What if cruise ship tipping was like a restaurant; based on cost?

[CruiseGal999]

Would it be more fair if cruise ship tipping mirrored restaurants where the tip is tied to the price of the meal? Set it at a fixed rate of the total base fare and be done with it. Would you go for this setup?

 

NO! My current cruise coming up in October ... the tips are $67.xx. My cruise fare (before tips & fees & port charges, etc.) is $1,200. So, say 18% of 1,200 is $216! I wouldn't pay that.

[Roseflyer]

Flat tipping allows the cruise line to stabilize revenue. The revenue varies over the course of the year since cruise prices can vary widely. For example cruises in early December are half the price of holiday cruises. Although tips aren’t directly tied to staff wages the costs are consistent regardless of season and what revenue the cabin fares generate.

[steveru621]

Cabin prices are based on the itinerary and availability.

 

Depending on what cruise you book, and when you book, your gratuities could be wildly different.

[Ourusualbeach]

You used the arguement about the suite guest paying a smaller % of their overall fare vs someone in an inside.

 

How do you justify charging someone in a balcony 2-4 times the amount of someone in an inside cabin when both cabins are the same size and each cabins guests are entiltled to use the exact same services and eat at the same venues.

 

 

I’m with a previous poster who wishes gratuities would just be included in the fare, no option for removal and tip extra if you wish.

[Ourusualbeach]

Cabin prices are based on the itinerary and availability.

 

Depending on what cruise you book, and when you book, your gratuities could be wildly different.

 

Great point. Would the staff working those cheap cruises sailing the Caribbean from New Orleans be paid less than those working a Baltic or Mediterranean cruise that is 3-4 times the cost?

Edited June 16, 2018 by Ourusualbeach

[LMaxwell]

Cabin prices are based on the itinerary and availability.

 

Depending on what cruise you book, and when you book, your gratuities could be wildly different.

 

Depending on where you eat and what you order your bill can be wildly different, and yet at the bottom of the receipt the terminal can calculate 15, 20, 25% no problems.

 

Seems a lot of people prefer lower gratuities, that's fine, but don't want to say it, they just want to say it would be impossible for Royal to administer it.

[LMaxwell]

How do you justify charging someone in a balcony 2-4 times the amount of someone in an inside cabin when both cabins are the same size and each cabins guests are entiltled to use the exact same services and eat at the same venues.

 

An interesting question; I'd justify it the same way the cruise line justifies charging more for the room to start with. More desirable = more money. That's how a restaurant works.

 

Maybe the question should be; if 2 diff couples are occupying a table each at a restaurant and one runs up a $40 bill in 2 hours and one runs up a $200 bill in 2 hours, why is one couple expected to tip $8 on average and the other $40 on average? Maybe restaurants should go to flat charges like cruise ships?

[voyager70]

An interesting question; I'd justify it the same way the cruise line justifies charging more for the room to start with. More desirable = more money. That's how a restaurant works.

 

Maybe the question should be; if 2 diff couples are occupying a table each at a restaurant and one runs up a $40 bill in 2 hours and one runs up a $200 bill in 2 hours, why is one couple expected to tip $8 on average and the other $40 on average? Maybe restaurants should go to flat charges like cruise ships?

 

This has gotten ridiculous. Nearly everyone disagrees with your idea. Let it go.

[LMaxwell]

This has gotten ridiculous. Nearly everyone disagrees with your idea. Let it go.

 

Keep scrolling, you're not in charge, and we're having a nice discussion here, no need to come in and be mean and miserable.

 

You should read the forum rules about harassment while at it, pal.

[voyager70]

Keep scrolling, you're not in charge, and we're having a nice discussion here, no need to come in and be mean and miserable.

 

You should read the forum rules about harassment while at it, pal.

 

Been on this forum a lot longer than you, I know the rules. Mean and miserable? That sounds more like you. Have a nice night, pal.

[LMaxwell]

Been on this forum a lot longer than you, I know the rules. Mean and miserable? That sounds more like you. Have a nice night, pal.

No one cares how long you've been here, if the topic doesn't interest you, just GO! Posting a new topic of discussion was NOT an open invitation for you to be a jerk to me. Jeez, grow up!!!

[alfaeric]

I'd guess many people's bills at restaurants vary quite widely.

That's because people order wildly different things. But at a given restaurant, I'd bet that wild difference per person isn't as much as you think.

 

Here, even between suites and interior rooms, you get the same thing- bed, bathroom, meals. The only difference is size of cabin, but other than that, we pay for the location, windows, and size, but the reality that we get no more actual service, since we are all getting the same thing.

[LMaxwell]

but the reality that we get no more actual service, since we are all getting the same thing.

 

I'd agree with that in years past - everyone had the same services available no matter which cabin, but now with additional spaces dedicated to suites only and suites only amenities...do you think the $3 per day per person covers suite lounge, CK, concierge, etc.?

