Congratulations - You're now auto-tipping 18% on drinks instead of 15%.

[Don Kehote]

This applies to individual beverages, cheers, and bottomless bubbles.

 

Relevant FAQ Link

 

Just checked my upcoming cruise, and cheers prepaid went up $12.46 for the two of us.  It's not much, but it's definitely there.

 

 

 

[ProgRockCruiser]

Indeed, this has been posted elsewhere (but not so obvious that you would have seen it as such):

 

 

I'm OK with this as a general idea, and since I have already purchased Cheers for tomorrow's cruise (aaahhh!!!!) it doesn't affect us "now".

 

But I do now have to stop and think, at least for future cruises: will I change my habits, and just tip $1 cash per "round" of two drinks, rather than $1 on the receipt per drink that I typically do?  I dunno...

Edited November 30, 2018 by ProgRockCruiser

[rtfnl]

I'm all for tipping 18% and usually tip extra, however if not for Cruise Critic I would not have known that it has been raised to 18% since Carnival has not communicated with guests who are immediately affected by the change (sailing tomorrow on the Sunshine). I just got off the phone with the Group department for something and was told the CSRs were emailed today about the change and it being effective today.  Cheers and tips will be purchased and paid tomorrow. 

 

[coevan]

52 minutes ago, Don Kehote said:

This applies to individual beverages, cheers, and bottomless bubbles.

 

Relevant FAQ Link

 

Just checked my upcoming cruise, and cheers prepaid went up $12.46 for the two of us.  It's not much, but it's definitely there.

 

Who are you congratulating?  I congratulate the crew for getting an extra few bucks.

 

 

[stobe1]

Good! The crew deserves it.

Edited November 30, 2018 by stobe1

[Micahs Grandad]

55 minutes ago, coevan said:

 

Has it been established how much of the 18% actually goes to the crew as pay?

[beachbum53]

So, if an alcoholic drink is $9.00, it will cost $10.62. I wonder how much this gratuity increase will embolden those wanting to smuggle booze? I"m guessing any smuggled booze that gets confiscated gets thrown out. But wouldn't it be funny if it was resold back to the smuggler one drink at a time? 

[Mommawo]

15 minutes ago, Micah's Grandad said:

Has it been established how much of the 18% actually goes to the crew as pay?

Curious as well as to does that 18% go straight to the person making that drink ? Over and above their pay? If so great but if not then just a sneaky way to get more money so the cruise line can use less of theirs to pay then a low rate to star with 

Edited November 30, 2018 by Mommawo

[BlerkOne]

1 hour ago, rtfnl said:

I'm all for tipping 18% and usually tip extra, however if not for Cruise Critic I would not have known that it has been raised to 18% since Carnival has not communicated with guests who are immediately affected by the change (sailing tomorrow on the Sunshine). I just got off the phone with the Group department for something and was told the CSRs were emailed today about the change and it being effective today.  Cheers and tips will be purchased and paid tomorrow. 

 

 

It is effective today. No need to rush to purchase anything now.

[BlerkOne]

For those who think 18% is exorbitant, compare and contrast to the 20% that NCL charges. Do they even tell you where it goes?

 

Do robots on Royal have to split tips?

[BoDidly]

54 minutes ago, Micah's Grandad said:

Has it been established how much of the 18% actually goes to the crew as pay?

Not to my knowledge .  Perhaps Heald could explain it to you .

[Micahs Grandad]

59 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

For those who think 18% is exorbitant, compare and contrast to the 20% that NCL charges. Do they even tell you where it goes?

 

 

 

Consider that as prices of drink goes up the 15% tip brought the crew more money at same time

[Micahs Grandad]

42 minutes ago, BoDidly said:

Not to my knowledge .  Perhaps Heald could explain it to you .

Perhaps he could but from the other thread there seems to be some doubt as to exactly how much of the 15% they were getting.

 

Makes me wonder if all of the auto tips goes to the crew as well. Have heard it both ways.

[rtfnl]

1 hour ago, BlerkOne said:

 

It is effective today. No need to rush to purchase anything now.

I know right. 

[coevan]

19 minutes ago, Micah's Grandad said:

Perhaps he could but from the other thread there seems to be some doubt as to exactly how much of the 15% they were getting.

 

Makes me wonder if all of the auto tips goes to the crew as well. Have heard it both ways.

 

 

is it really any of your business? who cares, no one ever asked me how much money I make. Believe it or not these are coveted jobs, for their country they do quite well. Why does everyone assume the worst and Carnival is ripping off their employees? 

[sparks1093]

Once I've left a tip I'm done worrying about it, because I have absolutely no control over how it's divvied up. That goes in land based establishments, also, since many of them pool their tips or tip out to other employees. It's not like I can tell my waitress "don't share this tip with anyone, it's just for you".

[sparks1093]

3 minutes ago, coevan said:

 

 

is it really any of your business? who cares, no one ever asked me how much money I make. Believe it or not these are coveted jobs, for their country they do quite well. Why does everyone assume the worst and Carnival is ripping off their employees? 

I've seen people wondering if the cruise line is ripping off their employees on the Royal boards and the NCL boards. I suspect that if I looked I would find similar posts on X, Princess, HAL and the others.

[Jared100]

I personally disagree with the auto added gratuities because I tip per drink, as do most people who understand social standards. This causes me to feel like i am paying double tips, but if I don't tip per drink I feel bad and think the bartender will not like me

[coevan]

perfect answer, it's how you "feel", I have been in the hospitality industry my entire life, tipping is subjective. Tip what you feel is right. We always do the auto tips and also tip servers by the pool and "friendly" bartenders. The bartender that doesn't look up, smile, or acknowledge your presence, probably not get an extra tip. We have all had them. 

[FlaParrotHead]

The increase in the tips in fine, they deserve it,  what I do not like is the disclosure of the ASP which is funded partially from gratuities.  It shows that 100% of your gratuities do not go directly to the staff on your particular sailing.

[Joebucks]

Tipping culture has become a lot like income taxes. You get to subsidize others because of those that choose not to contribute.

 

When in reality, it should be a bonus for over the top service. 

[Nic6318]

14 hours ago, Jared100 said:

I personally disagree with the auto added gratuities because I tip per drink, as do most people who understand social standards. This causes me to feel like i am paying double tips, but if I don't tip per drink I feel bad and think the bartender will not like me

 

Hi

Why on earth would you feel the bartender would not like you. That's really not part of their job. It's really not important to be liked by a bartender. You are already supporting them in their employment, and you are additionally giving what is mandated as a sufficient "tip". Once you have done this, you have done your part. Enjoy your vacation. 

 

For those that think there is some conspiracy in these cruise lines finding was to increase their revenue rather than add to the pay of their employee, have you considered that they could just raise the price of the cruise itself by just a few dollars for everybody and make much more money, with nobody recognizing the case. Cruising is as cheap as it gets for vacation choices. Those that pay more do so as a choice.

[n6uqqq]

Who get's the 18% tip for the self service beer?

[BlerkOne]

1 hour ago, fyree39 said:

We no longer tip above auto tips on beverages without guilt.

 

I never feel guilty for tipping above auto tips.

 

[BlerkOne]

20 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

I've seen people wondering if the cruise line is ripping off their employees on the Royal boards and the NCL boards. I suspect that if I looked I would find similar posts on X, Princess, HAL and the others.

 

Exactly. Carnival is making an attempt at transparency, which is more than other cruise lines do, and some people have a problem with that. I think it just shows how some people will lach onto anything as an excuse for their own behavior.