Anyone refuse to tip on a cruise?

[LetsGetWet!]

Refuse to tip? No. I believe the tip amount is reasonable.

 

Forced to tip with final payment because of My Time Dining is a big scam and a load of BS. I prefer being billed afterwards or using OBC for this just like people with fixed dining times. That's my only real gripe. I've never removed or reduced tips; I add cash to people I feel have earned extra, I just think RCI taking my tip money ahead of time is unfair.

 

In the game of life, when there is no incentive or rational reason to pay ahead of time for something I would rather be billed after the service. I don't get fooled by these mind games of having a smaller bill after the cruise. I haven't saved anything by paying up front, therefore I'd rather keep my money mine as long as practical.

 

Will I tip? Yes. Do I wish RCI treated guests with My Time Dining FAIRLY and EQUITABLY? ABSOLUTELY!

I've most certainly disagreed with you on other threads here - and probably will again - but we're in 110% agreement on this!

 

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[tserface]

I feel the same way as many here about the definition of gratuity, but I've concluded that it's so little $$$ compared to the overall cost that I've decided it's just a part of the cost. The service we got in MTD was outstanding. For a 7 day cruise it costs us $84 each so nut a lot of money. I still don't like calling a mandatory fee a 'gratuity', so I just consider it like any other fee and tip at the end based on service.

 

Tom

 

 

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[racerxspeedy]

Hello -

 

I have asked a few MDR servers if they always get tipped. The answer was always NO - they were getting stiffed a lot . Many of the crew do not like Asia and Europe routes for this reason. Many countries do not tip normally. (Japan, China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, Belgium, France, Iceland, Italy, Ireland......and many others)

 

In Japan it is considered an insult to leave a tip.

 

The servers like the new automatic tip system - adding 12/day to the bill. I think this works well or everyone.

[negc]

suppose its 4 people and you are going to a special restaurant and will tip there. maybe you hit the buffet once that day , is $48 in tips cheap?

 

In comparison to the amount that four people will pay for that day of a cruise, it certainly is. Dining at a specialty restaurant is totally optional so if the additional cost of the regular tip is such a burden perhaps you should forego the specialty restaurant. Besides the tip includes the gratuity for your room steward so the dining room (plus buffet restaurant personnel etc.) tip is actually less than $48 for that day.

[DEEDIA]

Hello -

 

I have asked a few MDR servers if they always get tipped. The answer was always NO - they were getting stiffed a lot . Many of the crew do not like Asia and Europe routes for this reason. Many countries do not tip normally. (Japan, China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, Belgium, France, Iceland, Italy, Ireland......and many others)

 

In Japan it is considered an insult to leave a tip.

 

The servers like the new automatic tip system - adding 12/day to the bill. I think this works well or everyone.

 

I take it then because the above Countries do not normally tip as it is not in their culture, that they are all wrong. I would say tipping is an American way of life because your Governments do not implement a living wage for its workers. Here in the UK tipping is a relatively a new thing in comparison. We do tip and have tipped extra, but do not like the fact that I'm told what to do because this is how the US does it. PS, we pay up front and have no problem doing so, as we add it in to the price of the holiday, PS, hope I'm correct on the American way I apologise if wrong.

[galavant3]

Several cruises ago, we were seated at a table with one other couple. We very much enjoyed their company all week long. The last night, when we handed envelopes to the wait staff, they just looked uncomfortable and mumbled something about bringing them by later.

 

Of course I have no way of knowing for sure, but I got the distinct feeling that they would not be tipping, at least in the dining room.

 

I think it happens far more than we like to think. This was before they started adding the charge automatically.

 

They were from the US.

Edited May 26, 2014 by galavant3

[negc]

I take it then because the above Countries do not normally tip as it is not in their culture, that they are all wrong. I would say tipping is an American way of life because your Governments do not implement a living wage for its workers. Here in the UK tipping is a relatively a new thing in comparison. We do tip and have tipped extra, but do not like the fact that I'm told what to do because this is how the US does it. PS, we pay up front and have no problem doing so, as we add it in to the price of the holiday, PS, hope I'm correct on the American way I apologise if wrong.

 

"When in Rome...." and when on a ship where tipping is customary...."

[galavant3]

I would say tipping is an American way of life because your Governments do not implement a living wage for its workers.

 

Just to clarify, the US does mandate that all workers receive minimum wage, even those that rely on tips. The restaurant is responsible for adjusting the wage if that is not happening through tips.

