Do room stewards know that you prepaid gratiuties?

[the penguins]

4 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

You are completely discounting the fact that the cruise line allows for no questions asked removal of the automatic gratuity. This SCREAMS “optional policy”

Technically it doesn't. Please go to Royals website and look up the auto grats rules which you accept by making a booking. Ships maybe allowing you do this which is probably because very people actually do so, but Royals actual terms do not permit it.

[Gatordad1967]

"What they get paid, how & who pays them is no concern of mine. That's between them and their employer."

 

Good words to live by.

 

[not-enough-cruising]

5 minutes ago, the penguins said:

Technically it doesn't. Please go to Royals website and look up the auto grats rules which you accept by making a booking. Ships maybe allowing you do this which is probably because very people actually do so, but Royals actual terms do not permit it.

LOL!!

 

OK

[time4u2go]

8 minutes ago, the penguins said:

Technically it doesn't. Please go to Royals website and look up the auto grats rules which you accept by making a booking. Ships maybe allowing you do this which is probably because very people actually do so, but Royals actual terms do not permit it.

The only thing we as cruisers agree to is what's in the ticket contract.  Can you indicate exactly where in the contract these "auto grats rules" are?

[Ocean Boy]

32 minutes ago, the penguins said:

Nor have I. Nor do I know how far back to you would  have to go to get to a time when there were no auto grats . We are relatively new to cruising our first being in 1994 and regularly since 2003 and these grats, in varies guises, have been on every cruise. 

I don"t remember the year that auto gratuities started but I am quite sure it was later than 2003.

[HBE4]

36 minutes ago, the penguins said:

Technically it doesn't. Please go to Royals website and look up the auto grats rules which you accept by making a booking. Ships maybe allowing you do this which is probably because very people actually do so, but Royals actual terms do not permit it.

 

27 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

The only thing we as cruisers agree to is what's in the ticket contract.  Can you indicate exactly where in the contract these "auto grats rules" are?

 

I tried posting a screen shot but for some reason, it was not working for me. Anyways, from the FAQ section of Royals website, type in Gratuities in the search bar:

 

Q: What is Royal Caribbean's service gratuities (tips) price and policy?

 

A:As of September 7^th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per person, per day for guests in non-suites staterooms, or $18.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Suites, will be applied to each guest’s SeaPass account on a daily basis. The gratuity applies to individual guests of all ages and stateroom categories. As a way to reward our crew members for their outstanding service, gratuities are shared among dining, bar & culinary services staff, stateroom attendants and other hotel services teams who work behind the scenes to enhance the cruise experience.

In the unlikely event that a guest onboard being charged the daily automatic gratuity does not receive satisfactory service, the guest may request to modify the daily amount at their discretion by visiting Guest Services onboard and will be able to do so until the morning of their departure.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/onboard-service-gratuity-expense 

 

EDIT TO ADD: Nowhere is it specified  what constitutes satisfactory or unsatisfactory service so presumably it is at the guests discretion.

 

Edited August 25, 2022 by HBE4

[not-enough-cruising]

3 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

 

I tried posting a screen shot but for some reason, it was not working for me. Anyways, from the FAQ section of Royals website, type in Gratuities in the search bar:

 

Q: What is Royal Caribbean's service gratuities (tips) price and policy?

 

A:As of September 7^th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per person, per day for guests in non-suites staterooms, or $18.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Suites, will be applied to each guest’s SeaPass account on a daily basis. The gratuity applies to individual guests of all ages and stateroom categories. As a way to reward our crew members for their outstanding service, gratuities are shared among dining, bar & culinary services staff, stateroom attendants and other hotel services teams who work behind the scenes to enhance the cruise experience.

In the unlikely event that a guest onboard being charged the daily automatic gratuity does not receive satisfactory service, the guest may request to modify the daily amount at their discretion by visiting Guest Services onboard and will be able to do so until the morning of their departure.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/onboard-service-gratuity-expense 

Thank you for proving my point 

 

optional, at my discretion 

 

port fees - can’t be removed - cost of cruising

taxes -  can’t be removed - cost of cruising

bar tip - can’t be removed - cost of cruising

 

daily automatic gratuity - can be removed - not a cost of cruising

[time4u2go]

6 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

 

I tried posting a screen shot but for some reason, it was not working for me. Anyways, from the FAQ section of Royals website, type in Gratuities in the search bar:

 

Q: What is Royal Caribbean's service gratuities (tips) price and policy?

 

A:As of September 7^th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per person, per day for guests in non-suites staterooms, or $18.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Suites, will be applied to each guest’s SeaPass account on a daily basis. The gratuity applies to individual guests of all ages and stateroom categories. As a way to reward our crew members for their outstanding service, gratuities are shared among dining, bar & culinary services staff, stateroom attendants and other hotel services teams who work behind the scenes to enhance the cruise experience.

In the unlikely event that a guest onboard being charged the daily automatic gratuity does not receive satisfactory service, the guest may request to modify the daily amount at their discretion by visiting Guest Services onboard and will be able to do so until the morning of their departure.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/onboard-service-gratuity-expense 

 

EDIT TO ADD: Nowhere is it specified  what constitutes satisfactory or unsatisfactory service so presumably it is at the guests discretion.

 

Thanks.  I saw that too in the FAQ section, but I'm not sure that would be binding, and as you said, how is "satisfactory service" defined?

[HBE4]

12 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

Thanks.  I saw that too in the FAQ section, but I'm not sure that would be binding, and as you said, how is "satisfactory service" defined?

