Disney is going to begin autocharging tips on all of its ships

[Disneyfalcon]

On the Magic, Disney Cruise Line began automatically charging tips to guest's stateroom account a while ago. Apparently guest feedback was positive, and Disney decided to begin this on all of their ships.

If you do not prepay your tips before you board, your stateroom account will be charged the suggested gratuity amount for the Server, Assistant Server, Head Server and Stateroom Host/Hostess.

Guests will receive a letter upon check in explaining the process. Guests still have the option to modify the amounts or pay cash if they stop by Guest Services onboard.

Below are the effective dates:
• Disney Dream - Date to be announced
• Disney Fantasy - April 21, 2012
• Disney Magic - Already in place
• Disney Wonder - April 22, 2012

A 15% gratuity is still automatically added to any bar, beverage, wine and deck-service receipt.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

We prefer pre-paying. I'm glad DCL is doing this. It's important to make sure the service staff get paid for their hard work. It's my understanding their hourly wage isn't all that much. The gratuities are what they work for. I know I saw at least a couple people at Guest Services the last night on our Dream cruise who had strong accents and weren't sure what to do with the envelopes. I also like that the option to adjust the tip amount up or down is available. That way the CMs are assured to do their best.

Last cruise we added some cash to the envelopes with the prepaid receipts. Also, I had made extras of the Ellie Badges that I gave in our gift exchange. I poked one of those into the envelopes with a little note thanking them for making us feel like part of the family. Our dining server in particular appreciated the Ellie Badge. It was a cool moment. Sometimes it's the little things that make all the difference...:animwink:

 

[Crush Dude!]

On the Magic, Disney Cruise Line began automatically charging tips to guest's stateroom account a while ago. Apparently guest feedback was positive, and Disney decided to begin this on all of their ships.

If you do not prepay your tips before you board, your stateroom account will be charged the suggested gratuity amount for the Server, Assistant Server, Head Server and Stateroom Host/Hostess.

Guests will receive a letter upon check in explaining the process. Guests still have the option to modify the amounts or pay cash if they stop by Guest Services onboard.

Below are the effective dates:
• Disney Dream - Date to be announced
• Disney Fantasy - April 21, 2012
• Disney Magic - Already in place
• Disney Wonder - April 22, 2012

A 15% gratuity is still automatically added to any bar, beverage, wine and deck-service receipt.

Im not too sure about this!

Now im definitly not saying crew members do not deserve the tips and if i feel the service is ever sloppy i will not hesitate to lower the gratuity but, there will def be people who wont be happy with some service yet will feel they may be judged if they approach GS to reduce gratuity!!

Honestly i dont see the need for this :shrug:

 

[Disneyfalcon]

I don't mind it too much. If I felt strongly enough that my service was bad, I wouldn't mind talking to someone, in fact I might want to.

I generally prepay my tips these days too. I remember my first couple of cruise waiting in line at guest services way too long to pay them.

I also remember the panic I felt after one cruise when I realized my father-in-law thought he had tipped the suggested amount, when in fact he hadn't multiplied by 3 for 3 people in his room.

So I do think this will help the servers out a lot in getting those suggested amounts.

On the flip side, I think it will make people a lot less likely to go over the suggested amounts. Partly because of the trouble involved and partly because it will reinforce that the suggested amounts are appropriate. I know when I'm at a restaurant and the tip is automatically added in, I don't feel like I need to tip more. I feel like if they are going to decide the amount for me, then that's what they'll get.

 

[Crush Dude!]

I don't mind it too much. If I felt strongly enough that my service was bad, I wouldn't mind talking to someone, in fact I might want to.

I generally prepay my tips these days too. I remember my first couple of cruise waiting in line at guest services way too long to pay them.

I also remember the panic I felt after one cruise when I realized my father-in-law thought he had tipped the suggested amount, when in fact he hadn't multiplied by 3 for 3 people in his room.

So I do think this will help the servers out a lot in getting those suggested amounts.

