I was at the Guest services Desk last night talking to a guest about Florence and overheard two guests removing their gratuities. I heard the GSA ask them both why and the answer “ personal reasons” baffled me. After they left I spoke with the guest services associate and took their cabin number and made a few calls.

First I called Ken, the Maitre D and asked him if the guest had made a complaint during the cruise about the service or food. He had not, in fact Ken told me that two nights previous he had visited the table and they had laughed and joked with him about New York and how Ken should come and sing there as they loved Sinatra .

I then asked the same question of Linda, the Carnival Vista’s brilliant housekeeping manager and received the same answer ……. nope………no complaints.

So, why did these guests remove their gratuities? Well, first of all let’s give them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe the service they received from the dining room staff and stateroom steward was bad and that they truly feel that these crew do not deserve any gratuities. If that’s the case though I wish they could have told us what was wrong. Complaints can highlight the deficiencies at Carnival, show where we are lagging and help us to improve. We offer so many ways to do this including the guest services desk onboard as well as numerous ways once home including writing to me here and letting me investigate and help. Maybe they will tip in cash, we will find out

I know I said this here some months ago but having seen how hard this brilliant crew have worked on this inaugural cruise and having seen for 29 years how hard the brilliant crew have worked on all of our ships………….I truly think we need to look closely at removing gratuities and to see if we can do something to stop it for anything but legitimate reasons such as poor service etc.

Do you agree?

By: John Heald -Carnival Cruise Line Senior Cruise Director