Tipping on Rhapsody of the Seas

[aussiescouser]

hi guys just reading the terms and conditions for rhapsody of the seas and it states that "mandatory" gratuities of a$15 per guest per day per cruise night!

that means that for a ten night cruise with my family of five ill be up for a total of $750 in tips, surely this is not right?????:confused:

can someone who has cruised on rhapsody please confirm this for me, thanks guys :D

[aussiescouser]

sorry guys, should have searched before i posted, just answered my own question by searching!!! ;)

[Ausgirl]

Hope you found the right answer. $3.50 for waiter, $3.50 for stateroom attendant, $2.00 for assistant waiter and 75c for head waiter. Nothing is mandatory, its just suggested, but after you see the service you get from these wonderful people you won't have any problem tipping the recommended amount or more.

[aussiescouser]

i never have a problem tipping, and i always tip generously ,but not $750 worth of generosity lol :D

[The Fox]

i never have a problem tipping, and i always tip generously ,but not $750 worth of generosity lol :D

 

Tipping is only mandatory if you choose anytime dinning.....if you choose set dining nothing is debited to your account.we choose set dinning and tipped who we wanted.

 

Cheers

 

Col :)

[Oxymoron]

To start with, the A$15.40 pp pd is RCCL's way of saying US$9.75 per person per day if paid in advance when you make final cruise payment. They just use an exchange rate that is, umm,, strange (I call it fraud, but get yelled at when I say that)

If you pay the recommended rate of US$9.75 when on board, then its only $A11 pp pd (at today's exchange rate) So already you are saving around $200 :)

 

Secondly, its not really a tip, its a wage subsidy you are paying. The reality is that RCCL (and other American based cruise lines) only pay the wait and service staff around $100 PER MONTH, the rest has to come from tips

 

The Americans here will tell you that by making a waiter grovel for their tips they get better service than by paying them a decent wage in the first place and then tipping for performance. I think thats a crock, but that is the way it is, so we are expected to cough up. Note that they (Americans and RCCL) expect the full tips to also be paid by a baby. So take a 1 year old baby on the ship and you have to pay full fare and full tips.

[freefallen]

The Americans here will tell you that by making a waiter grovel for their tips they get better service than by paying them a decent wage in the first place and then tipping for performance. I think thats a crock, but that is the way it is, so we are expected to cough up.

 

Hehe, after reading the other tip thread (and being annoyed), I quite enjoyed this comment of yours. :D Agreed.

[Oxymoron]

Hehe, after reading the other tip thread (and being annoyed), I quite enjoyed this comment of yours. :D Agreed.

 

eeek, Americans are not supposed to come in here LOL :p

 

Where was the other tip thread?

[cruisin-m]

I noticed in the RCI brochure that it states that the pre-paid gratuities service can only be denied if done so at the time of booking, I was just wandering if anyone can clarify whether this means the time you pay deposit or when the full fare is due/anytime.

 

Don't intend on doing pre-paid grats as I think that defeats the purpose of tipping entirely so can this service be removed still even though deposit has been made. Much prefer the automatic tipping, which will also work out better value at the same time.

 

Any help would be appreciated, thanks :)

[yamcrzr]

So from what i understand, the A$15.00 per person per day per cruise night, is not compulsory (or mandatory) if you select a specific time for dining (set dining). We too booked for Rhapsody next January and only came across this tonight, was a bit concerned when i thought i was going to have to add A$540 to my cruise bill.

 

Hoping i've understood this correctly....

[Oxymoron]

If you book My Time Dining, you will have to pre-pay your gratuities, at the $15+ rate.

If you book the early or late sitting, you don't have to organise your gratuities until you are on the ship.

[yamcrzr]

If you book My Time Dining, you will have to pre-pay your gratuities, at the $15+ rate.

If you book the early or late sitting, you don't have to organise your gratuities until you are on the ship.

 

Sorry, what do you mean by "organise your gratuities until you are on the ship", does this mean you can pay who you want, how much you want as with P&O?

