Erosion of Captains Club Benefits: Dining Waitlist

[Ma Bell]

Just because you are in select dining doesn't mean you can't have the same servers. The last two cruises we did, we asked to be seated in the same area so we would get to know our servers......we pre-paid but then also left something extra as they were great.....if they turned out to be just ok, we wouldn't have left anything more but even if that were the case, I still feel the original pre-paid tip was warranted.

 

I know...we do the same thing.

[ghstudio]

The thing is that if you are in a suite you are signed up for either Select or MDR and your tips go there. They don't expect suite guests to dine in Blu every night and do it as an accommodation for suite guests. That is why they had the $5 pp charge.

 

While this sounds logical, the waiters in Blu would have had the same workload had different suite guests dined in Blu each night...and if they (whoever they is) believe that a suite guest should pay a $5 gratuity, then the number of nights they eat in Blu shouldn't matter.

 

This is just a random request by a "rogue" maitre d'.....or, of course, given the complete lack of Celebrity documented policy on this, he probably thinks that the $5 policy is still in effect (and who actually knows...it might be and all the other ships are doing it wrong).

[HopefulCruiser123]

The question seems to be about why they have to tip 60 days in advance for Select dining (including the tips for the cabin attendant) and for Traditional dining they can charge to your room every day which is, effectively paid at the end of the cruise.

 

Some of us can't figure out why Select is different. The only thing I can think of is it is possible to stop or modify the daily tips for Traditional and they don't want you to be able to do that for Select. Perhaps the 60 day thing is just a convenience for them because they are collecting lots of money from you then anyway. Don't know. It is a curious difference. It's not a huge deal for me and it doesn't keep me from booking Select (we love it) And, as one poster commented, it may keep some others from doing Select which leaves more room for us :)

 

Doesn't stop me from being curious though. I think the whole gratuities thing on a cruise ship (all lines) is kind of shady. I fully believe in tipping and often tip a great deal for a wonderful experience, but forcing tips (like with drinks) takes some of the joy out of it. To me it's just like charging more for the drinks (or whatever). It's like saying, "Part of the cost of the drink goes to the server", but it's kind of robbing me of the chance to say thank you to the one doing an excellent job.

 

 

Tom

I think that is my question too. We do traditional dining, late seating so I really don't have a dog in this hunt, but I don't see why the daily auto gratuity is not good enough for those choosing select dining. The excuse that having different waiters might confuse passengers is easily resolved with the daily auto tip to the sea pass.

 

I also think that the auto tips might (in some cases) result in a lower threshold of tip for the staff because some passengers won't go out of their way to do any more, when if stuffing a tip envelope may have been a bit more generous. I come from an era where the tip envelope was the only game in town (but even then beverages had an automatic service charge added). I don't mind the auto tip but I have to say that I have felt the suggested amounts were rather weak for what we have received in return.....JMHO.

[tserface]

I humbly apologize for misquoting and misunderstanding you.

 

:o

 

Tom

 

Tom, you need to read my post more carefully. I said that "I suspect that the type of person who would stiff any of the staff lacks a guilt gene and probably wouldn't even be embarrassed if caught out." I did not say that someone who chooses not to provide a gratuity for a valid reason should be embarrassed.

 

As for the issue of people not tipping because they are "following their conscience", yes, I suppose that could be the reason in a very limited number of cases, but I suspect that the vast majority of passengers who withhold gratuities are simply cheap and uncaring.

 

[tserface]

What culture are they observing? Celebrity has ships all over the world and, so far as I know, none of them are registered in the U.S.

 

Tom

 

I would agree with you if they were at home observing their own culture. They're not.

[Charles4515]

What culture are they observing? Celebrity has ships all over the world and, so far as I know, none of them are registered in the U.S.

 

Tom

 

You are kidding right? Celebrity headquarters is in the US, passengers are predominantly from the US........

[Ma Bell]

What culture are they observing? Celebrity has ships all over the world and, so far as I know, none of them are registered in the U.S.

 

Tom

 

Duh, maybe you can explain it to me.

[ghstudio]

You are kidding right? Celebrity headquarters is in the US, passengers are predominantly from the US........

 

And to take advantage of (avoid) US tax laws, Celebrity ships are all registered in Malta (or equador for the Xpedition) and the corporation is legally incorporated somewhere else (it used to be Liberia). They do make it very hard to find where the corporation is incorporated, but it is not the US.

 

Celebrity pays almost no US taxes....but Carnival Corporation appears to pay even less, they pay no US taxes according to recent news articles.

[Karynanne]

What culture are they observing? Celebrity has ships all over the world and, so far as I know, none of them are registered in the U.S.

