GRATUITIES

[Pinboy]

2 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

I fail to see the relevance of your post. The person to whom I was responding was asking when it would be best to leave an additional tip, not why or how to pay Celebrity's automatic gratuity.  

Correct-- Just thought I'd add a little " additional " information ". 

 

 

 

[Fouremco]

3 minutes ago, Pinboy said:

Correct-- Just thought I'd add a little " additional " information ". 

 

 

 

Fair enough, but do so in a separate post, not as a response to one that isn't related to the information that you are providing.

[Pinboy]

2 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Fair enough, but do so in a separate post, not as a response to one that isn't related to the information that you are providing.

Thanks -- still learning about posting. 

Maybe I should have asked my grandchildren how this stuff is done before I made my first ever post on any site, forum, or whatever it's called ,  last week ??  But, it's fun and " reasonably "  informative until --- golf season.

 

 

 

[roxievegas]

I would prefer that the cost of the cruise would already include the "gratuities".  We always prepay the gratuities.  In the beginning of our cruise time, we tipped extra to everyone - now we only eat in the dining room 1/2 the time, rest is in other areas.  So we do not tip extra to MDR staff.  We always leave extra in the cabin for our room steward and the end of the cruise.  

This topic is really hard, but it is totally a personal decision and no one should beat anyone up over what they do or do not do..

[davekathy]

31 minutes ago, Pinboy said:

Thanks -- still learning about posting. 

Maybe I should have asked my grandchildren how this stuff is done before I made my first ever post on any site, forum, or whatever it's called ,  last week ??  But, it's fun and " reasonably "  informative until --- golf season.

 

 

 

I always click the quote button for the person I'm  commenting to. 

[Pinboy]

21 minutes ago, davekathy said:

I always click the quote button for the person I'm  commenting to. 

Will do -- Boy, this posting isn't easy to do--- 

Hope it's an easy winter and I can work on getting my golf handicap back to 3 from 14 .

[kenevenpar]

45 minutes ago, roxievegas said:

I would prefer that the cost of the cruise would already include the "gratuities".  We always prepay the gratuities.  In the beginning of our cruise time, we tipped extra to everyone - now we only eat in the dining room 1/2 the time, rest is in other areas.  So we do not tip extra to MDR staff.  We always leave extra in the cabin for our room steward and the end of the cruise.  

This topic is really hard, but it is totally a personal decision and no one should beat anyone up over what they do or do not do..

 

In our early days of cruising on =X=, gratuities were put into envelopes that were delivered to your stateroom, and then you gave/left them for staff (early 00's).

 

I liked that approach, but too many staff were getting stiffed.  We tipped the recommended amounts or more, except that MDR manager who only showed up on tip night, but I digress.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

1 hour ago, roxievegas said:

I would prefer that the cost of the cruise would already include the "gratuities".  We always prepay the gratuities.  In the beginning of our cruise time, we tipped extra to everyone - now we only eat in the dining room 1/2 the time, rest is in other areas.  So we do not tip extra to MDR staff.  We always leave extra in the cabin for our room steward and the end of the cruise.  

This topic is really hard, but it is totally a personal decision and no one should beat anyone up over what they do or do not do..

 

That MDR staff also works in the "other areas" you eat in.  Just so you know.

[ONT-CA]

Adding insult to injury, upon returning to our cabin we find on our bed an envelope and printed notification as to the "suggested" amount of cash tip we should leave the staff upon our departure.  If it is your objective to have we the customers pay your labour expense, we would gladly do so when you pay our flight costs to get to your ship including the night's hotel cost in stopover..  Does that sound like a fair "suggestion"?  Talk about killing of the goose that lays the golden eggs.

[ghstudio]

We all keep reading these threads about tipping and the common thread is that almost no one says how much extra they give.....so we have hand wringing vs useful information. 

 

Not sure if anyone else wants to post, but I'll post what we tip in addition to the standard gratuities.

 

Cabin attendant: $20 plus $10 at embarkation if we ask for something special which we seem to do more often than not.

