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Gratuities Rate of Increases over the Years...

NavyCruiser
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NavyCruiser

NavyCruiser

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Just booked our next RCI cruise.

Saw the $14.50 pp Gratuities.

We have no problems with Gratuities/Tips:

Stateroom Attendant: $3.55 Previously $3.45

Dining Room: $6.25 Previously $6.10

Other Hotel Services: $4.70 Previously $3.95

Total Standard Staterooms: $14.50 Previously $13.50

$3 more for Suites +

Just curious if anyone knows the amount of increases over the years. ie: I remember it used to be under $10 pp when auto Grats were first introduced, & it steadily crept up over the years. Wonder if it's much higher than rate of inflation over the years, as if cruise lines are shifting more & more for us to pay for ship's personnel, in addition to those who are directly tipped.

Why are Suites $3 pp higher? Besides a larger cabin, it probably takes not much longer to change sheets for same size bed for 2, same One toilet, One shower, etc... Does 100% that $3 more all goes to the room attendant, $3 pp more than the reg room attendant, or goes to bottom line profit for cruise line?

Also, Who/What are the almost $5 pp "Other hotel Services". Does that included the ships' Engineers to keep the ship moving & AC...?

Again, we have no problems with Gratuities/Tips, so please do not hijack thread/post, & flame me for being cheap. Just a discussion on rate of increases over the years...

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KnightsFan

KnightsFan

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Suite guests, excluding junior suites, have access to a large range of amenities and services. That's where the extra $3 goes.

 

I'm not sure why they charge junior suites the extra, since those guests don't receive those perks. It could be that RCI discovered those guests did require more work on behalf of the crew.

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NavyCruiser

NavyCruiser

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Wow.

This is an interesting read:

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2018/03/articles/worst-cruise-line-in-the-world/ncl-raises-gratuities-again-the-greedy-gets-greedier/

 

Esp: "Regarding the Norwegian Sky & Norwegian Sun, gratuities will increase from $18.99 to $19.99 for cabins & from $21.99 to $22.99 for suites, per person per day."

 

$20 / day...

 

Soon, we'll all be cruising for free, just $100 / day for Gratuities... ;)

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JaniceB

JaniceB

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Posted
Wow.

This is an interesting read:

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2018/03/articles/worst-cruise-line-in-the-world/ncl-raises-gratuities-again-the-greedy-gets-greedier/

 

Esp: "Regarding the Norwegian Sky & Norwegian Sun, gratuities will increase from $18.99 to $19.99 for cabins & from $21.99 to $22.99 for suites, per person per day."

 

$20 / day...

 

Soon, we'll all be cruising for free, just $100 / day for Gratuities... ;)

 

Yes it is and so are the comments below it.

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njmomof2

njmomof2

Posted
Posted
Wow.

This is an interesting read:

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2018/03/articles/worst-cruise-line-in-the-world/ncl-raises-gratuities-again-the-greedy-gets-greedier/

 

Esp: "Regarding the Norwegian Sky & Norwegian Sun, gratuities will increase from $18.99 to $19.99 for cabins & from $21.99 to $22.99 for suites, per person per day."

 

$20 / day...

 

Soon, we'll all be cruising for free, just $100 / day for Gratuities... ;)

 

IIRC, the Sky has all inclusive drinks for their sailings, so that probably accounts for the additional service charges that are added. I'm not sure about the Sun but that might be it as well.

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KnightsFan

KnightsFan

Posted
Posted
Wow.

This is an interesting read:

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2018/03/articles/worst-cruise-line-in-the-world/ncl-raises-gratuities-again-the-greedy-gets-greedier/

 

Esp: "Regarding the Norwegian Sky & Norwegian Sun, gratuities will increase from $18.99 to $19.99 for cabins & from $21.99 to $22.99 for suites, per person per day."

 

$20 / day...

 

Soon, we'll all be cruising for free, just $100 / day for Gratuities... ;)

 

Both the Norwegian Sky and Sun sailings are open bar. The increase is to cover the additional work of the bartenders. And they honestly deserve more, I was on one of the Sun's first open bar cruises and I never saw a bartender not fixing a drink.

