Sorry ! Tipping Query....

[storm1of4]

Well, they thought that they were doing that with the daily charge on your SeaPass.

 

But you cancelled that.

 

Brilliant!

[BeachChik]

If only there were some way, before embarking on holiday, of doing a modest amount of research to understand the culture and practices into which one is about to be immersed. I'm not talking having to go to the library or anything. But maybe some day, we can connect the world electronically, computer to computer.... in order to for some sort of "web".

 

Until then, I guess we'll just have to continue to allow our friends across the pond to bash our culture and lean on their "misunderstanding" as an excuse for skipping out on tips...

 

That was exactly the point I was trying to make. The information isn't hidden. How do people know how to dress for the cruise? They research it. They aren't told when booking that there are formal nights. Tipping is no different.

 

I like how those that complain say it is just wrong of the company to expect guests to pay the crews wages yet have no problem giving the cruise line their money. If I feel a company is handling business in a way I don't agree with I don't give them my business. I don't patronize the business and then screw the little person over that has nothing to do with how the company is run. But it's all an excuse to justify their behavior. IMO if you can't adjust to the norms where ever you are visiting, you shouldn't travel. Saying that's not how we do it where I am from is a lame excuse.

[sparky-elpaso]

That was exactly the point I was trying to make. The information isn't hidden. How do people know how to dress for the cruise? They research it. They aren't told when booking that there are formal nights. Tipping is no different.

 

I like how those that complain say it is just wrong of the company to expect guests to pay the crews wages yet have no problem giving the cruise line their money. If I feel a company is handling business in a way I don't agree with I don't give them my business. I don't patronize the business and then screw the little person over that has nothing to do with how the company is run. But it's all an excuse to justify their behavior. IMO if you can't adjust to the norms where ever you are visiting, you shouldn't travel. Saying that's not how we do it where I am from is a lame excuse.

 

Absolutely.

 

There was a post on another thread that was very good. If the tips were included in the price you would also pay more for trip insurance (which is based on the price of the cruise).

[storm1of4]

Not sure why you feel the need to deconstruct or paraphrase my posts, or why you're consistently challenging my motives.

I'm grateful for the constructive replies to my post, for the record, I didn't withdraw the tips, nor "stiff" anyone - not that I need to justify this, I chose to allocate and distribute as I felt appropriate.

 

RCI need to seriously rethink this policy or else make it patently obvious to their customers where, why and how these so called "tips" are allocated.

 

 

Well you pay the published fare without question............why are the published gratuities any different??

You don't ask how the price of the fare is allocated??? Why should the service charge be any different?

There is nothing to be confused about...RC tells us what to pay as gratuities and they even make is easy by adding the cost to your account. It is a customary and expected part of the holiday. Most of the excuses as to why they are not paid do not hold water.

Ignorance is really no excuse.............especially from one who reads these boards. CC does a great job at educating us all on many aspects of cruising.

[Dorset Cruiser]

Where's the "LIKE" button? A great morning laugh!

 

 

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

 

You find being insulting 'funny' ? Well they say it takes all sorts to make a world!

[Newtoncruise]

Not sure why you feel the need to deconstruct or paraphrase my posts, or why you're consistently challenging my motives.

I'm grateful for the constructive replies to my post, for the record, I didn't withdraw the tips, nor "stiff" anyone - not that I need to justify this, I chose to allocate and distribute as I felt appropriate.

 

RCI need to seriously rethink this policy or else make it patently obvious to their customers where, why and how these so called "tips" are allocated.

 

Took the advice from fellow passengers of removing the statutory $12 per day tips from my account, reasoning (I thought rationally) that as our party were benefitting differently from individual staff we would assign the tips accordingly.

 

 

 

Your first post was ambiguous then......it's in red.

 

You now state that you did not stiff anyone and you gave tips how you thought appropriate. That is different.

 

But I will analyse and interpret what you say because in my opinion what you are saying is lacking clarity.

 

You mention your party......I get the feeling this is quite a few people. I also get the feeling that you removed all the tips and didn't pay the same amount back.

 

Please correct me if I'm wrong on this........

 

Also please explain why your allocation was more appropriate. Did you tip your cabin steward the recommended amount. Did you remove your waiter tips because you ate in the speciality facilities.

 

Please spell it out so we can turn the flame thrower off and have a sensible discussion.

 

Will you be cruising again with RCI. I hope so......

[Dorset Cruiser]

Absolutely.

 

There was a post on another thread that was very good. If the tips were included in the price you would also pay more for trip insurance (which is based on the price of the cruise).

 

It isn't in the UK - we pay by length of trip or have annual policies :)

[Dorset Cruiser]

Well you pay the published fare without question............why are the published gratuities any different??

You don't ask how the price of the fare is allocated??? Why should the service charge be any different?

There is nothing to be confused about...RC tells us what to pay as gratuities and they even make is easy by adding the cost to your account. It is a customary and expected part of the holiday. Most of the excuses as to why they are not paid do not hold water.

