Are you still adding cash gratuity on top of the automatic gratuities?

[mkmaj]

13 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

You are incredibly generous 

I feel cheap compared to some on here. I worked serving jobs through high school and college so I try to pay it forward when I can. I will not tip like that for poor service but there's never really been a time where I've had poor service on a cruise.

[ChrisCJR]

We stopped tipping extra with the last increase.  Now, we prepay them and consider them a part of the cruise price.

 

One perk to keeping them separate though, is that if you cancel after non-refundable period, and don't have insurance, you get them refunded.  If they were included in the fare, you'd be tough out of luck.  Of course, we personally get insurance, but still, something to think about.

 

I like the idea of just doing more cash tipping, but I hardly ever use cash for anything these days, so it's easier for us to prepay and call it a day.  The rates have gone up so high that I stopped caring, tbh.  After our next Royal cruise, we'll be trying MSC.

[PhillyFan33579]

I don’t consider myself to be a big tipper, but this is what I do on a “standard” 7 day cruise. I never remove the auto gratuities. I tip my cabin steward and MDR staff any where from $20 - $50 each depending on the level of service. I always tip $1 cash per drink regardless if I purchase the deluxe drink package or if I am only using the 5 drinks per day for being D+ along with getting free drinks in the casino for being Prime. 

[NightOne]

16 hours ago, ChrisCJR said:

  After our next Royal cruise, we'll be trying MSC.

 

Oooooo

 

We gave MSC 2 tries and that was enough to determine we don't want to cruise with them again. Beautiful ships - in fact Meraviglia may have the most magnificent looking ship interiors I have ever seen - problem is everything else 😉

[goldfish65]

Quick comment that's relevant, some people get enjoyment from giving tips. That's the main thing for me, doing a small good deed. Whether others tip extra or not, I don't care. 

[st5310]

What the staff really want is for you to gush about their excellent service on the post-cruise evaluations.  They love the cash tips, but they seem to covet those reviews more. 

[st5310]

2 hours ago, NightOne said:

 

Oooooo

 

We gave MSC 2 tries and that was enough to determine we don't want to cruise with them again. Beautiful ships - in fact Meraviglia may have the most magnificent looking ship interiors I have ever seen - problem is everything else 😉

NightOne, could I trouble you to elaborate on the "everything else?"

[NightOne]

53 minutes ago, st5310 said:

NightOne, could I trouble you to elaborate on the "everything else?"

 

Food, service, and entertainment.

 

Also, some of your fellow passengers may be an issue. (or may not)

[steveru621]

If you are removing gratuities, shame on you.

 

The bottom line, you are paying every penny of the crew's salary.

[Tulsacoker]

2 hours ago, st5310 said:

What the staff really want is for you to gush about their excellent service on the post-cruise evaluations.  They love the cash tips, but they seem to covet those reviews more. 

I agree, even when giving them a tip on the last evening the waiter aske to please take the survey and give a good review if we felt it. 

[ReneeFLL]

On 11/1/2023 at 9:59 PM, Jetdriver787 said:

I tipped the cop who stopped me and pointed out that “Stop! Children crossing,” was an instruction and explanation, rather than an invitation to block the school crosswalk! 

The case comes up next month! 🤷‍♂️

 

Do I tip the judge?

Depends on how nice he is. 😆

[cruisin from florida]

1 hour ago, Tulsacoker said:

I agree, even when giving them a tip on the last evening the waiter aske to please take the survey and give a good review if we felt it. 

I hate being asked to give good reviews. Yuck.

[ReneeFLL]

On 10/31/2023 at 7:02 PM, LobsterStalker said:

I don't spend time here with the intent to stir the pot . That said ,  this response ( for my own humor, and a little clarification) ,I acknowledge I am stirring the pot . I have read a lot of posts regarding the vouchers and the tip they should get , and my observation has been that a lot of posters disparage those who do not tip on the voucher drinks as they are "stiffing" the crew . Also , in most cases those same posters generally claim to tip $1-$2 per drink for vouchers. However if you go with the standard 18% as the accepted minimum on your standard drinks $1 does not come close , and $2 is still light on the avg. $14 cocktail. 

.....And go.

Tipping threads never get old !

 

Cheers

Royal has already built in the 18% gratuities, or so they say. We still tip extra for the voucher drinks.

[not-enough-cruising]

3 hours ago, steveru621 said:

If you are removing gratuities, shame on you.

 

The bottom line, you are paying every penny of the crew's salary.

I paid their salary with my cruise fare. 
 

gratuities are for extra service, and I can’t pay that until I receive the service. I will decide that amount, not the cruise line. 

[steveru621]

15 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

I paid their salary with my cruise fare. 
 

gratuities are for extra service, and I can’t pay that until I receive the service. I will decide that amount, not the cruise line. 

I agree, but there are too many posts that say RCI should pay more. Which means that your fare will increase. 

[st5310]

14 hours ago, cruisin from florida said:

I hate being asked to give good reviews. Yuck.

I agree, but the staff are not supposed to ask.  I know they do anyway and I mostly ignore it.

[Morecruisesplz]

On 11/5/2023 at 9:36 PM, vjmatty said:

 

Is this specifically for exemplary service, or does it also include perfunctory, going-through-the-motions type service as well?

Predetermined?

 

[cruisin from florida]

1 hour ago, st5310 said:

I agree, but the staff are not supposed to ask.  I know they do anyway and I mostly ignore it.

If the survey asks about it, I'm honest. And frankly, the folks who have REALLY given outstanding service know it, and don't generally ask. I see it mostly in the dining room. 

[chill6x6]

I guess I'm done tipping extra.  Most would get WAY more if they would just let me handle it....

[vacationlover_mn]

Yes

[UNCFanatik]

19 hours ago, steveru621 said:

I agree, but there are too many posts that say RCI should pay more. Which means that your fare will increase. 

 

And I say let them increase the fare. I remove the auto-gratuities and will continue to do so. 

 

Shame on Royal for reducing service and increasing auto-gratuities. 

 

Raise the fare, pay crew members more, drop auto gratuity, let the market sort it all out. We all know Royal wont do this because they benefit from this wage structure. 

[Another_Critic]

4 hours ago, chill6x6 said:

I guess I'm done tipping extra.  Most would get WAY more if they would just let me handle it....

You CAN handle it.  Remove auto grats, then give "WAY more".

[cruiselvr04]

On 11/3/2023 at 5:21 PM, Tree_skier said:

I don't care what anyone does... I just enjoy discussions about all things cruising.  For those who are bothered by tipping threads there is a little red x up in the top corner of the screen.  It is discussions like these that helped establish the baseline for my tipping practice and it threads like this that will go a long way towards changing it should it change.

I too think some discussion is good.  For the infrequent cruiser who comes to these threads, it may help them form their own opinion.  It probably isn’t going to change the minds of those of us who cruise frequently.  Personally I do not want to go back to envelopes and handing out cash the last night.  

[LobsterStalker]

12 hours ago, st5310 said:

I agree, but the staff are not supposed to ask.  I know they do anyway and I mostly ignore it.

I'm up in the air on this one as we were leaving the windjammer and an announcement (over the loudspeaker ) comes on and asks that we give them a 10 .... If it were not acceptable , I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be a public service announcement ! ? 

 

Cheers

[LobsterStalker]

9 hours ago, chill6x6 said:

I guess I'm done tipping extra.  Most would get WAY more if they would just let me handle it....

So remove and "handle it "!!

 

Cheers