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jeanneful

By jeanneful,
in Royal Caribbean International

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not-enough-cruising

not-enough-cruising

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, yogimax said:

Salaries are not based on the home countries of employees.  Someone from India, for example,  living and working in the USA, will be compensated based on US norms and standards not Indian standards.

LIVING in the USA 

 

See how that makes a difference? 
 

Someone from India, living in India, working for a US corporation, is not paid a US salary. 

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CanHardlyWait4NextYear

CanHardlyWait4NextYear

Posted
Posted

I think we got away from topic. It was never to tip or not to tip. It was how to go about it and who it goes to. Again, I've said 100 times I treat service workers on a ship the same as on land. No better, no worse. I live paycheck to paycheck. I don't see there lives and problems that different from my own. So I don't have any need or guilt or whatever. I don't think the person serving your food or making your bed shouldn't get a tip. But if I tip directly to them, I cannot worry about the dishwasher or laundry etc. It's too much financially and emotionally for me to take on. And as my Mother use to say "I ain't here for free". I paid a fee and it's between employer and employee how my fee is divided etc. I'm not there to put the world to rights. I'm saving like a crazy person to have some tip money. Lots of pasta nights cause it's a buck. I get there problems. I have there problems. And many of the people I work with are in this country alone. And they don't even have a company that buys them a ticket home every 9 months they go years without seeing family. I live in there world, they live in mine. We just happen to be on land. People should do what they can when away. But never what others try to guilt them into. Try your best to be a decent person.

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grandgeezer

grandgeezer

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Tulsacoker said:

Does anyone know if cruise ship workers have to pay for logging and meals out of their salaries? 

They also pay a whole lot less for drinks, snacks, internet, essentials and many other things, than the customers. They also stock up, in port, when they can. I was told once, by a member of the crew that, in some ports, there are shuttles that take them to such places as Walmart, but that was years ago.

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Ret MP

Ret MP

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, CanHardlyWait4NextYear said:

Baby it wreaks of drama. Just my opinion. I make less then $45k a year and work with plenty of people in this country that make $7, $8, $9 per hour and know the struggles because I Am One of Them. I don't need you telling me about hard working people in this country or any other. Get over yourself.

YOU are entitled to your own opinion no matter how wrong I feel it is.  None of any of my posts are about me other than I'm making the comments, it is about those that deserve a little generosity.  

Are you trying to say that I have never struggled?  Well, let me tell you, I've survived being a private in the Army making about $200.00 a month with a wife and a child living in Glenn Burnie, Maryland, stationed at Ft. Meade, MD, check out the cost of living there.  BTW, I don't make much more than you do.  But, I live well below my means so that I can afford to treat my well deserving wife and I to a little luxury every other year or so AND to provide some generosity to those that may deserve it.  I also TIP well at land based service providers that work for tips.  

 

I just can't get over people that get offended with those that have an open heart.  You do you and I'll do me!

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desibee

desibee

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Ret MP said:

YOU are entitled to your own opinion no matter how wrong I feel it is. 

 

I just can't get over people that get offended with those that have an open heart.  You do you and I'll do me!


No one is offended by your generosity.  Lots of people are offended by your pontification that they are somehow horrible people for not being “generous” to your exacting standards.

 

Perhaps if you feel that cruise companies are somehow shortchanging their employees by not giving them enough of a wage then you, yourself, should stop supporting these cruise companies by going on cruises.  You know, instead of chiding others for not supplying the extra cash that their employers should be paying them.

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Ret MP

Ret MP

Posted
Posted

It never stops amazing how people can read things that aren't there or actually make things up as they go along. 

 

I never said how horrible people are for not being generous.  None the less to my exact standards.  You're making things up.

 

Also, I never said that I think the cruise lines are or are not shortchanging their employees.  You're making things up.  

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desibee

desibee

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Ret MP said:

YOU are entitled to your own opinion no matter how wrong I feel it is.  None of any of my posts are about me other than I'm making the comments, it is about those that deserve a little generosity.  

This is you.  These are your exact words.  You’ve already said you think others are “wrong” for not tipping and that people “deserve a little generosity” as though the mandatory gratuities and wages paid are not generous.

 

If you don’t think cruise companies are shortchanging employees then why would you need to tip above and beyond their wages?  What purpose would it serve unless their employer is not compensating them enough for their labour?  I’m confused about what point you think you’re making here.

