Can I opt out of auto gratuities?

[Julie]

I always pay gratuities directly and do not wish to be billed is that possible?

[Bryce G.]

They came up with a new policy. NOW, your two options are:

-Pay ALL gratuities in advance

-Charge each days gratuities, automatically, to your onboard account.

 

If it helps, since i will NOT be using the main dining room at ALL during my trip this coming week, I will go to the Purser's desk everyday (or just toward the end of my cruise) to remove those gratuity charges, since I did not use the services.

[Matt]

As Bryce said, you can opt out by going to Guest Services and asking them to remove it.

[Mom2three]

They came up with a new policy. NOW, your two options are:

-Pay ALL gratuities in advance

-Charge each days gratuities, automatically, to your onboard account.

 

If it helps, since i will NOT be using the main dining room at ALL during my trip this coming week, I will go to the Purser's desk everyday (or just toward the end of my cruise) to remove those gratuity charges, since I did not use the services.

 

May I ask where you will be eating instead of the dining room?  I am curious what others do

[Julie]

Thank you

[Bryce G.]

May I ask where you will be eating instead of the dining room?  I am curious what others do

Hi there! I just returned. I ate in Chops Grille, Samba Grille, Giovanni's Table, Izumi, and Rita's Cantina. Oh, and Park Cafe. (free). Lots and Lots at Park Cafe. Healthy AND unhealthy options. Never busy.

 

These are all specialty restaurants and have a cost associated, but tip is included. The food is FAR beyond the MDR, and the atmosphere is amazing in each. It may get pricey with several children, though.

 

If you go on a Freedom Class, Voyager Class, or Oasis Class, go to Johnny Rocket's with the kids. Small fee, and your kids will love you forever--or at least for a few hours.

[Mom2three]

Thanks for the information!

[EHendrix]

Hi there! I just returned. I ate in Chops Grille, Samba Grille, Giovanni's Table, Izumi, and Rita's Cantina. Oh, and Park Cafe. (free). Lots and Lots at Park Cafe. Healthy AND unhealthy options. Never busy.

 

These are all specialty restaurants and have a cost associated, but tip is included. The food is FAR beyond the MDR, and the atmosphere is amazing in each. It may get pricey with several children, though.

 

If you go on a Freedom Class, Voyager Class, or Oasis Class, go to Johnny Rocket's with the kids. Small fee, and your kids will love you forever--or at least for a few hours.

 

 

We did the exact same thing on our Alaskan cruise; we never ate at the MDR even once.  All of the specialty restaurants (in my humble opinion) are well worth any extra cost to avoid the MDR.  The food is fantastic and the ambiance is far superior to that offered elsewhere on the ship.

[Matt]

The thing I really enjoy about the MDR is the service.  I like the waiters know what I want, do tricks for my daughter, etc.  To me, it's a big part of the cruise experience.

[JayBird]

We did the exact same thing on our Alaskan cruise; we never ate at the MDR even once.  All of the specialty restaurants (in my humble opinion) are well worth any extra cost to avoid the MDR.  The food is fantastic and the ambiance is far superior to that offered elsewhere on the ship.

I'd like to try that on a cruise soon.  Have you only done it on ships that have a lot of restaurants?  My concern is on a ship that only has two specialty restaurants, wouldn't that get a little tiresome?

[Bryce G.]

I'd like to try that on a cruise soon.  Have you only done it on ships that have a lot of restaurants?  My concern is on a ship that only has two specialty restaurants, wouldn't that get a little tiresome?

For ships with fewer specialty restaurants, yes--it would get tiresome. I'd venture to say, though, that most of the ships with so few specialty options are on shorter itineraries anyway.

[JayBird]

Good point bgriffler

[Pattycruise]

On 8/26/2013 at 9:03 AM, Bryce G. said:

For ships with fewer specialty restaurants, yes--it would get tiresome. I'd venture to say, though, that most of the ships with so few specialty options are on shorter itineraries anyway.

Enchantment 8 night, smaller ship, not a lot of restaurants 

[RCIfan1912]

On 8/22/2013 at 8:48 AM, Matt said:

The thing I really enjoy about the MDR is the service.  I like the waiters know what I want, do tricks for my daughter, etc.  To me, it's a big part of the cruise experience.

Agree, we like a mix of specialty and MDR. We always do the 3 night dining package, that way we get a perfect mix. I'm a little worried now that they messed with the MDR menu.

[ScottD]

Am I wrong in thinking the tip go to more than just MDR staff? If you take off the auto tip-the people behind the scenes are missing out on money, correct? 

