There is a 15% gratuity charged for bottles of wine with dinner!

[Merion_Mom]

MerionMom, No way!! They charged you a gratuity on a corkage fee???!!! I would think that the corking of a bottle of wine would fall under the regular gratuity that you are already paying your waiter (and yes, I still think that bringing a bottle of wine to the table should fall under the regular gratuity, as it does on most other lines). As a matter of fact, I thought the corkage fee basically "was" the gratuity!!

Yes, that's exactly what *I* was thinking, and I was shocked into speechlessness. (which, if you know me, is a MIGHTY RARE turn of events)

[bUU]

That would be very hard to explain: What is the service being paid-for with respect the corkage fee itself? Sounds like someone made a rather strange mistake.

[AuntieBon]

Is Royal the only one that has the waiter handle the wine? I thought on NCL & Carnival that the bar person handled all alcohol in the dining room?

 

Seems pretty "cheap" of RCL to tack on a gratuity on top of the corkage fee. As Susanita stated not too much effort involved in twisting that cork out of the bottle that they should get $11.50 ($10 corkage $1.50 tip) for taking the time.

 

Glad we left the wine in the room and enjoyed it before dinner.

[Jansen]

Talk about "whine" with dinner! This thread takes the Cake Bread.

[S.S. Cruisers]

Susanita: I know you usually cruise Carnival and this post got me curious. We have always been charged the 15% gratuity on a bottle of wine with dinner. I am a pack rat and a lush I guess, so I just went and pulled out our receipts from last October cruise on Carnival. YES the 15% gratuity is charged on a bottle of wine at dinner. Maybe you just over looked it before? :o

[SUSANITA]

No one is whining. This is a board to post info about cruise related topics, correct? If I was suprised at the added gratuity, them I'm certain others have been and will be as well. I'm not complaining about tipping, we tipped the bar waiter $2 extra every single night, on top of his 15% gratuity, lest you think I'm cheap. I just don't feel that an $8 gratuity is warranted on a bottle of wine that is already marked up 200% and served by my waiter that I am already tipping well. And a gratuity on a corkage fee? Puh-leese.

 

Hi SS, nope, I'm certain that a gratuity was not included on our fee on our Carnival cruises.

[PH8]

Just got off the Enchantment and noticed for the first time,the little sign in the cabin............the one that tells you how much the soda and bottled water costs you?? Anyway,it says they add a 15% gratuity to that too!!!!!! Imagine that,opening a can or bottle in your cabin and paying a tip for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Now thats CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek: :eek:

[S.S. Cruisers]

Well, boy do I feel hosed, because we were charged, and had a bottle of wine each night with dinner. I wonder if it depends on who or how they ring it up?

[bUU]

I can see charging gratuity on soft drinks in the cabin... after all someone provided the service of provisioning the cabin with them. I'm still amazed, though, at charging a gratuity on what is basically a gratuity, and still convinced that it was a mistake made, rather than standard practice.

[SUSANITA]

I can see charging gratuity on soft drinks in the cabin... after all someone provided the service of provisioning the cabin with them

I disagree. Keeping the fridge stocked with overpriced water that I can get onshore for .99 cents per bottle but am paying $2.50 or more for falls under the category of "steward responsibilities" which I am paying for in my regular tip. I don't mind paying an additional tip for extra service (one night the steward helped me with an emergency dry cleaning issue, I tipped him extra $5), but to tip 15% to put a bottle of water in my fridge? Ridiculous.

[bUU]

Hmm... I'd love to see an official description of the steward's responsibilities that include keeping the minibar or its surrogate stocked. I enjoy have more documented resources to refer to. :D

 

Seriously, Linda Garrison says that the responsibilities of the steward is to, "clean and do daily maintenance of the cabins and general housekeeping."

[SUSANITA]

Daily Maintenence of the cabin also includes stocking the fridge and filling the ice bucket. I'm sure that RCI wants the stewards to stock the fridges, they make a darn good markup on anything in there.

 

I know this seems redundant, and i'm pretty tired of my own thread by now, but these "extra" gratuities all over the place really add up, and others should be aware of it. In my opinion, most (if not all) of them should be covered under responsibilities that I am already tipping for. But, whatever!

[ABoatNerd]

Good cruising to all:

 

Here is a solution - Do NOT buy alcohol on cruises!

 

Deny the cruiseline revenue! By doing so, you are telling them that a) the auto 15% gratuity for undefined service is NOT acceptable and b) tax on top of gratuity is robbery. If enough people do this, the cruiselines will have to adjust.

 

There is so much discussion on "nickle and diming" - well each of us has control over how much we are "exploited" by the cruiselines. As Ann Landers said many times - "No one can abuse you without your permission".

