Jump to content

Price Hike: Gratuities for 2018


rjac

Recommended Posts

Here's my question, in the past you could go to guest services on first day and opt out of the daily gratuities. I am in no way trying to get out of paying it, my wife and I tip generously but prefer to hand it to the staff in cash and in person (a lot of times at a higher rate than the preset amount). Any idea if this will still be the case?? We have a booked cruise for next september with two other couples. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, Jason.H. said:

I tip generously but prefer to hand it to the staff in cash and in person

From what I understand from talking to some waiters, cabin attendants, etc. they prefer the prepaid gratuities for security reasons. Having a lot of cash at the end of a cruise presents a security problem sometimes. The prepaid gratuity automatically deposits the gratuity to their on board account and they can withdraw from it as they want. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, Jason.H. said:

Here's my question, in the past you could go to guest services on first day and opt out of the daily gratuities. I am in no way trying to get out of paying it, my wife and I tip generously but prefer to hand it to the staff in cash and in person (a lot of times at a higher rate than the preset amount). Any idea if this will still be the case?? We have a booked cruise for next september with two other couples. 

Yes, you need to go to Guest Services to make that happen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd be interested in seeing a crew contract and payment schedule.  Do the crew actually get paid per person based on the stated breakdown on a per cruise basis or does it all go into the RC pot of money and crew are on a fixed price contract?  

If it's per person they must hate us solo cruisers.  While I pay a 100% single supplement I only pay gratuity for one.

The gratuity increases over the last few years are more than double the rate of inflation over same period.  There must be cost overruns on the new ships being built.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest toodle68
1 hour ago, rjac said:

From what I understand from talking to some waiters, cabin attendants, etc. they prefer the prepaid gratuities for security reasons. Having a lot of cash at the end of a cruise presents a security problem sometimes. The prepaid gratuity automatically deposits the gratuity to their on board account and they can withdraw from it as they want. 

Interesting.. I had not thought about that. What do they do with 10-20 envelopes of cash per cruise (assuming people tip a little). The one day they might be able to get to a bank is on the day they generally can not get off the ship.. and that assumes they have a US bank, which might not even be possible for foreign workers with an overseas address. That is a lot of cash to be carrying at the end of a 7 month contract.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, toodle68 said:

he one day they might be able to get to a bank is on the day they generally can not get off the ship.. and that assumes they have a US bank, which might not even be possible for foreign workers with an overseas address. That is a lot of cash to be carrying at the end of a 7 month contract.

There are some solutions, 

first , yes a foreign can open a bank account in the US although not all the banks like to handle it , all you need is passport and sign on a W8/9 form,

But as you said not sure they are allow to the US at all , so they can do several things :

1. Use services like MonyGram  which you can find almost everywhere , they can just transfer to their families.

2.  Deposit it to the bank account RC is deposit their pay checks (I guess it might be in the Bahamas).

3. Buy gold which is much easier to carry.

4. If RC allows it , deposit to their RC account.

But not really sure what they are doing.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, rjac said:

From what I understand from talking to some waiters, cabin attendants, etc. they prefer the prepaid gratuities for security reasons. Having a lot of cash at the end of a cruise presents a security problem sometimes. The prepaid gratuity automatically deposits the gratuity to their on board account and they can withdraw from it as they want. 

 

3 hours ago, toodle68 said:

Interesting.. I had not thought about that. What do they do with 10-20 envelopes of cash per cruise (assuming people tip a little). The one day they might be able to get to a bank is on the day they generally can not get off the ship.. and that assumes they have a US bank, which might not even be possible for foreign workers with an overseas address. That is a lot of cash to be carrying at the end of a 7 month contract.

Hmm...all these cruises and that never once crossed my mind.  That is a very interesting point and now I am wondering if you can go to guest services at the end of a cruise and add extra gratuities for a specific crew member instead of giving them cash?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Sabrinaklai said:

Hmm...all these cruises and that never once crossed my mind.  That is a very interesting point and now I am wondering if you can go to guest services at the end of a cruise and add extra gratuities for a specific crew member instead of giving them cash?

