Gratuities/My Time Dining

[Matt_Cardiff]

Hi all.

 

I have booked my first cruise (Nav of the seas - Med) for next year and have some questions around the gratuities. RC have automatically added £600 pre-paid gratuities (4x passengers) to the invoice, but I was just wondering what the general consensus is about this and what other people here do. I have talked to family/friends who have been on a cruise before and they have all said that they have asked for this to be taken off and then tipped individual staff at the end of the cruise.

 

The query I have about removing the pre-paid gratuities is around my time dining. I'm aware if I remove it I lose the perk of my time dining. I will be travelling with my son who will be a year and a half old at time of sailing, and would ideally like to eat earlier. Does my time dining only apply to the main restaurant on the ship or all of the restaurants? With a young child would I be better off having my time dining - or is it not necessary?

 

Thanks in advance.

[SpainAlien]

£600 seems high, how long are you going for? I thought it was $13.95 per day per person.

 

Some people remove the tips then tip individually, personally I wouldn't because the staff are really Good, work very hard and receive very low wages.

 

You don't need to prepay your tips to get MTD any more. I would stick with MTD so that you have flexibility with your little one.

 

 

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[Matt_Cardiff]

It's £595.24, to be exact. We're going for 14 nights, so I believe $13.95 pp per day is near enough £150pp. I've heard all about the staff and how helpful they are, so I wouldn't want to begrudge them the tip - I would perhaps just have preferred to tip staff who directly help us throughout the trip but wasn't sure if this is 'frowned upon' or not. Also a little reluctant to have to pay £150 tip from my little one.

[SpainAlien]

I agree I would begrudge that sort of money for a baby, I know some on here will argue that little ones take more looking after than grown ups but in my experience that falls to the parents.

 

The trouble with tipping individually is that you don't see the back of house staff that help you, but in answer to your question yes you can go to guest services and remove your tips just make sure that they are not prepaid

 

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[little britain]

The requirement to prepay the tips for MTD ended a couple of years ago FYI.

If you prepay then it is out if the way ( also helps budgeting) and all the staff will receive their correct tip in full. No need to tip any more.

 

 

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[Matt_Cardiff]

Ok, thanks both - I must've been reading an old article. I may ask for the pre-paid gratuity to be removed for my son, then use that for specific staff. :)

[grapau27]

Hi all.

 

I have booked my first cruise (Nav of the seas - Med) for next year and have some questions around the gratuities. RC have automatically added £600 pre-paid gratuities (4x passengers) to the invoice, but I was just wondering what the general consensus is about this and what other people here do. I have talked to family/friends who have been on a cruise before and they have all said that they have asked for this to be taken off and then tipped individual staff at the end of the cruise.

 

The query I have about removing the pre-paid gratuities is around my time dining. I'm aware if I remove it I lose the perk of my time dining. I will be travelling with my son who will be a year and a half old at time of sailing, and would ideally like to eat earlier. Does my time dining only apply to the main restaurant on the ship or all of the restaurants? With a young child would I be better off having my time dining - or is it not necessary?

 

Thanks in advance.

We always prepay gratuitys because it is convenient and dine my time.

This was a condition of my time but is not now and has been confirmed by many on cc so don't let them mislead you.You could ring RC and tell them you want to tip on board and to deduct the prepay gratuitys from your bill.

 

 

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[BekkaW]

As others have said you no longer have to pre-pay. If you don't, it will be automatically added to your onboard account each day. If you want to not pay for your son you will need to remove that onboard.

 

You will get varied opinions on whether it is frowned upon to remove them. I strongly disagree with removing them but others will say it is fine. My view is that RCI has already worked out who will be serving you (including those behind the scenes) so there is no need to mess with that formula.

[Matt_Cardiff]

Thanks for the info. So if I go down the route of paying the pre-paid gratuities, I won't be expected to pay any further gratuities once on the ship? The only thing I've read (if it's still accurate) is that an 18% tip is automatically added on to a transaction at the bar.

[Clarea]

Thanks for the info. So if I go down the route of paying the pre-paid gratuities, I won't be expected to pay any further gratuities once on the ship? The only thing I've read (if it's still accurate) is that an 18% tip is automatically added on to a transaction at the bar.

Correct. Also, if you are sailing out of the UK, it is customary for the ship to show drink menu prices with gratuity already included.

[Aulanis]

That is correct the Bar staff are on different contracts and dont share in the prepaid/daily gratuities. I assume (but dont know ) they get a share of the 18%. You need not pay that if you go for a drinks package but if you are an average drinker it may not be worth it.

[Cauzneffct]

Removing the auto-grats only makes sense if you want to stiff some or all of the staff.

 

If you plan on tipping the same amount, but giving it personally, then it doesn't make sense to remove it given the staff who benefit who you likely will not encounter.

 

If you're planning on giving more than the set amount, you still can.

[gerif]

Ok, thanks both - I must've been reading an old article. I may ask for the pre-paid gratuity to be removed for my son, then use that for specific staff. :)

That's not nice at all. Your son will receive great service from people who depend on gratuities for their salary. Who will be making up his cot, sweeping up the mess when he eats, dealing with the smelly diapers, etc. I re always felt little ones should pay more.

[BNBR]

Just leave the prepaid gratuity and enjoy your cruise. There is no need to tip anyone at all on the cruise if you did prepay. Leave it the way it is, for your kid, too. Why would you go through the hassle of removing and tipping directly? Honestly, my bet is most people who say they will do that end up tipping much less directly. Maybe you are different, but I see no reason why you would actually remove gratuities. Man, I'd be ashamed to walk up to guest services and request gratuities removed, but that's me.

