Royal just raised gratuities will Celebrity follow.

[Cruise Junky]

9 minutes ago, Cruise till you drop said:

i don’t think you’re getting the US model of compensating service oriented employees.  For example in a typical restaurant, the wait staff is getting about $2 per hour and the bulk of their comp is tips.  If the restaurants raised their wages, you would simply pay more for your meal (so ultimately you are paying more).

 

By having their comp in tips, they can earn more through higher level service.  But you can’t just pay them nothing for “doing their job” as they aren’t getting compensated for doing their job as no one is doing that kind of work for $2 per hour

 

I will say that my tipping for basic service is 12-15% and will tip 20-25% for exceptional service (my own rule)

 

PS - my example was for a restaurant server.  As for cruise ship service employees , I have no idea if they’re making a small wage per hour or if their compensation is totally made up in tips

I’m not sure you would eventually pay more. In Canada servers are paid the same minimum wage as other people, or very slightly less.  Around $14-$15. Our restaurant prices aren’t out of line with yours.  

[Denny01]

For those who want to ‘properly train’ us and not tip, I’ll make one recommendation: Do Not dine at the same restaurant, always go to another. Never Go Back!

 

The staff is well aware of those who pretend they are doing us a favor by modeling what is done back in their Superior country, and will, shall we say, react accordingly. And they share who are those that stiff the staff.

 

…..Just a suggestion

 

And by the way, the question actually asked by the OP has been fully addressed, and using Any thread that even infers ‘tips/gratuities/service’ to lecture ‘us’ has been, shall we say, done a few times, and usually by the same posters.

 

and yes, Ive posted the same thing in response to such.

 

den

Edited August 25, 2022 by Denny01

[whattodo]

We booked cruise-only rate and has a large amount of shipboard credit from Celebrity during the July double offer. Can I use some of that shipboard credit to pay for gratuity? 

[Realrunner]

23 hours ago, Denny01 said:

So you ignore any customs of a society/country/whatever because ‘That’s Not What You Do’ wherever you live? 

 

Do you refuse to take off your shoes in Japan, China, Morocco because you dont do that ‘back home’? 

Do you refuse to use your right hand in many Islamic countries because thats not an issue ‘back home’?

Do you insist wearing your shorts or a woman refuses to wear a head covering in a church/mosque because you dont do that ‘back home’?

 

Just a few obvious most all follow, just as 99% of Brit’s do, who are probably the most traveled population in the world and are Well Aware of how things are done outside the UK….unless of course it has to do with money, then a few use that as their excuse to rip off the staff…..got it.

 

And this isn’t a UK citizen issue. I know more than a few US citizens who come up with all kinds of excuses to rip off the staff in many venues.

 

den

Are you saying I should follow what Americans do?

I follow all customs when in a country but I can think on my own.

If cruise companies had one price when paying balance there would be no argument it would be down to the individual.

I’m sure you wouldn’t buy a car without test driving it.

As being well travelled I can choose to go elsewhere if I don’t like it and have plenty of cruise companies and travel options elsewhere.

With at least 35 cruises under my belt I will look to see what gives me the the best price for where I want to go to without hidden costs.

If someone crosses the road I won’t follow got it!

 

[Denny01]

@Realrunner,  gratuities aren’t a ‘hidden cost’ especially for someone who has 35+ cruises. Suggest you start a cruise line business and set the ‘example’; see how well it goes with your SR prices include gratuities, taxes, port fees, etc and customers compare your prices to the others that list those separately. 

 

The Point that was being discussed 2nd hand to what the OP actually asked is about those that sneak down to remove gratuities……not the existence of gratuities. 

 

Den

Edited August 25, 2022 by Denny01

[the penguins]

21 minutes ago, Realrunner said:

Are you saying I should follow what Americans do?

I follow all customs when in a country but I can think on my own.

If cruise companies had one price when paying balance there would be no argument it would be down to the individual.

I’m sure you wouldn’t buy a car without test driving it.

