The New Tipping Rate ...it appears Carnival has there own tipping concept

[bzpilot]

Tipping was originally conceived as a way to acknowledge a personal face-to-face service over and above what was to be expected.

 

 

• A waiter should be tipped for things like thorough knowledge of the menu, the city, local attractions, etc.; not for bringing me the food or keeping my glass full, that is to be expected that is there job and should be adequately compensated through their salary.
  
• A cab driver should be tipped for his knowledge of the local area and suggestions that might help me in my travels; not for taking me to the address I told him to, that is there job and should be adequately compensated for in their fare.
  
• Room service should have never required a tip. I am ordering food which before hand you know needs to be delivered to my room. It should already be in the price and that should cover someones salary to deliver it. I should not be tipping someone I see for less than 30 seconds typically - it should never have been a tipped service.
  
• The pizza delivery guy should have never required a tip. I am ordering a pizza that you know needs to be delivered, the price should include delivery in it. I should not be tipping someone I see for less than 30 seconds typically - it should never have been a tipped service.
  

 

Yes, I understand that tipping in these situations above have now become the norm. I just bring them up to show the slippery path we started down. It is only going to get worse.

 

Tipping is getting totally out of control. We are paying for "tipping" because businesses are trying to keep their prices from appearing higher. The airlines got in on it with baggage service and restaurants and cruises are doing it with tipping. Pulling services that should be compensated for in the base prices and expecting us to pay for the service on the backend making their prices appear lower.

 

Does the $1.50 additional a day bother me at all? NO

 

Does it bother me that people complain about it? YES, in a way.

 

Why?

Because most of the ones that are complaining about it are complaining about THE WRONG THING. You shouldn't be complaining about the extra $1.50 a day it costs you (your cruise is very reasonably priced in most cases and some of this has to do with staff who are inadequately compensated to begin with). That $1.50 a day should have already been in the cruise price, and it should probably be a lot more than that. What you should be complaining about is that now the cruise is asking you to "tip" for many services that should not require a tip.

 

What has now become of "Tipping" on Carnival and shouldn't be....

 

The old tipping levels were broken down as follows (per day): $5.50 to the headwaiter/waiter, $1 to the assistant waiter/cooks and $3.50 to the cabin steward.

 

 

• Other that the cooks listed above, I believe the other people listed above should be "tipped" for service over and above there job.
  

 

The new guidelines allocate $5.80 to dining room services, $3.70 to cabin services and $2 per day for alternative services, which include kitchen, entertainment, guest services and other hotel staff members.

 

 

• Yeah, this whole thing has gotten convoluted. We should only be "tipping" for those people who we interact face-to-face with and who give us a service which is over and above what is expected by their job which should be adequately compensated by a salary.
  

 

"Tipping" even as obscured as it has gotten has always been for a face-to-face service. Yes, it has gotten away from just being a compensation for over and above service, now to a supplement for an inadequate salaries. But Carnival has now taken it a step further and now requesting tips for staff we may never even see and will most likely have no personal interaction with. Yes, I believe the laundry staff does a great job and I'm always appreciative of the clean sheets and towels, that does not mean I should tip them - this is there job. They should get an adequate salary for it. The entertainer on stage who performs for his job, yes he entertains me but also should be adequately compensated in his salary for this.

 

 

 

Do I blame Carnival for this? No. At least not completely.

 

 

• I do like the idea of not having to worry about paying tips continually throughout the day on my vacation and a reasonable daily flat rate is a great idea!!! I commend you for offering this service Carnival! ...I'm not going to give you a tip for it - so don't ask!
  
• My issue is with who they are going to! At a minimum if I don't interact with you face-to-face you should not be getting a tip. You should be getting adequately compensated for it in your base salary.
  
• Until people complain about it (and in the right way, for the right reasons) this will continue to happen and will only get worse.
  

[Cuizer2]

Just treat it as a service charge, which is what it really is.

[Gay Cruiser]

I wish it would just be rolled into the base price like the port taxes are before the "REAL TOTAL" is posted.

