Legal gratuity charge

When you sign the bar bill is there still an option to add a gratuity?

David.

When you sign the bar bill is there still an option to add a gratuity? David.

(Interestingly, on a related matter, recently in the Commodore Club on QM2, a fellow passenger knocked over his just-delivered martini (he had taken one sip). It was totally his fault and he said so to the steward who came over to clear up the broken glass and the mess on the table. Within a minute or two a replacement martini arrived, with no charge)

Why is it compulsory to be charged 15% by the Carnival robber barons on top of every drink you purchase. Is this legal and if not can you demand they reimburse you??

I once asked a Officer from the Hotel Staff why drinks are so expensive plus the 15% he said "It is what you pay in a 5* hotel. But one thing I can never understand is they charge 15% on a bottle of wine say $30 = $4.50 extra but if you buy a $60 bottle you pay $9 more, why for doing the same job, crack the bottle open and pour?:confused:

But one thing I can never understand is they charge 15% on a bottle of wine say $30 = $4.50 extra but if you buy a $60 bottle you pay $9 more, why for doing the same job, crack the bottle open and pour?:confused:

Just so I understand, what you are saying is that one bottle of wine served at your table costs $34.50, and the other one costs $69.00?

ie, one bottle is twice the cost of the other one?

Thanks in advance and best wishes :) .

Hi luckymal,

 

Just so I understand, what you are saying is that one bottle of wine served at your table costs $34.50, and the other one costs $69.00?

 

ie, one bottle is twice the cost of the other one?

 

Thanks in advance and best wishes :) .

Hi There,

A $30 Bottle would cost you $4.50 for the Service BUT

A $60 Bottle would cost you $9.00 for the same service.:confused:

Hi There,

A $30 Bottle would cost you $4.50 for the Service BUT

 

A $60 Bottle would cost you $9.00 for the same service.:confused:

Isn't that how percentages work? It's a percentage charge, not a flat fee?

Hi There,

A $30 Bottle would cost you $4.50 for the Service BUT

 

A $60 Bottle would cost you $9.00 for the same service.:confused:

I agree with you. Some are confusing the price of a bottle of wine, $60 and the price for serving it at table, $9. There are two separate charges here and it is illogical to lump both together: the wine is one charge the service another.

Of course as others have noted, if Cunard offered the wine priced at $69 in the dining room no one would have grounds to complain here. I won't hold my breath for any change on that score any time soon though.

And many passengers get round this by bringing adequate supplies aboard and do their drinking in cabin.

David.

Just think, cheap drinks used to be another perk when traveling by sea. Doesn't seem that long ago. Now it is a major revenue source. They made money even with cheap drinks.

Why is it compulsory to be charged 15% by the Carnival robber barons on top of every drink you purchase. Is this legal and if not can you demand they reimburse you??

Most times you buy a drink in the UK, it is subject to 20% VAT, can't really see a problem :D

Most times you buy a drink in the UK, it is subject to 20% VAT, can't really see a problem :D

As has been mentioned, I think it is all perception. I prefer the UK way of including taxes in the price. If you see an item marked 20Pounds and think it worth 20Pounds you pay it. In the US (and on cruise ships) If you see an item for $20 and think it worth $20, surprise, when you buy it it is $23. :eek::D

Why is it compulsory to be charged 15% by the Carnival robber barons on top of every drink you purchase. Is this legal and if not can you demand they reimburse you??

This is how they pay the people who serve the drink. The robber barons on Oceania charge 18%.

Hi There, A $30 Bottle would cost you $4.50 for the Service BUT A $60 Bottle would cost you $9.00 for the same service.:confused:

Hi luckymal, thanks for your helpful reply.

I see, so when I buy the cheaper bottle I get the same great service, but pay half the price? Sounds like a good deal to me. I'm surprised you're not keeping that a secret.

The same excellent service, but at a 50% discount! Merely for buying a cheaper bottle! Wonderful, not many things in life work out that way.

(Or, put another way, according to the figures, one wine started life at double the cost of the other, and they end up on the dinner table, with one costing double the price of the other. And the problem here is?)

