Auto Gratuity Deadline Removal

[Fish Lover]

And this is precisely why I doubt "The List" exists.

 

If so and this was the result the legal ramifications for the line would be enormous.

 

Oh give me a break. It stands to reason that the line keeps a list of those that have removed their gratuities, not for retribution toward the passenger, but for evaluation of staff performance.

 

You meet all kinds on a cruise. There are always going to be some people who try to scam the system, get something for nothing, and don't care who they hurt in the process. On land, we call them deadbeats.

 

btw....the pier staff doesn't even work for the cruise line. Legal ramifications? Try proving that one in court of law.

[Fish Lover]

After reading through all of the posts, didn't I tell you that you would get a lecture and called names? All you asked for was if you could remove the tips the last day, and bang, you get lectured by very judgmental people.:eek:

 

If someone posts a question on how to do something onerous....it is reasonable that others will respond with comments. That is human nature and the very essence of social media. If you just want a simple answer, call the customer service.

[Fish Lover]

Just because you received exceptional service doesn't mean everybody else did. I almost always get expected service, nothing that made me say WOW.

 

Perhaps your expectations are too high.

[Cruizen Susan]

This discussion boggles my mind. I am glad that the majority of folks have the class to do the right thing. Whether or not tipping is part of one's culture "when in Rome, do what the Romans do."

 

In my neck of the woods, we do not call this behavior "frugal" or something else more polite. It's simply being a cheapskate!! If one can afford to cruise, one can afford some well-deserved tips.

[sayaguru]

Sorry, that's just wrong. The pricing structure, like it or not, is tipping is required to help the crew get a decent wage. Sorry but that's the way it is. If someone doesn't tip that's just wrong. They are only stiffing the crew. And yea, maybe tips should be included by they aren't. I don't care what the practice is in some other countries, this is not the same pricing structure.

 

Yes I hate the tipping structure. Why should some pay and others not. Yes That is their choice and the shipping company let them have a choice.

 

Make it inclusive then everyone gets a fair wage. :D Workers should not have to rely on the whim of others as to whether to pay it or not.

[dkjretired]

Yes I hate the tipping structure. Why should some pay and others not. Yes That is their choice and the shipping company let them have a choice.

 

Make it inclusive then everyone gets a fair wage. :D Workers should not have to rely on the whim of others as to whether to pay it or not.

 

I agree with your concept but the problem is people will tip anyway and the whole conversation will be repeated in five years. Has already happened on some other lines. I would just like to see it added on the way it is and not removeable.

[Ladesign]

I agree with your concept but the problem is people will tip anyway and the whole conversation will be repeated in five years. Has already happened on some other lines. I would just like to see it added on the way it is and not removeable.

 

 

Instead of the pro-tipping brigade casting aspersions on the anti -tipping brigade perhaps someone could explain two things

 

1. Why do Celebrity allow (and making it clear how one goes about) the removal of Auto-Gratuities.

 

2. Why do I need to take cognisance of the remuneration of some of the staff on the Cruise? I dont believe any are press ganged to work for the cruise line. If I believe my employer is not providing sufficient rewards for my efforts I will seek alternative employment.

 

If I suggested that Customers should supplement my income I would be seeking alternative employment very quickly indeed.

 

The OP asked about removing the Auto-Grats , a practice that I have used on every cruise without any issues from either the GR staff nor any other Cel. X staff.

 

Perhaps the pro-tippers should try and persuade Celebrity to stop the process if it is so abhorrent ?

 

 

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[grandgeezer]

Perhaps your expectations are too high.

 

It's better than your apparent philosophy of to lower your expectations and you'll never be disappointed. My expectations are based on the service I used to receive from all the cruise lines. It's nothing they weren't able to do in the past. Now it's paying more for less.

[Cruizen Susan]

It's better than your apparent philosophy of to lower your expectations and you'll never be disappointed. My expectations are based on the service I used to receive from all the cruise lines. It's nothing they weren't able to do in the past. Now it's paying more for less.