 

I pay it and more, they all work so hard to make our vaction a enjoyable one.

[danech]

Tipping was originally conceived as a way to acknowledge a personal face-to-face service over and above what was to be expected.

 

 

• A waiter should be tipped for things like thorough knowledge of the menu, the city, local attractions, etc.; not for bringing me the food or keeping my glass full, that is to be expected that is there job and should be adequately compensated through their salary.
  
• A cab driver should be tipped for his knowledge of the local area and suggestions that might help me in my travels; not for taking me to the address I told him to, that is there job and should be adequately compensated for in their fare.
  
• Room service should have never required a tip. I am ordering food which before hand you know needs to be delivered to my room. It should already be in the price and that should cover someones salary to deliver it. I should not be tipping someone I see for less than 30 seconds typically - it should never have been a tipped service.
  
• The pizza delivery guy should have never required a tip. I am ordering a pizza that you know needs to be delivered, the price should include delivery in it. I should not be tipping someone I see for less than 30 seconds typically - it should never have been a tipped service.
  

Yes, I understand that tipping in these situations above have now become the norm. I just bring them up to show the slippery path we started down. It is only going to get worse.

 

Tipping is getting totally out of control. We are paying for "tipping" because businesses are trying to keep their prices from appearing higher. The airlines got in on it with baggage service and restaurants and cruises are doing it with tipping. Pulling services that should be compensated for in the base prices and expecting us to pay for the service on the backend making their prices appear lower.

 

Does the $1.50 additional a day bother me at all? NO

 

Does it bother me that people complain about it? YES, in a way.

 

Why?

Because most of the ones that are complaining about it are complaining about THE WRONG THING. You shouldn't be complaining about the extra $1.50 a day it costs you (your cruise is very reasonably priced in most cases and some of this has to do with staff who are inadequately compensated to begin with). That $1.50 a day should have already been in the cruise price, and it should probably be a lot more than that. What you should be complaining about is that now the cruise is asking you to "tip" for many services that should not require a tip.

 

 

What has now become of "Tipping" on Carnival and shouldn't be....

 

The old tipping levels were broken down as follows (per day): $5.50 to the headwaiter/waiter, $1 to the assistant waiter/cooks and $3.50 to the cabin steward.

 

 

• Other that the cooks listed above, I believe the other people listed above should be "tipped" for service over and above there job.
  

The new guidelines allocate $5.80 to dining room services, $3.70 to cabin services and $2 per day for alternative services, which include kitchen, entertainment, guest services and other hotel staff members.

 

 

• Yeah, this whole thing has gotten convoluted. We should only be "tipping" for those people who we interact face-to-face with and who give us a service which is over and above what is expected by their job which should be adequately compensated by a salary.
  

"Tipping" even as obscured as it has gotten has always been for a face-to-face service. Yes, it has gotten away from just being a compensation for over and above service, now to a supplement for an inadequate salaries. But Carnival has now taken it a step further and now requesting tips for staff we may never even see and will most likely have no personal interaction with. Yes, I believe the laundry staff does a great job and I'm always appreciative of the clean sheets and towels, that does not mean I should tip them - this is there job. They should get an adequate salary for it. The entertainer on stage who performs for his job, yes he entertains me but also should be adequately compensated in his salary for this.

 

 

 

Do I blame Carnival for this? No. At least not completely.

 

 

• I do like the idea of not having to worry about paying tips continually throughout the day on my vacation and a reasonable daily flat rate is a great idea!!! I commend you for offering this service Carnival! ...I'm not going to give you a tip for it - so don't ask!
  
• My issue is with who they are going to! At a minimum if I don't interact with you face-to-face you should not be getting a tip. You should be getting adequately compensated for it in your base salary.
  
• Until people complain about it (and in the right way, for the right reasons) this will continue to happen and will only get worse.
  

Fantastic post! Very well thought out and communicated (in both places ;)).

[Koshlong]

I wish it would just be rolled into the base price like the port taxes are before the "REAL TOTAL" is posted.

 

I pay it and more, they all work so hard to make our vaction a enjoyable one.