On the flip side, I think it will make people a lot less likely to go over the suggested amounts. Partly because of the trouble involved and partly because it will reinforce that the suggested amounts are appropriate. I know when I'm at a restaurant and the tip is automatically added in, I don't feel like I need to tip more. I feel like if they are going to decide the amount for me, then that's what they'll get.

To focus on your last point, will the envelopes still be used??

 

[Disneyfalcon]

To focus on your last point, will the envelopes still be used??

Yes! Similar to when you prepay tips, when your envelopes show up in your cabin, you will also get little tickets with the amount on them. You put the tickets in the appropriate envelope and give them to your servers.

 

[Crush Dude!]

Yes! Similar to when you prepay tips, when your envelopes show up in your cabin, you will also get little tickets with the amount on them. You put the tickets in the appropriate envelope and give them to your servers.

Well that is good as i will just add cash to the envelopes

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Well that is good as i will just add cash to the envelopes

Yes, if you want to go over, it's easy to add cash.

 

[Phonedave]

I don't mind it too much. If I felt strongly enough that my service was bad, I wouldn't mind talking to someone, in fact I might want to.

I generally prepay my tips these days too. I remember my first couple of cruise waiting in line at guest services way too long to pay them.

I also remember the panic I felt after one cruise when I realized my father-in-law thought he had tipped the suggested amount, when in fact he hadn't multiplied by 3 for 3 people in his room.

So I do think this will help the servers out a lot in getting those suggested amounts.

On the flip side, I think it will make people a lot less likely to go over the suggested amounts. Partly because of the trouble involved and partly because it will reinforce that the suggested amounts are appropriate. I know when I'm at a restaurant and the tip is automatically added in, I don't feel like I need to tip more. I feel like if they are going to decide the amount for me, then that's what they'll get.

I used to take cash with me just for the tips.

I would take the suggested amount, plus a bit more in case it was warranted.

I would just put the cash in the envelopes and hand them out. No waiting in line needed.

Oh well, this really is not a big deal. I just take less cash with me.

-dave

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I used to take cash with me just for the tips.

I would take the suggested amount, plus a bit more in case it was warranted.

I would just put the cash in the envelopes and hand them out. No waiting in line needed.

Oh well, this really is not a big deal. I just take less cash with me.

-dave

Or, now you don't have to keep the gratuity cash set aside or earmarked so you don't spend it during the trip. That's always my thing, if I know I have to have a set amount of $$ I'll paperclip it or put it in a different envelope or something so I won't mess up & touch it. If everything's prepaid or automatically taken from the shipboard account that eliminates the need to do this.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

I used to take cash with me just for the tips.

I would take the suggested amount, plus a bit more in case it was warranted.

I would just put the cash in the envelopes and hand them out. No waiting in line needed.

Oh well, this really is not a big deal. I just take less cash with me.

-dave

Yes, cash never would have been an issue. I had a hard time having that much cash and not spending it though!:lol:

I love saving 1's to bring with us for porters and room service. I do that for like two months before our cruise. My husband laughs at me for not just going to the bank and asking for 1's. But it's more fun my way!! :lol:

But bringing over $300 (7 nights 4 people) in cash is another matter. I don't squirrel away 20's! Just 1's!

 

[Tiggerfanatic]

I didn't realize this was something done on cruise ships until I was surfing the Disney Cruise site. I like the idea of paying up front and not carrying all that cash. I do have a plastic baggy with about $50 in ones from a NY casino weekend last month. I save change (I'm a fanatic about it, actually!) so I just stuck the baggy down in my change jar. Good to know that I'm that much ahead of the game.

 

[G00fyDad]

Okay, stupid question coming in here... Is there anywhere that I can see a comprehensive list of who gets tipped on a cruise ship and how much?

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Okay, stupid question coming in here... Is there anywhere that I can see a comprehensive list of who gets tipped on a cruise ship and how much?

Not stupid at all! Here are the amounts on Disney's website but basically it works out to $12 per guest per night. That amount is split, not equally, between four positions:

Head Dining Room Server
Dining Room Server
Assistant Dining Room Server
Stateroom Host/Hostess

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faqs/onboard-services/gratuities/

 

[flynnibus]

Not a fan of this.

