Daft question re. pre-paid gratuities/tipping

[spanner14]

Morning all

 

Apologies as this may be a very daft question but the only other cruise line we've used was OV where all gratuities are included. How do the crew on RC ships know if you've pre-paid gratuities or not? We've prepaid but I know that we should tip someone who brings room service, is that right?

 

Sorry, being a Brit the tipping culture is quite different over here and I'd hate to offend anyone. Is there anyone else I need to tip if I've pre-paid tips, and how will they know?

 

Thanks so much!

Kind regards, Spanner :)

[KelJ]

Morning all

 

Apologies as this may be a very daft question but the only other cruise line we've used was OV where all gratuities are included. How do the crew on RC ships know if you've pre-paid gratuities or not? We've prepaid but I know that we should tip someone who brings room service, is that right?

 

Sorry, being a Brit the tipping culture is quite different over here and I'd hate to offend anyone. Is there anyone else I need to tip if I've pre-paid tips, and how will they know?

 

Thanks so much!

Kind regards, Spanner :)

 

If you have prepaid your gratuities, toward the end of your cruise you will receive envelopes and vouchers in your cabin, one envelope and voucher for each person covered in the prepaid tips (head waiter, waiter, assistant waiter, stateroom attendant). On the last night of the cruise, you hand these out to those people.

Yes, you will still have to tip room service people. That is not included in the prepaid tips.

[spanner14]

Oh, got it. Thanks Kelly. Do you know how much I should tip room service folks? I know to take some $1 dollar bills but I don't know how many dollars to tip!

 

And do I need to tip bar staff or do bar prices include their gratuity?

 

Thanks again!

Spanner :)

[madforcruising]

Morning all

 

Apologies as this may be a very daft question but the only other cruise line we've used was OV where all gratuities are included. How do the crew on RC ships know if you've pre-paid gratuities or not? We've prepaid but I know that we should tip someone who brings room service, is that right?

 

Sorry, being a Brit the tipping culture is quite different over here and I'd hate to offend anyone. Is there anyone else I need to tip if I've pre-paid tips, and how will they know?

 

Thanks so much!

Kind regards, Spanner :)

 

Your prepaid tipping goes to the ones that are on the recommended tipping list (waiter/assistant waiter/headwaiter/cabin steward). These people will know you have prepaid your tips because they get lists about who prepaid. However on the last day of your cruise, when the tip envelopes are given out you will receive vouchers that can be placed in the envelopes and handed over to those that served you. Of course if you think there service was exceptional you´ll be free to add some cash with the voucher. If you don´t want to hand out the vouchers it doesn´t matter either, as the crew won´t need the voucher to get the tip.

 

For bar service a 15% tip is automatically added and again you are free to add to that. Room service is not included in the prepaid tips and while not mandatory IMO should be tipped on an individual basis. If you order Room service during night hours(forgot the exact times) a service charge will be added that includes the tip.

[alexkrn46]

Depending on the size of room service we give a couple bucks to $5.

[spanner14]

:) Excellent info, thanks so much everyone!

[Chippendale]

Morning all

 

Apologies as this may be a very daft question but the only other cruise line we've used was OV where all gratuities are included. How do the crew on RC ships know if you've pre-paid gratuities or not? We've prepaid but I know that we should tip someone who brings room service, is that right?

 

Sorry, being a Brit the tipping culture is quite different over here and I'd hate to offend anyone. Is there anyone else I need to tip if I've pre-paid tips, and how will they know?

 

Thanks so much!

Kind regards, Spanner :)

 

Hi Spanner, I called RC yesterday and pre-paid the gratuities for our upcoming trip on AOS. Prepaying also allows for MTD (my time dining). We chose not to try it this trip and will remain with 2nd seating. You will receive envelopes in your room with coupons for the amount tipped and we usually add a little extra cash for exceptional service. You will hand out the envelopes the last evening of the cruise. We always tip extra for room service ($2.00 each day for coffee, juice and fruit). ENJOY!

[spanner14]

Cool, thanks so much Chippendale. We've requested MTD too because being mobility impaired, sometimes it takes me longer to get places or get ready and I hate trying to rush! So hopefully MTD will let me take my pain meds and then get to dinner in our own good time :)

 

Enjoy your cruise too - I can't wait! :D

[littledebi]

sorry I am new to Royal and we will be doing my time dining, so how does that work as I thought I had read somewhere that if you do mtd they charge for tips on your account automatically. I am so confused? Do we just do our tipping at the end of the cruise or is it automatically added on? Just learning about how Royal works, I read threads and read threads and read threads...

Princess adds your tips on so you know what and how much you will be paying they take care of every body for you, we love our cabin steward so always leave him a little extra.

[spanner14]

I'm new to RC as well but as far as I can work out you can only book My Time Dining if you've prepaid your tips. We did this through our travel agent; they asked when we booked and I always think it's easier to pay up front.

 

If you have a look at the helpful replies above it explains how the vouchers/prepaid tips work.

 

Spanner x

[madforcruising]

sorry I am new to Royal and we will be doing my time dining, so how does that work as I thought I had read somewhere that if you do mtd they charge for tips on your account automatically. I am so confused? Do we just do our tipping at the end of the cruise or is it automatically added on? Just learning about how Royal works, I read threads and read threads and read threads...

 

Princess adds your tips on so you know what and how much you will be paying they take care of every body for you, we love our cabin steward so always leave him a little extra.

 

As I´m a traditional diner I can´t tell too much about MTD, but to book it you need to prepay tips and that means that if you do this before boarding you will need to pay the tips in advance. It´s not automatically added on and not on a day by day basis, but the whole amount.

Also this includes not only the wait team, but also your cabin steward.

 

As said above with pre-paid gratuities you´ll get vouvhers with the tip envelopes at the end of the cruise.

[negc]

sorry I am new to Royal and we will be doing my time dining, so how does that work as I thought I had read somewhere that if you do mtd they charge for tips on your account automatically. I am so confused? Do we just do our tipping at the end of the cruise or is it automatically added on? Just learning about how Royal works, I read threads and read threads and read threads...

 

Princess adds your tips on so you know what and how much you will be paying they take care of every body for you, we love our cabin steward so always leave him a little extra.

MTD works in a similar manner. You agree to have the tips added to your seapass account and RCI takes care of everyone for whom tips are suggested (head waiter, waiter, assistant waiter and room steward). At the end of your cruise you will get vouchers and envelopes to hand to the staff (if you wish) and to which you can add an additional tip if you feel it is deserved.:)

[littledebi]

Thanks! I get it now...;)