Gratuities Are Going Up Again, Effective 11.11.2023

[Ashland]

1 minute ago, oakleaf57 said:

Are RCCL "gratuities" amounts mandatory?  Can one reduce daily "gratuity" assessments at Guest Services?  Note:  It's TOTALLY illogical to reduce services (stateroom cleaning frequency, Food quality/selection, etc.) & INCREASE daily "gratuity" assessments $2.00 per person per day!  One way or another, I WILL NOT pay the increase!  Your thoughts?  We are Diamond Plus level RCCL cruisers.

We're also D+ and very close to Pinnacle and sail in suites. We eat one maybe two meals a day in the WJ and tip per drink in the SL ... keep our cabin extremely neat and are low key and rarely ask for anything. I'm now considering to remove my pre-paid gratuities. But will certainly tip those that provide a service to us.

[nelblu]

19 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Completely different business model; you are comparing apples and oranges. 
Furthermore, no one (at least me) is advocating to not tip. I just refuse to be guilted into blindly contributing a pre determined amount into a slush fund

First of all, my comment was not directed at you.  Don't get defensive.  Anyway, I see no difference between as to the total compensation for the groups--comprised of minimal salary and complemented by gratuities.  

 

 

[orville99]

39 minutes ago, icsys said:

 

 

Many are cruising and paying a different price than others on the same cruise due to the Country they reside in and price drops that they cannot get!"  

And many are paying 2-3X what we are paying on a given cruise and category because they wait for the next mythological sale or price drop. 

[tottenhamfc]

6 minutes ago, RoyalC said:

Those people should be paid regular salary. Otherwise why don't we pay for the cruise director, pursers, casino staff, engine room people who make the ship go forward, captain, Jason Liberty, etc.

You are missing the point. In conventional tipping at restaurants in North america, servers pay out a percentage of their tips to back room staff. Rcl does not allocate for that model, thus that is why tips are shared in their model. Your system only pays face to face people. 

[tottenhamfc]

9 minutes ago, nelblu said:

First of all, my comment was not directed at you.  Don't get defensive.  Anyway, I see no difference between as to the total compensation for the groups--comprised of minimal salary and complemented by gratuities.  

 

 

Agreed. It is more optics and a line item category. Removal of tips is a totally different issue even though I am quickly heading in that direction due to increases.

[orville99]

45 minutes ago, tottenhamfc said:

And why so? Guest services told me 10% and on here some believe that it is a lot higher.

Don’t really care. My job description does not include “responsible for saving the world”

[tottenhamfc]

Just now, orville99 said:

Don’t really care. My job description does not include “responsible for saving the world”

You said it was a figment of my imagination. I am giving facts from the horses mouth not illusionary info.

[not-enough-cruising]

33 minutes ago, tottenhamfc said:

Ah but that is to direct face to face people. What about the ones behind the scenes that may work much harder than the ones you see. Dishwashers, washroom attendants, cooks, etc etc. Those are who the grats are intended for. That is why I suggested a split model

of half for all and half your choice

If I do not interact with them face to face; they are not a tipped position. 

[nelblu]

1 minute ago, tottenhamfc said:

Agreed. It is more optics and a line item category. Removal of tips is a totally different issue even though I am quickly heading in that direction due to increases.

To each his own.  I don't get too uptight as grats is a small fraction of the total cost of cruising.  IMO, some that are so adamant and verbal about this will probably not tip at all.

[tottenhamfc]

Just now, not-enough-cruising said:

If I do not interact with them face to face; they are not a tipped position. 

That is unconventional in restaurant positions. They still get paid out from the so called face to face recipients.  RCL’s model is precisely there for that reason, assuming you believe that the tips are appropriately pooled and not retained by corporate.

[not-enough-cruising]

22 minutes ago, nelblu said:

First of all, my comment was not directed at you.  Don't get defensive.  Anyway, I see no difference between as to the total compensation for the groups--comprised of minimal salary and complemented by gratuities.  

 

 

I am not defensive, and it is irrelevant if your comment was directed towards me. This is how we discussion board works, everyone sees all the comments and anyone can comment on any of them. 
 

[FamilyCruiserUK]

Royal know their biggest market which is US passengers will pay the Graturites upfront usually for a service not yet provided as its expected and cultural. Therefor they will continue to raise the Graturites and just take the flack. 🤷

[tottenhamfc]

Just now, nelblu said:

To each his own.  I don't get too uptight as grats is a small fraction of the total cost of cruising.  IMO, some that are so adamant and verbal about this will probably not tip at all.

