Is tipping getting out of hand??

[luv2cruz_74]

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

 

I've never been on NCL (although haven't heard great things!), but when I did cruise Princess, the gratuities were automatically added on to your shipboard account and the service was same as RCL.

 

I don't really care if they add it to my account in advance or not because they still have an obligation to strive for great service. The bottom line is that if they get complaints, they will get fired.

 

I'd rather pay on my sea pass account since I never seem to have much cash left at the end of the cruise :D

[kernow]

Grumm is correct, on the Navigator sailing from Southampton the form had to be signed to opt out of tips. I re read it myself as I thought it was unusual.

We decided it was another difference on this ship, to adapt it for the British market.

 

Julie

[Merion_Mom]

.....Someone else's post on this thread. I really don't have the time to read the whole thing. We disagree with RCI's policy of including tips in your Seapass. We tipped generously on our recent Navigator cruise. We knew that we would not be eating in the main dining room prior to cruising and told Guest Relations at the start of the cruise. We tipped our Steward (well over the suggested rate) and also tipped the greeters in the Windjammer together with our favourite bar tenders. All of these excellent ambassadors for RCI thanked us profusely and explained that they are normally ignored when it comes to tipping.

 

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.

 

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

WOW! I am so sorry that I missed the last two pages of this thread.

 

Alan, here is the story. I am sorry that so many of you were confused about this.

 

RC UK passengers are treated DIFFERENTLY when it comes to the gratuities. You all are FORCED to pre-pay gratuities, pretty much the exact opposite of North American passengers.

 

We have to ASK to have our tips added either to our cruise fare or to our SeaPass accounts.

 

UK passengers are forced to pay them up front.

 

Does that clear up everyone's confusion?

 

:)

[Kruuzin]

WOW! I am so sorry that I missed the last two pages of this thread.

 

Alan, here is the story. I am sorry that so many of you were confused about this.

 

RC UK passengers are treated DIFFERENTLY when it comes to the gratuities. You all are FORCED to pre-pay gratuities, pretty much the exact opposite of North American passengers.

 

We have to ASK to have our tips added either to our cruise fare or to our SeaPass accounts.

 

UK passengers are forced to pay them up front.

 

Does that clear up everyone's confusion?

 

:)

 

I wondered, since both parties were from the UK, if it was different for them. You cleared that up. I think we just add it on. Makes things easier at the end. I'm pretty sure that you can deduct amounts accordingly, but that may have been a different line. If someone does stand out with excellent service, we will give them extra at the end of the cruise.

[katiel53]

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.

 

I am wondering if cruises in Europe are different than those in the USA. I have read previously that Europeans had to prepay their tips. I don't know if that is accurate or not, but that could be what the difference is.

 

Also, Grumm, in the US it is customary and expected that the parents tip for their children too. The people working in the buffet during the day are also the waiters in the dining room at night. So, to say that the child subsisted on pizza etc. someone was still serving him in a way. It is a common misconception that children should not have to pay.

 

The RCCL website clearly states that tips for children are the same as for adults. I know Europeans have a different idea as far as tipping than those of us in the USA.

[reapfm]

What the o/p did not take into consideration is that the waiters/asst waiters usually have at least 4 tables, some with as many as 8 at a table, for 2 seatings. So when you take that into consideration, they too are doing okay with tips. We feel $7.00 a day, for a waiter, per couple, is a bargain when tipping...we go to a nice restaurant and we tip a lot more than that. Then you also have to consider the people who "stiff" the waiters, and the others who depend on tips. If you can afford to cruise, you should be able to afford the tips!

[jdh]

When they make tips a part of the cruise price we better get WONDERFUL service...more so than we get now. (We have almost always had wonderful service but the rare few times we haven't, there was no tip.) I don't beleive in rewarding people for crummy service when the worker next to them is busting their butt to earn their tips. Isn't there a problem here??? We were always taught that tips are given for a job well done. These people (most are wonderful people) sign a contract and know from A-Z what is expected of them and what type of schedule they will have and what their pay is. Getting tips is a wonderful extra but should not just be expected....they should be earned. We have a friend who has been a waiter on the Enchantment for several years and he has told us that his pay is very good (without tips) and even though he is away from his wife and two children for long months, he knew that when he made the decision to take the job. I only tip when it is earned...otherwise it isn't a tip...it's just an extension of their pay that we have been tapped to pay. NOT!

