Unlimited Dining Gratuities

[JoeFan]

I know tipping is a lightning rod. But I did have a question on the Unlimited Dining.

On my Harmony cruise 2019 when I purchased unlimited dining, the 18% gratuity was included in the price.

And I just purchased UD for my Symphony sailing Summer 2022 and it was the price plus 18%.

 

The question is does this 18% really go to the staff or is this just additional revenue for RCI?

 

[binro01]

I’m sure there is an amount that goes to the staff bucket for disbursement. But like everything in the automated gratuity world. The visibility is fuzzy, shady, pick your adjective ending in “y”

[taglovestocruise]

4 hours ago, JoeFan said:

I know tipping is a lightning rod. But I did have a question on the Unlimited Dining.

On my Harmony cruise 2019 when I purchased unlimited dining, the 18% gratuity was included in the price.

And I just purchased UD for my Symphony sailing Summer 2022 and it was the price plus 18%.

 

The question is does this 18% really go to the staff or is this just additional revenue for RCI?

 

Most of the 18% goes into the ship tip pool. A few dollars go to the waiters and servers in the specialty restaurant's. That was told to us by a server in Jamies. We usually leave a $10 cash tip in specialty.   

[DCPIV]

I know this isn't what you were asking, but I always add some manner of tip when we have UDP (along the lines of the aforementioned $10 or something like that).  If nothing else, it helps me sleep at night.  

[sharktums]

Everyone here is correct, we always tip our servers individually even with the UDP as we know they don't get much from that initial 18% when you book the package. 

[zekekelso]

I wonder if any crew member read this thread title and got all excited. 

[JoeFan]

1 hour ago, DCPIV said:

I know this isn't what you were asking, but I always add some manner of tip when we have UDP (along the lines of the aforementioned $10 or something like that).  If nothing else, it helps me sleep at night.  

 

When we sailed Harmony, we never set foot in the MDR or Windjammer yet we kep the automatic gratuities. Since the UD on Harmony didn't have 18% added like the drink packaged we tipped very well every meal at speciality. The took such great care of us.

But now they are calling out 18% gratuity and adding it to the BILL. So I won't not tip, I was just curious if I tip at speciality, plus the 18%, plus the automatic gratuity. I like to be generous but my wallet has a limit. 

So does RCI keep the tip or do they pass it 100% to the pool?

Edited October 28, 2021 by JoeFan

[JoeFan]

1 hour ago, DCPIV said:

I know this isn't what you were asking, but I always add some manner of tip when we have UDP (along the lines of the aforementioned $10 or something like that).  If nothing else, it helps me sleep at night.  

 

We tipped a $20 at every speciality on Harmony for the 3 of us.

[artvlay]

12 minutes ago, JoeFan said:

 

When we sailed Harmony, we never set foot in the MDR or Windjammer yet we kep the automatic gratuities. Since the UD on Harmony didn't have 18% added like the drink packaged we tipped very well every meal at speciality. The took such great care of us.

But now they are calling out 18% gratuity. So I won't not tip, I was just curious if I tip at speciality, plus the 18%, plus the automatic gratuity. I like to be generous but my wallet has a limit. 

So does RCI keep the tip or do they pass it 100% to the pool?

I agree 100%!

[zekekelso]

2 minutes ago, LynnForestgate said:

 

If the Crew members do read these posts, I am confident instead of getting excited, they would be laughing their heads off at some of the comments 🙂

 

What if they read the title as (unlimited)(dining gratuities) instead of (unlimited dining)(gratuities). 

[DCPIV]

25 minutes ago, JoeFan said:

But now they are calling out 18% gratuity and adding it to the BILL. So I won't not tip, I was just curious if I tip at speciality, plus the 18%, plus the automatic gratuity. I like to be generous but my wallet has a limit.

 

I hear you, and you make a good point.  Also, I apologize for implying that you (or anyone else who might do what you do) are being stingy or anything like that.  I did not intend to do so.

[JoeFan]

15 minutes ago, DCPIV said:

 

I hear you, and you make a good point.  Also, I apologize for implying that you (or anyone else who might do what you do) are being stingy or anything like that.  I did not intend to do so.

 

Thanks. I think the staff deserve to be well compensated. They work long, hard hours away from home and family. And I think RCI preys on the generosity of their guests. If this is a money grab from the cruiseline that's fine. Just call it something other than gratuity as that would imply that money gets handed over 100% to staff. We all know hotels tack on fee after fee to generate revenue, but they don't call it gratuity.

[TexasRon]

I tipped everyone on our Mariner cruise last week.  Drink servers, waiters, cabin attendant, etc.  Some got more than others; how they split it in the end is their agreement with the employer, but I gave it to the individuals.  The tips probably amounted to $300-$400 overall.  

 

I was just so glad to be on a cruise...

[JoeFan]

4 minutes ago, TexasRon said:

I tipped everyone on our Mariner cruise last week.  Drink servers, waiters, cabin attendant, etc.  Some got more than others; how they split it in the end is their agreement with the employer, but I gave it to the individuals.  The tips probably amounted to $300-$400 overall.  

 

I was just so glad to be on a cruise...

 

I don't want to turn this into a dreaded tippin thread. I know tipping is personal but, are saying you tipped an extra $300 to $400 over the automatic gratuity and drink plan 18%?

[cruiselvr04]

We have the UDP coming up.  I did pay an additional 18% on top and will leave my standard gratuity for waiters and stewards on my account.  I may tip a little over in cash but I won’t feel obligated and if we do it would be $5 or $10 for 2.  I do tip in cash for each D+ drink we get.   In other words, we tip but we don’t go crazy with it.  Do what feels right for you IF you’ve already paid a gratuity. 
 

If you’ve already paid the gratuity that Royal builds in don’t let anyone make you think you’re a deadbeat for not tipping more.  

Edited October 28, 2021 by cruiselvr04

[TexasRon]

1 hour ago, JoeFan said:

 

I don't want to turn this into a dreaded tippin thread. I know tipping is personal but, are saying you tipped an extra $300 to $400 over the automatic gratuity and drink plan 18%?

Over four days, I did tip that much to providers of excellent service.

 

We were in the Royal Suite, people took great care of us and made the cruise fantastic, and we tipped them.  

Edited October 28, 2021 by TexasRon