Prepaid Gratuities - Same Service?

[artvlay]

When people on the message board speak of service declining with pre-paid gratuities, I believe they are talking about cruiselines where tips are automatically added for all passengers, not RCI where most people tip in Cash at the end, or with vouchers and perhaps a bonus couple of dollars added to the envelop.

 

We had the displeasure of cruising on a line that automatically added on the tips, and service was atrocious, especially in the dining room. The wait team were responsible for 2-3 times as many tables as on RCI, and simple requests, like for another fork (there wasn't enough silverware on the table) or refills of water or iced tea, took 15-20 minutes to be granted. Waiters were hurried and impersonal, and because of this, it was the worst cruise of all the ones we've taken, and what's convinced us to stick with RCI.

 

You are correct about the other Cruiselines, like Carnival and Cunard, not RCI.

[KC_fn]

We booked a 7 night on the Mariner in December based in part on the "gratuities included" offer, which I figure saves $70 pp. I have seen a couple of comments, on other forums, saying the staff does not render the same service if the tips are prepaid. Is there any truth to that?

 

Have those of you who have prepaid gratuities on RCCL been left with that impression?

 

Thanks!

 

First, it doesn't "save" $70. It's just that the standard gratuity is included in your fare, so it may be less "visible".

 

We prepaid our gratuities on Mariner in July, and got outstanding service. On the last night we rewarded our cabin attendant, waiter, and assistant waiter with an EXTRA gratuity above and beyond the gratuity we'd already paid with our fare.

 

The handing-over of the gratuity can be awkward, or not. For our cabin steward, I left the envelope propped on the bed when we went to dinner on Saturday. For the waiters, I just handed them the envelopes when they served our after-dinner coffee on Saturday. It may feel a little bit weird to us, but remember it is purely routine for them.

 

I also wrote a personal note on each of the envelopes -- something like "Thank you for taking great care of us." (But note that a personal message does NOT replace cash in terms of expressing gratitude to these hard-working folks. Nor do cheesy trinkets from your hometown, or the cards you made in the onboard craft seminar. Don't be cheap. ;) )

[Tikibird]

On our last P&O cruise, the tips automatically go on your account unless you specify otherwise and the cruiseline distributes them to the recipients. On the last day, the waiters parade around with Baked Alaskas and earn a round of applause (knowing that their tips/wages wil be paid from the accounts). It was just so less embarrassing. I can deal with paying $7.00 for a $5.50 meal at a US Denny's type place and tell the waitress to "keep the change" but handing out envelopes just strikes me as being very condescending.

 

In Australia, waiters are professionals like secretaries, nurses, shop assistants, forklift drivers, mechanics or whatever. They are paid industry standard wages (hourly basis) depending on experience and if they didn't give good service or got too many complaints they would be sacked.

 

I probably would cruise on an all-inclusive tips prepaid ship in preference to the "envelope system" but we want to have just once in our lives the experience of being on one of these American Mega-ships with the ice rink, flowrider and all the amenities. The P&O ships are OK but most of them are older ships sold to P&O by American cruislines who have upgraded their fleet

[Roboat]

First, it doesn't "save" $70. It's just that the standard gratuity is included in your fare, so it may be less "visible".

.........

Don't be cheap. ;) )

 

Of course it saves $70. When the travel agent or cruise line pre-pays gratuities as a promotion, it's just like promotional pricing, senior discounts, room credits, last-minute price reductions and anything else that reduces the total price as compared to a cruise without such promotional incentives, quite visible in my bank account. (Well, a lower credit card balance, anyway. :rolleyes: )

.........

 

Thanks for the reminder to not be cheap.

 

Don't be a chair hog. ;)

[johnnied]

You are correct about the other Cruiselines, like Carnival and Cunard, not RCI.

 

Couple of items: On the wages that the cabin crews and wait staff receive; it is minimal and a large percentage of their "wage" is tip driven. The rest of the crew are salaries. Just because it is not your custom in "your" country to tip, it is customary on board. Just like you would be expected to tip a waitress in the US (whose wage is about $2.50/hour, hence the tips) for services and where I would not tip in NZ (which is good to know!) when I visit there. I think the saying "When in Rome"...

