understand how this is justified?

Not that it needs to be 'justified', but port days / excursions are a good example, also cold days when not using pool, buffet dining vs. MDR, nights when skipping the show and just reading in a chair, getting own drinks vs. asking servers for coffee, etc.

There's a million examples, each person uses the services differently and can vary their gratuity accordingly.  Even with the room steward, we leave our do not disturb up probably 1/3 of the time to minimize the 'make-work' stuff they would normally do (we don't always need turn down service or towel animals, thanks).