Gratuity Letter in Stateroom

[disneygma11]

You can just call DCL, or have your TA call them, and have the amount for your total tips added to your onboard account before the cruise. It's really easy to do.

Thanks! Will do!

 

[GatorMomInNC]

disney1990 - Not one time on my 11 cruises have I NOT tipped...what I am saying is that you should not make people feel bad about what they can and can't afford. And not everyone who cruises goes to all three meals....in my cruise experience, I have missed breakfast more times than I have gone.
I tip, but I don't need to be told how much to tip.
And no, we are not responsible for paying CM's salaries, DCL is. We are responsible for taking care of the people who take care of us. And I do, most of the time I give them more. But your statement was downright rude......there are many people here on the DIS that I have talked to that planned their cruise a long time ago, paid it off and are now struggling financially. They should NOT have to stay home. I am not saying they should not have to tip at all, but they should not be scolded for not having as much money to tip as suggested. JMHO.

Hard to compare tipping 'on land' with tipping on a cruise ship. If I make a reservation at a restaurant and for some reason I can't make it, I don't feel obligated to stop by later and drop off a tip for those who would have served me had I made it to the restaurant, yet from what I've read, some would expect you to do just that when aboard the ship.

But you eat SOMEWHERE on that cruise ship, and unless all you do is order room service (and then tip for that separately AND increase the tip for your room steward who has to clean up after you), that same wait staff is setting up the buffet, clearing your table etc. Haven't you noticed that the same people who wait on you at night are also working lunch and breakfast (either at an open sit down restaurant or at a buffet)? Our assistant server saw us at breakfast while she was working the buffet and she brought our kids their usual drinks, etc. My kids were so ecstatic to see her!!

Should the cruise ship include the tips in the price? Maybe, but since they don't, should you go on a cruise with the knowledge of how the servers make their salaries, and then leave them nothing to send a message to the cruise lines? And if tips were added to the base price of cruises, since so many posters are against having tips added in any situation, would those same posters never cruise again? I understand some high end cruise lines do add tips, but lets face it, most don't, and that is just the way cruising is at this time.

I know everyone says differently, and everyone has these elaborate rationales and justifications, but the cynic (and former waitress) in me thinks this is all about looking for excuses NOT to tip, to shave that money off the price of the cruise and the servers are an soft target to lower the budget. Putting aside how demoralizing and cruel poor tipping is to people who worked hard for the entire cruise to make your experience a happy one, it also hurts the rest of the cruisers. If the tips decrease, the turnover of servers on the ship increases, and the quality goes down for all. A server on my recent TA told me that there was no money to be had on the Magic when it was in Europe, because Europeans just don't tip, and consequently, this server was hoping to get transferred to a different ship.

If you think you had service so bad that you don't even want to leave the minimum recommended tips, I would think you would be down at guest services complaining anyway. And if service was that bad that so many people had to line up and complain, I don't think DCL would be sold out on every cruse. Again, call me cynical, but I think the problem comes from the fact that the majority (but not all) of those who want to "adjust downward" don't want to have to look the CM at GS in the eye and say, "Sorry, the service was great, but I am just too cheap to tip appropriately."

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

I think its tacky if people do not tip. Disney is pretty upfront about the tipping policy.

You need to look at it this way.... if Disney paid these people normal wages can you image what the cruise would cost????

 

[ssanders79]

Here is the follow-up letter that arrived with the default set of tip tickets.

I also added this to the original post.

 

[Minnie Monellen]

But you eat SOMEWHERE on that cruise ship, and unless all you do is order room service (and then tip for that separately AND increase the tip for your room steward who has to clean up after you), that same wait staff is setting up the buffet, clearing your table etc. Haven't you noticed that the same people who wait on you at night are also working lunch and breakfast (either at an open sit down restaurant or at a buffet)? Our assistant server saw us at breakfast while she was working the buffet and she brought our kids their usual drinks, etc. My kids were so ecstatic to see her!!