As being well travelled I can choose to go elsewhere if I don’t like it and have plenty of cruise companies and travel options elsewhere.

With at least 35 cruises under my belt I will look to see what gives me the the best price for where I want to go to without hidden costs.

If someone crosses the road I won’t follow got it!

 

Clearly we won't be seeing you on Celebrity or any of the other major mainstream cruise lines any time soon.

I can only assume if you cruise out of the UK your cruise lines of choice are P and O,  SAGA or perhaps Virgin but they can hardly be described as major.

[the penguins]

48 minutes ago, whattodo said:

We booked cruise-only rate and has a large amount of shipboard credit from Celebrity during the July double offer. Can I use some of that shipboard credit to pay for gratuity? 

Yes or invest it wisely in the casino😂

[Realrunner]

2 minutes ago, the penguins said:

Clearly we won't be seeing you on Celebrity or any of the other major mainstream cruise lines any time soon.

I can only assume if you cruise out of the UK your cruise lines of choice are P and O,  SAGA or perhaps Virgin but they can hardly be described as major.

I am a Diamond plus member for RCL

[the penguins]

1 hour ago, Cruise till you drop said:

i don’t think you’re getting the US model of compensating service oriented employees.  For example in a typical restaurant, the wait staff is getting about $2 per hour and the bulk of their comp is tips.  If the restaurants raised their wages, you would simply pay more for your meal (so ultimately you are paying more).

 

By having their comp in tips, they can earn more through higher level service.  But you can’t just pay them nothing for “doing their job” as they aren’t getting compensated for doing their job as no one is doing that kind of work for $2 per hour

 

I will say that my tipping for basic service is 12-15% and will tip 20-25% for exceptional service (my own rule)

 

PS - my example was for a restaurant server.  As for cruise ship service employees , I have no idea if they’re making a small wage per hour or if their compensation is totally made up in tips

They get a basic monthly wage which for the same job varies depending on experience. Tips paid via auto grats are passed on by Celebrity without any deductions or retentions. Each ship and cruise is a cost center in its own right. Tips are not, unlike for example on Princess, shared across the fleet and distributed every 3 months. You can collect a leaflet on how the tips are allocated at Guest Services. 

[LB_NJ]

1 hour ago, whattodo said:

We booked cruise-only rate and has a large amount of shipboard credit from Celebrity during the July double offer. Can I use some of that shipboard credit to pay for gratuity? 

 

In most cases shipboard credit can go to gratuities.  Also, for the previous poster who already purchased dining, they usually do NOT change the price after you have made a dinning, excursion, or drinks package purchase.

 

I originally asked the question because I have a cruise coming up in January and was thinking they might raise gratuities before then, and if they did would they give me an opportunity to pay them ahead at the old rate.  That was really the only question.  

 

Personally, I used to prefer that they build in the service cost to the price since it is something that always has to be paid however these days, I am OK if gratuities is not included since it reduces the final payment amount and therefore less money to try and get back if you cancel after final payment.

[Oceangoer2]

3 hours ago, Cruise Junky said:

I’m not sure you would eventually pay more. In Canada servers are paid the same minimum wage as other people, or very slightly less.  Around $14-$15. Our restaurant prices aren’t out of line with yours.  

We tip 20% in restaurants.  Our golf club servers are paid a little more than restaurants 'minimum' and an automatic 18% is added to our tab.  The cruise line is adding 18% to specialty restaurants which is fine with us.  Then generally, if service warrants, the moths come out of DH wallet... and they receive a little more.  Re US servers, if true, and they are only making $2 per hr and depend on tips...!  Why even do the job??

Edited August 25, 2022 by Oceangoer2

[weregoingcruising]

On 8/24/2022 at 4:04 AM, Realrunner said:

A tip or gratuity is something that you get for going above your normal expected job criteria.  I give to those that do this (handsomely) but I won’t pay gratuities before someone as done their job.