 

On included tips on Carnival, on the last night, you are given the option of adding or subtracting from the already included tips. We did take away from the Maitre D, since the only time we ever saw him was when he showed up to collect his tip! We added to our room Steward since he was fantastic as was our Head Waiter. The 2nd waitress didn't have a clue. All in all, we felt in complete control of our tipping dollars.

 

As numerous people have said, it is all how you treat them. We try to treat all of them with respect and they have always reciprocated.

 

Have fun!!!

[KC_fn]

Of course it saves $70. When the travel agent or cruise line pre-pays gratuities as a promotion, it's just like promotional pricing, senior discounts, room credits, last-minute price reductions and anything else that reduces the total price as compared to a cruise without such promotional incentives, quite visible in my bank account. (Well, a lower credit card balance, anyway. :rolleyes: )

.........

 

Thanks for the reminder to not be cheap.

 

Don't be a chair hog. ;)

 

I never would! :D

 

Maybe it's a matter of semantics. I thought your original question was something along the lines of "Since my servers have in essence already been tipped before I board the ship, do they have any incentive to provide me with good service?" And my answer was, Ours did a wonderful job for us in that situation.

 

I didn't mean to be insulting. Sorry. :)

[Apoggi]

We have always pre-paid our gratuties and have never had a bad waiter or assistant. We have been very lucky. I too, get annoyed with the head waiter poking his head in asking how everyone is. Take care of the wait staff and leave the passengers alone.

 

Ann

[summerman]

I've always prepaid. But on our las cruise aboard the Brilliacne of the Sea's I was disapointed in the Head Waiter he only stoped by our table 2 nights and on the last night had to get our waiter to find him so we could tip him. Next time I'm not going to pre pay and base my tip to the head waiter by the number of times he stops by our table.

 

 

just back of the liberty and recieved the same service as you,even on the last night where you would have thought it was in his intrest to make an effort the head waiter didn't even come to our table at all hence to say his tip went as an extra to the waiter who was superb all week (glad i didnt prepay the tips this time)

[Roboat]

I never would! :D

 

Maybe it's a matter of semantics. I thought your original question was something along the lines of "Since my servers have in essence already been tipped before I board the ship, do they have any incentive to provide me with good service?" And my answer was, Ours did a wonderful job for us in that situation.

 

I didn't mean to be insulting. Sorry. :)

 

Not to worry, KCfn! :)

And that WAS my original question, sort of. I just wanted, and received, some reassurances from you and others.

Thanks!

Now I'll I'll have to find something else to worry about. :rolleyes:

 

(I was trying to wind myself up about having late dining for the first time, worrying I'd miss some shows. But I searched this forum and it found doesn't seem to be much a of a problem. :D )

[celle]

Couple of items: On the wages that the cabin crews and wait staff receive; it is minimal and a large percentage of their "wage" is tip driven. The rest of the crew are salaries. Just because it is not your custom in "your" country to tip, it is customary on board. Just like you would be expected to tip a waitress in the US (whose wage is about $2.50/hour, hence the tips) for services and where I would not tip in NZ (which is good to know!) when I visit there. I think the saying "When in Rome"...

 

As I said, it is not the custom in my country (NZ) to tip - except when you might, perhaps, tell the taxi driver to "keep the change". If you look at my previous post, you will see that I said we pre-paid our tips on board.

 

However, we always do tip in countries where it is the custom. We even understand the subtle niceties of giving a very small tip (I know that I am expected to tip and I am doing so, but the standard of your service was not acceptable, so your tip is very small).

 

My point was that I have seen several posts where people seem almost afraid of not tipping enough, in case they are somehow "penalised" by the service provider - they might drop my case in the water, or they might mess with my food, for example. And I think that's a bad thing.

[BobBeaSea]

IMHO, on RCI, whether the tips are prepaid, paid in advance once aboard, paid on the last night or not paid at all has no effect on service from your 3 main service providers (wait staff and cabin attendant).

[johnnied]

As I said, it is not the custom in my country (NZ) to tip - except when you might, perhaps, tell the taxi driver to "keep the change". If you look at my previous post, you will see that I said we pre-paid our tips on board.

