Gratuities [eeeek]

[Billy Baltic]

1 hour ago, little britain said:

 

This is a genuine question although I might need to take cover regardless. 
That’s what RC publish but do we know that is passed on in full to those people?

[Ocean Boy]

10 hours ago, cynt said:

 

Great debatable topic. I understand both sides. Do you and don't worry about what other people do. 

 

This is C.C. It is not the way things are done around here.😉

[Ret MP]

4 minutes ago, Billy Baltic said:

This is a genuine question although I might need to take cover regardless. 
That’s what RC publish but do we know that is passed on in full to those people?

It is the unknown that gets people all riled up and asking, debating, and/or arguing about things.  For me, I don't care about the fine details, I do my best to take care of the people that I have direct contact with if they take care of me.  Those that I don't have contact with must feel that they are doing Okay as they are working there.  

 

3 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

This is C.C. It is not the way things are done around here.😉

And it is a discussion board.  So, let's discuss.

[HappyTexan44]

In addition to wanting my tips going to the positions that provide actual service, i.e. cabin attendant not laundry, I want my tips going to my people within those positions that *I* interact with.   I don't want any of my money going to a different cabin attendant because someone else gave mine a low rating.  Or, Royal pocketing some of the tip money. 

 

p.s. I haven't been on my starter cruise yet.

 

[Ret MP]

23 hours ago, Billy Baltic said:

Someone will probably say because they’ll clean the toilet with your toothbrush. Seems to be like blackmail. Tip them or they’ll ruin your stuff. Tip the porters or they’ll throw your luggage away 🤷‍♂️

Well, there are several articles about how hotel maids (or whatever they are called today) will, if you are there for multi-nights and don't leave a tip daily, do gross things to your personal effect, including toothbrushes.  Because of that, for decades, we always packed our personal effects in our luggage and ran plastic ties through the zippers on a daily basis, cruising or on road trips.  We also don't use the coffee makers in hotel rooms, lots of stories of flight attendants washing their pantyhose in them, just for one example.  Hotels now, mostly, use Keurig-type coffee makers and eliminate the carafes, which is a good thing.  We never use glass glasses or ceramic cups in a hotel room.  We'll use individually wrapped disposable cups.  No, I haven't verified or proven true any of these stories but the mere rumor of it is enough for us.  And being a retired LEO, I don't put anything past anybody.  I don't take these cautionary tales as anything more than just that, a cautionary tale.

[vswan]

After looking at the little chart of what goes to whom, I wonder what would happen if you took off the tip amount for "other hotel services."  Would your room steward and the waitstaff still get what they are showing, or would they just adjust what you left on your tip amount proportionately? (Much more likely). As to whether or not staff actually gets or RCI gets a percentage. Someone not even on the ship could technically be considered other hotel services.

 

I also find it interesting that the regular rooms pay a larger percentage of the other hotel service staff - and have the largest number of rooms onboard.

[yogimax]

55 minutes ago, HappyTexan44 said:

Or, Royal pocketing some of the tip money. 

.

A claim often made but does anyone have any PROOF of this?

[Billy Baltic]

3 minutes ago, yogimax said:

A claim often made but does anyone have any PROOF of this?

Is there proof they pass it all on? 
 

Not sure why you shouted proof 😊

[bucfan2]

11 hours ago, cynt said:

I loathe tipping. But I tip anyway because that's what I'm supposed to do. But since C19 it has gotten RIDICULOUS in every avenue, and service has gotten worse. We just tipped $22 last night on our dinner. We ran out of water about 2/3 the way through our meal. He never refilled it and we couldn't find him. SMH!

 

 

 

That is simply an example of 'negative reinforcement'.

Edited September 6, 2023 by bucfan2

[yogimax]

2 minutes ago, Billy Baltic said:

Is there proof they pass it all on? 
 

Not sure why you shouted proof 😊

You, and others, make a serious charge, namely, that RCCL is receiving money under false pretences.  The implication is they are stealing from their employees.

 

It just seems to me that something this serious demands something more than "my cousin heard from a former employee's nephew on an internet board that it was done."

[bigque]

Whew Lawd……I have been on here since 2010 and this topic has always been a popcorn eating good funny read everytime it comes up 

 

Now if we could get a good ole smoking on the balcony post started it would make my day! 😂

Edited September 6, 2023 by bigque

[HappyTexan44]

Haven't several people said that workers have told them that they don't get all the money?  It should be easy math at least for the cabin attendant category since that should be going to just one person.  I'll admit that "A worker told me ..." isn't exactly proof but we don't have anything better.  

[HappySailer88]

I wonder the percentage of people paying gratuities ahead of time to paying as they going?

[Billy Baltic]

1 hour ago, yogimax said:

You, and others, make a serious charge, namely, that RCCL is receiving money under false pretences.  The implication is they are stealing from their employees.

 

It just seems to me that something this serious demands something more than "my cousin heard from a former employee's nephew on an internet board that it was done."

 

I’m not saying they pass it all on. I’m not saying they don’t. Big business rarely uses morals for their financial policies so nothing would surprise me. 

 

@little britain did the calculations below in a previous post. I’ve copied it since I’m useless at quoting and using a phone doesn’t help. The numbers look like a good estimate to me. Would RC pay that amount to a stateroom attendant in gratuities along with (some size of) salary and provide food and accommodation. You might think that. I couldn’t possibly comment. 
 

“$3.55pppd x 2 in a cabin x 7 day cruise x 20 cabins ….

=$994 pw x 4 weeks a month = $3976.”

 

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, Billy Baltic said:

 

I’m not saying they pass it all on. I’m not saying they don’t. Big business rarely uses morals for their financial policies so nothing would surprise me. 