[reapfm]

We have sailed on NCL twice since they have automatically included the tips, and guess what....SERVICE WAS TERRIBLE! The waiters knew they would get their tips no matter what. Keep the tips separate from the cruise costs, and the service will be great!:rolleyes:

[TravelerThom]

When they make tips a part of the cruise price we better get WONDERFUL service...more so than we get now. (We have almost always had wonderful service but the rare few times we haven't, there was no tip.) I don't beleive in rewarding people for crummy service when the worker next to them is busting their butt to earn their tips. Isn't there a problem here??? We were always taught that tips are given for a job well done. These people (most are wonderful people) sign a contract and know from A-Z what is expected of them and what type of schedule they will have and what their pay is. Getting tips is a wonderful extra but should not just be expected....they should be earned. We have a friend who has been a waiter on the Enchantment for several years and he has told us that his pay is very good (without tips) and even though he is away from his wife and two children for long months, he knew that when he made the decision to take the job. I only tip when it is earned...otherwise it isn't a tip...it's just an extension of their pay that we have been tapped to pay. NOT!

Within the last month there was a photo posting on CruiseCritic by a friend of an Assistant Waiter of an Assistant Waiter's Contract. The pay was US$50 [fifty dollars] PER MONTH, with a guarantee of $870 per month [if you got less than $820/month in tips RCCL would make up the difference - the catch is if you report that you made less you probably would not be rehired]. The report was that the gross pay varied from $700 to $2000+ per month, with an average of $1500 - presumably a waiter would make somewhat more. The gross take home was not bad for someone from a developing country, but in no way could the direct pay of $50 be considered "very good". I consider the suggested tips to be a basic part of the cruise cost. If I truly got poor service I would consider tipping less, but the fact of the matter is that cruises [with the exception of a few luxury lines] do expect you to cover the pay their employees. I think [could be wrong on this] that HAL used to really pay their waiters, etc, but finally decided that they were losing too much business by therefore having to charge correspondingly higher fares [people just looking at fares and not realizing that they were comparing apples to oranges]. I'd be happier if all lines built in a reasonable wage for their employees in their fares, and tipping was just for "above and beyond", but this is NOT the way it is. If you can afford to go on a cruise, tip, unless you think YOU could live on $50 a month.

[WhiteSoxFan]

When they make tips a part of the cruise price we better get WONDERFUL service...more so than we get now. (We have almost always had wonderful service but the rare few times we haven't, there was no tip.) I don't beleive in rewarding people for crummy service when the worker next to them is busting their butt to earn their tips. Isn't there a problem here??? We were always taught that tips are given for a job well done. These people (most are wonderful people) sign a contract and know from A-Z what is expected of them and what type of schedule they will have and what their pay is. Getting tips is a wonderful extra but should not just be expected....they should be earned. We have a friend who has been a waiter on the Enchantment for several years and he has told us that his pay is very good (without tips) and even though he is away from his wife and two children for long months, he knew that when he made the decision to take the job. I only tip when it is earned...otherwise it isn't a tip...it's just an extension of their pay that we have been tapped to pay. NOT!

 

I feel a tip is for services received. Even when you get bad service you are getting some service, I don't know if you should totally stiff someone. JMO

 

Within the last month there was a photo posting on CruiseCritic by a friend of an Assistant Waiter of an Assistant Waiter's Contract. The pay was US$50 [fifty dollars] PER MONTH, with a guarantee of $870 per month [if you got less than $820/month in tips RCCL would make up the difference - the catch is if you report that you made less you probably would not be rehired]. The report was that the gross pay varied from $700 to $2000+ per month, with an average of $1500 - presumably a waiter would make somewhat more. The gross take home was not bad for someone from a developing country, but in no way could the direct pay of $50 be considered "very good". I consider the suggested tips to be a basic part of the cruise cost. If I truly got poor service I would consider tipping less, but the fact of the matter is that cruises [with the exception of a few luxury lines] do expect you to cover the pay their employees. I think [could be wrong on this] that HAL used to really pay their waiters, etc, but finally decided that they were losing too much business by therefore having to charge correspondingly higher fares [people just looking at fares and not realizing that they were comparing apples to oranges]. I'd be happier if all lines built in a reasonable wage for their employees in their fares, and tipping was just for "above and beyond", but this is NOT the way it is. If you can afford to go on a cruise, tip, unless you think YOU could live on $50 a month.