 

 

Then people are going to start to tip everybody as well, and the cycle will repeat itself....................add it on, roll it into the fare..........people will tip more..........rai

[iTouch]

Carnival will get no complaints from me......It's a bargain and very convenient. I could care less who and how they distribute it. And I could care less how anybody else feels. Everyone needs to do what works for them and if it is such a freaking big deal instead of whining put your money where your mouth is and book another type of vacation. I do and always will tip my pizza delivery because they are offering me a service which I appreciate...just as the room service employee......

[Snorkel2Much]

Tipping was originally conceived as a way to acknowledge a personal face-to-face service over and above what was to be expected.

 

 

• A waiter should be tipped for things like thorough knowledge of the menu, the city, local attractions, etc.; not for bringing me the food or keeping my glass full, that is to be expected that is there job and should be adequately compensated through their salary.
  
• A cab driver should be tipped for his knowledge of the local area and suggestions that might help me in my travels; not for taking me to the address I told him to, that is there job and should be adequately compensated for in their fare.
  
• Room service should have never required a tip. I am ordering food which before hand you know needs to be delivered to my room. It should already be in the price and that should cover someones salary to deliver it. I should not be tipping someone I see for less than 30 seconds typically - it should never have been a tipped service.
  
• The pizza delivery guy should have never required a tip. I am ordering a pizza that you know needs to be delivered, the price should include delivery in it. I should not be tipping someone I see for less than 30 seconds typically - it should never have been a tipped service.
  

Yes, I understand that tipping in these situations above have now become the norm. I just bring them up to show the slippery path we started down. It is only going to get worse.

 

Tipping is getting totally out of control. We are paying for "tipping" because businesses are trying to keep their prices from appearing higher. The airlines got in on it with baggage service and restaurants and cruises are doing it with tipping. Pulling services that should be compensated for in the base prices and expecting us to pay for the service on the backend making their prices appear lower.

 

Does the $1.50 additional a day bother me at all? NO

 

Does it bother me that people complain about it? YES, in a way.

 

Why?

Because most of the ones that are complaining about it are complaining about THE WRONG THING. You shouldn't be complaining about the extra $1.50 a day it costs you (your cruise is very reasonably priced in most cases and some of this has to do with staff who are inadequately compensated to begin with). That $1.50 a day should have already been in the cruise price, and it should probably be a lot more than that. What you should be complaining about is that now the cruise is asking you to "tip" for many services that should not require a tip.

 

 

What has now become of "Tipping" on Carnival and shouldn't be....

 

The old tipping levels were broken down as follows (per day): $5.50 to the headwaiter/waiter, $1 to the assistant waiter/cooks and $3.50 to the cabin steward.

 

 

• Other that the cooks listed above, I believe the other people listed above should be "tipped" for service over and above there job.
  

The new guidelines allocate $5.80 to dining room services, $3.70 to cabin services and $2 per day for alternative services, which include kitchen, entertainment, guest services and other hotel staff members.

 

 

• Yeah, this whole thing has gotten convoluted. We should only be "tipping" for those people who we interact face-to-face with and who give us a service which is over and above what is expected by their job which should be adequately compensated by a salary.
  

"Tipping" even as obscured as it has gotten has always been for a face-to-face service. Yes, it has gotten away from just being a compensation for over and above service, now to a supplement for an inadequate salaries. But Carnival has now taken it a step further and now requesting tips for staff we may never even see and will most likely have no personal interaction with. Yes, I believe the laundry staff does a great job and I'm always appreciative of the clean sheets and towels, that does not mean I should tip them - this is there job. They should get an adequate salary for it. The entertainer on stage who performs for his job, yes he entertains me but also should be adequately compensated in his salary for this.

 

 

 

Do I blame Carnival for this? No. At least not completely.

 

 

• I do like the idea of not having to worry about paying tips continually throughout the day on my vacation and a reasonable daily flat rate is a great idea!!! I commend you for offering this service Carnival! ...I'm not going to give you a tip for it - so don't ask!
  
