Jump to content

Tipping on ships based in Australia?


Recommended Posts

Hi all

 

I will be on Celebrity Solstice early next year. I was wondering about the tipping practice or need of after reading posts on the board although it was posts on America based ships.

 

We do not have a tipping culture here and since the ship will be based here do I tip or not since I am already paying grautities per pax?

 

Those of you who cruised locally on Australia based ships (RCI Radiance of the Seas, Rhapsody of the sea etc.), do you tip other than paying the grautities already included?

 

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh the dreaded "TIPPING QUESTION"!!!!

 

Now that is completely up to you if you chose to tip extra.

For us it depends on just how good the service has been. Then it would be a small amount to recognize the staff who have gone above and beyond what you would expect. We have 3 cruises booked on Solstice and as we have selected the Anytime Dining we have to prepay our tips and I must say that I do prefer to pay them upfront in the cost of the cruise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi all

 

I will be on Celebrity Solstice early next year. I was wondering about the tipping practice or need of after reading posts on the board although it was posts on America based ships.

 

We do not have a tipping culture here and since the ship will be based here do I tip or not since I am already paying grautities per pax?

 

Those of you who cruised locally on Australia based ships (RCI Radiance of the Seas, Rhapsody of the sea etc.), do you tip other than paying the grautities already included?

 

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

 

If you are paying gratuities per pax, you are prepaying your tips.

 

No I don't tip on top of tips already prepaid. However, I express my gratitude in other ways. I write glowing reports to management, give expensive magazines, which I would normally keep, but which have been admired by room stewards, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You dont have to pre pay the gratuities. Just sign a disclaimer form at the Purser's Office and the pre paids will be discontinued.. Then you can feel free to tip whoever you like and not feel ripped off by the pre paids.

 

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You dont have to pre pay the gratuities. Just sign a disclaimer form at the Purser's Office and the pre paids will be discontinued.. Then you can feel free to tip whoever you like and not feel ripped off by the pre paids.

 

John

Hi John, here we go again ! If you drop your auto tips other service staff in the tipping pool, the dishwashers, the laundrymen, the cooks, will miss out. Most cruise lines direct staff, i.e. your cabin steward/table waiter to turn in all tips given by the pax if you take off your auto tips. Believe me the staff are told who removes auto tips or drops them below the suggested daily amount. So a fair chance the tips you hand to your cabin steward, table waiter, will not be kept by the recipient.

Edited by NSWP
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Then you can feel free to tip whoever you like and not feel ripped off by the pre paids.

 

John

 

Why would you feel ripped off by the prepaids? That's how they're remunerated. I feel like I'm ripping them off if I'm not paying them for their work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why would you feel ripped off by the prepaids? That's how they're remunerated. I feel like I'm ripping them off if I'm not paying them for their work.
besides the built in tipping we do not tip any one when traveling in Australia or abroad, and who cares for then if they wish to work for low wages and reliy on tips for income thats there problem, Australians have worked very very hard for what wages we have here in Australia and we as Australian should not sub other countries because they do not repect there work force.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have just returned from the Sea Princess sailing of Feb 20 to March 4.

The tipping situation was much discussed during our cruise. The US cruisers had prepaid gratuities on their accounts. The Aussies did not. Drinks were nett with space on the docket for a tip to be added if required.

 

We Aussies chose to give tips to those crew who did a special service for us, along with an employee recognition card. With the very high standard of service we received, the gratuities were well deserved.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have just returned from the Sea Princess sailing of Feb 20 to March 4.

The tipping situation was much discussed during our cruise. The US cruisers had prepaid gratuities on their accounts. The Aussies did not. Drinks were nett with space on the docket for a tip to be added if required.

 

We Aussies chose to give tips to those crew who did a special service for us, along with an employee recognition card. With the very high standard of service we received, the gratuities were well deserved.

