Tips - Sea Pass Bill

[gailc]

A friend told me yesterday that their TA told them that tips on the ship will now be put on your Sea Pass bill. I hadn't heard that before. Has anyone else?

 

Gail

[zotzer]

It is an option that you can select, pre-cruise or during the cruise. You don't *have* to do it. They charge the "recommended" amount, which you can always supplement with additional cash.

 

Tracy

[gailc]

My friend was told that it will be mandatory for everyone. Our last cruise was done the same as you described. I don't have any problem with it if they are now changing it.

 

Gail

[Aprille]

I haven't heard anything about it becoming mandatory.

[chotton]

If RCI makes it mandatory then they should just build it into the price of ther cruise. Then RCI could spin it in their marketing and advertising that they are now a non-tipping cruiseline like Holland America.

[gailc]

I'm going to contact our TA today & see if she knows anything about it. It's possible my friend's TA had the wrong information.

 

Gail

[jkrislc]

I just got off the Legend last week and you had to specifically request that the tips be charged to your SeaPass by filling out a form and signing it. It was not automatic at all.

[Captain Crunch]

The RCI website's FAQ has a guideline for tipping. Does a Junior Suite tip the Suite attendant or is that only for the full Suites? Do youtip the dining staff for each day you eat in the dining room or for everyday, regardless of how often you eat there. The only reason I ask is that we'll be cruising with our childred, 10 & 13, and will probably eat around.

 

Looking forward to our 1st familycruise.

[rjg41]

The RCI website's FAQ has a guideline for tipping. Does a Junior Suite tip the Suite attendant or is that only for the full Suites? Do youtip the dining staff for each day you eat in the dining room or for everyday, regardless of how often you eat there. The only reason I ask is that we'll be cruising with our childred, 10 & 13, and will probably eat around.

 

Looking forward to our 1st familycruise.

 

We tip the full amount whether we eat in the dining room every night or not. If you put it on you SeaPass you must tip everyone the suggested amount. To do less you must do cash.

[KelJ]

The RCI website's FAQ has a guideline for tipping. Does a Junior Suite tip the Suite attendant or is that only for the full Suites? Do youtip the dining staff for each day you eat in the dining room or for everyday, regardless of how often you eat there. The only reason I ask is that we'll be cruising with our childred, 10 & 13, and will probably eat around.

 

Looking forward to our 1st familycruise.

 

If you are in a junior suite, you tip the regular room steward rate, NOT the suite rate.

As stated above, you tip the dining staff for every day, whether you eat there or not.

Enjoy your first family cruise!!!:D

[Sheffie]

Here is a link to a great cruise tip calculator: http://cruisetip.tpkeller.com/

[canucks4]

How much do we tip the concierge? Never had use of the service before, so it's new to us. by day? by person? by usage?

[gailc]

Our TA contacted RCI. They told her they knew nothing about it being mandatory to put your tips on the Sea Pass bill. It doesn't mean it won't happen in the future, but it just hasn't happened yet.

 

Gail

[negc]

My friend was told that it will be mandatory for everyone. Our last cruise was done the same as you described. I don't have any problem with it if they are now changing it.

 

Gail

 

I think you will find that either your friend misunderstood what the TA said, or the TA misunderstands RCI's policy regarding adding tips to your SeaPass account. There is a big difference between the tip being added to your account automatically and you having the option to add the tips to your account. RCI allows you to decide for yourself which way you want to tip, which I find far more preferable to the practice of other lines which automatically add the tips.

Check the HAL tipping policy again. For years they advertised that their policy was "no tipping required" conveniently overlooking the fact that, at that time at least, none of their competitors "required" tipping either. I believe that HAL has adjusted its policy and provides tipping guidelines. Tips were never included in HAL's fare structure.

[mdmourges]

We have opted to have the tips added to our bills the last two cruises. The only wierd thing (guess it makes senses) is that they give you vouchers that you give to your sterward, etc. So it doesn't make the delivery aspect any different, just the method of payment.

 

Mark

[FitzLA]

Always tip the dining staff even if you don't eat in the dining room. They work other areas for you as well, not just the dining room. Many, or most or them, work the buffet during the day as well. They work hard for you in more than just the dining room.

[negc]

We have opted to have the tips added to our bills the last two cruises. The only wierd thing (guess it makes senses) is that they give you vouchers that you give to your sterward, etc. So it doesn't make the delivery aspect any different, just the method of payment.

 

Mark

And that is the nice thing about it. You can have the tips added to your bill and still have something to put in the envelopes you give out the last night of the cruise. That way you can express your appreciation when you hand out the envelopes (sometimes with added cash) and also know that the room steward or dining room staff know that you recognized their efforts. Without the vouchers you might wonder if the staff knew that you had tipped them and if they actually received the tips.

[DutsCruiser]

My friend was told that it will be mandatory for everyone. Our last cruise was done the same as you described. I don't have any problem with it if they are now changing it.

 

Gail

 

I'm glaid I found this thread. My TA said the same thing today. We got a letter with our travel documents stating that $10 per night would be charged on our seapass. Since this is our fourth cruise in little over 2 years and before it didn't work this way (you had to request to have it put on you seapass by filling in the form). Also the $10 wasn't a figure I remembered.

 

So I asked my TA about it and she said it had been changed and that most cruise-companies now do it this way.

 

I told my TA I didn't believe here and 'requested' she checked it again... I'm curious to find what she comes up with..

 

It's so hard to find a well informed (related to cruising) TA here in the Netherlands.

[rjg41]

Your TA not well informed. RCCL & Celebrity-you must ask to put on ship charge. Princess puts on ship charge but you may ask to have it removed. NCL tried mandatory but the last I know backed off the practice. I know of none where it is mandatory

[Merion_Mom]

I'm glaid I found this thread. My TA said the same thing today. We got a letter with our travel documents stating that $10 per night would be charged on our seapass. Since this is our fourth cruise in little over 2 years and before it didn't work this way (you had to request to have it put on you seapass by filling in the form). Also the $10 wasn't a figure I remembered.

 

So I asked my TA about it and she said it had been changed and that most cruise-companies now do it this way.

 

I told my TA I didn't believe here and 'requested' she checked it again... I'm curious to find what she comes up with..

 

It's so hard to find a well informed (related to cruising) TA here in the Netherlands.

It is DEFINITELY possible that European RCCL operates differently. I seem to dimly recall another European cruiser mentioning this in a post.

[divaofdisney]

Ok now let me ask this .....for our last cruise we opted to pay in cash at the end...but this time I am pre-paying our gratuities- will I still get envelopes to give out at the end of the week? just curious for those who have chose this option...thanks for any input.

[suzeyQ]

I think you'll get envelopes and little vouchers to put in them to let people know that you've prepaid.

[Donuthole]

Yes, envelopes and vouchers will be delivered to your stateroom the last night. Also, you can find extra envelopes near the guest relations desk, which we have found usefull for tipping bartenders, etc.

Enjoy!

[CPT Trips]

If RCI makes it mandatory then they should just build it into the price of ther cruise. Then RCI could spin it in their marketing and advertising that they are now a non-tipping cruiseline like Holland America.

HAL adds the tip to your shipboard account as does NCL (and perhaps others) . . . not to your cruise fare.

[dizkid]

OH if this were only true. Holland America DOES add the tip to the bill. You must request to have it removed if you chose not to pay it.

 

If RCI makes it mandatory then they should just build it into the price of ther cruise. Then RCI could spin it in their marketing and advertising that they are now a non-tipping cruiseline like Holland America.