• My issue is with who they are going to! At a minimum if I don't interact with you face-to-face you should not be getting a tip. You should be getting adequately compensated for it in your base salary.
  
• Until people complain about it (and in the right way, for the right reasons) this will continue to happen and will only get worse.
  

tl;dr

[ferfoodle]

Shoulda, woulda, coulda.

 

Sorry, I don't share the same philosophy as tipping as you do. I was raised differently and do believe those providing a service should get tips in addition to the charge. (I could go to the store and buy my paper, but instead, I have a paper boy who delivers in high winds, cold, snow, heat, rain and the paper is always there. He is providing a service - I tip.)

 

Cruise line gratuties could be rolled into the fare and if everyone was well compensated by a salary, what would that do to prices?

 

Call the auto-gratuties service charges? Fine. Semantics.

[tassycatt]

yep, just keep beatin that dead horse.

[Sundiego]

Yawn.

[klmorg]

Carnival will get no complaints from me......It's a bargain and very convenient. I could care less who and how they distribute it. And I could care less how anybody else feels. Everyone needs to do what works for them and if it is such a freaking big deal instead of whining put your money where your mouth is and book another type of vacation. I do and always will tip my pizza delivery because they are offering me a service which I appreciate...just as the room service employee......

 

I soooooooo agree! Auto-tips make it so convenient, and the service is worth every penny to me.

[katiel53]

I have to preface what I say by saying we have always tipped the minimum and tipped those we felt deserved more additionally. I also have to say that the dollar value of the increase itself, doesn't bother us.

 

I do have to say that I don't feel that the ones who really serve us, ie, the waitstaff, the cabin stewards receive a tiny bit of the increase. Carnival has now decided that additional staff needs to be tipped and that's why I disagree with the new tipping policy.

 

I don't feel that the entertainment staff needs a tip, nor do I feel guest relations needs a tip. To us, we paid for entertainment on the ship and I have never heard that customer relations people get tipped. As far as entertainment staff goes, I am guessing, and I say guessing as I asked John Heald and he said he had never heard of it and I wrote to Gerry Cahill and haven't received a response, that that includes the Carnival program for kids. If that is true, why do we, who don't use the program, have to pay for this? If it is for those who run karaoke, trivia etc. why is that not part of the cruise fare?

 

As far as guest relations people, and I have gotten my info from the Carnival website, why should we/anyone pay to have questions answered or problems straightened out? We have never had to pay for that in any other business.

 

We have never, ever removed the auto-tips, but we resent having to pay for these services. Won't it be embarrassing to walk up to guest services and tell them we want tips removed? It will be when we ask why and we say it's because we feel the new tipping policy is tipping for people we feel don't serve us or shouldn't be tipped in the first place. But, we still might do it. The one thing that makes us feel sad about doing the above is that people that work in the buffet or other services might not get their fair share, and I don't know if Carnival will allow us to remove entertainment staff and guest services only.

 

This just seems to me another way for Carnival to cut back and make us feel guilty when in fact they could still pay the staff make a profit as they do now. The people who really work hard and deserve an increase, are getting the short end of the stick. JMO.

[windjammerB&C]

I have to preface what I say by saying we have always tipped the minimum and tipped those we felt deserved more additionally. I also have to say that the dollar value of the increase itself, doesn't bother us.

 

I do have to say that I don't feel that the ones who really serve us, ie, the waitstaff, the cabin stewards receive a tiny bit of the increase. Carnival has now decided that additional staff needs to be tipped and that's why I disagree with the new tipping policy.

 

I don't feel that the entertainment staff needs a tip, nor do I feel guest relations needs a tip. To us, we paid for entertainment on the ship and I have never heard that customer relations people get tipped. As far as entertainment staff goes, I am guessing, and I say guessing as I asked John Heald and he said he had never heard of it and I wrote to Gerry Cahill and haven't received a response, that that includes the Carnival program for kids. If that is true, why do we, who don't use the program, have to pay for this? If it is for those who run karaoke, trivia etc. why is that not part of the cruise fare?