Thanks for your help, the marvelous things you learn on this forum.

 

I see, so when I buy the cheaper bottle I get the same great service, but pay half the price? Sounds like a good deal to me. I'm surprised you're not keeping that a secret.

 

You could just as well say that when you buy the more expensive one you pay twice the price. Sounds like a poor deal to me.

The service has the same value to the customer whatever the price of the wine.

Anyway many thanks for your contribution. I will try to get my head round it. I really will.

The very best to you.

David.

I think the point that people are trying to make about the price of a bottle of wine compared to the service charge is that the effort involved in serving it is the same no matter what the price of the wine. But as it's a percentage, the more the wine costs, the higher the service charge. That's obvious, because it's a percentage. But some people may think it should be a flat rate instead.

The simple answer is that the price of the wine should include everything. But that won't happen.

As I've said many times, it's a cultural thing. In the UK tipping is not as widespread as the US. 10% or so in restaurant, that's about it. We never tip in bars or pubs, so people from the UK can't get their heads round the 15% in the bars on a ship.

It does cause no end of confusion for people from the UK.

The first time I ordered room service in America (NY), I did not know if I could just add the tip onto the room service bill or if I had to pay in cash. So when I just signed the bill, before I had chance to get my wallet out, the room service guy went mad !! He started pointing at the bill and demanding that he must have a tip !! When I gave him it in cash he calmed down. If he'd have done that in the UK he'd have had a smack in the face for his efforts.

And I remember twice in restaurants (NY and LA), when the bill came, the waiter said "There's no need to tip sir, I know your English so I've already added it on for you as I know people from the UK often don't understand how it works here".

I think the point that people are trying to make about the price of a bottle of wine compared to the service charge is that the effort involved in serving it is the same no matter what the price of the wine. But as it's a percentage, the more the wine costs, the higher the service charge. That's obvious, because it's a percentage. But some people may think it should be a flat rate instead.

What an excellent post :) . Well explained.

And I can, of course ;) , see that the effort involved (opening and pouring) is the same :D . However as you so rightly explain, it is a percentage, not a fixed fee, for this service.

In the same way that the cabin single supplement is a percentage.

VAT/Sales Tax is a percentage.

Shops increase prices by a percentage.

And not forgetting...

... In the UK tipping is not as widespread as the US. 10% or so in restaurant ...

The simple answer is that the price of the wine should include everything. But that won't happen.

But it does already happen... in my head when I order the bottle of wine.

I can't work out 15% on a lot of odd $ amounts (esp. if this is the second bottle ;) ) so I add 20%... easy, simples, and has the added bonus of a pleasant surprise when I see the final ship-board account.

So I look at the TOTAL price of the bottle of wine, knowing that this is what it will cost me. So simple. So easy.

But this thread will run and run, with different opinions, which is great and what the board is for after all.

Thank you once again Mr. Toad, always a pleasure to see your posts :)

Simple, sail on one of the Australian based cruise lines (P&O, Princess, etc) and you won't have that problem.

However I just read elsewhere that a cocktail on the Sea Princess has gone up to $13.95 AUD.

But they don't add a gratuity on to that ;)

Hello Pepper,

I do exactly the same when eating in a restaurant in the US. I look at the price and add 30% in my head (i.e. 10% sales tax and 20% tip). That's how it works in America, so I accept it. (I'll be in the US in a couple of months on holiday and eating out will feature quite a lot !!).

And you also make a very point about a percentage being added to the price of a meal. No one says anything about that, but the effort involved in serving a meal is the same, it does not matter what dish you have ordered.

Here's an odd one; In the UK, restaurants often say they will add a 10% service charge to large tables (normally 6 or more). I wondered about why this is and I'm told it's as follows: People normally tip about 10% in the UK (and most are happy with that). But if the bill is large (as it will be for 6 or more), 10% then becomes a large figure (in absolute terms), so people tend to reduce it once they work out what 10% is. It does sound plausible to me.

