Gratuities to be added to sea pass account daily.

[Charles4515]

People like me? Honey, you don't know me. I don't even have kids so take it down a notch. I was asking about other members in my party.

 

You posted it.

[peteukmcr]

Wow, this is fun. Now watching countrymen (from the nation where the tipping culture is such an intrinsic part of day to day life) bickering with each other about mandatory gratuities. At least it's taken the heat off us Brits and shows quite clearly that it isn't just us who allegedly stiff the staff (not that we do anyway which has been proven). :D JMHO.

[Jenn31708]

Well you are asking for them. And I stand by what I said. We don't give a "pass" for ages.

 

You are saying its "$1,000 in tips" that no one budgeted for. So then someone in your party was planning on denying the crew $1,000 for that week.

 

If this is your group - and you are the organizer - then it's up to you to explain the way things work on a cruise.

 

As I said - take it away from the alcohol money - there always seems to be a budget for that.

 

 

I don't have a budget for alcohol, but thanks for asking. And I am not the planner for this cruise, just the person that belongs to this forum. Step down off of your high horse and stop chastising others for how they choose to spend their money.

 

Had you read my original post, you would have seen that I said no one was planning on stiffing anyone on tips. I said a family member wasn't going to be able to pay the full suggested amount. Now its a required amount.

 

Tips should NEVER be required. If they were, then they should have been included in the original price for the cruise, not sprung on us 17 days out.

[petesweet]

Ouch...This decision will eliminate 25% of all the CC threads. There goes the value of my popcorn stock:eek:

 

Good one!:D

 

Kathy

[orville99]

Where did I say that RCI is a us co. Or use the word US. I said they are a public traded company and that they are.

 

It is pure speculation period to say what will be done with tip money in the future for a plan that will not even start until march. I already said I will be reading the 1st qtr statement for changes. If there is a profit being made on "tip" money, somewhere it will have to be reported.

 

By the way, RCI UK is also a public co. But on my statements it's listed as foreign , but all our other is not listed as such. Investing in RCI is fun, it's a great hedge for cruising. And, I am not talking about stock. None of it says "US"

 

Sorry but if I have to make it any clearer I'll have to send you a bill:)

[BekkaW]

Had you read my original post, you would have seen that I said no one was planning on stiffing anyone on tips. I said a family member wasn't going to be able to pay the full suggested amount. Now its a required amount.

 

I am confused. Isn't paying less than the suggested amount stiffing? Similar to if you paid less than 15% in a restaurant? Or is it only stiffing if you pay zero?

[Ocean Boy]

As someone else said - just call it a service charge, resort fee or ham sandwich. Just pay it. Do you ask if your waitress has to share her tips? Do you ask the bell man if he has to share that fiver you gave him? Do you ask the cabbie if he keeps that extra couple bucks?

 

 

Actually, according to some of the posts that I have read here over the years it would appear that some people ask their wait staff exactly that and just about any other question that is absolutely none of their business.;)

[debbs0723]

Maybe this has already been asked before. If I choose to have the amounts removed from my account, then choose to tip the same people directly in cash does that hurt the overall pool? Is it pooled or do your individual servers get the full amount? Flame me if you want but I prefer to tip in cash even at restaurants where we use a credit card to pay the bill. I don't like the poor college student serving me to have to report it all to the IRS....

 

Okay, let it roll. Everybody feel free to speak your disgust with me on the taxes thing but really just answering the question about whether I'm screwing everybody else by doing this or not would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Debbie

[Ocean Boy]

I haven't sailed RCI yet but I have sailed both NCL and CCL. There are waiters in the buffet area on RCI ships? I have seen servers and staff who clear dishes and prepare the food behind the buffet and the bar staff who ask if drinks are desired but not waiters who "wait" on us at tables in the buffets. Perhaps RCI is different. ...:confused: I can't imagine trying to remember each person that may have made my omelet one morning, cleared my dishes, or sliced some meat for my dinner so I can pass out tips. I much prefer the daily service charge idea from the other lines. RCI must have been the last hold out.

 

The buffet area in the evening is very different than it is for breakfast and lunch. Though you do go and get your own food, the staff is much more attentive and they will go get food for you if you would like them to. Since we eat there just about every evening, we sit in the same area and have the same staff so we simply consider them the same as we would the staff in the MDR if we ate there.

[Ocean Boy]

At least they notified you.:)

 

Funny thing though, as seems to be typical, I found out about the change here on Cruise Critic before RCI got around to it.

[k9x8]

Maybe this has already been asked before. If I choose to have the amounts removed from my account, then choose to tip the same people directly in cash does that hurt the overall pool? Is it pooled or do your individual servers get the full amount? Flame me if you want but I prefer to tip in cash even at restaurants where we use a credit card to pay the bill. I don't like the poor college student serving me to have to report it all to the IRS....

 

Okay, let it roll. Everybody feel free to speak your disgust with me on the taxes thing but really just answering the question about whether I'm screwing everybody else by doing this or not would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Debbie

 

I always leave a cash tip, even when paying by credit card. If that's being naughty, so be it.

It's my understanding that if one removes the gratuity, your room steward (or whoever) is required to pool the tip. If you tip extra, s/he gets to keep it.

 

At least that's what the Celebrity "old timers" report. Chances are, Royal will follow the corporate procedure. Guess it will take a few nosey questions to verify this.