 

waiter: $20 if we have had the same waiter for multiple nights in select/aqua

 

asst waiter: $10 if we tip the waiter

 

wine steward $20 if he refills our glasses and doesn't try to pass classic wine when we have the premium package (unfortunately, this means we often don't tip him)

 

bartender: varies...usually $10-20 if we use the same bartender often....and he doesn't try to put house vodka in the martini

 

 

 

[Pinboy]

6 minutes ago, ONT-CA said:

Adding insult to injury, upon returning to our cabin we find on our bed an envelope and printed notification as to the "suggested" amount of cash tip we should leave the staff upon our departure.  If it is your objective to have we the customers pay your labour expense, we would gladly do so when you pay our flight costs to get to your ship including the night's hotel cost in stopover..  Does that sound like a fair "suggestion"?  Talk about killing of the goose that lays the golden eggs.

Haven't seen that in " years " where an envelope is left on the bed regarding tips.

Perhaps they only do that where the guest ( customer ) has opted out of the daily gratuity ?

In that case , I think it's a good idea--- as a " reminder " of the excellent service they provide.

 

 

 

[sydbarrett]

12 minutes ago, ghstudio said:

We all keep reading these threads about tipping and the common thread is that almost no one says how much extra they give.....so we have hand wringing vs useful information. 

 

Not sure if anyone else wants to post, but I'll post what we tip in addition to the standard gratuities.

 

Cabin attendant: $20 plus $10 at embarkation if we ask for something special which we seem to do more often than not.

 

waiter: $20 if we have had the same waiter for multiple nights in select/aqua

 

asst waiter: $10 if we tip the waiter

 

wine steward $20 if he refills our glasses and doesn't try to pass classic wine when we have the premium package (unfortunately, this means we often don't tip him)

 

bartender: varies...usually $10-20 if we use the same bartender often....and he doesn't try to put house vodka in the martini

 

 

 

This is helpful, thank you!

[davekathy]

24 minutes ago, Pinboy said:

Haven't seen that in " years " where an envelope is left on the bed regarding tips.

Perhaps they only do that where the guest ( customer ) has opted out of the daily gratuity ?

In that case , I think it's a good idea--- as a " reminder " of the excellent service they provide.

 

 

 

Agree.

[davekathy]

48 minutes ago, ONT-CA said:

Adding insult to injury, upon returning to our cabin we find on our bed an envelope and printed notification as to the "suggested" amount of cash tip we should leave the staff upon our departure.  If it is your objective to have we the customers pay your labour expense, we would gladly do so when you pay our flight costs to get to your ship including the night's hotel cost in stopover..  Does that sound like a fair "suggestion"?  Talk about killing of the goose that lays the golden eggs.

What you described was the traditional way of collecting gratuities long before the option of prepaid and before the cruise lines started charging the gratuity to your onboard account or deducting it from any OBC.  Sounds like Celebrity is reminding those that don't have prepaid, or not paying with OBC a reminder not to forget the hard working staff. IMO, I see nothing wrong with it. We prefer the current options of paying our gratuities vs the old traditional way of what you described.  

Edited January 30, 2020 by davekathy

[DrKoob]

1 hour ago, ONT-CA said:

Adding insult to injury, upon returning to our cabin we find on our bed an envelope and printed notification as to the "suggested" amount of cash tip we should leave the staff upon our departure.  If it is your objective to have we the customers pay your labour expense, we would gladly do so when you pay our flight costs to get to your ship including the night's hotel cost in stopover..  Does that sound like a fair "suggestion"?  Talk about killing of the goose that lays the golden eggs.

 

Saw that on RCCL in October on Allure, even though we had pre-paid gratuities. And speaking of pre-paid gratuities, it kind of ticks me off that when X raised the gratuities they said that no one who booked before January 6 had to pay the increase. But when I called to make sure that was true, I was told, it is only true if you pre-pay the gratuities. They are not automatically changing the amount.

 

Jim

[PTC DAWG]

1 hour ago, ghstudio said:

We all keep reading these threads about tipping and the common thread is that almost no one says how much extra they give.....so we have hand wringing vs useful information. 

 

Not sure if anyone else wants to post, but I'll post what we tip in addition to the standard gratuities.

 

Cabin attendant: $20 plus $10 at embarkation if we ask for something special which we seem to do more often than not.

