Paying for Tips *** DCL Makes a Change ***

[extechie rbd/wdt]

Whatever - I wish this board had an ignore button. First I was whining, now I'm crying?

What is your dog in this fight anyways? Why do you care if I dislike how DCL is handling this issue?

the emoticon is the new sad one since the board was upgraded.
I wasn't saying you were crying, just sad.

If you hover you mouse pointer over it it might pop up and say sad, not crying.

Ex Techie

 

[Chaosfilms]

My 2 cents -
We went on the Magic 12/6/10 and are booked on the Wonder in Sept. We were given the option of charging the tips, but we already had the cash and decided to put it in the envelopes.

I've read most of the post and you do realize the crew gets room & board, but is not paid, so they're working for tips. That's why you usually get great service and the tips aren't pooled. That's why the bar and server tips are automatically added. Most people aren't bothered by that, so why the room host and dining room?

Personally, I like the idea of pre-paying, I consider the "tips' part of the cruise expense and adding extra int he envelope for great service. I probably wouldn't reduce the tip for someone, but I would tell GS of the poor service, (which didn't happen on the Magic, our servers and host were great.)

Steve

 

[lbgraves]

So will we still be handing envelopes to staff members on the last night?

You don't have to hand the tickets out for the CM to actually receive the tip amount. It goes directly to their account.

I notice on the link that the amount for Dining Manager is not filled in. What do you generally tip them or is it optional?

This is only done if you have an interaction with the dining manager and that person has done something special to make your cruise better, at your discretion.

Wow... your whole dinner did not equal the $4. of tips? That is harsh since that is their total pay. Just go down and leave less money on there. Perhaps they are trying to find out why people are not paying because people are still eating...

Since this was the assistant server who disappeared halfway through dinner, I am guessing that it meant they didn't get anything else to drink before their entree was served to them.

Whatever - I wish this board had an ignore button.

It does have an ignore function.

FWIW, I found out about the change on the Magic in regards to tipping on the DIS last June. It has been mentioned regularly since then. I am surprised that it has taken almost a year for DCL to implement this change on the other ships as well.

 

[jilljill]

Can I call DCL directly if I booked through a travel agent? I have already paid my cruise in full, but we don't sail until the fall.

You will have to call your TA to have them prepay the tips.

 

[jilljill]

Whatever - I wish this board had an ignore button. First I was whining, now I'm crying?

What is your dog in this fight anyways? Why do you care if I dislike how DCL is handling this issue?

DIS has an ignore function.
Click on your UserCP and then under Settings and under Edit Ignore List

 

[extechie rbd/wdt]

[SNIP]I wonder why we cannot add tips via an account on the TV screen.
Pull up account, insert code, insert tip amount. Confirm, send - done.

Oh well, Maybe next year!

The Magic and Wonder do not have IP TV's like the Dream and Fantasy, just TV's receiving a regular antenna closed circuit system.
They would need to be re cabled to work on a modern hotel type system with on demand movies, account charges etc.

The Magic "might" be upgraded when she has her overhaul if DCL think the extra costs are worth the extra $'s.

Ex Techie

 

[Keira1387]

It's really not an issue

Unless you make it one......

Ex Techie

Wishing you a great cruise and fantastic time aboard with great service! lol!
I BET it will be amazing!

Ex Techie

Ex Techie, you must have your crystal ball out again!

 

[jilljill]

The Magic and Wonder do not have IP TV's like the Dream and Fantasy, just TV's receiving a regular antenna closed circuit system.
They would need to be re cabled to work on a modern hotel type system with on demand movies, account charges etc.

The Magic "might" be upgraded when she has her overhaul if DCL think the extra costs are worth the extra $'s.

Ex Techie

So if that's the reason why it can't be done on the Magic/Wonder then I wonder what is DCL's reason for not being able to do it on the Wonder/Fantasy?

 

[extechie rbd/wdt]

So if that's the reason why it can't be done on the Magic/Wonder then I wonder what is DCL's reason for not being able to do it on the Wonder/Fantasy?

The system they use is a regular hotel TV system so the software and facilities can be updated to be able to include paying tip's via the TV as easily as you can buy a adult movie on most IP TV equipped hotel's.

I would guess that since the announcement of rolling out the policy fleet wide is only now and not before the Dream or Fantasy were launched, it would now be a possible option on those ships when they decide it is appropriate and get their behinds in gear! lol!

Ex Techie

 

[jilljill]

The system they use is a regular hotel TV system so the software and facilities can be updated to be able to include paying tip's via the TV as easily as you can buy a adult movie on most IP TV equipped hotel's.

I would guess that since the announcement of rolling out the policy fleet wide is only now and not before the Dream or Fantasy were launched, it would now be a possible option on those ships when they decide it is appropriate and get their behinds in gear! lol!

Ex Techie

It would be really nice if they offered this option, especially since they are so environmently friendly. I hate wasting trees just to check to make sure the charges on my account are correct, and I like to check them daily.

 

[extechie rbd/wdt]

It would be really nice if they offered this option, especially since they are so environmently friendly. I hate wasting trees just to check to make sure the charges on my account are correct, and I like to check them daily.

Next time you booking or aboard suggest it!
You know DCL take their environmental policy very seriously.

Ex Techie

 

[jilljill]

Next time you booking or aboard suggest it!
You know DCL take their environmental policy very seriously.

Ex Techie

I've mentioned it every time they print out the account and put it on my comment cards. One day......

 

[extechie rbd/wdt]

I've mentioned it every time they print out the account and put it on my comment cards. One day......

You know they don't move too fast to change things unless money is going their way! lol!

They could have iPads hand to you and to show you the charges if they wanted to......

Oh, got it!

