Cruise Ship Gratuities

Have you ever cancelled your gratuities while on a cruise?
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[k_Kingdom_Living]

Any tip being automatically added to your bill ia just smoke and mirrors. If you are running a business, you should not expect your customers to pay your employees. Tipping is optional based on exceptional service AFTER services have been rendered. Am I the only person that knows what is happening here?

[mcampbell]

Your video felt a little judgey. I personally like to give a handwritten a thank you card with cash directly to the people serving me. So I want to remove the auto gratuity and reward someone directly who actually gave me service. Then I know they get it. Also, tipping is someone’s personal choice. The ship should pay their staff appropriately. ESPECIALLY when they report millions of dollars in profits every year. And allow people the freedom to decide how to reward. Pre-pay is super easy and a great option, however some like to do it the old fashioned way and should not be made to feel bad about that.

[gstfree]

Thank you for sharing. Tipping is not common in Australia/New Zealand. If cruise departure from Australia adds daily gratuities to account without informing passengers at the contract stage is not legal. To me it is the cruise line's responsibility to remunerate their staffs.

[owenmclain]

I will leave a gratuity if and when I decide it's warranted.

The very idea of pre-paid gratuities is preposterous.

That's stealing from the passengers !

[chickenshippfarmsandoutdoo]

I've prepaid a few times, but usually it's charged to my sail and sign account, but we also keep cash to tip extra if needed

[georgegarich]

we always prepay. also leave cabin steward, both servers, head waiter and anyone else we feel earned extra.

[carolatchley]

I understand we all have our reasons for the choices we make, so I'm not challenging anyone who chooses differently. But, for me, I prepay the expected gratuity because I know it helps out the behind the scenes people as well as the ones I have direct contact with. I typically also give extra to my room steward, and if I have scheduled dining with the same wait staff I leave them a bit extra on the last night. Most of these crew members are supporting families from their earnings, and if I can make it a bit easier for them, I'm happy to do so.

[NewYorksFinest]

this current cruise for me to get a great deal i had to pay gratuities up front. which is fine because i would've had to pay it anyway at the end of my cruise

[motaviaman]

So are you saying if you cancel the grats the people don't get paid???? My understanding is they get the same pay every week, my question would be where is the money actually I am not saying don't tip, just they are on a salary, it may be better to pay them directly rather than through gratuities, thoughts?

[AuntinaRocks]

Thank you for this video. I have a quick question for you because I seem to read conflicting info and just wanted your opinion. Do you think it is better to tip in cash or use the prepaid / onboard gratuities? I've read online that cash is harder for the crew now because they are not leaving the ship as much. And with the prepaid / onboard gratuities they money is going in to their account and they have access to it sooner. Thank you for your opinion.

[quartytypo]

Same reason why prisoners never tip the guards.

[reneshay]

Very useful information for our trip on the Magic in May.( Have already subscribed.)

[sylvainho]

Some people can barely afford to get on a cruise we not all retired rich people. I never did a cruise yet but i feel like i would prefer tipping people that actually do a good service. They end up expecting tips over the already assigned tips to treat you nicely.

[debbierhodes]

According to John Heald it covers more people like the laundry people and people who would never get extra tips. It's a very small per cent. We always prepay tips. Then we tip as we go also. I like to give little tips to people who I don't think get a lot like at the coffee shop. I buy a $3 coffee and always tip them a $1. They always give me a big smile. Another one we tip that gets left out of extra tips is the maids that help stewards clean the room. If we see that we have one we always give her a little tip. One actually cried and said no one ever gave her a tip. $10 to make someone happy is worth it. We tip in the MDR if we have the same waiters all through the cruise and they don't just move us randomly.

[catheddie]

Why don’t we pay gratuities? Because we are not Americans. We expect people to be paid the going rate for their jobs, as happens in Europe. We are appalled by the fact that restaurant employees in USA have to RELY on tips to even make the minimum wage. We think this is horrific. We tip for good service, in UK, but in many countries it is considered an insult. US companies should pay their staff correctly.

[grantthomas]

Flicking through youtube found your channel...$1.80 for EVERY drink made on a cruise...OMG...Just on a week long cruise that could amount to 10's of 1'000's of dollars...that just plain GREED by the cruiseline...How about the cruiselines pay a PROPER decent liveable wage to their staff just for starters...they work damn hard and should be paid accordingly....

[tristancollins]

Hmm, I dont pay them at all. Gratuities are a weird idea.

[QueenBeegail]

I love prepaid my cruise coming up I walk on I don't have to worry about any tips unless I want to give somebody something extra all that stuff is paid for love it don't have to worry about taking money for whoever needs it prepay love it love it love it love it