Are pre-paid gratuities even worth it any more?

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

5 minutes ago, WestLakeGirl said:

Just because the supervisory staff only came by your table once doesn’t mean that he/she wasn’t in the job, working to make the dining room service go smoothly, and more importantly, ready to step in if there was a problem.  

Amen!! If you don't see the managers, etc. they are doing their job making sure that everything runs smoothly and/or dealing with issues for other diners that you are not experiencing. It's not like they do nothing - they do far more than most cruisers ever know.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

3 hours ago, zitsky said:

The problem with your thinking is that everyone is a hard worker.  Just not true.  I’m sorry but it’s not.

 

On my last cruise we tipped extra in the restaurant.  But there was NO way I was going to tip the maitre d because he stopped by once in 12 days.

 What a very silly and childish post 

[RichYak]

3 hours ago, zitsky said:

On my last cruise we tipped extra in the restaurant.  But there was NO way I was going to tip the maitre d because he stopped by once in 12 days.

I can assure you, whether you like it or not, some of your extra tip found its way to the maitre'd.

[ldubs]

5 hours ago, zitsky said:

Dies that mean I have to tip $3 on my $6 Starbucks latte?  Because it’s the culture?

 

 

 

No it does not mean that, because it isn't the culture and it is a foolish example.   I have to think you do understand my comment and are not among those travelers who ignore the customs in other countries.  

Edited July 9, 2023 by ldubs

[Alakegirl]

What Richyak wrote is Highly likely.  But whether or not some of what was given to the waiter and assistant waiter made its way to the supervisor, the fact that the Maitre D was, for all intents and purposes “invisible” meant that they were busy elsewhere and that your table was not in need of their oversight.  Seeing the supervisor often might just mean that things are not going well and they must stay nearby to keep a watchful eye on that section.

Edited July 9, 2023 by Alakegirl

[ldubs]

4 hours ago, kruzerci said:

Don’t feel like you need to apologize to anybody on here. Many look for a reason to attack for posting anything they may not agree with. 

 

Voicing disagreement shouldn't be considered an attack.  But those comments that are snarky, yeah.    

[zitsky]

1 hour ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

 What a very silly and childish post 

I find nothing childish about deciding who to give my money to.  Do you want to follow me around the ship on my next cruise so you can tell me who to tip and how much?

[zitsky]

55 minutes ago, RichYak said:

I can assure you, whether you like it or not, some of your extra tip found its way to the maitre'd.

I understand your comment.  Should I have tipped him extra when he did absolutely nothing?

[zitsky]

45 minutes ago, Alakegirl said:

What Richyak wrote is Highly likely.  But whether or not some of what was given to the waiter and assistant waiter made its way to the supervisor, the fact that the Maitre D was, for all intents and purposes “invisible” meant that they were busy elsewhere and that your table was not in need of their oversight.  Seeing the supervisor often might just mean that things are not going well and they must stay nearby to keep a watchful eye on that section.

I’ve often find myself in various roles that I consider Customer Service.  I do NOT agree that I should ignore the OK customers just to focus on the demanding ones.  They all deserve my time.  

That’s why I tip extra.  Because someone made a difference to my cruise.  And there are some who had no impact whatsoever.

[zitsky]

1 hour ago, WestLakeGirl said:

Just because the supervisory staff only came by your table once doesn’t mean that he/she wasn’t in the job, working to make the dining room service go smoothly, and more importantly, ready to step in if there was a problem.  

When we had a problem the maitre’d was nowhere to be found.  We dealt with the waitstaff and sommelier.  In future I’ll ask for him or her directly.

 

We saw the maitre’d check on many tables around us night after night but not us.

 

I’m glad people are so eager to defend the staff.  We had a good experience but it would have been better if management had given us more of their time.  I gave Celebrity feedback about our experience.

 

 

[RichYak]

30 minutes ago, zitsky said:

I understand your comment.  Should I have tipped him extra when he did absolutely nothing?

If you understand my comment, then you understand that you already did tip him extra. Not sure why you're asking me now.

[zitsky]

6 minutes ago, RichYak said:

If you understand my comment, then you understand that you already did tip him extra. Not sure why you're asking me now.

You’re saying he’ll get tips from the ship wide pool.  In my case from All Included.

 

I was asking whether or not I should directly, personally, give him additional money when I almost never interacted with him and I didn’t feel he did anything?

It was a question for the forum.  You don’t need to answer it.

[RichYak]

2 minutes ago, zitsky said:

You’re saying he’ll get tips from the ship wide pool.  In my case from All Included.

No, I'm not saying that because that is obvious. What I'm saying is that any extra cash you gave to your wait staff goes to a pool for that particular dining room, some of which goes to the Maitre'd. Therefore, I don't (nor should the group) care what you're asking because it is a moot point.

[ldubs]

8 minutes ago, zitsky said:

You’re saying he’ll get tips from the ship wide pool.  In my case from All Included.

 

I was asking whether or not I should directly, personally, give him additional money when I almost never interacted with him and I didn’t feel he did anything?

It was a question for the forum.  You don’t need to answer it.

 

I'll answer.  Any extra amount you give over and above the standard grat and who you give it to is entirely up to you.   

[Baggy178]

7 hours ago, NantahalaCruiser said:

So you're familiar with the culture but disagree with it - and thus go your own way rather than adopting the culture of a foreign land.

 

Some Americans do the same when they visit other lands and are called "ugly Americans" - so I guess "ugly" must now be applied to you also - congratulations.

