Gratuities Are Going Up Again, Effective 11.11.2023

[Ocean Boy]

1 minute ago, Biker19 said:

 

 

Biker, who wonders how many would remove them if the option was added to the app.

Maybe you could make the suggestion to RCI for the next update.

[iscruisingdunzo]

4 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Maybe you could make the suggestion to RCI for the next update.

Not going to ever happen since this would be major player in their profit margin and would severely impact them negatively from their bottom line in the BILLIONS.

[not-enough-cruising]

18 minutes ago, iscruisingdunzo said:

Clearly I am missing something. Please tell me how I can put my optional choice into action during the planning and booking process because I do not want to pre pay my "gratuities" because I have yet to receive the great service the ship staff can provide and would like to pay them cash to express my gratitude. I want to pay no gratuities and I do not want them to be automatic when I am sailing since I will be handing out cash tips for great service. 

Just go to guest services upon boarding and tell them not to bill your account for the daily charges. Easy 

[Husky1987]

21 minutes ago, iscruisingdunzo said:

Please tell me how I can put my optional choice into action during the planning and booking process because I do not want to pre pay my "gratuities" because I have yet to receive the great service the ship staff can provide and would like to pay them cash to express my gratitude.

 

It's actually pretty easy during the planning and booking process to not prepay...just don't click on the "pre pay gratuities" box online when you're booking your cruise.

[bucfan2]

15 minutes ago, iscruisingdunzo said:

Not going to ever happen since this would be major player in their profit margin and would severely impact them negatively from their bottom line in the BILLIONS.

Yep.  And you didn't subsidize them during the shutdown...don't expect them to subsidize you if they're in the black.

[iscruisingdunzo]

29 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Just go to guest services upon boarding and tell them not to bill your account for the daily charges. Easy 

 

24 minutes ago, Husky1987 said:

 

It's actually pretty easy during the planning and booking process to not prepay...just don't click on the "pre pay gratuities" box online when you're booking your cruise.

 

As always, thank you for again proving my point. Gratuities are not OPTIONAL.

 

No matter what, Royal Caribbean will have charged or will charge gratuities to EVERY SINGLE PASSENGER by day one of the sailing. Gratuities are not OPTIONAL! Nor does Royal Caribbean communicate they are optional. Nor does Royal Caribbean give you the option to NOT be billed for gratuities!

Edited November 8, 2023 by iscruisingdunzo

[UNCFanatik]

12 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

So crew members who tell me the vast majority of passengers don’t remove gratuities are lying? Or does that fact bother you because you are a one of the cheap passengers who removes gratuities? Keep in mind this is specifically about cruises out of Florida ports. I have no knowledge or experience about cruises outside the state of Florida and obviously outside the US.

 

 

Yup, I remove auto gratuities and its funny that someone paying todays cruise fares would be considered cheap.

 

And does it bother you that you are one of the gullible people that fall for Royal decreasing service while increasing gratuities? They saw you coming. 

[grandgeezer]

4 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

If they are cleaning double the cabins are they now being paid double?  I doubt it for some reason, as they only clean them once a day. 
 

Bring back the staff. 

They are getting the extra money for each additional cabin they clean over and above the original number they had. Their pay was not cut when they went to once a day versus two.

[not-enough-cruising]

20 minutes ago, iscruisingdunzo said:

 

 

As always, thank you for again proving my point. Gratuities are not OPTIONAL.

 

No matter what, Royal Caribbean will have charged or will charge gratuities to EVERY SINGLE PASSENGER by day one of the sailing. Gratuities are not OPTIONAL! Nor does Royal Caribbean communicate they are optional. Nor does Royal Caribbean give you the option to NOT be billed for gratuities!

I don’t think you understand what optional means.

 

[PhillyFan33579]

20 minutes ago, UNCFanatik said:

 

 

Yup, I remove auto gratuities and its funny that someone paying todays cruise fares would be considered cheap.

 

And does it bother you that you are one of the gullible people that fall for Royal decreasing service while increasing gratuities? They saw you coming. 

Why am I gullible because I enjoy cruising on RCI? I realize everyone’s financial situation is different, but I wouldn’t be cruising 1-2 times every month if I thought cruising was expensive. 

[UNCFanatik]

Just now, PhillyFan33579 said:

Why am I gullible because I enjoy cruising on RCI? I realize everyone’s financial situation is different, but I wouldn’t be cruising 1-2 times every month if I thought cruising was expensive. 

Anyone that would pay more for less is gullible. Who pays more for less?

[crazyank]

2 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

The point being that no matter how they bundle those "gratuity" charges there will always be the clamoring from the self righteous that we should give more to the exploited hard workers and those envelopes that RCI supplies for our "convenience" will never disappear.

Totally agree, especially with the self righteous part

[iscruisingdunzo]

Literally, what this comes down to Is education. 

 

First, people need to be educated on the definition of optional. 

 

Next, we, the educated consumers, need to educate all the others on the ship on gratuities. The mandatory, automatic charges (https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/onboard-service-gratuity-expense) placed by Royal Caribbean can be removed if the consumer demands so once on the ship, but not until you are on the ship. 

 

Please educate your fellow cruisers on both moving forward 🙂

optional

[ op-shuh-nl ]SHOW IPA

See synonyms for: optionaloptionally on Thesaurus.com

---

adjective

1. left to one's choice; not required or mandatory: Formal dress is optional.

    

[broberts]

2 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

The crew signed a contract for a guaranteed minimum.  If they weren’t happy with that sum, they should not have signed the contract.  
No one should sign a contract “hoping” for discretionary income. 
 

