Is tipping getting out of hand??

[jimbulger]

I believe that all newbies should be aware that unless you sign a form specifically stating that you would prefer to make your own tipping arrangements, the suggested rates will be added to your Seapass account. I'm sure that in many instances this leads to double-charging.

 

Alan

 

Wait is this statement accurate??? i thought you had to TELL RCCL that you wanted to leave the tip onyour account and not the other way around.... I prefer to tip in cash...its only a year since i went on my last cruise so i cant imagine such a drastic change.....

[Grumm]

Wait is this statement accurate??? i thought you had to TELL RCCL that you wanted to leave the tip onyour account and not the other way around.... I prefer to tip in cash...its only a year since i went on my last cruise so i cant imagine such a drastic change.....

 

Accurate indeed. Unless you opt out at the beginning of the cruise, you will be issued with an opt-out form which must be deposited at Guest Relations prior to midnight on your second from last day.

 

Alan

[phoenix1181]

In March I had to complete a form requesting the tips be put on my Seapass. When did that change?

 

I don't understand;

 

Also, our friends had their 14 year-old son with them and he was about to be charged, despite the fact that he shared a suite with his Mum and Stepfather.

 

Tips are per person, not per cabin.

Grumm, are you saying they added tips for three to the father's Seapass?

[crock921]

i think tipping IS expected at this point. If you have large groups at a restaurant it is already added to your bill. I could see the same thing happening with cruise lines. that would be a shame, but it is possible

[Grumm]

In March I had to complete a form requesting the tips be put on my Seapass. When did that change?

 

I don't understand;

 

 

 

Tips are per person, not per cabin.

 

Grumm, are you saying they added tips for three to the father's Seapass?

 

 

I can only tell you of our experience. Yes, our friends were about to have their son's tips added to the main Seapass, and since they paid God knows how many $ for him, they thought it a bit excessive, especially since like the majority of teens, he subsisted on pizza and burgers for 14 nights. Their steward was generously tipped, as were other wait staff who provided great service.

 

Alan

[crock921]

we had to fill out a form opting in when we were on our cruise in january.

[Grumm]

we had to fill out a form opting in when we were on our cruise in january.

 

Could it be that we opted to pay our Seapass bill by credit card and they already had the details?

 

I'm puzzled!

 

Alan

[sal7202]

We too had to fill out a form to put the gratuities on our "Seapass" when we sailed on Jewel in January 2007. However, I noticed that when I booked Jewel on-line for January 2008 there was a screen where I could elect to prepay gratuities at the time of booking. Maybe this is where the confusion comes from.

[sushraya]

On the Legend last week, they gave us a form that we could fill out and ask them to add the tips to our credit card. We were going to do this, but missed the deadline to turn in the forms :-) We tried talking to the purser around 10pm that night (6pm was the deadline) - but they refused to take the forms. Luckily, we had enough money on us (in the right denominations) for the tip.

[Dockman123]

.....

 

I believe that all newbies should be aware that unless you sign a form specifically stating that you would prefer to make your own tipping arrangements, the suggested rates will be added to your Seapass account. I'm sure that in many instances this leads to double-charging.

 

Alan

I am sorry but this is not accurate. RCI does not automatically charge tips. You may have read the form wrong. The form is if you want to charge the tips to your seapass fill it out and you will receive vouchers for the suggested amounts to place in the envelopes.

 

If you didn't fill out the form to add the tips to your seapass or didn't use cash to pay your tips then you basically stiffed everyone that relies on tips.

[DHADEN]

I believe that all newbies should be aware that unless you sign a form specifically stating that you would prefer to make your own tipping arrangements, the suggested rates will be added to your Seapass account. I'm sure that in many instances this leads to double-charging.

Alan

 

I am sorry but this is not accurate. RCI does not automatically charge tips.

 

How right you are, Dockman.:cool:

You go online to Register for your "SetSail Pass" that you are supposed to print out and take with you to embark. When you are filling out your SetSail Pass, there is a block that you may or may not check/click on that will opt to automatically add gratuities to your charges. Don't check this box - no gratuities added.

 

Hope This Helps

[madforcruising]

How right you are, Dockman.:cool:

You go online to Register for your "SetSail Pass" that you are supposed to print out and take with you to embark. When you are filling out your SetSail Pass, there is a block that you may or may not check/click on that will opt to automatically add gratuities to your charges. Don't check this box - no gratuities added.

 

Hope This Helps

 

Just out of curiousity, I never saw this during the online check-in / SetSail Pass registration. I just went there to have a look what I might have missed, but couldn´t find it. Could you please tell me where during the online-Check-in this option is located?

