Gratuities added to account automatically?

I feel like such an idiot! We have just returned from our first
cruise, and I don't think we tipped anyone! We went on RCI, and I
thought the suggested gratuities would be automatically added to our
account. However, after reviewing our final bill, it appears that I
was wrong.

I am just mortified! No wonder our waiter was a little frosty as we
left the dining room on our last night. Can I phone RCI and ask them
to give a belated tip (with apologies for being stupid) to all of our
servers?

Joan

On RCI you have to complete a form to have your tips put on your on-board
account. It's not done automatically.

--Tom

"Joan" wrote in message
...
I feel like such an idiot! We have just returned from our first
cruise, and I don't think we tipped anyone! We went on RCI, and I
thought the suggested gratuities would be automatically added to our
account. However, after reviewing our final bill, it appears that I
was wrong.

I am just mortified! No wonder our waiter was a little frosty as we
left the dining room on our last night. Can I phone RCI and ask them
to give a belated tip (with apologies for being stupid) to all of our
servers?

Joan

On Jul 25, 7:15*am, "Tom K" wrote:
On RCI you have to complete a form to have your tips put on your on-board
account. *It's not done automatically.

--Tom

And it's done aboard ship. They don't have an option to arrange this
ahead of time online.

Warren

On Fri, 25 Jul 2008 07:15:36 -0400, "Tom K"
wrote:

On RCI you have to complete a form to have your tips put on your on-board
account. It's not done automatically.

--Tom

"Joan" wrote in message
.. .
I feel like such an idiot! We have just returned from our first
cruise, and I don't think we tipped anyone! We went on RCI, and I
thought the suggested gratuities would be automatically added to our
account. However, after reviewing our final bill, it appears that I
was wrong.

I am just mortified! No wonder our waiter was a little frosty as we
left the dining room on our last night. Can I phone RCI and ask them
to give a belated tip (with apologies for being stupid) to all of our
servers?

Joan


I phoned RCI and I was told that once a passenger is off the ship,
there is no way for RCI to process a belated gratuity. I feel like
such a schmuck!

So if anyone is on Vision of the Seas, please tell Bastu (dining room
waiter) and Andre (stateroom attendant), as well as the female
headwaiter and the assistant waiter (whose names I forget) that I am
sorry. They were all great.

Joan

And it's done aboard ship. They don't have an option to arrange this
ahead of time online.



Actually you can pre-pay them. The reason I know this is that on Cruise
Critic someone had pre-paid them and then cancelled. She had insurance
and everything was covered except RCI said that the pre-paid tips were
"non-refundable" because they were part of the final payment invoice
while the insurance company said it was not covered as it wasn't "money
spent." Anyway, she finally got them refunded after going back and
forth. I think she asked where in the cruise contract fine print did it
say that pre-paid tips were not refundable. Actually, I think they had
pro-rated them to the percentage of what the cancellation penalities
were for cancelling the cruise at that time. When they couldn't come up
with the "fine print," they refunded her money. If they had come up
with it, then she could prove to the insurance company it was "money she
was out." It took a lot of effort on her part. Note to self: Never
pre-pay gratuities which in all honesty never crossed my mind but there
may be some reason why I should. We were wondering where the pre-paid
gratuities for a canceled cruise were going. We didn't think the
steward, dining crew, etc. that were to serve her (lol).

Tucker in Texas

Joan wrote:

I phoned RCI and I was told that once a passenger is off the ship,
there is no way for RCI to process a belated gratuity. I feel like
such a schmuck!

So if anyone is on Vision of the Seas, please tell Bastu (dining room
waiter) and Andre (stateroom attendant), as well as the female
headwaiter and the assistant waiter (whose names I forget) that I am
sorry. They were all great.

Joan

You can write to them and put in a check. We put several of our waiters
and cabin staff on our Christmas card list over the years and a couple
of them even reply so I know they can get mail. Just ask what the
address is and give it a try.

--
Ray Contreras
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
http://www.coltri-usa.com
http://www.rayzplace.com

On Jul 25, 12:51*pm, Joan wrote:
I feel like such an idiot! We have just returned from our first
cruise, and I don't think we tipped anyone! We went on RCI, and I
thought the suggested gratuities would be automatically added to our
account. However, after reviewing our final bill, it appears that I
was wrong.

I am just mortified! No wonder our waiter was a little frosty as we
left the dining room on our last night. Can I phone RCI and ask them
to give a belated tip (with apologies for being stupid) to all of our
servers?

Joan

I don't quite understand why people should get tipped for doing their
job.

Do we tip nurses for example?

The truth is that we passengers are actually paying the wages of the
crew because the cruise lines basically employ them as serfs.

They recommend $12 per passenger per day. With 3000 passengers on
board that's $432,000 for a 12 day cruise.

Don't tip. Make the cruise lines pay their workers a living wage.

On Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:38:52 -0700 (PDT), bringyagrogalong
wrote:

On Jul 25, 12:51*pm, Joan wrote:
I feel like such an idiot! We have just returned from our first
cruise, and I don't think we tipped anyone! We went on RCI, and I
thought the suggested gratuities would be automatically added to our
account. However, after reviewing our final bill, it appears that I
was wrong.

I am just mortified! No wonder our waiter was a little frosty as we
left the dining room on our last night. Can I phone RCI and ask them
to give a belated tip (with apologies for being stupid) to all of our
servers?

Joan

I don't quite understand why people should get tipped for doing their
job.

Do we tip nurses for example?

The truth is that we passengers are actually paying the wages of the
crew because the cruise lines basically employ them as serfs.

They recommend $12 per passenger per day. With 3000 passengers on
board that's $432,000 for a 12 day cruise.

Don't tip. Make the cruise lines pay their workers a living wage.


I totally agree. However, until the cruise lines pay their workers a
living wage (which will be passed onto us through higher fares
anyway), I accept that gratuities are part of the cost of cruising.
That doesn't mean I like it - just that I accept it.

Joan

On Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:38:52 -0700 (PDT), bringyagrogalong wrote:

I don't quite understand why people should get tipped for doing their
job.

Do we tip nurses for example?

We tip cows, why not?

enter clint
--
http://www.bushflash.com/idiot.html

Tom wrote:
"On RCI you have to complete a form to have your tips put on your
on-board account. It's not done automatically."


We were on Jewel Of The Seas back in Feb. There was no form we filled
out. Come the night before embarkation the computer printout was under
our door/with gratuities added.



JB