I am sorry, but no one is screwing anyone 

 

Because never in American history have large corporations unfairly exploited those that needed work. 🙄

[PhillyFan33579]

15 minutes ago, UNCFanatik said:

Anyone that would pay more for less is gullible. Who pays more for less?

So what cruise line(s) are you sailing on these days? I agree with you that RCI has made cutbacks while fares continue to increase, but they have not made any cuts that bother me. In my book that doesn’t make me gullible. But I wouldn’t disagree with your position that you (or anyone else) who isn’t happy with the cuts would be foolish to continue cruising on RCI. The difference between you and me is the cuts don’t bother me while they bother you. That doesn’t mean I am right and you are wrong (or vice versa). 

[not-enough-cruising]

27 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Why am I gullible because I enjoy cruising on RCI? I realize everyone’s financial situation is different, but I wouldn’t be cruising 1-2 times every month if I thought cruising was expensive. 

This discussion has absolutely nothing to do with one can or can not afford. 

Edited November 8, 2023 by not-enough-cruising

[not-enough-cruising]

3 minutes ago, broberts said:

 

Because never in American history have large corporations unfairly exploited those that needed work. 🙄

Generally not when there is an international labor rights board overseeing the books. 

[not-enough-cruising]

6 minutes ago, iscruisingdunzo said:

Literally, what this comes down to Is education. 

 

First, people need to be educated on the definition of optional. 

 

Next, we, the educated consumers, need to educate all the others on the ship on gratuities. The mandatory, automatic charges (https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/onboard-service-gratuity-expense) placed by Royal Caribbean can be removed if the consumer demands so once on the ship, but not until you are on the ship. 

 

Please educate your fellow cruisers on both moving forward 🙂

optional

[ op-shuh-nl ]SHOW IPA

 

See synonyms for: optionaloptionally on Thesaurus.com

---

adjective

1. left to one's choice; not required or mandatory: Formal dress is optional.

    

Excellent definition, which proves gratuities are optional

[Ocean Boy]

1 hour ago, iscruisingdunzo said:

Not going to ever happen since this would be major player in their profit margin and would severely impact them negatively from their bottom line in the BILLIONS.

I was joking..  

[PhillyFan33579]

28 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

This discussion has absolutely nothing to do with one can or can not afford. 

It has everything to do with what someone can afford. People who can easily afford the auto gratuities will not think twice about them. Look at the comments in this thread that say the cruise is already expensive enough without the gratuities. There are people who can only afford to cruise on RCI by cutting corners when possible to include removing gratuities. Unfortunately this ends up penalizing hard working crew members who make cruising a great experience. 

[not-enough-cruising]

2 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

It has everything to do with what someone can afford. People who can easily afford the auto gratuities will not think twice about them. Look at the comments in this thread that say the cruise is already expensive enough without the gratuities. There are people who can only afford to cruise on RCI by cutting corners when possible to include removing gratuities. Unfortunately this ends up penalizing hard working crew members who make cruising a great experience. 

Trust me, I can EASILY afford the auto gratuity; but there is no chance I’ll pay them. 
 

I can afford them because, in addition to other reasons, I don’t allow someone to dictate to me how I spend my money, and I am very particular about my wallet

Edited November 8, 2023 by not-enough-cruising

[time4u2go]

6 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

People who can easily afford the auto gratuities will not think twice about them.

I can't speak for others, but this is most definitely not true for me.  I can easily afford the auto gratuities and I definitely think twice about them, especially since they've cut service and raised the gratuities.

 

Edited November 8, 2023 by time4u2go

[swoopy2110]

3 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

It has everything to do with what someone can afford. People who can easily afford the auto gratuities will not think twice about them. Look at the comments in this thread that say the cruise is already expensive enough without the gratuities. There are people who can only afford to cruise on RCI by cutting corners when possible to include removing gratuities. Unfortunately this ends up penalizing hard working crew members who make cruising a great experience. 

It doesn't. They get paid a guaranteed wage by RCI regardless.

[PhillyFan33579]

36 minutes ago, iscruisingdunzo said:

Literally, what this comes down to Is education. 

 

First, people need to be educated on the definition of optional. 

 

Next, we, the educated consumers, need to educate all the others on the ship on gratuities. The mandatory, automatic charges (https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/onboard-service-gratuity-expense) placed by Royal Caribbean can be removed if the consumer demands so once on the ship, but not until you are on the ship. 

 

Please educate your fellow cruisers on both moving forward 🙂

optional

[ op-shuh-nl ]SHOW IPA

 

See synonyms for: optionaloptionally on Thesaurus.com

---

adjective

1. left to one's choice; not required or mandatory: Formal dress is optional.

    

I don’t think anyone doesn’t understand that gratuities are optional. That is a fact. What is also a fact is removing gratuities penalizes crew members. I don’t think anyone disputes the fact that the current system allows passengers to remove gratuities without penalty. 

[iscruisingdunzo]

11 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

It has everything to do with what someone can afford. People who can easily afford the auto gratuities will not think twice about them. Look at the comments in this thread that say the cruise is already expensive enough without the gratuities. There are people who can only afford to cruise on RCI by cutting corners when possible to include removing gratuities. Unfortunately this ends up penalizing hard working crew members who make cruising a great experience. 

LOL. More like those that can easily afford them and have an OZ of common business sense understand that gratuities are tips, and tips are rendered AFTER A SERVICE IS PERFORMED!