Viking Tipping

[heathcharnock]

We are shortly to take our first river cruise which will be with Viking

 

Included in the final documentation was a note of what tips were recommended. I hadn't seen this information previously, don't know if there was an opportunity.

 

The recommended amounts seem to me excessive. We are used to ocean cruising and usually tip more that the suggested amount.

 

However Viking are recommending (I think) 2 Euros per passnger per day for the cruise director. With 190 passengers that's 380 Euros a day or 2,660 Euros per week which is around $3,500.

 

Does that not seem a lot of tips for one ? person.

 

Do they really expect this? Do they get it?

 

In addition there is 12 euros per person per day for other staff.

So for our 14 day trip we are expected to tip $600.

P&O Ocean cruises would expect $130 for the same length of cruise.

 

Am I being a skinflint ?

[sitraveler]

We've taken many cruises, both river and ocean and don't think the amounts are excessive. However you are under no obligation to adhere to their suggested tip amounts.

 

The CD tip is for your on tour guide as well as the CD. The staff tips go to the wait staff and housekeeping people. As there is no dedicated tables on the river cruise you are served by various waitresses and other staff and their tips are pooled. If we keep going to the same waitresses tables I tend to give a small additional amount to her.

[Cary Cruiser]

heathcharnock - When I first read Viking's tipping suggestions on their website I thought they sounded a bit high too. But I am booked on cruise half the length of yours. After thinking about it, I decided to see how the service was on my cruise, then either pay according to Viking's suggestion or not.

 

Here is the full list from their website:

 

Europe

 

In Europe, we recommend that you tip in euros. Guidelines:

• Program Director – €2 per person, per day

• Onboard staff – €12 per person, per day

• Local city guides – €2 per person, per day

• Coach drivers – €1 per person, per day

 

You may tip onboard staff in cash if you like, or you may charge your tips to your credit card at the end of the cruise.

[LIer]

Tipping is not mandated, however most of the crew depends on tips to supplement their income. Having been in the service industry most employees are paid a minimum wage with the understanding that tips will augment their salary. If the service is poor no need to tip. Most of the posters seem to be happy with the crews' service from what I read and from past experience I know it is sometimes very trying for them to keep their composure when some guests do nothing but complain over any little thing.

 

Bottom line is up to you whether you tip or not for services rendered

[heathcharnock]

heathcharnock -

 

Here is the full list from their website:

 

 

The UK website is different and this is all I found

 

"Tips are not included in your cruise price, but are a voluntary way of showing satisfaction for good service. You may tip on board staff in cash if you like, or you may charge your tips to your on board account, which can be paid at the end of your cruise (everywhere except Southeast Asia). These gratuities are distributed among the ship’s staff. An additional tip of €2 per person, per day is suggested for the Program Director."

 

I'm not as concerned about the amount suggested for staff so much as I am the cruise director. I will judge as I see but I cannot conceive that someone can be worth $3,500 per week in tips.

 

That's way above the average PAY for full time work in the UK.

[Cary Cruiser]

The UK website is different and this is all I found

 

"Tips are not included in your cruise price, but are a voluntary way of showing satisfaction for good service. You may tip on board staff in cash if you like, or you may charge your tips to your on board account, which can be paid at the end of your cruise (everywhere except Southeast Asia). These gratuities are distributed among the ship’s staff. An additional tip of €2 per person, per day is suggested for the Program Director."

 

I'm not as concerned about the amount suggested for staff so much as I am the cruise director. I will judge as I see but I cannot conceive that someone can be worth $3,500 per week in tips.

 

That's way above the average PAY for full time work in the UK.

 

First of all the ships do not sail 12 months out of the year. Secondly, I don't know, on average, how many sailings any one CD makes in a given year. I can't imagine they work the entire season, open to close. Maybe they only work 26 weeks a year. I don't know. It is very strenuous and stressful work, and I think they do deserve to be compensated well for it.

 

My next door neighbors son is a junior officer on the bridge for Disney. He works 3 months then has 2 months off. Don't know if there is a similar situation with RC staff.

[cb222]

Starting 2014, Uniworld's pricing includes tips and excursions. I suspect this will eventually be done by all.

cb

[franski]

 

I'm not as concerned about the amount suggested for staff so much as I am the cruise director. I will judge as I see but I cannot conceive that someone can be worth $3,500 per week in tips.

 

That's way above the average PAY for full time work in the UK.

 

You are under no obligation to pay the suggested amount, but we happily paid the suggested gratuity amount and rounded up.

 

Although I understand your comparison to average pay for full-time work, I doubt there are any full-time positions that expect you to work 10-12 hrs/day for 7 (or more days) before you have a day off.

 

I have always said that the CD can make or break your cruise. So, as with a gratuity for anyone in the service industry, I suggest you look at the service you received - and either tip the suggested amount (if the service is what you were hoping for) - or change the amount up/down based on your level of satisfaction.

 

Fran

[melodyesch]

I kind of felt the same way before our cruise, but you can't compare the CD on an ocean cruise to one on a river cruise. We just had our first river cruise in May (Viking Paris to Normandy) and it really opened my eyes to how much the CD works.

 

Ours was Anika and she was interacting with the cruisers all day/every day. At the end, I didn't even think twice about the 2 euros per person per day. She earned every penny.

