Spa service tipping question

[hal lover]

I have enjoyed the pleasure of massage's on board on my past cruise's and have always wondered if I tipped enough for each service.

For those of you who also get these service's, what is the correct amount to tip? I have always tipped 10% of the service fee, is this correct?

[Barkevko]

I have enjoyed the pleasure of massage's on board on my past cruise's and have always wondered if I tipped enough for each service.

For those of you who also get these service's, what is the correct amount to tip? I have always tipped 10% of the service fee, is this correct?

Don't know if that is the 'correct' amount, but that's what we do...10%:)

[PalmBeachMom]

I probably tip closer to 20% as that is the standard in my community, but many cruisers do not tip at all, so I am sure the spa technicians are very happy with a 10% gratuity!

[Barkevko]

I probably tip closer to 20% as that is the standard in my community, but many cruisers do not tip at all, so I am sure the spa technicians are very happy with a 10% gratuity!

It certainly can be a tough call. Tipping is not the norm here in Australia so finding a happy medium can be a challenge.:)

[sail7seas]

I tip in the area of 20% for salon services. I don't get masssages.

[sail7seas]

I meant to add........

I tip that amount 'assuming I am satisfied.' I had an unsatisfactory experience this year and did not tip.

[GeriatricNurse]

I meant to add........

I tip that amount 'assuming I am satisfied.' I had an unsatisfactory experience this year and did not tip.



Don't you think that the spa massages, (along with all the other services), are overpriced? Especially if you enjoyed "an unsatisfactory experience"? ;)

[sail7seas]

I tip in the area of 20% for salon services. I don't get masssages.



Don't you think that the spa massages, (along with all the other services), are overpriced? Especially if you enjoyed "an unsatisfactory experience"? ;)


I don't get massages. Not my thing, whether on land or sea.

I didn't 'enjoy' my unsatisfactory experience thus the reason I didn't tip. ;)

[kyriecat]

Royal Caribbean has started automatically adding a 15% service charge to all spa purchases. I don't think HAL has stared doing that yet, but when one cruise line does, the rest sometimes follow. I normally tip 15-20% at home, assuming I am happy with the service. I've skipped the spa on my past few cruises, both RC & HAL. The prices tend to be 20% or more higher than at the spa I use and I'm usually not as satisfied with the service. Maybe I've just had some bad ones, but the therapists onboard seem more concerned with selling you additional products or chattering about their deplorable working conditions than allowing you to relax and enjoy the spa experience. It's hard to enjoy yourself when someone is telling you how horrible your skin is and you need to buy $300 worth of product XYZ or how she works long hours and only gets to see her two kids for a few weeks a year.

[Protseq]

10 to 15% tips from DW and I for spa massages. I never had a 'technician' complain about her situation. They have always been professional. Level of proficiency might have been lacking, but never a chatterbox. Tom

[we're sailing away....]

We gave 20% last time.

[GeriatricNurse]

I meant to add........

I tip that amount 'assuming I am satisfied.' I had an unsatisfactory experience this year and did not tip.



If you don't mind me asking, what was your "unsatisfactory experience"?

[Jade13]

I have enjoyed two facials and left $20.00 as a tip each time.

I think it worked out to 18%, but even if the facial was $10.00 or $20.00 less I would have left the same amount, which felt appropriate to me.

[Jade13]

I didn't 'enjoy' my unsatisfactory experience thus the reason I didn't tip. ;)


The first facial I had (which was last year on Maasdam) at the end the technician started talking about how she had found g-d and Jesus. I didn't think it appropriate but it was near the end of the service and maybe my fault for asking how she ended up working on a cruise ship. The actual facial was wonderful so it did not affect my tipping, but I thought if I was on a longer voyage and getting another one I probably would have asked for someone else "just to try a change".

Interestingly I asked for a more expensive facial based on CC recommendation but was steered to this technician and lower priced facial. I thought the fact the spa was saving me money was interesting (perhaps they were out of the other product?)

[delraydoll]

Frankly, 10% doesn't seem like very much. Sometimes the cruise automatically includes 18-20% which I think in today's economy is more realistic (this is what one would tip for spa services here in FL).

[woodley]

I think tipping has got a little out of hand. For example if I have an hour long massage that costs approx $165 and I tip at 20% I would have to pay a tip of $33.00. This therapist would be earning an hourly rate of $33 plus whatever their wage from the beauty salon is. I think it should not be based on the price of the service but on the length of time involved.

I have massages on a regular basis at home and they usually cost between $60 - $80 for an hour so the 20% tip is between $12 - $16. The service is more expensive on a ship but the therapist works the same length of time as the ones at home so why just because the service is more expensive should I have to pay more to the therapist? (also at home I do not spend up to 15 minutes being told I need to buy expensive lotions and potions)

[hal lover]

ACTUALLY... I just pulled out my onboard account info from past cruise's and it appears that I had been tipping 20%, not 10%. The 20% seemed reasonable then and so it does now. I will stay with that.

Regarding being "hit up" for product's afterwards, I just let them know that I am not interested, but thank them.

I only have ever had one bad spa service experience and that was getting a pedicure. Poor girl, just seemed to need to get things off her chest. I listened and still tipped (above the 20%) because I really felt for her.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I think tipping has got a little out of hand. For example if I have an hour long massage that costs approx $165 and I tip at 20% I would have to pay a tip of $33.00. This therapist would be earning an hourly rate of $33 plus whatever their wage from the beauty salon is. I think it should not be based on the price of the service but on the length of time involved.

I have massages on a regular basis at home and they usually cost between $60 - $80 for an hour so the 20% tip is between $12 - $16. The service is more expensive on a ship but the therapist works the same length of time as the ones at home so why just because the service is more expensive should I have to pay more to the therapist? (also at home I do not spend up to 15 minutes being told I need to buy expensive lotions and potions)
woodley, you make a valid point here. But I still usually tip closer to the 20% range if they are very good and if OK closer to 15% to 18% Now another secret the massage therapists make some nice bonus commission if they sell you products. In many cases they would rather sell you products over a large tip. So you might want to keep that in mind as well ;)

[spacepotatoes]

At home, I usually tip 15-20% depending on the service and that's the norm around here. I haven't used a spa on a ship yet, but I thought they added in the gratuity themselves? On NCL, it is an automatic 18% and Carnival also adds 15 or 18%. Does HAL not do this? Or are you all talking about tipping on top of that?

[kyriecat]

HAL currently does not add an automatic gratuity to their spa services.

[Backstage Traveler]

I tip what works out to about 18-20%. On some ships, like NCL, it is automatically included, and I was surprised that HAL did not. I think it is better not to have automatic tips, it does allow you to express your dissatisfaction, if you have any.