Tips

[cb at sea]

Just leave the tips as they are....everyone who is supposed to be tipped, is tipped.  If you have an issue with someone NOT doing what they're supposed to do, speak to their supervisor....don't suffer in silence.  No further tips are needed or expected.

[not-enough-cruising]

13 minutes ago, cb at sea said:

Just leave the tips as they are....everyone who is supposed to be tipped, is tipped.  If you have an issue with someone NOT doing what they're supposed to do, speak to their supervisor....don't suffer in silence.  No further tips are needed or expected.

SUPPOSED to be tipped? Who determines who is supposed to be tipped? Isn’t that my choice?

[OCruisers]

2 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

SUPPOSED to be tipped? Who determines who is supposed to be tipped? Isn’t that my choice?

 

You might miss folks you don't think about who make your cruise better so just best to leave the auto tip on.

[not-enough-cruising]

9 minutes ago, OCruisers said:

 

You might miss folks you don't think about who make your cruise better so just best to leave the auto tip on.

Sorry but no. A gratuity is for service above and beyond. If my sheets come from the laundry room extra clean I’ll seek out the individual that washed them and make sure they get s little something extra. Everyone else is people doing the job they are contracted and paid for. 

[Wine-O]

3 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Sorry but no. A gratuity is for service above and beyond. If my sheets come from the laundry room extra clean I’ll seek out the individual that washed them and make sure they get s little something extra. Everyone else is people doing the job they are contracted and paid for. 

 

Good luck getting down to the laundry room, then finding the exact individual that washed your sheets.  

[not-enough-cruising]

11 minutes ago, Wine-O said:

 

Good luck getting down to the laundry room, then finding the exact individual that washed your sheets.  

Exactly my point 

[clean1owner]

On 2/7/2019 at 6:46 AM, Colorado Babe said:

So many folks remove them on the last sea day.  It is sad. I think they should just build the tips into the cruise fare.  This is the only way to ensure that the staff get paid.  

 

 

This is the only way to ensure that RCCL gets more money. As stated before, nobody knows for sure where it goes.

 

[clean1owner]

On 2/7/2019 at 12:10 PM, Biker19 said:

On Frontier you are asked to.

 

 

On Frontier you are just about asked to bring your own toilet paper.

[SRF]

On 2/7/2019 at 3:23 PM, time4u2go said:

You can give them nonzero gratuities in person.

 

Then how do you tip the people you don't see, that are part of the auto tipping??????

[time4u2go]

7 hours ago, SRF said:

 

Then how do you tip the people you don't see, that are part of the auto tipping??????

I was responding to a post that only mentioned "stewards and waitstaff" (post #11).  They didn't mention the people you don't see.

Edited February 12, 2019 by time4u2go

[ShillyShally]

On 2/7/2019 at 3:03 PM, grapau27 said:

P&O are starting this in May along with a few other lines.

We will still give cash tips to deserving crew when we sail next on P&O.

I do wish it was built into the fare, heck insurance too - or make that the choice between fares $750PP without insurance (and penalty of losing deposits) or $900 PP Cancel anytime - then  you just have a few fare choices but none wouldn't have some built in tips.  It's the auto-charging on board for those that don't prepay where I can see they get removed more often not for lousy service but because someone didn't realize all they were charging all week and figured they'd save money by removing tips.  Besides deserving a tip is so subjective - one person's method may be all I want/need but someone else may say they aren't friendly enough, etc.  You'd have to be openly hostile towards me or my family and/or personally sabotage my food in some way to make me consider shortchanging anyone but then again I just prepay to not think of it on board and tip extra as warranted.  My method, works for me, only person it needs to work for 🙂

[Ocean Boy]

On 2/7/2019 at 7:20 PM, time4u2go said:

I was only responding to one of your posts...the one in which you said "Thus giving the stewards and waitstaff zero gratuities?!?  That is unacceptable."  I was pointing out that removing the automatic gratuities doesn't necessarily mean giving zero gratuities.

But this is Cruise Critic. Removing auto grats always equates to stiffing the staff. Remember how anyone who didn't eat in the MDR on the last night used to be accused of the same thing? 

[Ocean Boy]

On 2/7/2019 at 7:42 PM, OCruisers said:

 

You might miss folks you don't think about who make your cruise better so just best to leave the auto tip on.

You mean like the captain?

[time4u2go]

39 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

But this is Cruise Critic. Removing auto grats always equates to stiffing the staff. Remember how anyone who didn't eat in the MDR on the last night used to be accused of the same thing? 

Lol true enough!

[katiel53]

I want to preface what I am about to post with I DO NOT REMOVE GRATUITIES.  I am just going to play devil's advocate and will welcome comments.  I am posting my own experiences.

 

We book the UDP which includes lunches and dinners all week.  We tip $10 per person for dinner and $5 per person for lunch.  On these days we do not eat breakfast as we can't eat a large lunch and a huge dinner.  (Booking online states gratuities are included, but who knows how much?)

 

On port days we either eat off the ship or in the WJ for breakfast.

 

Our requests of our cabin steward are ice twice daily and 3 large towels when towels are changed.  We do not have children to mess up the cabin and we pick up after ourselves.

 

Ok, now to my  ??????????

These are things I might consider/do.  I am interested in opinions.  Thanks.

 

If we removed tips:

 

We could/do eat in the WJ on port days for breakfast , so I could leave a tip at my table just as I do when/if I go to a buffet on land.

 

We do could/do tip the steward extra because he/she is usually friendly and does some things that I consider extra, ie taking laundry to be washed.  We could give the steward the regular amount plus extra because we usually get great service.

