Beverage Gratuities

[Ann]

Is it possible to Opt Out of Beverage Gratuities?  

Please restrict advice to what is actually possible, not personal opinions please.

This is for Australian and New Zealand tours only.

Just want to know if going to the Service Desk at the beginning of the cruise will allow me to remove all Gratuities.  I would like to make my own decisions on what gratuities I will pay for service, drinks etc etc

 

[RBRSKI]

I don't think so!  Also, I would much rather choose to add an additional tip, rather then the bartender print out a slip and hand it to me for more tip.  

[whenismynextcruise]

This is a sad topic. And yes that is my personal opinion.

[mworkman]

Correct me if i'm wrong, but I believe what the OP's though process is...is by removing the prepaid gratuities you can reward those who provide great services based accordingly with the tips...much like what we currently have in the U.S. Restaurant industry and those who don't provide a quality service accordingly.

@whenismynextcruise  Comments like yours aren't needed!  What is sad is that there are a select group of people that would choose not to tip at all!  

We all know that tips are used to supplement the low wages that they (Crew/Staff) are paid, thus why the cruise entertainment industry implemented the gratuity system.

What i like about this forum, unlike others... members tend to be more relaxed and don't attack other members base on disagreements.

[monorailmedic]

For beverage gratuities, I don't believe so - they're automatically applied with each transaction.  Part of this is because there are folks who work behind the scenes (bar backs, staff who stock the snacks at bars, people cleaning the area, etc) who are tipped out of that pool.  It's just something to keep in mind if you're going to be tipping "manually" Not all of the people with tip-based compensation who are working hard to make your cruise enjoyable are on the front lines.

[jticarruthers]

Not able to respond specific to AUS/NZ market but I know for the US market that the 18% gratuity is not optional and not removable. I know this because it is automatically added to some purchases in the "gift shop" and I was unpleasantly surprised to be paying an 18% gratuity on the bottle of childrens Tylenol I was trying to buy (at an already ridiculous price). Needless to say the Tylenol supply is always updated pre-cruise now after that learning experience.

[whenismynextcruise]

You and I both agree that it is indeed sad that a select group of people would choose not to tip at all and that is where, in my opinion, I saw this thread going.

@mworkman     "Comments like yours aren't needed!  What is sad is that there are a select group of people that would chose not to tip at all! " --- My comment was relevant to the post and it doesn't warrant censure by you or anyone else. 

"What i like about this forum, unlike others... members tend to be more relaxed and don't attack other members base on disagreements." -- by telling me that "Comments like yours aren't needed!'" is exactly what you are doing to me.

Does this really bother me? No not really, but I threw no stones at anyone. Please don't throw them at me.

 

 

[CGTLH]

For some reason I want to say that beverage pricing already factors in gratuity when sailing out of Australia and New Zealand region.

[F1guynz]

Hi, When you book a cruise on the Australia and New Zealand website they are now included as part of the base fare/price for the room steward and dining room so are not removable. For specialty dining it is optional to add a tip (we usually do) and I would guess it is the same for casual drinks (we never buy any so I am not sure on this).

I think it is now part of the base fare as it is not normal to tip here and people are probably a little uncomfortable with it.

Also remember all prices on the ship are American dollars so if you choose to tip you need to factor that in.

 

 

 

[BrianAlt]

I believe drink prices say the 18% is automatically added and there isn't any way to remove it.

But I could be wrong about that.

[Matt]

1 hour ago, BrianAlt said:

I believe drink prices say the 18% is automatically added and there isn't any way to remove it.

But I could be wrong about that.

I'm not aware of a way to remove it either

[EmersonNZ]

So if it not possible to remove the gratuity is not jsut the cost of the drink? If that's the case then why have the illusion of a gratuity which is normally a choice to reward good service.

[monctonguy]

That's the way that Royal and the whole cruise industry does it.(I know no other industry that does it like this) 

I personally feel like its underhanded and an unscrupulous  way of doing it.

