WOW ! Up To 400 People Remove Gratuities

[Big_G]

Satire is a genre of literature, and sometimes graphic and performing arts, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement.[1] Although satire is usually meant to be funny, its greater purpose is often constructive social criticism, using wit as a weapon.

 

Now go reread the comment. :)

 

Given Joe's fixation with mini-bar overcharges on these boards, I'm not so sure he's engaging in satire.

[BeachChik]

My wife started her 10 yrs of service as assistant Maitre d with Celebrity in the Caribbean, have a guess who my wife crew disliked. I will give you a clue they liked those pax that new what please and thank you meant even if they were down on the tips.

It amuses me that a certain type of chicken thinks they can buy another's respect with a large tip.

 

How is paying the suggested gratuities buying respect?

[Keel Haul]

How is paying the suggested gratuities buying respect?

I did not say the suggested gratuities, please re read.

[jackdiamond]

This is either a bad case of cultural myopia or self-justification for being cheap and mean. Please compare prices in your "No Gratuity" utopia and the USA and get back to me. :mad:

You are correct. These days, one does not need to look to hard to find a dufus.

[Newtoncruise]

So what you are saying is that the servers like passengers who are polite and respectful to the crew. Not those (from any nation) who are rude and tip big to excuse themselves of their master servant superiority.

 

I've noticed this too!

[Keel Haul]

So what you are saying is that the servers like passengers who are polite and respectful to the crew. Not those (from any nation) who are rude and tip big to excuse themselves of their master servant superiority.

 

I've noticed this too!

In a nutshell yes,it was rife on the Royal Iris when they ran out of Sayers pasties on the 08.00.:)

 

PS you left out perceived superiority, my wife speaks several languages and has never said "gimme" once.

Edited July 12, 2013 by Keel Haul

[boo214]

Satire is a genre of literature, and sometimes graphic and performing arts, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement.[1] Although satire is usually meant to be funny, its greater purpose is often constructive social criticism, using wit as a weapon.

 

Now go reread the comment. :)

ok i have re read the comment. didnt realize you were being satirical. sorry. might have helped if you put one of these at the end of your post :D

[Newtoncruise]

In a nutshell yes,it was rife on the Royal Iris when they ran out of Sayers pasties on the 08.00.:)

 

Ahaa!!

[awhcruiser]

:mad:. This is the most despicable post yet.

But the only reason they are on a menial salary is because the company get away with it. I personally will not tip, even for good service - i have paid for good service. If, someone went beyond the call of duty or did something particularly special, then yes. But not for doing their job.

Edited July 12, 2013 by awhcruiser

[awhcruiser]

Like!

You are correct. These days, one does not need to look to hard to find a dufus.

[AZMO]

We also elected to pay our tips in cash, and the crew were delighted and could not do enough for us! I asked in advance how they would like to receive their tips, and tho they could not come out and say so, it was obvious as to their preference.

[tserface]

I think it's unfortunately when it degrades to name calling. When I read this I didn't read "despicable" or "dufus" I just read "different opinion". I pay the suggested tips and often more, but, technically, a tip or gratuity is supposed to be extra for great service. That's part of the definition and I don't think it's fair to slander someone just because you don't agree with Merriam Webster:

 

"Gratuity: Something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service; especially : tip"

 

Celebrity, and other cruise lines, could solve the problem by doing what many have suggested and just making it part of the fee package instead of pretending it's optional. Then people could just tip as they see fit and how the process was intended.

 

But, regardless, calling names because someone disagrees doesn't prove anything. Just my opinion.

 

Tom

 

:mad:. This is the most despicable post yet.

[JohnSnowGOT]

Counting other people's money is silly. Making judgment about their job in relation to their (perceived) income is foolish and petty.

 

I think RCi should have two fares...

(1) for people who agree to pay the gratuity

 

or (2) People who think it should be built into the fare, or otherwise for what ever reason do not agree with the Western culture of tipping, these people pay a different fare. A price that has the service already built into the price of the ticket. Then they will have no issues, or reasons to bother themselves with the income of anybodies' but their own.

 

Yes our gratuities do pay a major portion of the server's wages. The price of cruising is lower in part because of this.

 

To accept the lower price of the ticket, knowing it includes the understanding that you'll also tip the suggested amount only to purposely not tip or tip (what you feel is fair) amounts to dishonesty.

 

Of course you will not pay the higher fare just to avoid tipping............So atleast at the beginning of your vacation tell the server you don't tip. They'll still do their job. But they too can decide whether they want to perform any discretionary tasks while serving you and your loved ones.

 

 

Yes Well Said!:)

[Newtoncruise]

In a nutshell yes,it was rife on the Royal Iris when they ran out of Sayers pasties on the 08.00.:)

 

PS you left out perceived superiority, my wife speaks several languages and has never said "gimme" once.

