New gratuities by May 1st, 2016

[The Fun Researcher]

$0.55 more per day? That's it. I'm done cruising.

 

Dan

[steamboats]

The FAQs were changed last night (yesterday depending what time zone you´re in). No public announcement or press release.

 

In the past the stateroom attendants did have a list of those who paid the gratuities in advance. At least that was the case when they didn´t have the automated gratuities and many still paid in cash.

 

As for paying in advance. At least here in Germany it was sufficent to advice RCI (directly or via a TA) to charge the gratuties to your bill. They were listed in the invoice but of course not paid until final payment.

 

steamboats

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Not meaning to hijack the thread but if we are dining at specialty restaurants 3-5 times on a 7-night cruise, are we allowed to ask for those dining tips to be removed so that we can tip individually to the services used those days since the specialty restaurant fees include gratuity? Or at least request to redistribute the tips amongst other services?

 

If those specialty meals are the ONLY ones you are eating - meaning you use none of the other dining facilities at any time, sure.

 

But the amount for "dining and culinary services" covers ALL who work in dining and culinary services. Those servers in the MDR will be among those at the buffet at breakfast and lunch. So better to just leave them in place so it's fair all around.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Sorry, Granny but some of us resent being told what we have to tip folks. RCI needs to stop nickel and diming guests and just pay their folks a decent wage and fold it into the cruise price.

 

How do you figure that you are paying extra because some folks elect to not have their gratuities automatically charged to their account?

 

Even back in the 80s there was a suggestion of the minimum tips per person for various positions - it was just given in cash on the final night of the cruise. I remember my mom and dad having envelopes all ready to go with our shares in them - no question of "do we have to?" or "even for the kids??"

 

Pretty sure the auto-grat thing started because too many people WERE skimping - or skipping - the recommended tips.

 

So yes, I would say that people removing gratuities for no legitimate reason contributes to increases across the board.

[caribbean sailor]

I am getting a bit tired of RCI telling me how much I'm going to tip. I always say I'm going to stop handing out extra on top of the auto tips but so far I keep right on doing it. Maybe I should start worrying about my own pockets just as RCI takes care of theirs.

 

You can go to customer service,and tell them how much you want to tip.Are should i say pay.You can also tell them to cancel auto tips.:eek: TIPS ARE GIVEN NOT TAKEN.

[Paulette3028]

I'm not sure if they know who has prepaid and who is getting automatic gratuities charged. I do know that they find out if someone removes automatic gratuities.

 

Personally, we don't prepay, we do keep the daily automatic gratuities in place on our account and generally tip a bit more to our cabin attendant who in almost all of our cruises since auto tip has been done, deserved more.

 

I do hope that the staff knows the status of the guests they are serving in all instances. I don't believe that the staff would do anything less than the best they could, simply because they want to remain employed. It will also enable them to 'earn/deserve' an additional tip.

 

The staff knows that no matter what they do, for some cruisers, it will never be enough. They learn that lesson during the first week, of their first contract. Hopefully they also learn quickly, that not everyone is like that and hopefully in the end -- doing what it'sright, works out in their best interest.

[Flamingo33]

I was always under the impression that if you tipped a waiter or Room Attendant in Cash, then it is theirs to keep, not share among the whole team. A Head waiter told us this on the Legend a few years back. I guess I believed him. On longer cruises we tend to have the gratuities removed and just give the cash directly to the people that served us. Does this make sense? Was the Waiter telling the whole story?

[LMaxwell]

thanks for the info. just hope the contract employees are actually seeing the unscheduled pay increase...

[LuCruise]

Thanks for the update...Did this happen last year or so??? I remember paying in advance for a change in gratuities when I booked the Harmony in 2014.

 

Yes, they raised them last year too. We had them added to our invoice before the deadline to lock in at the lower price. (But of course if you do that, you will pay it at final payment time and then can't use OBC to pay gratuities)

[sea shepherd]

What a lot of people don't realize is that Rccl has stopped paying them a base salary like the use to. Now the only money they make are the gratuities and tips. And when you brake it down by hours and work. Most of the people are working for about 5 bucks a hour. Me I would not do what they do 7 days a week for 7 months no days off for 5 bucks an hour.

[fred30]

12.95 -> 13.50 (regular cabins) = 4.24% Increase

15.95 -> 16.50 (suites) = 3.44%

 

Suite gratuities are going up less of a percentage.

[Italy52]

Thanks for the info. Glad I pre-paid my gratuities for our B2B in June.

[spookwife]

I am getting a bit tired of RCI telling me how much I'm going to tip. I always say I'm going to stop handing out extra on top of the auto tips but so far I keep right on doing it. Maybe I should start worrying about my own pockets just as RCI takes care of theirs.

