Pre-Paid Gratuity ???

[rjac]

I'm glad RC has gone to this tipping procedure. My question is, does the the room attendant, waiter, etc. get a heads up from the cruise ship that their cruiser has pre-paid their gratuities? Or is it a wait and see until the last minute for the cruiser to tell them personally? 

[41m33]

I'd be interested in hearing a response to this as well. In my experience as an employee in the service industry, tipping is a bonus in recognition for good service. If it's already paid, what's the incentive to provide good service? On the flip side, would a staff member assume there won't be a tip if it has not been pre-paid and therefore not feel motivated to provide good service?

[DavidSodapop]

I think that it's all about your personal budget preferences. I chose not to pre-pay gratuities at time of final payment because why not leave my money in the bank for three more months....but I still have to pay them on the account I set up and they are charged daily so either way I am paying it whether it's daily or not. I just don't mind the bill at the end of the cruise...and additionally I booked a phantom person in our room because I wanted the larger accommodations but since that person is not sailing I don't want to pre pay gratuities for someone not in existence....I will also tip for room service, etc as I know people work super hard to make my vacation fabulous and I value that.

[Buzzard05]

I think that it's all about your personal budget preferences. I chose not to pre-pay gratuities at time of final payment because why not leave my money in the bank for three more months....but I still have to pay them on the account I set up and they are charged daily so either way I am paying it whether it's daily or not. I just don't mind the bill at the end of the cruise...and additionally I booked a phantom person in our room because I wanted the larger accommodations but since that person is not sailing I don't want to pre pay gratuities for someone not in existence....I will also tip for room service, etc as I know people work super hard to make my vacation fabulous and I value that.

 

Along those same lines...what is a customary tip on a cruise ship for room service (i.e. how much do you usually tip the server that brings the food to your room)? 

 

Thanks

[Matt]

I'm glad RC has gone to this tipping procedure. My question is, does the the room attendant, waiter, etc. get a heads up from the cruise ship that their cruiser has pre-paid their gratuities? Or is it a wait and see until the last minute for the cruiser to tell them personally? 

I don't know.  I've assumed that at the end of the cruise, the crew members receive the tip.  Back before automatic gratuity, guests would get those small envelopes and give tips on the last night, so it stands to reason that is still when gratuities are distributed.

[WAAAYTOOO]

Right after the new auto grats was introduced....and only that once in all my cruises....we still got the envelopes the last night of the cruise, but the envelopes had a slip of paper inside the indicated that the grats had been prepaid.

 

I have never seen that, since.  It probably proved to be WAAAYTOOO much work for to stuff all of those envelopes - especially since they were useless unless one wanted to add additional grats to it.

 

I really do not know how, or whether, the staff is made aware of the fact that the grats have been prepaid.  I guess they just assume that everyone prepays and for those who opt out of prepaying...they are just anomalous or perhaps the staff that are affected are made aware.  No idea.

[DocLC]

I've heard that they're informed of those that have removed the gratuities, but I don't know if this is true or not. Whether you prepay outer have it charged to your account, that shouldn't matter.

 

Regarding room serving tipping, I usually give $2, sometimes a little more if I order a lot. And while this is specific to Royal, note that dinner other cruise lines include gratuities for room service in their service charges, do be aware of other cruise lines' policies if you wonder (which, of course, you shouldn't).

[firegal2539]

For room service I usually give a $2 tip because it is just me and I very seldom order a full meal.

 

I have just returned from a Panama Canal cruise and had a Concierge and asked him how the gratuities are distributed. They have a pecking order (I guess you could call it), with Dining Attendants (waiters, waitress, attendants) being at the bottom,  Room Steward/Stewardess being next, and so on up the ladder. The Concierge said that the pecking order includes Dining Room Managers, Concierge, Butlers, Dining Hosts/Hostesses, Spa workers, etc., so your grats don't go very far. He told me it is added to their paycheck, not given in cash. But he also stated that you need to remember that if everyone pays grats and there are 3000 passengers onboard, they do ok. I always tip extra to the Concierge and Butler (only had 1 butler), casino staff, and hostesses. I didn't ask him about passengers that don't prepay, but as someone stated, if you don't prepay they are automatically added to your bill.

 

Candie