Removing auto gratuity and paying at end.....question

[rrunner]

So royal forced you to call a TA and book a cruise?

 

You are getting off the issue. Enough of your sarcasm.

[Coralc]

setsail, a legitimate question was asked. Your response is unkind.

[shellunderwater]

The only people stiffing the crew is Royal Caribbean.

 

How do you know this? What information do you have to make such a generalization? You know for a fact no one else stiffs the crew?

 

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[critterchick]

Royal Caribbean are. They told my travel agent he would lose his commission if he removed the tips.

 

That is nonsense. The tips aren't commissionable, and the TA can't remove them if you have MTD. The only thing he can do is pay them on your behalf, which would of course reduce the net amount that he makes on the booking.

 

I would follow the advice to waitlist for a traditional seating time, and then you can remove the gratuities. But then you will be charged a daily amount onboard unless you remove it.

Edited November 1, 2014 by critterchick

[mollyeilis]

I just mind RCI making you pre-pay the gratuities before final payment. My TA said that since first and second seatings were unavailable, we had to sign up with MTD and be waitlisted on first seating. With MTD, gratuities had to be pre-paid.

 

You don't pay them before final payment. You pay them WITH final payment. If someone had you pay someone before final payment, I believe (from my experience) that you were seriously mislead.

 

 

Thank you - I will give that a try. My main problem is our grown son has celiac's disease so we like to have a set table with the same waiter each night. Saves explaining to someone new each evening.

 

We made no dining arrangements with MTD. First day we went over there and talked about if we continued to make no reservations. The gentleman made it sound like it would be an hour of waiting each night, so we made arrangements for a certain time that night, then a different time each subsequent night of the cruise.

 

They seated us in the same section with the same servers as the first night, for the whole cruise. Different table after the first night, but same area. Easy peasy. And the family that was next to us (each family was seated at a 4-top table) did the exact same thing as we did with the same times, and they were seated right next to us every night as well. It simply could not have been easier.

 

I would personally recommend making your reservations now, to make it as smooth as possible, to really enable them to keep you with the same team!

 

 

Before auto-tipping buffet service was never in the recommended tip pool. Did they work for free before?

 

I feel like the person you're responding to is thinking that the person they are responding to takes the tips off and doesn't add them back on for dining. Since the same dining servers also work at Windjammer, etc, tipping the servers in the MDRs also benefits people working the buffets. Even if you don't sit at your assigned table at night, you might still be served by them.

 

The amount given to a server with the auto-gratuities is really very low compared to the whole cruise; and it's worth a whole lot more to that server (and assistant and head server, etc) than it is to me. I don't begrudge anyone the auto-grats. I consider it to be an extra cost of the cruise, I tip more as I feel is warranted, and I'm done thinking about it. :)

[gerif]

Thank you - I will give that a try. My main problem is our grown son has celiac's disease so we like to have a set table with the same waiter each night. Saves explaining to someone new each evening.

 

As noted, you do not have to pay gratuities until final payment. If your TA is collecting them now, you have a problem with your TA. You can request the same servers each night and make a standing reservation. No need to tolerate poor service either. Just immediately discuss with the head waiter and you will have improved or new servers the next night - we've done this with traditional seating. They aim to please and there's no reason to tolerate poor service and then gripe about paying tips for it.

[Kamloops50]

Thank you - I will give that a try. My main problem is our grown son has celiac's disease so we like to have a set table with the same waiter each night. Saves explaining to someone new each evening.

 

My DW is gluten intolerant. We never had trouble the ATI. Usually the head waiter or mate DE will come to your table on the first and every night and tell him what is gluten free. He might see the next nights menu and pre order his meal gluten free.

 

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[RocketMan275]

I hear this over and over the crew knows who cancel the royal money grab.You throw this around to threaten people to auto tip.Who cares that they know. My state room attendant will know because i tell them i will tip in cash.Again i don't need royal to take my money to pay the crew.They should pay them with their money.And i should tip who i want to. Tips are given not taken.And yes i will stand in line to remove this money grab,i don't see this as a problem.Some of you people act like you own the Company.Funny Goldstein does not care why should you.ALSO THE REASON YOU HAVE TO STAND IN LINE TO REMOVE THEM.THEY KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL NO DO THIS. THEY TAKE WHAT THEY CAN GET.the bottom line is i will do what i want when it comes to my money.You do the same.ALSO I NEVER WORRY ABOUT MY TOOTHBRUSH. The only people stiffing the crew is Royal Caribbean.Feel free to tip as much as you like. :)

 

Are you saying that RCI should pay the crew more so gratuities would not be required? OK, you can fix that. The salary increase would be the amount of the gratuities presently charged. Simply add this amount to the cruise fare. You can do that by pre-paying your gratuities, can't you? Problem solved.

