Are "pre-paid, automatic, guaranteed tips" really TIPS?

[Rick-cruiser]

I do not believe that “pre-paid, automatic tips” are really tips. Tips should be given AFTER the service has been rendered, and should reflect the level of service YOU HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED. Otherwise, these additional fees charged to your account should be called “service charges”, and really should just be added to your total cruise fare - just like “port charges”, “government taxes”, etc. They’re now just standard fees added to your fare for the services of a particular group of employees. They are not true tips.

Giving a tip at the beginning is really a bribe – hoping that you will get better service than you would normally receive. (and I do not mean bribe in the derogatory sense… just its true meaning that you give it because you want/hope/expect something in return). Giving a tip at the end is a way of expressing your thanks and gratitude for THAT PARTICULAR SERVICE that you, personally, have just received - or received all week. How would you possibly know that before you even got onboard the ship?? Tipping is a very, very personal matter, and should reflect precisely on that particular service that you’ve just experienced.

We get different newspaper carriers all the time. When I tip him/her at Christmastime, how do I know if I want to tip him $10 or $25 or $50? I NEED TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF SERVICE HE’S PROVIDED FOR ME ALL YEAR ROUND. If one particular carrier left my paper in the street sometimes, got it soggy, forgot my house (standard/sub-par service)…I would tip $10. If the next year’s carrier was a real star - made it a point to hand-deliver the paper, never soggy, collects – holds – and redelivers the paper whenever he sees that I’m away for a few days (like our current carrier does : ) – ie, really special, outstanding service…then I would tip $50. An “average” carrier would get the $25. But, the point is, I won’t know how much to give until AFTER the services have been provided.

If you give individuals service money, with them not knowing exactly how much they’re going to get until AFTER the services are rendered, it gives them INCENTIVE to provide you with truly excellent, outstanding, stellar service. They will go that extra mile to please you. If they already know they’ve already gotten the standard tip, before even meeting their customers, let alone serving them, there’s no incentive to really stand out. Some will think “let’s face it, the guy next to me, who’s a poor worker, is getting the same exact tip”. I’m not saying everyone will feel that way, but some will. It’s human nature. Standard reward systems promote mediocrity, IMO.

- Rick

[txsloth]

This has been debated ad nauseam. Opting out is an option. Many (most?) like the convenience.

[uktog]

On our cruise documents they are actually shown as prepaid service charges so I think that answers it!!

[geojobes]

I read these "tipping threads" & almost never respond, but here's my take. I've gotten excellent service on all my cruises (except one uncaring waiter on Princess Anytime dining) whether I've prepaid, added it to my Seapass or paid cash. The service people know that the prepaid "tip" is just the start. They know with excellent service given to my wife & I that they'll get more. They know this because of the way we treat them. We show them respect & kindness, we don't treat them as our slaves. They appreciate that as much as any additional money we give. The cabin steward sees that we pick up after ourselves. The wait & bar staff hear us say please & thank you. We ask how they are doing. They know that no matter what they do with some people, they'll be lucky to get the recommended amount. Some people will use any excuse to keep from tipping, no matter how minor the excuse is. Most cruise lines let you opt out, unless you have anytime, my time or select dining.

I say tip the way you feel, the amount you think is fair & be done with it.

[Wine-O]

It is what it is. My last 15-day cruise we did the automatic tipping, and service was exemplary -- because of that, they got much more. Besides, it also saves me from having to cart around a lot of cash.

[geojobes]

An additional thought: If a service person is not doing their job properly, a complaint to their boss will fix the problem. If you have a problem with a wait team talk to their Head Waiter. Cabin Steward's boss is the Head Housekeeper. They want to keep their jobs as much as they want their tip money.

[jackdiamond]

Ask me if I care. We simply go along with the program and enjoy our cruises; and, we do not cultivate those who do not tip.

[dzcruisers]

and a happy thanksgiving to all -

[Can'tstopcruising]

Originally Posted by jackdiamond

Ask me if I care. We simply go along with the program and enjoy our cruises; and, we do not cultivate those who do not tip.

