% of guests who remove gratuities

[Ryder101]

11 minutes ago, Mikew0805 said:

 

 

 

I really don't care what "crew members have quoted." I do not believe that number is anywhere near 10%-15%, and that is my opinion based on supposition. Just like the rest of this thread...It is all supposition. 

 

In your same scenario above, I am in line at guest services on average 1-2 times day. I bring cash from the casino to pay down my account on a regular basis. (Sometimes not regular enough, but I digress. 🙄 ) in 80+ cruises, I cannot remember once when I have heard someone in line, or at the desk say they wanted to remove gratuities. Granted, I do not make a point to listen to what everyone else is doing but when I am in line and the line greeter asks if they can help me, I can also hear the responses of the couple in front and behind me. I have yet to hear it. That does not mean it does not happen, but I would think by now if it was 10-15% I would have heard it at some point. 

 

Your right. It's me and one other guy. Your all worried about nothing.

[Eddie Wilson]

1 minute ago, Ryder101 said:

Absolutely. For themselves. Not to tell, push, guilt, or force me to do the same.

I do not believe I did anything such?

[Ryder101]

11 minutes ago, Vibe said:

Sorry they do. I know this from a person in a high level management position. 

So do I. And your wrong. 

[Ryder101]

1 minute ago, Eddie Wilson said:

I do not believe I did anything such?

Not saying you did. You absolutely did not. Directed at all. Sorry about that.

[Mikew0805]

1 minute ago, Ryder101 said:

Your right. It's me and one other guy. Your all worried about nothing.

YOU'RE putting words in my mouth! I didn't say anything like that. I said that I am in line all the time, and if the percentage was that high, I would have thought that I would have at least heard it once by now. Never once did I say YOU'RE wrong. 

 

Seems like YOU'RE a bit sensitive to other opinions.

[Vibe]

Wouldn't it be a lot easier for everyone to acknowledge that the cruise lines have this system of auto tips in place. You may not agree with it, I don't but that is how it is done on cruise ships.

 

When crew members agree to take their job, they are made aware of how they will be compensated. Crew members who have face to face positions and crew in positions that are not seen are paid from this money that is collected. Everyone is being paid as agreed.

 

You essentially can enjoy your cruise knowing that if you pay your auto tips, everyone is compensated.  If you encounter a crew member that goes over and above, that would be an opportunity if you choose to give a cash tip to recognize that.

 

Edited March 1, 2023 by Vibe

[Ryder101]

Bottom line. Everyone is going to do, what they are going to do. I'm on a vacation, not a humanitarian aid mission. I tip in cash as I would on land. No better, worse. What employer and employee agreed to, is not my problem or concern. What happens to the cash after it leaves my hands, is not my business. Or my problem. 

[Vibe]

14 minutes ago, Ryder101 said:

If you don't concern yourself with how people are compensated in other businesses, why care so much about this?

 

For me the crew signed a contract knowing full well not every passenger was going to tip well (or at all for that matter). It was an estimate. Royal could not guarantee tipping figures in writing. Royal and the crew member went into this agreement. I however did not. I guaranteed nobody anything. And bottom line removing automatic gratuities is allowed by Royal Caribbean. I don't put a gun to anyone's head. 

we will have to agree to disagree.

Edited March 1, 2023 by Vibe

[Ryder101]

4 minutes ago, Mikew0805 said:

YOU'RE putting words in my mouth! I didn't say anything like that. I said that I am in line all the time, and if the percentage was that high, I would have thought that I would have at least heard it once by now. Never once did I say YOU'RE wrong. 

 

Seems like YOU'RE a bit sensitive to other opinions.

I really got your one of the low % people. Sorry if I got that wrong.

 

For those who do think it's much less than 10%, your giving your fellow man to much credit.

[Ryder101]

7 minutes ago, Vibe said:

Wouldn't it be a lot easier for everyone to acknowledge that the cruise lines have this system of auto tips in place. You may not agree with it, I don't but that is how it is done on cruise ships.

 

When crew members agree to take their job, they are made aware of how they will be compensated. Crew members who have face to face positions and crew in positions that are not seen are paid from this money that is collected. Everyone is being paid as agreed.