[RCCLCruiser1]

You know, I understand what you're trying to say, but I also cannot stand this logic. Your husband, and others, have chosen this line of work. Everyone has job-related expenses. I pay $120 in gas a week to commute - I'm sure every single person here can list what they pay and what benefits they get or don't get, etc., etc. A tip is just that - a tip. It is supposed to be something extra as a show of gratitude for services renderred. Now it is just expected and THAT is what, in my opinion, the other poster has a problem with.

 

 

I can see where you would think this way, Sheri but you are wrong.

 

The cruise line charges a fare for passage on their ship to whatever ports of call it's scheduled to stop at, plus the actual cruise it's self to include all the onboard entertainment, food etc.....

 

This fare is only the beginning. The rest of the cruise experience starts with the noble idea that cruising has nothing to do with self involvement or rest and relaxation for yourself, but rather the obligation to pack, travel, use leave from work and spend money all for the purpose of paying the salaries of people who knowingly commit to jobs on ships that carry no guaranteed wage, demand long hours and are subject to terms that keep them from their families for long periods of time.

 

I'm shocked that you didn't know this truth about the real reason for cruising. You must not be a member of the decent cruiser society.

[pcur]

The rest of the cruise experience starts with the noble idea that cruising has nothing to do with self involvement or rest and relaxation for yourself, but rather the obligation to pack, travel, use leave from work and spend money all for the purpose of paying the salaries of people who knowingly commit to jobs on ships that carry no guaranteed wage, demand long hours and are subject to terms that keep them from their families for long periods of time.

 

I'm shocked that you didn't know this truth about the real reason for cruising. You must not be a member of the decent cruiser society.

 

Well, this isn't MY reality for cruising.....I DO indeed cruise for rest and relaxation. I feel that the tips I pay are for services rendered, and I contribute along with the MILLIONS of other cruisers to the livlihood of the crew members. Some of these people have "knowingly" committed to these jobs on cruise ships for 10 - 20 years!! Something must be working for them, just as cruising works for me, and has for decades.

 

Like I said before: the tips ARE part of the cost of the cruise as far as I'm concerned; just the part I pay at the end.

 

I think Sheri is spot-on in her assessment.

[RCCLCruiser1]

Well, this isn't MY reality for cruising.....I DO indeed cruise for rest and relaxation. I feel that the tips I pay are for services rendered, and I contribute along with the MILLIONS of other cruisers to the livlihood of the crew members. Some of these people have "knowingly" committed to these jobs on cruise ships for 10 - 20 years!! Something must be working for them, just as cruising works for me, and has for decades.

 

Like I said before: the tips ARE part of the cost of the cruise as far as I'm concerned; just the part I pay at the end.

 

I think Sheri is spot-on in her assessment.

 

 

You may get rest and relaxation from the cruise, but the purpose for being on the cruise is to pay the wages for the crew who found out 10 to 20 years ago that they can make good money working on a cruise ship.

 

It feels good throwing around money to those who don't have it. Makes one feel superior tiping the guy from a third world country who will never know the life americans live and how fulfilling it is to go home and tell stories about the philippino who cleaned the room so he wouldn't get fired and received a tip for it from the nice american.

 

Ah...... I'm in need of a good ego stroking so I think I'll book a cruise and may even prepay my tips.

[DHADEN]

Just out of curiousity, I never saw this during the online check-in / SetSail Pass registration. I just went there to have a look what I might have missed, but couldn´t find it. Could you please tell me where during the online-Check-in this option is located?

 

Maybe I was remembering wrongly. If it is not when you register online, then maybe it was when I booked the cruise on line. Is that where is has the block you check if you want to do the "Auto-Tipping" to your sea pass?

Either place, the point was, you have to make the decision and mark the box before RCI will charge it.

[firefly333]

So, for math sake, let's just say they take care of 25 rooms. Erica

 

25 cabins sounds on the high side to me, do they really take care of that many cabins?

[VegasPinkGirl]

Not me, when I was on NCL where the tips are added to your seapass, service was awful!

 

 

 

 

I so agree with this. It's like they knew they would automatically get that tip so they didn't care if they provided good service or not. With freestyle dining you never had the same servers so there was no incentive for them to provide exceptional, or even good, service. I think the recommended tip amounts are fair and if I get exceptional, which I did on RCCL, I don't have a problem tipping more. :)

[AdMaven]

My GF and I were on the Monarch this weekend and Saturday afternoon we used our coupons at Ben & Jerry's. When our server gave us the ice cream (I had chocolate brownie!) and handed me the slip to sign, I tipped her $1.00. She seemed pleased and when I was signing the check, my sleeve from my newly purchased white Ensenada jacket brushed against my ice cream. Yikes! I took a napkin and tried to get some off, then we sat down to enjoy our ice cream.

