Source: BroBible
Summary
A Massachusetts woman skipped a pre-paid gratuity on a Royal Caribbean cruise, believing it wouldn’t go to staff. She later received a call from the company asking why she didn’t tip. Royal Caribbean states that gratuities are pooled and used for crew compensation. Some customers say they still prefer to tip in cash, believing it ensures direct payment to staff. The company says modifications to pre-paid gratuities cannot be made after booking.
Our Reading
The habit gets a new name.
People skip pre-paid tips, thinking they’re avoiding extra fees.
Cruise companies call to ask why they didn’t tip.
Cash tips still get more attention than pre-paid ones.
Gratuities are for crew, not extra money.
Author: Evan Null
Massachusetts Woman Skips Pre-Paid Gratuities On Royal Caribbean After What She Finds Out
A Massachusetts woman skipped a pre-paid gratuity on a Royal Caribbean cruise, thinking the money wouldn’t go to staff. She later received a call from the company asking why she didn’t tip. The woman, who is a content creator and teacher, shared her experience on social media, sparking discussion about how pre-paid gratuities work. Royal Caribbean states that gratuities are pooled and used for crew compensation, but some customers still prefer to tip in cash, believing it ensures direct payment to staff.
Wait, How Do Pre-Paid Gratuities Work?
Royal Caribbean requests pre-paid gratuities from customers. If a customer opts out, they may receive a daily service charge while aboard. The daily charge ranges from $18.50 to $21, which many assume goes directly to the crew. However, according to other cruise ship customers, the only way to remove both charges is to cancel pre-paid payments before boarding. Customers then have to request the daily service charge be removed once they’re on the ship by visiting the guest relations desk. Royal Caribbean says modifications cannot be made once the sailing has ended.
The Phone Call
Juelz says she watched a video from another content creator, who claimed the gratuities were not going toward staff members. Because of the video, Juelz decided not to pay the standard pre-paid gratuities. Then, she says she got a call from Royal Caribbean. “After I booked that cruise, guess who decided to call me? And guess what they wanted to talk about?” she asked. “Prepaid gratuities. I literally hung up the phone. I was like, ‘No, don’t worry. They’ll… be getting cash tips from my pocket when I’m on there.’”
Who Do The Royal Caribbean Tips Go To?
Royal Caribbean itself states that “gratuities collected are pooled and applied toward the compensation of onboard crew members.” So it appears true that the gratuities go to workers. However, it seems to make up their compensation rather than being additional income. Royal Caribbean doesn’t hide this in its wording, as it says the gratuities are “applied toward the compensation” of its workers. Some customers, however, still prefer to tip in cash, believing it ensures direct payment to staff.
Cash Is King
This is why many recommend tipping in cash when possible. One customer said, “I bring 500$ in cash to specifically tip MY people. I tip them well and still give them an envelope at the end of the cruise.” Another shared, “Not paying gratitude is no longer optional thank goodness… for all those people who tried to get out of it! We not only pay the gratuities… we bring about $300 extra in cash, and on the last night we walk around and hand it out to our favorite people with a thank you note.” A third customer said tipping in cash unexpectedly worked to their advantage, saying, “Fun fact – I bring 200-300 cash and tip the staff I use on day one/day two, better service all well then little more at the end.”
