Another gratuities topic but different

[C-Dragons]

2 minutes ago, Orator said:

I often write a letter to Celebrity to mention those who have given exceptional service. In a number of cases I've received a follow up call from someone at Celebrity. In several cases the person I mentioned was promoted. In one case they went from Restaurant Manger to F&B Manager and another case they went from temporary CC Hostess to MC Concierge. I have been told by several in the Miami office that they few very few letters that complement staff and they take them very seriously when they do. 

We submit our letters on board the ship. The response from the Officer who receives the letters is immediate. In one instance a member of the crew was being considered for a promotion to a newly created position. Their manager thanked us for our letter and told us that our comments were the deciding factor. So yes, X does take guests' inputs seriously.

[Arizona Wildcat]

Really simple.  Two areas to consider.  What is the norm in the country?  In some tips are unusual, others tip are the norm.

That considered - excellent service deserves recognition.  $$, a positive letter to mgmt or even a simple thank you.  Poor service should be noted by telling a person of where they not not meet your expectations.  If no improvement a tip is not necessarily and a comment to management is appropriate.

In the US I have done both of the above.  Much more to recognize excellent service.

[GeorgesGal]

I have to say that in my many years of cruising - 40+ - I've never met anyone , nor have I, ever 'stiffed' crew out of their tips, and personally I always give extra, whether to a waiter, bar tender, concierge or stateroom attendant.  I do remember one time, though, a man at the purser's office asking to have his gratuities removed!  I was appalled by his action.

Donna

[sydbarrett]

I wonder if the crew will actually get the gratuities that are now part of AI, or previously offered as a perk? I don't even like to give tips on debit, I'm skeptical the server will receive it. I would rather give cash directly to the recipient, if possible.

[weregoingcruising]

On 1/6/2021 at 11:17 AM, TeeRick said:

Oh boy another gratuity thread starting with the very best of intentions by the OP.  Let's sit back and see what happens.😉

So far so good.

[39august]

We have been advised by various staff at various stations that cash tips must be shared. 

[cheeseheads4ever]

We always leave extra tips it’s the right thing to do. I never knew about the envelopes so thanks for the info.

we always give them cash in hand.

[TeaBag]

45 minutes ago, cheeseheads4ever said:

We always leave extra tips it’s the right thing to do. I never knew about the envelopes so thanks for the info.

 

You're welcome.  I'm glad I mentioned the "Attention to Detail" cards as I don't think they are widely publicized and I think they should be.

[Wine-O]

1 hour ago, 39august said:

We have been advised by various staff at various stations that cash tips must be shared. 

It's my understand if you remove the auto grats, then anything you give in cash goes into the pool.  If you leave on the auto grats, anything additional in cash goes to the person it is given to, and he doesn't have to share.  🍷

[mom says]

4 hours ago, sydbarrett said:

I wonder if the crew will actually get the gratuities that are now part of AI, or previously offered as a perk? I don't even like to give tips on debit, I'm skeptical the server will receive it. I would rather give cash directly to the recipient, if possible.

Why would you think otherwise,  in regard to the auto tips? Do you really think the crew would stay if they weren't receiving their tips, which accounts for the bulk of their income? Do you realize that it would be illegal for the cruise lines to withhold them? Sorry, bud. That's no excuse for removing the grats.  Hopefully now,  with the always included, it will be impossible to remove them

Edited January 8, 2021 by mom says

[sydbarrett]

Just now, mom says said:

Why would you think otherwise,  in regard to the auto tips? Do you really think the crew would stay if they weren't receiving their tips? Do you realize that it would be illegal for the cruise lines to withhold them? Sorry, bud. That's no excuse for removing the grats.  Hopefully now,  with the always included, it will be impossible to remove them

?? Excuse me? I have never removed tips nor would I ever. And I always give cash tips in addition. I am just curious as I know MANY restaurants that have shady practices around tips, such as managers taking their cut. And what law are you referring to and under which country? People stay in jobs because they need to survive.

[39august]

We would never remove gratuities. And again, various staff have advised that all cash tips go into a pool for that area: specialty restaurant, bar,  etc. I have always hoped that the room stewards get to keep their cash tips. 

[dkjretired]

4 hours ago, sydbarrett said:

I wonder if the crew will actually get the gratuities that are now part of AI, or previously offered as a perk? I don't even like to give tips on debit, I'm skeptical the server will receive it. I would rather give cash directly to the recipient, if possible.

 

I would not be skeptical since they wouldn't have anyone working for them if they stiffed the employees.  These are their primary source of income, there would be a revolt. 

[dkjretired]

2 hours ago, 39august said:

We have been advised by various staff at various stations that cash tips must be shared. 

 

Been told just the opposite, they can keep them.   I'm sure none of us really know what happens, I'm guessing different areas have different rules. 

[Wine-O]

Places like the Martini Bar or Sunset Bar where they have 3-4 people working the bar, I believe they have an agreement amongst themselves to share tips that evening.  If they had to work their butts off and get tips and have to share with others in the tipping pool, that would be very discouraging and take out any incentive to go above and beyond.  🍷

[mom says]

2 hours ago, sydbarrett said:

?? Excuse me? I have never removed tips nor would I ever. 

?? Excuse me? In your other post you said "I'm skeptical the server will receive it. I would rather give cash directly to the recipient"  How,  exactly, are you going to give cash to every person who would have otherwise shared in the auto grats? Do you know every person who is entitled to a share, and what that share is? And why would you do this if you hadn't first removed the auto grats? If you want to tip extra, then you should. But leave the auto grats alone. The crew DO get them.

