Gratuity ?!? $30/person per day???

[sarah.austin]

Hi everyone. I was just told by a friend of mine who took a cruise with Disney in January that there were some hefty gratuity charges added on at the end of the cruise. She told me that the charge equated to $30 per person per day. For my size family that is $1050! While I certainly believe in gratuity, that amount of cash is seemingly crazy when I've already paid close to $11,000 for the cruise. Can someone shed some light on this issue? Thanks!

 

 

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[Shmoo here]

Hi everyone. I was just told by a friend of mine who took a cruise with Disney in January that there were some hefty gratuity charges added on at the end of the cruise. She told me that the charge equated to $30 per person per day. For my size family that is $1050! While I certainly believe in gratuity, that amount of cash is seemingly crazy when I've already paid close to $11,000 for the cruise. Can someone shed some light on this issue? Thanks!

 

 

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Gratuities are $12.00 per person per night onboard DCL. That $12.00 breaks out to $4.00 per person to your room host; $4.00 per person to your dining room server; $3.00 per person to your assistant server; and $1.00 per person to your head server.

 

You can go to Guest Services and up the amount, or decrease, or even remove it, at any time.

 

It they paid $30 per person per night, then they made some sort of adjustment. Or are including the auto gratuity that's added for beverage purchases and spa treatments. Or possibly they were in Concierge. While that gratuity isn't automatically added, they can have the gratuity for the Concierge hosts added to their onboard account.

Edited February 18, 2016 by Shmoo here

[sarah.austin]

That's STILL $420!!!!

 

 

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[DeltaOne]

I was just told by a friend of mine who took a cruise with Disney in January that there were some hefty gratuity charges added on at the end of the cruise.

 

It's best to simply consider the daily gratuity charge as part of the cost of cruising. All cruise lines, not just Disney, operate this way.

 

Many of us wish it was added to the cost, not broken out separately.

 

And many tip more if they get exceptional service. They'll leave the auto-tips in place and hand cash to folks (their room steward, waiter, etc.) at the end of the cruise.

 

$420 out of $11,000 is only 0.04%...

Edited February 18, 2016 by Paul from Maryland

[Shmoo here]

That's STILL $420!!!!

 

 

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5 people? That's $60 a day. How much do you tip at a restaurant for breakfast, lunch, & dinner? You're tipping $40 a day (for 5 of you) for those tips. Doesn't seem too much. It's about $3.00 a meal each.

 

And another $20 a day (for 5 of you) to the room host for twice daily cleaning and bed service.

 

But, only you can say whether it's too much, of course.

 

We always tip additionally to the "normal" gratuity charge - we find it's definitely worth it.

 

As I said, you can reduce, or remove the tips, as you wish.

Edited February 18, 2016 by Shmoo here

[sarah.austin]

Right, I understand that gratuity is warranted for good service. My last cruise was on NCL and we tipped separately. DCL does it different apparently.

 

Also, I have booked 3 nights of special dinners (Remy & Palo) so I understand special gratuity applies there. Then why would I be charged for the dining server when I'm somewhere else, giving more gratuity? (I have read somewhere that those places cost more and do not include gratuity).

 

Again, I'm certainly NOT opposed to gratuity but it really should be built in to the cost.

[Shmoo here]

Right, I understand that gratuity is warranted for good service. My last cruise was on NCL and we tipped separately. DCL does it different apparently.

 

Also, I have booked 3 nights of special dinners (Remy & Palo) so I understand special gratuity applies there. Then why would I be charged for the dining server when I'm somewhere else, giving more gratuity? (I have read somewhere that those places cost more and do not include gratuity).

 

Again, I'm certainly NOT opposed to gratuity but it really should be built in to the cost.

 

There is no gratuity included in the upcharge at Palo/Remy. You may tip as you see fit.

 

Those dining room tips also cover breakfast and lunch service. The dinner servers work the buffet and fast food as well as the MDR breakfast & lunch service. You are only tipping once a day for 3 meals.

[moki'smommy]

As Shmoo noted, your $4 per person per night to the server and $3 per person per night to the assistant server and $1 per person per night to head server covers the tip for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. So for 5 of you, that amounts to a $40 per day tip. If you took your family of 5 out for a nice dinner, how much of a tip would you leave? OK, most people don't eat out 3 meals a day for a week, but that is what you are doing on a ship. It is up to you whether those meals are at "fast food" type outlets or sit down dining, but someone is serving you wherever you choose to eat. Your dinner team works shifts in all the other food outlets as well as in the dining rooms during breakfast and lunch hours.

 

Actually, DCL's tips or $12 are lower than some other lines. Princess, for instance, charges $13 per guest per night in regular cabins, higher in mini-suites and suites.

 

Yes, many people feel that tips should be built into the cruise cost, but that isn't the way most lines do it. I don't see it changing any time soon. We just consider it part of the cost of cruising and budget accordingly. At least on DCL you aren't purchasing a soda package and paying a gratuity on that cost!

 

OK, I do consider the tip on the spa to be excessive. The spa charges are much higher than a similar service in my city, and I cannot see paying the higher gratuity on top of the higher charges. The tip is in excess of $20 per hour! I don't know the pay structure of the spa personnel, but they obviously get room and board. I don't know anyone else on board who makes that kind of money unless they are at an officer level. For that reason, I have stopped using the spa. Personal choice issue.

[moki'smommy]

That's STILL $420!!!!

 

 

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Yes, it is. And 5 people are being served 3 meals per day and having their living quarters cleaned twice each day. You are being served at least 15 meals per day for $40 in tips to your serving team--that's a tip of less than $3 per meal.

[GUT2407]

Another tipping thread.

[1025cruise]

When did you cruise on NCL? They also have a daily charge.

