Tip ?

[John&LaLa]

REAL Reality Check

 

Your $12 Martini (or 2 Beers) costs less than $3 to make

 

Worth every penny. :beer:

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

[mrmet1986]

Uh, no he didn't. He asked:

 

"Are these tips able to be removed?"

 

He got his answer in the first few posts and is moving on now. :)

 

 

True indeed

Thanks man . Unsubscribing

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Fat Paul]

OK, let's see how cheep we can do a cruise. We can stuff a bunch of people into a small cabin, for as low a price as possible. Let's also REFUSE to tip even the minimum amount for 2/5 of the occupants of said small cabin. Now let's complain that the cruise experience is not as luxurious as it once was. The experience is becoming what we demand, meet RCI's newest ship......Motel 6 of the seas.

[papaflamingo]

There may be tax implications but not under our tax code. All ships are flagged under foreign ports. They are not subject to US Laws.

 

Good point.

 

Those tax people must be easily fooled. Right now they are requiring "mandatory" gratuities in so many cases that you wonder why they don't just do it always. If it's mandatory then why does it matter what you call it?

 

:D

 

Tom

 

Tips, by definition, can always be removed. However I agree in the case of a restaurant that they often publish that a mandatory gratuity will be added to parties of 6 or more. I don't know if you could remove those, never wanted to. But I did hear (not verified) that if the tip isn't broken out separately that the IRS considers it salary and other taxes will apply. So restaurants (at least around me) are now keeping the tip obviously separate.

I will say that if cruise tips were to become a "service charge," then they couldn't be reduced or removed. As of today you can always have them removed and tip as you please.

[ksuds]

I didn't read every thread, so I apoligize if this is repeated.

 

The occupancy of the ship is based of of the number of passengers regardless of the size or age of the passenger. If the staff is counting on those passengers to make their money, it wouldn't be fair to them to not pay them just because there is an infant in the room. They are still filling the slot of another passenger who would tip them and purchase things on the ship.

[Debde]

True indeed

Thanks man . Unsubscribing

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

And, they will continue to bicker even though you got an answer pages ago and may never come back!!

As soon as I saw the heading-I knew you were a goner!!:p

[pxy cda]

I didn't read every thread, so I apoligize if this is repeated.

 

The occupancy of the ship is based of of the number of passengers regardless of the size or age of the passenger. If the staff is counting on those passengers to make their money, it wouldn't be fair to them to not pay them just because there is an infant in the room. They are still filling the slot of another passenger who would tip them and purchase things on the ship.

 

Your logic above doesn't make sense and actually makes his case. There will be 2 adults in the room so the kids aren't taking someone's slot. In fact he plans to pay tips for an extra person in the room in addition to him and his wife (more than the average of 2 per room). Using your logic should a single pay 2x the tips?

 

This is the better argument: Tips = level service provided to every passenger. If OP feels removing ALL tips is appropriate for the level of service he is given that is his right. Even though we may disagree with his opinion he is entitled to it.

[iheartbda]

Your logic above doesn't make sense and actually makes his case. There will be 2 adults in the room so the kids aren't taking someone's slot. In fact he plans to pay tips for an extra person in the room in addition to him and his wife (more than the average of 2 per room). Using your logic should a single pay 2x the tips?

 

This is the better argument: Tips = level service provided to every passenger. If OP feels removing ALL tips is appropriate for the level of service he is given that is his right. Even though we may disagree with his opinion he is entitled to it.

Yes, the kids ARE taking someone else's slot. Ships can only take so many "souls" and it's based on lifeboat capacity so the kids are taking the slots of what could be other adults. One cannot just add a bunch of extra bodies in a cabin simply because they might fit.

 

And yes, there are many singles who do pay double the tips because they know the crew is only getting tips from one rather than two.

[John&LaLa]

Your logic above doesn't make sense and actually makes his case. There will be 2 adults in the room so the kids aren't taking someone's slot. In fact he plans to pay tips for an extra person in the room in addition to him and his wife (more than the average of 2 per room). Using your logic should a single pay 2x the tips?

 

This is the better argument: Tips = level service provided to every passenger. If OP feels removing ALL tips is appropriate for the level of service he is given that is his right. Even though we may disagree with his opinion he is entitled to it.

 

I think I read they were getting connecting cabins

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

[OttoCal]

Out of curiosity, and I'm not sure if you are still around, what is the age that you think the tips for your children are OK? 24 months? I am wondering, because that is the airline infant lap free baby age restriction, so I wonder if the arbitrary line is set there for you?