 

When we stay on a hotel we don't tip the laundry people, the guest services, the entertainment etc. (I don't know all that fit into the extra category.)

 

I guess I am thinking that there are those who are part of the tip pool that I feel should not be.  I think a while ago some cruise line decided that laundry etc, should be a tipped position.  I DO NOT BEGRUDGE THESE PEOPLE EARNING MONEY, but I do begrudge the company for charging us for something that was/should be part of the cruise fare.  In the "old days" they were paid without tips and I guess I don't understand why now they are part of the tipping.   I have asked Royal Caribbean again, who is part of the "other" and haven't received an answer.  I have also asked if I removed tips, and tipped cash, does that person have to turn in the tips to the pool.  I sent this email a week ago and have not received an answer.

 

So, if for my next cruise I decide I want to remove my gratuities, tip my cabin steward, specialty restaurants and for the occasional meal in the WJ or even if I went to the MDR tip for that meal by leaving a couple of bucks on the table, what's the problem?

 

 

By the way, I do get the alcohol package and tip at least $1 a drink extra, so not tipping is not my thing, but I am starting to wonder about where my money goes.  I know some will just disagree and tell me basically to shut up, but I do have my opinion.

 

 

 

Ok, I am ready for those to slam me about how hard people on the ship work etc, etc, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 13, 2019 by katiel53
Add a few things

[Keri's Cruisin']

It is just easier for me to have the recommended daily tips $14.50/passenger, added to my bill and I don't have to think about it again.  I would never remove those tips....

[grapau27]

12 hours ago, ShillyShally said:

I do wish it was built into the fare, heck insurance too - or make that the choice between fares $750PP without insurance (and penalty of losing deposits) or $900 PP Cancel anytime - then  you just have a few fare choices but none wouldn't have some built in tips.  It's the auto-charging on board for those that don't prepay where I can see they get removed more often not for lousy service but because someone didn't realize all they were charging all week and figured they'd save money by removing tips.  Besides deserving a tip is so subjective - one person's method may be all I want/need but someone else may say they aren't friendly enough, etc.  You'd have to be openly hostile towards me or my family and/or personally sabotage my food in some way to make me consider shortchanging anyone but then again I just prepay to not think of it on board and tip extra as warranted.  My method, works for me, only person it needs to work for 🙂

The problem with P&O was lots of people were stopping their autogratuities and those of us who paid them saw a big percentage increase to cover the tightwads who stopped their tips.

After May tips are included in the price so everyone contributes to tips.

I and others like me will still give cash tips to the crew who make our holiday special.

[grapau27]

12 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

But this is Cruise Critic. Removing auto grats always equates to stiffing the staff. Remember how anyone who didn't eat in the MDR on the last night used to be accused of the same thing? 

I remember last night in MDR (tip night) when people did not turn up.After reading many British tipping threads it is clear most are against auto or prepaying tips and say they tip who they want but I believe what is given in cash is a lot less than autotips would be.

I believe though there is still a sizeable number like me that pay autotips and tip generously in cash on top.

On RCI I always prepay gratuities and on a 7 night cruise I give around $200 in cash on top of this.

[Ocean Boy]

1 hour ago, grapau27 said:

 

On RCI I always prepay gratuities and on a 7 night cruise I give around $200 in cash on top of this.

That us very nice though to tell you the truth I really don't care what you, or anyone else, does. It just is neither my business or concern.

[not-enough-cruising]

13 hours ago, katiel53 said:

 

Ok, I am ready for those to slam me about how hard people on the ship work etc, etc, etc.

 

I agree with most all your points and handle my affairs in a much similar method. I agree there are people in the tip pool that I don’t feel are my responsibility. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ocean Boy]

2 hours ago, grapau27 said:

 

After May tips are included in the price so everyone contributes to tips.

 

What happens if someone ends up missing the cruise for whatever reason? The tips, that are rolled into the fare, get distributed with no services rendered? 

[ShillyShally]

2 hours ago, grapau27 said:

The problem with P&O was lots of people were stopping their autogratuities and those of us who paid them saw a big percentage increase to cover the tightwads who stopped their tips.

After May tips are included in the price so everyone contributes to tips.

I and others like me will still give cash tips to the crew who make our holiday special.

Ah gotcha - I would hope if they built it into the cruise fare it would equalize the fares across the board since suites already cost more and could have higher tips built in.

 

I prepay them so the cost can be out of the way in advance and also I just don't want to think about it on board - if I never go to the MDR or Windjammer or something I know how many of the waitstaff have to shift between venues so I'm likely to use their services at some point.  And we're not messy at all and my room steward will get extra if I always have ice but the pluses of just paying them as part of my travel costs is not worrying about on a cruise if I have missed someone or somehow slighted someone.  And not everyone tips the same way so I would think standardizing it across the fares could be a win-win.

[grapau27]

3 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

What happens if someone ends up missing the cruise for whatever reason? The tips, that are rolled into the fare, get distributed with no services rendered? 

In the UK if you cancel over 91 days ahead you lose your deposit.

Cancellation charges then

You lose

90-57 days 50%

56-42 days 60%

41-16 days 75%

15-6 days 90%

Less than 6 days 100%

They can resell your cabin too.

 

 

 

[grapau27]

4 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

That us very nice though to tell you the truth I really don't care what you, or anyone else, does. It just is neither my business or concern.

That is true with most threads posted on here like tipping,shorts in MDR etc.

[Ocean Boy]

2 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

That is true with most threads posted on here like tipping,shorts in MDR etc.

Yes, and after I posted I thought what I wrote sounded a bit snarky and I didn't mean to come off that way toward you but it was too late to edit.