 

This young lady came around from behind the counter with a towel that had bleach on it and proceeded to clean every speck of chocolate ice cream off my jacket and then rinse it with clear water! What a wonderful thing for her to do for me! I seriously doubt it was because I gave her a tip but I sure was glad I did!!

[amybear912]

Maybe I was remembering wrongly. If it is not when you register online, then maybe it was when I booked the cruise on line. Is that where is has the block you check if you want to do the "Auto-Tipping" to your sea pass?

Either place, the point was, you have to make the decision and mark the box before RCI will charge it.

 

Yes, the option to "pre-pay" your gratuities occurs when you book the cruise online... although, I would imagine that a TA can arrange this also if you just ask... therefore, it would be taken care of by the time you make your final payment... my sister did this on her last cruise...

 

When you do the online check-in, you have to tell them how to charge you for purchases made while onboard... You either use a credit card or elect to pay cash...

 

Towards the end of the cruise, a notice arrives regarding the handling of tips... You may at that time, elect to have them charged to your room ...You sign the sheet and turn it in by the appropriate time... In this case, vouchers and envelopes will be delivered to your stateroom on the final day... You put the voucher in the envelope and deliver to that person...

 

I think that people who don't tip are just cheap, trying to save a buck... I think they tell themselves it's because of some "principle" or "objection to the system" or some other "justification"... but they have to know that the rest of the civilized world just thinks they are cheap...

 

I don't think tipping is out of hand at all... I see it as a successful business model... One that has been in practice for eons...

 

If there are cruise options that include the gratuities, why would you continue to support cruiselines like RCCL?? If you object to their business model, why would you keep giving them your money?? This is what I don't understand about those who refuse to tip.

[Grumm]

I am sorry but this is not accurate. RCI does not automatically charge tips. You may have read the form wrong. The form is if you want to charge the tips to your seapass fill it out and you will receive vouchers for the suggested amounts to place in the envelopes.

 

If you didn't fill out the form to add the tips to your seapass or didn't use cash to pay your tips then you basically stiffed everyone that relies on tips.

 

Dockman,

 

I appreciate what you are saying. We filled out a form to opt out of paying via the Seapass, but did use cash to pay (quite handsomely, I may add), the people who had given us great service. If you regard $500 as "Stiffing" people, then so be it. I know that our Cabin Steward ($250) was very grateful as were the staff in Portofino, Chops, the Sky Bar and the Casino. Maybe you picked up what I was trying to say incorrectly...it's all a bit confusing! All I can tell you is that as we NEVER ate in the Main Dining Room, we signed a form to opt out of the usual spread of tips. Instead we handed hard cash to the wonderful staff we encountered elsewhere.

 

I hope this clarifies the issue somewhat. We are by no means skinflints and reward good service accordingly.

 

Alan

[futaba951]

Could it be that we opted to pay our Seapass bill by credit card and they already had the details?

 

I'm puzzled!

 

Alan

 

 

If you filled out the form, I think you double tipped. :) Hence, the very happy staff.

[SandbanksFerry]

Just working out how much I need to allow for tips on an upcoming 8 day Radiance cruise. Do I need to add the 15% gratuity to my $9.75 a day for tips? ;)

[A Sixth?]

As a first time RCL cruiser, I have never been so confused by a thread.

 

Is there an auto tip put onto your ship account or not? Some say yes, some say you have to ask for it.

 

If it's not the norm, how do the people who served you know you aren't "stiffing" them on the last day if you choose the auto tip?

 

And the notion of tipping the cabin steward $500.00 :eek: seems outrageous. The cabin only cost $ 875.00pp.... I assume he saved a life and therefore may actually deserve more. :rolleyes:

[luv2cruz_74]

As a first time RCL cruiser, I have never been so confused by a thread.

 

Is there an auto tip put onto your ship account or not? Some say yes, some say you have to ask for it.

 

If it's not the norm, how do the people who served you know you aren't "stiffing" them on the last day if you choose the auto tip?

 

And the notion of tipping the cabin steward $500.00 :eek: seems outrageous. The cabin only cost $ 875.00pp.... I assume he saved a life and therefore may actually deserve more. :rolleyes:

 

In April, we filled out a form to OPT-IN for the gratuity added to our sea pass acct.

 

If you decide to do this, on the last night, when you get the envelops to provide your cash gratuities, you will also receive little slips of paper that you put into the envelops INSTEAD of cash (or in addition if you'd like to tip above and beyond the suggested amount)

 

Hope this helps to clear it up for you a little :) I know first time cruising is an interesting (but FUN!) experience!!