[ChessE4]

4 hours ago, ScottD said:

Am I wrong in thinking the tip go to more than just MDR staff? If you take off the auto tip-the people behind the scenes are missing out on money, correct? 

Yes, 40% or so to wait staff, 40 to stateroom and balance to other. Varies with increases, but last I checked it was near that.

[RCIfan1912]

I'm just a little uncomfortable with people stopping the automatic daily gratuities no matter what service they use or don't use but that's just me. We use the MDR half or less a cruise but would never stop the tips process because of that. Not trying to start a fight, just my thought process. 

[PL8SWPR]

$16 a day per person is extremely reasonable considering it covers 3 meals, stateroom service, and everything in between.  We would easily surpass that if they weren't already taking it out (and always add more).

... and this post is almost a decade old...

[Mike.s]

Isn't it time to do away with gratuities and just include then as part of the cruise fare?

[RCIfan1912]

22 minutes ago, Mike.s said:

Isn't it time to do away with gratuities and just include then as part of the cruise fare?

Probably but my question is on cruises or cruise lines that do that how is it presented to the passenger? Meaning in the final price does it say cruise fair 2,000/gratuities 250, total 2,250? I'm curious how is worded or presented to the passenger?

[Yo2slick]

I look at auto gratuities like making donations to certain organizations.  They say this is where your money is going but how do you really know where its going?  Maybe pay a better wage to your employees but that probably makes too much sense.  If I hand money to someone I want to tip I know they received that money.

Its crazy that in some countries tipping is not a thing at all, its actually frowned upon but in the US I'm asked if I want to tip the person making my sandwich at subway.....I think its getting out of hand.  We never cancel auto gratuities but I agree they could handle it better.

[Vancity Cruiser]

40 minutes ago, Mike.s said:

Isn't it time to do away with gratuities and just include then as part of the cruise fare?

Port fees should be included as well but that doesn’t make the price as attractive.

 

[Reigert2008]

Here’s the official word from Royal and how to remove it.
 

 https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/onboard-service-gratuity-expense 

[BennyandBo]

Why are we doing this again. Someone start up and old thread because they were board or having a bad Christmas day? If people want to remove automatic gratuities they can, will, and should. It's their choice. Not yours. And nothing anyone says here will ever effect that choice. When it comes to money "what I do is......" ain't gonna matter. This conversation has never changed anyone's view and/or decision on the subject. 

[CruiseGus]

9 hours ago, Mike.s said:

Isn't it time to do away with gratuities and just include then as part of the cruise fare?

Or maybe just quit letting people remove them.

Try doing that in a restaurant that adds an automatic TIP to parties larger than 8.

[RCIfan1912]

9 hours ago, BennyandBo said:

Why are we doing this again. Someone start up and old thread because they were board or having a bad Christmas day? If people want to remove automatic gratuities they can, will, and should. It's their choice. Not yours. And nothing anyone says here will ever effect that choice. When it comes to money "what I do is......" ain't gonna matter. This conversation has never changed anyone's view and/or decision on the subject. 

Ok, let's all go on these cruises and decide to remove the gratuities and see how long the industry would survive? How long will these people choose to do this job and wait on us while we take a freaking vacation. 

[ChrisK2793]

1 hour ago, RCIfan1912 said:

Ok, let's all go on these cruises and decide to remove the gratuities and see how long the industry would survive? How long will these people choose to do this job and wait on us while we take a freaking vacation. 

Then the cruise lines can pay them more, and just charge a little more for the cruise.  On my own, I individually tip a lot more than the pittance they supposedly get from the auto-gratuities. Assuming, RCL even gives 100% of the auto-gratuities to the crew and doesn’t keep a chunk for themselves.

 

[BennyandBo]

1 hour ago, RCIfan1912 said:

Ok, let's all go on these cruises and decide to remove the gratuities and see how long the industry would survive? How long will these people choose to do this job and wait on us while we take a freaking vacation. 

LOL. Well that did it. Now people will definitely never remove them again. Saying that solved everything. People are not going to change their minds on this based on what others say, so why bother? That's what I'm trying to say. And yes like it or not, I don't believe anyone has the right to tell anyone else what to do or how to spend their money. I think 99 out of 100 times they will do the opposite because of not liking feeling told what they should do. So why get into it in the first place. 

