Despite record breaking profits - Royal Caribbean Cruise raises tips again (Oct 24)

#cruise #cruisetips #cruisenews #royalcaribbean #travel #vacation
Despite record breaking profits - Royal Caribbean Cruise raises tips again (Oct 24)

[@julieb7882]

I'll admit higher gratuities aren't pleasant. However, what people don't realize is that passengers do pay the entirely of the crew's wages, whether in the form of their cruise fare or gratuties.

[@bubbascruise]

The tips is a controversial issue. So we tried to be balanced on what we like and don’t like in the current state of higher tips and worse service. Hopefully it came across as a balanced point of view

[@Libra67jtc]

Everyone who says they tip extra never do. I worked on ships for 20+ years and at RCI for 18 years. Crew who get paid via gratuities do get a minimum basic salary. How grats work is that if the crew member like the cabin attendant or waiter do not make their basic salary for the month the cruise line will pay the difference to the crew member. However the bottom line is that all crew usually make more than the guaranteed basic salary within 2 or 3 cruises so they always make more than their guaranteed salary so the cruise line never loses out. All onboard crew salaries are generated onboard so it's a WIN-WIN for the cruise line. The best thing is when you get onboard cancel your prepaid grats onboard at guest services and only tip those crew who you think deserve a tip. If you are going to speciality restaurants do not tip extra since the grats are already added - tip extra only if service is exceptional which it usually is not. Cruise lines could save money if they took away their senior management's quarterly and year end bonuses since senior management put pressure on supervisors and crew to perform so that they can reap the bonus rewards which is easy $$ for them with minimum accountability.

[@Linda-qm1uz]

Please do not say EVERYONE who says they tip extra never do. That is putting me in that group of passengers you are saying don't tip and that is a lie. I ALWAYS GIVE TIPS TO THOSE WHO PROVIDE SERVICE TO US THROUGHOUT THE CRUISE. shame on you for saying that.

[@bubbascruise]

Thanks for the detailed reply as a lot of that I didn’t know. I’ve never canceled the tips bc I was under the impression that it goes to people behind the scenes as well. So I didn’t want to punish them. The senior management part seems disappointing with record profits going on for the cruise lines

[@bubbascruise]

@@Linda-qm1uz I think the majority of people that tip and say they do extra will atleast tip the cabin steward extra. The wait staff not as much anymore since most don’t do traditional dinning.