 

Sorry to be a pain??? Have convinced 2 other families to come with us and am a bit concerned we all now have to add this to our fare..

 

Thanks

Sharon

[allyman]

So from what i understand, the A$15.00 per person per day per cruise night, is not compulsory (or mandatory) if you select a specific time for dining (set dining). We too booked for Rhapsody next January and only came across this tonight, was a bit concerned when i thought i was going to have to add A$540 to my cruise bill.

 

Hoping i've understood this correctly....

Hi Sharon

 

Are you going on the 13 January cruise? If so please join my roll call. So far I am the only one.

 

Thanks

Ally

[Oxymoron]

G'day Sharon, by organise, I mean make up your own mind :)

After booking our cruise I initially thought I would pay small tip, but after reading a lot on the Royal Caribbean Forum I have come to the conclusion that US$9.75 is a fair rate. If you post a skip the gratuity statement in that forum, be prepared to get an earful from the Americans.

 

I would be a whole lot happier if it was just included in the fare, but nope, they don't or wont do that. Be nice if they followed P&O's lead.

[The_Big_M]

After booking our cruise I initially thought I would pay small tip, but after reading a lot on the Royal Caribbean Forum I have come to the conclusion that US$9.75 is a fair rate.

 

Agreed, the tip is expected and the significant part of their income. When you calc it out, it is reasonable... though like many American things, it's just another way to make the upfront price appear low, then when taxes, tips, surcharges and conversions are added in, it becomes comparable to local pricing.

 

Some things there are still cheaper, but they tend to think we're expensive for everything as our prices are (should be!) inclusive, whereas theirs aren't.

[Tanderra]

If you book My Time Dining, you will have to pre-pay your gratuities, at the $15+ rate.

If you book the early or late sitting, you don't have to organise your gratuities until you are on the ship.

 

Hi Brad :)....I am a little concerned :confused:

I had better tell you about our trip. We are flying from Perth to Sydney on April 12th to join 'Rhapsody' for our cruise to Hawaii via Tahiti and French Polynesia and then staying for a week in Waikiki before flying back home to Perth.

Normally we book everything online (my brother and sister-in-law in Adelaide did it all online, same cruise etc)...but this time, just before we were going to book everything, my OH's daughter talked into going with her 'terrific' TA......big mistake!!!!!

We had seen the online price of the cruise so we told the TA we wanted to book the entire trip through him....flights, cruise and hotel in Waikiki.

Eventually he got back to us with the price etc....including pre-paid gratuities for the cruise. We booked the early dining in the MDR....not MTD.....we paid in full :(

We have no idea exactly what we have paid for what, we asked him for a breakdown....the price was for everything....but he seems to be very shy, both 'phone wise and email wise :confused:

 

Have any of you any idea when we might expect to receive our tickets...and we are told that we need a 'set sail pass'. I have given up trying to contact him....but I may change my mind as I have more questions to ask him and I am getting rather impatient.

So, just how much have we paid for 'pre-paid gratuities'?

 

I hope that all makes sense to you and I thank you for any advice :)

 

....Bindi.

[Oxymoron]

G'day Bindi, sounds like a great holiday you have planned :)

Have you logged into the Royal Caribbean site and registered with them? That is where you print your "setsail" pass from.

 

Your TA should have given you a Royal Caribbean reservation number, you use this to register and create an account, from there you can view your cruise status, including cabin number, dinning time etc.

[rugbypopsie]

ssssshh never mention the "T" word:eek:

 

Anyway to make the exhange rate more favourable I wonder if you get your USD before you sail at the current rate here and prepay your gratuties when you get on board?

 

Another tip NEVER let the the ship convert your account to Aussie dollars at the end of the trip they will use the ship's conversion rate which may be much less than the prevailing bank rate here.

 

Have a great cruise you will enjoy yourself I have heard Rhapsody is a lovely ship.

[Oxymoron]

So, just how much have we paid for 'pre-paid gratuities'?

 

I hope that all makes sense to you and I thank you for any advice :)

 

....Bindi.

 

RCL Australia charges A$15.40 per person per day for gratuities.

