Pre--paid gratuities on RCL.

Hi all

I am just starting to research prices, staterooms, and itineraries on
Royal Caribbean for 2012. I am hoping to go on the Oasis or Allure of
the Seas.

I thought I that I heard that Royal Caribbean makes you pre-pay for
gratuities if you select their flexible dinning option. Please tell me
if that is true. I have always cruised on Princess with "anytime
dinning" in the past and we would have them take the gratuities off of
the our stateroom account and them we would give our cabin steward
cash money. We also many times eat at the buffet, rather than the main
dinning room, so there was no point in us paying a tip for that.

Also wondering how the staterooms compare in size. We most generally
have gotten a mini-suite with balcony on Princess for 3 passengers, as
the normal balcony staterooms do not have a sleeper sofa. Just trying
to decide between at jr-suite or balcony stateroom with Royal
Caribbean, again for 3 passengers. Any thoughts good or bad about
either stateroom?

Thanks in advance
Michael

On 11/10/2010 6:37 PM, wrote:

I thought I that I heard that Royal Caribbean makes you pre-pay for
gratuities if you select their flexible dinning option. Please tell me
if that is true. I have always cruised on Princess with "anytime
dinning" in the past and we would have them take the gratuities off of
the our stateroom account and them we would give our cabin steward
cash money. We also many times eat at the buffet, rather than the main
dinning room, so there was no point in us paying a tip for that.

So what happens the time you eat in the dining room? No tip for those
days? Also, the cruise lines claim that the dining room tips go towards
the people in the buffet, so you should tip even if you're not eating in
the dining room.

Bill

On 11/10/2010 3:37 PM, wrote:
Hi all

I am just starting to research prices, staterooms, and itineraries on
Royal Caribbean for 2012. I am hoping to go on the Oasis or Allure of
the Seas.

I thought I that I heard that Royal Caribbean makes you pre-pay for
gratuities if you select their flexible dinning option. Please tell me
if that is true. I have always cruised on Princess with "anytime
dinning" in the past and we would have them take the gratuities off of
the our stateroom account and them we would give our cabin steward
cash money. We also many times eat at the buffet, rather than the main
dinning room, so there was no point in us paying a tip for that.

Also wondering how the staterooms compare in size. We most generally
have gotten a mini-suite with balcony on Princess for 3 passengers, as
the normal balcony staterooms do not have a sleeper sofa. Just trying
to decide between at jr-suite or balcony stateroom with Royal
Caribbean, again for 3 passengers. Any thoughts good or bad about
either stateroom?

Thanks in advance
Michael

Just pay the tips and if service is bad, complain about the specific
areas that you don't like and have the appropriate tips pulled off your
bill. You can bet heads will roll.

However, service is usually good to excellent and even on the buffet,
the servers are there to keep the area clean and will many times keep
your drinks full.


--

Ray
+++++++++++++++++++++++
www.CompressorStuff.com

On Nov 10, 6:23*pm, Bill wrote:
On 11/10/2010 6:37 PM, wrote:



I thought I that I heard that Royal Caribbean makes you pre-pay for
gratuities if you select their flexible dinning option. Please tell me
if that is true. I have always cruised on Princess with "anytime
dinning" in the past and we would have them take the gratuities off of
the our stateroom account and them we would give our cabin steward
cash money. We also many times eat at the buffet, rather than the main
dinning room, so there was no point in us paying a tip for that.

So what happens the time you eat in the dining room? No tip for those
days? Also, the cruise lines claim that the dining room tips go towards
the people in the buffet, so you should tip even if you're not eating in
the dining room.

Bill

We just don't like being automatically charged for gratuities. I know
that most times the service is good, but I just wished there was a
better way to do it.

While researching some prices I noticed that one website (cruise.com)
offers to pay for the gratuities. With there prices being the same as
the other websites I searched this may help us to decide who to book
with.

Michael

On 11/10/2010 5:37 PM, wrote:
Hi all

I am just starting to research prices, staterooms, and itineraries on
Royal Caribbean for 2012. I am hoping to go on the Oasis or Allure of
the Seas.

I thought I that I heard that Royal Caribbean makes you pre-pay for
gratuities if you select their flexible dinning option. Please tell me
if that is true. I have always cruised on Princess with "anytime
dinning" in the past and we would have them take the gratuities off of
the our stateroom account and them we would give our cabin steward
cash money. We also many times eat at the buffet, rather than the main
dinning room, so there was no point in us paying a tip for that.

On a Royal Caribbean ship you have to sign up in advance for the My Time
Dining. You are required to prepay your gratuities. Why? Well you
usually don't get the same wait staff every evening and these people do
work for tips.

As for eating in the buffet, who do you think is bringing you your
drinks and cleaning the tables? It's the same folks that work in the
dining rooms. Don't you think they deserve a tip? If the tips are pooled
shouldn't your share be in that pool?

When we take a cruise, whether it is on a big cruise ship or a small
river barge, we always factor the cost of the recommended tips plus
extra for superior service into our budget.

A cruise ship is not Applebees (unless you are on NCL :-))

Also wondering how the staterooms compare in size. We most generally
have gotten a mini-suite with balcony on Princess for 3 passengers, as
the normal balcony staterooms do not have a sleeper sofa. Just trying
to decide between at jr-suite or balcony stateroom with Royal
Caribbean, again for 3 passengers. Any thoughts good or bad about
either stateroom?

