Tipping when gratuities are included

[Wineaux007]

5 minutes ago, DingoMom said:

Oh, Dang. Never thought I’d post in a ‘tipping thread,’ but here goes:
 

Last month we were on the Edge and had dinner in several specialty restaurants. Prior to the ‘new’ added service charge (I think it is 18%), we would always tip in the specialties (usually $10 - $15). For those of you that did that as well, will you continue to tip extra or will the added service fee be sufficient?

Yeah, since they added that 18%, I don't leave any extra tip.  It used to be the price included grat for the servers.

[RichYak]

16 minutes ago, DingoMom said:

Oh, Dang. Never thought I’d post in a ‘tipping thread,’ but here goes:
 

Last month we were on the Edge and had dinner in several specialty restaurants. Prior to the ‘new’ added service charge (I think it is 18%), we would always tip in the specialties (usually $10 - $15). For those of you that did that as well, will you continue to tip extra or will the added service fee be sufficient?

I did the same thing, typically $20 cash to my server. I don’t feel the need to do this going forward.

[Jim_Iain]

On 2/11/2023 at 2:29 PM, C4HCG said:

Tipping is the norm now for us when in restaurants here in Leeds. Often included in the bill but we often leave more. So we’re not as naive as you may think. Never leave a tip in the pub though, but bar staff over here get reasonable pay compared to the US. But wherever we are in the world, don’t care what the norm is for that region, will tip what we think we should.

I never thought of you as naive.   Iain is of course from Scotland and even across the UK we have noticed differences.    Our friends in Australia and New Zealand are always asking what they should tip - even on a cruise.  

 

I know that some of our relatives that were visiting Florida told us at many places they automatically put a tip on because of their accent.   I really don't believe in that. 

 

Most of the time in the U.S. if you have a large party they automatically include an 18% tip on the entire groups charge.   In that case unless I were to receive way above average I would not be inclined to tip.  

[Arizona Wildcat]

9 hours ago, C4HCG said:

Who decides the short-changing threshold then in your mind?

Would suggest you move on.  I do not care whether you are a "big tipper" or remove all gratuities.  

I spend several months each year outside North America and always attempt to determine the local custom.  Then follow that practice.

There have been a couple times when I received terrible service and left one dime as a gratuity to make a point.  I have also generously (for me) rewarded those that went the extra mile with service or effort.

When my Aussie friends visit the US an explanation of the system in the US is provided to them.  Some then tip for good service and some don't.   When too many don't tongues wag and those from that country get lumped together and sometimes unfairly (or fairly) treated poorly.  Hmmm.

When in the UK I leave the change and if service is exceptional an additional amount.

[RichYak]

9 minutes ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

I spend several months each year outside North America and always attempt to determine the local custom.  Then follow that practice.

If only others in this thread would follow this same wise practice instead of making excuses not to. Tipping customs should be followed where you are, not where you’re from. 

[keplerd]

We are booked in a sky suite in March and gratuities were just charged to our account. Are gratuities different than tips? I was under the impression gratuities/tips were included for Retreat cruisers. First time on Celebrity and looking forward to it!  Will definitely bring cash for other tipping as needed. 

Thanks for any input. 

[prmssk]

2 minutes ago, keplerd said:

We are booked in a sky suite in March and gratuities were just charged to our account. Are gratuities different than tips? I was under the impression gratuities/tips were included for Retreat cruisers. First time on Celebrity and looking forward to it!  Will definitely bring cash for other tipping as needed. 

Thanks for any input. 

Where were they charged to your account?  What type of gratuities?

 

The daily gratuity charge is usually included in Retreat bookings but if for some reason you have a cruise only fare, they wouldn't show up on your account until you board (unless you proactively pre-pay them).

 

Gratuities for the drink package should be included with the All Included fare.

 

If you book specialty dining, there would be gratuities added on to that.  Spa purchases would also have gratuities added on.

[DaKahuna]

1 hour ago, DingoMom said:

For those of you that did that as well, will you continue to tip extra or will the added service fee be sufficient?

 

  That would depend on the level and quality of service that I received. If nothing above and beyond, then there would be no additional tip.  If the waiter went out of his way to hand any special request or did something good outside of the norm, then yes, I would give an additional tip. 

 

[DaKahuna]

duplicate ... please ignore

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by DaKahuna

[keplerd]

3 minutes ago, prmssk said:

Where were they charged to your account?  What type of gratuities?

 

The daily gratuity charge is usually included in Retreat bookings but if for some reason you have a cruise only fare, they wouldn't show up on your account until you board (unless you proactively pre-pay them).

 

Gratuities for the drink package should be included with the All Included fare.

 

If you book specialty dining, there would be gratuities added on to that.  Spa purchases would also have gratuities added on.

Thank you for the response. I just noticed them when I logged into my Celebrity account. We were originally in an infinite veranda, but upgraded to a guarantee suite ( not move up). 

[RichYak]

10 minutes ago, keplerd said:

We are booked in a sky suite in March and gratuities were just charged to our account.

To what account? Was your credit card charged or your OBC reduced?

[prmssk]

11 minutes ago, keplerd said:

Thank you for the response. I just noticed them when I logged into my Celebrity account. We were originally in an infinite veranda, but upgraded to a guarantee suite ( not move up). 

Where are you seeing this on the website?  What does your invoice say?  Did your upgrade to a guarantee suite an AI fare?

[keplerd]

38 minutes ago, RichYak said:

To what account? Was your credit card charged or your OBC reduced?