Sure its a small percentage for short cruises. For longer it can be substantial. Regardless the model is wrong and should be revisited by corporate because they are just pissing customers off. I also do not like the pressure put on by wait staff to ensure that they get a 10 on the survey. This just adds to customer pressure. Surely the head waiter and Maitre D can see the good from the bad employees. Too much downloading to the customer IMHO

[not-enough-cruising]

6 minutes ago, tottenhamfc said:

That is unconventional in restaurant positions. They still get paid out from the so called face to face recipients.  RCL’s model is precisely there for that reason, assuming you believe that the tips are appropriately pooled and not retained by corporate.

That’s a major assumption, and not one I am

comfortable participating in. 

[not-enough-cruising]

3 minutes ago, FamilyCruiserUK said:

Royal know their biggest market which is US passengers will pay the Graturites upfront usually for a service not yet provided as its expected and cultural. Therefor they will continue to raise the Graturites and just take the flack. 🤷

WINNER WINNER 

[firefly333]

11 minutes ago, FamilyCruiserUK said:

Royal know their biggest market which is US passengers will pay the Graturites upfront usually for a service not yet provided as its expected and cultural. Therefor they will continue to raise the Graturites and just take the flack. 🤷

News to me most pre pay tips. I've never prepaid in 20 years. How do you know most prepaid? If you say you are a big ta I might consider this as a fact, or just heresy. Who knows these facts? 

[CruisingAlong4Now]

My understanding is that while wage income is taxed in the crews' home countries, there are some countries that do not tax gratuities.

 

I cannot post a reference to this, but I was told this many years ago.

[orville99]

30 minutes ago, tottenhamfc said:

You said it was a figment of my imagination. I am giving facts from the horses mouth not illusionary info.

Guest services is not exactly at that end of the horse.

[tottenhamfc]

Just now, orville99 said:

Guest services is not exactly at that end of the horse.

So who do you suggest would provide accuracy? That line item is not on the FS

[The Sunset Glow]

7 hours ago, nelblu said:

You may be right, but my understanding from one of the many posts on this subject, is that RCL guarantees a certain amount of compensation to its staff and if the gratuity pool is short then have to make up the deficit.

 

IE pay them the minimum guaranteed wage as agreed in the employment contract. Maybe if there is often a deficit RC should re-evaluate the payment process and stop raising the gratuities to make up this deficit. Continually raising the gratuities only angers customers each time and causes even more people to remove them thus causing an even greater deficit. It's a never ending circle of cause and effect that won't change until the format changes.

[CruisingAlong4Now]

14 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

News to me most pre pay tips. I've never prepaid in 20 years. How do you know most prepaid? If you say you are a big ta I might consider this as a fact, or just heresy. Who knows these facts? 

What do you do with the prepaid gratuities at the end of your cruise?

•  
  79% I leave the gratuities on my invoice.
•  
  18% I remove all prepaid gratuities and leave my own tips to specific crew members.
•  
  3% I remove all prepaid gratuities and do not tip at all.

 

 

3,566 people have voted in this poll

 

Cruise Ship Tipping and Prepaid Gratuities: Should I Tip More? - WanderWisdom

Edited November 1, 2023 by CruisingAlong4Now

[Ashland]

1 minute ago, CruisingAlong4Now said:

What do you do with the prepaid gratuities at the end of your cruise?

•  
  79% I leave the gratuities on my invoice.
•  
  18% I remove all prepaid gratuities and leave my own tips to specific crew members.
•  
  3% I remove all prepaid gratuities and do not tip at all.

http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?chs=300x125&cht=p3&chco=E25E2B|6EA6AF|D7D7D7&chd=t:79,18,3&chl=79%|18%|3%

3,566 people have voted in this poll

 

Cruise Ship Tipping and Prepaid Gratuities: Should I Tip More? - WanderWisdom

I don't believe in "Polls" and now that RCI has decided to raise gratuities again that 18% may just increase.

[orville99]

3 minutes ago, tottenhamfc said:

So who do you suggest would provide accuracy? That line item is not on the FS

I really don’t care. I don’t cruise for accuracy - except if the captain can’t find a port. This is nothing more than an annual tempest in a teapot thread. Don’t want to tip…don’t tip. Want to tip…tip. Don’t like the transparency on a cruise line…change lines…or don’t. Really don’t care…not my job

[nelblu]

4 minutes ago, CruisingAlong4Now said:

What do you do with the prepaid gratuities at the end of your cruise?

•  
  79% I leave the gratuities on my invoice.
•  
  18% I remove all prepaid gratuities and leave my own tips to specific crew members.
•  
  3% I remove all prepaid gratuities and do not tip at all.

 

 

3,566 people have voted in this poll

 

Cruise Ship Tipping and Prepaid Gratuities: Should I Tip More? - WanderWisdom

I personally believe that the 3% is much higher.  Human nature.

[CruisingAlong4Now]

Just now, nelblu said:

I personally believe that the 3% is much higher.  Human nature.

I believe in human inertia.