QE2 Caronia Gratuities

Hello everyone, I'd welcome your views on the vexatious issue of gratuities. Last time we declined to pay the on board gratuities for our 31 day trip. Nothing to do with being tight (in the mean senses as opposed to the inebriated sense!). We'd had very poor service from 2 individuals in Mauretania restaurant. So bad that we stopped eating there and had the Maitre D contact us to find out why. Cunard accepted there were some 'issues' with the staff concerned.

I explained the problems to the purser and said that as the gratuities were specifically for service in the cabin, restaurant etc, I didn't feel that I could give to people I was unhappy with. I asked if I could give those individuals who had given good service a suitable 'tip' rather than pay the block amount towards the end of the trip.

There was no problem with this, we tipped our cabin stewards, wine waitres and restaurant staff in the Lido.

We travel later this year on a 28 day trip. There's no reason to suppose that the difficulties experienced last time will be repeated and I anticipate being happy to pay the $11 a day (or whatever it is) to cover all gratuities.

What do other people do about giving extra (or not) to individuals who've given really good service? And what kind of sum is acceptable? I know there's no right or wrong answer to this one, but I'd appreciate your views so we can come to an informed view. Thanks.

What do other people do about giving extra (or not) to individuals who've given really good service? And what kind of sum is acceptable?

We personally feel that individual tipping is not a practise we like to see - we applaud Cunard adding a daily amount tot he bill, a percentage on drinks bills, etc. but we do not think that additional tips should be allowed. Some lines (like SAGA) have a no tipping policy - the staff are not allowed to accept gratuities even if offered - Cunard should do the same thing.

Not on our last cruise (May) but on the ones previous to that we felt that the waiters, stewards, etc were hanging round with their hands out - they were expecting an extra tip. We felt that things were getting so bad that we were intending on missing breakfast on the last day to avoid this begging.

So, to answer your question, I don't feel that any sum is acceptable for someone just doing their job - if they have done something very special then you shouldn't be thinking of more than a few pounds as a token "thank you".

Malcolm

You'll hear a lot of different views on this subject matter as the auto gratuities are loved by some and hated by others as there are some who only want to tip big time to certain individuals who they feel have earned it.

Me? I like the automatic gratuities for its ease. Saves having to keep just the right amount of cash on hand. I'd probably do what the OP did if I received ridiculously bad service from staff who i felt should be seeking employment elsewhere. Fortunately, I never had that kind of fortune on a cruise ship. In a normal situation, I'd leave the automatic gratuity.

I had an excellent cabin steward on my last HAL trip that I felt provided service far beyond the level of normal and thus I felt I had to leave a little extra. I simply left some money in the cabin on the last day but if you can find that individual you might want to hand it personally.

They all expect a good tip whether you have paid the auto add on or not.

Tipping is out of control now due to gross over tipping by some passengers who think that 15% added to a drinks charge warrents another 15% on top of that.

I would ask for the $11 charge to be removed and tip the equivalent depending on your use of facilities (why should you tip the Lido staff if you never eat there) and on levels of service.

One day I am going to pass a £5 note to the air srewardess and see the reaction.

David.

They all expect a good tip whether you have paid the auto add on or not.

They do - but they don't get it from us! My impression of the feeling on this board is that there are a lot of people who object to having to tip twice. If they all just pay the automatic tip and don't cave in to leaving something else then it might get easier for all of us.

I feel that my cabin and dining room staff have always deserved more than the pittance that is the auto-gratuity...and I happily tip more at the end of every crossing or cruise.

All, thanks for your comments. As anticipated, a range of views.

I'm with Malcolm on this one. It's a simple enough and I would have thought acceptable system for all. We know up front how much it's going to cost and it saves any doubt about who should get what.

I think we'll stick with it and unless there's something absolutely exceptional, the brochure amount will be what we pay. It was just that last time, there seemed to be so many people handing over money and the 'lurking' staff on the last couple of evenings was amazing. I just wondered whether we'd missed something.

Thanks all.

Anita

It was just that last time, there seemed to be so many people handing over money and the 'lurking' staff on the last couple of evenings was amazing.

I wouldn't say amazing, just horrendous, embarrassing! It was enough to put us off going on another cruise. As I say for the first time recently, in May it didn't happen - the whole cruise was to a much higher standard. I wonder if it could be something to do with the Captain? It was Capt Perkins, although I can't remember which one it was at Christmas.