 

You essentially can enjoy your cruise knowing that if you pay your auto tips, everyone is compensated.  If you encounter a crew member that goes over and above, that would be an opportunity if you choose to give a cash tip to recognize that.

 

That's not how I feel or see things. 

[Mikew0805]

2 minutes ago, Ryder101 said:

I really got your one of the low % people. Sorry if I got that wrong.

 

For those who do think it's much less than 10%, your giving your fellow man to much credit.

No you had that part right, I do think it is less than 10%. As I said... that is based on supposition. 

[Vibe]

Just now, Ryder101 said:

That's not how I feel or see things. 

We will have to agree to disagree. You are entitled to your opinion.

 

Hope that you have many happy cruises in your future. 

[Ryder101]

Just now, Mikew0805 said:

No you had that part right, I do think it is less than 10%. As I said... that is based on supposition. 

Again, people suck. Don't give them too much credit. It's 10% easy.

[Ryder101]

1 minute ago, Vibe said:

We will have to agree to disagree. You are entitled to your opinion.

 

Hope that you have many happy cruises in your future. 

I wish the same for you. Have a blast and try not to worry about who's tipping what. You can only do your best. Enjoy.

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, Vibe said:

I personally do not like the auto tipping policy. However, I leave my auto tips in place, by doing so I feel confident that my personal contribution goes to whatever system the cruise line has in place to pay the crew who took the job with the agreement for that form of payment. The $16.00 per person per day is just part of the total cruise expense for me, I am not going to obsess it. The auto tipping system is not for me to decide if it is fair. I do not go to a store or a place of business and be concerned about how those employees get compensated. 

 

I discretely give extra cash tips to the crew members that I have contact with that go over and above, many times its crew in positions that normally don't receive extra cash tips. 

 

The cruise lines add port chargers, taxes and fees. I am surprised that some of you don't get a debate going about what the fees are and where that money goes. 

Silly argument. Taxes and port fees are clearly

documented as to where they go, not like the mysterious auto gratuity scam 

[Vibe]

6 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Silly argument. Taxes and port fees are clearly

documented as to where they go, not like the mysterious auto gratuity scam 

On Royal Caribbean website, they list taxes and fees.  Fees are not necessarily just port charges.  

 

Edited March 1, 2023 by Vibe
add image

[Morecruisesplz]

1 hour ago, rolloman said:

Clearly it is not a Disney reference as you replied to the poster #288...it is called "pixie dust" in Disney vernacular and is used as a term which meaning is to create magic for a guest. Secondly, just for starters... the Captain and his officers onboard do not accept tips...

I'm not up on Disney talk... no interest in that company. And, where did I mention the Captain or officers? 

[Vibe]

24 minutes ago, fredmdcruisers said:

I'm not up on Disney talk... no interest in that company. And, where did I mention the Captain or officers? 

That explains your viewpoint about hospitality workers.  We will have to agree to disagree.

 

Edited March 1, 2023 by Vibe

[bucfan2]

Summation of this thread:  If I had been as concerned about my finances as those concerned about others' finances, I would have retired at 38 instead of 48.

[robmtx]

I'll do my best to stir the pot with this troll post: Anyone in a tipped position onboard, not on their first contract, knows how it works. If they're like most crew, they estimated their income with the thought that a certain percentage of guests remove their auto-grats. Even the ones on their first contract know after a week or two what's going on, if not before. 

 

I don't think they go around moping every time they find out someone pulled the auto-grats. These workers don't have time to mope around. Nor are they providing service below a "10" - why shoot yourself in the foot over this?

 

I don't talk to crew too much about this, but thrice it has come up. On Adventure our stateroom attendant had no idea we had removed our auto-gratuities when we gave him $100 at the end of the week. We didn't think to ask him at the time if it would be divided or if he gets to keep it. So whereas cruise-critic folks know 1000% that crew know about this kinda stuff, I have learned that there is one stateroom attendant on one ship in the fleet that isn't aware of who removes tips! Maybe you can ask for him as your attendant? 🙂

 

On another sailing, we left auto-grats on, and on day 1, we gave our attendant a $20 along with our special requests. I asked him if he'd have to share the tip, and he said No he wouldn't have to share it, but he'd split the cash with the next attendant down the hall because he was assisting him a lot with something (he didn't elaborate) recently.