 

Tom

 

The ships may travel all over the world, but Royal Caribbean (parent company) is headquartered in Miami. Logic tells me that U.S.cultural tipping customs are the standard on Celebrity.

[Charles4515]

And to take advantage of (avoid) US tax laws, Celebrity ships are all registered in Malta (or equador for the Xpedition) and the corporation is legally incorporated somewhere else (it used to be Liberia). They do make it very hard to find where the corporation is incorporated, but it is not the US.

 

Celebrity pays almost no US taxes....but Carnival Corporation appears to pay even less, they pay no US taxes according to recent news articles.

 

I think the legal incorporation is in Panama. If it wasn't my bedtime I would look it up.

[Chicago Boy]

Has anyone ask Celebrity "Why" prepaid gratitudes??? for Select Dining???

 

 

I have heard of some cruisers that do Not tip (in the days when we were not charged per day)

 

 

When someone wants to use an OBC to pay their tips what they really want to do is to use someone elses money to pay their tips. If someone can't afford to tip then they can't afford to cruise. There are those who want it all but don't want to pay for it.

[Charles4515]

When someone wants to use an OBC to pay their tips what they really want to do is to use someone elses money to pay their tips. If someone can't afford to tip then they can't afford to cruise. There are those who want it all but don't want to pay for it.

 

I don't feel guilty about using the OBC to pay my gratuities and I don't think anyone is wanting to use someone else's money! I actually had the choice of $1000 onboard credit or the 321 sale where they pay gratuities, beverage package and $300 credit. Since I am not a big drinker I choose the $1000. It is Celebrity that offered me those incentives to book a veranda cabin in Europe. Celebrity is giving me the OBC to spend onboard. Their other option for their sales would be lower price but they see it as a win for them that you will have to spend the OBC and not pocket the savings in the a bank.

[NLH Arizona]

When someone wants to use an OBC to pay their tips what they really want to do is to use someone elses money to pay their tips. If someone can't afford to tip then they can't afford to cruise. There are those who want it all but don't want to pay for it.

Have to disagree. It seems as if the OP just wants to use the OBC that they were given. Once it is given, it is the OP's money and there is nothing wrong with paying for the daily tips with it and has nothing to do with whether the OP can afford the cruise or not, which obviously they can.

[ghstudio]

When someone wants to use an OBC to pay their tips what they really want to do is to use someone elses money to pay their tips. If someone can't afford to tip then they can't afford to cruise. There are those who want it all but don't want to pay for it.

 

I can't even begin to understand this post. An OBC is your money....it is a discount given to you by Celebrity in the form of an on-board credit rather than just handing you the OBC amount in $'s. If you use the OBC to tip someone, it's your money you are using. If you hand them a $10 bill, it's also your money.

 

I'm very confused as to why anyone would think that paying a tip from OBC's is a bad thing

[Shake]

Amazing what you can learn. :p

 

I never knew OBC isn't real money.

[Chicago Boy]

Has anyone ask Celebrity "Why" prepaid gratitudes??? for Select Dining???

 

 

I have heard of some cruisers that do Not tip (in the days when we were not charged per day)

 

 

I think I just answered your question.

[boogs]

When someone wants to use an OBC to pay their tips what they really want to do is to use someone elses money to pay their tips. If someone can't afford to tip then they can't afford to cruise. There are those who want it all but don't want to pay for it.

 

Money is money. Whether it's from my savings, my payroll checks, a bonus from my employer, OBC from my TA or the cruise line, lotto winnings, dividends on wise investments, or even a few bills I found on the sidewalk, it's all the same. What darn difference does it make where it came from, as long as it's legal?

 

Besides, it is all someone else's at one time until some of it eventually becomes ours.

[In_Steerage]

Where did you get the 5 month figure from?? You do not prepay the gratuities, tips, service charge for select dining until your FINAL PAYMENT, which is normally due 60 days prior to sailing. Or perhaps you were just trying to drive your point home?

 

OK, I stand corrected on the installment payment timeframes.

 

However, that doesn't change my argument. Even if I was asked to prepay my gratuities the day I board the ship, I resent being handled differently that a "Traditional Dining" cruiser.

 

I didn't ask for Select dining; I would have taken either late or early Traditional dining. But those are "full"; I'm forced into Select, and I'm not given a choice to waitlist for Traditional, even though that is promoted as one of my Elite benefits.

 

I put up a credit card / cash before I board the ship just like any other passenger in Traditional dining. Why does the daily gratuity charge work ok for them, but not for Select diners?

 

I think in most situations where people have parted with their money under questionable terms, they tend to rationalize their purchase (i.e., siding with Celebrity's odd policy in this case) rather than adopt the attitude that as a consumer, they ARE empowered to take a stand.