 

I have NO issues with tipping when/for/if good service...but in my opinion if your getting paid already to do your job, unless you go over and above, you don't deserve an automatic 20% pay raise. I only wish it worked like that in my industry!

 

Just up the prices to include the tip and end it at that if that money is actually that important and truly is going to the staff using whatever methods behind the scene they use that we don't really exactly know.

 

 At the end of the day, they would prob get MORE tips, as people wouldn't see that 18% gratituty everytime they get a drink whch may cause people to tip more often at the end of the day.

[JBC]

52 minutes ago, monctonguy said:

I have NO issues with tipping when/for/if good service...but in my opinion if your getting paid already to do your job, unless you go over and above, you don't deserve an automatic 20% pay raise. I only wish it worked like that in my industry!

How about after the automatic 20%, you are asked to if you would like to add "additional gratuity"!  

The whole practice of tipping has gotten so out of hand, everywhere you turn now a days there is a tip jar sitting there.  I am firmly in the camp of just charge me a price that affords the business owner the ability to pay the employee a fair wage.    

[jticarruthers]

Since we are veering into the tip/rant discussion, I have always had an issue with the flat 18% "gratuity tax" on drinks and was extremely pleasantly surprised to find out the Carnival doesn't charge it on the self-serve beer stations ... actual logic .... if you aren't receiving a service you aren't charged for it !!

Back to Royal though, it has always rubbed me the wrong way to pay a flat 18% on all charges ... if you take the time to hand make a great cocktail for me, absolutely you deserve a tip and I have no problem giving it ... if you take the top of my bottle of beer and hand it to me (or better yet, put six unopened beers in my cooler for me to carry around and open later) not feeling that to be worth 18% ... maybe i'm just a cheapskate but sorry the level of effort involved doesn't warrant it in my book.

[mworkman]

The biggest thing people tend forget or just don't know...Tipping is mainly a North American custom that has expanded to other countries, However there are still country's that don't recognize or consider it an insult to tip.

[RBRSKI]

To the last FOUR people who replied,  I totally agree with everything you say.  Now, I totally can't remember if the Bionic Bar included the 18% gratuity but if it does, what a slap in the face.  At least it doesn't hand you a receipt requesting more tip!  lol

Anyway, I know on this blog we have many good opinions to how RCCL could improve on somethings but when we step on board (which happens to be in 17 days on the Freedom for Turkey Day) we forget about the "problems" 

[Matt]

1 hour ago, RBRSKI said:

Now, I totally can't remember if the Bionic Bar included the 18% gratuity but if it does, what a slap in the face.

It does, and the tips go to the people that help guests at the bar and clean the bar.  

[RBRSKI]

12 minutes ago, Matt said:

It does, and the tips go to the people that help guests at the bar and clean the bar.  

Oh Yeah, I did see a person wiping the counter down.

[RBRSKI]

Almost like walking into McDonald's now(only went in because I was on a school road trip) and ordering from a kiosk!  lol  I couldn't believe it.  Guess it's cheaper then paying a person minimum wage. :( 

[JBC]

22 minutes ago, RBRSKI said:

Oh Yeah, I did see a person wiping the counter down.

Get that person some "additional gratuity"!!

?

[F1guynz]

Tipping certainly raises passion in people. You have to remember that Australia and New Zealand don't really have a tipping culture as people are on higher wages (the minimum wage in New Zealand is $15.75) so here service is built into the cost.

If we do tip people it is probably nothing like the tips that would get from the American market. For example on a 2 week cruise we are in a suite and I would normally tip the room steward an extra $20 at the end of the cruise. I do add a tip at the speciality restaurants and also give $20 to the bartender in the suite lounge. I don't normally tip the Concierge as he said he is well enough paid already and doesn't expect it.  In fact I can't think to anyone else that I give extra cash to if it is not automatically charged to the sea pass card.