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Ret MP

Ret MP

Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, desibee said:

Here, I'll make a correction for you:

 

This is you.  These are your exact words.  You’ve already said you think others are “wrong” for not tipping Ah, no I didn't and that people “deserve a little EXTRA generosity” Again, ah, no I didn't, I said, EXTRA generosity as though the mandatory gratuities and wages paid are not generous.

And exactly where did I say people are "wrong" for not tipping and that GENEROSITY is mandatory?  I did say that I don't think the ship's (actually I should have said Royal's) minimum wage doesn't make their employees well off.  And it doesn't.

 

If you don’t think cruise companies are shortchanging employees then why would you need to tip above and beyond their wages?  What purpose would it serve unless their employer is not compensating them enough for their labour?  I’m confused about what point you think you’re making here.  Because I have Compassion!  If you are confused about this, there is nothing I can say to help you understand.  It's beyond my control, ability, and desire.

 

And you said, "This is you.  These are your exact words".  But you didn't say anything about what you said I said.  What was the point.  Yes, what you quoted was my words, but what were you trying to say?

 

 

 

 

Edited by Ret MP
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Ret MP

Ret MP

Posted
Posted
48 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

 

 

Okay, I made and error in my last response.  I was interupted and hit the submit reply before I got to fact check my own post.  So, this is my correction, but it doesn't change what I typed in previous posts and my premise.  I put in red quotes "EXTRA" before generosity.  Yes, in the quote of mine it only said, "little generosity".  But my premise is EXTRA generosity.  Just a buck or two over the 18% is EXTRA generosity.  I never said it was mandatory.  I've only disagreed with some very specific comments.  And that is an opinion.  I don't fault people that don't TIP above and beyond the 18% even though I think it is deserved, if good service is provided, and I'm sure appreciated by the recipients.  

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bjlaac

bjlaac

Posted
Posted (edited)

I'm late to this party but after reading the 6 pages of discussion, thought I'd add my two cents.  We've been cruising for decades and the issue of tipping, additional tipping or even not tipping has been around for as long a I can remember.  In the beginning it was relatively simple, "suggested" tips were to be made to the Room Steward, Waiter (Bus Boy taken care of by waiter) and anyone who interacted with you that made your vacation special.  Although there were no chat boards or internet back then, you could see the main dining a lot less crowded on the last night by those who obviously didn't want to tip.  Eventually the cruise lines allowed you to charge your tips to your account and provided envelopes with vouchers to hand to the Waiters and room stewards.

 

If this had continued it would have been fine, but what was once optional became an automatic daily service charge all under the guise of "tips"  and no longer just for the waiter and room steward but for almost every conceivable worker on the ship making the daily service charge seem small to the point lots of us tip "extra".   Additionally, the cruise lines are very secretive to exactly how this service charge is distributed.  I've heard everything from all of it goes to the crew as additional salary to it pays for some amenities in the crew quarters with a portion paid out in cash based on performance. 

 

This pooling of tips that I have no accountability as to how its distributed does not sit well with me.  I don't believe in tipping the laundry saff or janitor sweeping the floors or anyone else behind the scenes as I don't do it in hotels or restaurents or anyplace else.  I might feel different if I knew how the $16 was split but the Cruise industry does not provide that info which in itself tells me a lot.

 

Even after having said all that we leave the daily service charge intact and often tip extra to the room steward, waiter and busboy.  That doesnt mean we wouldn'y remove the daily service charge for repeated bad performance if we felt it necessary on a rare occassion.

 

That's just us, there's no right or wrong and if you want to leave extra that's great but it does not mean those that don't are bad or should be shamed because they don't.

 

 

Edited by bjlaac
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rudeney "Live from...." Rare

rudeney

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, bjlaac said:

I'm late to this party but after reading the 6 pages of discussion, thought I'd add my two cents.  We've been cruising for decades and the issue of tipping, additional tipping or even not tipping has been around for as long a I can remember.  In the beginning it was relatively simple, "suggested" tips were to be made to the Room Steward, Waiter (Bus Boy taken care of by waiter) and anyone who interacted with you that made your vacation special.  Although there were no chat boards or internet back then, you could see the main dining a lot less crowded on the last night by those who obviously didn't want to tip.  Eventually the cruise lines allowed you to charge your tips to your account and provided envelopes with vouchers to hand to the Waiters and room stewards.