 

I maintain control over my expenditures but not purchasing anything extra on my cruise other than shore excursions. You can do what you like, but, it is not logical to complain about this or that if you choose to continue to purchase on board items KNOWING that the cruiselines are increasing the costs.

 

An alternative view for consideration by the good CC folks

 

ABoatNerd

[goodml]

I also am surprised at a gratuity being charged for consuming one of the soft drinks from the cabin fridge. I liken that to purchasing one from a vending machine and having to deposit extra specifically allocated for the guy who loads it. I also agree that if it's part of the steward's cabin duties it should be in the gratuity we're already paying. No whining here (!!) - I don't buy them in room anyway so it doesn't apply to me but it still seems odd.

[skiiergirl]

Susanita....I think you said it yesterday. I have never even thought about this but had I thought about it I would assume a 15% gratuity would be added automatically for the bottle. Yes, I would have been surprised if I happen to be on a line that didn't charge it. But as RCI is all we sail, I would have never thought about it.

 

As far as the gratuity vs. the corkage. I am not a big wine connoisseur (sp?) but my understanding is the corkage fee is a "restaurant charge" not a "tip". In local establishments that we take our own, we have to pay a corkage fee. This is not a tip but a fee the restaurant charges for the "use" of their opener, glasses, washing of glasses, etc. Not to mention the fact that the server is taking time to do this that they could be serving someone else. This "counteracts" the loss of income to the restaurant that they would have had if you had bought the wine from them. I have no problem in paying the gratuity on the corkage fee too.

[Dabert]

WOW !!1

 

After reading all those post on wines, gratuity and corkage fee...

 

I'm thinking on bringing my own wine too. I might even adjust the waiter daily tip in relation to that gratuity.

 

I mean I don't mind paying but that double dipping if I ever seen it ....

 

Going to be on Brilliance Dec 13 2004

 

Bob

[patrickjbritton]

The soda in the fridge is not included on the soda card. The soda card only covers fountain soda and juices. The 15% on the soda card is for the bartender or waiter who would be getting the tip if you had to pay for each soda. I agree that paying 15% on a corkage fee is a little absurd.

[Rustynail]

If you brought your own wine and were charged the corkage fee - would the 15% gratuity be added as well??

[madforcruising]

Susanita....I think you said it yesterday. I have never even thought about this but had I thought about it I would assume a 15% gratuity would be added automatically for the bottle. Yes, I would have been surprised if I happen to be on a line that didn't charge it. But as RCI is all we sail, I would have never thought about it.

 

As far as the gratuity vs. the corkage. I am not a big wine connoisseur (sp?) but my understanding is the corkage fee is a "restaurant charge" not a "tip". In local establishments that we take our own, we have to pay a corkage fee. This is not a tip but a fee the restaurant charges for the "use" of their opener, glasses, washing of glasses, etc. Not to mention the fact that the server is taking time to do this that they could be serving someone else. This "counteracts" the loss of income to the restaurant that they would have had if you had bought the wine from them. I have no problem in paying the gratuity on the corkage fee too.

Two thumbs up! Great reply!

[FinelyCruising]

In the past two years on RCI I have been charged a gratuity on every bottle of wine I have ordered at dinner.

 

This is OK with me.

[Merion_Mom]

Rusty, that is EXACTLY what happened to me.

 

Carol

[MGoBlue2]

In the past two years on RCI I have been charged a gratuity on every bottle of wine I have ordered at dinner.

 

This is OK with me.

It would be interesting to know who gets it, and on the items taken from the mini-bar.

[Shanafan]

I just wanted to make you guys aware that if you order a bottle of wine with dinner, you will be charged a 15% gratuity on that bottle. This suprised me, as it's the first time I've ever been charged an extra gratuity for wine ( I figured I was already tipping my waiter, and this would fall under his normal "service", but I was wrong!). We ordered a bottle of wine (on Mariner), and were charged almost an extra $6 for gratuity. The more expensive the wine, the more gratuity, obviously. I've never been charged a gratuity for wine on any other cruiseline.

I see what you are saying, however, when I go up to the pool bar and order a beer--I am still charged the 15%. I can understand tipping the server who gets the beer while you are by the pool, but when you walk up to the bar and get it yourself....but please ---don't get me wrong---I always tip----having been a bartender at one time--I would never not tip. It is a good question though---and I'll have to continue reading to find out the answer..:)

[FinelyCruising]

It would be interesting to know who gets it, and on the items taken from the mini-bar.

No idea on the mini-bar, but the dining room wait staff gets the gratuity for the bottle of wine at the table.

[SUSANITA]

I think that a small corkage fee for a bottle of wine ordered with dinner would be better than charging a gratuity fee based on cost of the bottle. Prices of bottles of wine vary greatly, but the amount or "work" involved is the same.