[setsail]

Sorry but if I have to make it any clearer I'll have to send you a bill:)

 

:Dthat would get my attention:D

 

By the way, thanks for your booking engine thread:)

[Ocean Boy]

i copied and pasted my thread from earlier-----#248

 

 

 

no matter what is said or cried about----we must get over it. let's face it, it is over. RCCL has implemented "as of any sailings starting after March 1st 2013, the $12 per person per day surcharge will be added to your sea pass account".

It is final. so have all the hissy fits, crying jags, stomping up & down, crying in your beer, destroying your towel animals, complaining to the front desk, etc., etc., etc. you want to.

it is FINAL and it is OVER. so grin and bare it. you can't change RCCL policy. it is their ship and they make the rules. I for one am super happy to see it finally happen. i stick by my first thread (#28). HIP-HIP HOORAY

Do you feel that your gloating over something that apparently has "gone your way" comes across any better than the "hissy fits, crying gabs, and stopping that you write about?

[pcur]

Why not? Did you not already plan for the amount in your budget?

 

I was wondering this, too. I mean I have 40 nights of future cruising booked with RCCL, and it's what, a grand total of an extra $28??????

 

But, if what the person you are quoting is really saying they didn't plan on tipping at all, and now it's gonna happen.......................well, it's gonna happen.

[pcur]

People like me? Honey, you don't know me. I don't even have kids so take it down a notch. I was asking about other members in my party.

 

OK, so please pass her excellent advice and information along to your travel companions. Children receive service, and the daily charge is for them, too.

 

By the way, it's the kind of "logic" your travel companions use to justify not paying the appropriate amount in tips that actually caused this new policy to eventually happen. Too many people trying to justify not paying fairly. It's part of the cost of the cruise.

 

So, please explain it to them.

[pcur]

Why do you believe that if gratuities are added daily that you will not be provided with good service? The service should remain the same. We've been doing MTD since 2011 and are required to prepay our gratuities. We have yet to experience poor service.

 

From the website......."In the unlikely event that a guest onboard being charged the daily automatic gratuity does not receive satisfactory service, the guest may request to modify the daily amount at their discretion by visiting Guest Services during their cruise".

 

Good point, Patti! Oh, and thank you for bringing this our attention (don't know if it was this behemouth thread, or another thread). :D

[pcur]

No matter what you think RCCL cannot make me tip

As it is a thank you not a surcharge

 

Enjoy your daily trek to Guest Services, because I think it has to be done DAILY to take the charge off your account.

[The_Big_M]

I just Googled "Royal Caribbean UK", clicked on the link, and got in no problem.

 

Exactly, I've never had any issue seeing other sections, and no need for a VPN.

[Goodysj]

Wow, this is fun. Now watching countrymen (from the nation where the tipping culture is such an intrinsic part of day to day life) bickering with each other about mandatory gratuities. At least it's taken the heat off us Brits and shows quite clearly that it isn't just us who allegedly stiff the staff (not that we do anyway which has been proven). :D JMHO.

Yep Loving it, how the dynamics have changed from start :D:D:D

[The_Big_M]

They don't get to keep all the money for a year before they disburse it to staff. From what I recall from talking to staff, credit card tip money is disbursed in their next check after it is received by RCI. I'd guess it averages 4-6 weeks, so I'd estimate your number should be divided by ten.

 

Agreed, the maths there was a bit screwy.

 

And as with many things, it helps the revenue and cash flow side, but doesn't mean that it's pure profit. Taking it away may well result in some other charge that needs to increase.

[niko40]

LOL things have certainly got a bit heated on here since yesterday:eek::D

[Merion_Mom]

No it would if u posteed it:rolleyes:

 

Would you care to translate that for me?

[UNV-IT!!!]

What happened to this thread? Can't find any viable info. It's all blabber

[goodycruising]

I am confused. Isn't paying less than the suggested amount stiffing? Similar to if you paid less than 15% in a restaurant? Or is it only stiffing if you pay zero?

 

I don't think I have seen someone actually state before that someone in their group had no intention of paying recommended rate. Good question, I wonder too.

 

What happened to this thread? Can't find any viable info. It's all blabber

 

It often turns that way long before 32 pages of a thread! I usually tune out after it degrades, but while some behaviour has been a bit aggressive, there really has not been a lot more for people to have new info on. It is a new condition. Take it or leave it.

[caddie1]

The letter I got doesn't say anything about a guest being able to remove gratuities from their Sea Pass account.

 

[

Sent to me via email

 

Thank you for your email

I am sorry that you have not received our latest communication on our

gratuity programme. We are in the process of sending this out to guests who

have a future booking and who we have an email address for. Nevertheless I

have attached it in this email for you.

 

Just to summarise, if the gratuities are not pre paid then they will now

automatically be added to your onboard account. If you are unhappy with the

amount that has been added then it can either be increased, decreased or

removed. However this will need to be done once onboard the ship, we can

not do this in advance of the sailing.

 

If you have any further questions please let us know.

 

(See attached file: ROYAL CARIBBEAN GRATUITY PROGRAM UPDATE 14 Feb

2013.pdf)

 

 

Kind Regards

 

Holly

Guest Support Unit

Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises & Azamara Club Cruises