Should the cruise ship include the tips in the price? Maybe, but since they don't, should you go on a cruise with the knowledge of how the servers make their salaries, and then leave them nothing to send a message to the cruise lines? And if tips were added to the base price of cruises, since so many posters are against having tips added in any situation, would those same posters never cruise again? I understand some high end cruise lines do add tips, but lets face it, most don't, and that is just the way cruising is at this time.

I know everyone says differently, and everyone has these elaborate rationales and justifications, but the cynic (and former waitress) in me thinks this is all about looking for excuses NOT to tip, to shave that money off the price of the cruise and the servers are an soft target to lower the budget. Putting aside how demoralizing and cruel poor tipping is to people who worked hard for the entire cruise to make your experience a happy one, it also hurts the rest of the cruisers. If the tips decrease, the turnover of servers on the ship increases, and the quality goes down for all. A server on my recent TA told me that there was no money to be had on the Magic when it was in Europe, because Europeans just don't tip, and consequently, this server was hoping to get transferred to a different ship.

If you think you had service so bad that you don't even want to leave the minimum recommended tips, I would think you would be down at guest services complaining anyway. And if service was that bad that so many people had to line up and complain, I don't think DCL would be sold out on every cruse. Again, call me cynical, but I think the problem comes from the fact that the majority (but not all) of those who want to "adjust downward" don't want to have to look the CM at GS in the eye and say, "Sorry, the service was great, but I am just too cheap to tip appropriately."

EXACTLY MY SENTIMENTS!

The tipping protocol was the same when I first sailed from NYC to St. Thomas and Martinique in 1971!

 

[Chicogirl]

I have a question, ..is this for all ships ? Let me just say before I get flamed, I always pay tips, and most time more then required, but I don't use credit cards, and only have them for emergencies. I save and use cash. I'm guessing from the wording, I can go to GS and tell them this. Is this correct?

 

[over50visits]

You can just call DCL, or have your TA call them, and have the amount for your total tips added to your onboard account before the cruise. It's really easy to do.

Absolutely, and that is what we have always done. Then for exceptional service (which is almost always the case), we add extra to the tip.

BUT....it is my choice. I am offended that DCL makes an unauthorized charge to my account under this new policy. Notifying me after the fact does not make it better (their letter), and giving me an "opt out" by saying I can go to GS to remove it is an insult. It is out of place for them to charge my account something I have not specifically authorized - in my mind, silence is not authorization.

Tips for the staff are well earned, well deserved, and those who rationalize not giving them need to think again. I am so sorry DCL had to resort to this passenger behavior, and the blame is shared between these passengers and DCL for their solution.

 

[kamgen]

Seems like there are a lot of finger pointers here who aren't even reading what some of the posters are saying. And some people here are continuing to say things to make people feel bad for whatever amount they choose to tip. EVERYONE SHOULD TIP THEIR SERVERS!!! We all agree on that....but the amount is none of anyone's business.........

 

[tinkerone]

I can live with that. But, with the current system, people that deserve tips don't always get them. I personally know somebody that cruised and didn't tip the full amount just because they thought it was too much money -- period.

If I can't afford to tip, then I shouldn't go out to eat. If I can't afford to tip, then I shouldn't take a cruise. Period.

harsh.

 

[CWO4DVC]

What I tip is my business. If service is less than expected you can figure the rest out. I do not considing someones wage when I tip, I tip only based on service rendered. I am not interested in how much they make from Disney and what % of income is from tips. So all this I tip this and I tip that means nothing to me. My sole issue is Disney Charging my account without my permission for services they think are being performed to a level that I expect. My expectations are mine and mine alone, and DCL need not assist me in my decisions. Wearing my tough skin for those who wish to disagree.