My OBC was not reduced nor my credit card charged. I think I have my answer that gratuities should be included so will check with my vacation planner tomorrow. Thanks for your help!

[keplerd]

28 minutes ago, prmssk said:

Where are you seeing this on the website?  What does your invoice say?  Did your upgrade to a guarantee suite an AI fare?

I upgraded to an AI fare, so perhaps they system has not caught up with my upgrade. A charge for gratuities is not on my invoice, only on my Celebrity account when I log in.  Thanks for the info; I will double check the situation! 

[RichYak]

2 minutes ago, keplerd said:

43 minutes ago, RichYak said:

 

My OBC was not reduced nor my credit card charged.

Ok that’s good. Hopefully you are worrying about nothing. Good luck!

[markeb]

23 minutes ago, keplerd said:

I upgraded to an AI fare, so perhaps they system has not caught up with my upgrade. A charge for gratuities is not on my invoice, only on my Celebrity account when I log in.  Thanks for the info; I will double check the situation! 

 

You should eventually see a credit for the gratuities.

 

Celebrity posts their internal accounting charges and credits to your account. They make sense to their accountants. Not necessarily to you...

[1Virgo]

1 hour ago, keplerd said:

We are booked in a sky suite in March and gratuities were just charged to our account. Are gratuities different than tips? I was under the impression gratuities/tips were included for Retreat cruisers. First time on Celebrity and looking forward to it!  Will definitely bring cash for other tipping as needed. 

Thanks for any input. 

i

had the same thing indicating gratuities owing, yet we were all included.  Celebrity weird accounting.  We never were charged extra.  and the gratuities owing showed up on the account til day we sailed

[Fly and Sail]

Remember that Suites, Aqua and Concierge Class already get charged additional gratuities over standard cabins. Assumingly to make up for the extra number of services/employees they utilize in BLU/Thermal Suite/Retreat/Luminae etc.

[C4HCG]

4 hours ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

Would suggest you move on.  I do not care whether you are a "big tipper" or remove all gratuities.  

I spend several months each year outside North America and always attempt to determine the local custom.  Then follow that practice.

There have been a couple times when I received terrible service and left one dime as a gratuity to make a point.  I have also generously (for me) rewarded those that went the extra mile with service or effort.

When my Aussie friends visit the US an explanation of the system in the US is provided to them.  Some then tip for good service and some don't.   When too many don't tongues wag and those from that country get lumped together and sometimes unfairly (or fairly) treated poorly.  Hmmm.

When in the UK I leave the change and if service is exceptional an additional amount.

Thanks for your suggestion, with respect I am not moving on and will continue to read and contribute to this thread should I want to.

[Mark_T]

7 hours ago, DingoMom said:

Oh, Dang. Never thought I’d post in a ‘tipping thread,’ but here goes:
 

Last month we were on the Edge and had dinner in several specialty restaurants. Prior to the ‘new’ added service charge (I think it is 18%), we would always tip in the specialties (usually $10 - $15). For those of you that did that as well, will you continue to tip extra or will the added service fee be sufficient?

We encountered this last month on Eclipse in Murano, and on our first dinner there I still tipped extra, but a little less than we would have before. The service was good, but not quite as 'engaged' as we were used to, but we tipped extra anyway.

 

Second visit, same waiter and zero sign of recognition that we had eaten there only a couple of days before and we got the whole Murano menu explanation once again. Service was even more disconnected and no extra tip that time.

 

Third dinner and same waiter once more and still 'Have you eaten here before... etc.'

 

No extra tip again.

 

The Maître d' seemed more engaged in service than usual so probably some staffing issues, but there really is no excuse for the complete lack of recognition which even the MDR staff managed to achieve despite a similar gap between visits (we were also eating in So5 and Tuscan).

 

So in short, we will still tip extra for great service, but a little less than we used to. Poor service and nothing extra.

[Pickels]

11 hours ago, DingoMom said:

Oh, Dang. Never thought I’d post in a ‘tipping thread,’ but here goes:
 

Last month we were on the Edge and had dinner in several specialty restaurants. Prior to the ‘new’ added service charge (I think it is 18%), we would always tip in the specialties (usually $10 - $15). For those of you that did that as well, will you continue to tip extra or will the added service fee be sufficient?

Always continue to tip extra for outstanding service. 

[Guppy99]

8 hours ago, Pickels said:

Always continue to tip extra for outstanding service. 

why are you writing in orange?

[DaKahuna]

19 minutes ago, Guppy99 said:

why are you writing in orange?

 

It got your attention didn't it? 

 

[Guppy99]

1 hour ago, DaKahuna said:

 

It got your attention didn't it? 

 

no more so than any other poster. It's actually annoying .

[ldubs]

14 hours ago, Mark_T said:

We encountered this last month on Eclipse in Murano, and on our first dinner there I still tipped extra, but a little less than we would have before. The service was good, but not quite as 'engaged' as we were used to, but we tipped extra anyway.

 

Second visit, same waiter and zero sign of recognition that we had eaten there only a couple of days before and we got the whole Murano menu explanation once again. Service was even more disconnected and no extra tip that time.

 

Third dinner and same waiter once more and still 'Have you eaten here before... etc.'

 

No extra tip again.

 

The Maître d' seemed more engaged in service than usual so probably some staffing issues, but there really is no excuse for the complete lack of recognition which even the MDR staff managed to achieve despite a similar gap between visits (we were also eating in So5 and Tuscan).

 

So in short, we will still tip extra for great service, but a little less than we used to. Poor service and nothing extra.

 

Hard to describe but great service will draw you into the experience.  Sounds like that was missing.