Ignorance is really no excuse.............especially from one who reads these boards. CC does a great job at educating us all on many aspects of cruising.

 

There is only one way out of all these tipping arguments. Make the tips, gratuities, whatever, part of the price of the cruise as a fixed, non- negotiable service charge. Then the passenger can decide which cruiseline to go with and not have any additional costs, apart from personal spending.

 

They could also do away with the system which allows US passengers to take advantage of price drops. This perk is not, in the main, available to UK, European and Australian passengers which means that, in effect, we are subsidising the cruise prices offered to US passengers :(

[ctop]

I find it interesting that many posters find it okay to verbally assault an individual for stating an opinion in the guise of protecting the "underdog". Tipping is optional not mandatory. I have had some very poor service on some ships and I have left the tips but have given very serious consideration to removing the tip and always promise myself on future cruises I will do just that. That being said, I have also received some exceptional service and I have tipped beyond the allocated amount. When looking at salaries they span between 2,000 to 6,000 U.S. per month,most employees work a six day week, ten hour shifts. All accommodation and food costs are included. No one forces another person to work on a cruise ship. I have had conversations with many employees (bartenders, waiters, waitresses, dishwashers, room attendants, etc.) and I hear similar accounts of many years of service and overall contentment of their jobs. The one time this was not so (and it is very obvious by overall quality of service) was on the NCL Jade a few years ago.

[cruzincurt]

If the tip, gratuity, or service charge gets buried in the higher cruise fare, in 12 months we'll be right back here with the busybodies wringing their hands about the meager wages. Then the tipping starts all over again. HAL tried that years ago, now they have a daily service charge.

 

Just have it added as a service charge once on board, just like most resorts now do it, and be done with it.

[Newtoncruise]

 

They could also do away with the system which allows US passengers to take advantage of price drops. This perk is not, in the main, available to UK, European and Australian passengers which means that, in effect, we are subsidising the cruise prices offered to US passengers :(

 

That is a good point........it's a real pain in the ass not being able to benefit from a price drop without having to negotiate like its the middle east crisis.....

[mm1251]

Here is info direct from the UK RCI website -

 

Paying gratuities on your cruise

If you have not pre-paid your tips/service charges, for your convenience, we will automatically add a $12.00 per guest per day service charge to each guest's SeaPass account. For Grand Suites and above the daily charge is $14.25. Alternatively, you may pay in cash at the end of your cruise directly to the crew members you wish to recognise for their service (If you require an envelope for the crew member concerned, please see the Guest Relations Desk).

Also

Please note gratuities are discretionary so in the unlikely event that a guest onboard being charged the daily automatic gratuity does not receive satisfactory service, you may request to modify (increase, decrease or remove) the daily amount by visiting Guest Services during your cruise.

Gratuities are payable in US dollars on board. If you pre-pay you don't have to take extra cash onboard, or additional foreign currency

 

Thank you for this. Nothing will change until Celebrity changes the policy. Get over it people and lay off the OP!

[Big_G]

... and another Pied Piper dances his way through Cruise Critic leading on the masses with the same old tune. :rolleyes:

[jkskrap]

... and another Pied Piper dances his way through Cruise Critic leading on the masses with the same old tune. :rolleyes:

 

Uh...huh?

[reallyitsmema]

Thank you for this. Nothing will change until Celebrity changes the policy. Get over it people and lay off the OP!

There is absolutely no chance of Celebrity changing the way tips are charged on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

[Ifoundmydream]

RCCI seem to have it all covered so that we can choose how we do it. It looks like it initially takes the American culture, of course, it is an American ship, and then there is the choice to remove for other cultures, once the ship is in Europe and Europeans do it differently. There is no right and wrong, just choice. That's the thing here, too many people thinking they are right :p

[Jetdriver787]

This was a European cruise, marketed in the UK - why would USA culture play any part in customer habits or perception?

 

In fact it was European cruise marketed all over the world by an American cruise line. It is a floating resort hotel. The tipping expectations and procedures are on the website (including the UK version) and on the stateroom TV, and in the Cruise compass.

 

The attractions of this type of resort, centre around the core American culture. From the on-board currency to the meals, to the entertainment, there is little difference whether you are sailing out of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, New Orleans or Southampton.

 

Where European "culture" is imposed by law (for example the addition of Spanish VAT on drinks etc. when sailing on looped cruises from Spanish ports) there doesn't seem to be much applause and support for "cultural norms" on those occasions?

 

One of the most common "cultural norms" I observe on my travels, is the seeming need (usually in bars) to bore the pants off bar staff (or anyone else who will listen,) with the fact that we pay $8 a gallon for gas (petrol). Strangely that cultural norm doesn't seem to translate into insisting that our US hosts (Seven Eleven cashier) receives a $4.40 per gallon tip to prevent the obvious assault to our cultural expectations.