 

In my experience, I am paying less for less. So it's fine. The early days of cruising prices were out of reach for most people. And yes, the service was better because the ships were not as big, so there were fewer passengers to the number of crew. Crew addressed us and our children by name, always remembering. Dinners served with white gloves, under a silver dome. Gourmet food in the MDR. On and on. HOWEVER, the prices are half what they were then, with more perks.

 

We are drifting away from the OP's question. That being said, I am happy to tip the suggested amount, and then some. I vote that they are no longer removable.

Edited October 31, 2016 by Cruisen'Susan

[smtcan]

"The staff is notified of who removes the auto tips."

 

I would like to see evidence of this.

 

On a Celebrity cruise, the couple we were travelling with removed their gratuities. When they were late for dinner one evening, our waiter asked us quietly if we knew why Mr & Mrs X were not happy with his service. Also I have seen a list taped to the cabin steward's cart with cabin numbers of those who had removed gratuities. I don't have a photo, but I can assure you that this is true.

[AnOnymously]

Instead of the pro-tipping brigade casting aspersions on the anti -tipping brigade perhaps someone could explain two things

 

1. Why do Celebrity allow (and making it clear how one goes about) the removal of Auto-Gratuities.

 

2. Why do I need to take cognisance of the remuneration of some of the staff on the Cruise? I dont believe any are press ganged to work for the cruise line. If I believe my employer is not providing sufficient rewards for my efforts I will seek alternative employment.

 

If I suggested that Customers should supplement my income I would be seeking alternative employment very quickly indeed.

 

The OP asked about removing the Auto-Grats , a practice that I have used on every cruise without any issues from either the GR staff nor any other Cel. X staff.

 

Perhaps the pro-tippers should try and persuade Celebrity to stop the process if it is so abhorrent ?

 

 

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I believe that it has to be optional in th UK unless it is included in upfront price, not sure about USA., The reason being that the displayed price has to be the price and not some hidden compulsory extras added later. But Celebrity do not want to include it because most lines leave it as optional and use this method.

 

I understand what you are saying from a Uk perspective about wages, but we are faced with a reality. That is that the staff are paid low wages and the 'gratuities' do make up their wages. Not a system we in the UK would like, but is still used on lines catering for UK.

 

Many have argued that it should be incorporated, but it is not likely to happen any time soon. So I think we have to face that this is not a gratuity, as we in the UK, usually understand the word ie given for exceptional service, though when we tip taxi drivers it is more by custom than for exceptional service, but a make up for their wages.

 

It does also put the power in our pockets, in that, they want us to pay the gratuities and so on the whole they give good service, I have yet to see if this is true for Celebrity, but it is for the other lines we have cruised and if we get not good enough service we can hit the staff in their pockets.

 

We can abore this practice but have to decide for ourselves if we take it out on the staff because we do not like how cruises work because witholding the payment is not likely to change Celebrities mind about doing it. A mass boycott of nearly every passeger might change things, but I suspect that it is not as alien in USA as it is in either UK or Australia and the line is USA customer based more than the rest from what I can see.

 

I do think that UK Celebrity staff are naughty in that they add the gratuities as prepaid and say "I have added prepais gratuities, is that OK?" you have just that moment to say 'no' and at least keep the option not to pay.

Edited October 31, 2016 by AnOnymously

[Orator]

Just because you received exceptional service doesn't mean everybody else did. I almost always get expected service, nothing that made me say WOW.

 

I am not alone! The Celebrity World is not perfect and there have been some bumps along the way, but just read the posts on this board and you'll find that the vast majority view the service offered by the Celebrity staff to be outstanding. Many, including me, state that it is the people that keep them coming back to Celebrity. I leave for the Silhouette TA later this week. Bet that most of the passengers on the cruise are repeat passengers. Many will be Elites and Elite+ and some will be Zenith cruisers. I guess they just keep returning because they enjoy sub par service.

All the logic and evidence will not move positions of people who don't want to be confused by the facts.

