How is it possible?

[dulcimergirl]

For someone to cruise and not know they are expected to pay tips? I was on the Fantasy last week, (had an awsome time btw) when on the 5th evening a gentleman slammed into the elevator and at the top of his voice said "did you all know there charging us over 11 dollars a day to our cruise? And after a hefty 15% on all we drink to?" He also said he wasn't amused and was going to deal with it.

I put in my 2cents worth about how well I've been taken care of and spoiled. I also stated they should get tips in addtion to what they recommend. I don't think that went over well. I was just amazed "HE" didn't know he should tip. How is that possible? Is he used to cruising on an "all inclusive" cruiseline?

I'm just curious..

[bonnie&clydecruzers]

You should have asked him.

[adriennerm]

Not exactly the same situation but I did not know I was "suppose" to tip for room service. Our first night was spent in the cabin due to seasickness. Since I prepaid all gratuities, I thought this was included. The second day I realized it wasn't and began to tip for room service. I wasn't trying to shaft anyone but I had no previous cruise experience. Also, I didn't find this website until after I returned from my trip.

 

After buying drinks and seeing the gratuities added automatically, I assumed room services was the same. :confused:

[dulcimergirl]

You should have asked him.

I feared for my life, he looked like he was going to explode. :eek: Very strange indeed. (not really the feared part..)

[DetroitMike1]

For someone to cruise and not know they are expected to pay tips? I was on the Fantasy last week, (had an awsome time btw) when on the 5th evening a gentleman slammed into the elevator and at the top of his voice said "did you all know there charging us over 11 dollars a day to our cruise? And after a hefty 15% on all we drink to?" He also said he wasn't amused and was going to deal with it.

I put in my 2cents worth about how well I've been taken care of and spoiled. I also stated they should get tips in addtion to what they recommend. I don't think that went over well. I was just amazed "HE" didn't know he should tip. How is that possible? Is he used to cruising on an "all inclusive" cruiseline?

I'm just curious..

 

When I was a first timer, we had no idea.... But we did our research. I know that members here and on similar sites do their homework and therefore don't have a whole lot of surprises onboard. However, remember that many, many more folks don't do very much research at all, and IF they were first timers, I can see it happening...

 

Think of it this way. When we booked through a Carnival PVP, they didn't mention gratuities at all. All you hear about is the All-Inclusive part (eg food and entertainment...) If, more than halfway through the cruise, I suddenly found out that my family of four was being charged over $320 for gratuities for the week, you'd better believe I'd be more than a bit surprised, and probably upset. Once I had time to find out more, and calm myself down, I'd probably think differently. But at that moment? Yeah. I can see how it could happen!

[H82seaUgo]

For someone to cruise and not know they are expected to pay tips? I was on the Fantasy last week, (had an awsome time btw) when on the 5th evening a gentleman slammed into the elevator and at the top of his voice said "did you all know there charging us over 11 dollars a day to our cruise? And after a hefty 15% on all we drink to?" He also said he wasn't amused and was going to deal with it.

I put in my 2cents worth about how well I've been taken care of and spoiled. I also stated they should get tips in addtion to what they recommend. I don't think that went over well. I was just amazed "HE" didn't know he should tip. How is that possible? Is he used to cruising on an "all inclusive" cruiseline?

I'm just curious..

 

think that's odd?

 

how about those that cruise and post they didn't know the mdr is included in their fare. :eek:

 

in any case, we have, over the past 30 years, been inviting people to join us at a small resort in the catskills which would be considered an ai.

 

and they are shocked to find out the prices do not include tips.

[DaytonCruiser]

Many people that stay in hotels for a week, dont tip. Many countries outside of USA dont tip. Some people feel that tipping is something they should do, if they feel its warranted, not something someone should tell them how to do it.

[italianfemmy]

think that's odd?

 

how about those that cruise and post they didn't know the mdr is included in their fare. :eek:

 

.

