C
Camelia
Guest
How does royal carribean do the tipping now? Is it automatically added to your credit card, but you can remove or reduce and do your own tipping like on Carnival? And how much is it pp?
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Gayle V
Guest
Hello Camilia
This is directly from RCI's web page:
Q: What are gratuity guidelines for cruises?
A: So that you can thank those who have made your cruise vacation better than you could have imagined, we've developed these gratuity guidelines:
Suite attendant: $5.75 USD a day per guest
Stateroom attendant: $3.50 USD a day per guest
Dining Room Waiter: $3.50 USD a day per guest
Assistant Waiter: $2.00 USD a day per guest
Headwaiter: .75 USD a day per guest
Note: These gratuities apply to guests of all ages.
Gratuities for other service personnel are at your discretion. A 15% gratuity will automatically be added to your bar bill or wine check when you are served.
Envelopes for gratuities will be provided in your stateroom on the last night of the cruise. Gratuities may be paid in the following ways:
Pre paid by having them added to your reservation by your booking agent.
Added to your onboard SeaPass account.
Paid in cash at the end of the cruise
This is directly from RCI's web page:
Q: What are gratuity guidelines for cruises?
A: So that you can thank those who have made your cruise vacation better than you could have imagined, we've developed these gratuity guidelines:
Suite attendant: $5.75 USD a day per guest
Stateroom attendant: $3.50 USD a day per guest
Dining Room Waiter: $3.50 USD a day per guest
Assistant Waiter: $2.00 USD a day per guest
Headwaiter: .75 USD a day per guest
Note: These gratuities apply to guests of all ages.
Gratuities for other service personnel are at your discretion. A 15% gratuity will automatically be added to your bar bill or wine check when you are served.
Envelopes for gratuities will be provided in your stateroom on the last night of the cruise. Gratuities may be paid in the following ways:
Pre paid by having them added to your reservation by your booking agent.
Added to your onboard SeaPass account.
Paid in cash at the end of the cruise
C
Camelia
Guest
thanks.
D
DrydockOkie
Guest
It occurs to me one must provide quality service before a tip is considered by the customer. If that person goes beyond the call then this gratuity should be done rather that expected. Just my opinion.
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Gayle V
Guest
Hello DrydockOkie,
Well that argument is so old around here, it has dust on it. The standard answer to that, is to remind you that the tips the shipboard workers receive are not "over and above" their pay. The tips essentially ARE their pay. They only receive a very, very tiny token salary, and the rest comes from tips. You receive the benefit of their labors, thus you "tip" them (essentially you pay them.)
It's just like in a restaurant, you know that the waitresses only earn a small wage from the management. Their real pay is the "tip". It's not really extra. It is an understood agreement between the customer and the server.
The proof of that is the fact that waitresses have to pay income taxes totally an amount equivalent to 8% of the restaurants sales, whether they receive that income or not. So you know that anyone who does NOT tip a waitress is in actually fact, not only taking the waitress's labor without paying for it, they are additionaly, taking money directly out of her pocket.
It's an antiquated way of doing business. But that's the way it is.
And so it is on the ships. You can increase or decrease a bit to match the service level. But remember that when you go to work, you don't expect your boss to say, "Gee, you didn't do anything extra special at work, so I'm not going to pay you this week." If you did what was expected of you, you expect to be paid. Why should the expectations of shipboard employees, be any different than yours?
Well that argument is so old around here, it has dust on it. The standard answer to that, is to remind you that the tips the shipboard workers receive are not "over and above" their pay. The tips essentially ARE their pay. They only receive a very, very tiny token salary, and the rest comes from tips. You receive the benefit of their labors, thus you "tip" them (essentially you pay them.)
It's just like in a restaurant, you know that the waitresses only earn a small wage from the management. Their real pay is the "tip". It's not really extra. It is an understood agreement between the customer and the server.
The proof of that is the fact that waitresses have to pay income taxes totally an amount equivalent to 8% of the restaurants sales, whether they receive that income or not. So you know that anyone who does NOT tip a waitress is in actually fact, not only taking the waitress's labor without paying for it, they are additionaly, taking money directly out of her pocket.
