mdd Posted January 8, 2017 Report Share Posted January 8, 2017 Do they give you a hard time if you try to adjust your gratuities during the cruise at the service desk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monorailmedic Posted January 8, 2017 Report Share Posted January 8, 2017 You're able to adjust gratuities at guest services. I'm not sure if it would be any easier or more difficult at any given point during your cruise. That in mind, I must editorialize for a moment and point out (to anyone reading), that regardless of the name (gratuities, services, charges, etc) or one's opinion on the way gratuities are handled, these gratuities represent the lion's share of the income of the hard-working people that receive them and work hard to make your trip enjoyable. As such, I see them as the "price of admission" for a cruise. If there is anything during a sailing that is not up to snuff, speak with guest services or the appropriate supervisor to see if it can be worked out before reducing gratuities. If you care to tip on top of the amount automatically charged to your onboard account, you can opt to do that with guest services, or simply provide cash to those who make your trip more enjoyable. FloatMe, WhiteSoxFan, RestingBird and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerel Posted January 8, 2017 Report Share Posted January 8, 2017 I could be wrong on this, i havent done it but... I've read they will only drop a percent of your grat determined by your issue. For example, if you really didn't like your room attendant they will adjust your tip within the amount that is alloted to your room attendant, and not your servers ect. So the alloted amount of your tip that goes towards your room attendant will go down but not the rest of the tip. I would use this ability as a worst case scenario option, when all else has failed and you still aren't happy with the service you recived. MikeK 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloatMe Posted January 8, 2017 Report Share Posted January 8, 2017 The only argument that has ever made any sense to me for reducing standard gratuities is for those who eat in specialty restaurants every night of the cruise, however even at that, these same crew members serve us in the windjammer and other areas for lunch and breakfast. I agree with Billy, no reason to adjust the income of a crew member. MikeK, Jerel and WhiteSoxFan 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteSoxFan Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 After spending thousands on a cruise, airfare, drinks onboard, excursions, etc. I consider the gratuity portion to be such a minor aspect of my vacation that, unless I received truly horrible service, I would not ever consider adjusting downward. I usually tip additional, in cash, to anyone who did a good job. As stated above, the lion's share of these people's income is from those tips and they work some pretty long hours to make our vacations special. Jerel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monctonguy Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 This is probably the one part of cruising that annoys me the most. I hate how our society expects us to tip for everything and nothing. If they want to charge us, just include in the cost of the cruise. Don't make it seem like its an option, when it's 100% expected and you have no choice or say in the amount. Bad service, slow service, great service, no service....and we all get charged the same. My general rule of thumb...is as soon as someone tries to "force" me to pay a tip for something, I usually decline. I have paid every time my full grats on any cruise....but if they want to try and nickel and dime us, raise prices, cut back on service...then I think I may play their game as well and pay more attention to bad and slow service and adjust my grats accordingly. I think the cruise industry takes it for granted as just another "fee" or "tax" and that is not what or how a tip should be. So to answer the OP's question...I will let you know in about 3 weeks...as I plan on not being as lazy and nonchalant about my grats on my upcoming cruise! WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjac Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 Do they give you a hard time if you try to adjust your gratuities during the cruise at the service desk The only "hard part" I see about this would be wasting my cruise time standing in the guest relations waiting line. Matt and Orange Crush 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christie Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 We had a HORRIBLE stateroom attendant on our most recent cruise. Didn't even get better after speaking to a supervisor. As gratuities were included in our class of stateroom, we were left envelopes in the room for additional gratuities. I felt bad not leaving any extra, but it was was just so bad that we couldn't justify it. I so wish the nursery would put a gratuities line on their check out receipts. If anybody deserves a tip, it's the ladies putting up with my two year old for hours on end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 I so wish the nursery would put a gratuities line on their check out receipts. If anybody deserves a tip, it's the ladies putting up with my two year old for hours on end. This. I am continually amazed how dedicated and hard working the nursery staff is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monorailmedic Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 My general rule of thumb...is as soon as someone tries to "force" me to pay a tip for something, I usually decline. ...well and pay more attention to bad and slow service and adjust my grats accordingly. Remembering that regardless of what we call these costs, they are the staff's pay - not extra for going above and beyon. I agree, to that extent, that the way this is done is poor - but without going off on a tangent I think it's broken throughout North America. The problem is that some may decline to pay based on that obligation without thinking about the fact that this doesn't send nearly as much of a message to the company and those who set the policy as it does to those who work for those service charges. If someone (say a stateroom attendant) doesn't put a solid level of effort forth, then I can certainly understand and support adjusting the ammount that goes to that person. I completely agree to voting with your wallet, but if your intention is to cast a vote expressing your discontent for the policy, then that is best accomplished by calling and writing RCI, filling out those post-cruise surveys, and yes, voting with your wallet and sailing a cruise line with different policies on this (you see where that part quickly becomes hard though). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christie Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 I wish they would just build the gratuities into the fare, honestly and allow for additional tipping as deemed necessary. PS, I like your signature Billy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 Caution, some PG-13 language Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monorailmedic Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 Adam Conover is my final form. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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