 

However, we always do tip in countries where it is the custom. We even understand the subtle niceties of giving a very small tip (I know that I am expected to tip and I am doing so, but the standard of your service was not acceptable, so your tip is very small).

 

My point was that I have seen several posts where people seem almost afraid of not tipping enough, in case they are somehow "penalised" by the service provider - they might drop my case in the water, or they might mess with my food, for example. And I think that's a bad thing.

 

I agree. Especially about the poor service/poor tip part of it. I misread your post...

[aqhacruiser]

As I said, it is not the custom in my country (NZ) to tip - except when you might, perhaps, tell the taxi driver to "keep the change". If you look at my previous post, you will see that I said we pre-paid our tips on board.

 

However, we always do tip in countries where it is the custom. We even understand the subtle niceties of giving a very small tip (I know that I am expected to tip and I am doing so, but the standard of your service was not acceptable, so your tip is very small).

 

My point was that I have seen several posts where people seem almost afraid of not tipping enough, in case they are somehow "penalised" by the service provider - they might drop my case in the water, or they might mess with my food, for example. And I think that's a bad thing.

 

There is really no way for RCCL staff to give you less service based on pre tipping or even not tipping enough. They have no idea if you prepaid or not until they give you the envelopes the last night of your cruise. If you prepaid there are vouchers there that you put in the envelope, add cash to if you want and hand to the staff. It is true if you elect to prepay and use vouchers the crew does not get them until next pay period and that could be 4 weeks or more. I've prepaid, had excellent service but when I found out they have to wait for the money I now only tip in cash. :)

[celle]

I agree. Especially about the poor service/poor tip part of it. I misread your post...

 

No problem, johnnied. :)

[Tikibird]

Those of you who have used an online agency that offers prepaid gratuity vouchers (which means you save the $10.00 per day per person you would normally pay). Is the agency that you used one of the ones that is recommended by Cruise Critic on this page?

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/shipshop/index.cfm

 

Being from Australia, I would feel better if I knew the agency was reliable before I fork over some money. It really is frustrating they don't allow personal recommendations here.

 

This is the deal:

 

This offer applies to select cruise departures and cabin categories and applies only to the 1st & 2nd passenger in a cabin.

 

On this promotion your standard gratuities will be paid in advance and apply to the normal gratuity left for the room steward, head waiter and assistant waiter but do not include any bar service or spa/salon service gratuity.

 

Prepaid gratuities have no cash value. Cabins which are booked, cancelled and rebooked do not qualify for this promotion; bookings will be re-priced to original fare.

 

This offer is not combinable with any other discounts or promotional offers and cannot be combined with free shore excursions. This offer does not apply to group bookings.

[Roboat]

Those of you who have used an online agency that offers prepaid gratuity vouchers (which means you save the $10.00 per day per person you would normally pay). Is the agency that you used one of the ones that is recommended by Cruise Critic on this page?

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/shipshop/index.cfm

 

Being from Australia, I would feel better if I knew the agency was reliable before I fork over some money. It really is frustrating they don't allow personal recommendations here.

 

In my case, yes, the on-line agency I used, which offered the pre-paid gratuities, is included in that list of Cruise Critic recommendations. I guess it's OK to say, then, that it was Cruise Value Center. I never noticed that link before! Thanks!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[Tikibird]

In my case, yes, the on-line agency I used, which offered the pre-paid gratuities, is included in that list of Cruise Critic recommendations. I guess it's OK to say, then, that it was Cruise Value Center. I never noticed that link before! Thanks!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

I just looked and they are only including it with balcony and above, Cruise dot com (7 on the list) is also offfering it and doesn't mention a cabin restriction. We are getting the super cheap inside cabin. I just want to make sure there are no hidden catches. I can book with a family member's US address.

[Tikibird]

Oh you are right!! I just looked and now I only see the "prepaid gratuties" logo next to category M and up. I never noticed that before!! I want a Q class because I prefer the lower decks, fewer cabins are down there. (looking for less traffic noise). M class is on Deck 9. So if I went for that offer, I have to book a more expensive cabin and I only save $50 per person instead of 70.

 

I get nothing extra for booking a Q class cabin. So my next best deal is to go through my frequent hotel guest program and get points (redeemanle for hotel stays).

 

I can't find any agency offering extras for Q class.