It's an antiquated way of doing business. But that's the way it is.
And so it is on the ships. You can increase or decrease a bit to match the service level. But remember that when you go to work, you don't expect your boss to say, "Gee, you didn't do anything extra special at work, so I'm not going to pay you this week." If you did what was expected of you, you expect to be paid. Why should the expectations of shipboard employees, be any different than yours?
D
DrydockOkie
Guest
Very well put, in fact I am no expert on cruise pay since this is my first and I was not aware how their pay was handled. I am a consumer of food at restaurants and do tip according to the going rate and overtip when I recieve extraordinary service. I do realize their pay scale is revenued from tips rather than the measily pay their employers give them.
I do expect that cruise employees do a fine job and will earn their pay from customers like me and others. I opted not to prepay the tips becasue I want to hand off my thanks once the cruise is completed.
My only complaints is I just wish the cruise date would arrive. Heck before you know it, it will be here and over. Then it's back to the grindstone.
I do expect that cruise employees do a fine job and will earn their pay from customers like me and others. I opted not to prepay the tips becasue I want to hand off my thanks once the cruise is completed.
My only complaints is I just wish the cruise date would arrive. Heck before you know it, it will be here and over. Then it's back to the grindstone.
G
Gayle V
Guest
Hello DrydockOckie,
You've got to try to enjoy the countdown, or it really will be over way too fast. I love the cruise of course, but I also love the anticipation that comes before. I really like researching the hotel, and tracking down a great airfare.
And then reading the reviews is always fun, and planning the excursions too. Making up the packing lists. And the "to do" list. There's a tiny little thrill in crossing each item off the list.
One thing that really will make the pre-cruise more fun, is if you can find some fellow shipmates. Post your cruise on the tracker, and invite fellow passengers to get in touch with you. It's so fun to share a countdown. And even more to meet up with them on the ship. We've met some of the greatest people that way.
And as for the part about "before you know it, it will be here and over", well you know the answer to that one, don't you? Of course, you just book another one. :grin
You've got to try to enjoy the countdown, or it really will be over way too fast. I love the cruise of course, but I also love the anticipation that comes before. I really like researching the hotel, and tracking down a great airfare.
And then reading the reviews is always fun, and planning the excursions too. Making up the packing lists. And the "to do" list. There's a tiny little thrill in crossing each item off the list.
One thing that really will make the pre-cruise more fun, is if you can find some fellow shipmates. Post your cruise on the tracker, and invite fellow passengers to get in touch with you. It's so fun to share a countdown. And even more to meet up with them on the ship. We've met some of the greatest people that way.
And as for the part about "before you know it, it will be here and over", well you know the answer to that one, don't you? Of course, you just book another one. :grin
A
AJ coast
Guest
The MONTHLY salaries of attendants/waiters is $50 USD
RCCL is not subject to US minimum wage laws because its ships are based in the Bahamas, and the company registered in Liberia.
Therefore, I find it essential to tip at least the minimum guidelines suggested by the cruise line.
Yes, here in the US, DrydockOkie's comment of "It occurs to me one must provide quality service before a tip is considered by the customer. If that person goes beyond the call then this gratuity should be done rather that expected. Just my opinion." is justified.
However, on a ship registered in Nassau where the monthly salary is $50, tips are expected. However the crew is never pushy about them and are always greatly thankful when a tip is presented; after all, they work 16-hour days to support their families back home.
RCCL is not subject to US minimum wage laws because its ships are based in the Bahamas, and the company registered in Liberia.
Therefore, I find it essential to tip at least the minimum guidelines suggested by the cruise line.
Yes, here in the US, DrydockOkie's comment of "It occurs to me one must provide quality service before a tip is considered by the customer. If that person goes beyond the call then this gratuity should be done rather that expected. Just my opinion." is justified.