 

But since you at least seem keen for a discussion and not a temper tantrum meltdown, let me ask you, which do you think is the more equitable way?

[voyager70]

No one cares how long you've been here, if the topic doesn't interest you, just GO! Posting a new topic of discussion was NOT an open invitation for you to be a jerk to me. Jeez, grow up!!!

 

The topic did inreest me. That's why I replied. I disagreed with you which apparently makes me a jerk. And I need to grow up.

[steveru621]

Depending on where you eat and what you order your bill can be wildly different, and yet at the bottom of the receipt the terminal can calculate 15, 20, 25% no problems.

 

Seems a lot of people prefer lower gratuities, that's fine, but don't want to say it, they just want to say it would be impossible for Royal to administer it.

 

 

Something entirely different. I'm not comparing Outback to Ruth's Chris Steak House.

 

I am talking about the exact same cabin on the same ship having two different prices for the same cruise.

[John&LaLa]

You used the arguement about the suite guest paying a smaller % of their overall fare vs someone in an inside.

 

How do you justify charging someone in a balcony 2-4 times the amount of someone in an inside cabin when both cabins are the same size and each cabins guests are entiltled to use the exact same services and eat at the same venues.

 

 

I’m with a previous poster who wishes gratuities would just be included in the fare, no option for removal and tip extra if you wish.

Steward has to clean the balcony.

 

There should be a surcharge for those big aft balconies. [emoji6]

 

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[steveru621]

An interesting question; I'd justify it the same way the cruise line justifies charging more for the room to start with. More desirable = more money. That's how a restaurant works.

 

Maybe the question should be; if 2 diff couples are occupying a table each at a restaurant and one runs up a $40 bill in 2 hours and one runs up a $200 bill in 2 hours, why is one couple expected to tip $8 on average and the other $40 on average? Maybe restaurants should go to flat charges like cruise ships?

 

That has NOTHING to do with gratuities for a cabin. You get a GS you have already paid for those amenities and additional gratuities.

 

I guess it's fun to debate, but it has nothing to do with a commonly accepted practice.

 

Maybe we should start tipping the car park valet based on the value of our car?

[John&LaLa]

An interesting question; I'd justify it the same way the cruise line justifies charging more for the room to start with. More desirable = more money. That's how a restaurant works.

 

Maybe the question should be; if 2 diff couples are occupying a table each at a restaurant and one runs up a $40 bill in 2 hours and one runs up a $200 bill in 2 hours, why is one couple expected to tip $8 on average and the other $40 on average? Maybe restaurants should go to flat charges like cruise ships?

Now you're on to something

 

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[steveru621]

So if I eat or drink at a hotel I should pay a larger gratuity if I'm in a suite?

[CruisingNole]

For us, a 7 day cruise in an OV balcony with drink packages, excursions, shopping, etc is around $2,500, depending on what we want to do at each port. We drive to Port Canaveral and pay maybe $130 or so just to park. $200 in auto gratuities on-board is nothing, when you think about the total cost of the vacation. I think some of you are losing too much sleep over something so minuscule.

[Moby0215]

2 people in an inside cabin pay approximately $200 in tips for a 7 day cruise. let's say an inside cabin fare for a 7 day cruise is around $1000 before taxes, fees, etc. So they are paying 20%.

 

 

 

Now let's say 2 people in a grand suite are paying approximately $250 in tips for a 7 day cruise and let's say the grand suite fare for a 7 day cruise is around $5000 before taxes, fees, etc. So they are paying 5%, even though technically they are charged a few dollars more than the inside cabin guests.

 

 

 

Make it a flat 10% across the board of the cabin fare and be done with it?

 

 

 

Or just include it in the fair and be done with the issue entirely [emoji3]

 

 

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[CruisingNole]

Or just include it in the fair and be done with the issue entirely [emoji3]

 

But then cheap people wouldn't be able to come to this forum and complain about tipping. The amount of content and traffic for CC would drop dramatically. We can't have that... ;)

[Moby0215]

But then cheap people wouldn't be able to come to this forum and complain about tipping. The amount of content and traffic for CC would drop dramatically. We can't have that... ;)

 

 

 

Haha very true!

 

 

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[PhoenixCruiser]

Why are you so infatuated about tipping?

 

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[grapau27]

No. I prefer the way it is. Actually I wish the gratuities were added to the cruise fare. I like having tips billed to my daily account, but do not think tips should be able to be removed without a valid reason. I normally tip extra for good service, plus diamond/concierge lounge tips.

 

I travel solo, normally in at least a balcony room. As a solo traveler my cruise fare is higher and I am basically less work for the cabin steward. Wouldn't want a percentage of my solo fare.

I agree.

On the P&O UK forum tippers like us have posted to get tips included in the cruise fare because so many tight wads are stopping AGs.