 

Lol!!! Now, that's funny. I have told many people to order room service.. that it's free and had them stare at me all confused and in disbelief. But never heard anyone say they didn't know they could eat in the MDR. Hahaha.

[bonnie&clydecruzers]

I think you can just say people don't know much when they go on their first cruise. Alot of people just book a cruise and then do absolutely no research on it. These are the same people who get off the ship in ports and have no idea about what to do/where to go. Maybe they just "assume" that everything is included in their total cruise cost. Maybe their just used to not tipping at all? Who knows for sure.

[Colorado Kat]

But never heard anyone say they didn't know they could eat in the MDR. Hahaha.

 

In Oct, I sat at dinner with the sweetest little old lady in her 80s. I mentioned something about dinner the previous night. She asked me how I could afford to eat in the dining room more than once?

[SMSACE6]

It makes me wonder! I mean, this person either booked through a Travel Agent, or directly with Carnival. Either way, he would have been advised of the charge. He could have booked online I suppose, but Im sure somewhere in that process, one is prompted to accept that it is a condition of booking the cruise.

 

So, I suppose he could have been one of those who say, yes yes yes, and dont listen or read. Lots of those out there too.

 

OP, you should post this on that thread about "Carnival, Ive had it with you"! LOL.:)

[INTERLINER13]

Many people that stay in hotels for a week, dont tip. Many countries outside of USA dont tip. Some people feel that tipping is something they should do, if they feel its warranted, not something someone should tell them how to do it.

 

+1 A lot of countries do not tip.

 

I agree that the tips the employees make are well deserved, however when you start tacking it on automatically it makes it more of a fee, then a tip. Plus they usually do not show up on your account until the end of the cruise, making it harder to dispute if you did not know.

[Vanessa L]

For someone to cruise and not know they are expected to pay tips? I was on the Fantasy last week, (had an awsome time btw) when on the 5th evening a gentleman slammed into the elevator and at the top of his voice said "did you all know there charging us over 11 dollars a day to our cruise? And after a hefty 15% on all we drink to?" He also said he wasn't amused and was going to deal with it.

I put in my 2cents worth about how well I've been taken care of and spoiled. I also stated they should get tips in addtion to what they recommend. I don't think that went over well. I was just amazed "HE" didn't know he should tip. How is that possible? Is he used to cruising on an "all inclusive" cruiseline?

I'm just curious..

 

Just keep hanging out here long enough and you will be amazed at stuff people don't know. I am utterly and completely astonished when I read the "I didn't know" posts from someone who found cruise critic after the fact and came here to whine about something, that, had they done even one Google search for the thing they are whining about, would have found more answers than they could stand.

 

I have no concept how anyone could spend even a few hundred if not a few thousand dollars to take a vacation and then not do one iota of research. Your post lets me know that this completely incomprehensible thing is still happening, even as we speak :confused::confused:

[crzycick]

A friend of mine was going on a cruise and I told her about this website and offered to give her pointers/do some research for her. She declined but called me 3 days in in a panic because she didn't like the buffet. I asked her how she liked the dining room and she had no idea it even existed. Not just thinking it cost, but didn't know there was even one available! She also wanted to know what to do in her ports, ports I've never been to. I told her at that point I couldn't really help her and her only option was to book through the cruise line. Needless to say she hated cruising and probably won't ever give it a second chance. All because of lack of planning, or lack of letting me educate her.

[balcony bound]

Twice I have had casual conversation with cruisers, probably midway through the cruise, one told me they "couldn't afford to eat in the dining room every night" and the other asked me "how much does it cost to eat in there" so... I can see it happening!

[cb at sea]

Many, many folks have no idea what's included, or what's commonplace...whether on a cruise, or in a hotel...or anywhere, for that matter!

 

I know personally of folks who never, ever tip the housekeeper in a hotel.....