 

A bartender on Oasis told me she shares tips. I think this was a miscommunication - I think she shared them with the other bar staff, similar how many bars do. She kept saying "yes they share they share the cash".

 

Just remember, you're entitled to remove your tips by visiting GS on any day of your cruise, no questions asked! It's your vacation, it's your money!

 

Edited March 1, 2023 by robmtx
spelling

[jencruzin]

17 hours ago, fredmdcruisers said:

This over used threat is really a rude comment about hard working cabin attendants. Do you really think that an employee would act so inappropriately... or just being a smarty? Additionally, your half baked theory ignores that those who remove auto grats DO tip in cash at the point of service and often tip above the auto grats. Read the threads and learn.

I felt that Rolloman was only being faecetious. You're trolling....and patronizing.

[jencruzin]

20 minutes ago, robmtx said:

I'll do my best to stir the pot with this troll post: Anyone in a tipped position onboard, not on their first contract, knows how it works. If they're like most crew, they estimated their income with the thought that a certain percentage of guests remove their auto-grats. Even the ones on their first contract know after a week or two what's going on, if not before. 

 

I don't think they go around moping every time they find out someone pulled the auto-grats. These workers don't have time to mope around. Nor are they providing service below a "10" - why shoot yourself in the foot over this?

 

I don't talk to crew too much about this, but thrice it has come up. On Adventure our stateroom attendant had no idea we had removed our auto-gratuities when we gave him $100 at the end of the week. We didn't think to ask him at the time if it would be divided or if he gets to keep it. So whereas cruise-critic folks know 1000% that crew know about this kinda stuff, I have learned that there is one stateroom attendant on one ship in the fleet that isn't aware of who removes tips! Maybe you can ask for him as your attendant? 🙂

 

On another sailing, we left auto-grats on, and on day 1, we gave our attendant a $20 along with our special requests. I asked him if he'd have to share the tip, and he said No he wouldn't have to share it, but he'd split the cash with the next attendant down the hall because he was assisting him a lot with something (he didn't elaborate) recently.

 

A bartender on Oasis told me she shares tips. I think this was a miscommunication - I think she shared them with the other bar staff, similar how many bars do. She kept saying "yes they share they share the cash".

 

Just remember, you're entitled to remove your tips by visiting GS on any day of your cruise, no questions asked! It's your vacation, it's your money!

 

Really good input. Very much appreciated.

[Georgia_Peaches]

11 hours ago, Ryder101 said:

Again, people suck. Don't give them too much credit. It's 10% easy.

This made me laugh.  My husband and I recently went to a brew pub in our area.  We had never been before so when we arrived we sat at the bar and had a beer and a good look around the place.  Above the bar was a huge whiteboard entitled "Shi**y Tipper Leader Board"  On it they wrote the amount of the bill and the amount of the tip along with the customer's first name and the date.  We were aghast by the tip amounts.  Some bills were in excess of a hundred bucks with no tip at all.  I asked if the board was real and the manager said that sadly, it was.  Much as I like to keep a glass half full disposition about me, I agree...some people really do suck.

[The Fun Researcher]

51 minutes ago, robmtx said:

Just remember, you're entitled to remove your tips by visiting GS on any day of your cruise, no questions asked! It's your vacation, it's your money!

 

Well... it's also money that is expected to be distributed to tipped employees on the ship. 

 

Compensation packages are based on employees receiving these gratuities if service levels meet expectations.  Again, if auto grats are removed, I just hope that cash is distributed at least to the same level of auto-grats, if service was met.

[MommaBear55]

29 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

This made me laugh.  My husband and I recently went to a brew pub in our area.  We had never been before so when we arrived we sat at the bar and had a beer and a good look around the place.  Above the bar was a huge whiteboard entitled "Shi**y Tipper Leader Board"  On it they wrote the amount of the bill and the amount of the tip along with the customer's first name and the date.  We were aghast by the tip amounts.  Some bills were in excess of a hundred bucks with no tip at all.  I asked if the board was real and the manager said that sadly, it was.  Much as I like to keep a glass half full disposition about me, I agree...some people really do suck.

My boss used to tell me to be more positive, my answer was "I'm positive that some people suck".