 

 

True indeed

Thanks man . Unsubscribing

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[delirious9876]

Uh, no he didn't. He asked:

 

"Are these tips able to be removed?"

 

He got his answer in the first few posts and is moving on now. :)

Exactly. NightOne. Thanks.

 

Some people do need putting in their place often on here - such a shame :(

[twindaddy]

I think I read they were getting connecting cabins

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

 

One cabin for the family, one for the pile of diapers. Or maybe they are going to throw them overboard.

 

Glad the OP is waiting to make his decision.

 

How is it that no one asked the OP before he ran for the hills if his twins would be wearing shorts to dinner?

[spookwife]

As I'm sure you have figured out from having had one, two 16-month-olds can make one heck of a mess (and I'm guessing yours will be eating solids by then, so not only the cabin but also the dining room). "Do not disturb sign?" Do you have any idea what a small cabin with dirty diapers for two toddlers (yes, once they start walking, in my eyes they are toddlers, not infants) will smell like by the end of the cruise - ewwww. But, if you don't want clean bedding or towels or diaper removal at all throughout the cruise, I guess you can skip the portion of the gratuity for your STEWARD. How about food - will they not eat somewhere? Will someone not have to bring them food and clean up after them?

 

If you are happy with the way Carnival works it's tipping system, by all means sail with them.

 

by that logic( refusing to allow the steward to do his daily work) at the end of the week the poor person will have a triply disgusting room to turn over in a very limited time frame. the poor man will deserve another $100 easy on top of the normal daily rate he is entitled to.

 

in fact I am not even sure that it will be ALLOWED for the DND sign to be up 24/7. at some point the head housekeeper will demand that the steward go in there.

 

quite frankly,OP, I think you are completely clueless as to what the real situation on board will be.

[twindaddy]

by that logic( refusing to allow the steward to do his daily work) at the end of the week the poor person will have a triply disgusting room to turn over in a very limited time frame. the poor man will deserve another $100 easy on top of the normal daily rate he is entitled to.

 

in fact I am not even sure that it will be ALLOWED for the DND sign to be up 24/7. at some point the head housekeeper will demand that the steward go in there.

 

quite frankly,OP, I think you are completely clueless as to what the real situation on board will be.

 

I am would imagine you are allowed to, but if it has been up a few days and the stateroom person has not seen you, they will send security to check on you. I have heard this directly from cruise directors on other lines, I would imagine RCI does something similar.

[CORKY_Q]

Your logic above doesn't make sense and actually makes his case. There will be 2 adults in the room so the kids aren't taking someone's slot. In fact he plans to pay tips for an extra person in the room in addition to him and his wife (more than the average of 2 per room). Using your logic should a single pay 2x the tips?

 

This is the better argument: Tips = level service provided to every passenger. If OP feels removing ALL tips is appropriate for the level of service he is given that is his right. Even though we may disagree with his opinion he is entitled to it.

 

Wrong, five bodies are five bodies that must be accommodated in life rafts per CG regulations. Two "infants" do not make one bigger body.

[awhcruiser]

Can't imagine what the stateroom would look like after a week of dirty diapers, dirty sheets and towels, etc. :eek:

[Mary521]

So from my personal experience, we cruised with my son twice in 2014, once right at 6 months, and again at 13 months. Both times we paid the recommended tips. However, I believe there was a large difference in the two, and why I would see people not wanting to tip as much for the really young ones.

 

My son at 6 month - I was 100% nursing him, he ate ZERO food, drank zero milk, and was not mobile yet. Did anyone really have to do anything for him to earn a tip? Not really. Did he take up a "soul" on board, sure. But technically the ship could fill up with all 2 person occupancy on board and be full, so no one is guaranteed anymore tips. Knowing all this, we still paid full tips, and paid some folks extra including the nursery staff.

 

My son at 13 months - was drinking regular milk, eating regular food, sitting in a high chair, and running everywhere. He throws food, drops food and milk, and gets into everything. Did our stateroom attendant and ALL wait staff earn their tips and more, oh YEAH. Everyone was super helpful, getting us high chairs and cleaning up after him when we were done. There were several cheerios explosions, and although I'd like to say I picked them all up, I'm sure I missed some. I feel if anyone owed tips it was my son by far. We tipped the recommended plus some again. If you have an eating, mobile toddler, you are kidding yourself if you think the staff doesnt do anything for your child. I dont care how well behaved they are, or how well you think you clean up after them.