[Charles4515]

On a Celebrity cruise, the couple we were travelling with removed their gratuities. When they were late for dinner one evening, our waiter asked us quietly if we knew why Mr & Mrs X were not happy with his service. Also I have seen a list taped to the cabin steward's cart with cabin numbers of those who had removed gratuities. I don't have a photo, but I can assure you that this is true.

 

 

 

I have seen the list on their cart too.

 

Several years ago on a galley tour I saw lists posted.

 

 

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Edited October 31, 2016 by Charles4515

[PoppyandNana]

I am not alone! The Celebrity World is not perfect and there have been some bumps along the way, but just read the posts on this board and you'll find that the vast majority view the service offered by the Celebrity staff to be outstanding. Many, including me, state that it is the people that keep them coming back to Celebrity. I leave for the Silhouette TA later this week. Bet that most of the passengers on the cruise are repeat passengers. Many will be Elites and Elite+ and some will be Zenith cruisers. I guess they just keep returning because they enjoy sub par service.

All the logic and evidence will not move positions of people who don't want to be confused by the facts.

 

I am confused. Do you like Celebrity"s service, food, ambiance, staff or do you not?

[PoppyandNana]

Very few people carry cash to tip the staff in the buffet (different staff will likely serve them each meal there) or at, for example, the Pool Grill.

 

Although, the vast majority of the buffet staff work in the MDR on a rotational basis. I always see our waiter during the breakfast or lunch buffet.

[suekay]

There's an almost identical thread on the P &O board at the moment even though gratuities are much lower. Somebody has posted a photo of a list said to show those cabin numbers of passengers who've removed the auto gratuity.

[jagoffee]

I am confused. Do you like Celebrity"s service, food, ambiance, staff or do you not?

 

I am not sure why you would be confused. Orator keeps coming back because if it.

[mafig]

There's an almost identical thread on the P &O board at the moment even though gratuities are much lower. Somebody has posted a photo of a list said to show those cabin numbers of passengers who've removed the auto gratuity.

 

Yes, very interesting. It's from an issue of Cruise Law News. It also states that some of the crew post the names of the "deadbeats" on Facebook.

 

However, there will still be those who say there's no list.:cool:

[Redtravel]

Many cruise lines price their cruises including all tips. It would be nice if Celebrity priced their cruises that way. Then there wouldn't be any discussion about auto/extra/mandatory etc. tips. Azamara cruises (part of RCCL) does it. Most people will agree that the crew members work hard and deserve to be paid well. I have often given extra to staff members who provide me with outstanding service. I know that the extra tips on X are put into the pool. On other cruise lines, tipping goes to the individual. That makes me feel better about extra tips. Allowing people to opt out of the auto tipping allows them the opportunity to extend their tips to those staff that served them. Americans have grown up with tipping. In some countries tipping is an insult. Make the cruise fare include all fees/tips will make the tipping issue a non-issue.

[kevinyork]

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Who told you all this?????? Just curious, have you ever seen reports of such notification to the staff ?

 

 

 

signed, a good cash tipper

 

 

 

Well have read many reports of forum members being told this directly from staff.

 

 

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[Can'tstopcruising]

What do you call "normal" service and what do you call "exceptional" service?

Thanks to whoever replies!

[neverbeenhere]

In the eye of the beholder.

[neverbeenhere]

Normal Service is now resumed.

[Charles4515]

There's an almost identical thread on the P &O board at the moment even though gratuities are much lower. Somebody has posted a photo of a list said to show those cabin numbers of passengers who've removed the auto gratuity.

 

 

 

What's interesting about the P&O board is that people there will admit they remove the gratuities and stiff the crew. They don't claim to be paying a cash gratuity.

 

 

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[GUT2407]

Yes, very interesting. It's from an issue of Cruise Law News. It also states that some of the crew post the names of the "deadbeats" on Facebook.

 

However, there will still be those who say there's no list.:cool:

 

"cruise law news"

 

That most reliable of all sources.

 

Sheesh, Irwin the Internet, it must be true.