 

Everyone that I know that has worked as a waiter (myself and my two sons included) would much rather work for tips than minimum wage. By providing outstanding service, you typically are much further ahead.

 

I get that other countries are frustrated by this but it isn't likely to change any time soon. Those workers that rely on tips, for the most part, prefer it. So do the employers.

[Cruisingbairn]

This is my first cruise and I haven't pre-paid my tips, I will just pay the standard amount at the end.

 

Regarding tipping as we go along, do I also need to slip the waiters etc cash or is this all covered by the $12 per day? Would hate to be sitting at a dinner table and people judging you because you haven't brought a tip.

[Barb Nahoumi]

Our March cruise was our first with RCI. Since we chose MTD, we had to prepay our gratuities. I thought that this was strange coming from NCL, which is totally freestyle. They never forced us to prepay, and the tips were applied to our daily charge.

 

In a way, I was happy that the charges were prepaid, so they were "out of the way." We did give extra to our cabin attendant, and waiters who gave us excellent service.

[AntiCatCH]

Does any one know if the situation changed since the broadcast of

"Cruises Undercover: The Truth Below Deck" by Channel 4?

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1712259&first=true

 

Short (6min):

 

Long (28min):

[Barb Nahoumi]

What does "mtd" refer to? Thanks!

 

My time dining

[galavant3]

Would hate to be sitting at a dinner table and people judging you because you haven't brought a tip.

 

I would guess that most do not bring a tip. Either they have prepaid or they are being charged the per day amount. No real need to bring envelopes and/or cash unless you want to.

 

The only ones that know if the tips have been paid are the waitstaff. And really, they are the only ones that need to know.

[negc]

This is my first cruise and I haven't pre-paid my tips, I will just pay the standard amount at the end.

 

Regarding tipping as we go along, do I also need to slip the waiters etc cash or is this all covered by the $12 per day? Would hate to be sitting at a dinner table and people judging you because you haven't brought a tip.

 

The basic tips for the dining room wait staff and your room steward are covered by the daily charge. In our, and most people's, opinion, the daily charge doesn't begin to cover the extraordinary service that those people provide and so an additional cash gratuity is frequently justified. You will probably be able to determine whether or not the service you receive is sufficiently rewarded by the daily gratuity. If it is, you need not slip the staff any extra cash. If you believe that more is deserved, act accordingly either on the last night or sometime during the cruise.

[Ocean Boy]

Hello -

 

I have asked a few MDR servers if they always get tipped. The answer was always NO - they were getting stiffed a lot . Many of the crew do not like Asia and Europe routes for this reason. Many countries do not tip normally. (Japan, China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, Belgium, France, Iceland, Italy, Ireland......and many others)

 

In Japan it is considered an insult to leave a tip.

 

The servers like the new automatic tip system - adding 12/day to the bill. I think this works well or everyone.

 

I wonder how the staff feels about strangers asking them questions like that. I don't think that I'd like it any more than being stiffed.

[Cruisingbairn]

Ok thanks for that. If I see fit I will slip something extra but I certainly won't be carrying cash on me every night.

[aloha43]

I am not in favor of you.

 

Keep reading.....what you think is not what the OP meant.

[caribbean sailor]

Just to clarify, the US does mandate that all workers receive minimum wage, even those that rely on tips. The restaurant is responsible for adjusting the wage if that is not happening through tips.

 

Everyone that I know that has worked as a waiter (myself and my two sons included) would much rather work for tips than minimum wage. By providing outstanding service, you typically are much further ahead.

 

I get that other countries are frustrated by this but it isn't likely to change any time soon. Those workers that rely on tips, for the most part, prefer it. So do the employers.

 

Why do you think the Royal Caribbean prefers it.Again add the the cost of their employees to the price of the cruise.And stop the bs of making the cruise seem cheaper then it really is.:)

[jsoenning]

My wife and I have found at times service has been better when not pre-paid. We always wondered if the room attendants know if the tips have been pre-paid or if it's just a coincidence.

 

We've had head waiters that show up on the last night of the cruise for the first time and had others that came by nightly. The former we'd often split his / her tip amongst the waiter / assistant waiter and the latter typically would find the standard tip plus some bills added.

 

I prefer not to pre-pay and to have full amount charged at end of cruise if service has merited. Depending on individuals we tip more.

Edited May 26, 2014 by jsoenning

[Ocean Boy]

Why do you think the Royal Caribbean prefers it.Again add the the cost of their employees to the price of the cruise.And stop the bs of making the cruise seem cheaper then it really is.:)

 

And as soon as they did that people would be posting about how we should be tipping the hard working crew. These debates will never end no matter what the cruise lines do.