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Havingfun2010

Havingfun2010

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Posted
Just booked our next RCI cruise.

Saw the $14.50 pp Gratuities.

We have no problems with Gratuities/Tips:

Stateroom Attendant: $3.55 Previously $3.45

Dining Room: $6.25 Previously $6.10

Other Hotel Services: $4.70 Previously $3.95

Total Standard Staterooms: $14.50 Previously $13.50

$3 more for Suites +

 

Just curious if anyone knows the amount of increases over the years. ie: I remember it used to be under $10 pp when auto Grats were first introduced, & it steadily crept up over the years. Wonder if it's much higher than rate of inflation over the years, as if cruise lines are shifting more & more for us to pay for ship's personnel, in addition to those who are directly tipped.

Why are Suites $3 pp higher? Besides a larger cabin, it probably takes not much longer to change sheets for same size bed for 2, same One toilet, One shower, etc... Does 100% that $3 more all goes to the room attendant, $3 pp more than the reg room attendant, or goes to bottom line profit for cruise line?

Also, Who/What are the almost $5 pp "Other hotel Services". Does that included the ships' Engineers to keep the ship moving & AC...?

 

Again, we have no problems with Gratuities/Tips, so please do not hijack thread/post, & flame me for being cheap. Just a discussion on rate of increases over the years...

 

I pay more in tips every time I go out to dinner in a restaurant because the cost of going to a restaurant has gone up in the last 30 years. So why the question? Tips are part of the cost of the cruise. Always was, just like dinner out. No need to discuss.

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springaussie

springaussie

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I just hope Royal are paying the staff the full amount of gratuities every time I book my cruise thru an Australian Travel Agent. Gratuities are included in the fare for all bookings made in New Zealand and Australia. We get no breakdown of the fare on our tickets.

The other thing that has me baffled is why Royal has increased the number of My Time Dining spots with MTD now on deck 3 in most ships. Windjammer is also getting more popular in the evenings. My tips are paid in my fare. But those whose fare they are not included Royal Caribbean has made it so much easier to shaft the crew.

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vacationlover_mn Great Review Rare

vacationlover_mn

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:) on a related note, I like to prebook almost everything, but get lots of OBC at the last minute from my credit card. I really love I can use that for the gratuities, instead of needing to do it in cash. That is my favorite part about this “new” way of doing gratuities :)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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drsel

drsel

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:) on a related note, I like to prebook almost everything, but get lots of OBC at the last minute from my credit card. I really love I can use that for the gratuities, instead of needing to do it in cash. That is my favorite part about this “new” way of doing gratuities :)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Which credit card gives you OBC and how much?
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RocketMan275

RocketMan275

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Posted
Just booked our next RCI cruise.

Saw the $14.50 pp Gratuities.

We have no problems with Gratuities/Tips:

Stateroom Attendant: $3.55 Previously $3.45

Dining Room: $6.25 Previously $6.10

Other Hotel Services: $4.70 Previously $3.95

Total Standard Staterooms: $14.50 Previously $13.50

$3 more for Suites +

 

Just curious if anyone knows the amount of increases over the years. ie: I remember it used to be under $10 pp when auto Grats were first introduced, & it steadily crept up over the years. Wonder if it's much higher than rate of inflation over the years, as if cruise lines are shifting more & more for us to pay for ship's personnel, in addition to those who are directly tipped.

Why are Suites $3 pp higher? Besides a larger cabin, it probably takes not much longer to change sheets for same size bed for 2, same One toilet, One shower, etc... Does 100% that $3 more all goes to the room attendant, $3 pp more than the reg room attendant, or goes to bottom line profit for cruise line?

Also, Who/What are the almost $5 pp "Other hotel Services". Does that included the ships' Engineers to keep the ship moving & AC...?

 

Again, we have no problems with Gratuities/Tips, so please do not hijack thread/post, & flame me for being cheap. Just a discussion on rate of increases over the years...

 

I would suggest that you're more likely to avoid a flame war if you would avoid including inflammatory statements implying that the cruise line was using the gratuities for their own purposes, ie, paying the engineer, the bottom line profit, etc.

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