RCL America charges US$9.75 per person per day for gratuities.

 

So for a a 16 night cruise, if you have pre-paid your gratuities you have paid A$492.80 (A$246.40 each) At today's exchange rate that's US$425 which is around US$100 more than what you would pay if you paid your gratuities on-board in US dollars.

 

Since you have already paid this, I would go and see the TA face to face and ask them what they are going to do about the additional US$100 they have cost you. They cannot change it with RCL now that final payment has been made, but they could cut into their own profit margin and give you some On Board Credit to spend. Go in, make noise, see what you can get. LOL

 

Have you logged into the Royal Caribbean website yet and registered? Once you do you can complete all your cruise documentation and then print your set sail pass.

 

Cheers and good luck Bindi,

 

Brad.

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

G'day Bindi, sounds like a great holiday you have planned :)

Have you logged into the Royal Caribbean site and registered with them? That is where you print your "setsail" pass from.

 

Your TA should have given you a Royal Caribbean reservation number, you use this to register and create an account, from there you can view your cruise status, including cabin number, dinning time etc.

 

 

Also Bindi, I'm adding this to Brads info. While you're on the Royal Caribbean site and in your reservation, book a Wine Package if you enjoy a wine at dinner. It's a lot cheaper doing it online before you board the ship.

Enjoy your cruise it's a wonderful itinerary to cruise.

 

Jillybean:)

[kimway]

Can anyone confirm that the following is correct, we are about to pay a deposit for our cruise on 27 December 2010 aboard Rhapsody of the Sea and I have questioned the additional $588.00 in Gratuities the travel agent is asking:

 

Royal Caribbean advised info about the tipping. Before each cruise is sold Royal Caribbean work out the gratuities for all passengers. The rate is the same if you pre pay before you cruise or if you wish to pay whilst on board, if you choose to pay whilst on board it is automatically added to your onboard account.

 

If you wish to tip at your own discretion you have to go down to the pursers desk and advise them of this, also give them a reason why you are choosing to tip this way.

 

Is this true???

I don't mind tipping but I like to tip those who have personally served me, in addition they charge a 15% gratuity on drinks...and again I would prefer to tip the person who served me accordingly...crapy when my two children have to pay it as well.:mad:

[kimway]

Hope you found the right answer. $3.50 for waiter, $3.50 for stateroom attendant, $2.00 for assistant waiter and 75c for head waiter. Nothing is mandatory, its just suggested, but after you see the service you get from these wonderful people you won't have any problem tipping the recommended amount or more.

 

[did you pay a lump sum gratuity upfront?

[The_Big_M]

Yes, the above is correct. As the AUD has appreciated you're financially better off converting the USD tip amount now instead of paying direct, although if you leave it there's always the chance it will go down again before the cruise since it's almost a year away.

[bobsydney]

Also Bindi, I'm adding this to Brads info. While you're on the Royal Caribbean site and in your reservation, book a Wine Package if you enjoy a wine at dinner. It's a lot cheaper doing it online before you board the ship.

Enjoy your cruise it's a wonderful itinerary to cruise.

 

Jillybean:)

 

I beg to differ Jillybean.

 

If you pre-order a wine package, it is charged in AUD at the same insane exhange rate that applies to prepaid gratuities, ie a US$200 wine package will cost you about A$300.

 

If you buy the same wine package when you get on board, you will be charged US$200 which on todays' exhange rates, works out at about A$220.

 

On our cruise, we bought our package on board and paid about $100 less than another couple at our table who bought exactly the same in advance. Interestingly, they complained to Guest Services about this rip off and surprisingly, Guest Services agreed to cancel the package and gave them a credit for the prepaid amount. They then went and bought the same package again but this time in USD.

 

Cheers

Bob

[Oxymoron]

my advice is DO NOT pre-pay your gratuities. The aussie dollar has to slide down to less than .63 cents before it becomes a cheaper option.

I bought my wine package on-board (off our drink waiter in the MDR on the second night) For 7 bottles the Aussie Wine package cost me US$173 plus 15% gratuity.