Edited January 8, 2021 by mom says

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

13 hours ago, dkjretired said:

I remember years ago talking to a waiter who we had become friendly with and he told me the surveys do make a difference.   He explained that the waiters who got good marks on the comments were placed in sections near the kitchen so they didn't have to carry the trays a long distance.   Sounded logical at the time but who knows..

 

I've known assistant waiters who got promoted because of the comment cards.  They definitely make a difference.  I also tip over and above the standard gratuities.  And since I'm not cruising currently, I'm overtipping my hairdresser, the person who does my pedicures, and the waiters in restaurants.  In cash.  Not on the credit card.  If I tip them in cash, I don't have to worry about someone taking a cut.  These people have suffered greatly from these damn lockdowns.

Edited January 8, 2021 by Happy Cruiser 6143

[Fouremco]

25 minutes ago, mom says said:

?? Excuse me? In your other post you said "I'm skeptical the server will receive it. I would rather give cash directly to the recipient"  How,  exactly, are you going to give cash to every person who would have otherwise shared in the auto grats? Do you know every person who is entitled to a share, and what that share is? And why would you do this if you hadn't first removed the auto grats? If you want to tip extra, then you should. But leave the auto grats alone. The crew DO get them.

@mom says, I think that you have misinterpreted what @sydbarrett has said. If you go back to post #29, she says " I don't even like to give tips on debit, I'm skeptical the server will receive it. I would rather give cash directly to the recipient, if possible." She is talking about giving a cash tip to a restaurant server on land, preferring to give cash than to include the tip on her debit card, where there is no guarantee that the server will get it. It has nothing to do with preferring to give cash gratuities aboard. Her post #36 reiterates her concern about land-based restaurants.

 

At no point does she say that she has or would remove the auto gratuities on a cruise, and states in the very clearly in post #36 "I have never removed tips nor would I ever." 

 

 

 

[mom says]

@ Fouremco if I misinterpreted the post in question then I apologize. But what do land restaurants have to do with ship autograts,  which is the subject of this thread? Absolutely no comparison in how tips are handled. The poster has been on CC long enough to be aware of how autograts have worked for many years.

[sandancer]

We have had grats included as a perk on our last few cruises but tip our room attendant extra on the last night. We also take a bunch of $1 notes out with us in the evening and slip a couple to the wonderful staff who keep the restrooms so clean. With a big smile and frequently a little song! Also the little fella you see polishing the stair rails at 1 in the morning. No idea if they are included in the tipping system but I doubt it. I don’t care what your budget is, if you can afford to cruise then spreading a little of that hard earned cash to others can only be a good thing. 

[TeeRick]

There are certain situations where gratuities are pooled.  When we dine in Luminae, the whole team typically attends to us.  So we have been told they pool their tips.

[Fouremco]

11 hours ago, mom says said:

@ Fouremco if I misinterpreted the post in question then I apologize. But what do land restaurants have to do with ship autograts,  which is the subject of this thread? Absolutely no comparison in how tips are handled. The poster has been on CC long enough to be aware of how autograts have worked for many years.

I believe that she was trying to make the point that on land she doesn't have faith in restaurant management passing on tips that are given by debit/credit card, which is why she prefers tipping directly, in cash. With the move to AI and the inclusion of gratuities within the base fare, she now has a similar concern. While I don't share her concern, I do understand her point of view.

 

On the other hand, AI might actually protect the crew members who share the gratuities. As they are no longer a separate item, will passengers be able to have the gratuities removed as they have in the past? I may have just missed it, but I don't recall reading anything stating that removal would be allowed to continue. 

[Pinboy]

35 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

As they are no longer a separate item, will passengers be able to have the gratuities removed as they have in the past?

Don't worry--- the " sleezebags " that removed them in the past  will still find a way to remove them.

One day I'll tell you how I " really " feel about those who do !!

Maybe ( ?? )  I should have done that the time my waiter forgot my 3rd order of shrimp cocktail -- LOL

[sydbarrett]

17 hours ago, Fouremco said:

@mom says, I think that you have misinterpreted what @sydbarrett has said. If you go back to post #29, she says " I don't even like to give tips on debit, I'm skeptical the server will receive it. I would rather give cash directly to the recipient, if possible." She is talking about giving a cash tip to a restaurant server on land, preferring to give cash than to include the tip on her debit card, where there is no guarantee that the server will get it. It has nothing to do with preferring to give cash gratuities aboard. Her post #36 reiterates her concern about land-based restaurants.

 

At no point does she say that she has or would remove the auto gratuities on a cruise, and states in the very clearly in post #36 "I have never removed tips nor would I ever." 

 

 

 

Thank you, you understand me 🙂 

 

I was just curious to know if the crew actually receive the gratuities when they are "free" to the passenger, not trying to start a conspiracy theory against the cruise lines. I was trying to explain the reason for my curiosity based on reports I've heard from people working in other tip-based industries that sometimes get stiffed by management. I look at the cruise gratuity as a tax/part of the cost of a cruise, not something that can or should be removed. I tip the staff that I interact with in cash, in addition. And for the record I do tip on the debit machine if I don't have cash...the reason I don't like to is that my friends who were servers always say servers much preferred cash (assuming for tax reasons...whole other topic). Anyhoo, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

[mom says]

1 hour ago, sydbarrett said:

if the crew actually receive the gratuities when they are "free" to the passenger, 

Perhaps this misconception is what led to this. Gratuities were not "free" to the passengers either when included as a "perk" or when included in the new always included pricing. The passenger was paying for the grats in their increased fare prices, whether they knew it or not. "Included" does not mean "free". The crew have always gotten the autograts. There is no reason to suspect they would not continue to do so.