However, on a ship registered in Nassau where the monthly salary is $50, tips are expected. However the crew is never pushy about them and are always greatly thankful when a tip is presented; after all, they work 16-hour days to support their families back home.
D
DrydockOkie
Guest
A question, I have an idea that the suite attendant is the person who takes care of the room but what is a state room attentant?
Thanks for the valuable information pertaining to tipping and other things this website and others have provided. I get something in my head that I want to do and see how others did.
Thanks for the valuable information pertaining to tipping and other things this website and others have provided. I get something in my head that I want to do and see how others did.
C
Camelia
Guest
The MONTHLY salaries of attendants/waiters is $50 USD
AJ coast - how do you know that for a fact? I figure it would be low, but I had no idea that it would be that low. I guess their expenses are $0 while on ship, because food and bed is provided. Clothing too? what about healthcare? do they get any?
I always feel guilty on the cruise, because you have all those people enjoying a vacation, eating all the food in the world, and the workers are there working so hard. I wonder what they think of us?
AJ coast - how do you know that for a fact? I figure it would be low, but I had no idea that it would be that low. I guess their expenses are $0 while on ship, because food and bed is provided. Clothing too? what about healthcare? do they get any?
I always feel guilty on the cruise, because you have all those people enjoying a vacation, eating all the food in the world, and the workers are there working so hard. I wonder what they think of us?
A
AJ coast
Guest
[quote Camelia]The MONTHLY salaries of attendants/waiters is $50 USD
AJ coast - how do you know that for a fact? I figure it would be low, but I had no idea that it would be that low. I guess their expenses are $0 while on ship, because food and bed is provided. Clothing too? what about healthcare? do they get any?
I always feel guilty on the cruise, because you have all those people enjoying a vacation, eating all the food in the world, and the workers are there working so hard. I wonder what they think of us?[/quote]
I have spoken to numerous waiters/ stateroom attendants about this issue. Although they are technically not allowed to disclose it, the ones I have befriended have been honest about the low salary.
However, coming from the backgrounds they originate from, the tips add up to a wonderful amount (~$1500-2000 USD/a month)because many of the crew are from South American/East European/poorer Asian countries where working opportunities are null. They are thus able to fully support their families back home. Also, of course, food, board, clothes, and decent health care, are free on board! Therefore expenses are $0.
We may enjoy cruise line food, but the crew I have spoken to are justifiably sick of it after eating it every day!!!
AJ coast - how do you know that for a fact? I figure it would be low, but I had no idea that it would be that low. I guess their expenses are $0 while on ship, because food and bed is provided. Clothing too? what about healthcare? do they get any?
I always feel guilty on the cruise, because you have all those people enjoying a vacation, eating all the food in the world, and the workers are there working so hard. I wonder what they think of us?[/quote]
I have spoken to numerous waiters/ stateroom attendants about this issue. Although they are technically not allowed to disclose it, the ones I have befriended have been honest about the low salary.
However, coming from the backgrounds they originate from, the tips add up to a wonderful amount (~$1500-2000 USD/a month)because many of the crew are from South American/East European/poorer Asian countries where working opportunities are null. They are thus able to fully support their families back home. Also, of course, food, board, clothes, and decent health care, are free on board! Therefore expenses are $0.
We may enjoy cruise line food, but the crew I have spoken to are justifiably sick of it after eating it every day!!!
A
AJ coast
Guest
[quote DrydockOkie]A question, I have an idea that the suite attendant is the person who takes care of the room but what is a state room attentant?
Thanks for the valuable information pertaining to tipping and other things this website and others have provided. I get something in my head that I want to do and see how others did.[/quote]
If you book a Grand Suite or higher, you will have a "suite attendant."
If you are booked in A Junior Suite or the rest of the Staterooms, your attendant is considered a "stateroom attendant."
Thanks for the valuable information pertaining to tipping and other things this website and others have provided. I get something in my head that I want to do and see how others did.[/quote]
If you book a Grand Suite or higher, you will have a "suite attendant."
If you are booked in A Junior Suite or the rest of the Staterooms, your attendant is considered a "stateroom attendant."