 

I agree that these estimates are what I have heard before. I think a lot of people are overestimating on this thread. My last cruise the waiter had two tables of 8. If you assume that the cruise was totally full and everyone tipped the recommended amount, which after reading some of the replies I doubt, he would have made $784.00 ($3.50 x 16 x 2 seatings) for that week. Decent pay but I doubt that he has two completely full tables every single week. When we were on the AOS in 2003 we had a table of 8 with only 5 people at it, and this was during spring break.

 

I also think that if your cabin steward just provide basic services (vacuum, straighten up, make the bed, clean the bathroom, turn down bed, etc) it is worth th$3.50/day/pp. As we walked down the halls on out last cruise we looked in some of the rooms that were being cleaned and all I can say is WOW. I would be totally embarrassed to leave my cabin in that condition every day. Those poor stewards should have gotten double from those people.

 

I don't think that these people choose to work long hours with months away from home because they are getting rich. They are trying to provide for themselves and their families and this occupation gives them a better opportunity than in their home countries. JMO

[newbeestl]

I feel a tip is for services received. Even when you get bad service you are getting some service, I don't know if you should totally stiff someone. JMO

 

I know where you're coming from, but there are extremes. If someone ruins my experience or makes it bad in any way, it will cost them their tip. Bad service is okay, but mean or rude service is not. ;)

[cruisePRN]

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

 

Some people take liberties when they're annonomous. This reminds me of the fish story where the fish keeps getting bigger and bigger:D If you wanna tip in excess of $500 you'd move up to a luxury line like Crystal.

[cruisePRN]

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:

 

You have the option to go to the persurers desk and ask them to put the suggested amounts on your seapass card. I never do this because it allows no flexibility to remove the head waiter whom i don't tip unless he does something for us. I put the suggested amounts of $3.50pp per day in cash into the proper envelopes and the recomended amt per day for our assistant waiter. it is my personal choice to not deduct any part of the tip if i don't eat in the dining room on an occasion. I always keep several single dollar bills available to give one to the server who delievers my morning cup of coffee. The 15% gratuity is automatically added to all beverages, this includes non alcohloic drinks as well. The specialty has restaurant fee already the gratuity added into it. You can always add and substract as you see fit based on service and what you're comfortable with.

[cruise182]

You know...It is more fun to sit an watch these threads rather then reply.

[Dockman123]

WOW! I am so sorry that I missed the last two pages of this thread.

 

Alan, here is the story. I am sorry that so many of you were confused about this.

 

RC UK passengers are treated DIFFERENTLY when it comes to the gratuities. You all are FORCED to pre-pay gratuities, pretty much the exact opposite of North American passengers.

 

We have to ASK to have our tips added either to our cruise fare or to our SeaPass accounts.

 

UK passengers are forced to pay them up front.

 

Does that clear up everyone's confusion?

 

:)

Merion Mom

 

Thanks for the info on the differences between Sailings out of the US and Europe. I have only done Caribbean and Mexican sailings so I was not aware of the differences with European cruises.

[isujim]

You know...It is more fun to sit an watch these threads rather then reply.

 

So true.......but it is tempting isn't it........;)

[Woe is me]

You know...It is more fun to sit an watch these threads rather then reply.

 

Absolutely!;)

[crusinmama06]

Okay, I have been trying to ignore this subject and not state my opinions... fearing starting WW3 but, I'm feeling rather saucy today... so as someone who worked in the service industry for 10 years, here I go.

 

 

WOW, you've been a CC member for a whole month with 15 posts. It must have been awful for you to "bite your tongue" for so long. ;) :p

 

(Just kidding, I am a smart a** by nature...lol)

 

So anyway, to answer your question...is the tipping overboard? NOPE. Cause there is NO way I would work those hours for that long of a time for THOSE wages.

 

I just think people are cheap and try to do anything to justify getting out of tipping.

 

I have to tip the suite rates times FOUR and pay for the two young kids too. I never opt them out. And you won't hear me complain cause there is no way I would do THAT job for that money.

[bplazo]

If you will not leave at least the recommended amount stay at home and wait on yourself.

[jbond]

Thanks for the info on the differences between Sailings out of the US and Europe. I have only done Caribbean and Mexican sailings so I was not aware of the differences with European cruises.