 

You think it's perceived? Now you got me with the gimme bit! Show yourself scouse sir! No you're from over the water.......giz a clue billy.

[CruiseKeeper]

Yes Well Said!:)

 

"You know nothing John Snow."

[Gig103]

Maybe if this happened more often, then the tips would just get rolled into the price industry-wide instead of just the high end ones, or P&O, or cruises out of Southampton.

 

The crew agreed to a certain salary and the tips are extra on top. If their recruiter 'assured them' that their take-home would be higher, then that recruiter needs to be addressed, not the people who don't tip.

 

I pay my auto-tip, but if people are going to get upset about it then just include it or accept it as a cost of doing business.

[tserface]

I get the impression that the only people getting upset are the ones that are paying the tips, not the ones getting them. I think this is more of a passion for Cruise Critic members than it is for the cruise ship staff.

 

Tom

 

Maybe if this happened more often, then the tips would just get rolled into the price industry-wide instead of just the high end ones, or P&O, or cruises out of Southampton.

 

The crew agreed to a certain salary and the tips are extra on top. If their recruiter 'assured them' that their take-home would be higher, then that recruiter needs to be addressed, not the people who don't tip.

 

I pay my auto-tip, but if people are going to get upset about it then just include it or accept it as a cost of doing business.

[Gig103]

I get the impression that the only people getting upset are the ones that are paying the tips, not the ones getting them. I think this is more of a passion for Cruise Critic members than it is for the cruise ship staff.

 

Tom

 

I agree that we all seem to care what others do or don't do with their money. I like to play devils advocate sometimes in these threads.

[MisterBill99]

But the only reason they are on a menial salary is because the company get away with it. I personally will not tip, even for good service - i have paid for good service. If, someone went beyond the call of duty or did something particularly special, then yes. But not for doing their job.

Is that the custom in Australia, not to tip, or is it just your rule? The reason they pay the menial salary on the cruise ships is because they know that the employee's income will be supplemented by tips. That's the same way it works in restaurants in the US, where employees get paid sub-minimum wage because they are "made whole" from the tips.

 

The crew agreed to a certain salary and the tips are extra on top. If their recruiter 'assured them' that their take-home would be higher, then that recruiter needs to be addressed, not the people who don't tip.

That's like saying that servers in a US restaurant agreed to a sub-minimum wage, which was based on getting tips to give them a living wage, and if customer stiff them because they're cheap, it's not the customer's fault.

 

I think RCi should have two fares...

(1) for people who agree to pay the gratuity

 

or (2) People who think it should be built into the fare, or otherwise for what ever reason do not agree with the Western culture of tipping, these people pay a different fare. A price that has the service already built into the price of the ticket. Then they will have no issues, or reasons to bother themselves with the income of anybodies' but their own.

They do -- book My Time Dining and the tips are prepaid and cannot be removed. However, they do not force people who refuse to tip into group 2.

Edited July 12, 2013 by MisterBill99

[Newtoncruise]

I would be happy to prepay on regular dining times......

[Gig103]

That's like saying that servers in a US restaurant agreed to a sub-minimum wage, which was based on getting tips to give them a living wage, and if customer stiff them because they're cheap, it's not the customer's fault

 

It is exactly the same thing. In fact, if a bad server doesn't make enough on tips to reach minimum wage, the restaurant has to cover it. Of course that will be the server's last check, but it is the law.

[travelplus]

I had the Auto Tip removed and we just tipped the people and even gave extra tips to the ones who deserved it and adjusted the rest. I think auto tipping is extortion because as stated here even the slackers get tipped.

 

My opinion is tipping is done for good service. Lets say your room attendant does not bring back or followup on your laundry service and a few items are delayed days not even a day late, does not clean your room , or does not even check on you when there is an issue. Why should you tip the full amount?

 

Or we had some of the best servers in the dining room who treated us like family and we gave them extra tips in addition to the tips in an envelope.

 

Why do we tip people who we never run into?

 

Royal Caribbean should allow us to dictate who we want to tip and the amount. Yes you can suggest an amount but please don't force the amount you suggest on us.

 

I feel that the cruiselines should pay more salary to the people so we as passengers don't feel obligated to tip as much.

[Keel Haul]

 

I feel that the cruiselines should pay more salary to the people so we as passengers don't feel obligated to tip as much.

it would also stop most of the inter-crew extortion which does get very nasty.

[Oville]

Tips are part of cruising. If you are too stingy to tip, find another vacation outlet.

[Newtoncruise]

Tips are part of cruising. If you are too stingy to tip, find another vacation outlet.

 

If the op is right and so many people remove their tips.........what do you think would happen if those same people removed their custom.....as you suggest?

 

I don't think the cruise lines would like that would they?