 

We also choose to give tips to those whose services we value, plus a thank you card. (It took me a while to stop feeling uncomfortable tipping. After all I don't regard myself as a better person than they are.) Maybe I'm a softie, but we always seem to get such lovely waiters and cabin stewards. On our recent Sun Princess cruise our waiters were such fun, we wouldn't miss going to dinner - our tablemates were the best, too.

 

It's not that they choose to work for low wages. Their wages are more than they could get in their countries and they have to make sacrifices (eg not seeing their children grow up) to make a decent life for their families. We are so lucky to live in a country where we don't have to make these sacrifices.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

if we Australians who wish to sub over sea's low wages good on you, but just think you are subing lower wages that take jobs off Australians.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rubbish.....Australians would not work for the wages offered on cruise ships for the general staff like cabin stewards, laundry staff, dish washers etc.

 

How unkind..."if they choose to work for low wages" honestly....most of the staff come from countries where unemployment is high and social security safety nets are basic or non existent...why sneer at them when all they are doing is more than a good days work...they work very very hard, separated for long periods from their families to provide an income for their families back home.

 

Tip or don't tip its up to the individual we have been over this subject so many times, but for heavens sake don't sneer or look down on honest hard working staff doing their best to give you a great holiday.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

why then Australia's unenployment grows and Australia's sub's grow

 

eg then minning industry is going to employ over sea's worker.

Edited by thied
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Australia enjoys one of the lowest percentages of unemployment in the developed world...check it out.

 

Why do the fruit and vegetable growers here use students, backpackers and overstayers to pick fruit...because most Australians dont want menial work...because we have choice...something workers on the cruise ships don't have in their home countries...they are not taking any jobs from Australians...at all.

 

We live in a privileged and well supported society.. certainly for those of us who can afford to cruise... lucky us...at least we can show some compassion for those not so fortunate, not look down our noses and make idiotic statements. Personally I dont care who tips and who doesn't its a personal decision. If you are cruising on an Australian based ship the "tip" is built into your fare..if you want to tip for service above that its your choice. Some ships get you to prepay "tips" and in return you can have anytime dining, it varies from cruise line to cruise line.

 

But wherever you travel you represent our country do it proudly but without arrogance or ignorance.

 

Just remember the world looks in on our discussions...don't make us look like ill educated, uninformed twits....please.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

quote don't make us look like ill educated, uninformed twits....please.

 

 

thats why Australia has the best wages in the world and the best way of living and the best ecomeny of the world why/? because we do not tip and we are hard workers and many yrs ago we fought for the right for ways we have today, I for one am sick of our Australians and the Australian goverment of giving our money away to people and countries who have been so called poor for the last 60 yrs when we as Austaralia have chilren and people living on the streets. and all for the do gooders

and if you wish to tip good on you but I will not tip.

Edited by thied
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you to all who answered my query accordingly.

 

 

But wherever you travel you represent our country do it proudly but without arrogance or ignorance.

 

Just remember the world looks in on our discussions...don't make us look like ill educated, uninformed twits....please.

 

Was that directed at me? If so I find it highly offensive that you would derive at that with my simple question of tipping practice on ships based in different countries in order to do what is most appropriate :mad: I did not expect such behaviour to be displayed in a cruise forum full of seemingly mature adults, shame on you :mad:

Edited by 1stcruise2012
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you to all who answered my query accordingly.

 

 

 

Was that directed at me? If so I find it highly offensive that you would derive at that with my simple question of tipping practice on ships based in different countries in order to do what is most appropriate :mad: I did not expect such behaviour to be displayed in a cruise forum full of seemingly mature adults, shame on you :mad:

 

 

It was certainly NOT directed at you and my apologies if you took it that way.

Your question was fine and I hope you got the information you were needing.

I am sure you will enjoy your cruise on Celebrity its on my list to try in the near future too.

 

Sue

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you to all who answered my query accordingly.

