Pre-paid Gratuities Question

[mccasey]

We did MTD on our cruise 2 weeks ago on the Mariner of the Seas and so we had to prepay our gratuities. Now obviously we have no problem doing that and we even gave extra tip $$$ in the envelopes to those we felt really deserved it. However, what irks me about pre-paying is that you have to pay the "suggested" amount.

 

My problem with that is the following.

 

1) We ate at both specialty restaurants and so we were no in the dining room for 2 nights. Since the amount is so much per person per DAY, shouldn't we be able to adjust the amount we'd like to pre-pay accordingly? Or, shouldn't we be able to put whatever amount (extra) we'd like to put on our seapass if we wanted to pay more (for those who don't have or don't want to spend the cash).

 

2) We never saw the head waiter, to the point that when it came time to hand him the envelope with our voucher, we had no idea who he was. We would have much rathered tip the maitre d' (which we did anyway) than tip the head waiter, who never even so much as introduced himself to us. Is there something I am missing here? What does the head waiter do for us? I understand tipping him if he has gone out of his way to make you feel special or done something extra for you, but if he is never even around then???

 

I would love it if RCCL would revise their pre-paid policy and allow us to tip whatever amount we'd like (as long as we prepay our tips for ourh ead waiter & assistant waiter) - even if they had to put a minimum tip amount for each of those to ensure that they don't get screwed by cheap customers. They could still use the minimum "suggested" amount for the room steward, but allow you to increase it if you'd like. Also, allowing us to pre-pay tips for other staff (such as the maitre d') and not forcing us to tip staff whom we never see would be great.

 

Does anyone else have these same thoughts or any explanations for me that would help me to understand why they do it the way they do.

 

Thanks!

[manchak99]

we will be cruising for the first time tomorrow! we also prepaid gratuities...but what gratuities are actually covered in that prepay?

[Lynnees]

YOu have just pointed out some of the reasons I don't like pre-paying gratuities. I guess that's why we will never go with MTD.

[mccasey]

The gratuities covered in the pre-paid gratuities are for the cabin steward, your head waiter, your waiter & assistant waiter.

[TBSCruiser]

Even though you didn't eat in the MDR every night, those same people took care of you in other locations like the Windjammer for breakfast and lunch or snacks, etc. so your tips are still earned.

 

When you did eat in the MDR, did you have good service? Then your head waiter earned the tip as they are the ones who are responsible for overseeing their area and making sure everything runs smoothly.

[mccasey]

Even though you didn't eat in the MDR every night, those same people took care of you in other locations like the Windjammer for breakfast and lunch or snacks, etc. so your tips are still earned.

 

When you did eat in the MDR, did you have good service? Then your head waiter earned the tip as they are the ones who are responsible for overseeing their area and making sure everything runs smoothly.

 

OK that makes sense I guess...

 

I wonder why when you prepay you cannot add extra though.

[TBSCruiser]

OK that makes sense I guess...

 

I wonder why when you prepay you cannot add extra though.

 

sure you can, just add cash to the envelope for your steward before you hand it to them.

[mccasey]

sure you can, just add cash to the envelope for your steward before you hand it to them.

 

Right but I meant to put an even bigger amount on your seapass. Would be nice.

[mpbmark]

Right but I meant to put an even bigger amount on your seapass. Would be nice.

 

You can do that too. Just visit the purser and make the changes, either up or down, as you desire.

[mccasey]

You can do that too. Just visit the purser and make the changes, either up or down, as you desire.

 

Oh nice! Didn't know that! Thanks!

[kyriecat]

You can do that too. Just visit the purser and make the changes, either up or down, as you desire.

I was told on Legend last year that you could not make changes to tips. I actually wanted to decrease mine for the cabin steward because she didn't even come to our room for several days, despite complaints. Maybe that was the problem - you can only add extra. :confused: I've never tried to increase the tips. I've always just added some $$ as needed to the envelope.

[mpbmark]

I was told on Legend last year that you could not make changes to tips. I actually wanted to decrease mine for the cabin steward because she didn't even come to our room for several days, despite complaints. Maybe that was the problem - you can only add extra. :confused: I've never tried to increase the tips. I've always just added some $$ as needed to the envelope.

 

Interesting. I have never tried to make a change but have heard numerous people provide the advice that I gave. I wonder if this is related to MTD issues and prepaying tips.

[dual]

In relation to tips - how do the staff prefer to receive their tips?

 

Its ok paying pre-paid gratuities, but do the staff really receive all of it?

 

Do they prefer cash tips?

[dplusd]

Even though you didn't eat in the MDR every night, those same people took care of you in other locations like the Windjammer for breakfast and lunch or snacks, etc. so your tips are still earned.