I think the trouble with RCI coming into a market like Aus/New Zealand is people aren't used to it and expect an all inclusive price. Here gratuities for the dining room and room steward are included in the base fare but not for other services like spa, drinks etc. I think this adds to the confusion as they already think they have paid their gratuities. The best solution in my opinion for this market is not to separate it out and just have a set price that includes the gratuity (i.e. $14, not $12 + 18% . If you do that people just pay without issue. When you buy a cup of coffee you don't get an itemised account of how much the water, milk, and coffee cost. You just get an overall price and happily pay it.

I know some people will not agree with me but we do not live in the United States are used to all inclusive pricing.

 

[twangster]

1 hour ago, F1guynz said:

Tipping certainly raises passion in people. You have to remember that Australia and New Zealand don't really have a tipping culture as people are on higher wages (the minimum wage in New Zealand is $15.75) so here service is built into the cost.

To an extent Canadians can find themselves in similar hot water when traveling in the US.  There is a long standing joke that US restaurant workers say of Canadians... "What's the difference between a Canadian and a canoe?...  A canoe tips".  

In the US it remains common for some restaurant workers (in some states) to not be eligible for a standard minimum wage and much of their income is based on tips alone, even to this day.  That's a very 'foreign' concept for many outside of the US.  

[Sailor_to_Cruiser]

My wife, who is British by the way, believes that all servers should get tips.  regardless of the quality of service provided because their wages are so poor.  My feeling towards it is that if their wages are so poor and they rely on the tips, they need to work for the tips.  If I get just standard service, I'll tip, but not too much.  If the service is sub standard, I will not tip.  If I get good, fast and efficient service, I will be very generous.  If you want the tip, show me that you want it.

[F1guynz]

Don’t get me wrong, I think in most instances tipping definitely does produce a higher level of service so I am not opposed to it. The only real issue i see is when you operate a ship in market where tipping is not the norm and peoples attitude is “I don’t believe in tipping” then it is just best to build the cost into all additional spending so that everyone is happy.

Maybe the staff are paid more when they are in the part of the world to compensate for smaller or no tips,  It seems like RCI is fair employer who wouldn’t want to see their employees disadvantaged.

 

 

 

 

[twangster]

It is a complex issue to operate ships based in many different cultural norms.  Currently Radiance and Explorer spend the North American summer in Alaska then make their way across to operate in the South Pacific for that summer season.  In many cases crew contract timing works out so they end up working in both regions.

The crew need predictable compensation while the ships have to adjust gratuity to suit local norms.  Gratuity and tipping is very engrained in the American culture.  I'm confident that RCI doesn't simply inform its crew that there are no gratuity in Australia so you will receive less compensation, it's more likely base fares are adjusted to suit local norms when operating in areas where that is the norm. 

I've never seen a crew contract but I don't imagine they all gather around after we all disembark and split the tip jar figuratively speaking.  I've always assumed that contracts specify a wage but how that wage is delivered varies region to region.  While in North America fares are lowered but gratuity charged while in other regions fares are raised with no gratuity added.  All the money goes into the big wallet and crew are paid just like fuel and food suppliers are.  When averaged over months of operating fares are adjusted to be profitable yet competitive.   

In any service industry, motivating employees to provide great service is always a challenge.  Gratuity and tipping from a North American perspective is supposed to motivate employees to provide great service.  That is the justification here in many states to exempt restaurant workers from minimum wage laws.

How are beverage purchases on ships based in AU/NZ billed?  Do they add 18% gratuity to individual beverage purchases? 

In the US beverage packages are subject to an 18% gratuity charged at time of purchase.  Often these packages are offered at discounts or on sale pre-cruise.  When I buy a beverage package at $41 per day on sale, less gratuity is received compared to someone on the ship that buys the same package for $55 per day.  Yet we all expect great bar service despite some of us paying less gratuity having bought it on sale.

I find it very interesting and informative to have participation in this forum from different regions.  Thanks to all who participate in a healthy and respectful discussion.  

[monctonguy]

8 hours ago, twangster said:

To an extent Canadians can find themselves in similar hot water when traveling in the US.  There is a long standing joke that US restaurant workers say of Canadians... "What's the difference between a Canadian and a canoe?...  A canoe tips".  

