Tips are now being charged automatically on the Magic

[Disneyfalcon]

I don't think we've talked about this before so in case you haven't heard...

Disney is now autocharging tips onto a guests account at the beginning of the cruise. There is a letter in each stateroom explaining they have done it for the guest's convenience. :lookaroun

If a guest wants to change the amount being charged, they have to go to guest services to get it changed.

So far this is only happening on the Magic.

 

[Crush Dude!]

I don't think we've talked about this before so in case you haven't heard...

Disney is now autocharging tips onto a guests account at the beginning of the cruise. There is a letter in each stateroom explaining they have done it for the guest's convenience. :lookaroun

If a guest wants to change the amount being charged, they have to go to guest services to get it changed.

So far this is only happening on the Magic.

Do you expect other ships to follow?

How much are they charging??

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Do you expect other ships to follow?

How much are they charging??

Yes, I would guess they eventually will. It's odd though, the Magic has been doing it for a few months. I thought it would either stop or spread to the other ships by now and it hasn't.

Most people are speculating that it started because on the Med itineraries the tips were way down. So many cruisers were European and usually Europeans do tip differently than Americans.

They are charging the normal $12 a night per guest and breaking it up appropriately between the 4 tipped positions.

In related news, Carnival has just announced they will remove the Maitre d'/head server as a tipped position. It is the position people complain about tipping the most. It will be interesting to see if the other cruise lines follow suit.

 

[ChuckElias]

As long as they allow you to change the tip if you feel you want to give less, I don't have a problem with it. It will certainly ease atrium congestion on the last day of the cruise.

In related news, Carnival has just announced they will remove the Maitre d'/head server as a tipped position. It is the position people complain about tipping the most. It will be interesting to see if the other cruise lines follow suit.

The "Head Server" rarely gets the full tip from my family, I have to admit. There are 3 Head Servers per restaurant, I believe. That's 9 total. They get tipped like $3 per person per day. That's $21 per person for a 7 day cruise. If there are roughly 2400 passengers, that's 260+ people per Head Server. 260 x $21 is $5,460 per Head Server per week.

I confess that I don't know everything that they do, but it seems like they mostly come up with the seating arrangements, come to your table to say hello a couple of times during the week and help the servers in very busy times. Just seems like a lot to me.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

As long as they allow you to change the tip if you feel you want to give less, I don't have a problem with it. It will certainly ease atrium congestion on the last day of the cruise.


The "Head Server" rarely gets the full tip from my family, I have to admit. There are 3 Head Servers per restaurant, I believe. That's 9 total. They get tipped like $3 per person per day. That's $21 per person for a 7 day cruise. If there are roughly 2400 passengers, that's 260+ people per Head Server. 260 x $21 is $5,460 per Head Server per week.

I confess that I don't know everything that they do, but it seems like they mostly come up with the seating arrangements, come to your table to say hello a couple of times during the week and help the servers in very busy times. Just seems like a lot to me.

We've always given the head server a full tip, but never any extra. We've had one that was great, but we've had too many that only introduce themselves the first night and then we don't see again until tip night.

They are very helpful if someone I your group has a food allergy. On our Dream cruise, one of my friends who sailed with us has a lot of food allergies. Like carries an epi pen kind of allergies. The head server came over the everynight and brought her a menu from the next night. She preordered the next night's dinner so it could be prepared separately.

He probably would have gotten a bonus from us because of all of the time he spent with us, but the last night I am 99% sure he gave her specially prepared separate steak to someone else at our table who also had long brown hair. :lookaroun

 

[Master Yoda]

We've always given the head server a full tip, but never any extra. We've had one that was great, but we've had too many that only introduce themselves the first night and then we don't see again until tip night.

They are very helpful if someone I your group has a food allergy. On our Dream cruise, one of my friends who sailed with us has a lot of food allergies. Like carries an epi pen kind of allergies. The head server came over the everynight and brought her a menu from the next night. She preordered the next night's dinner so it could be prepared separately.