Perhaps Rcl and others ought to pay their staff more rather than move it onto their guests all the time.

 

Define job criteria that  you use for staff in the MDR. 

Thank You

[JeanieC,Aston]

Hi

There was a good balanced article in the UK newspaper,,The Guardian last week re the good and bad of US tipping culture,,and how some eateries are moving away from that model,,,and some who did move away moved back.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwih_4qz0eL5AhUpSEEAHbrVAM0QFnoECAkQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Flifeandstyle%2F2016%2Faug%2F14%2Frestaurants-no-tipping-policies-effects-portland&usg=AOvVaw16R-Z0BW5J6nQmDXRT-3zy

 

Some of the comments on the piece are interesting.

Edited August 25, 2022 by JeanieC,Aston

[Cruise till you drop]

4 hours ago, Cruise Junky said:

I’m not sure you would eventually pay more. In Canada servers are paid the same minimum wage as other people, or very slightly less.  Around $14-$15. Our restaurant prices aren’t out of line with yours.  

I don’t think you’re getting it.  $2 per hour is much different than $14-15 per hour

[Cruise till you drop]

1 hour ago, Oceangoer2 said:

 ... and they receive a little more.  Re US servers, if true, and they are only making $2 per hr and depend on tips...!  Why even do the job??

Currently they’re having trouble finding such people which is why service is much slower than it usually is.

And it’s no shock if you had a bunch of customers like Realrunner, why would you work for $2 per hour

[Oceangoer2]

23 minutes ago, Cruise till you drop said:

I don’t think you’re getting it.  $2 per hour is much different than $14-15 per hour

I think the poster is saying COSTS for restaurant meals aren't much different than yours, but the server's pay per hour is definitely much lower.  If servers are being given a tip based on the cost per meal and then add in their $2 per hour wage, they're being paid much less than in Canadian restaurants.  I find find it hard to believe their wages are that low and/or that tipping makes up the difference for a living wage.

[Cruise till you drop]

3 minutes ago, Oceangoer2 said:

I think the poster is saying COSTS for restaurant meals aren't much different than yours, but the server's pay per hour is definitely much lower.  If servers are being given a tip based on the cost per meal and then add in their $2 per hour wage, they're being paid much less than in Canadian restaurants.  I find find it hard to believe their wages are that low and/or that tipping makes up the difference for a living wage.

As my daughter has worked in that field, please trust me (or google it)

 

There we’re nights she did well and others where she was upset with the poor tipping 

[Realrunner]

45 minutes ago, weregoingcruising said:

Define job criteria that  you use for staff in the MDR. 

Thank You

I’ve had some really good waiters/waitresses but some bad.

Look interested, some are more interested in having a good old discussion with their colleagues, excuse me before reaching in between guests.

We all make mistakes but getting your orders right are a priority.

Don’t look as though you want to get the guests out as soon as you get them in there.

On one occasion other guests on our table went to a specialty restaurant. We came in in sat down had our starter and after that was totally ignored due to about 8 staff members coming to sit down on table next to us.  Waiter and assistant didn’t even acknowledge that we were there, hence we got up and left, not even an apology next evening so we got up and went to Jonnie rockets in our formal wear.

[Realrunner]

37 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi

There was a good balanced article in the UK newspaper,,The Guardian last week re the good and bad of US tipping culture,,and how some eateries are moving away from that model,,,and some who did move away moved back.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwih_4qz0eL5AhUpSEEAHbrVAM0QFnoECAkQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Flifeandstyle%2F2016%2Faug%2F14%2Frestaurants-no-tipping-policies-effects-portland&usg=AOvVaw16R-Z0BW5J6nQmDXRT-3zy

 

Some of the comments on the piece are interesting.

Very interesting, it seems that those that expected it didn’t stay.

I’ve taken a line from the link which I thought was good.

 

“I think tipping creates a really weird dynamic in my restaurant where customers feel like they’re hiring my employee,” said chef and owner Aaron 

[markeb]

7 minutes ago, Oceangoer2 said:

I find find it hard to believe their wages are that low and/or that tipping makes up the difference for a living wage.