[VillaHappy]

I think the staff actually LIKES the 'autopay", as many folks forget how much they've already paid in tips...so many people will tip much more than they normally would, if they had to divy up the cash in envelopes, like in the old days!

 

You'd have to be a special kind of stupid to FORGET you've already paid for the tips automatically, before the cruise.

[Mycraft]

Quick Question!

 

Do you still get the envelopes at the end with the vouchers if you use auto-tipping?

[marcelorsc]

Are you saying that RCI should pay the crew more so gratuities would not be required? OK, you can fix that. The salary increase would be the amount of the gratuities presently charged. Simply add this amount to the cruise fare. You can do that by pre-paying your gratuities, can't you? Problem solved.

 

It's a question of regional culture. We know that in US tips are always expected and end working almost as a payment complement, almost an obligation, even in mediocre services. This policy of pre paid gratuities just enforces this - we are paying the tips in advance - almost mandatory (for My Time dinners) even we don't know if the service would deserve it. It's clear that the tips are relevant part of the employees incomes.

 

In some countries, like Japan I heard, tips may be even offensive, as they think that to do a got job is an obligation to the professional, and that their services are already paid by the agreed price of the service.

 

In my opinion tips should not be part of the main revenue of any professiona (that should have an enough salary to not depend on it), and should be paid only when an distinctive service is provided. But in RCCL, specially if they know if we pre paid it, we have no option but follow the procedure. We hope that the being certain that they will receive the tip the professionals will not relax in the service quality.

[Luke104]

Quick Question!

 

Do you still get the envelopes at the end with the vouchers if you use auto-tipping?[/Q

 

 

Just got off the "Brilliance", and they had the envelopes (two) on the last day of the cruise, even with the auto-tip.

[Clarea]

Quick Question!

 

Do you still get the envelopes at the end with the vouchers if you use auto-tipping?

Yes, and you can get more envelopes from Guest Services if you need more.

[villager70]

Hi fellow cruisers: We don't have to think about removing any tips as we always us and agent that gives free grats on all royal and celebrity cruises. We tip in cash for any that we feel warrants a added bonus.

 

Bob & Nancy

[Debde]

Since this thread is still breathing life, thought I'd add one more thing I did not seem to catch while skimming this thread.

Any concierge can also remove your auto tips quickly-and no line. I generally do it in the early AM first day when the lounges are not too crazy. Easy peasy!!

Yes-I remove and tip in cash. Thank god the tip police does not know my address!!!:p

[sjb317]

Quick Question!

 

Do you still get the envelopes at the end with the vouchers if you use auto-tipping?

 

Two out of our last three cruises we did not receive any envelopes but it was a very simple matter to pick up a few at guest services.

 

Sherri:)

[Lionesss]

On the last two days of the cruise there was a holder with extra tip envelopes in them on the CL desk............

 

They are also available at Customer Service as previous poster shared.

 

Sea Ya

[shellunderwater]

We also do not auto-tip and have always received great service. In fact, last year on the MS Zuiderdam (HAL) we did pre-pay due to some confusion in the booking of the cruise and we received the worst room steward service in our 5 cruises.

 

A lot of people will jump down your throat and call you cheap for not auto-paying, but it's your money and until the cruise industry finds a way to pay their staff properly without hidden charges to the customers they'll need to deal with them not being paid a fair wage. Working on a cruise ship is a choice.

 

The only time you can consider tipping to be hidden charges is your first cruise. If you've cruised 5 times, clearly they aren't hidden charges. You know they are there, you know its part of the cost.

 

So, you'd be happy if they increased the cost of a cruise by $12 per day? It would cost you $0 dollars more, but that's the solution you are looking for?

[marci22]

It is an option to remove tips. Unfortunately, I think that most people who remove them are those who come from non-tipping cultures. As a result, the tipping cultures are probably paying the bulk of the tips, which seems to be working, as cruise ships still have employees.

 

I do question where the auto-tipped money goes. Royal makes some vague statement about how it gets distributed. I don't like that either.

 

I usually pay the autotips as a minimum and add a small amount extra as warranted.

 

I understand removing tips for poor service, but I have never experienced service that was poor enough to do that. I would never remove tips out of principle, to 'force' Royal Caribbean to pay higher wages. I think it's pretty despicable to try to make your point at the expense of an innocent third party.

 

If someone really feels strongly that RC is abusing their employees, the best thing to do would be to not sail on those ships. But you all keep sailing. So I don't think that is the real reason; I think it just comes down to being a cheapskate.

