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The bar servers and spa personnel on a cruise ship are not part of the tipping pool that the auto-gratuities would have gone to. In effect, your dining rooms servers and cabin steward worked their butts off for you for free all week because you were too cheap to tip them. Unbelievable.
Oh, really? Giving them $450 each was too cheap? I think not.
And the bar servers and spa personnel are included in the Automatic Gratuity program. I checked the Royal Caribbean website before I wrote that sentence.
Absolutely. I just spent 5 weeks in South Africa/Europe. I spent about 500-600 dollars in tips throughout the entire trip. Tour guides, maids, et al. Tipping has gotten way out of hand and, the worst thing is, many expect it from American's. In Australia, no one tips waiting staff. Yet, we tip everyone. So, many people believe we are rich and they are entitled to a tip..
As I said in a previous post, American's should be careful about tipping too much in a developing country. I am not sure if $600 is too much in your case because you had tour guides, etc. But, generally, Americans tip too much. In the contrary of most people thinking they are doing a good thing, providing for the economy and those that don't make too much money, they are actually hurting these countries by misdirecting the economy. When you have a porter making more money then a doctor or teacher, what do the children then want to do when they grow up? Become a doctor or teacher contributing to the country? Or a porter making a good living on tips.
It's totally out of hand. People forget that tips are for good service and even those who provide the worst service expect to be tipped. Good luck with that.
Oh, really? Giving them $450 each was too cheap? I think not.
And the bar servers and spa personnel are included in the Automatic Gratuity program. I checked the Royal Caribbean website before I wrote that sentence.
Are you actually saying you tipped the bar wait staff and the spa people $450.00? And what about the cabin steward? I rarely agree with Annerk but I do this time. yes, you have the right to remove gratuities but no matter what you think you are punishing them. If you think tipping them separately is the answer, they are required to claim what you give them if you have taken the auto tips off your bill. They still have to share their tips. If you tip them on top of the auto gratuities, that is different. You are wrong about the spa and bar staff. Yes, there is an auto tip added to your service bill, but they are not part of the tipping pool on top of that. You are not understanding what you are reading. Maybe it isn't worded correctly. and how about all those who are included in the pool that you do not come in contact with on a daily basis, who should tip them if not the passengers?
I don't mind tipping for good service. But what is sad is the only places that offer good service now are boutique or luxury items. That type of service used to be offered for free at ordinary places 30 years ago. Now, it's a premium. For example, if you want friendly good customer service, it's seen as a premium and you have to stay at the Four Seasons to get that. If you want a good waiter who is polite, patient, smiles, refills your drinks without asking, checks upon you, you have to dine at a 4 or 5 star restaurant. Cab drivers in my experience are typically rude and try to rip you off. If you want a polite honest driver, you have to hire a car service. If you want service at a clothing store, you have to shop at Nordstrom otherwise if you walk into standard store, you will get ignored. If you want good service at an auto dealer, you have to shop at Lexus; they wash your cars for free, will pick up and drop off your car at most dealers etc. You have to pay more but I think it's worth it most of the time. Even for grocery stores, the only store I've been to where the grocer is friendly smiles and will personally walk you to the aisle with the item you are looking for is Whole Foods. Your routine grocery store will make it challenging to find an employee and then they will tell you to check out an aisle but won't walk with you or show you it.
I've identified the cause. The cost of doing business has escalated. Companies hire less employees. Employees feel overworked and unable to keep up with demand so they rush you and service declines.
Case in point, 30 years ago, I worked in a store that still operates today. Back then we had a greeter and protocol. When you arrived in the store, you were required to greet that person within 10-15 seconds, You were required to ask them if they needed help with anything. You were expected to smile and volunteer to go to the stock room if merchandise was unavailable. We had enough people to man each section. We had a manager who actively supervised and knew when you were not doing your job. Now when I go to that same store, there is no greeter. One person will man 2 or 3 sections. There is no supervisor or manager anywhere to be found. The employees know they are not being supervised. I've been to the same store in multiple locations and it's the same.
The bottom line is this: As a customer, you can't really control tips because you will be expected to tip. BUT, you can control where you tip. Choose to do business with good companies and ones that offer great service. The bad companies with poor service wither away. It's a form of corporate evolution. The strong will survive. The key is not to reinforce bad companies or particular stores etc.
I disagree. Some of the best service I've had over the past year wasn't in luxury formats. Some of the worst was.
I had a sales clerk in Nordstrom treat me so rudely that I walked out and called to complain the next day once my anger had subsided.
I had very poor service at a luxury hotel in Rome with a rude concierge who wouldn't answer a simple question about the best way to get to an address and simply handed me a map with no legend.
Conversely...
I was very ill and had stopped at the local grocery store to pick up some milk and a prescription. I accidentally left the prescription at the register. The store called me to say I had left it, and the clerk who called told me she lived in the same general neighborhood and would deliver it to me on her way home an hour later if that was OK.