 

Have not paid out any extra over the daily charge in the past 3 or 4 cruises. ( we always prepay)

 

in my mind the service has not improved( and may in fact have slipped a little) over time so no one ( of the people the gratuity covers)has actually earned any additional monies.

[LMaxwell]

What a lot of people don't realize is that Rccl has stopped paying them a base salary like the use to.

 

Nearly everyone in the gratuity pool is a subcontractor hired through a management agency and the contracts say what they will be paid; what do you mean they have stopped paying a base salary; where did you find such information? I do not believe Royal has stopped paying a base salary, but if you present me evidence to the contrary I'd be happy to see it.

[beachnative]

thanks for the info. just hope the contract employees are actually seeing the unscheduled pay increase...

 

Royal Caribbean has to come up with the money they paid out for the Anthem problems.:rolleyes::eek:: (just joking….but it is a thought).

Edited March 29, 2016 by beachnative

[kdnurs]

Last increase was June 1, 2015, so less than a year this time.

 

WoW Bob...thats crazy!!! What has happened that they need more money so soon or more period for that matter. The price just keeps going up :rolleyes:

[spookwife]

Not meaning to hijack the thread but if we are dining at specialty restaurants 3-5 times on a 7-night cruise, are we allowed to ask for those dining tips to be removed so that we can tip individually to the services used those days since the specialty restaurant fees include gratuity? Or at least request to redistribute the tips amongst other services?

 

so you do not plan to eat lunch or breakfast or a snack anywhere on board those days? the fee to the dining staff covers ALL meals in ALL price included venues.

[spookwife]

Auto gratuities are stealing from the passengers plain and simple. If others want to let the company steal money from them fine but don't tell me and others we must allow this. I do not believe alcohol belongs on cruise ships, just based upon safety issues. But I do not impose my believes about this on others, if you want to drink drink.

 

So please don't tell me how much or how I should be tipping employees of the cruise lines. Tipping is one American invention that is a failure. SO I always remove the auto gratuities from my on ship account and will continue to do so. Nothing anyone posts here will ever get my to change my values.

 

Post away about how I'm uncaring, should not cruise whatever..... all it does is confirm even more that I am right.

 

if you abhor the policy so much then why in hell do you continue to cruise KNOWING that it is a standard policy? or if you must cruise do so on a line that does not charge a daily fee.

[LMaxwell]

WoW Bob...thats crazy!!! What has happened that they need more money so soon or more period for that matter. The price just keeps going up :rolleyes:

 

Simple; people will pay it. NCL did it twice in significantly shorter period, and then reneged on their initial offer to prepay at the lower rate. At least in comparison RCI's move seems a bit more "above board"

[LMaxwell]

if you abhor the policy so much then why in hell do you continue to cruise KNOWING that it is a standard policy? or if you must cruise do so on a line that does not charge a daily fee.

 

Did they change the policy to where what Expat is doing is no longer allowed? :confused:

[Ocean Boy]

What a lot of people don't realize is that Rccl has stopped paying them a base salary like the use to. Now the only money they make are the gratuities and tips. And when you brake it down by hours and work. Most of the people are working for about 5 bucks a hour. Me I would not do what they do 7 days a week for 7 months no days off for 5 bucks an hour.

 

First off, I'm not sure how you know that they stopped the base fare but was there some corresponding reduction in cruise fares when this change was made or did RCI just pocket that money for themselves? If the first part of your post is true then I suspect I know the answer to the question that I just asked.

[sea shepherd]

LMaxwell proof? You should try getting to know the people. Talk to them. I have done sub contracts on the ships upgrading the sound equipment around the ship. So I hear what's going on from them. That's what happens when you eat and drink and sleep in the crew area. I also have become good to friends with a lot of them.

[beachnative]

so you do not plan to eat lunch or breakfast or a snack anywhere on board those days? the fee to the dining staff covers ALL meals in ALL price included venues.

 

OK…nice to know. I'll stop tipping for each meal that I eat in Coastal Kitchen. On our most recent B2B we tipped about $300 in CK over the two weeks.

[Italy52]

What happens if you pre-pay your gratuities and there is an increase --- Does RCI make up the difference to the staff?????????????

[LMaxwell]

LMaxwell proof? You should try getting to know the people. Talk to them. I have done sub contracts on the ships upgrading the sound equipment around the ship. So I hear what's going on from them. That's what happens when you eat and drink and sleep in the crew area. I also have become good to friends with a lot of them.

 

Asking for proof that they receive NO base pay is not out of line considering it is a pretty far fetched claim, IMO. LOW base salary; totally believable, NO base salary; does not pass my sniff test.

 

I've also had staff on multiple different cruise lines ALL tell me they prefer cash as they don't receive all the money guests are charged by the company with these auto gratuities. Take it for what it is worth.