He probably would have gotten a bonus from us because of all of the time he spent with us, but the last night I am 99% sure he gave her specially prepared separate steak to someone else at our table who also had long brown hair. :lookaroun

For the majority of cruises have been on I would agree. We never see the head waiter unless there was an issue. However, the last head server we had on the Dream, Pascal, was incredible. He went about 12 steps past the call of duty with us and was compensated accordingly.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

For the majority of cruises have been on I would agree. We never see the head waiter unless there was an issue. However, the last head server we had on the Dream, Pascal, was incredible. He went about 12 steps past the call of duty with us and was compensated accordingly.

I think Pascal was who gave Danielle, Misty's steak!! :lol:

I have no proof so we didn't dock his tip, and it's possible that it wasn't Pascal it may have been the server. I can't remember their names, I'm so impressed you can.

It was just odd because Misty's food always came out first and separate. This time they brought the first plate out to Danielle. Then Misty always ordered well done, no pink. Danielle ordered medium (I think). Danielle got a well done steak before anyone else, and Misty got a medium steak that came out with everyone else's.

It was very suspicious. :lol:

 

[Master Yoda]

I think Pascal was who gave Danielle, Misty's steak!! :lol:

I have no proof so we didn't dock his tip, and it's possible that it wasn't Pascal it may have been the server. I can't remember their names, I'm so impressed you can.

It was just odd because Misty's food always came out first and separate. This time they brought the first plate out to Danielle. Then Misty always ordered well done, no pink. Danielle ordered medium (I think). Danielle got a well done steak before anyone else, and Misty got a medium steak that came out with everyone else's.

It was very suspicious. :lol:

As I am sure you remember dining service on that particular cruise left a little to be desired. It was not for a lack of trying or caring, but we were on what was in essence a shake down cruise and our servers seemed to be quite new to the job. Pascal worked quite hard to correct things and is showed by the second dinner. On top of that he was simply a very friendly, attentive person. The icing on the cake was on the last night. My then 9 year old, carnivore of a daughter wanted steak and we got her to the fillet from the adult menu. When he saw me cutting her steak for her he said "Let me take care of that for you." He stood behind Riley, cut her steak and even fed her a bite or two. Everyone at the table got a huge kick out of that, especially Riley. It was nearly a year ago and she keeps asking when we are going back so Pascal can cut her steak for her again.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

As I am sure you remember dining service on that particular cruise left a little to be desired. It was not for a lack of trying or caring, but we were on what was in essence a shake down cruise and our servers seemed to be quite new to the job. Pascal worked quite hard to correct things and is showed by the second dinner. On top of that he was simply a very friendly, attentive person. The icing on the cake was on the last night. My then 9 year old, carnivore of a daughter wanted steak and we got her to the fillet from the adult menu. When he saw me cutting her steak for her he said "Let me take care of that for you." He stood behind Riley, cut her steak and even fed her a bite or two. Everyone at the table got a huge kick out of that, especially Riley. It was nearly a year ago and she keeps asking when we are going back so Pascal can cut her steak for her again.

I do remember that.:lol:

Was Pascal our head server or server? Our assistant server was pretty rough for a while, poor thing.

 

[Master Yoda]

I do remember that.:lol:

Was Pascal our head server or server? Our assistant server was pretty rough for a while, poor thing.

Wasn't he classified as our maître d? He was in charge of our 2 servers, I do know that much.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Wasn't he classified as our maître d? He was in charge of our 2 servers, I do know that much.

It may have been him! I just can't remember everybody's names. We definitely saw our head server more on that cruise than other cruises.

 

[Master Yoda]

It may have been him! I just can't remember everybody's names. We definitely saw our head server more on that cruise than other cruises.

The only reason I remember is Pascal is an old computer programming language.

 

[devoy1701]

I'm sorrry... did I stumble upon a private conversation between Tammy and Richard? :lol:

:lookaroun


Thanks for the info Tammy. Will be interesting to see if this happens on the Fantasy (I suspect it might). I highly dislike when tips are automatically proportioned for me. A tip is something earned for spectacular service, not something that should be expected regardless of quality. IMO anyway.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

The only reason I remember is Pascal is an old computer programming language.

I have a degree in computer science. I remember Pascal well. I don't have the best feelings towards him.