 

When you did eat in the MDR, did you have good service? Then your head waiter earned the tip as they are the ones who are responsible for overseeing their area and making sure everything runs smoothly.

 

Well said. Even if you don't eat in the MDR for the entire cruise, the tips are still earned as they cover your service for breakfast, lunch and dinner in the Windjamer and other food venues.

[Michuck]

Even though you didn't eat in the MDR every night, those same people took care of you in other locations like the Windjammer for breakfast and lunch or snacks, etc. so your tips are still earned.

 

When you did eat in the MDR, did you have good service? Then your head waiter earned the tip as they are the ones who are responsible for overseeing their area and making sure everything runs smoothly.

 

Right on!! I couldn't agree with you more.....

 

M.

[opal1001]

Do they prefer cash tips?

 

 

We asked our waiter this on our last cruise and he said he likes recieving pre-paid tips. And yes he said they get all of it. He can turn the voucher in for cash on the ship.

Debbie

[Kurbanfan]

You can reduce or add to tips to your sea pass card......

I like pre paying.......then I don't have to worry about it later..........

[tnt10]

Do they prefer cash tips?

 

 

We asked our waiter this on our last cruise and he said he likes recieving pre-paid tips. And yes he said they get all of it. He can turn the voucher in for cash on the ship.

Debbie

 

 

Even if they don't get the voucher in hand, will they still get the pre paid tips?

Thanks,

TnT

[negc]

We asked our waiter this on our last cruise and he said he likes recieving pre-paid tips. And yes he said they get all of it. He can turn the voucher in for cash on the ship.

Debbie

 

 

Even if they don't get the voucher in hand, will they still get the pre paid tips?

Thanks,

TnT

 

My understanding is that they will. Tips are pooled in My Time Dining, so having the vouchers will not really affect how much each server receives, and in Traditional Dining, they know who your servers are and they will receive the tips you prepaid whether or not you hand your servers their envelopes and vouchers.

[bb123]

I think everyone ought to understand that the tips are really part of the wages of the relevant staff. Spanish cruise lines automatically add them to the account, and they cannot be altered.

My daughter is working as a hairdresser on a Carnival ship, where they have been told they can expect 15% tips. Yes, occasionally they do, but usually far less, if anything at all. Apparently those on the European cruises get even less. They have to provide their own equipment, even down to hair rollers, and do over 245 dollars of work a week before they earn a cent (apart from tips). There is no basic, and the commission is less than 10% of the service. In addition, they have, themselves, to "tip" their room steward and bar staff! Work at embarkation/disembarcation and safety drill is unpaid.

If you find the staff are a bit pushy, please remember that they have sales and work targets to achieve, and that they have no basic salary.

 

They are probably the only crew members to which that applies, and I think their gratuity should be automatically added, like the bar bills, but clearly with the option to remove/reduce if the service was unsatisfactory !

[dooleymoe]

Well if they don't like their jobs/working conditions/pay rate, there are always other employers/career choices. I'm on vacation, I dont want to hear passengers OR employees whining

 

I think everyone ought to understand that the tips are really part of the wages of the relevant staff. Spanish cruise lines automatically add them to the account, and they cannot be altered.

My daughter is working as a hairdresser on a Carnival ship, where they have been told they can expect 15% tips. Yes, occasionally they do, but usually far less, if anything at all. Apparently those on the European cruises get even less. They have to provide their own equipment, even down to hair rollers, and do over 245 dollars of work a week before they earn a cent (apart from tips). There is no basic, and the commission is less than 10% of the service. In addition, they have, themselves, to "tip" their room steward and bar staff! Work at embarkation/disembarcation and safety drill is unpaid.

If you find the staff are a bit pushy, please remember that they have sales and work targets to achieve, and that they have no basic salary.

 

They are probably the only crew members to which that applies, and I think their gratuity should be automatically added, like the bar bills, but clearly with the option to remove/reduce if the service was unsatisfactory !

[Lynnees]

I think everyone ought to understand that the tips are really part of the wages of the relevant staff. Spanish cruise lines automatically add them to the account, and they cannot be altered.

My daughter is working as a hairdresser on a Carnival ship, where they have been told they can expect 15% tips. Yes, occasionally they do, but usually far less, if anything at all. Apparently those on the European cruises get even less. They have to provide their own equipment, even down to hair rollers, and do over 245 dollars of work a week before they earn a cent (apart from tips). There is no basic, and the commission is less than 10% of the service. In addition, they have, themselves, to "tip" their room steward and bar staff! Work at embarkation/disembarcation and safety drill is unpaid.

If you find the staff are a bit pushy, please remember that they have sales and work targets to achieve, and that they have no basic salary.

 

They are probably the only crew members to which that applies, and I think their gratuity should be automatically added, like the bar bills, but clearly with the option to remove/reduce if the service was unsatisfactory !