 

Here's the trouble, where do you draw the line?? 9 months? 10 months? Everyone moves onto food at different ages, and everyone becomes mobile at different times. I totally get why RCI leaves it at standard tips for everyone.

 

Just my two cents ;)

[TheGaDawgFan]

When our son was 18 months, my husband and I over-tipped at every restaurant we went to. Kids that age make a mess. Even though we did our best to clean it up, the wait staff most places also go out of their way to assist. It's no different on a cruise.

[TravelerThom]

As long as you don't prepay tips, you can go to Guest Services and have the automatic tips modified.

I think that it is worth noting that RCI policy as stated at http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=415&faqSubjectName=Gratuities&faqId=5524 does not mention modifying tips merely because you think it should be done a different way:

 

"In the unlikely event that a guest onboard being charged the daily automatic gratuity does not receive satisfactory service, the guest may request to modify the daily amount at their discretion by visiting Guest Services during their cruise."

 

If someone has determined that their service is unsatisfactory BEFORE they have set foot on the ship (indeed before final payment), I have to wonder why they are booking the cruise.

 

Thom

 

[Of course, given the sad state of RCI's website, this policy may well be stated differently at some other location I did not find:(]

[delirious9876]

I think that it is worth noting that RCI policy as stated at http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=415&faqSubjectName=Gratuities&faqId=5524 does not mention modifying tips merely because you think it should be done a different way:

 

"In the unlikely event that a guest onboard being charged the daily automatic gratuity does not receive satisfactory service, the guest may request to modify the daily amount at their discretion by visiting Guest Services during their cruise."

 

If someone has determined that their service is unsatisfactory BEFORE they have set foot on the ship (indeed before final payment), I have to wonder why they are booking the cruise.

 

Thom

 

[Of course, given the sad state of RCI's website, this policy may well be stated differently at some other location I did not find:(]

I agree with what you're saying but it is also someone's right to remove the auto grats and pay cash if they want to. I would say that this doesn't mean they have thought the service will be poor before they even step onboard.

[DirtyDawg]

Can't imagine what the stateroom would look like after a week of dirty diapers, dirty sheets and towels, etc. :eek:

 

Probably not as bad a stateroom with three teenage/early twenties males in it!:eek:

 

On that cruise not only did we leave the auto-tips in place but we gave the steward extra. The extra was not really a tip - it was HAZARD PAY!!!:p

[TravelerThom]

I agree with what you're saying but it is also someone's right to remove the auto grats and pay cash if they want to. I would say that this doesn't mean they have thought the service will be poor before they even step onboard.

It is not what *I* am saying, but rather a direct quote from RCI that the company equates modification of auto-grats with unsatisfactory service. Whether you thought the service was poor or not, that is what you have told the company if you modify gratuities. I disagree that someone has the "right" to remove auto grats; RCI is currently allowing you to do this but they could change their policy and say that auto grats could not be removed, and there would be no "right" that you could claim to overturn that new policy. You list that you live in France - if you get really poor service at a meal the management may comp your meal or otherwise compensate you, but I don't think (I don't live in France, so I may be wrong on this) you have the right to remove the Service Compris.

 

Thom

[awhcruiser]

This......Any issues regarding tipping should be directed to RCL.

It is not what *I* am saying, but rather a direct quote from RCI that the company equates modification of auto-grats with unsatisfactory service. Whether you thought the service was poor or not, that is what you have told the company if you modify gratuities. I disagree that someone has the "right" to remove auto grats; RCI is currently allowing you to do this but they could change their policy and say that auto grats could not be removed, and there would be no "right" that you could claim to overturn that new policy. You list that you live in France - if you get really poor service at a meal the management may comp your meal or otherwise compensate you, but I don't think (I don't live in France, so I may be wrong on this) you have the right to remove the Service Compris.

 

Thom

[cruzsnooze]

I would remove the tipping on the kid altogether and then use cash for the waiter who did serve them or any other service you use. I believe in tipping for services rendered. There is only one cabin to clean, one bathroom, so why would you tip for 5 times (you say there are 5 of you)

[awhcruiser]

One cabin with 5 people.....

I would remove the tipping on the kid altogether and then use cash for the waiter who did serve them or any other service you use. I believe in tipping for services rendered. There is only one cabin to clean, one bathroom, so why would you tip for 5 times (you say there are 5 of you)