 

If this had continued it would have been fine, but what was once optional became an automatic daily service charge all under the guise of "tips"  and no longer just for the waiter and room steward but for almost every conceivable worker on the ship making the daily service charge seem small to the point lots of us tip "extra".   Additionally, the cruise lines are very secretive to exactly how this service charge is distributed.  I've heard everything from all of it goes to the crew as additional salary to it pays for some amenities in the crew quarters with a portion paid out in cash based on performance. 

 

This pooling of tips that I have no accountability as to how its distributed does not sit well with me.  I don't believe in tipping the laundry saff or janitor sweeping the floors or anyone else behind the scenes as I don't do it in hotels or restaurents or anyplace else.  I might feel different if I knew how the $16 was split but the Cruise industry does not provide that info which in itself tells me a lot.

 

Even after having said all that we leave the daily service charge intact and often tip extra to the room steward, waiter and busboy.  That doesnt mean we wouldn'y remove the daily service charge for repeated bad performance if we felt it necessary on a rare occassion.

 

That's just us, there's no right or wrong and if you want to leave extra that's great but it does not mean those that don't are bad or should be shamed because they don't.

 

 

 

That is exactly how I feel about it.  I also remember those "less crowded" last nights in the MDR.  I loved it when the cruise lines started letting us use vouchers instead of cash.  I guess now I look at it as the vouchers are "automatic" so I don't have to go to guest services to get them.  But I am also a bit disenfranchised over not knowing exactly who gets how much of my tip money.  Like you, I've never heard of back-end kitchen or laundry staff being tipped in any industry, so the rumors that part of the auto-charged tips going to them just don't sit right with me.  Not because I don't want to pay them, but because it means my tip money isn't all going to the people who personally served me. 

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kirtihk

kirtihk

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 9/18/2022 at 9:49 PM, yogimax said:
On 9/16/2022 at 7:05 PM, not-enough-cruising said:

 I will not, however, participate in a scheme that uses the laundry staff and the dishwashers as a “guilt pawn”. They get paid well to wash dishes and laundry, nothing more.

_________________________________________________

So, will you be applying for a job as a dishwasher since they are paid so well, according to you?

According to me, I worked as dishwasher (starting $4.25 per hour) for 7 years (when I came to US in 1991) having the engineering master's degree, and no one paid me any tips.  Life is life.

Edited by kirtihk
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yogimax

yogimax

Posted
Posted
13 hours ago, goldfish65 said:

Worked for tips my whole life, in my opinion there are two types of individuals,, those who like to tip and those who do so begrudgingly. 

You forget the third type... cruisers who pay nothing in tips and try to justify their behavior by using all sorts of nonsensical excuses.

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not-enough-cruising

not-enough-cruising

Posted
Posted (edited)
6 minutes ago, yogimax said:

You forget the third type... cruisers who pay nothing in tips and try to justify their behavior by using all sorts of nonsensical excuses.

I have never, personally, encountered anyone that just didn’t tip at all.(on a cruise) I think that is a very small percentage. 

Edited by not-enough-cruising
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yogimax

yogimax

Posted
Posted
10 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

I have never, personally, encountered anyone that just didn’t tip at all.(on a cruise) I think that is a very small percentage. 

Do you really think that those who don't tip would share that with strangers?  

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PolicromaSol

PolicromaSol

Posted
Posted
On 9/18/2022 at 12:18 PM, Mum2Mercury said:

They should call it anything but a suite.  It's not a suite.  Most of Royal Caribbean's "suites" aren't suites.  By definition, a suite is a series of rooms designed to work together, but Royal Caribbean uses it to mean a larger /nicer room.  Totally wrong.  As a language teacher, I despise words being used incorrectly -- especially when it's done to try to extract more money from a customer.

 

I discovered the hard way on a long family road trip that a lot of hotels view the word "suite" the same way.

 


When I was a kid, my parents would occasionally get a suite in hotels on road trips so that both kids and adults could have their own room. 

 

So, tried that a few times... But too bad. Most suites are just a slightly bigger room that may or may not have a couch and kitchenette.

 

Ironically, there's a lot of rooms on these boats that aren't suite class, but contain a lot of extra room, and sometimes an extra "kid room", that aren't considered "suites" and are priced like the "normal" rooms.

 

Yeah, I pretty much give up. 🤣

 

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