In the US it remains common for some restaurant workers (in some states) to not be eligible for a standard minimum wage and much of their income is based on tips alone, even to this day.  That's a very 'foreign' concept for many outside of the US.  

Interesting....as I always thought we tipped more than Americans in a lot of cases.....I remember the days when there was NO tip jar at Dunkin Donuts which I thought was weird as here in Canada if you don't tip at your local coffee shop its frowned upon and has been the case for as long as I have been drinking coffee(however with more people using debit to pay it is changing).

That being said, servers in Canada do not get paid a lower wage for serving..which I know can be the case in many states. They all make the minimum wage in the province that they work ($11-15/hr) give or take.

 

So it is true that there is less "need" to tip in Canada as they all make the same wage and do not make LESS money simply cause they serve you. I am sure if servers in Canada made half the minimum wage it would be a very different story. I am sure that has a lot to do with it!

 

That being said, tipping 15-20% on a meal is certainly the norm for us at any sitdown restaurant or pub/bar.

[Bazza]

Interesting topic and it almost makes my head hurt!! Great example of how countries vary on how they perceive service.

In the UK, although not the 'tip dependency' culture of our American cousins, it is the norm to tip at around 10-15% of a total bill for meals. Interesting thing is we vary rarely tip bar staff 'for doing their job' especially when we are at the bar and not having waiter/waitress service which is what we do in most pubs.

Many places now automatically add the gratuity to the final bill, especially if more than say 6 people eating. If the service was bad then we would obviously challenge that!

To me a service/process involved in getting a drink to a person is the same whether it is a $5 drink or a $25 drink (ok cocktails may be a little more involved and theatrical as per Tom Cruise!) so 18% is either 90 cents or $4.50 in the examples given. If reliant on tips, who is the bar person going to be more focused on - the person with Dr Pepper or with Jack Daniels!??

I agree with one of the previous posters, the gratuity should be personal choice - if they do a better than expected job, tip them. If they are doing what they are getting paid to do then maybe you don't. But their wage should be based on that. If they are guaranteed to get 18% no matter what is there an incentive to do more?

Not a moan but an opinion on a hot topic! 

PS the screen grab below is on the booking page on my cruise - I am in UK, cruise is Australia/NZ/Singapore -  is this standard across other areas?  

 

[twangster]

59 minutes ago, monctonguy said:

Interesting....as I always thought we tipped more than Americans in a lot of cases.....I remember the days when there was NO tip jar at Dunkin Donuts which I thought was weird as here in Canada if you don't tip at your local coffee shop its frowned upon and has been the case for as long as I have been drinking coffee(however with more people using debit to pay it is changing).

That being said, servers in Canada do not get paid a lower wage for serving..which I know can be the case in many states. They all make the minimum wage in the province that they work ($11-15/hr) give or take.

 

So it is true that there is less "need" to tip in Canada as they all make the same wage and do not make LESS money simply cause they serve you. I am sure if servers in Canada made half the minimum wage it would be a very different story. I am sure that has a lot to do with it!

 

That being said, tipping 15-20% on a meal is certainly the norm for us at any sitdown restaurant or pub/bar.

Didn't mean to pick on Canada.  I was born and raised in Canada before moving to the US and becoming a US citizen later in life.  I'm proud of my Canadian roots but can see this from an American perspective as well having lived in the US for 20 years now. 

[tiny260]

I was in the Mediterranean last year on Harmony, spent 4 days in Barcelona 2 before and 2 after. I saw people tipping and some not at restaurants, I got so confused that I asked the hotel front desk person what i was supposed to do, I was told that tipping is appreciated but not mandatory, basically the same situation explained in other post, if I received excellent service, tip, but it didn't have to be the 15-20% in the US, if we didn't receive good service, don't tip.

I usually prepay all my gratuities and then if someone provides exemplary service I use the WOW envelopes and tip some additional, in October on the Allure I tipped (WOW) my room steward and the Diamond Concierge. The room steward was exactly what I expect, I see you on the first day, tell you what we like, they learn our schedule and I never see them again. You know they have been in the room because it is picked up and clean. 