 

[tinkerone]

What I tip is my business. If service is less than expected you can figure the rest out. I do not considing someones wage when I tip, I tip only based on service rendered. I am not interested in how much they make from Disney and what % of income is from tips. So all this I tip this and I tip that means nothing to me. My sole issue is Disney Charging my account without my permission for services they think are being performed to a level that I expect. My expectations are mine and mine alone, and DCL need not assist me in my decisions. Wearing my tough skin for those who wish to disagree.

well said and i totally agree with what you say. tipping is personal and should stay that way. i just have to say though that i love dcl doing this bit of work for me. if i want to tip extra then i'll slip a bit of cash into the envelope. if i don't get the service i expect then i can go to guest services and have the amount taken off, i really doubt this will happen if only because i'm a bit on the lazy side and i hate lining up. hence the fact i like dcl doing this.....
i really don't get what everyone is so pissed about. i have had to go to guest services for years to do my tipping, its just changed now that you have to go to guest services and i don't. if you pay in cash and want to continue then go to guest services and give them the cash. wheres the problem. if you want to add more to your envelope than do it. the only reason i see this could be a problem is if you don't want to tip the recommended. then you have to stand in front of people and say i don't want to tip that amount. you may get asked if there is a problem. if there is tell them.
again, i for one am happy about this and i'm really sorry if others are not. send dcl an email and state your displeasure, thats the only way this will get resolved. enough people agree with you then they will go back to the old way. i'll be the one lined up at guest services.....

 

[CWO4DVC]

Actually, I will board the ship and go to guest services and let them know that I will not tolerate illegal/unauthorized charges to my room from guest services to include grats.

 

[kamgen]

CWO4DVC & tinkerone- FINALLY, some voices of reason!

 

[Illidan]

I absolutely, completely disagree with this. When you book a cruise you do so with the full knowledge that (1) DCL does not pay its waiters a sufficient wage, their main income will be from your tip and (2) you are reserving a table and waiters in the main dining room, and they MUST be there for you whether you dine there or not.

You may not know that these same waiters will rotate through the buffet area, and their work there is also well underpaid by DCL and they depend on the tip you give them (which is not only for the dinner service!). Waiters are in the buffet working hard having the food stocked in the line, and you may have noticed they are everywhere in the dining area, ready to bring you drinks, go get more food for you, bring you desert if you ask, entertain your children, and be at your beck and call for any other services you may ask. I have found them a wonderful service making buffet meals hugely enjoyable. (btw, you don't clean up your table, they do)

I fault the cruise industry for artificially reducing their cruise fares by underpaying their staff and expecting you to make up that difference, thus in truth making the actual cruise cost higher than the lower fare they advertise. I believe this is a deceptive practice.

However, I fault cruisers who effectively penalize the wait staff for this policy by not tipping. They are there for you, whether you choose a particular food venue or not, and they are eager to please. They deserve the courtesy of our paying for that service, since we are the source of their income.

If I get room service for breakfast, have lunch during a short excursion (and tip whoever serves lunch well) and then have dinner at Palo in the evening and also leave a generous tip on top of the service charge, then I have not used nor benefited from my main/assistant server that day. Gratuities are based on services received. Where no service has been received, no tip is due, nor should one be expected.

 

[disney1990]

If one goes to a restaurant and dorsn't have the money for the meal and a tip, order a glass of water and use the price of the beverage as tip money. On the cruise, skip the smoothie, adult beverage, trip to the spa...or book a lower cost cabin. Tipping on the ship is part of the expectation of the trip, DCL has certainly put it in their mailing to guests, and people should be prepared for it. Yes, it sounds like a lot of money when you have many people and/or a long cruise. Reality--even in the cheapest cabin, it isn't more than about 10% of the cruise cost.

DCL has never told me how much to tip, although they have always listed a "suggested" amount for each tipped position from the very beginning of the line. The only difference is that now, if I choose to go with their "suggestion," I no longer have to go to GS or complete the form. If I choose to not use the suggestion, I have to do something--go to GS to reduce or increase the amount or add some cash to the envelopes.

Thank you.

If it wasn't a problem, then Disney would not be automatically adding it to the accounts. I full expect that Disney will go to the same system as other cruise lines in the near future.

 

[keaster]

I honestly don't get the uproar.

Other cruise lines like Carnival, NCL and Princess already do this (automatically adding the tips). However they refer to them as "service charge" or "hotel and dining charge" so maybe that softens the blow?

 

[over50visits]

If I get room service for breakfast, have lunch during a short excursion (and tip whoever serves lunch well) and then have dinner at Palo in the evening and also leave a generous tip on top of the service charge, then I have not used nor benefited from my main/assistant server that day. Gratuities are based on services received. Where no service has been received, no tip is due, nor should one be expected.

