Confused about gratuities

[Cruisin Around]

Hi All,

Please forgive me if this was discussed somewhere else, but do gratuities have to be prepaid or is that just an option? As soon as we book a cruise, I make envelopes at home with the amount needed for each attendant for the duration of the cruise and anytime I have extra cash in my purse (not that often lately!), I put it in the envelopes until each has the right amount. I stash it when they are completed and right before we're ready to go, I exchange the old money for nice crisp bills and they are all ready for the last evening (the sad day!). My travel agent told me that they must be prepaid now and that you can not hand out cash to people. I though maybe this was a new rule because too many workers were being "stiffed" (I used to be a waitress, so I feel their pain!). I was just looking on RC's website and noticed that it said you can give cash the last night...

Just wondering now what is right.

Thanks!

[Mydnite]

RCL do not require you to pre pay gratuities unless you are going to use my time dining.

[Cruisin Around]

Thanks for clearing that up. I think our agent may be confused!

[IWORK2CRUISE]

I love your idea of stashing your extra cash in advance!

We are on Explorer 04/17 and will do MTD for the 1st time. In that case we have been required to pre-pay gratuities.

If not doing MTD I have deffinately not seen or heard that gratuities need to be pre-paid.

[MouseGirl]

We just cruised RCL last month, and can confirm Mydnite's post that unless you are doing MTD you do not have to prepay gratuities. We paid ours at the end of the cruise in the envelopes provided the last night.

[Clarea]

You can also charge your gratuities on board to your SeaPass account. You will be given a form to fill out a few days before the end of the cruise giving you this option. If you choose this option, you will get vouchers on the last day which you can put into the envelopes to give to people. The vouchers will be for the suggested amount, currently $9.75 per day per person, split between the room steward, waiter, assistant waiter, and head waiter. You can also add cash as you see fit if you want to give people more than the suggested amount.

 

The advantage of this is that the gratutites get charged to your credit card and you don't have to make change. The disadvantage is that you cannot give less than the suggested amount. I've never had this situation because I've been very fortunate to have had outstanding service, but some might view it as a disadvantage.

[janoma]

This is helpful info as we are newbies at this.

 

So, I was concerned that MTD was going to cost me more in gratuities b/c they were prepaid, but - other than the option to "under-tip", which I hope wouldn't be necessary - it doesn't really matter whether you eat (i) regular dining room; (ii) MTD; or (iii) Windjammer...you'd be tipping the same amount? If that's so, I'd be even more inclined to go the MTD route (I just need to convince the rest of my group that we're not overpaying by doing this).

 

So, 2 of us for a 12 day cruise would be a flat $234 on a credit card and then I wouldn't have to think about it again?

 

Is there anyone else who gets tipped besides the people that split that $9.75?

[Sue L]

This is helpful info as we are newbies at this.

 

So, I was concerned that MTD was going to cost me more in gratuities b/c they were prepaid, but - other than the option to "under-tip", which I hope wouldn't be necessary - it doesn't really matter whether you eat (i) regular dining room; (ii) MTD; or (iii) Windjammer...you'd be tipping the same amount? If that's so, I'd be even more inclined to go the MTD route (I just need to convince the rest of my group that we're not overpaying by doing this).

 

So, 2 of us for a 12 day cruise would be a flat $234 on a credit card and then I wouldn't have to think about it again?

 

Is there anyone else who gets tipped besides the people that split that $9.75?

 

 

I am confused why your group thinks that they would be charged more for tips by prepaying? You can tip anyone who you feel gave you exceptional service.

[GlitterGirlFL]

Tipping - MTD-prebooked Gratuites must be prepaid

Dining in the Main Dining room you can put in envelope and hand out the last

night at dinner if you prefer you can put cash or fill out the form at the pursers desk and

they will charge to your Sea Pass Account

Groups- Groups must decide if they want to prepay all must do the same.

[macd4]

This is helpful info as we are newbies at this.

Is there anyone else who gets tipped besides the people that split that $9.75?

The bar servers get 15% automatically added to each order.

At your discretion, you may also tip room service, spa, and casino staff, if you use those services.

[janoma]

Sorry - didn't mean to mislead - it's just that the couple we are traveling with generally just do Windjammer (more for the time factor, I think) and I'm trying to persuade them that MTD is a good happy medium - without it costing more. If, in fact, unlike dining at a restaurant where your tip is based on a % of the tab amount, seems like in cruising, it's the same whether you have the multi-course dinner in the dining room or the buffet in the Windjammer. In essence, they are paying the same gratuity either way - so it would be a good argument in favor of MTD, no?

[Sue L]

Sorry - didn't mean to mislead - it's just that the couple we are traveling with generally just do Windjammer (more for the time factor, I think) and I'm trying to persuade them that MTD is a good happy medium - without it costing more. If, in fact, unlike dining at a restaurant where your tip is based on a % of the tab amount, seems like in cruising, it's the same whether you have the multi-course dinner in the dining room or the buffet in the Windjammer. In essence, they are paying the same gratuity either way - so it would be a good argument in favor of MTD, no?

 

It really doesn't matter where you eat you still should be tipping. It sounds like the other couple think if they eat in the Windjammer that they don't have to tip?It should not matter as the staff works all the dining venues so tips should be paid regardless of where you eat. Tips are a flat fee no matter the venue.

[aloha of the seas]

It is interesting that your travel agent told you that you had to have prepaid tips. Maybe he was planning on paying your tips. If that was the case they would be prepaid, but you could always give a little extra if you thought the service was above and beyond. i would check would my travel agent to see what benefits he was planning on giving me for my business. Enjoy your trip.

[Cruisin Around]

No, our agent was not prepaying gratuities. The only perk that I know of right now is that we're getting a coupon book - not the crown & anchor book - but a different one. I had to use this agency to book through my Discover Card and get extra cash back incentives and $$ off of the cruise.