 

Similarly we do not insist that the cashier in Walmart adds 13% to our sales tax bill to prevent a cultural slap in the face to those of us more accustomed to 20% sales tax. Somehow we have developed a sophistication that allows us to quickly adjust to those changes to our cultural norms. :) Indeed it often comes as a surprise to visitors to the US that tax is added on to bills, whereas in the UK (and many other places) retail taxes are included as part of the final bill. Rarely do you see such visitors insisting that they will not pay these additional taxes, or deciding how the monies should be apportioned to satisfy themselves. Of course that is because these charges are compulsory and although they often make the "bargain" seem less of a "bargain," it is only the discretionary withholding that has any hope of keeping some of that bargain in place, even if it means the service staff member has to make up the difference.

[Dorset Cruiser]

We have no option but to pay taxes in the UK. Where they are allocated is not down to us other than that we can choose not to elect that government next time. As to the Royal Family, we are a monarchy and the VAST proportion of the country is in favour of a small amount of our taxes going to 'support' them - they bring in an enormous amountof money through tourism - no country does pageantry like the UK - and you can choose to tip or not and no-one will chase you through the streets or tip your luggage into the ocean if you choose not to ;)

 

See you went back and altered or added to your post to state that the royals do nothing! Bit of a generalism and I know some of the minors may not do much, but I for one would not like to carry out the amount of work that our 87 year old Queen and her 92 year old husband do.

 

God Bless OUR Queen!

[Cruising89143]

There is only one way out of all these tipping arguments. Make the tips, gratuities, whatever, part of the price of the cruise as a fixed, non- negotiable service charge. Then the passenger can decide which cruiseline to go with and not have any additional costs, apart from personal spending.

 

They could also do away with the system which allows US passengers to take advantage of price drops. This perk is not, in the main, available to UK, European and Australian passengers which means that, in effect, we are subsidising the cruise prices offered to US passengers :(

 

And we in the U.S do not have the same protections in place that those in the U.K have and you're not subsidizing anything so stop with the garbage. This is nothing of an excuse by many to be cheap. Sorry if the truth hurts. :rolleyes:

[Dorset Cruiser]

And we in the U.S do not have the same protections in place that those in the U.K have and you're not subsidizing anything so stop with the garbage. This is nothing of an excuse by many to be cheap. Sorry if the truth hurts. :rolleyes:

 

Excuse me - where do you get that I am cheap when I have to pay more for my cruises than you do - how rude you are!

[Cruising89143]

Excuse me - where do you get that I am cheap when I have to pay more for my cruises than you do - how rude you are!

 

I was discussing this thread in general. If you find my being blunt as being rude then so be it. I stand by my comment, you and your fellow U.K passengers are not subsidizing anything.

[Dorset Cruiser]

I was discussing this thread in general. If you find my being blunt as being rude then so be it. I stand by my comment, you and your fellow U.K passengers are not subsidizing anything.

 

Well we'll have to agree to differ there. To my mind, if I am paying more and you are paying less, then someone is subsidising you and it certainly isn't the cruise company - that money has to be made up somewhere along the line.

 

As to gratuities, we leave them on but we would certainly never pay any extra tips to anyone on a ship and would much prefer to have the gratuities added to the cruise cost as a service charge, then everyone would be paying, or make it impossible to take off or reduce (or increase) the daily tip amount. We do tip in the UK - usually 10% - but it is not a cultural thing with us and we would not tip if we received poor service.

[peteukmcr]

74 posts and the arguments and insults are the same as always from both sides.

 

As I have mentioned on several occasions, if you book a cruise with RCL UK, the 'mandatory gratuities' everyone is referring to have always been detailed on your invoice as 'on board service charge', so that's what they are, a service charge. To me this is like hotels in Las Vegas adding a 'resort fee' to your booking, it is not a 'tip' or 'gratuity' or whatever else you want to call it.

 

Now, it's only a matter of time before this thread is removed because there are some very rude people who have contributed to this thread and have offended many with their barbed comments about both cultures.

[Dorset Cruiser]

74 posts and the arguments and insults are the same as always from both sides.

 

As I have mentioned on several occasions, if you book a cruise with RCL UK, the 'mandatory gratuities' everyone is referring to have always been detailed on your invoice as 'on board service charge', so that's what they are, a service charge. To me this is like hotels in Las Vegas adding a 'resort fee' to your booking, it is not a 'tip' or 'gratuity' or whatever else you want to call it.

 

Now, it's only a matter of time before this thread is removed because there are some very rude people who have contributed to this thread and have offended many with their barbed comments about both cultures.

 

But they are not mandatory unless you are on MTD :confused:

[peteukmcr]

But they are not mandatory unless you are on MTD :confused:

 

Does it matter whether you're on MTD or not? Ok, you won't pay them upfront unless you're on MTD, but they're still adding them automatically daily to your Seapass account now.