This has become a fascinating thread! If I may gently disagree with you, though...

When I reserve passage on DCL, the wait staff becomes obligated to work the breakfast and lunch venues for me (whether or not I appear), and they are obligated to be in the dining room available to service at my reserved table, where no one else may sit. My reservation is the direct reason they are there.

If I follow your logic correctly...if I call a taxi and have him wait outside my home for an hour, then tell him never mind, do I owe nothing? He provided me with no service whatsoever, except being there at my disposal if I did decide to use him, and during that time he was not available to other customers.

< just thinking about this while humming It's A Small World >

 

[Illidan]

This has become a fascinating thread! If I may gently disagree with you, though...

When I reserve passage on DCL, the wait staff becomes obligated to work the breakfast and lunch venues for me (whether or not I appear), and they are obligated to be in the dining room available to service at my reserved table, where no one else may sit. My reservation is the direct reason they are there.

If I follow your logic correctly...if I call a taxi and have him wait outside my home for an hour, then tell him never mind, do I owe nothing? He provided me with no service whatsoever, except being there at my disposal if I did decide to use him, and during that time he was not available to other customers.

< just thinking about this while humming It's A Small World >

So....if you were to miss the boat entirely due to a missed flight, traffic incident or whatever, you would feel obligated to drop a check in the mail to DCL to make sure your stateroom host and your dining servers would receive their gratuity?

 

[toolmanjan]

Let me start by saying I never hesitate rewarding great service over and above what is suggested. I also don’t hesitate giving a lesser or no tip for sub par service.

That being said why would you pre pay tips not knowing quality of future service.

This letter advising the proper tipping amount is nothing new. On our first (07/03) cruise when the tip envelopes we left in our stateroom there was a note suggesting amounts for each category.

In addition why would you base your tips on the total price paid for your cruise. Unless you saw your servers filling the ship with diesel fuel, taking over for the captain on the bridge, Cleaning the pool, `Watching over your children at one of the clubs, Putting on a Mickey or Minnie Costume, Etc…


OK let me have it I can take it I'm from New Jersey!

 

[princesskayla]

I absolutely, completely disagree with this. When you book a cruise you do so with the full knowledge that (1) DCL does not pay its waiters a sufficient wage, their main income will be from your tip and (2) you are reserving a table and waiters in the main dining room, and they MUST be there for you whether you dine there or not.

You may not know that these same waiters will rotate through the buffet area, and their work there is also well underpaid by DCL and they depend on the tip you give them (which is not only for the dinner service!). Waiters are in the buffet working hard having the food stocked in the line, and you may have noticed they are everywhere in the dining area, ready to bring you drinks, go get more food for you, bring you desert if you ask, entertain your children, and be at your beck and call for any other services you may ask. I have found them a wonderful service making buffet meals hugely enjoyable. (btw, you don't clean up your table, they do)

Please do not ASSUME that I knew that my tips would be the sole income of the servers on board. To be quite honest, when I booked my trip and it it was twice the cost of another cruiseline for the same cruise (ie same amount of time, same ports) I thought that everyone on board would be paid by Disney and tip was just that, a tip (an extra way to say thanks for extra service). It wasn't until I came to this board that I learned that DCL (an quite alot of other cruiselines) bascially screws the wait staff and we have to make up the difference.

The only other experience that I have had with cruise ship dining service was exactly opposite from what you have written above. I had no one to get more food for me, no one to bring me dessert and I had to clean my own table of the dishes. In fact, when I did need something, I had to track down someone and ended up taking care of spill by myself because no one helped me. The only visual crew was the employees restocking the buffet. I am supposed to tip that?! That is the service I paid for.

Now, that said, if the dining cruise staff is so accomadating as you wrote above, I will happily tip the going rate (if not more)and be grateful. I am just saying that I must feel someone has earned their $40 tip (total dining tip per day for my family) for me to be willing to part with it.

I work very hard for the money that I have to spend, as do most people. In order to spend it on something that is based on performance, I have to see performance.