I am really curious. How do you go about "not cultivating" friendships with those who do not tip? Upon first meeting, do you ask fellow pax whether or not they tip?

[dkjretired]

Yes, they are tips since you can opt out of paying them and pay nothing. When the opt out option is eliminated then they are not tips...Simple as that....

[jackdiamond]

Originally Posted by Can'tstopcruising

I am really curious. How do you go about "not cultivating" friendships with those who do not tip? Upon first meeting, do you ask fellow pax whether or not they tip?

Do you support the auto tip process? By the way your comment is wrong. I did not refer to "friendships".

[txsloth]

Originally Posted by Can'tstopcruising

I am really curious. How do you go about "not cultivating" friendships with those who do not tip? Upon first meeting, do you ask fellow pax whether or not they tip?

Non-tippers usually have other, more readily apparent character flaws.

[BeatingaDeadHorse]

Another one ?? Not again !!!

I recommend the moderators lock any future and all past threads related to tipping/gratuities and move them to their own forum for future reference.

BaDH

[jasm8449]

I have had the same excellent service whether I have pre-paid the gratuities, auto-paid, or paid at the end. The one time that we had disappointing service by our room steward, was actually a pay-after-service cruise. I tipped the recommended amount, but I gave him only a 'fair' on the comment card. (he actually deserved 'poor'). I have otherwise never given a room steward less than excellent.

I'm not sure how it works on other lines, but the comment card on Celebrity is taken very seriously by the line and by its employees. It appears that the OP needs some "insurance" that his pre-paid gratuity won't be an open invitation to be taken advantage of by some of the hardest-working people I've ever met. They spend years of their lives living on the ship, far away from their homes and loved ones, serving all of us who are fortunate enough to have the means to cruise, so they can support themselves and their families. OP, you've got that insurance through your ability to make or break them via your comment card, which is a very good incentive for the staff not to take you for granted....if that's what you need to feel comfortable with the idea of pre-paid gratuities.

[rickbech]

I couldn't agree more with what you have stated here. Paying tips 2 months prior to taking a cruise is not a tip, it is their wages.
Well stated regardless of what board it is on it shocked me when we found out that we needed to include the tip with our prepayment of our cruise. We just got off a Noordam Cruise and they just added it daily to our bill. If we wanted to pay more we could.

[Can'tstopcruising]

Originally Posted by jackdiamond

Do you support the auto tip process? By the way your comment is wrong. I did not refer to "friendships".

Perhaps I misunderstood. How do you cultivate people (tippers or not tippers)? I thought you meant cultivate friendships with the people.

This is the first time we are auto-tipping. We have already paid. Whether or not we prefer it remains to be seen.

[Can'tstopcruising]

Originally Posted by txsloth

Non-tippers usually have other, more readily apparent character flaws.

Enlighten me.

[6502programmer]

Originally Posted by Can'tstopcruising

Enlighten me.

They tend to whine incessantly? They have a propensity to complain about minutiae? They assign blame for small sleights to the wrong parties? They privately grouse about issues rather than raise them to appropriate management?

Maybe the common thread is that they are first in line to defend others who openly defend their "right" to not pay the people that make their vacations special. Who knows!

[txsloth]

Originally Posted by 6502programmer

They tend to whine incessantly? They have a propensity to complain about minutiae? They assign blame for small sleights to the wrong parties? They privately grouse about issues rather than raise them to appropriate management?

Maybe the common thread is that they are first in line to defend others who openly defend their "right" to not pay the people that make their vacations special. Who knows!

Better put than what I'd been thinking--something along the lines of "it's hard to hide the fact that you're an ... . " Anyway. And I'd done so well staying off of tipping threads.

[nps001]

I don't believe the list of passengers that pre-paid services charges (or tips) is given to the employees until one or two days before disembarkation. That is why I believe most have stated that the service has been excellent regardless.

I love the idea of adding it to the guest folio. Those that go above and beyond get extra cash from me the last day. It is convenient for me, and in the long run, better for employees too.