[Matt_Cardiff]

That's not nice at all. Your son will receive great service from people who depend on gratuities for their salary. Who will be making up his cot, sweeping up the mess when he eats, dealing with the smelly diapers, etc. I re always felt little ones should pay more.

 

I'm sure he will, and those are the people I would aim the gratuities at - so I don't really get your comment?

 

...and FYI, I clean up after my own child.

[gerif]

I'm sure he will, and those are the people I would aim the gratuities at - so I don't really get your comment?

 

...and FYI, I clean up after my own child.

Just leave them in place if you are not planning to stiff the staff by paying less which is obviously your plan.

 

And are you planning to change the linens, wash the towels? Exactly what will you be doing with the dirty diapers?

[Matt_Cardiff]

Just leave them in place if you are not planning to stiff the staff by paying less which is obviously your plan.

 

And are you planning to change the linens, wash the towels? Exactly what will you be doing with the dirty diapers?

 

Listen, if my plan was to 'stiff the staff' I wouldn't be on here asking questions would I? I'd have removed them already.

 

I'm on here trying to learn from the cruising community, so if you haven't got anything constructive to say then move along. Many thanks.

[BNBR]

Listen, if my plan was to 'stiff the staff' I wouldn't be on here asking questions would I? I'd have removed them already.

 

I'm on here trying to learn from the cruising community, so if you haven't got anything constructive to say then move along. Many thanks.

 

If you remove gratuities, even if you personally hand out ALL that money you removed to a few staff members, you will be stiffing other staff members. Since you don't need to tip extra (and you are NOT expected to tip extra) to any staff member during your cruise, it's best to simply leave the prepaid gratuities in place for ALL guests including your child and enjoy the cruise without thinking about tipping.

[Matt_Cardiff]

If you remove gratuities, even if you personally hand out ALL that money you removed to a few staff members, you will be stiffing other staff members. Since you don't need to tip extra (and you are NOT expected to tip extra) to any staff member during your cruise, it's best to simply leave the prepaid gratuities in place for ALL guests including your child and enjoy the cruise without thinking about tipping.

 

Ok, thanks for the advice.

[Magnetchief]

Tipping for Brits in general is not a typical occurrence in the UK.

They may leave a pound or so after a meal if they're feeling generous.

But in general tipping is not the norm.

Hence the Brits on cruise ships are uncomfortable with these pre paid gratuities.

Many of my UK friends routinely line up at customer services to remove these.

It's the very first thing they do. It's almost as if they feel they are being stiffed in some way.

Of course they 'say' they want to tip individually, but you know it's just a few $ here or there.

 

Personally I just leave them there and tip extra if i'm happy. Just budget it as part of the cost of the cruise then forget about it.

 

These threads always descend into a mess. This one I predict will go the same way.

[Matt_Cardiff]

Tipping for Brits in general is not a typical occurrence in the UK.

They may leave a pound or so after a meal if they're feeling generous.

But in general tipping is not the norm.

Hence the Brits on cruise ships are uncomfortable with these pre paid gratuities.

Many of my UK friends routinely line up at customer services to remove these.

It's the very first thing they do. It's almost as if they feel they are being stiffed in some way.

Of course they 'say' they want to tip individually, but you know it's just a few $ here or there.

 

Personally I just leave them there and tip extra if i'm happy. Just budget it as part of the cost of the cruise then forget about it.

 

These threads always descend into a mess. This one I predict will go the same way.

 

Yes, as a Brit I can confirm tipping is not the norm...again that is why I'm here asking questions. Thanks for the advice, I will just leave things as they are.

[Bizzie07]

Our daughter was 3 when we started cruising and we removed her automatic gratuities. (We left ours in place). We would use hers to tip the staff in the Kids Club, to our room steward and waiters. Like you we always tidied up behind her. I would never expect anyone to clean up any mess she made.

[Matt_Cardiff]

Our daughter was 3 when we started cruising and we removed her automatic gratuities. (We left ours in place). We would use hers to tip the staff in the Kids Club, to our room steward and waiters. Like you we always tidied up behind her. I would never expect anyone to clean up any mess she made.

 

That was exactly my intention, but apparently others know me better ;p

[BNBR]

Yes, as a Brit I can confirm tipping is not the norm...again that is why I'm here asking questions. Thanks for the advice, I will just leave things as they are.

 

I go through the same discussions with my Danish family. They leave prepaid tips as they are and enjoy the cruise with no pressure to tip extra - and no guilt for removing them. As the other poster said, consider it part of the charge for the cruise, it's the way it is. Glad you are leaving it as it is - it's so not worth thinking about!!!

[Merion_Mom]

£600 seems high, how long are you going for? I thought it was $13.95 per day per person.

 

Some people remove the tips then tip individually, personally I wouldn't because the staff are really Good, work very hard and receive very low wages.

 

You don't need to prepay your tips to get MTD any more. I would stick with MTD so that you have flexibility with your little one.

 

 

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It's $13.50 per person per day. (unless in a Grand Suite or higher, then it is $16.50)

 

That is correct the Bar staff are on different contracts and dont share in the prepaid/daily gratuities. I assume (but dont know ) they get a share of the 18%. You need not pay that if you go for a drinks package but if you are an average drinker it may not be worth it.

 

Bar servers receive their cut of the 18% on individual drinks sold at the bar. It is distributed among the bar staff.

 

The 18% is added to the drink package price when you buy it. No additional tipping is required. (although some people do tip more; your choice)