[peteukmcr]

Well, well, well, interesting thoughts on pre-paid gratuities, especially by some of my fellow US cruisers.

 

Some of you don't like them being added automatically, well sorry it's tough, that's the new procedure, you'll just have to get used to it.

 

OK, so you'll have to go and stand in line at Guest Services whinge and moan and get them removed. Oh and before you say anything, I've overheard the American accents berating the staff whilst in line at Guest Relations (btw I wasn't there to get mine removed, I was there to pay cash onto my account to reduce the balance :D and on more than one occasion during a 14 night TA, each time overhearing the same broken record) demanding that they be removed. Mmm, didn't hear many Brits, but then again that doesn't mean there wasn't any.

 

I do like it, and have always done it because we chose MTD so we pre-pay even before we sail! No problem to me, and I tip extra in cash whilst on board just like many others.

 

I think one of the problems is the fact that if you choose MTD, you have to pre-pay at final payment and so you can't use your OBC for gratuities.

 

Please bear with me, I am getting to the point of this reply.

 

Now, I may have this wrong, but if your OBC was given to you by your TA, or RCI then you got something that didn't cost you a dime, correct? It was a 'perk' given to you at no extra cost, correct?

 

So, if you use OBC to pay gratuities, it hasn't actually cost you a bean has it? No it hasn't.

 

Mmm, seems to me that those of us from the UK who don't get OBC very often, if at all, (and even if we do I very much doubt it would cover gratuities for 2 people for even a 7 night sailing) and we pre-paid our gratuities at final payment, we are the ones shelling out our hard earned cash and so aren't stiffing the staff 'not one iota'.

 

We are not using something we got for free to pay those who deserve it. Whereas those of you who used to use OBC to pay for gratuities, and want MTD, can't and that's what you don't really like it do you, because it actually costing you something now?

 

Well, I have the answer, go to traditional dining where you don't have to pre-pay and the $12 will be added to your account daily and so your hard earned free OBC can be used to pay it, so it then costs you nothing, nada, zilch!

 

So don't continue to berate and belittle posters on here who question the amount of $12 a day by saying it's a small amount for the service provided (I agree) or saying if you can't afford $12 per day, don't cruise (if you are using OBC given to you it hasn't increased your cruise fare has it?), for those of you who have sufficient OBC, it hasn't and doesn't cost you a penny!

 

Oh and BTW all the way over the pond, I've got my flame proof suit on.

[galavant3]

Why do you think the Royal Caribbean prefers it.Again add the the cost of their employees to the price of the cruise.And stop the bs of making the cruise seem cheaper then it really is.:)

 

I don't know for sure that they prefer it. But, my guess would be that they employees earn far more with the tipping policy than they would with a minimum wage. It is a win (lower wage cost and lower cruise fare) for the cruise line and a win (higher wages) for the employee.

 

Of course, just a guess on my part.

 

We've cruised enough that we know it is part of the fare and go from there. Most cruise line have a tipping policy so it is pretty easy if you want to compare fares. The lines that don't have a tipping policy are, in my experience, far more expensive anyway.

[springaussie]

Hello -

 

I have asked a few MDR servers if they always get tipped. The answer was always NO - they were getting stiffed a lot . Many of the crew do not like Asia and Europe routes for this reason. Many countries do not tip normally. (Japan, China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, Belgium, France, Iceland, Italy, Ireland......and many others)

 

In Japan it is considered an insult to leave a tip.

 

The servers like the new automatic tip system - adding 12/day to the bill. I think this works well or everyone.

 

95% of complaints from Aussies about Royal on Facebook groups here in Australia is tipping.

How do you remove/ can you remove the auto tipping is the top of the questions.

The rest of the world believes tipping should only operate in the USA.

[galavant3]

95% of complaints from Aussies about Royal on Facebook groups here in Australia is tipping.

How do you remove/ can you remove the auto tipping is the top of the questions.

The rest of the world believes tipping should only operate in the USA.

 

I think when tips are removed, the staff is notified. I would hope that the level of service provided is adjust accordingly. That way, workers can go above and beyond for other passengers who will show appreciation for their efforts.

[Barb Nahoumi]

Does any one know if the situation changed since the broadcast of

"Cruises Undercover: The Truth Below Deck" by Channel 4?

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1712259&first=true

 

Short (6min):

 

Long (28min):

 

After watching this video, you'll never think about cutting tips again. The crew works so hard for very little.