Bad Service Do you Still have to tip?

[sweetcupcakegrl]

We have been on many cruises nothing beats what we really had in this past June. When we had such bad service on the Oasis. We spoke to our guest services and said for 3 days we had great service then the man at our table was transferred to a different table, all the new one did was complain to us how much he hated to work there. I got up from the table where we sat at. Told the matr'd that we want to sit where Ronaldo was, he was placed on another side. HE said we could not move there were 8 of us. So we stayed with Alfredo. He was not a good waiter. When it was time to leave We did not give him a gratituty we gave our tip to Ronaldo who worked with us for 3 days and made our week. He was a nice person. I do not like those who comment on us who work hard for what we get just to have 1 week of relaxation for these people wait staff to mistreat us. I did not like it, our maids in the room were excellent, they got over an abundance of $$$ we gave them. they appreciated it, but when that other gentleman saw us he complained again to the other ship mates at the table who spoke no english.

he kept on saying to us Learn Spanish. I said No you learn english. so I said I am done and left.

While he was off of his time he saw me at the bar comented again to me. I had enough. I went down to report him. I heard that he no longer works for RCL. I did not want to have him fired but he was annoying all the time we were there. We came with a group which was 46 of us all he did was to complain to them about all the tables he had to handle if you can not do the work do not apply.

What would you have done? :confused:

[Toto2Kansas]

I have never run into anything like this on Princess. I might suggest you also post this on the RCI board since it pertains to an RCI ship.

[StillPooh]

I did not want to have him fired but he was annoying all the time we were there.

You didn't have him fired. If he's no longer working there, it would be because he had a long history of complaints about him.

 

I'd have reported such behavior as well.

[Pam in CA]

There are several issues here and I don't know how much of this would apply to Princess.

 

For one thing, on Princess, if you remove the auto-tip and tip in cash, it goes into the tipping pool anyway. So, removing the auto-tip due to poor service affects your cabin steward as well as all of the staff in the buffet and/or in the dining room at breakfast and lunch. The tip isn't just for your dinner waitstaff. I don't know about RCL but on Princess the buffet is open with a variety of food 24/7 although some ships with an International Cafe are closing before midnight; the IC is open all night. That's a lot of staff ready and willing to help you at all hours.

 

As for feeling as though your waitstaff at dinner are not up to snuff, on Princess you can always change to Anytime dining so you're not "stuck" with the same waitstaff you don't like. You have a couple of dining options should you be dissatisfied. Same menu, same dress, all included in the cruise price. You won't be forced to stay at the same table.

 

I hope your Princess cruise is the most enjoyable and stress-free you've had.

[PescadoAmarillo]

While he was off of his time he saw me at the bar comented again to me.

Hmmmm....this is the statement that puzzles me. No cruise line I have ever been on (including RC) allows off duty crew in passenger areas. It just doesn't happen. I've seen them on passenger stairs on Princess going from Deck 4 to Deck 5 or 6 to go to work in the dinng room, but NEVER just walking through the passenger areas, passing by bars, etc.

[Pam in CA]

Hmmmm....this is the statement that puzzles me. No cruise line I have ever been on (including RC) allows off duty crew in passenger areas. It just doesn't happen. I've seen them on passenger stairs on Princess going from Deck 4 to Deck 5 or 6 to go to work in the dinng room, but NEVER just walking through the passenger areas, passing by bars, etc.

I agree 100%. On Princess, crew are not allowed in passenger areas when they are off-duty. Staff, officers, and entertainers, yes. But never crew.

 

I think the OPs issues are probably relevant to RCL, not Princess. I'm not quite sure the OP posted this here unless they want to be reassured these things wouldn't happen on Princess.

[GlendaleCruiser]

Hmmmm....this is the statement that puzzles me. No cruise line I have ever been on (including RC) allows off duty crew in passenger areas. It just doesn't happen. I've seen them on passenger stairs on Princess going from Deck 4 to Deck 5 or 6 to go to work in the dinng room, but NEVER just walking through the passenger areas, passing by bars, etc.

 

 

Maybe that was one of the reasons he got fired. He should be fired. I doubt that the OP was the only one who complained.

[jagsfan]

Boy, am I confused. I'm reading the RCCL threads, and suddenly I'm reading responses that are about Princess, and recognize the posters from when I am on the Princess board. Was this whole thread physically picked up and moved from Princess to RCCL? Or am I hallucinating?

[libertybelle41]

Boy, am I confused. I'm reading the RCCL threads, and suddenly I'm reading responses that are about Princess, and recognize the posters from when I am on the Princess board. Was this whole thread physically picked up and moved from Princess to RCCL? Or am I hallucinating?

 

 

I agree....I'm confused.

[emilygrace]

I was a bit confused too, so I just looked at the Princess board and this thread WAS on there but moved over here by the moderators.

[silentbob007]

Looks like it was posted on Princess board and then moved here as it was about an RCI ship.

 

As for tipping ... I would not tip for horrible service, but ONLY if I had told a supervisor and let my displeasure known. I've had issues with a room steward, for example, and once I described what I expected, there was a dramatic turn-around. Otherwise (and the OP did not do this), suffering in silence and stiffing the crew member is not the way to go.

[bbbearden]

Looks like it was posted on Princess board and then moved here as it was about an RCI ship.

 

As for tipping ... I would not tip for horrible service, but ONLY if I had told a supervisor and let my displeasure known. I've had issues with a room steward, for example, and once I described what I expected, there was a dramatic turn-around. Otherwise (and the OP did not do this), suffering in silence and stiffing the crew member is not the way to go.

 

 

I agree, tell some and give em a chance to fix it. It may your vacation better to.

[foxgoodrich]

I would have immediately reported each problem with the waiter to the Headwaiter rather than going to Guest Services. We never appreciated the HW until we had a problem once with very slooooow service in the MDR.

 

Our waiter was very nice, and apologetic for the length of time between courses. We thought the problem might be in the galley. The HW came by our table to introduce himself, so we told him about our problem with timing and wondered if the problem was in the galley. He basically told us that it didn't matter where the problem was, he was the captain of the team and it was his responsibility to solve it. He did! The timing of courses was flawless after that and he checked back with us every night for the rest of the cruise.

 

Now we know why we tip the Headwaiter.:)