Tipping on the oasis

[Joebolt63]

IIs the mandatory $16 per person per day tip mandatory or can you adjust that amount

[The Fun Researcher]

You can’t adjust it.  Once onboard you can request gratuities to be removed altogether, and then tip in cash instead… if you so choose.

 

Personally we’ve always prepaid gratuities in advance but to each his/her own.

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, Joebolt63 said:

IIs the mandatory $16 per person per day tip mandatory or can you adjust that amount

It is not “mandatory”, but since it is a pool that goes to a lot of crew members, you should just let it ride and then tip extra to those who go above and beyond. 

[topnole]

3 hours ago, The Fun Researcher said:

You can’t adjust it.  Once onboard you can request gratuities to be removed altogether, and then tip in cash instead… if you so choose.

 

Personally we’ve always prepaid gratuities in advance but to each his/her own.

I’m not sure that is true. I believe you can fill out a sheet designating how much to tip to each position (cabin attendant, server, etc.).  

[d9704011]

2 minutes ago, topnole said:

I’m not sure that is true. I believe you can fill out a sheet designating how much to tip to each position (cabin attendant, server, etc.).  

Do you think that could be done on a daily basis depending on how things went over the course of the day?

[topnole]

2 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

Do you think that could be done on a daily basis depending on how things went over the course of the day?

No.  You can set the amounts for the cruise.   You are over thinking this.  Most likely the service will be good.  Leave the tips in place and readjust toward the end if you aren’t happy.  Tips don’t get paid out daily.  You can readjust at any time.  Just keep in mind they work insanely hard for those tips.  

[The Fun Researcher]

33 minutes ago, topnole said:

I’m not sure that is true. I believe you can fill out a sheet designating how much to tip to each position (cabin attendant, server, etc.).  

Not disagreeing, but that’s the first time I’ve ever heard of that. Thanks for the info 

[cruiseboy89130]

39 minutes ago, topnole said:

I’m not sure that is true. I believe you can fill out a sheet designating how much to tip to each position (cabin attendant, server, etc.).  

Not possible! They are not flexible!

[cruisegus]

Better yet, leave your Daily Gratuites in place and at the time and to the person that is not living up to your service expectations,  say something,  be polite and say what you need or want.

Escalate if necessary, politely.

Belive me Royals crew wants you to be happy and they will do all they can to make sure you are.

[d9704011]

1 hour ago, topnole said:

No.  You can set the amounts for the cruise.   You are over thinking this.  Most likely the service will be good.  Leave the tips in place and readjust toward the end if you aren’t happy.  Tips don’t get paid out daily.  You can readjust at any time.  Just keep in mind they work insanely hard for those tips.  

I think you're over-thinking my question.

[topnole]

1 hour ago, cruiseboy89130 said:

Not possible! They are not flexible!

Then it has changed.  It used to possible.  

[topnole]

1 hour ago, The Fun Researcher said:

Not disagreeing, but that’s the first time I’ve ever heard of that. Thanks for the info 

I’ve done it before.  You could put however much you wanted for each group (waiter, attendant, etc).  I did it at GS.   

[jwlane]

2 hours ago, d9704011 said:

Do you think that could be done on a daily basis depending on how things went over the course of the day?

Wow.

[not-enough-cruising]

3 hours ago, topnole said:

I’m not sure that is true. I believe you can fill out a sheet designating how much to tip to each position (cabin attendant, server, etc.).  

No, the daily auto gratuity is an all or nothing proposition 

[topnole]

2 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

No, the daily auto gratuity is an all or nothing proposition 

When did this change?   Not too many years back I specifically filled out a sheet indicating the exact amount of tip for each area.  I did this at GS.   Maybe they have changed this now.  But this couldn’t have been more than 5 years ago.  

[not-enough-cruising]

36 minutes ago, topnole said:

When did this change?   Not too many years back I specifically filled out a sheet indicating the exact amount of tip for each area.  I did this at GS.   Maybe they have changed this now.  But this couldn’t have been more than 5 years ago.  

I’m sorry, I can’t say when, but had a couple travel with us in November. They were also accustomed to this practice, but were told they were either in or out. This was on Allure 

[cruiseboy89130]

8 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

I’m sorry, I can’t say when, but had a couple travel with us in November. They were also accustomed to this practice, but were told they were either in or out. This was on Allure 

+1

[Scottdalfonso]

Keep the daily gratuities in place THEN tip cash on top of that if you feel certain people deserve as an additional bonus. I don't even count the daily gratuity as a gratuity...it's just part of the fare (which I wish they just did...just include it as part of the cost and be done with it) Leave cash for those who make your trip enjoyable and Just pre-pay the gratuities before the cruise, then you have no bill at the end to worry about

Edited May 28, 2023 by Scottdalfonso

[PWP-001]

17 hours ago, Joebolt63 said:

IIs the mandatory $16 per person per day tip mandatory or can you adjust that amount

The gratuity is NOT mandatory.

