How do Diamond members use drink vouchers?

[pcur]

39 minutes ago, loman said:

!8 % tip is included . you can tip extra if you wish .

The 18% tip is included with the DRINK PACKAGES, not the C&A coupons.  I tip cash with each drink when I order it. I've received many receipts, especially on the first nights of a cruise before they get accustomed to who is using coupons, and there has never been an 18% tip added on any of them.

 

If you run out of coupons, then they will charge full price and add the gratuity.

 

I put tips for 6 drinks in my mini-wallet, so I know when I run out of cash that day/night, I've used up all my coupons.

Edited October 18, 2023 by pcur

[doghog]

18 minutes ago, loman said:

If memory serves me correctly , i am pretty sure i saw 18 % on the printed invoice

The drink was still free though .

Any OBC and were those 18% charges deducted from it  or did your end of cruise invoice show those charges what you owe? 0 x 18% = 0

[RoyalC]

6 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

???

After you fill your bottle in the bathroom...

[loman]

55 minutes ago, doghog said:

Any OBC and were those 18% charges deducted from it  or did your end of cruise invoice show those charges what you owe? 0 x 18% = 0

The tip was shown on the invoice at 18 % . I was not charged anything for the drink . 

The tip was included with the drink and the drink was totally free. 

My invoice at cruise end did not show any extra charges .

I did not have any OBC. 

[3CatsInMA]

8 hours ago, island lady said:

Medical is on deck one.  

It moved from deck two?

[Airbear232]

15 hours ago, Sun Lover said:

We recently reached Diamond status and will be on a cruise coming up in a few weeks.  I know we will get 4 drink vouchers per day which I assume are tied to our Seapass cards but if we order a bottled water or soda, is there a way not to use a voucher for that so that we can save it for an alcohol drink?

As others have noted, you can use it any way you choose.  We don’t drink, but we enjoy mock tails, lattes, fresh juice from vitality spa and water.

[doghog]

10 hours ago, loman said:

The tip was shown on the invoice at 18 % . I was not charged anything for the drink . 

The tip was included with the drink and the drink was totally free. 

My invoice at cruise end did not show any extra charges .

I did not have any OBC. 

As far as @Dolby1000 question. As I and others have said, no tip is charged for the CAS drinks. Tipping is optional for the drinks. 

Edited October 18, 2023 by doghog

[island lady]

12 hours ago, loman said:

!8 % tip is included . you can tip extra if you wish .

 

Not when you use a voucher.  

 

We tip a buck for each drink...each time.  And I tip for the 1-3 bottles of water I get in the SL as well.   

 

I always to the bank before a cruise to get packs of dollar bills.  Much easier than "begging" for them at CS or the casino.  

 

 

 

 

Edited October 18, 2023 by island lady

[loman]

8 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Not when you use a voucher.  

 

We tip a buck for each drink...each time.  And I tip for the 1-3 bottles of water I get in the SL as well.   

 

I always to the bank before a cruise to get packs of dollar bills.  Much easier than "begging" for them at CS or the casino.  

 

 

 

 

Perhaps i was hallucinating ,  lol  , but i thought i saw a gratuity line whenever i got one of my free drinks and there was a space to add extra gratuity . ( I tipped in cash .)

Sometimes i saw the bill , and other times the waiter didnt bring one. 

I dont drink much and never use the full allotment for alcohol in a day and got water bottles with the extra vouchers at the end of the day.

 

[island lady]

10 hours ago, 3CatsInMA said:

It moved from deck two?

 

It was on deck one on Brilliance when I broke my foot (unfortunately first night of 7 night cruise).  😞 

Have a pretty good memory of that place down there.  😮  

[island lady]

6 minutes ago, loman said:

Perhaps i was hallucinating ,  lol  , but i thought i saw a gratuity line whenever i got one of my free drinks and there was a space to add extra gratuity . ( I tipped in cash .)

Sometimes i saw the bill , and other times the waiter didnt bring one. 

I dont drink much and never use the full allotment for alcohol in a day and got water bottles with the extra vouchers at the end of the day.

 

 

The ships have been going back and forth with the paper bill.  Most of the time we don't receive one, especially when the bartenders get to know us.  It's a PIA for them to print those.  

 

We know they prefer the "cash on the spot" instead of the tip line.  😉 

[akcruz]

51 minutes ago, loman said:

Perhaps i was hallucinating ,  lol  , but i thought i saw a gratuity line whenever i got one of my free drinks and there was a space to add extra gratuity . ( I tipped in cash .)

Sometimes i saw the bill , and other times the waiter didnt bring one. 

I dont drink much and never use the full allotment for alcohol in a day and got water bottles with the extra vouchers at the end of the day.

 

 

If anything it says 18% gratuity added automatically or something like that.  However 18% of 0 is still 0. We tip cash for each drink, at least $1 each drink, more for the bartenders we frequent.

[shipgeeks]

13 hours ago, RoyalC said:

After you fill your bottle in the bathroom...

????

Bathroom sink water and WJ water are pure and delicious.  We've been drinking them daily for 30+ years.

[island lady]

54 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

????

Bathroom sink water and WJ water are pure and delicious.  We've been drinking them daily for 30+ years.

 

 

WJ dispensers...yes...bathroom tap...no way.  

 

Yums...you would not have wanted to drink some of the bathroom tap water we have witnessed at times.   😝 And I have had "just a few" cruises from RCI over the years myself.  😉  

 

Came out brown, with an awful smell, and disgusting at times.  Then there are the times they are flushing the lines with a lot of chlorine...was not difficult to smell what they were doing to kill that crap.  