Go to Royal Caribbean's web site and pull up the deck plans. There are
pictures and 360° views of the staterooms.


--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

On 11/10/2010 9:50 PM, wrote:
On Nov 10, 6:23 pm, wrote:

So what happens the time you eat in the dining room? No tip for those
days? Also, the cruise lines claim that the dining room tips go towards
the people in the buffet, so you should tip even if you're not eating in
the dining room.

Bill

We just don't like being automatically charged for gratuities. I know
that most times the service is good, but I just wished there was a
better way to do it.

Then don't go for the flexible dining plan. Then you can pay your normal
server at the end of the cruise. But if you go with the flexible plan
they know you probably won't be served by the same person twice, and
you're certainly not going to tip your server at the end of each meal.

Bill

On Wed, 10 Nov 2010 15:37:40 -0800 (PST), wrote:

Also wondering how the staterooms compare in size. We most generally
have gotten a mini-suite with balcony on Princess for 3 passengers, as
the normal balcony staterooms do not have a sleeper sofa. Just trying
to decide between at jr-suite or balcony stateroom with Royal
Caribbean, again for 3 passengers. Any thoughts good or bad about
either stateroom?

Pick the larger, 3 in most staterooms can get busy.
--
Ari Silverstein, C.T.A; C.T.A.S, FREE Cruise Travel Advisory Services
I never have nor ever will solicit or accept a booking.

In article om, Janet
Wilder wrote:

On a Royal Caribbean ship you have to sign up in advance for the My Time
Dining. You are required to prepay your gratuities. Why? Well you
usually don't get the same wait staff every evening and these people do
work for tips.

As for eating in the buffet, who do you think is bringing you your
drinks and cleaning the tables? It's the same folks that work in the
dining rooms. Don't you think they deserve a tip? If the tips are pooled
shouldn't your share be in that pool?

When we take a cruise, whether it is on a big cruise ship or a small
river barge, we always factor the cost of the recommended tips plus
extra for superior service into our budget.

I think you pretty well nailed it in the above. I hope the other person
reconsiders and does not stiff the crew.

--
Charles

We were on the oasis 10/16 cruise. We had "anytime dining" Make
reservation ! We called for 5:30 or 7:30 to make the shows we wanted.
We asked for our waiter crew each dinner. We did not have any problem.
Table #726 for two. A number people had 6 or 8 groups reserved. Great
service. Pre paid but added a litle extra.

Great Ship ----- Great Cruise

Live today...tomorrow may never come.

wrote in message
...
Hi all

I am just starting to research prices, staterooms, and itineraries on
Royal Caribbean for 2012. I am hoping to go on the Oasis or Allure of
the Seas.


Hi Michael,
Having recently taken the Oasis, I have only good things to report about
her...whether you take her or her sister ship, you cannot go wrong!



I thought I that I heard that Royal Caribbean makes you pre-pay for
gratuities if you select their flexible dinning option. Please tell me
if that is true. I have always cruised on Princess with "anytime
dinning" in the past and we would have them take the gratuities off of
the our stateroom account and them we would give our cabin steward
cash money. We also many times eat at the buffet, rather than the main
dinning room, so there was no point in us paying a tip for that.


Michael,
After we returned from the Oasis cruise, we watched a documentary about the
Oasis on TV and believe me, after seeing what the crew has to do after each
sailing and before the next one was exhausting just to watch! They clean
and sanitize the entire ship and that is just within the time allowed
between disembarkation and next embarkation...about THREE or so hours that
they work their heads off just to make sure that YOUR cruise will be special
and your cabin and the ship are in top shape. Then, they smile and greet you
when you come onboard after all that hard work! Seeing that, made me glad
that we have always tipped and that we tipped extra! The same waiters who
work in the buffet also work in the main dining rooms...they have different
shifts with very little time to sleep in between...so if you take off the
gratuities, you are punishing them as well as the many who work behind the
scenes and are never even seen by the passengers!

We have taken 52 cruises and have always tipped and tipped extra. After
seeing that documentary, it made us appreciate even more how hard they all
have to work, and very often under pressure, that we will gladly continue
doing so! Even a sullen, incompetent and rude waiter would not change my
mind...I would not tip him/her extra, but I would certainly complain at the
reception desk as soon as that occurred so that they could correct the
situation and mention him/her by name on the comment sheet...That is where
it hurts them the most!


Also wondering how the staterooms compare in size. We most generally
have gotten a mini-suite with balcony on Princess for 3 passengers, as
the normal balcony staterooms do not have a sleeper sofa. Just trying
to decide between at jr-suite or balcony stateroom with Royal
Caribbean, again for 3 passengers. Any thoughts good or bad about
either stateroom?

We have taken a mini-suite and a balcony for three and they are both doable.
Some balcony rooms do have a sleeper sofa and if you look at a deck plan,
the ones with a star, triangle or a diamond in the cabin sleep three or
four. Depends on which cruise line that you are considering. Your travel
agent can help you choose the right sized cabin and help you with the
location, plus answer any questions, especially if this happens to be your
first cruise. And they don't cost you an extra cent...their commission comes
from the cruiseline not you! In fact, they have saved us money when there
have been drops in prices!

At the bottom of this link it tells you the types of cabins and their
locations.
http://www.vacationstogo.com/deck_pl...eas/Deck_8.cfm

Enjoy your cruise and plan on taking extra for tips, you will be glad that
you did!


--Jean



Thanks in advance
Michael