 

Exactly! Everyone on a cruise ship will have their own set of expectations & standards ranging from "best-in-class white glove service" to "just happy I don't have to make my bed".

 

What I find satisfactory will be different from others and vice-versa.

[Gatordad1967]

18 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

Exactly! Everyone on a cruise ship will have their own set of expectations & standards ranging from "best-in-class white glove service" to "just happy I don't have to make my bed".

 

What I find satisfactory will be different from others and vice-versa.

That is why tipping is a personal preference.

[Seville2Cabo]

32 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

Exactly! Everyone on a cruise ship will have their own set of expectations & standards ranging from "best-in-class white glove service" to "just happy I don't have to make my bed".

 

What I find satisfactory will be different from others and vice-versa.

True, but Royal could require you to document the unsatisfactory service before adjusting/ removing tips 

Wonder how many would remove tips if this was required?

[DirtyDawg]

9 minutes ago, Seville2Cabo said:

True, but Royal could require you to document the unsatisfactory service before adjusting/ removing tips 

Wonder how many would remove tips if this was required?

The service would have to be horrifically bad, like Cleveland Browns/New York Jets bad  for me to waist my time waiting in line and then having to actually speak to and explain things to Guest Services just to save myself a hundred or a couple of hundred bucks on a week's tips/service fees. 

 

OK, if it was the Brown's bad I might do it just on principal!

 

Edited August 25, 2022 by DirtyDawg

[Ocean Boy]

8 minutes ago, Seville2Cabo said:

True, but Royal could require you to document the unsatisfactory service before adjusting/ removing tips 

Wonder how many would remove tips if this was required?

RCI could but they don't. Doesn't that kind of tell you something?

[not-enough-cruising]

11 minutes ago, Seville2Cabo said:

True, but Royal could require you to document the unsatisfactory service before adjusting/ removing tips 

Wonder how many would remove tips if this was required?

Wonder how many would sail a different line that didn’t require one  to jump through hoops?

[not-enough-cruising]

16 minutes ago, Seville2Cabo said:

True, but Royal could require you to document the unsatisfactory service before adjusting/ removing tips 

Wonder how many would remove tips if this was required?

They won’t do ANYTHING that jeopardizes the nearly $600,000 (based on Oasis class ship), per ship, per week, tax free payroll assistance plan they have going 

Edited August 25, 2022 by not-enough-cruising

[Seville2Cabo]

5 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

RCI could but they don't. Doesn't that kind of tell you something?

What it tells me is they don’t care nearly as much as people here care. I assume they have a pretty good understanding of how many people remove tips and that is factored into daily amount and any estimate they may give for employees. 

[Ocean Boy]

11 minutes ago, Seville2Cabo said:

What it tells me is they don’t care nearly as much as people here care. I assume they have a pretty good understanding of how many people remove tips and that is factored into daily amount and any estimate they may give for employees. 

Right.

[HBE4]

41 minutes ago, Seville2Cabo said:

What it tells me is they don’t care nearly as much as people here care. I assume they have a pretty good understanding of how many people remove tips and that is factored into daily amount and any estimate they may give for employees. 

 

It tells me that Royal respects all of their customers diverse opinions on the subject, whether the customer has high standards or comes from a culture where tipping is not a thing or needs to be earned and not handed out automatically.

 

It also tells me that Royal is not going to put in the effort & expense of tracking why people may reduce or eliminate the auto grats as they know most customers will tip above and beyond the auto grats which will more than make up for the "lost" gratuities  so their crew is still very well compensated (and not slaves begging for morsels of food as some continually suggest).

 

So, happy crew, happy customers and profitable company. No need to change a thing.

[HBE4]

I can't believe I got sucked into a tipping thread and put in so much  time & effort.

 

I need to find a hobby 😆

[yogimax]

For all those who remove tips because they say they want to pay cash at the end of the cruise...

 

Does the total amount you tip for a seven night cruise for two equal $203?

 

I wonder how many who remove tips pay $0 at the end of the cruise.

[soapbxking]

4 hours ago, kirtihk said:

Yep, I escaped from it in 1991; so, I know all that.  Just hoping (based on last 6 years direction) it will not occur here (cruise or no cruise).  "Hope dies last."

i have a friend and former co worker who escaped it many years ago, he was an actual VIetnamese boat person with his family!  Lets hope not.    Glad you were able to escape, it.  Please teach others.  I am sure you do!!!!!

[granddutchess]

We pre-pay our gratuity and then if the service is exemplary we will often add a gratuity at the end of the cruise.  These individuals work extremely hard and deserve every penny they get.  

[ALKID]

1 hour ago, yogimax said:

For all those who remove tips because they say they want to pay cash at the end of the cruise...

 

Does the total amount you tip for a seven night cruise for two equal $203?

 

I wonder how many who remove tips pay $0 at the end of the cruise.

[Morecruisesplz]

4 hours ago, yogimax said:

For all those who remove tips because they say they want to pay cash at the end of the cruise...

 

Does the total amount you tip for a seven night cruise for two equal $203?

 

I wonder how many who remove tips pay $0 at the end of the cruise.

Wonder away!

[Ocean Boy]

4 hours ago, yogimax said:

For all those who remove tips because they say they want to pay cash at the end of the cruise...

 

Does the total amount you tip for a seven night cruise for two equal $203?

 

I wonder how many who remove tips pay $0 at the end of the cruise.

What if it is greater than $203? You spend a lot of time wondering what other people are doing.