Ex Techie

 

[TDC Nala]

I do not have a problem with the tips being preassessed. I do have a problem with DCL assuming that everyone in a stateroom is related and will be paying tips on the same account, as I want to pay my tips directly to DCL and not owe it to my roommate for a 15 night cruise. We're assuming that Guest Services can work that out for us.

 

[lbgraves]

You could look at some of your pictures on the Fantasy's TV on the MV. I thought that you could see your room charges also, but will double check with DH tomorrow. I remember him saying something about that.

 

[extechie rbd/wdt]

I do not have a problem with the tips being preassessed. I do have a problem with DCL assuming that everyone in a stateroom is related and will be paying tips on the same account, as I want to pay my tips directly to DCL and not owe it to my roommate for a 15 night cruise. We're assuming that Guest Services can work that out for us.

I'm sure they will be able to work it out. After all they have had a year on the Magic to figure out how to deal with it! lol!

Ex Techie

 

[Feisty Fairy]

Boy this thread is a rough one. No punches to the face. I have a couple of questions.

1.) What day do they now charge your on-board account with gratuities?
2.) Do you still get receipts/envelopes to hand out on the second to the last night for the last night in the dining rooms?

 

[disneyholic family]

Couldn't you call and add those Gift Cards to your account before you even board the ship? I have added $300 in Gift Cards to my account over the phone.

what are these gifts cards that several people have referred to?
and what is the discount on them?
(i must live under a rock - so many good ideas i'm completely unaware of!!)

It would really be nice if all the cruise lines could get together and decide to simply do away with this silly artifice of tipping. Just pay your employees the same amount and price the cruise accordingly. This dance that they have to do instead -- making it be a virtual requirement and just adding it to the bill -- is silly.

The problem is that it could never work unless every cruise ship does it. The problem is the same with baggage fees on airlines. In the days of orbitz and travelocity and other on-line services, nobody can afford to drop to the second page. You have to make your pricing appear consistent. If the price of your 4-day cruise is $699 plus tipping per person, it's hard to bite the bullet and make it $740, when your competitors don't do the same. If anyone can do it, it's disney, since they are already so much higher priced than their competition by virtue of no casino, etc.

My instinct is that the first cruise to adopt "tip free cruising" would get a marketing edge, but I suspect millions have been spent on answering that question and the answer is that, in fact, no it wouldn't. But I really think it's all just a marketing issue. Sure, there's some segment of the cruising population that feels strongly about reducing tips and often does. I doubt it's a very big segment though, to the point of negligible. I think the actual difference in service would be zero.

some of the more expensive cruise lines do have gratuities included in the price.
But you're right - for the mass market lines, it's impossible for one cruise line to go it alone, since most people compare the basic price without considering what that price includes.

Thank you - you are currently my most favourite person in the world.

DCL is joining the industry with this change - most other cruise lines already have instituted this policy. I wonder if it's going to ultimately affect the quality of service.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Do it right when you board the ship. That was our plan in Nov (to use Rewards Points) and we didn't go down until the 3rd day. We had already gone over $500 on our on board account b/c of the tips so they automatically charged our credit card on account. And I will say the feedback was NOT positive on our cruise!

This happened to us last week also but we still applied our gift cards and got a credit to our cc. I was sure to ask at GC first just in case they decide to refund the OBC back to my TA or something. GC confirmed that my cc would be first to be refunded but we agreed that should wait until the last night once all new charges are posted. I knew we'd have more since we were doing Onboard Check in and our luggage fees for our return flight would be billed to our account.




Personally, I don't mind the new policy. It will save me the effort of dealing with filling out that form and going to GS. In 10 DCL cruises I've never felt any tipped position deserved less than suggested amount. Sometimes we give more, sometimes just the recommended amount. There are plenty of times that we passed by GS and there was no line at all so anyone who prefers to pay cash, my parents included, would just straighten it all out at their convenience.

Also in Apr we had non-family in our cabin. (Long story short, we traded kids with a friend to give them our dummy date but had to keep 1 original guest on that res so we put her son in with us, and our son with them.) It was easy at online check in from home, to designate who was responsible for which child's bill and which credit card would pay each tab. No problems at all and both kids had charging privileges and excursions billed to their accounts.
It only got hairy since this was the 1st time I prepaid tips and wasn't sure how that would work. Our friends didn't so we weren't sure if I prepaid for my son or her's and if my son in her cabin would get billed when she adds her tips onto her account. It all worked out fine; my TA had them prepay tips for my own family including my son in our friends cabin.

Anyway, none of these minor technicalities would make me cancel my cruises or leave DCL for another line. I can't deal with the drinkers & smokers on other lines. I'd rather just go to work. JMHO.

It would be nice if they could announce any and all changes 1.5-2 yrs in advance which is the approximate timing of when I book our cruises but in reality it just doesn't work that way.
Considering that the hospital I've worked at almost 22 yrs just decided to cut our annual # of sick days from 12 down to 5 with less than 2 months notice, I have learned that's just how life is sometimes and you just have to roll with it.
Of course there's always the option to have a fit and walk away.

 

[Annabell]

1.) What day do they now charge your on-board account with gratuities?
2.) Do you still get receipts/envelopes to hand out on the second to the last night for the last night in the dining rooms?

I don't know on what day they actually charge it because I never paid attention but I would guess it was on the last day.
We did get the receipts/envelopes to hand out to the servers.

For me there is not really a change as I have always tipped more that the recommended amount so I still need to go the the guest services to have it adjusted. The only thing is when I did this on our last cruise on the Magic I felt the lady at the guest services was very unfriendly because she thought I was going to decrease the tips ! People tend to think when you stand in line with the tip form in hand then you must be decreasing or cancelling the tips !