 

As far as guest relations people, and I have gotten my info from the Carnival website, why should we/anyone pay to have questions answered or problems straightened out? We have never had to pay for that in any other business.

 

We have never, ever removed the auto-tips, but we resent having to pay for these services. Won't it be embarrassing to walk up to guest services and tell them we want tips removed? It will be when we ask why and we say it's because we feel the new tipping policy is tipping for people we feel don't serve us or shouldn't be tipped in the first place. But, we still might do it. The one thing that makes us feel sad about doing the above is that people that work in the buffet or other services might not get their fair share, and I don't know if Carnival will allow us to remove entertainment staff and guest services only.

 

This just seems to me another way for Carnival to cut back and make us feel guilty when in fact they could still pay the staff make a profit as they do now. The people who really work hard and deserve an increase, are getting the short end of the stick. JMO.

 

I'm with you 100%

[tk22]

Tipping was originally conceived as a way to acknowledge a personal face-to-face service over and above what was to be expected.

 

 

• A waiter should be tipped for things like thorough knowledge of the menu, the city, local attractions, etc.; not for bringing me the food or keeping my glass full, that is to be expected that is there job and should be adequately compensated through their salary.
  
• A cab driver should be tipped for his knowledge of the local area and suggestions that might help me in my travels; not for taking me to the address I told him to, that is there job and should be adequately compensated for in their fare.
  
• Room service should have never required a tip. I am ordering food which before hand you know needs to be delivered to my room. It should already be in the price and that should cover someones salary to deliver it. I should not be tipping someone I see for less than 30 seconds typically - it should never have been a tipped service.
  
• The pizza delivery guy should have never required a tip. I am ordering a pizza that you know needs to be delivered, the price should include delivery in it. I should not be tipping someone I see for less than 30 seconds typically - it should never have been a tipped service.
  

Yes, I understand that tipping in these situations above have now become the norm. I just bring them up to show the slippery path we started down. It is only going to get worse.

 

Tipping is getting totally out of control. We are paying for "tipping" because businesses are trying to keep their prices from appearing higher. The airlines got in on it with baggage service and restaurants and cruises are doing it with tipping. Pulling services that should be compensated for in the base prices and expecting us to pay for the service on the backend making their prices appear lower.

 

Does the $1.50 additional a day bother me at all? NO

 

Does it bother me that people complain about it? YES, in a way.

 

Why?

Because most of the ones that are complaining about it are complaining about THE WRONG THING. You shouldn't be complaining about the extra $1.50 a day it costs you (your cruise is very reasonably priced in most cases and some of this has to do with staff who are inadequately compensated to begin with). That $1.50 a day should have already been in the cruise price, and it should probably be a lot more than that. What you should be complaining about is that now the cruise is asking you to "tip" for many services that should not require a tip.

 

 

What has now become of "Tipping" on Carnival and shouldn't be....

 

The old tipping levels were broken down as follows (per day): $5.50 to the headwaiter/waiter, $1 to the assistant waiter/cooks and $3.50 to the cabin steward.

 

 

• Other that the cooks listed above, I believe the other people listed above should be "tipped" for service over and above there job.
  

The new guidelines allocate $5.80 to dining room services, $3.70 to cabin services and $2 per day for alternative services, which include kitchen, entertainment, guest services and other hotel staff members.

 

 

• Yeah, this whole thing has gotten convoluted. We should only be "tipping" for those people who we interact face-to-face with and who give us a service which is over and above what is expected by their job which should be adequately compensated by a salary.
  

"Tipping" even as obscured as it has gotten has always been for a face-to-face service. Yes, it has gotten away from just being a compensation for over and above service, now to a supplement for an inadequate salaries. But Carnival has now taken it a step further and now requesting tips for staff we may never even see and will most likely have no personal interaction with. Yes, I believe the laundry staff does a great job and I'm always appreciative of the clean sheets and towels, that does not mean I should tip them - this is there job. They should get an adequate salary for it. The entertainer on stage who performs for his job, yes he entertains me but also should be adequately compensated in his salary for this.

 

 

 

Do I blame Carnival for this? No. At least not completely.