I had a desk clerk at a Hampton Inn offer to bring extra ice and upgraded me to a suite when I checked in without a reservation. I had fallen and badly sprained my ankle earlier in the day, and was in terrible pain. He also offered to have their van take me to the local Urgent Care. I would have expected that type of service from the InterContinental or Four Seasons, it was greatly appreciated and unexpected at the Hampton.
The list goes on, but I don't think that it's always a low staffing issue--more that some people are working in customer service jobs who shouldn't be while others are naturally inclined to provide exceptional service.
I do agree about speaking with your wallet. I would rather shop at Nordstroms where I always (except that one time) get extraordinary service. I refuse to support WalMart and haven't stepped foot in one in 10 years.
By the way, try shopping at Wegman's or Publix. You'll always have someone help you, and it's not usually hard to find someone to do so. Most of the time they will gladly walk you to the proper aisle and help you find the item. Their prices are higher than WalMart, but hey, you get what you pay for.
Oh, really? Giving them $450 each was too cheap? I think not.
And the bar servers and spa personnel are included in the Automatic Gratuity program. I checked the Royal Caribbean website before I wrote that sentence.
I call BS.
From the RCCL web site:
Quote:
Gratuities
Q: How does my gratuity help the crew and who does it go to?
A:
Our guests' complete satisfaction is the goal of every crew and staff member onboard. The gratuity is shared between the crew members who serve guests throughout their vacation.
Guest gratuities go to the following crew and staff members:
Dining Services
Stateroom Attendant
Other Housekeeping Personnel
As I said in a previous post, American's should be careful about tipping too much in a developing country. I am not sure if $600 is too much in your case because you had tour guides, etc. But, generally, Americans tip too much. In the contrary of most people thinking they are doing a good thing, providing for the economy and those that don't make too much money, they are actually hurting these countries by misdirecting the economy. When you have a porter making more money then a doctor or teacher, what do the children then want to do when they grow up? Become a doctor or teacher contributing to the country? Or a porter making a good living on tips.
Become a doctor and move to the US where they can become rich and join a country club...
Are you actually saying you tipped the bar wait staff and the spa people $450.00? And what about the cabin steward? I rarely agree with Annerk but I do this time. yes, you have the right to remove gratuities but no matter what you think you are punishing them. If you think tipping them separately is the answer, they are required to claim what you give them if you have taken the auto tips off your bill. They still have to share their tips. If you tip them on top of the auto gratuities, that is different. You are wrong about the spa and bar staff. Yes, there is an auto tip added to your service bill, but they are not part of the tipping pool on top of that. You are not understanding what you are reading. Maybe it isn't worded correctly. and how about all those who are included in the pool that you do not come in contact with on a daily basis, who should tip them if not the passengers?
Well, we didn't visit the spa, so I'm not going to tip them. We also didn't hang out by the pool, so we didn't tip them. Those who used those amenities, should do that. As far as drinks went, we brought our own and any that we had through the cruise line were at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If we did visit the bar, we tipped the bar attenedent right there and then (just like you normally would).
The cabin steward and our two dining waiters (one was regular and one was asst.) received $450 each and we had more than one room, so that adds up. Our cabin steward's assistant and a lady in housekeeping that was always singing also received a tip from us, but not $450.
We spent 2 or 3 nights by the casino, so the casino attendants received a tip (obviously not $450, because they we weren't in there for 7 days).
Explain how I'm punishing people that didn't do anything for me?
I misinterpreted what RC said, but here it is:
Quote:
The gratuity is shared between the crew members who serve guests throughout their vacation. Guest gratuities go to the following crew and staff members: Dining Services, Stateroom Attendant, and Other Housekeeping Personnel
A 15% gratuity is automatically added to bar service beverages, mini bar items, Spa & Salon services. These gratuities may be itemized on your receipt.
So you stiffed the crew that cleaned your toilet and served you your meals.
I do not believe that you gave every bartender and spa therapist a $450 tip. I hear the birdies saying cheap cheap cheap.
Well, I guess I did stiff the person who cleaned the bathroom.
Let me clarify: My cabin attendent and 2 waiters (one was a reg. and one was the asst.) received $450 each. When visiting the bar, the bartender was tipped right there and then (just like you normally would. I didn't visit the spa or the pool, hence why I didn't tip them.
Well, I guess I did stiff the person who cleaned the bathroom.
Let me clarify: My cabin attendent and 2 waiters (one was a reg. and one was the asst.) received $450 each. When visiting the bar, the bartender was tipped right there and then (just like you normally would. I didn't visit the spa or the pool, hence why I didn't tip them.
So what about the servers at breakfast and lunch? The Maitre 'D/dining room manager who makes sure everything runs smoothly?
You had multiple rooms--how many people were in your party?
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