The solution to the great tipping debate

[pfm18]

That has not been my observation at all.

 

Tipping threads are most often started by British, Scottish, Irish or Australian cruisers,and they are heavy participants in those threads.

 

You Scottish IS British right? That's like me saying tipping threads are either started by Pennsylvanians or Americans.

[pfm18]

Which nation/currency/economy of the world do you base a proper wage?

 

Well whatever they earn now including "gratuities"

[Scotty G]

It is not just that. There are other things that are based on "cruisefare" that the average passenger is not aware of. Putting the gratuities into the cruisefare makes a mess of that, too.

 

Such as crew being from 60 plus countries and the resulting tax laws that RCI would have to comply with. I would like to leave it the way it is and pay the recommended gratuities. We also would tip those that went above and beyond (differentiating between gratuity and tip).

[Scotty G]

You Scottish IS British right?

Just depends on how the vote goes ;) For now they are British subjects.

[pfm18]

Just depends on how the vote goes ;) For now they are British subjects.

 

And will remain so :)

[Merion_Mom]

You Scottish IS British right? That's like me saying tipping threads are either started by Pennsylvanians or Americans.

 

Well, since cruisers from Scotland seem to prefer to put "Scotland" in the upper right corner of their posts and NOT "Great Britain", I thought that I would accommodate their national preference.

 

:rolleyes:

[ryano]

I would like to see everyone on board a ship paid a decent wage and then tip those who go over and above the normal sevice.

 

Well if by "decent wage" you mean paid according to US laws, your cruise would wind up being double or more what it costs now.

 

You REALLY want to see that?

[irlsq]

Here is what I wish and yall can flame me if you want to.

 

I wish Royal Caribbean would call it a service charge, make it mandatory for everyone just like they do for the MTD customers and NOT give the option to remove them :o If you dont want to pay the service charge, then you simply dont cruise on Royal Caribbean. Period.

 

People would say that gives no ambition to give good service from the crew but I do NOT believe that for one minute. I have NEVER received anything other than excellent service on a Royal Caribbean cruise on the few I have been on anwway and I have always prepaid my gratuities.

 

I realize people have bad days and service may be off but I dont think it happens as much as some let on that it does. Thats where the comment cards can come into a bigger play and Royal caribbean can deal with the situation.

 

Thats JMO.

 

This is exactly what RCCL dont want, to alienate customers for a reaso. That RCCL doesnt make money from. In the end RCCL profits are not affected if staff are tipped or not. When customers start walking away, bottom line decreases! No benefit to Cruise line!

 

 

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[ryano]

This is exactly what RCCL dont want, to alienate customers for a reaso. That RCCL doesnt make money from. In the end RCCL profits are not affected if staff are tipped or not. When customers start walking away, bottom line decreases! No benefit to Cruise line!

 

 

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All it is going to take is for ONE of the mass market cruise lines to start implementing a gratuity program like that and you will see all others follow suit.

 

Its only my opinion but I believe we will see something very similar to what I said in the next 5 years.

[Merion_Mom]

A couple of summers ago, I was researching booking a cruise on Regent in the Mediterranean.

 

Of course, it was much more expensive than RC, but it went to some amazing ports, and my daughter was living in Europe at the time.

 

Regent includes the following in its price: gratuities, shore excursions, roundtrip airfare, hotel night the night before the cruise, transfers both before and after the cruise, stocked bar in your cabin, wine and alcohol all over the ship, specialty dining...........and I am sure that I am forgetting something.

 

When I sat and compared everything, it really was a pretty good deal!

 

So, some cruiselines DO include gratuities and those who consider booking those cruiselines should know that.

 

It's a matter of the cruiseline educating its target audience.

 

:)

[irlsq]

It is probably veering toward this solution. Whereby tips or service charge or whatever face you want to give it is part of the cruise fare. Then if people want to tip after that its there business. As with the Aussie poster earlier, in Ireland all charges are covered as part of the advertised price. After that you may tip. Usually hairdressers/barbers, lounge staff (in pubs), and taxi drivers are tipped. Tipping in restaurants is not overly common but is done more and more.

 

 

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[marielco]

What is a "decent wage" and on which economy/nation/currency do you base it?

 

A "decent wage" would obviously be based on the cost of living in the country in which it is being paid not any other economy or currency.

[Big_G]

Make the cruises $12 per night more expensive(not a service charge just more expensive cruise)

 

No official gratuities.

 

Pay the staff a proper wage.

 

And feel free to leave the waiter and room steward 10 or 20 dollars as an extra little thank you for excellent service.

 

 

 

There. Fixed. I don't know why some people get so worked up about it :p

 

And this will resolve the tipping debate how? :D

[BeachChik]

All it is going to take is for ONE of the mass market cruise lines to start implementing a gratuity program like that and you will see all others follow suit.

 

Its only my opinion but I believe we will see something very similar to what I said in the next 5 years.

 

Norwegian already does something like what you mention. I wouldn't be surprised to see royal and carnival follow at some point in the not to distant future.

 

 

Why is there a service charge?

The reason there's a fixed service charge is an important one: Our Crew (as are the crew from other lines) is encouraged to work together as a team. Staff members including restaurant staff, stateroom stewards and behind-the-scenes support staff are compensated by a combination of salary and incentive programs that your service charge supports.