 

 

• I do like the idea of not having to worry about paying tips continually throughout the day on my vacation and a reasonable daily flat rate is a great idea!!! I commend you for offering this service Carnival! ...I'm not going to give you a tip for it - so don't ask!
  
• My issue is with who they are going to! At a minimum if I don't interact with you face-to-face you should not be getting a tip. You should be getting adequately compensated for it in your base salary.
  
• Until people complain about it (and in the right way, for the right reasons) this will continue to happen and will only get worse.
  

 

I totallyagree - well said!! And, I do care where my tip goes!!!

[golfadj]

I have to preface what I say by saying we have always tipped the minimum and tipped those we felt deserved more additionally. I also have to say that the dollar value of the increase itself, doesn't bother us.

 

I do have to say that I don't feel that the ones who really serve us, ie, the waitstaff, the cabin stewards receive a tiny bit of the increase. Carnival has now decided that additional staff needs to be tipped and that's why I disagree with the new tipping policy.

 

I don't feel that the entertainment staff needs a tip, nor do I feel guest relations needs a tip. To us, we paid for entertainment on the ship and I have never heard that customer relations people get tipped. As far as entertainment staff goes, I am guessing, and I say guessing as I asked John Heald and he said he had never heard of it and I wrote to Gerry Cahill and haven't received a response, that that includes the Carnival program for kids. If that is true, why do we, who don't use the program, have to pay for this? If it is for those who run karaoke, trivia etc. why is that not part of the cruise fare?

 

As far as guest relations people, and I have gotten my info from the Carnival website, why should we/anyone pay to have questions answered or problems straightened out? We have never had to pay for that in any other business.

 

We have never, ever removed the auto-tips, but we resent having to pay for these services. Won't it be embarrassing to walk up to guest services and tell them we want tips removed? It will be when we ask why and we say it's because we feel the new tipping policy is tipping for people we feel don't serve us or shouldn't be tipped in the first place. But, we still might do it. The one thing that makes us feel sad about doing the above is that people that work in the buffet or other services might not get their fair share, and I don't know if Carnival will allow us to remove entertainment staff and guest services only.

 

This just seems to me another way for Carnival to cut back and make us feel guilty when in fact they could still pay the staff make a profit as they do now. The people who really work hard and deserve an increase, are getting the short end of the stick. JMO.

 

Agreed!

[airmj2123]

I do have to say that I don't feel that the ones who really serve us, ie, the waitstaff, the cabin stewards receive a tiny bit of the increase. Carnival has now decided that additional staff needs to be tipped and that's why I disagree with the new tipping policy.

 

People seem to think they know what the raise constitutes for the employees. But honestly, we have no idea about staff compensation and whether there have been any changes to it that go in effect December 1st. It is entirely possible that the wait staff got a base pay raise and the other employees are getting the raise in the form of the tips.

 

I have no idea how much each individual of the crew makes. I have no idea whether any of them have received a raise or how much the raise is.... I do know that I am not able to tip all of the people who make my cruise more enjoyable. That is why I leave it to Carnival to pay the people and if anyone goes above and beyond what I expect, I tip them extra.

 

I leave you with this question... If Carnival had given the increase in tips entirely to the cabin staff and wait staff but took the money that goes to the additional staff out of the base pay of the wait staff and cabin staff, would you be okay with that? Same amount of money goes to all parties, but no "tip" goes to entertainment staff.

[momof3cruisers]

yep, just keep beatin that dead horse.

 

Poor horse.

[sparks1093]

I have to preface what I say by saying we have always tipped the minimum and tipped those we felt deserved more additionally. I also have to say that the dollar value of the increase itself, doesn't bother us.

 

I do have to say that I don't feel that the ones who really serve us, ie, the waitstaff, the cabin stewards receive a tiny bit of the increase. Carnival has now decided that additional staff needs to be tipped and that's why I disagree with the new tipping policy.