My wife wanted a certain wine, Moscato, that she had on Harmony, but found out it wasn't part of the package for free drinks on our Diamond status drink package and was not available in the Diamond lounge, but the Concierge made it available to her in the lounge by getting it from another bar. That is exceptional service.

[rjac]

49 minutes ago, tiny260 said:

WOW envelopes

Where do you get these? I, too, prepay my gratuities and give cash to those that go "above & beyond". I like the idea of the envelope, more discreet that hanging someone a wad of cash!

[WAAAYTOOO]

I never see the WOW envelopes anymore.  They were sooo uuuge for a while and then they just disappeared.

[DocLC]

5 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I never see the WOW envelopes anymore.  They were sooo uuuge for a while and then they just disappeared.

Yeah, it's been about 2 years since I saw my last one.

[Lovetocruise2002]

4 hours ago, monctonguy said:

Interesting....as I always thought we tipped more than Americans in a lot of cases.....I remember the days when there was NO tip jar at Dunkin Donuts which I thought was weird as here in Canada if you don't tip at your local coffee shop its frowned upon and has been the case for as long as I have been drinking coffee(however with more people using debit to pay it is changing).

 

Even more interesting is that maybe it varies different parts of Canada?  @monctonguy I had to read this twice to make sure I read it correctly the first time.  Born and raised in Southern Ontario, I always assumed we (Canadians) tipped less than Americans and I am surprised when I see a tip jar at the local Tim Horton's.  I find this gratuities topic very eye opening....

And @rjac, @WAAAYTOOO, and @DocLC they had the WOW envelopes on Harmony in August.  We used a few of them to give extra to a few crew members.

[monctonguy]

@Sabrinaklai.....it would be weird NOT to see a tip jar at the local Tims...maybe it is a cultural thing without getting too much into that topic.....but I was so surprised when I would visit a coffee shop and they didn't have a tip jar as I said.

To be honest though, I never travel in Canada any longer so its been years since I was outside of Atlantic Canada.  I always head south now...even if its just acorss the border to Maine...much cheaper and  more enjoyable then heading east to Quebec or Ontario imho. I guess if you count the airport at Peason or Trudeau I visit Ont and Que often but.......

[Lovetocruise2002]

1 hour ago, monctonguy said:

@Sabrinaklai.....it would be weird NOT to see a tip jar at the local Tims...maybe it is a cultural thing without getting too much into that topic.....but I was so surprised when I would visit a coffee shop and they didn't have a tip jar as I said.

This topic has prompted me to do a quick Google search....

http://nationalpost.com/life/food/the-important-questions-should-you-tip-your-barista-and-if-so-how-much

http://www.whototip.net/tipping-in-canada

?

Not sure what kind of conclusion to draw....

[twangster]

1 hour ago, Sabrinaklai said:

Not sure what kind of conclusion to draw....

When GST first hit Ontario the big thing as restaurant goers was to not tip on the final total but only to tip on the food or beverage subtotal.  With PST and GST being 15% of taxes it could make a big difference!

[F1guynz]

As a New Zealander the one I struggle with is the Royal Genie (I have never had a cabin with one). Royal Caribbean promotes it as one of the advantages of booking that class of cabin, therefore are they not already paid by RCI to provide a high level of service? Those cabins are already very expensive and in my mind I don’t see why I need to pay additional. Even if I did tip them would the expectation be hundreds of dollars at the end of the cruise because the cabin cost so much in the first place?

[WAAAYTOOO]

5 hours ago, F1guynz said:

would the expectation be hundreds of dollars at the end of the cruise because the cabin cost so much in the first place?

Yes, that’s is the expectation.  

[tiny260]

On 11/3/2017 at 1:38 PM, Sabrinaklai said:

And @rjac, @WAAAYTOOO, and @DocLC they had the WOW envelopes on Harmony in August.  We used a few of them to give extra to a few crew members

They had the WOW envelopes on Allure in October.