 

waiter: $20 if we have had the same waiter for multiple nights in select/aqua

 

asst waiter: $10 if we tip the waiter

 

wine steward $20 if he refills our glasses and doesn't try to pass classic wine when we have the premium package (unfortunately, this means we often don't tip him)

 

bartender: varies...usually $10-20 if we use the same bartender often....and he doesn't try to put house vodka in the martini

 

 

 

Very similar to what I do....I ask the room steward for Ice to be in the bucket...always hand him/her a $20 when I make the request...IF they make good, they get at least that much again at cruise end...

 

I've never thoughts about modifying/eliminating the daily room service charge...

Edited January 30, 2020 by PTC DAWG

[Fouremco]

1 hour ago, ONT-CA said:

Adding insult to injury, upon returning to our cabin we find on our bed an envelope and printed notification as to the "suggested" amount of cash tip we should leave...

As you are referring to a recent cruise? 

[Silkroad]

6 minutes ago, DrKoob said:

 

Saw that on RCCL in October on Allure, even though we had pre-paid gratuities. And speaking of pre-paid gratuities, it kind of ticks me off that when X raised the gratuities they said that no one who booked before January 6 had to pay the increase. But when I called to make sure that was true, I was told, it is only true if you pre-pay the gratuities. They are not automatically changing the amount.

 

Jim

This is the way they’ve handled gratuity increases since I’ve been their customer (since 2006). To clarify, you need not pre-pay gratuities immediately. You’ll get the lower gratuity rate as long as you pay before or with final payment. 

[beachbell]

If I have a sky suite, and the prepaid gratuities are part of my perks, does this include the tip to my butler? I am asking because I was in a Haven suite on the Norwegian Escape 2 years ago, and the prepaid gratuities did not include the tip to the butler or the concierge. 

[Bo1953]

17 minutes ago, DrKoob said:

 

Saw that on RCCL in October on Allure, even though we had pre-paid gratuities. And speaking of pre-paid gratuities, it kind of ticks me off that when X raised the gratuities they said that no one who booked before January 6 had to pay the increase. But when I called to make sure that was true, I was told, it is only true if you pre-pay the gratuities. They are not automatically changing the amount.

 

Jim

I do not know 'who said'/told you this, yet everything I and others saw in writing it was clear that they were to be pre-paid by 6 January 2020 the old rate would be honoured, if not paid by that date then the new rate would apply.

 

bon voyage

[Bo1953]

2 minutes ago, beachbell said:

If I have a sky suite, and the prepaid gratuities are part of my perks, does this include the tip to my butler? I am asking because I was in a Haven suite on the Norwegian Escape 2 years ago, and the prepaid gratuities did not include the tip to the butler or the concierge. 

Yes.

 

bon voyage

[beachbell]

Thanks Bo1953! What about the concierge and do people normally tip the concierge? I just never have used them in the past because I book my dining either at a specialty restaurant when I board or on the app when available. Also, I barely do the tours offered by the cruise line.

 

 

[Silkroad]

21 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

I do not know 'who said'/told you this, yet everything I and others saw in writing it was clear that they were to be pre-paid by 6 January 2020 the old rate would be honoured, if not paid by that date then the new rate would apply.

 

bon voyage

Uh oh😉 It appears we’ve been given different information, Bo. I’d better check again. Found it. Will post excerpt from email I received from Celebrity on 27 December 2019.

Edited January 30, 2020 by Silkroad

[ONT-CA]

2 hours ago, Pinboy said:

 ...as a " reminder "  ?????

 

Try extortion

 

What we leave in the way of a gratuity is a matter between the staff individual and ourselves and is of no concern nor business of the line.  It is a GRATUITY

 

And yes, we are currently in the first of a b2b2b

 

2 hours ago, Pinboy said:

 

 

 

[Fouremco]

2 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

s - seems like there is a discrepancy between the two (2) citings... one where I Am correct and the other where you are correct... LOL

 

I wonder which is closer to reality??

 

Thank you for posting... bon voyage

I have an email from Celebrity with exactly the same "before you sail" wording. That actually makes more sense than the "pay by January 6" interpretation, as many passengers' final payment would be after that date. It would be senseless IMO to demand a payment for the gratuities in advance of payment for the cruise.

 

As I have the free gratuities perk for both of my booked Celebrity cruises, I don't really have a dog in this fight.