I can understand the theory if there are a lot of people not tipping at ALL due to the misunderstandings/culture/etc... but I do not like 'assuming' tips. It is wrong on so many levels about it.

That's also why I wouldn't prepay tips.. it goes against the principle of tipping based on the service itself.

I do like that they let you put tips right on your room account.. and I do like the ticket system they have.

I didn't find it difficult to get to guest services to get my tickets. If it's such a challenge for GS.. I'd focus on improving that part of the system rather than default to the 'oh we'll just charge you unless you say otherwise!'

No a fan of that purely on principle.

 

[ChuckElias]

Not a fan of this.

I can understand the theory if there are a lot of people not tipping at ALL due to the misunderstandings/culture/etc... but I do not like 'assuming' tips. It is wrong on so many levels about it.

That's also why I wouldn't prepay tips.. it goes against the principle of tipping based on the service itself.

Gotta say I agree with this. Not the worst thing in the world, but I'm not a fan.

 

[G00fyDad]

Not stupid at all! Here are the amounts on Disney's website but basically it works out to $12 per guest per night. That amount is split, not equally, between four positions:

Head Dining Room Server
Dining Room Server
Assistant Dining Room Server
Stateroom Host/Hostess

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faqs/onboard-services/gratuities/

Nice. Thank you. It will be a bit of a relief for me to know that the tips are already taken care of. All I will need to worry about now will be room service and spa tips. I know that some will not like this idea but they still have the option of reducing the tips at Guest Services right? If I receive shotty (yes, that was meant to be an "o" ) service then I will be telling someone anyway so why not reduce the tip while you're there anyway? Besides, has anyone ever really had bad service on a Disney Cruise? Enough to reduce a tip?

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Nice. Thank you. It will be a bit of a relief for me to know that the tips are already taken care of. All I will need to worry about now will be room service and spa tips. I know that some will not like this idea but they still have the option of reducing the tips at Guest Services right? If I receive shotty (yes, that was meant to be an "o" ) service then I will be telling someone anyway so why not reduce the tip while you're there anyway? Besides, has anyone ever really had bad service on a Disney Cruise? Enough to reduce a tip?

I left zero tip for the whack-job chick who did my pedicure in the spa on the Dream. It's kinda a long story but if you're curious, here's the post in my trip report that details what happened in all it's WTH details. I'm tellin' you, I *still* can't believe that one. :lookaroun

 

[Disneyfalcon]

I definitely understand some people not liking it, but here's why I don't mind it.

The thing about tips on cruises is that they always have been "assumed". Not just on Disney, on every cruise line.

When people ask what are the extra charges on cruises I always say to count on $12 per person per night for tips. Technically they are optional because no one can force you to pay them, but on most levels they really aren't. Even if you didn't go to the dining room a single night, you're still expected to tip all of your dining room servers.

That is where the workers make their money. That's what makes the long hard hours working on a cruise ship with months away from their families worth it.

In some ways this really is the best solution. It keeps some people from being cheap and cheating their servers out of hard earned money and it keeps others from misunderstanding and keeping their servers from getting hard earned money. Anyone who feels like someone really didn't earn it, can still get it fixed by doing the same thing most people did anyway - go to guest services to pay (or in this case reduce) their tips.

 

[G00fyDad]

I definitely understand some people not liking it, but here's why I don't mind it.

The thing about tips on cruises is that they always have been "assumed". Not just on Disney, on every cruise line.

When people ask what are the extra charges on cruises I always say to count on $12 per person per night for tips. Technically they are optional because no one can force you to pay them, but on most levels they really aren't. Even if you didn't go to the dining room a single night, you're still expected to tip all of your dining room servers.

That is where the workers make their money. That's what makes the long hard hours working on a cruise ship with months away from their families worth it.

In some ways this really is the best solution. It keeps some people from being cheap and cheating their servers out of hard earned money and it keeps others from misunderstanding and keeping their servers from getting hard earned money. Anyone who feels like someone really didn't earn it, can still get it fixed by doing the same thing most people did anyway - go to guest services to pay (or in this case reduce) their tips.

I agree. Plus, it will just be one less thing I have to worry about.