Sabrina,

You can do that anytime during the cruise. At the end of a cruise there will be a lot of folks in the guest services line and each one will have a different problem they need to get resolved and that can take some time. It has been our experience that after a couple of days we know who the star performers are for us, ie, cabin attendant, waiter, etc. and who the not so star performers are. I usually hit the guest services desk about half way through the cruise and increase/decrease the gratuity accordingly. Just be sure you get crew members name correct! Oh yeah, forgot to mention before that at the end of the cruise, I always tell the cabin attendant, waiter, etc. that I have pre-paid their gratuity. That way they won't think I have stiffed them.

Happy New Year!:27_sunglasses:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Allen2 said:

Tips going up $2 per person per day.  Only way to avoid increase is to prepay tips by January 2, 2018.  Basic tips now will be $14.50 pp per day (Suites more).

If you have booked a cruise BEFORE January 2nd, you are grandfathered in at the old gratuity rate of $13.50 per person per day. Any cruises booked AFTER January 2nd will have the $14.50 gratuity fee.:27_sunglasses:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmm...all these cruises and that never once crossed my mind.  That is a very interesting point and now I am wondering if you can go to guest services at the end of a cruise and add extra gratuities for a specific crew member instead of giving them cash?

 

I did this on one of my recent cruises...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, BobNoxious said:

Article has one factual error. It says you have to pre-pay before Jan 2 to lock in the old rate; the official email from Royal Caribbean specifically stated that you pre-pay any time until 3 days prior to sailing date for any cruise booked prior to Jan 2 and still get the old rate. Only cruises booked after Jan 2, or before then but not pre-paid, will be subject to the new rate.

5a4bb866cac1b_UpdatedGratuities.thumb.png.1a84a44f24159a2d8e6ed8a08aa8c9ac.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The way it was explained to me, you had to pre-pay before 1/2/18 to get the old rate.

Email from MEI travel on 12/26/17:

Hello!

Royal Caribbean will be raising its automatic daily gratuity amount that guests pay per night of their cruise beginning on January 2, 2018. Beginning January 2, guests will pay a $14.50 per guest, per night service charge in Standard staterooms, and $17.50 per guest, per night in Suites (current daily gratuity amounts are $13.50 and $16.50).  If you have already prepaid your gratuities, you will be grandfathered into the current rates.  

Guests currently booked that have not yet added gratuities to their reservations may add them at the old rate up until January 1, 2018. The cost of the gratuities will be added to your final payment. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Floski said:

Okay, call me an idiot (not literally, rjac!), but how do I pay for my gratuities in advance?  

I can't find it anywhere on the website.  Do I have to call?  We sail next week!

 

You do have to call (or ask your travel agent) to prepay gratuity.  My understanding was you had to do this by Jan. 2, 2018 to secure the old rate. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, D Murphy said:

We were informed by email that gratuities were going up..But this was after we had already booked our cruise...Seems like this should not be allowed if you are already booked..

 

Anyone?

Did you book it before January 2018?  If so, then you should still get the old rate.  If not, then it's going up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, D Murphy said:

We were informed by email that gratuities were going up..But this was after we had already booked our cruise...Seems like this should not be allowed if you are already booked..

 

Anyone?

Welcome to the message boards!

If you booked in 2017 you can call your travel agent or RC directly (if that is how you booked) and pre-pay gratuity at the old rate.  If you wait until on-board, you will pay the new rate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Just spoke with RCCL -- it was confirmed to me that as long as I prepaid 4 days before sailing, I would be paying the old rate -- I have a reminder in my calendar to do it about 12 days before, so I don't have to add something else to my credit card -- between booking with deposit in December & adding drink packages, spa services, excursions & finally paying it off over the last 2 months, my credit card needs a break!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Update for non-US cruisers: If you want to benefit from the old gratuity rates, talk to your local RCI subsidiary. If you are a German resident you have to pay the new gratuity rates even if you pay in advance. I know it isn't that much money but I get annoyed when companies aren't true to their word.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting tidbit - old rate applies for prepaid gratuities if you completely change a cruise that was booked before the new rate this year.

Original cruise was for my wife and myself in October 2018 - changed to a trip for her and two friends in June 2019. Prepaid gratuities are listed at the old $13.50 rate for that 2019 trip (prepaid gratuities wasn't added to the booking until AFTER the change was made).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...