 

Perhaps an etiquette book should be required reading for everyone...starting in 1st grade, and every year thereafter.

[Vanessa L]

A friend of mine was going on a cruise and I told her about this website and offered to give her pointers/do some research for her. She declined but called me 3 days in in a panic because she didn't like the buffet. I asked her how she liked the dining room and she had no idea it even existed. Not just thinking it cost, but didn't know there was even one available! She also wanted to know what to do in her ports, ports I've never been to. I told her at that point I couldn't really help her and her only option was to book through the cruise line. Needless to say she hated cruising and probably won't ever give it a second chance. All because of lack of planning, or lack of letting me educate her.

 

OK, I can die now, I've officially read it all. There are no words....:eek::eek:

[Guest LoveMyBoxer]

And sometimes THEY KNOW, but refuse to admit it and refuse to pay it! KARMA!

[shonuf]

 

I know personally of folks who never, ever tip the housekeeper in a hotel.....

 

Perhaps an etiquette book should be required reading for everyone...starting in 1st grade, and every year thereafter.

 

I'll tell a story on myself. I had to travel to my hometown for many years to oversee my parents' declining health and stayed pretty much at the same hotel. One day I left a note to the "maid", asking for some service. When I returned to the room, my request had been honored but my note was on the desk with "maid" crossed out and "housekeeper" penciled in. My face was red and my tip larger than usual!

[molole]

Lol!!! Now, that's funny. But never heard anyone say they didn't know they could eat in the MDR. Hahaha.

 

I didn't know on my first cruise. I didn't even know the buffet was free. And of course i didn't know there would be additional gratuity to pay either. But I almost left cash tips on the table just like a land restaurant until I noticed no one else did. :p

[sailaway4]

If I hadn't visited here before our first cruise,well, I hate to think how lost we would have been. It has been a cruise saver for many people.

[CorvetteLady]

We were taking my stepson, his wife and the grandkids on their first cruise. The week before the cruise I get a call from my stepson, he's in a panic because his wife found out about the gratuities and they didn't know how they would pay for them. Now I told him when we booked the cruise that we would pay the gratuities, he just wasn't paying attention. I just couldn't believe they hadn't done any research on their own until the week before the cruise.

 

It's hard to imagine people not finding out the basics from their TA or PVP. But it isn't just cruising, you would be amazed by the people who go to Disney World without doing any research.

[lexysdad04]

on our very first cruise that we went on back in 07 on elation out of san diego I guess I was one of those "I didnt know" people, at the time I was a over the road truck driver and had no access to the internet or time and so the wife set everything up and booked the cruise direct with a pvp (pvp didnt mention tips at all just the buffets and camp carnival) and that was it no research or anything on her part the good part is that I work my butt off and so when I see someone work their butt off for me I like to tip so the first night I left a tip on the table and the same the second night on the 3rd night the waiter informed me about the tips being added at the end of the cruise I was actually pleased they did that, oh and I still tipped her on our last night above her auto tips

 

We also "didnt know" the mdr was included but that didnt stop us from showing up I figure its our vacation and I was going to splurge on us so we showed up a bit early and asked the staff their :o about the fee.

 

I now research before I book a cruise and more research after I book

[S.S.Oceanlover]

+1 A lot of countries do not tip.

 

I agree that the tips the employees make are well deserved, however when you start tacking it on automatically it makes it more of a fee, then a tip. Plus they usually do not show up on your account until the end of the cruise, making it harder to dispute if you did not know.

 

On Carnival the tips for the whole week are added to your account withing 24 hours.

 

Bill

[Banditswife]

Talking with a couple on our last cruise, he mentioned he was going to guest services to have the tips removed from his S&S account. I of course asked why? His answer was that he didn't eat in the MDR but once, so he didn't think he should have to pay tips. I wanted to ask if he ate anywhere & did he clean his own room, but was too polite. I was truly amazed by the fact he didn't feel he should tip at all.