 

I found another Celebrity Alaska cruise with available Traditional dining, booked it, and will pay my tips on board...AFTER I receive personal service.:cool:

[spookwife]

What culture are they observing? Celebrity has ships all over the world and, so far as I know, none of them are registered in the U.S.

 

Tom

 

 

registry has no bearing..

 

but where the ships sail out of of and with what preponderance of passengers does!

 

we have all seen the tales when ships move to Europe or Oz and how tips are handled differently on those itineraries.

 

I get so fed up with those people from cultures who do not normally tip throwing hissy fits about "ugly Americans" and their terrible social habits invading their country and being rude and what not.. and yet don't understand when we turn it around and say.. "dude, yer in 'Merica now. We tip. suck it up"

[k9x8]

I get so fed up with those people from cultures who do not normally tip throwing hissy fits about "ugly Americans" and their terrible social habits invading their country and being rude and what not.. and yet don't understand when we turn it around and say.. "dude, yer in 'Merica now. We tip. suck it up"

 

What she said. ⬆

Americans can be just as belligerent. We were at a nice restaurant in Assisi, and one of our fellow Americans was pitching a thunderous hissy fit about the service charge.

 

Over on the RCI boards, quite a few Americans are roaring about auto or pre-paid gratuities violating their personal codes of morality.

 

I agree it would be nice if one could pledge one's OBC in advance for the gratuities, but that might could open a whole 'nuther can of worms. Ironically, I find all the tipping brouhaha both amusing and distasteful.

[WaterholeWally]

Never once did I wonder why there are pre-paid gratuities.

 

The same blow-hards that complain about tipping are the same people who complain about waiting in line for the five (5) minute ride from the parking lot to the ship.

 

The same people that don't tip the van driver.

 

The same people that don't show the least amount of courtesy or consideration to the lower wait-staff, and on-and-on...

 

Wally worked menial jobs and was subjected to these snooty, phoney, jackazzes bumping, hitting, and tripping-over the lower-wrung, sub-servient workers.

 

Observe how some of your so-called friends treat the assistants (bus-boy or girl). It will tell you a lot about their character or lack there-of.

 

The me-generation is not new. Out.

[tserface]

Never once did I wonder why there are pre-paid gratuities.

 

The same blow-hards that complain about tipping are the same people who complain about waiting in line for the five (5) minute ride from the parking lot to the ship.

 

The same people that don't tip the van driver.

 

The same people that don't show the least amount of courtesy or consideration to the lower wait-staff, and on-and-on...

 

Wally worked menial jobs and was subjected to these snooty, phoney, jackazzes bumping, hitting, and tripping-over the lower-wrung, sub-servient workers.

 

Observe how some of your so-called friends treat the assistants (bus-boy or girl). It will tell you a lot about their character or lack there-of.

 

The me-generation is not new. Out.

 

It's sort of unfair to assume that because someone is curious about why they are required to tip 2 months in advance of service they are all those bad names you called. I tip quite generously and I confess to not understanding the policy and I don't think I'm a donkey or snooty (I hope not anyway). I'm just curious. As it turns out pre-tipping saves me $$$ because it costs less than what I would normally give and I have this 'feeling' it's all taken care of to their liking so... Doesn't make me any less curious.

[WaterholeWally]

Sorry tserface, not assuming; stating facts.

 

If you don't know if you are snooty or not, then you may be.

 

If you don't know, then maybe you never worked a service-job. What a shame that treating the lowly as sub-humans is an accepted part of our culture and educational system. That's unfair.

 

As Wally has previously stated, he no longer attends cocktail parties because if he wants to talk about himself, he would rather be with people that he likes.

 

Finally, it is "curious" how you turned this discussion into how it benefits you. That doesn't make you a bad person...just sayin'.

[tserface]

Sorry tserface, not assuming; stating facts.

 

If you don't know if you are snooty or not, then you may be.

 

If you don't know, then maybe you never worked a service-job. What a shame that treating the lowly as sub-humans is an accepted part of our culture and educational system. That's unfair.

 

As Wally has previously stated, he no longer attends cocktail parties because if he wants to talk about himself, he would rather be with people that he likes.

 

Finally, it is "curious" how you turned this discussion into how it benefits you. That doesn't make you a bad person...just sayin'.

 

Sorry, didn't mean to focus it on me. All I meant was it takes something away from everyone making it so nebulous. I worked in many service organizations, but none where I got tipped 2 months in advance so if makes me curious why they require that and you implied that it was clear to you. I didn't mean anything more by it. My observation is that they ask for less than I would normally tip and make it confusing to give more. I think that works against people who give especially good service!

[richsea]

Who is Wally?