 

I think in your rush to be obnoxious you overlook certain things.

I'm not visiting another country - I'm cruising on a ship that flies under a flag of convenience - Liberia - to avoid American labor laws in order to maximise profit.

It's why you don't hear many American accents on board cruise ships.

So gratuities become a financial rather than cultural decision.

Gratuities are not mandatory merely a suggested level if you wish to have them automatically added to your bill - i.e this is an option which a passenger is free to ignore.

I don't visit the casino, gym or beauty salon whilst on board so why should I be tipping staff who work in these places.

The automated gratuities amount to around 27% of my fare - why should I pay 27% to staff I don't interact with yet only pay an automatic 20% when I order a drink at the bar ?

As I mentioned before I'm happy to pay 10% into the slush fund perhaps using part of our OBC so no-one loses out.

And a final thought - if you think I lie awake at night worrying about anonymous people I haven't tipped for work I don't know what they do you're very mistaken.

Celebrity Cruises should pay their crew a decent wage and not attempt to coerce passengers into doing it.

Having cruised on a ship where no automatic gratuities were imposed there were no staff shortages and still a healthy voluntary tipping culture.

Go figure.

 

 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

8 hours ago, zitsky said:

I find nothing childish about deciding who to give my money to.  Do you want to follow me around the ship on my next cruise so you can tell me who to tip and how much?

Don’t have to follow you around , you will post it 😁🤣

Edited July 9, 2023 by Ex-Airbalancer

[wrk2cruise]

14 hours ago, mauimary said:

You know who I think deserves a piece of the tips and lots will disagree with me is the nice people who keep the restrooms so clean and beautiful.

 

Actually I believe they are covered as part of the "Housekeeping Staff".    While I can't say I'm a big "extra tipper" (I do what I'm comfortable with),  I always try to tip these people in the evening after someone here on CC mentioned they do.  The surprise look and the huge smile far outweigh the $$ spent.  It can be hard to catch them though.

[bikerunner]

20 hours ago, Octavias said:

I have a feeling there are no “lazy” workers on cruise ships.  It’s my understanding that they work their tails off.

I have some friends who work on ships, employees are let go immediately and taken off ship based on constant evaluations.  The lazy ones do not last long.  I know of someone who worked for Celebrity 18 years and was just fired last year and put off.  

[zitsky]

11 hours ago, RichYak said:

No, I'm not saying that because that is obvious. What I'm saying is that any extra cash you gave to your wait staff goes to a pool for that particular dining room, some of which goes to the Maitre'd. Therefore, I don't (nor should the group) care what you're asking because it is a moot point.

If you don’t want to be part of the conversation then why are you replying?

[RichYak]

8 minutes ago, zitsky said:

If you don’t want to be part of the conversation then why are you replying?

Because you seem to be ignoring the point of the conversation. Your question "should I tip the maitre'd extra?" is moot because you already tipped him extra. You answered your own question with your actions. I don't know why that's so hard to understand.

[zitsky]

1 hour ago, RichYak said:

Because you seem to be ignoring the point of the conversation. Your question "should I tip the maitre'd extra?" is moot because you already tipped him extra. You answered your own question with your actions. I don't know why that's so hard to understand.

 

Well you and I are using a different dictionary.  

[1Virgo]

15 hours ago, WestLakeGirl said:

Just because the supervisory staff only came by your table once doesn’t mean that he/she wasn’t in the job, working to make the dining room service go smoothly, and more importantly, ready to step in if there was a problem.  

Agree with WestLakeGirl.   Not easy being a manager ensuring everything goes smoothly , and in addition , we ve seen more than one Maître D pitch in and help clear tables, set tables, deliver food, and be pleasant to all - even complainers

[smtcan]

9 hours ago, Baggy178 said:

 

I think in your rush to be obnoxious you overlook certain things.

 

I don't visit the casino, gym or beauty salon whilst on board so why should I be tipping staff who work in these places.

 

Celebrity Cruises should pay their crew a decent wage and not attempt to coerce passengers into doing it.

Having cruised on a ship where no automatic gratuities were imposed there were no staff shortages and still a healthy voluntary tipping culture.

Go figure.

 

 

If you don't visit the beauty salon, you are not tipping those people. They are not part of the tipping pool and like bar tenders their tips are added to the bills of customers.  I am not really sure how the casino staff are paid, because like you I never go there, but they are not part of the gratuity pool.

If higher wages were paid to remove the need for auto tipping, prices would rise to compensate.  

[Octavias]

3 hours ago, bikerunner said:

I have some friends who work on ships, employees are let go immediately and taken off ship based on constant evaluations.  The lazy ones do not last long.  I know of someone who worked for Celebrity 18 years and was just fired last year and put off.  

That sounds absolutely brutal.  Add in the fact that they get blamed when people remove auto grats, and it seems hostile.  I wonder what percent of passengers remove them? 

Edited July 9, 2023 by Octavias

[davekathy]

58 minutes ago, smtcan said:

If you don't visit the beauty salon, you are not tipping those people. They are not part of the tipping pool and like bar tenders their tips are added to the bills of customers.  I am not really sure how the casino staff are paid, because like you I never go there, but they are not part of the gratuity pool.

If higher wages were paid to remove the need for auto tipping, prices would rise to compensate.  

Those that work in the casino, shore excursions, spa, photographers, Park West are not Celebrity employees. They work for an independent contractor(s) so they are not part of the tip pool.