 

@little britain did the calculations below in a previous post. I’ve copied it since I’m useless at quoting and using a phone doesn’t help. The numbers look like a good estimate to me. Would RC pay that amount to a stateroom attendant in gratuities along with (some size of) salary and provide food and accommodation. You might think that. I couldn’t possibly comment. 
 

 

“$3.55pppd x 2 in a cabin x 7 day cruise x 20 cabins ….

=$994 pw x 4 weeks a month = $3976.”

 

Another math problem. 
 

The average Oasis class sailing takes in over $750K in auto gratuities of everyone plays along. 
 

There aren’t enough people in the tip pool to to justify this amount of money; IMHO. 
 

A corporation, on the financial rebound, would find it difficult not sliding the corporate hand into the cookie jar. 

[ReneeFLL]

3 hours ago, Ret MP said:

…We also don't use the coffee makers in hotel rooms, lots of stories of flight attendants washing their pantyhose in them, just for one example….

Funniest comment ever. Do you really think that a FA or anyone for that matter would wash their pantyhose in a small carafe when they have the whole sink? Unbelievable! 

[ReneeFLL]

3 hours ago, Billy Baltic said:

Is there proof they pass it all on? 
 

Not sure why you shouted proof 😊

Words in caps doesn’t always mean they are shouting. It’s also used for emphasis.

[HappyTexan44]

1 hour ago, ReneeFLL said:

Funniest comment ever. Do you really think that a FA or anyone for that matter would wash their pantyhose in a small carafe when they have the whole sink? Unbelievable! 

 

They might not be used for washing (although maybe soaking small things), but I don't believe they were ever washed.  

I've more than once seen lipstick stains or mystery white substances on glass drinking glasses that were wrapped in plastic to supposedly indicate that they were clean.  For some reason most often at Marriott Resort-level.  

 

 

[PATRLR]

20 hours ago, cynt said:

. I wish they would bring back the envelope system.

I was shocked on Oasis a couple of weeks ago to receive an envelope in my stateroom for tipping.  Had blank space to indicate who it was for.  Really?  We already paid our tips and now you give me an envelope to send the clear message that more is expected?  I call BS!

FWIW, we asked our steward if he got the money if we filled out the envelope with his name on it.  He said no.  Obviously, I have no way to know if that is true.  We handed cash directly to anyone we felt went above and beyond.

5 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

The average Oasis class sailing takes in over $750K in auto gratuities of everyone plays along. 
 

There aren’t enough people in the tip pool to to justify this amount of money; IMHO. 

2300 crew, let's say 500 are officers and entertainers (I'm sure that is too high).  750K/1800 staff is about $420/week or $60 day.  That doesn't seem like too much to me.

[not-enough-cruising]

6 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

I was shocked on Oasis a couple of weeks ago to receive an envelope in my stateroom for tipping.  Had blank space to indicate who it was for.  Really?  We already paid our tips and now you give me an envelope to send the clear message that more is expected?  I call BS!

FWIW, we asked our steward if he got the money if we filled out the envelope with his name on it.  He said no.  Obviously, I have no way to know if that is true.  We handed cash directly to anyone we felt went above and beyond.

2300 crew, let's say 500 are officers and entertainers (I'm sure that is too high).  750K/1800 staff is about $420/week or $60 day.  That doesn't seem like too much to me.

There are NOT 1800 tipped positions on the ship. FAR FAR from it. 

[PATRLR]

8 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

There are NOT 1800 tipped positions on the ship. FAR FAR from it. 

Please enlighten us on who exactly gets a share of the collected gratuities and how you know that there are FAR FAR from 1800.  And just how many are there if you know it's FAR FAR from 1800?

My understanding is the collected gratuities are shared with most of the staff.  I stand by the 1800 number until I see something more definitive.

 

 

Edited September 6, 2023 by PATRLR

[RD64]

At the end of the day tipping is part of the cost of cruising, regardless of how it is distributed. 
 

I am not sure why this has to be debated incessantly day after day on every possible cruise line board. If you wish to pay - then pay and no need to shame others with a different view.

 

For those that choose not to pay based on perceived cultural issues “ we do not do that in my country”, I refuse just on principal, etc. then so be it - that is your choice also - no need to justify why unless you feel a small tinge of guilt.

 

[sailor05]

I remember back in the day when we paid our gratuities with cash on the last night. It was so sad to see the dining room having so many empty tables with the pricks not paying their gratuities too wimpy to show up. 

[Ret MP]

4 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

Funniest comment ever. Do you really think that a FA or anyone for that matter would wash their pantyhose in a small carafe when they have the whole sink? Unbelievable! 

Actually, I do.  Nothing surprises me when it involves disgusting human behavior or idiocy.  Geeee, I wonder why there are actual articles about it happening.  But, like I said, I can't verify the stories and I didn't witness it myself.  So, who knows?  Not me, for sure.  Maybe they are multitasking, washing pantyhose in a carafe, entertaining their pilot friends, and washing their jeans in the bathroom sink!  Hell, I don't know, I didn't make the crap up, I read about it.  You can Google it, you know.

 

 

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, PATRLR said:

Please enlighten us on who exactly gets a share of the collected gratuities and how you know that there are FAR FAR from 1800.  And just how many are there if you know it's FAR FAR from 1800?

My understanding is the collected gratuities are shared with most of the staff.  I stand by the 1800 number until I see something more definitive.

 

 

You just made my point. Gratuity money is going to many positions that shouldn’t be tipped positions. 
This is why more and more people are opting out and going the cash route. Laundry, and dishwashers aren’t tipped positions. 
Room Steward, waiter, assistant waiter, head waiter (in special circumstances), anyone that PERSONALLY makes my day better.  That’s it, not 1800