Rosalie B. wrote:
> We are going for our first Royal Caribbean cruise next month.
>
> Before we just did the automatic tipping thing (secure in the
> knowledge that each of the people that served us would get an
> appropriate amount). We gave extra cash in person to certain crew
> members who had provided extra good service.
>
> (It didn't occur to us to put the cash in an envelope - we just gave
> naked cash. Was this a terrible faux pas?)
Not at all. In fact, if you watch RCCL's information channel on your
stateroom TV, you will see several examples of passengers handing cash
to crew members, such as when you buy drinks and want to give beyond the
15% that is automatically added to the charge ticket.
> Now I understand RCCL has some kind of voucher and envelope system.
> I've been asking various people about this and have gotten some
> answers, but that's brought up even more questions. (I'm that kind of
> person)
>
> So I'm bothering this group from whom I hope to get more
> enlightenment.
>
> My understanding is that on the last night of the cruise, our cabin
> steward will supply vouchers with the appropriate crew member's name
> on them and envelopes with the crew job that the vouchers are to be
> given to.
OK, here's how it works (or at least how it worked for us on The Freedom
two weeks ago). There was a form placed in our stateroom sometime
during the week (maybe Tuesday?) that allowed us to use the prepaid
gratuity service. By filling out this form *and* returning it to Guest
Services, we could have the customary tip amounts (clearly spelled on on
the form) charged to our Seapass account and in turn, we would receive
vouchers to deliver to the appropriate crew members. On this form, it
mentioned that the amounts would be, "paid to the crew serving (us) on
the last night of the cruise." I took that to mean that in case we had
changed dining room tables (and thus wait staff) or had change
staterooms and had a different cabin steward, that the tips would be
automatically paid to those crew members and not split or pro-rated
among the other crew members who had served us earlier.
To make things clear, you prepaid gratuities are not automatic! You
must fill out the form and turn it into Guest Services in order for this
to be done. You can verify that it has been handled by reviewing your
Seapass account charges on the interactive TV system in your stateroom.
Whether or not you choose to use the prepaid gratuity service, your
cabin steward will still deliver empty envelopes with a tipping
guideline sheet to your stateroom on the morning of the last day of your
cruise. If you did use the prepaid gratuity, then later in the evening,
you will have the vouchers delivered separately.
> I have been told that even if we do not put the vouchers into the
> envelopes and give them out, that the crew member will still get the
> money.
Actually, I don't know this for a fact, but I believe it is true. There
was nothing on the voucher that made it unique other that our name and
room number (i.e. no barcode or special markings to make it any sort of
official payment instrument). Also, the wording on the form stating
that the gratuity would be paid to the crew serving us on our last day
made me think that it's tracked on some internal computer system as
opposed to simply paying out to which ever crew member presented a
voucher. And again, with the voucher being so "simple", it would be too
easy for them to be forged.
> So my first question is - why go through all that rigmarole, if it
> doesn't make any difference?
I guess because it's a custom in the industry. Even though the crew
members effectively already had my prepaid gratuities, handing over the
envelope gave us an opportunity to formally thank the crew in person and
give them a big hug in the process.
> If it doesn't make any difference, would it be wrong NOT to put the
> vouchers in the envelopes and just keep them as souvenirs?
Probably, because it might send a mixed message to the crew. And
certainly, I would verify 100% with RCCL Guest Services on board the
ship before doing this. Also, I will mention that i am a big pack-rat
when it comes to vacation memorabilia, and trust me, I had *plenty* of
"stuff" to bring back from our cruise.
> I was also told that I could go to the front desk and ask for the
> amounts to be adjusted - say if we wanted to give more to the room
> steward and less to the assistant waiter. Is that true, or would they
> just print the vouchers up with the different amounts, and then give
> the normal amounts to each crew member? (not only a questioner but
> cynical too you see)
Hmm, I don't know about that! There was no mention on the form of this
possibility; it simply said that prepaid gratuities were the customary
amounts (even including extra for the cabin stewards for suites). On
our Disney cruise last year, we were also able to use the prepaid
gratuity service. DCL has you visit Guest Service sin person and they
will suggest the the customary amounts, but allow you to specify a
different amount. I would imagine that RCCL Guest Services could do the
same.
> Would there be a problem if we paid the normal service charge amount
> via the Seapass account and then put cash in the envelope instead of
> or in addition to the voucher?
Yes, you can add cash to your voucher in the envelope. Again, I would
not use it "in place of" the voucher for fear of confusing your crew
members. I really don't understand why you'd want to keep the vouchers.
They are nothing special, it's just a sheet of paper with perforations
so what you are giving each person is a strip of paper about 2 inches
tall by 8 inches wide. Each strip has the title of the crew member
(waiter, asst. waiter, head waiter and steward) along with your last
name and cabin number on it. It's very plain, nothing fancy at all.
> That is would the crew member have to
> turn it in to the tip pool or could they keep it?
My understanding is these four people (waiter, asst. waiter, head waiter
and cabin steward) do not pool tips. They get exactly what you pay
them. I do know that the dealers in the casino do pool tips. I noticed
the blackjack dealers leaving tips on the table, so I asked, and was
told they are pooled between all dealers and the pit boss. I was quite
disappointed in that as I was tipping not based on my winnings, but
based on the attitude and helpfulness of the dealer.
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- RODNEY |