 

We're completely off the original topic, other than shipboard tipping somewhat follows US tipping traditions, but...

 

The US Fair Labor Standards Act allows employers to "take credit" for tips for tipped employees (a pretty narrow range of people, BTW) towards the Federal Minimum Wage. Not a living wage; minimum wage. There's a minimum salary requirement, around $2.15/hour. If the employee does not receive adequate tips to meet the minimum wage, the employer is responsible for directly paying the difference; by federal law, the employee MUST earn at least minimum wage. Individual states with higher minimum wages typically have similar laws. If the employee is paid direct wages over minimum, then none of that applies. The FLSA is an employer side allowance (and an employee protection on the low end of wages).

 

If the server is making well over minimum wage in the first place, it is likely they're working in a higher end place, and tips can add up pretty nicely. But that's a different subject.

 

[whattodo]

12 hours ago, the penguins said:

Yes or invest it wisely in the casino😂

I'm too chicken to play in the casino, lol.

Glad to know they allow us to pay gratuity with Celebrity's SBC. 

[markeb]

9 hours ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi

There was a good balanced article in the UK newspaper,,The Guardian last week re the good and bad of US tipping culture,,and how some eateries are moving away from that model,,,and some who did move away moved back.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwih_4qz0eL5AhUpSEEAHbrVAM0QFnoECAkQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Flifeandstyle%2F2016%2Faug%2F14%2Frestaurants-no-tipping-policies-effects-portland&usg=AOvVaw16R-Z0BW5J6nQmDXRT-3zy

 

Some of the comments on the piece are interesting.

 

That's a 2016 article when the "no tips" concept was the rage in some high end restaurants in NYC. My memory is it didn't last. A lot of customers insisted on tipping (I'll leave that alone. It's a loaded discussion.) and in that price point of restaurant, a reasonably competent server could take home $100's (3-5 or more) a night in tips, even with tip pools. In those establishments, the servers hated the "no tips" policy! Obviously that's the Michelin 2-3 star places for the most part, where a tasting menu (often the only option) can run $300+ per person (sometimes +++) before drinks and a 20% tip is $200/table. Three seatings (pre-theater, early and late) of three tables becomes $1800 pooled amongst the front of the house!

 

I can't speak to the West Coast that's featured in the article, but the court ruling on pooling with "back of house" employees exactly reflects the FLSA and is an unanswered (really none of my business) question about back of house cruise ship employees. People routinely talk about dishwashers, chefs, etc. here, but none of those folks are covered under the FLSA, must be paid at least minimum wage (no "tip credit"), and at the federal level cannot be part of a mandatory tip pool (and the court ruling in the article essentially said the federal law prevailed over state laws). The FLSA is US law and doesn't apply on a cruise ship, but the 18-20% gratuity is a US thing...

 

Having said that, yes, it was a good article for that snapshot in time. Would be interesting to see them bring it into 2022.

[TeeRick]

Tipping threads are my least favorite on the CC Boards.  Followed closely by Infinite Veranda threads.

Here is a Wall.  Beat your head here.

[Oceangoer2]

2 hours ago, TeeRick said:

Tipping threads are my least favorite on the CC Boards.  Followed closely by Infinite Veranda threads.

Here is a Wall.  Beat your head here.

There are some new posters who don't have the time you do to follow the boards to the extent you do, and would like an answer to their question without sarcasm or judgement, about anything, including tips.  My tip to you....find a soft padded room..feel free to bang away.

[TeeRick]

5 minutes ago, Oceangoer2 said:

There are some new posters who don't have the time you do to follow the boards to the extent you do, and would like an answer to their question without sarcasm or judgement, about anything, including tips.  My tip to you....find a soft padded room..feel free to bang away.

Hey thanks for taking the time out of your day to scold me.  Much Appreciated.🙂