I wouldn't say amazing, just horrendous, embarrassing! It was enough to put us off going on another cruise. As I say for the first time recently, in May it didn't happen - the whole cruise was to a much higher standard. I wonder if it could be something to do with the Captain? It was Capt Perkins, although I can't remember which one it was at Christmas.

Oh wow , that's bad but pleased the recent experience was better. The thought about the captain is interesting. I think there's a staff captain as well as the ship's captain, but there must be more than one.

Have you decided about Christmas 2007 yet? You said you were thinking of Caribbean. Sounds good to me!

Anita

Have you decided about Christmas 2007 yet? You said you were thinking of Caribbean. Sounds good to me!

Anita

Don't ask! - Oh you did - well . . . . There'd be four of us going, I'd book it tomorrow; both my parents want to book, but they also want to dither, they want to know why they can't book in 12 months time and still get the same fare and choice of cabin (it is a good fare - we'd be getting C3's for the price of M1's); my partner is not sure that he can put up with three weeks of their fighting. I think that what we'll do is leave it until either all the cabins (discounted or otherwise) have gone or find there is only availability for a penthouse or something on deck 5! On Friday I was 95% confident that we'd all have booked today; this morning it was down to 60% that we'd book by the end of the month; now it's about 10% by the end of the year:(

Keep your fingers crossed that they all decide that it is a good fare and that they will book now after all.

The Purser's office weren't able to tell me how the formula worked, but in essence everyone's tips are pooled shipwide and then divided. To remove autotipping to hurt one person is therefore pointless.

Think about it for a moment.

We had three butlers during the day, with two bathroom boys. One night steward. Two waiters. One assistant maitre d'.

My mother had one steward and (presumably) one bathroom boy. Then the two waiters and one Maitre d' that we had.

Both of us were paying $13 dollars a day. If our individual tips went to those who served us, Signal Deck staff would get less in tips per head than Deck 2 staff. Doesn't make sense, does it?

Having in my youth worked as a waitress briefly, I appreciate how hard service staff work. I dislike the way tipping is handled but always tip generously, wherever I am.

I always pay the daily recommended gratuity but like to give a few dollars on the first day to the room steward with a promise of more at the end for exceptional service. It gets me prompt and excellence service and I reward it with a few more dollars at the end.

Last trip the dining room stewards were hurried and got nothing more, but I would have gladly given an extra tip were it deserved.

We had three butlers during the day, with two bathroom boys. One night steward. Two waiters. One assistant maitre d'.

 

My mother had one steward and (presumably) one bathroom boy. Then the two waiters and one Maitre d' that we had.

 

Both of us were paying $13 dollars a day.

Which means that you got much better value for $13 than those on $11?

David.

Which means that you got much better value for $13 than those on $11?

 

David.

Of course. We get far more staff and far better staff (given that they work their way up the ship! than those on Deck 5.

Which makes, in my view, the system unfair as, in practice, if we all just paid the add on tips and nothing else, "my" staff would be subsidised by those people staying in Deck 5. Which is, of course, hugely unfair.

I'm not suggesting that the stewards on Deck 5 are not good, as I simply do not know, but comparing Deck 2 to the Signal Deck it is quite clear that the service is far far better on the latter, and assumptions are drawn from there.

I don't think one can find poor service on QE2 of course.

Of course. We get far more staff and far better staff (given that they work their way up the ship! than those on Deck 5.

 

Which makes, in my view, the system unfair as, in practice, if we all just paid the add on tips and nothing else, "my" staff would be subsidised by those people staying in Deck 5. Which is, of course, hugely unfair.

quote]

 

Nice one Kindlychap. I assume you support the Quorn and as you move in that egalitarian fraternity, I'm pleased to leave you to pay more than me. As a matter of principle, I hate to think that any additional amount I give 'my' steward etc would support your additional staff in any way.

 

Respectfully (or maybe not) Deck One.

Of course. We get far more staff and far better staff (given that they work their way up the ship! than those on Deck 5.

 

Which makes, in my view, the system unfair as, in practice, if we all just paid the add on tips and nothing else, "my" staff would be subsidised by those people staying in Deck 5. Which is, of course, hugely unfair.

quote]

 

Nice one Kindlychap. I assume you support the Quorn and as you move in that egalitarian fraternity, I'm pleased to leave you to pay more than me. As a matter of principle, I hate to think that any additional amount I give 'my' steward etc would support your additional staff in any way.