How much is the charge?

Onboard Service Charges are additional. A charge of $12 per person per day will automatically be added to your onboard account.

 

What about Tipping?

Guests should not feel obliged to offer a gratuity for good service. However, all of our staff are encouraged to "go the extra mile," and so they are permitted to accept cash gratuities entirely at the discretion of our guests who wish to acknowledge particular staff members for exceptional or outstanding service. In other words, there is genuinely no need to tip but you should feel free to do so if you have a desire to acknowledge particular individuals.

[dplusd]

Make the cruises $12 per night more expensive(not a service charge just more expensive cruise)

 

No official gratuities.

 

Pay the staff a proper wage.

 

And feel free to leave the waiter and room steward 10 or 20 dollars as an extra little thank you for excellent service.

 

There. Fixed. I don't know why some people get so worked up about it :p

 

Works for me!

 

I just hate the thought that some passengers, who for cultural differences or who are just too cheep, stiff the hard working staff.

[varoo]

LOL! For anyone who gets upset at being charged for gratuities in addition to the base price of a cruise, don't even think about renting a car at any US airport.

 

You will be absolutely flabbergasted at all the additional charges that get added on top of the base price. :eek:

[ticktoneer]

LOL! For anyone who gets upset at being charged for gratuities in addition to the base price of a cruise, don't even think about renting a car at any US airport.

 

You will be absolutely flabbergasted at all the additional charges that get added on top of the base price. :eek:

When we hire them for the USA but in advance in the UK the price includes all the extras and is a great price compared to UK car rental

[varoo]

I respectfully disagree. If Royal Caribbean included tips in it's price (a no need to tip policy), I believe it would give them a great advantage.

That is what the management at Holland America thought when they tried that policy a few years ago.

 

It was not successful and and they soon abandoned it.

Now HAL just adds a daily charge to the passenger accounts, listing it as "Hotel Service Charge" which is a term less likely to provoke controversy than calling it a a tip or gratuity.

 

We, the passengers, will end up paying it one way or another, regardless of what they call it or how they bill it.

If they include it in the base price of the cruise, then it will raise the price we pay for taxes and also for travel insurance.

 

[cjdixon4]

My vote goes with converting to "Service Charge" up front as part of the cost of the cruise. Got an above-average performer (whatever THAT is) for a cabin steward or a Head Waiter? Give 'em additional if you desire. Below par service (whatever THAT is)? Nothing. That's one solution.

[CruisingFamilia]

tip is an expectation and not an obligation....In the direct person to person service industry, such as waiters, cab driver, hair barber/hair dresser, doorman, baggage handlers, and cruise workers giving a tip has become customary. Service industry employees have become accustomed to receiving that additional compensation. In most cases the additional cash is very well earned, and it should be left to the customer to determine if the person has earned a it or not. Unfortunately, some companies pay their employees so little that the employees have come to rely on the tip as if it were part of their yearly salary. I am from NYC, and we have been conditioned to be “tip happy.” We tip anyone we feel is doing their job. I am guilty of this, and can attest to the expectation having been on the other end. I drove a cab while going to school, and tips were well welcomed and I feel deserved.

With all of the above said, I don’t feel paying customers should have their arms twisted (cheapskates or not) into paying “suggested” tips, but I do feel that if you are happy with the good service why not give a good tip. If you have the cash to pay for the cruise, you could make available a few extra bucks to compensate good service.

I have never removed the auto tip in 4 cruises (we are going on our 5th this summer). We have always received very good service. Customers can moan and groan, but the bottom line is that, at least, with the auto tip you know about it. The flip side is that cruise lines eliminate the auto tip and get you another way or you receiving poor service.

[Babygirl08]

Clark Griswald summed up the state of tipping beautifully in Christmas Vacation:

"I was expecting a check. Instead I got enrolled in a jelly club. Seventeen years with the company. I've gotten a bonus every year but this one. You don't want to give bonuses, fine!

But when people count on them as part of their salary

, well, what you did just plain..."

 

A tip that is not optional is no longer a tip. It is a charge.

[KeywestK]

Clark Griswald summed up the state of tipping beautifully in Christmas Vacation:

"I was expecting a check. Instead I got enrolled in a jelly club. Seventeen years with the company. I've gotten a bonus every year but this one. You don't want to give bonuses, fine!

But when people count on them as part of their salary

, well, what you did just plain..."

 

A tip that is not optional is no longer a tip. It is a charge.

 

Agreed. The cruise lines should just stop calling it gratuities and call it what it is: a service charge. Add it onto the price of the cruise and be done with it.

[SamFritz]

As someone who works for tips (at my summer job) I do prefer tipping to the idea of a flat service charge. I do my job exceptionally well and bring home 25% more than the average person doing my job (50% more than the rookies and low performers). A flat service fee would reward those who don't do their job as well at the expense of the best.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk, please excuse all the typos.

[Newtoncruise]

Both of the above posters are right! So let tips be tips and service charge be a fixed cost!

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

[/b]

 

Agreed. The cruise lines should just stop calling it gratuities and call it what it is: a service charge. Add it onto the price of the cruise and be done with it.

 

you got it :) Hi Karen, hope you're doing well!