Tipping statistics

[UNV-IT!!!]

I've read almost every thread and not once has anyone posted anything that can claim fact. Just because someone on CC posts it does not mean it is factual. I've read as much great information as I have read false here. You really need to know the context it is being posted.

I've also read way too many threads that have said 'my stateroom attendant told me' and more then once-you come to read that each and every one can tell a different story.

 

Someone named 'bunnyhop' from 'anytown usa' and all his or her friends is hard to call a reliable source!!;)

 

Then clearly you haven't read every thread. It was in the same thread where someone worked for rccl and posted a video regarding the whole payment and tipping situation. I believe he got fired for that.

[pcur]

If the dinning room staff and cabin stewards are on contract while on the ships, does that make them subcontractors to Royal and then not actual employees? If so, would the contract then dictate the compensation ("wages") plus the opportunity to earn extra by the supplemental tips provided by the cruisers?

 

Just a thought...

 

Yes. See this link from 2006 for an assistant waiter, so the amounts would be higher now:

 

http://swsgroup.cz/CZ/programy/058.htm

[pcur]

I've read almost every thread and not once has anyone posted anything that can claim fact. Just because someone on CC posts it does not mean it is factual. I've read as much great information as I have read false here. You really need to know the context it is being posted.

I've also read way too many threads that have said 'my stateroom attendant told me' and more then once-you come to read that each and every one can tell a different story.

 

Someone named 'bunnyhop' from 'anytown usa' and all his or her friends is hard to call a reliable source!!;)

 

See my post above.

[Mikey22]

If I tipped a Cabin Steward in private, does anyone think he would hand it in?

Some people must believe in the Tooth fairy here.

I usually travel on old clunker Ships, P&O Australia and they include the tips in the fares (or just gave up on the chiseling practice) and I still tip $30 a day on top of that, $10 each a day to my Steward and same to each MDR waiter.

I do not want anyone telling me what I have to give as a "tip" or "service charge" or any other sales name they care to call it.

 

Put it on the price of the Cruise if they want, many Aussies book a cruise and when they find out after they book there is an added charge (tip) that is a significant amount per day for a Family they are shocked.

 

 

Its debatable whether it would stand up to Australian fair trading laws as all charges have to be up front and disclosed in a contract.

[FLACRUISER99]

If I tipped a Cabin Steward in private, does anyone think he would hand it in?

Some people must believe in the Tooth fairy here.

I usually travel on old clunker Ships, P&O Australia and they include the tips in the fares (or just gave up on the chiseling practice) and I still tip $30 a day on top of that, $10 each a day to my Steward and same to each MDR waiter.

I do not want anyone telling me what I have to give as a "tip" or "service charge" or any other sales name they care to call it.

 

Put it on the price of the Cruise if they want, many Aussies book a cruise and when they find out after they book there is an added charge (tip) that is a significant amount per day for a Family they are shocked.

 

 

Its debatable whether it would stand up to Australian fair trading laws as all charges have to be up front and disclosed in a contract.

 

If the Cabin Stewart was honest and he was required it turn it in I think he would. Think about it, he could steal from you and the other rooms when he Is alone and in private. A person is either honest or not and IMO RCI Cabin Stewards are very trustworthy.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Mikey22]

If the Cabin Stewart was honest and he was required it turn it in I think he would. Think about it, he could steal from you and the other rooms when he Is alone and in private. A person is either honest or not and IMO RCI Cabin Stewards are very trustworthy.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

If he believes all of his colleagues turn in their tips he may.

It has not been my experience in Australia, I have had Cabin Stewards almost grab me and tell me if I intend to give any sort of tip give it to them direct.

Handing in a tip that has been given for extra ordinary service is not a related to theft from a cabin in my opinion.

[sleepybert]

I don't mean to offend, but I've found this whole thread entertaining this morning.

 

My personal feeling is that what you do is your business.

 

A couple of comments:

 

Somewhere there is commenting on the tipping system having benefits in better service. I completely disagree based on my own experiences. I have never had poor service in Europe when I ate out. However, I can tell you that here in Canada there are several places where the wait staff just don't care. It all comes down to the person serving and the environment in the restaurant. The tipping system has alos led to alot of abuse by managers and only recently are laws finally being passed to address managers theft of tips. The servers that are good can make a great deal of money on tips. I know of a couple of bartenders that make more than $40k/year based on tips. It is dependent on the restaurant or bar that you work at, but I was shocked to find out how much my friend's wife makes. And yes in the lower end establishments they make peanuts. In the end I do believe it would be better for them to have a sufficient salary like Europe and Australia.

 

My next comment is about the theme that seems to be going through this thread - the amount that the crew make.

1) what are you comparing their wages to?

2) have you bothered to actually find out what they make?

 

If you search for cruise jobs you can easily find out the ranges of salaries for different positions and for those crew that interact with the passengers I do not find their salaries to be low. I think they actually make more than people in Ontario doing the same jobs. My first several cruisess my cabin steward/waiter made more than I did and it was tax free. So, what are you comparing the wages to? When they take these salaries back to their home countries they can be very well off and support their extended families.

 

I would personally prefer to just have the tips added as a fee and be done with it. I prepay and then don't worry or stressout about it. They get the list of who paid and I'm on it and it's all good.

 

The most important part is to fill out the comment cards because that affects them more than anything else.

 

Anyways, do what you want and enjoy your cruise, because I sure as heck will be enjoying mine regardless of whether you tip!!!

[ahecht]

Then clearly you haven't read every thread. It was in the same thread where someone worked for rccl and posted a video regarding the whole payment and tipping situation. I believe he got fired for that.

 

If you read the paystubs in that video you would have seen that, at least for cabin stewards, they didn't have to "turn in cash tips as the tips are pooled then redistributed." Instead, the cruise line assumed that they were tipped by 85% of the people they were responsible for (unless more than 85% prepaid their tips) and deducted from their paycheck $1/person/day for 85% of the people in their area to distribute to the other housekeeping staff.

[UNV-IT!!!]

If you read the paystubs in that video you would have seen that, at least for cabin stewards, they didn't have to "turn in cash tips as the tips are pooled then redistributed." Instead, the cruise line assumed that they were tipped by 85% of the people they were responsible for (unless more than 85% prepaid their tips) and deducted from their paycheck $1/person/day for 85% of the people in their area to distribute to the other housekeeping staff.

 

That's exactly what i said. The tips were pooled And redistributed. Thanks agreeing.

[ahecht]

That's exactly what i said. The tips were pooled And redistributed. Thanks agreeing.

 

Pooling tips implies that they give their entire tips to the pool, and then the pool is divided up between those employees. In this case, the stateroom attendants are required to give a flat $1/passenger/day for 85% of their passengers to the support staff that doesn't otherwise receive tips (laundry, baggage handlers, runners, etc.). That's not pooling tips, as the stateroom attendants never have to report how much they get it cash. They are just charged a flat fee to cover tips for the staff that don't interact directly with passengers.

 

It's similar to many restaurants, where waiters have to tip out to bussers and runners based on the number of people seated. It's called tipping out, not tip pooling.