[marcelorsc]

I think that most people who remove them are those who come from non-tipping cultures.

 

That's it - sometimes a difference in culture, not actually a wrong behavior.

 

I live in a country where tipping habit is limited to some kinds of services, and we suppose that the service is "already paid" when purchased - we should not be worried if employees are well paid or not, and theiur service quality should not be tied with pre-paid tips. Also we have the view to pay tips in a deserving basis, AFTER having a good service.

 

But as we bought a cruise in an American company, I think we must respect the local culture, and follow the local habits. So I just pre-paid the tips for my comming cruise, and I just see it as part of the cruise price.

 

I usually pay the autotips as a minimum and add a small amount extra as warranted.

 

But this may be a problem. I think if I chose the pre-tip, this is done, and I should not feel obligated to provide extra tips. Are the employees usually expecting cash (envelope) tips beyond the pre-paid tips?

 

If it happens, so RCCL really transformed the pre-paid tips in part of the employees salaries, and the conception of tips is being distorted.

[negc]

That's it - sometimes a difference in culture, not actually a wrong behavior.

 

I live in a country where tipping habit is limited to some kinds of services, and we suppose that the service is "already paid" when purchased - we should not be worried if employees are well paid or not, and theiur service quality should not be tied with pre-paid tips. Also we have the view to pay tips in a deserving basis, AFTER having a good service.

 

But as we bought a cruise in an American company, I think we must respect the local culture, and follow the local habits. So I just pre-paid the tips for my comming cruise, and I just see it as part of the cruise price.

 

 

 

But this may be a problem. I think if I chose the pre-tip, this is done, and I should not feel obligated to provide extra tips. Are the employees usually expecting cash (envelope) tips beyond the pre-paid tips?

 

If it happens, so RCCL really transformed the pre-paid tips in part of the employees salaries, and the conception of tips is being distorted.

 

No one has said that they "felt obligated" to provide extra tips and you shouldn't conclude otherwise just because so many of us feel that the service we receive exceeds what we expected and is deserving of additional recognition. What the employees are "expecting" is something only they can answer, and is not my concern when I decide how to reward the people who have served me so well on my cruise.

[didicruiser]

 

But this may be a problem. I think if I chose the pre-tip, this is done, and I should not feel obligated to provide extra tips. Are the employees usually expecting cash (envelope) tips beyond the pre-paid tips?

 

If it happens, so RCCL really transformed the pre-paid tips in part of the employees salaries, and the conception of tips is being distorted.

 

Think of tipping as a service charge.

You do not have to tip any additional money.

[marcelorsc]

No one has said that they "felt obligated" to provide extra tips and you shouldn't conclude otherwise just because so many of us feel that the service we receive exceeds what we expected and is deserving of additional recognition. What the employees are "expecting" is something only they can answer, and is not my concern when I decide how to reward the people who have served me so well on my cruise.

 

Hi, thanks for you reply!

 

The "obligation" is in a moral sense - I know I'm not really obligated to any tip, but as it is part of the culture and highly expected, it becomes an obligation. The problem is when the pre-tip is so consolidated as part of the cost, that the extra-tip replaces the original tip function and also becomes highly expected, and can dissapoint employees if not provided...

 

Of course we will be happy to extra tip something that can really exceed the expectations, but probably it will happen in a much more pontual basis.

[marci22]

But this may be a problem. I think if I chose the pre-tip, this is done, and I should not feel obligated to provide extra tips. Are the employees usually expecting cash (envelope) tips beyond the pre-paid tips?

 

If it happens, so RCCL really transformed the pre-paid tips in part of the employees salaries, and the conception of tips is being distorted.

 

No, I don't think anyone is obligated to provide 'extra tips' and I usually say that in my posts. I do it when I feel someone has been exceptional, and that is very subjective.

 

But recommended gratuities aren't subjective: it's what the cruiseline has deemed 'appropriate' and what they tell their workers they can expect in compensation. If someone wants to 'redistribute' their tips according to their whim, it throws the system off.

 

If you prepay or autopay your tips, consider yourself done with no further obligation. If you want to add extra, that is up to you.

[Kamloops50]

No, I don't think anyone is obligated to provide 'extra tips' and I usually say that in my posts. I do it when I feel someone has been exceptional, and that is very subjective.

 

But recommended gratuities aren't subjective: it's what the cruiseline has deemed 'appropriate' and what they tell their workers they can expect in compensation. If someone wants to 'redistribute' their tips according to their whim, it throws the system off.

 

If you prepay or autopay your tips, consider yourself done with no further obligation. If you want to add extra, that is up to you.

 

Cash tips are sometimes put into a pool and divided among other staff as well.