 

I don't feel that the entertainment staff needs a tip, nor do I feel guest relations needs a tip. To us, we paid for entertainment on the ship and I have never heard that customer relations people get tipped. As far as entertainment staff goes, I am guessing, and I say guessing as I asked John Heald and he said he had never heard of it and I wrote to Gerry Cahill and haven't received a response, that that includes the Carnival program for kids. If that is true, why do we, who don't use the program, have to pay for this? If it is for those who run karaoke, trivia etc. why is that not part of the cruise fare?

 

As far as guest relations people, and I have gotten my info from the Carnival website, why should we/anyone pay to have questions answered or problems straightened out? We have never had to pay for that in any other business.

 

We have never, ever removed the auto-tips, but we resent having to pay for these services. Won't it be embarrassing to walk up to guest services and tell them we want tips removed? It will be when we ask why and we say it's because we feel the new tipping policy is tipping for people we feel don't serve us or shouldn't be tipped in the first place. But, we still might do it. The one thing that makes us feel sad about doing the above is that people that work in the buffet or other services might not get their fair share, and I don't know if Carnival will allow us to remove entertainment staff and guest services only.

 

This just seems to me another way for Carnival to cut back and make us feel guilty when in fact they could still pay the staff make a profit as they do now. The people who really work hard and deserve an increase, are getting the short end of the stick. JMO.

 

All well and good, but if that person on the entertainment staff is doing something outside of their normal hours/job duties, something directly related to providing a service to the passenger, then I, for one, feel that they deserve to receive extra compensation and I believe that when they are doing that then their extra compensation is coming from the $2 for alternative services.

 

The one example that I've used consistently (because it's the most obvious) is the loading and distribution of luggage. CCL doesn't have a crew of people onboard dedicated to this function. The "traditionally tipped" staff are busy at this time getting cabins ready and getting the dining rooms ready, so they need to use staff from other departments (i.e. entertainment staff, guest services). For doing this those employees receive a share of the $2 alternative services "tip". How much? I don't know and I don't care. We may not see their faces while they are doing this but it's not being done by the luggage fairy, now is it?;)

 

Yes, CCL could have handled this better, but they didn't. They could have provided clarification, but they didn't. But to take one's displeasure with the company out on the employees would not be the right thing to do IMHO. If you are really PO'd then buy one less DoD every day of your cruise, print out your invoice and send it to corporate with a note "this is what I spent and this is what I would have spent". At least that impacts CCL directly.

[bplazo]

Yawn.

 

I am yawning also.

[golfadj]

All well and good, but if that person on the entertainment staff is doing something outside of their normal hours/job duties, something directly related to providing a service to the passenger, then I, for one, feel that they deserve to receive extra compensation and I believe that when they are doing that then their extra compensation is coming from the $2 for alternative services.

 

The one example that I've used consistently (because it's the most obvious) is the loading and distribution of luggage. CCL doesn't have a crew of people onboard dedicated to this function. The "traditionally tipped" staff are busy at this time getting cabins ready and getting the dining rooms ready, so they need to use staff from other departments (i.e. entertainment staff, guest services). For doing this those employees receive a share of the $2 alternative services "tip". How much? I don't know and I don't care. We may not see their faces while they are doing this but it's not being done by the luggage fairy, now is it?;)

 

Yes, CCL could have handled this better, but they didn't. They could have provided clarification, but they didn't. But to take one's displeasure with the company out on the employees would not be the right thing to do IMHO. If you are really PO'd then buy one less DoD every day of your cruise, print out your invoice and send it to corporate with a note "this is what I spent and this is what I would have spent". At least that impacts CCL directly.

 

We still have no idea whether the people moving and delivering our luggage are part of the new tip pool. For all we know it might be just the entertainment staff and guest services.

 

When was last time any of us tipped the people who checked us into a hotel?

[H82seaUgo]

People seem to think they know what the raise constitutes for the employees. But honestly, we have no idea about staff compensation and whether there have been any changes to it that go in effect December 1st. It is entirely possible that the wait staff got a base pay raise and the other employees are getting the raise in the form of the tips.