If you go back and re read MM's statement, you'll see that she said UK passengers are treated differently, not the cruises. We have sailed out of England and Spain several times on RCI ships and the tipping policy has been no different than Caribbean and Mexican sailings for us.

[kernow]

If you go back and re read MM's statement, you'll see that she said UK passengers are treated differently, not the cruises. We have sailed out of England and Spain several times on RCI ships and the tipping policy has been no different than Caribbean and Mexican sailings for us.

 

Just to clarify from a British point of view, we're not forced into tipping but when we book we are always offered a choice to prepay gratuities. We usually refuse this as we prefer to pay in cash which seems more personal to us. Before anyone flames me, I will add that on every cruise we have taken we have always tipped at least the recommended amounts both for us and our 12 year old son. We would only not tip if we recieved really bad service(fortunately its always been at the least, good).

It seems to only be on Navigator this summer that the form onboard requires you to opt out of tips not in. We noticed many small changes on this ship that seem to have been made to suit the large number of British passengers onboard.

In Britain large tips are not the norm, not because we are mean but mainly because we have a minimum wage(around £6 or $12 an hour) so no one is 'working for nothing'. While those of us who have cruised before or read this forum know that this is not the case for the cruise ship staff, many first time British cruisers going on Navigator this summer will not realise how little they are paid. I'm sure if people realised how the system worked most would feel happier tipping.

 

Julie

[Gracie115]

As the General Manager of a resort in Florida all I can say about tipping for anyone in the housekeeping area is that it's not enough. First of all very doubtful that any attendant cleans more than 18 a day, but even if they do the work a housekeeper has to do is one of the toughest jobs on the ship. They are literally cleaning up other people's "caca" and if you've never been in the business you have no idea what kind of messes people will leave in their room when they know they don't have to clean it up. Just because YOU don't doesn't mean the guy/gal next to you hasn't had a rough night partying and gotten sick all over the cabin...who cleans that up? That housekeeper making a paltry $3.50 pp per day that's who. Secondly, they clean not once but twice per day, which is more than most of the finest hotels ever do. How anyone could question paying this amount, which has not increased in the 12 years I've been cruising is amazing to me. This is the nastiest job in the entire hospitality business, most of the people posting here wouldn't consider doing this job for TWICE the money so why complain about $7.00 per day to keep your room as clean as possible and done by someone who in most cases anyway has a smile on their face everytime you encounter them....no matter how dirty you left your room.....I always tip over and above the suggested amount, I'm not saying anyone else should but I know how tough the job is and have never had a cruise where the $7.00 per person per day wasn't earned and then some.

[tem0627]

If you think this thread is about people trying to skip out on a tip and be cheap, then my assumption is that you have not actually read it and are just responding to a part of what someone said without taking in the whole of it. The whole point of this thread was that sometimes the attitude of those that you tip can get out of hand. It's about the expectations and the disappointment when people tip OVER the recommended amount and some people will let you know they still think they deserve more. Just the other week there was a post about a guy who tipped their server $10 extra one night because he made sure there was a cake for a special occasion and that server walked away disappointed (and let the guy and his family know he was disappointed) because apparantly he felt he did not find it to be enough! To me, that is absolutely out of hand!

[amybear912]

There are three sides to this story about the so-called disappointed server and you only know one of those sides...

 

Any server who expresses "disappointment" in their tip, is not worthy of one in the first place... A professional server would never express any emotion about their tip...

 

I think the story was exaggerated by the poster... I highly doubt that it played the way the poster indicated!

[qorc]

We've noticed on the last two cruises a surprising number of people who don't show up to dinner the last night, and in fact, may only show up the first night and lobster night, in an apparent attempt to NOT have to tip the dining staff.

 

In fact, I'm becoming suspicious that as the industry capacity has grown, as prices to sail have come down in relative terms, and as the clientelle is becoming less and less middle and upper middle class, people working on ships (who work primarily FOR tips as their pay) are getting stiffed all over the place.

 

which is why you will see tips become a mandatory bill item automatically added on.

 

People can't complain. They will have no one to blame but themselves.

 

The problem is that when tipping becomes mandatory, service, PERSONAL SERVICE will suffer. Why? You've removed the incentive for them to go the extra mile. To work hard.

 

To me, personal service in the room, and at meals, is one of the truly great things about cruises.

 

When personal service becomes something more akin to being at Denny's or Best Buy, I think that's when I stop cruising.