 

Respectfully (or maybe not) Deck One.

 

Not quite sure what you are saying here. I'm only saying that those that deal with me get less per head than those dealing with those on deck 5. It doesn't seem to make sense to me.

 

I don't leave the standard tips on, and tip individually. For what it is worth. by paying the Cunard tips, you are paying something for those on the Signal Deck.

If the standard charge tips are distributed evenly, staff who serve the higher categories cabins will get the same as those on the lower ones. This seems fair to me. However it is the passengers who are in effect treated unfairly, because for just two dollars a day more, the top class ones get much more and much superiour service.

David.

It is the passengers who are in effect treated unfairly, because for just two dollars a day more, the top class ones get much more and much superior service.

You've also got to take into account the fare - top of the range cabins are much more expensive than the cabins at the bottom. The only reason I can see for not including the gratuity in the price of the cabin is that VAT (a sales tax) is not payable on it if is is "given" separately.

 

Not quite sure what you are saying here. I'm only saying that those that deal with me get less per head than those dealing with those on deck 5. It doesn't seem to make sense to me.

 

I don't leave the standard tips on, and tip individually. For what it is worth. by paying the Cunard tips, you are paying something for those on the Signal Deck.

 

No, you may be right. I've reviewed your (and my) post and I think the plot's lost.:confused:

You've also got to take into account the fare - top of the range cabins are much more expensive than the cabins at the bottom. The only reason I can see for not including the gratuity in the price of the cabin is that VAT (a sales tax) is not payable on it if is is "given" separately.

How about a thread debating whether VAT is a 'sales' or 'purchase' tax?:)

No only joking, it's a circular debate. But there must be more to it or all lines would have the same policy and they don't. I don't see Saga and other tip 'inclusive' lines subjecting themselves to a significant taxation disadvantage. Unless it's to do with tax laws in the home country of the line owners. It's too tricky late on a hot Sunday night ....!!!:)

There must be more to it or all lines would have the same policy and they don't

My only reason for mentioning the VAT rules is based on hire boats on the English canals. If a boat was hired as including fuel then you had to pay VAT on the fuel element as it was part of the holiday; if fuel was charges as an extra then it was VAT free (fuel for narrowboats counts as marine Diesel). Some hire bases include fuel, some don't. I assumed that the tipping worked in the same way:)

 

Not quite sure what you are saying here. I'm only saying that those that deal with me get less per head than those dealing with those on deck 5. It doesn't seem to make sense to me.

 

I don't leave the standard tips on, and tip individually. For what it is worth. by paying the Cunard tips, you are paying something for those on the Signal Deck.

 

Trying to get "me ead" round this one. If all the tips are added together and distributed to the staff equally, your's will get the same as the rest.

 

Or am I missing something.

 

David.

Trying to get "me ead" round this one. If all the tips are added together and distributed to the staff equally, your's will get the same as the rest.

The important word there is "if". Cunard aren't publicly admitting how they divide up the tips - I suspect that Cunard pay a fixed amount to each member of staff - this will vary as salary will, but won't be directly dependant of the number of guests they serve.

 

Trying to get "me ead" round this one. If all the tips are added together and distributed to the staff equally, your's will get the same as the rest.

 

Or am I missing something.

 

David.

 

Indeed - they will receive the same as the others.

 

But at $13 a day and nine staff, I pay $1.44 per person per day.

 

Deck 2 QG at $13 a day and five staff pay $2.60 per person per day.

 

Mauretania (assuming one Maitre d' and two waiters) at $11 a day pay $2.20 per person per day.

 

Which means I am underpaying if I follow Cunard's lead.

My only reason for mentioning the VAT rules is based on hire boats on the English canals. If a boat was hired as including fuel then you had to pay VAT on the fuel element as it was part of the holiday; if fuel was charges as an extra then it was VAT free (fuel for narrowboats counts as marine Diesel). Some hire bases include fuel, some don't. I assumed that the tipping worked in the same way:)

Hmm interesting. Maybe there's a VAt scam somewhere in the fuel scenario.

Hope you're making meaningful progress in arranging your winter 2007 cruise....what a nightmare. I don't envy you that one so good luck. Patience and good humour will be tested to the full!:)