[moki'smommy]

Another tipping thread.

 

True, but important to correct mis-information like $30 per person per day.

[sarah.austin]

I last cruised in 2006, lol. I do understand things change. I've more recently traveled all inclusive where tipping is optional. This is why I'm surprised.

 

 

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[philpcruiser]

True' date=' but important to correct mis-information like $30 per person per day.[/quote']

 

I think the OP needs to speak to her friend again. No way could it be $30/pp/nite.

[e2011]

Please don't get me started on tipping. All I can say is I sure wish people would tip me when I do my job as expected. I would submit you have already paid Disney enough with the $11,000 cruise tab. Go to guest services and get all tips removed. Then tip in cash as you see fit.

Edited February 19, 2016 by e2011

[GUT2407]

True' date=' but important to correct mis-information like $30 per person per day.[/quote']

 

But will it stay on that topic.

[GUT2407]

Please don't get me started on tipping. All I can say is I sure wish people would tip me when I do my job as expected. I would submit you have already paid Disney enough with the $11,000 cruise tab. Go to guest services and get all tips removed. Then tip in cash as you see fit.

 

Me too.

 

But because I'm a "professional" my service is considered un tip worthy as it seems are Doctors who might save your life or Lawyers who might keep you out of prison or get you compensation, or teachers who educate your kids. Shall I continue??

[moki'smommy]

Please don't get me started on tipping. All I can say is I sure wish people would tip me when I do my job as expected. I would submit you have already paid Disney enough with the $11,000 cruise tab. Go to guest services and get all tips removed. Then tip in cash as you see fit.

 

Certainly you can do this. But remember that for those in tipped positions, the tip makes up almost all of the monetary compensation they receive. Don't short good people as a method of voicing an objection to a policy that they had nothing to do with. If you tip in cash, do tip an appropriate amount based on the service received. DCL has provided a guideline as to what is appropriate.

 

If they don't earn it, fine. In our experience, that has been very rare.

[karl_nj]

My last cruise was on NCL and we tipped separately. DCL does it different apparently.

 

Your NCL cruise must have been many years ago. If you went on an NCL cruise today, it would be very similar to how Disney handles it. In fact, on NCL you aren't permitted to change the tipping onboard, you must contact NCL after the cruise to make adjustments.

[e2011]

Me too.

 

But because I'm a "professional" my service is considered un tip worthy as it seems are Doctors who might save your life or Lawyers who might keep you out of prison or get you compensation, or teachers who educate your kids. Shall I continue??

 

Exactly.

[e2011]

Certainly you can do this. But remember that for those in tipped positions' date=' the tip makes up almost all of the monetary compensation they receive. Don't short good people as a method of voicing an objection to a policy that they had nothing to do with. If you tip in cash, do tip an appropriate amount based on the service received. DCL has provided a guideline as to what is appropriate.

 

If they don't earn it, fine. In our experience, that has been very rare.[/quote']

 

I understand your point. I am not sure that almost all their compensation is from tips. However if that is true and everyone quit tipping, No one would take those jobs. Then Disney (or any cruise line) would be forced to pay them a respectable salary. Its tough love but it would work if you could get consumers to realize how much power they have when they work together. Don't get me wrong, I do tip even though I think it is an outdated custom. But I tip those who I interact with on the cruise. But to tip those I never meet is absurd. If I never go to the main dining room I have a real problem with tipping the Head Waiter, Waiter and Assistant Waiter. I never met them and they did nothing for me nor did I ask anything. I always inform the concierge staff before we even board the ship that we will not be using the dining room for dinner so they can fill our seats.

Edited February 19, 2016 by e2011

[moki'smommy]

The fact that you inform the concierge and give up your seats makes a huge difference. That way, "your" seats can be divided among serving teams so that no one team is taking the "hit" for the loss of tips that would have been generated by the seats assigned to you.

 

I get your point that if you NEVER eat in the dining rooms, you would not opt to tip dining room servers. Hopefully you do recognize those who serve you at breakfast and lunch....if you eat those meals.

 

And by virtue of being concierge, you can essentially get as many adult dining reservations as you wish--again, not the typical situation.

 

As to compensation, a DCL server gets a check every 2 weeks. Of that check, $50 is from DCL. The remainder of the compensation on the check is from charged tips. They do receive documentation of which cabin tipped what amount so that they can compare these amounts with their tip coupons and request any adjustments if needed.

[TestingH2O]

How about we start calling it the daily service charge? That's what many lines call it and is what they clearly publish on all documentation. I don't understand why people are shocked and upset about paying the charge when it is clearly outlined upon booking. Would you refuse to pay tax? Port fees? These are all fees that are clearly outlined and are just a part of cruising.

Edited February 19, 2016 by TestingH2O

[GUT2407]

How about we start calling it the daily service charge? That's what many lines call it and is what they clearly publish on all documentation. I don't understand why people are shocked and upset about paying the charge when it is clearly outlined upon booking. Would you refuse to pay tax? Port fees? These are all fees that are clearly outlined and are just a part of cruising.

 

The difference is the line lets you remove one not the other.

[TestingH2O]

The difference is the line lets you remove one not the other.

 

Right. But should people be able to remove the workers' base wages just because they don't like how cruise lines organize thier pay structure? Or because they didn't bother to read the daily charges that are clearly outlined prior to booking? Like it or not, real people are making a living based on the service fees.

 

Some are less than stellar and need to be retrained or to find a different job. That is a comment card issue. If you do not feel like you had a good experience with the casheir at a fast food place or a hotel employee, you are not at liberty to garnish their wages. You can however complain to management and try to get the situation is rectified.

 

Service fees are a clearly outlined cost of cruising. If someone doesn't want to pay them, they should look into other vacation options that build in the costs in other ways.