 

Here is what you CAN do:

At Guest Services, request that the daily $16 be removed.

At Guest Services, request a GRATUITY MODIFICATION FORM.  This form will allow you to specify exact individuals and amounts.... OR you can simply specify an exact amount and write TIP POOL.  So rather than $16 time 3 days = $48 you could write in $24 for the TIP POOL if you felt $8/day was enough.

 

You can also ignore all the other posters with their personal opinions as to how to spend your money and conduct your life.  

 

 

[jwlane]

1 hour ago, PWP-001 said:

The gratuity is NOT mandatory.

I can't help but notice the line that says "Rewarding Exceptional Service: Additional Gratuity". (emphasis mine)

 

Justify it however you like, but the purpose of this form is NOT to abbrogate or alter one's $16/day responsibility.

Edited May 28, 2023 by jwlane

[PWP-001]

Get out the popcorn:  here we go!

 

Responsibly?  NOPE

 

I used to be of that camp, admonishing guests who remove the DSC.  
 

No longer!

 

It’s not a responsibility, an obligation nor a mandatory fee.

 

What may have started out as an alternative to the tradition of every passenger leaving gratuities in envelopes has morphed into an accounting ploy to offset and reduce labor expense.

 

Before the DSC, it was custom to leave gratuity envelopes for your waitstaff (who were the same for EVERY meal) and your cabin attendant.  NO-ONE left envelopes with tips for “those hardworking employees behind the scenes who make your cruise special.”  Those individuals receive their full compensation from their employer.

 

The only party shirking their RESPONSIBILITY is the cruise line who has rewritten the rules in concert with SOME (not Virgin Voyages) of their competitors to make passengers believe they should help pay for their employ wages.

 

Despite the form’s language, it CAN be used as I described, as a workaround for the guest that wants to leave an amount different than the  preset $16/day

Edited May 28, 2023 by PWP-001

[luckyinpa]

16 hours ago, cruisegus said:

Better yet, leave your Daily Gratuites in place and at the time and to the person that is not living up to your service expectations,  say something,  be polite and say what you need or want.

Escalate if necessary, politely.

Belive me Royals crew wants you to be happy and they will do all they can to make sure you are.

 

they def want you to be happy. in CK last week i asked about a dish and can they remove the X from it. they said it was already baked on it but could make me a new one without it. turns out communication barrier and for some reason they just put it under the main course, not on top. i said thats ok ill just have my dessert as i wasnt that hungry really anyway. they started offering me other things and said what about the kids menu. almost forcing me to eat lol. i decided to get the chicken tenders and dang were they actually really good!

 

so they really get out of sorts if you dont eat or have an issue. they also seem sad we dont drink coffee in the morning. but we dont!

[Scottdalfonso]

2 hours ago, PWP-001 said:

Get out the popcorn:  here we go!

 

Responsibly?  NOPE

 

I used to be of that camp, admonishing guests who remove the DSC.  
 

No longer!

 

It’s not a responsibility, an obligation nor a mandatory fee.

 

What may have started out as an alternative to the tradition of every passenger leaving gratuities in envelopes has morphed into an accounting ploy to offset and reduce labor expense.

 

Before the DSC, it was custom to leave gratuity envelopes for your waitstaff (who were the same for EVERY meal) and your cabin attendant.  NO-ONE left envelopes with tips for “those hardworking employees behind the scenes who make your cruise special.”  Those individuals receive their full compensation from their employer.

 

The only party shirking their RESPONSIBILITY is the cruise line who has rewritten the rules in concert with SOME (not Virgin Voyages) of their competitors to make passengers believe they should help pay for their employ wages.

 

Despite the form’s language, it CAN be used as I described, as a workaround for the guest that wants to leave an amount different than the  preset $16/day

This is why I wish they would just include it in the price. Charge an extra $110 a person as part of the base fare and just allocate that to the crew. Then let us tip and we wish

[Cigar King]

17 hours ago, topnole said:

I’ve done it before.  You could put however much you wanted for each group (waiter, attendant, etc).  I did it at GS.   

I don't recall not sailing in a suite since this change and it's always been all or nothing.  Perhaps you're confusing the envelopes for tipping, which were still left on our recent cruise.