Here's an odd one; In the UK, restaurants often say they will add a 10% service charge to large tables (normally 6 or more). I wondered about why this is and I'm told it's as follows: People normally tip about 10% in the UK (and most are happy with that). But if the bill is large (as it will be for 6 or more), 10% then becomes a large figure (in absolute terms), so people tend to reduce it once they work out what 10% is. It does sound plausible to me.

(It is the reverse of the "bottles of wine consumed at dinner" rule. Where one bottle is perfect for two people, three bottles is fine for four, four bottles is great for six... and a bottle per person for eight people or more :eek:)

Thank you again.

Why is it compulsory to be charged 15% by the Carnival robber barons on top of every drink you purchase. Is this legal and if not can you demand they reimburse you??

This is pretty much industry standard. You could either book one of the really expensive all inclusive lines or follow Cunardaddict's advise!

When you sign the bar bill is there still an option to add a gratuity?

 

David.

Yes there is. We sometimes add a little more to waitstaff that we see on a daily basis. It's up to your discression.

You could just as well say that when you buy the more expensive one you pay twice the price. Sounds like a poor deal to me.

 

The service has the same value to the customer whatever the price of the wine.

No, I disagree. I do not know what sort of wine will be served for 30$, but it certainly will not receive the same service as a bottle of Petrus.

I once asked a Officer from the Hotel Staff why drinks are so expensive plus the 15% he said "It is what you pay in a 5* hotel. But one thing I can never understand is they charge 15% on a bottle of wine say $30 = $4.50 extra but if you buy a $60 bottle you pay $9 more, why for doing the same job, crack the bottle open and pour?:confused:

I have no issue with Cunard's drink prices, especially since they charge comparably less than I get charged here in Sydney.

A corona on board works out to be around $6.50-7 if I recall. At home I pay anywhere from $9 to $12 (depending on whether it's a regular bar or a club).

A nip of whiskey is around $10 mark on board, whereas it's normal to pay between $12-15 at home (going up to $60 for a nip of the good stuff).

Now I find wine to be more expensive on board and champagne is higher priced as well ($280+ for Dom on board compared to $230 at home, and $80+ for Veuve on board compared to $55 at home).

At the end of the day I am happy to pay what is charged - even if I pay a little more than at home on occasion. I don't fly half way around the world to quibble over a few dollars.

One thing I would like changed is to not have to sign for everything I buy. Just charge me :-)

Some very good scenarios on this thread and some items to ponder too but still no answer to the actuality of why we tip.

Like I previously said no one tips me for doing my day to day jobs efficiently and courteously so why do we tip on board ships and in bars and restaurants?

A truthful and sensible reply would be helpful...........

I have no issue with Cunard's drink prices, especially since they charge comparably less than I get charged here in Sydney.

 

 

 

A corona on board works out to be around $6.50-7 if I recall. At home I pay anywhere from $9 to $12 (depending on whether it's a regular bar or a club).

 

 

 

A nip of whiskey is around $10 mark on board, whereas it's normal to pay between $12-15 at home (going up to $60 for a nip of the good stuff).

 

 

 

Now I find wine to be more expensive on board and champagne is higher priced as well ($280+ for Dom on board compared to $230 at home, and $80+ for Veuve on board compared to $55 at home).

 

 

 

At the end of the day I am happy to pay what is charged - even if I pay a little more than at home on occasion. I don't fly half way around the world to quibble over a few dollars.

 

 

 

One thing I would like changed is to not have to sign for everything I buy. Just charge me :-)

There would always be somebody claiming they hadn't had a drink; sad but true😗

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Some very good scenarios on this thread and some items to ponder too but still no answer to the actuality of why we tip.

Like I previously said no one tips me for doing my day to day jobs efficiently and courteously so why do we tip on board ships and in bars and restaurants?

A truthful and sensible reply would be helpful...........

I think the Service industry use it to encourage staff to work harder and provide a better service. My own view is that people should be paid a good wage and train and provide a good working environment so that staff are not left to the vagaries of tipping. I normally do leave a tip for good service. I do feel uncomfortable being 'forced' into tipping but I would not withhold it. I think people in non service industries do by enlarge receive a reasonable salary whereas people in the service sector have always received less.

Bonuses and other financial incentives are also used in other industries.

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