 

Even if they were to make grauitities automatic they would not include the hairdressers etc. And rightly so. There are not that many people really who use SPA services so why should they pay a service charge.

 

The cost of a "do" on a ship is much more than anything on shore. In addition the SPA staff are constantly pushing their products. I refuse to go anymore cause it's so annoying.

 

My understanding the SPA staff are on contract with a private company not the cruiseline.

[MAZANDSTEVE]

I think everyone ought to understand that the tips are really part of the wages of the relevant staff. Spanish cruise lines automatically add them to the account, and they cannot be altered.

My daughter is working as a hairdresser on a Carnival ship, where they have been told they can expect 15% tips. Yes, occasionally they do, but usually far less, if anything at all. Apparently those on the European cruises get even less. They have to provide their own equipment, even down to hair rollers, and do over 245 dollars of work a week before they earn a cent (apart from tips). There is no basic, and the commission is less than 10% of the service. In addition, they have, themselves, to "tip" their room steward and bar staff! Work at embarkation/disembarcation and safety drill is unpaid.

If you find the staff are a bit pushy, please remember that they have sales and work targets to achieve, and that they have no basic salary.

 

They are probably the only crew members to which that applies, and I think their gratuity should be automatically added, like the bar bills, but clearly with the option to remove/reduce if the service was unsatisfactory !

 

I never use the SPA or hairdressers so most definately would not be happy having a automatic tip added for the staff there.

[carhirer]

I think everyone ought to understand that the tips are really part of the wages of the relevant staff. Spanish cruise lines automatically add them to the account, and they cannot be altered.

My daughter is working as a hairdresser on a Carnival ship, where they have been told they can expect 15% tips. Yes, occasionally they do, but usually far less, if anything at all. Apparently those on the European cruises get even less. They have to provide their own equipment, even down to hair rollers, and do over 245 dollars of work a week before they earn a cent (apart from tips). There is no basic, and the commission is less than 10% of the service. In addition, they have, themselves, to "tip" their room steward and bar staff! Work at embarkation/disembarcation and safety drill is unpaid.

If you find the staff are a bit pushy, please remember that they have sales and work targets to achieve, and that they have no basic salary.

 

They are probably the only crew members to which that applies, and I think their gratuity should be automatically added, like the bar bills, but clearly with the option to remove/reduce if the service was unsatisfactory !

 

I do sympathise. These people are working for nothing until they exceed a certain target.

 

But the best way to deal with this harsh commercial system is to avoid it. RCCL charged higher bar prices on Ex Southamption cruises and very quickly had to reduce them when Brit cruisers stopped buying!

 

If Spa staff have to hassle customers in order to meet their targets, that should not be encouraged. The only honest way is to pay people and post a proper price list

[bar_20]

We did MTD on our cruise 2 weeks ago on the Mariner of the Seas and so we had to prepay our gratuities. Now obviously we have no problem doing that and we even gave extra tip $$$ in the envelopes to those we felt really deserved it. However, what irks me about pre-paying is that you have to pay the "suggested" amount.

 

My problem with that is the following.

 

1) We ate at both specialty restaurants and so we were no in the dining room for 2 nights. Since the amount is so much per person per DAY, shouldn't we be able to adjust the amount we'd like to pre-pay accordingly? Or, shouldn't we be able to put whatever amount (extra) we'd like to put on our seapass if we wanted to pay more (for those who don't have or don't want to spend the cash).

 

2) We never saw the head waiter, to the point that when it came time to hand him the envelope with our voucher, we had no idea who he was. We would have much rathered tip the maitre d' (which we did anyway) than tip the head waiter, who never even so much as introduced himself to us. Is there something I am missing here? What does the head waiter do for us? I understand tipping him if he has gone out of his way to make you feel special or done something extra for you, but if he is never even around then???

 

I would love it if RCCL would revise their pre-paid policy and allow us to tip whatever amount we'd like (as long as we prepay our tips for ourh ead waiter & assistant waiter) - even if they had to put a minimum tip amount for each of those to ensure that they don't get screwed by cheap customers. They could still use the minimum "suggested" amount for the room steward, but allow you to increase it if you'd like. Also, allowing us to pre-pay tips for other staff (such as the maitre d') and not forcing us to tip staff whom we never see would be great.

 

Does anyone else have these same thoughts or any explanations for me that would help me to understand why they do it the way they do.

 

Thanks!

 

Is your dinner meal the only time you eat in the main dining room? Do you eat breakfast or lunch there? Do you tip the waiter at breakfast or lunch a separate tip? Normally at those two meals you don't have your dinner waiter. When you are paying your tips upfront your money is being paid for those people as well. To think because you don't eat in the main dining room every night that your waiter should not receive your money is ridiculous.