 

 

 

Was that directed at me? If so I find it highly offensive that you would derive at that with my simple question of tipping practice on ships based in different countries in order to do what is most appropriate :mad: I did not expect such behaviour to be displayed in a cruise forum full of seemingly mature adults, shame on you :mad:

 

Sue (Rugbypopsie) was definitely NOT directing that comment to you. She would have been directing that comment to the ignorant and silly comments that have been made on this thread from a certain individual who makes me feel embarrassed that people from overseas who may be reading this assumes that we are all like this. We are not! Please disregard his comments..... he is not indicative of the average Aussie. As they say "there is one in every group".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thied, You could forget about cruising only in Suites or Mini Suites if the crew were "hard working Australians" who had taken over the jobs from them by the current overseas crewmembers. You would not be able to afford it. There would be NO cruises with only Australian crew. Look what happened to the Australian Nation Line it could not compete because of crew wages and conditions. It must be a enhanced air you breathe in the glorified atmosphere of Captain's Cocktail Party, Captains Luncheons and bridge visits because you make no sense in your comments about staffing on board.Everyone is entitled to an opinion on any subject some just make more sense than others. Still welcome back, it has been quiet on the boards whilst you chatted to the non Captain on Sun Princess but I still bet you gave him a tip ( on how to better run the Ship).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

one thing I find interesting is, we are seeing more and more New Zealanders working on Australian based cruise ships.

 

Thied, I have to ask, "are you for real?" or just a troll who has been keeping up this ridiculous charade for a very long time.

If it is the latter then you are excellent at annoying the vast majority of us on here.

If it is the former then I don't know what to say!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thied

 

Keep it up, its makes the forum lively. You know I dont agree with most of what you bring up but I do agree with some of your arguments on tipping. I will never be convinced that all tips go into a pool and are shared amongst ALL crew. I am still of the opinion that collective tips go towards SUBSIDISING THE CREW'S NORMAL WAGES.

You only have to look at how the cruise companies try and rip off passengers with everything else provided on the ship, e.g. shore excursions, spa charges, drinks etc etc. They are not benevolent societies, they are running a business with shareholders to please and the more profit they make the happier the shareholders will be. We are all now paying "compulsory tips" by way of increased fares on the Australian based ships so we can argue as much as we like but the cruise companies will come out on top every time.

In the meantime I will go on tipping those crew members who deliver excellent service to

me BUT AT MY DISCRETION.

 

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

We are all now paying "compulsory tips" by way of increased fares on the Australian based ships so we can argue as much as we like but the cruise companies will come out on top every time.

In the meantime I will go on tipping those crew members who deliver excellent service to me BUT AT MY DISCRETION.

 

John

 

Hmmmm, I don't know if I agree with this John. In fact, we have been getting MUCH cheaper fares SINCE the first time we booked on Pacific Dawn - when tipping was still included. :confused:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I knew this would happen as soon as the " tipping "question was asked.

 

However I think some of the answers were not not taking into consideration that the question was " do I add extra tips to the already prepaid tips"??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sandy

 

Fair enough but we are still way behind USA and European cruise fares. Some of the e- mails I have been receiving (as no doubt you have been too) for cruises out of USA and in Europe are ridiculously low and how I would love to get those prices for the Australian market. I agree that we are getting cheaper prices now than say two years ago but by the same token the New Zealand cruise we are doing at the end of the month was $400 dearer from the same TA than we paid 6 months ago. It seems to fluctuate wildly either way.

I might be cynical in my views of what cruise ships do with the compulsory tips but I still stand by my assertion that they are not benevolent societies. I will still go on tipping the crew members that deserve that little bit extra for good service but what the behind the scenes crew who we never see get up to should not be the responsibility of the passengers to tip by way of compulsory gratuities. That is the responsibility of the Cruise company and that is why I am highly suspicious of what happens with the gratuities.

No matter what, we will still enjoy our cruising.

 

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...