[RCIfan1912]

12 minutes ago, ChrisK2793 said:

Then the cruise lines can pay them more, and just charge a little more for the cruise.  On my own, I individually tip a lot more than the pittance they supposedly get from the auto-gratuities. Assuming, RCL even gives 100% of the auto-gratuities to the crew and doesn’t keep a chunk for themselves.

 

That's not how Royal Caribbean or the major cruise lines have structured their pricing. People see low rates to book and that's all that matters to them. If it's suddenly a grand more most people won't realize why and go somewhere else. 

I'm not saying you are wrong but it's gonna take a lot of education and convincing that I'm not sure any of the major cruise lines want to even attempt to do. 

[RCIfan1912]

15 minutes ago, BennyandBo said:

LOL. Well that did it. Now people will definitely never remove them again. Saying that solved everything. People are not going to change their minds on this based on what others say, so why bother? That's what I'm trying to say. And yes like it or not, I don't believe anyone has the right to tell anyone else what to do or how to spend their money. I think 99 out of 100 times they will do the opposite because of not liking feeling told what they should do. So why get into it in the first place. 

Listen, this is the system we are in, this is the system that has built up. If even 25% of people were cheap and stopped paying the gratuities as they are structured now then the vacation they love would disappear. Cease to exist because the crew would quit. 

I'm not trying to convince anyone if anything or tell people how to spend their money, I'm just laying out the reality of it all. 

No one likes to work for free or for way less than they used to. Why would crew members if the gratuities died up?

[BennyandBo]

13 minutes ago, RCIfan1912 said:

Listen, this is the system we are in, this is the system that has built up. If even 25% of people were cheap and stopped paying the gratuities as they are structured now then the vacation they love would disappear. Cease to exist because the crew would quit. 

I'm not trying to convince anyone if anything or tell people how to spend their money, I'm just laying out the reality of it all. 

No one likes to work for free or for way less than they used to. Why would crew members if the gratuities died up?

Your saying if people don't pay this the vacation they love will cease to exist. Lol. That’s trying to tell them what to do with dramatic "do it or else" consequences. 

[BennyandBo]

Again, the only way to deal with this subject is. You do you, I'll do me. And everyone keeps what they put out to themselves. 

[Jolly Ogre]

23 hours ago, Mike.s said:

Isn't it time to do away with gratuities and just include then as part of the cruise fare?

I do that by paying the gratuities up front as part pf my cruise fare. 

[Seafarer]

On 8/8/2013 at 9:43 AM, Matt said:

As Bryce said, you can opt out by going to Guest Services and asking them to remove it.

Yeah, happy is as happy does

[Linda R]

On 8/7/2013 at 6:09 PM, Julie said:

I always pay gratuities directly and do not wish to be billed is that possible?

You  can opt out of automatic gratuities.  Go to guest services and request.  And easier to do the first day or two of the cruise.

[GatorCruiser]

Hell, I say raise the auto gratuities. whatever keeps the staff and crew happy and working their contracts,  and not saying to hell with the service Industry like so many others have done post Covid. Cruising is a privilege/blessing/luxury and the crew is a big part of that. The industry wouldn’t exist without them. 

[Squid]

So the whole cruise industry relies on us paying gratuities or it will collapse? 

Interesting take.  

Maybe some of you ought to spend a bit of time outside of your American bubble. In the real world we pay real wages, with actual dignity, and we give them free healthcare. 

[RCIfan1912]

21 minutes ago, Squid said:

So the whole cruise industry relies on us paying gratuities or it will collapse? 

Interesting take.  

Maybe some of you ought to spend a bit of time outside of your American bubble. In the real world we pay real wages, with actual dignity, and we give them free healthcare. 

Nope, total agree. We have real problems here with those things and I couldn't agree more. 

Unfortunately here, with the cruise industry in America this is the system we are in. Until it changes it stays the same. We pay gratuities here and I doubt that change anytime soon. 

[teddy]

3 hours ago, Squid said:

So the whole cruise industry relies on us paying gratuities or it will collapse? 

Interesting take.  

Maybe some of you ought to spend a bit of time outside of your American bubble. In the real world we pay real wages, with actual dignity, and we give them free healthcare. 

Not sure why it has to become an “America vs. the World” thing.  
 

There are plenty of other places on the internet for this.  

[Blair]

I absolutely refuse to allow them to charge my account for tips. I inform them at the customer service desk to omit the charges and ALWAYS pay tips with cash. It is my understanding that the monies charged to our accounts allows the corporation to collect interest on the tips of their crew members, considering the crew must wait to be paid. Put your cash into the pockets of the crew members upon debarkation. Enough already, corporate America!