(The computer language not the server :lol

 

[Disneyfalcon]

I'm sorrry... did I stumble upon a private conversation between Tammy and Richard? :lol:

:lookaroun


Thanks for the info Tammy. Will be interesting to see if this happens on the Fantasy (I suspect it might). I highly dislike when tips are automatically proportioned for me. A tip is something earned for spectacular service, not something that should be expected regardless of quality. IMO anyway.

:lol: Yes we were reminiscing . Back to your scheduled programming!

I suspect it's going that way too. I like the convienence of it, but it is going to take a lot more effort to reduce someones tip if they don't deserve it.

 

[Master Yoda]

I'm sorrry... did I stumble upon a private conversation between Tammy and Richard? :lol:

:lookaroun


Thanks for the info Tammy. Will be interesting to see if this happens on the Fantasy (I suspect it might). I highly dislike when tips are automatically proportioned for me. A tip is something earned for spectacular service, not something that should be expected regardless of quality. IMO anyway.

I would agree. About the only way I justify it in my head is because tipping is darn near considered mandatory in the US while it is almost taboo in other countries. As long as the automatic tip is not above the going rate and I have the option to change it, I'll look the other way.

I have a degree in computer science. I remember Pascal well. I don't have the best feelings towards him.

(The computer language not the server :lol

I don't blame you one bit. My FIL however is apparently and idiot savant with it, Cobalt, etc which made him quite a tidy sum between 1996 and 1999.

 

[ChuckElias]

Our favorite Head Server (who DID get the full tip from our family) was Yolande from our Baltic cruise on the Magic. She was very personable, checking on our meal nearly every night. She pretty much was our server for the night that the ship was in Germany b/c so many people got back to the ship so late -- and all at once (ugh, what a story that is) -- from Berlin. And on another night (maybe the first night in St. Petersburg), the dining room was practically empty b/c so many people were off the ship on excursions, so Yolande stayed at our table for literally 20 minutes uninterrupted to talk to us about our day and the cruise in general and just general girl chit-chat with my wife.

So here's a picture of our serving team with my wife, Kathryn. Our server on the left is Melwyn from India and our assistant server on the right is Bima from Indonesia, I think.

 

[Crush Dude!]

Yes, I would guess they eventually will. It's odd though, the Magic has been doing it for a few months. I thought it would either stop or spread to the other ships by now and it hasn't.

Most people are speculating that it started because on the Med itineraries the tips were way down. So many cruisers were European and usually Europeans do tip differently than Americans.

They are charging the normal $12 a night per guest and breaking it up appropriately between the 4 tipped positions.

In related news, Carnival has just announced they will remove the Maitre d'/head server as a tipped position. It is the position people complain about tipping the most. It will be interesting to see if the other cruise lines follow suit.

So that would make it $252 for a 7 night cruise??

That would make it easier Alright!

 

[harryk]

I don't think we've talked about this before so in case you haven't heard...

Disney is now autocharging tips onto a guests account at the beginning of the cruise. There is a letter in each stateroom explaining they have done it for the guest's convenience. :lookaroun

If a guest wants to change the amount being charged, they have to go to guest services to get it changed.

So far this is only happening on the Magic.

We regularly sail with Holland America and they have been doing this for several years now. The crew likes it in that they get stiffed many times.
If you want you can give your cabin steward more - directly or go to the Purser and have the amount decreased or increased depending on how you felt things went. - I find it a more satisfying way in that I don't have to tip during the whole voyage or what-ever.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

We regularly sail with Holland America and they have been doing this for several years now. The crew likes it in that they get stiffed many times.
If you want you can give your cabin steward more - directly or go to the Purser and have the amount decreased or increased depending on how you felt things went. - I find it a more satisfying way in that I don't have to tip during the whole voyage or what-ever.

Yes, sorry, when I said only happening on the Magic, I meant it's not happening on the other Disney ships yet.

I'm sure the crew does like it. I often wonder how many people ignore the tips. If I was going to give more, I would probably just put some extra cash in the envelopes. If I decided I needed to reduce it though, that would be a bit of a pain.

I've never once reduced one, so it probably wouldn't ever happen.