 

I have no idea how much each individual of the crew makes. I have no idea whether any of them have received a raise or how much the raise is.... I do know that I am not able to tip all of the people who make my cruise more enjoyable. That is why I leave it to Carnival to pay the people and if anyone goes above and beyond what I expect, I tip them extra.

 

I leave you with this question... If Carnival had given the increase in tips entirely to the cabin staff and wait staff but took the money that goes to the additional staff out of the base pay of the wait staff and cabin staff, would you be okay with that? Same amount of money goes to all parties, but no "tip" goes to entertainment staff.

 

absolutely. those that think 1.50 increase being the issue is not reading correctly.

 

other are violating board guidelines right on this thread yet those posts remain.

 

and most importantly, how even carnival does't think the people that serve YOU deserve the majority of the increase.

 

and let them get affected from within. i have no problem going to guest services and let them know why my tips are being removed.

 

and i will be reporting back as to how easy or difficult they made it for me.

[carsastic]

if you go to a resturant with a party of 6 or 8 and they auto put on a 18% tip

do you know who gets it??

the server? the bussing peoplo? the dishwaser?? how about the hostest or perhaps the old piano guy singing in the corner??

do you inquire?? do you revolt?? you can alway choose not to go there ??

[sparks1093]

We still have no idea whether the people moving and delivering our luggage are part of the new tip pool. For all we know it might be just the entertainment staff and guest services.

 

When was last time any of us tipped the people who checked us into a hotel?

 

I used to work in a hotel and the front desk clerk did receive tips every now and then. I would tip a front desk clerk if he or she went above and beyond for me in some way. They may not receive tips routinely, especially nowadays but to say they don't receive tips ever is a stretch.

 

I don't see it as a "new tip pool". The work that was done before and the work that is being done now hasn't changed and I don't believe that the personnel doing that work has changed. The only thing different is we now have a little clearer idea of who is performing the work. The alternative services portion went up $1 because it is being split more ways than what the steward or waitstaff receives, but no matter how it is split it can be split no more that 100 ways.

 

The crew busts their butts to give me a pleasant cruise experience and they deserve every penny they earn whether it is paid by me directly or indirectly.

[sparks1093]

absolutely. those that think 1.50 increase being the issue is not reading correctly.

 

other are violating board guidelines right on this thread yet those posts remain.

 

and most importantly, how even carnival does't think the people that serve YOU deserve the majority of the increase.

 

and let them get affected from within. i have no problem going to guest services and let them know why my tips are being removed.

 

and i will be reporting back as to how easy or difficult they made it for me.

 

The steward gets 20 cents which he/she splits with 1 person (probably 70/30 but doubtful 50/50) and the waitstaff gets 30 cents which he/she splits with 1 person (not sure if those amounts are right, I'm going off memory with little coffee in me at this point in time;)). Alternative services gets $1 which is split 100 ways.

 

Again, why take your displeasure with the company out on the employees? Take a more direct route and buy less from the company while onboard and let them know it. More direct, more effective and the employees who are stuck in the middle don't lose out.

[H82seaUgo]

I used to work in a hotel and the front desk clerk did receive tips every now and then. I would tip a front desk clerk if he or she went above and beyond for me in some way. They may not receive tips routinely, especially nowadays but to say they don't receive tips ever is a stretch.

 

I don't see it as a "new tip pool". The work that was done before and the work that is being done now hasn't changed and I don't believe that the personnel doing that work has changed. The only thing different is we now have a little clearer idea of who is performing the work. The alternative services portion went up $1 because it is being split more ways than what the steward or waitstaff receives, but no matter how it is split it can be split no more that 100 ways.

 

The crew busts their butts to give me a pleasant cruise experience and they deserve every penny they earn whether it is paid by me directly or indirectly.

 

again, they have not been working for free up till now. any curiosity can be satisfied immediately should you see any of these blue overall individuals.

 

on ctn's, you have to carry your luggage on and off the ship, without the opportunity to visit a bell captain.

 

and one should check out disney, and their land / sea vacations. you never see your bags after you check them in at your airport, and the actually take them out of your room and they show up somehow on the ship.

 

now, that's service.