Pre-Paid Gratuities

[m8zenblue]

First, I must say that we always pay our gratuities up front.

I saw a post on another forum that asked if cabin attendant/wait staff know who has pre-paid their gratuities.

This question may have been and answered previously but I could not find it.

Just curious.

[jelayne]

Not sure about knowing who prepaid but they are told when someone removes the gratuities.

[Captain-John]

Just on the removal point, if gratuities are included in the booking (not pre-paid), can you claim them back if the service is not up to par? Even if reported on board and time given for it to be corrected?

[hcat]

1 hour ago, jelayne said:

Not sure about knowing who prepaid but they are told when someone removes the gratuities.

can it be done at the end or must it be done day by day..  just curioud

 

we never did that and almost always give more in cash.  we have grats pre pd next 3 cruises

[wrk2cruise]

1 hour ago, Captain-John said:

Just on the removal point, if gratuities are included in the booking (not pre-paid), can you claim them back if the service is not up to par? Even if reported on board and time given for it to be corrected?

 

No.  Anything that awful would want to be discussed with GR director or HD.  If it was serious enough I'm sure there would be some attempt at compensation.

[the penguins]

15 hours ago, Captain-John said:

Just on the removal point, if gratuities are included in the booking (not pre-paid), can you claim them back if the service is not up to par? Even if reported on board and time given for it to be corrected?

We wanted to do this when the service provided by a Cabin Steward was totally unacceptable. The guy even walked away from a Senior Officer who was in the middle of telling him just how bad his work was.

However when we enquired we were told that we couldn't just remove the tips of the Cabin Steward we either had to remove the lot or none. As removing the lot would have been totally unfair to the other staff we reluctantly left the tips in place.

It's totally impossible to distribute tips yourself as a lot of the staff (for example in the laundry and restrooms) are all in the auto tip system. 

[Baggy178]

Remove the pre-paid gratuities before you cruise and immediately on boarding tell the Customer Service desk you will be adding gratuities on completion of your bill at the level you see fit and not what the cruise company things it can get away without paying its staff a proper wage.

If they start to argue hold your hand up and say any more nonsense and I will remove all gratuities completely.It works.

Never ever let the tail wag the dog.

Edited October 8, 2023 by Baggy178

[amandas friend]

That’s the correct approach 

[serene56]

19 hours ago, Captain-John said:

Just on the removal point, if gratuities are included in the booking (not pre-paid), can you claim them back if the service is not up to par? Even if reported on board and time given for it to be corrected?

  I’d be working with the hotel service or the maitre d with the issues.   Not guest services.    If it was an issue of not proper training they need to be aware and help the crew member   I see a lot of people remove tips  because the expectation is just too high    If my cabin is cleaned.  I get fresh towels.  I’m good.   If dinner takes too long within reason I don’t want to go back there

[the penguins]

3 hours ago, amandas friend said:

That’s the correct approach 

Interesting as your profile shows your favourite cruise line is Regent where tips are I believe included in the fare with no option to remove them.

[hcat]

 

We would leave the pre paid amt.. not leave extra and file a neg Attention to Detail form with the hotel director....requesting a diff person or close supervision

[cruisestitch]

4 hours ago, Baggy178 said:

Remove the pre-paid gratuities before you cruise and immediately on boarding tell the Customer Service desk you will be adding gratuities on completion of your bill at the level you see fit and not what the cruise company things it can get away without paying its staff a proper wage.

If they start to argue hold your hand up and say any more nonsense and I will remove all gratuities completely.It works.

Never ever let the tail wag the dog.

 If you don’t like the way, the cruise line handles gratuities, and pays their staff, book another cruise line

[WestLakeGirl]

4 hours ago, Baggy178 said:

Remove the pre-paid gratuities before you cruise and immediately on boarding tell the Customer Service desk you will be adding gratuities on completion of your bill at the level you see fit and not what the cruise company things it can get away without paying its staff a proper wage.

 

Here are my questions to you, do you know what a living wage is in Macedonia or Madagascar or the Maldives or Mumbai? Which proper wage would you have the cruise line pay? 

[Baggy178]

7 minutes ago, WestLakeGirl said:

Here are my questions to you, do you know what a living wage is in Macedonia or Madagascar or the Maldives or Mumbai? Which proper wage would you have the cruise line pay? 

 

Well as its an American-owned company why not the minimum wage in the US ?

They're registered outside the country to escape those labour laws so why should passengers pay for their money-grubbing ?

[Baggy178]

19 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

 If you don’t like the way, the cruise line handles gratuities, and pays their staff, book another cruise line

 

I prefer to pay the gratuities I think fit which Celebrity provides me the opportunity to do.

It amazes me how many people who are business zealots throw reason and prudence out of the cabin window when they board a cruise ship.

Pay their staff a decent wage and stop all this mystery about you give us your money for staff tips but we're not obliged to tell you who gets what ? They having a laugh at your expense.

[DaKahuna]

3 minutes ago, Baggy178 said:

 

Well as its an American-owned company why not the minimum wage in the US ?

They're registered outside the country to escape those labour laws so why should passengers pay for their money-grubbing ?

 

 Which "American-owned company" are you speaking of?  Royal Caribbean Group, of which Celebrity is a company within, is a Liberian company if my memory serves me correctly. 

 

[deliver42]

To all the people complaining about tipping: If they included them in the price, you'd complain about the price. Either way, you'd  try to get around tipping. If it bothers you that much, stop cruising, and your problem will be solved.

[Baggy178]

1 hour ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 Which "American-owned company" are you speaking of?  Royal Caribbean Group, of which Celebrity is a company within, is a Liberian company if my memory serves me correctly. 

 

 

Er yes, registered in Liberia.

To avoid US labour laws.

Every cruise line does it.

 

[Cruise till you drop]

So I know that grats are removed from the AI, but can you still pre-pay to get it over with ?

 

I’m finding this topic confusing on how it works

[wrk2cruise]

8 minutes ago, Cruise till you drop said:

So I know that grats are removed from the AI, but can you still pre-pay to get it over with ?

 

I’m finding this topic confusing on how it works

 

Yes.  And if you don't pre-pay they will be automatically added to your seapass account daily.

[the penguins]

3 hours ago, Baggy178 said:

 

I prefer to pay the gratuities I think fit which Celebrity provides me the opportunity to do.

It amazes me how many people who are business zealots throw reason and prudence out of the cabin window when they board a cruise ship.

Pay their staff a decent wage and stop all this mystery about you give us your money for staff tips but we're not obliged to tell you who gets what ? They having a laugh at your expense.

X does tell you - just ask at Guest Relations for the printed sheet. X's system is also ship by ship, with each cruise it's own cost centre unlike for example Princess where the tips are pooled and shared across the fleet.

[the penguins]

1 hour ago, Baggy178 said:

 

Er yes, registered in Liberia.

To avoid US labour laws.

Every cruise line does it.

 

Not just US labour laws. Cunard reregistered it's fleet to avoid EU pay and conditions which would have crippled it.

[Baynanno1]

My apologies for digressing from the subject of pre-paid gratuities.

My apologies also for the underlining of some words which I am unable to remove.

 

Royal Caribbean International (RCI), previously known as Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL), is a cruise line brand founded in 1968 in Norway and organised as a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group since 1997.

 

Royal Caribbean Group, formerly known as Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., is a global cruise holding company incorporated in Liberia and based in Miami, Florida. It is the world's second-largest cruise line operator, after Carnival Corporation & plc. As of January 2021, Royal Caribbean Group fully owns three cruise lines: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises.^[8] They hold a 50% stake in TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, also the now-defunct Pullmantur Cruises and CDF Croisières de France