 

I used to refill at the bathroom tap myself, many years ago, but after too may gross experiences with the bathroom tap water...no way.     If I am going to refill my water bottle, I will hit one of the filtered water dispensers, yes as in the WJ (always using a disposable cup to transfer to my bottle).   

[Morecruisesplz]

On 10/17/2023 at 3:00 PM, moposh said:

I've never gotten free bottles of water.   

You aren't tipping enough.

[The Fun Researcher]

How do we use our vouchers?  Not for water.  I purchase the bottled water package which I find is reasonable, plus we get our free waters in the cabin upon embarkation as well.

 

Assuming you drink...   I'd rather use my vouchers on $14 drinks than bottles of water that are only a few buck if you were to buy them.

 

If our 22 year old daughter is cruising with us (she hasn't reached Diamond quite yet), my wife and I will each let her use at least one of our 4 vouchers and we'll use the rest.  All on alcoholic drinks.

 

If we weren't drinkers I'd probably use them on coffee's, soda, virgin drinks, and maybe an occasional bottled water.

[PhillyFan33579]

On 10/17/2023 at 8:57 PM, loman said:

!8 % tip is included . you can tip extra if you wish .

Not true. I am on Independence right now and there is no tip shown on the receipts for drinks I have ordered as a Diamond Plus. It was the same on Mariner, Freedom and Grandeur, which I have sailed on the last three months. I always tip at least $1 when getting D+ drinks and when getting free drinks in the casino based on being Prime (and getting close to Signature). 

[loman]

17 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Not true. I am on Independence right now and there is no tip shown on the receipts for drinks I have ordered as a Diamond Plus. It was the same on Mariner, Freedom and Grandeur, which I have sailed on the last three months. I always tip at least $1 when getting D+ drinks and when getting free drinks in the casino based on being Prime (and getting close to Signature). 

Doesnt the bill say something to the effect of ....  a service charge is added  ... somewhere on the bottom of the receipt ?

[island lady]

1 hour ago, loman said:

Doesnt the bill say something to the effect of ....  a service charge is added  ... somewhere on the bottom of the receipt ?

 

As others have stated....free + free = free.  

 

Most of us simply hand over a buck a drink in cash...which they appreciate more than the written tip.  

 

 

[Morecruisesplz]

27 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

As others have stated....free + free = free.  

 

Most of us simply hand over a buck a drink in cash...which they appreciate more than the written tip.  

 

 

Or more if you want free water when you ask the same waiter later, or more free...

[Morecruisesplz]

3 hours ago, The Fun Researcher said:

How do we use our vouchers?  Not for water.  I purchase the bottled water package which I find is reasonable, plus we get our free waters in the cabin upon embarkation as well.

 

Assuming you drink...   I'd rather use my vouchers on $14 drinks than bottles of water that are only a few buck if you were to buy them.

 

If our 22 year old daughter is cruising with us (she hasn't reached Diamond quite yet), my wife and I will each let her use at least one of our 4 vouchers and we'll use the rest.  All on alcoholic drinks.

 

If we weren't drinkers I'd probably use them on coffee's, soda, virgin drinks, and maybe an occasional bottled water.

You aren't listening to the advice from several on how to get free water. But maybe you prefer to pay. 🤔 

[The Fun Researcher]

3 minutes ago, fredmdcruisers said:

You aren't listening to the advice from several on how to get free water. But maybe you prefer to pay. 🤔 

I fully admit, that may be true.  🙂  I always tip at least $1 for my diamond drinks and typically return to the same bartenders.  I just don't think of asking for bottled water at the bar.  I'll have to remember that at the end of the night to grab one or two next time

 

Last cruise (July Alaska) I paid $22 for a case of bottled water.  Ended up being about 36 bottles since they were slightly smaller than 12oz.  On top of that were our loyalty water bottles.  Was nice to have them waiting in my room all the time and ready to be placed in the room's fridge.  I think I like that versus getting them piecemeal throughout the cruise.

 

To each their own though.  I fully support folks (including me :D) getting free bottled water!

 

 

[mets123]

4 hours ago, loman said:

Doesnt the bill say something to the effect of ....  a service charge is added  ... somewhere on the bottom of the receipt ?

no

.

 

 

[travelberlin]

And here we are again at the tipping subject…to tip or not to tip…to use tips as a reward for good service or as an incentive for performing outside the rules (like giving you 2-3 bottles of water, reserving you tables on the diamond lounge,  and probably not even charging you for additional drinks).

And if you do not tip what will happen? Your luggage might not show up if you do not tip the porters at the port, we have read somewhere…

 

If you do not tip each time you get your free diamond drink (“free” meaning including gratuities because if it would not include them, Royal would have written that under terms and conditions of this benefit) what might happen?

[Merion_Mom]

7 minutes ago, travelberlin said:

And here we are again at the tipping subject…to tip or not to tip…to use tips as a reward for good service or as an incentive for performing outside the rules (like giving you 2-3 bottles of water, reserving you tables on the diamond lounge,  and probably not even charging you for additional drinks).

And if you do not tip what will happen? Your luggage might not show up if you do not tip the porters at the port, we have read somewhere…

 

If you do not tip each time you get your free diamond drink (“free” meaning including gratuities because if it would not include them, Royal would have written that under terms and conditions of this benefit) what might happen?

You would be a tightwad who does not appreciate the crew who serve you.