[robinlynn]

I will be receiving a generous OBC from my TA and was hoping to use a good portion of it for tips, as we did on the large cruise ships. Is this applicable as well on most river cruises? I will be on Viking

 

Thanks

Robin

[covingtonmom]

We just finished a Portraits of Southern France cruise and also felt the 2 Euro/day/passenger for the Program Director was excessive. With 150 passengers, that's more than I make in salary! We asked one of the other staff and they said this is new for Viking. The tip is only ofr the Program Director and they are no longer including them in the "staff" Viking is expecting the passenger tips to make up a lot of their salary. I find this very objectionable. They need to pay their staff based on their work, not based on their tips. We did give a tip, but not the suggested amount.

[AttilaTheFun]

I will be receiving a generous OBC from my TA and was hoping to use a good portion of it for tips, as we did on the large cruise ships. Is this applicable as well on most river cruises? I will be on Viking

 

Thanks

Robin

 

On some cruise lines I've seen, an onboard credit cannot be used for gratuities. I would check with your TA or Viking directly.

[id est]

On some cruise lines I've seen, an onboard credit cannot be used for gratuities. I would check with your TA or Viking directly.

On Viking OBC could be used for gratuities. We always pay suggested amount and add extra. They really deserve it.

[PhillyGirl2]

I agree with those who say that you should tip what you feel is reasonable for the service that is being rendered. On Viking, some of our tour guides (not often) were not so great, so their tip reflected it, some were great, so we tipped more than what was suggested. I remember being on many cruises where you leave the envelopes in your cabin, but on Viking you put tips for the crew (dining and cabin stewards) in one envelope and put it in a box in the main lobby, so no one really knows who gives what amount.

[Ozjohnno]

This may not be a valid reason for many but one of the reasons I look for all-inclusive trips is because I don't want to be thinking about what the correct tip for a service should be. I much prefer others making that decision on my behalf before I go and when I pay for my holiday..

[Osnab]

The UK website is different and this is all I found

 

"Tips are not included in your cruise price, but are a voluntary way of showing satisfaction for good service. You may tip on board staff in cash if you like, or you may charge your tips to your on board account, which can be paid at the end of your cruise (everywhere except Southeast Asia). These gratuities are distributed among the ship’s staff. An additional tip of €2 per person, per day is suggested for the Program Director."

 

I'm not as concerned about the amount suggested for staff so much as I am the cruise director. I will judge as I see but I cannot conceive that someone can be worth $3,500 per week in tips.

 

That's way above the average PAY for full time work in the UK.

 

It's $3500 total for all the passengers combined. You aren't able to judge whether the CD earned all of that, because you won't be aware of every dealing had with every passenger.

 

You should base your tip on your experience alone. Otherwise, that's like saying you don't think you should tip a cab driver, a server, a concierge, etc because you got a glimpse at their W2 at year end and felt they could live on less!

Felicia

[pacmom]

We have taken 4 Viking cruises--3 in Europe. On those the CD ws considered part of the staff--sharing in the generl staff tip. On our other 13 river cruises, the CD was an independent contractor--only salary came from tips. Believe me they earn every penny. After we retire for the nite, they still have to send forms to the company headquarters and firm up the next days' excursions. It looks as if Viking has gone to independent contractors. On river cruises even the cptain shars in the tip--still thik it unfair. Pat

[TravelBugM]

We sailed with Viking in late June and we too were somewhat skeptical regarding the suggested tip amounts. And then we experienced the unbelievable efforts of the staff and CD. You couldn't pay me enough to do the CD's job.

 

I personally do not like the concept of tips included in the price of the cruise. I believe a gratuity is an acknowledgement of service excellence. What will be the incentive to continue the level of service we experienced when a tip wasn't guaranteed. And how much of that included tip will actually get to the staff when various levels of administration get their cut? I much prefer a separate tipping scenario. Hopefully Viking will not change that policy.

[Ozjohnno]

We sailed with Viking in late June and we too were somewhat skeptical regarding the suggested tip amounts. And then we experienced the unbelievable efforts of the staff and CD. You couldn't pay me enough to do the CD's job.

 

I personally do not like the concept of tips included in the price of the cruise. I believe a gratuity is an acknowledgement of service excellence. What will be the incentive to continue the level of service we experienced when a tip wasn't guaranteed. And how much of that included tip will actually get to the staff when various levels of administration get their cut? I much prefer a separate tipping scenario. Hopefully Viking will not change that policy.

 

I agree that may be the norm for North Americans but please believe me when you come from a country that does not have a "tipping culture" it is far easier to have the tips included in the fare.

[TravelBugM]

Ozjohno - I understand where you are coming from. I would think then adding the tip to the cost of your cruise would not be wanted either, forcing you to tip.

[rich4karen]

We believe the tipping suggestion is high. The cruise is expense and paid one year in advance. what about Viking paying there employees more? The CD did a good job, however why a tip? He even sat at our table during a below average lunch at a hotel(this was because of the floods). He did mention that Viking paid him during the flood mess when cruises were cancelled. So I assume he is paid , they also helped with his flight home during canceled flood cruises.

We did tip but not in the amounts suggested. We also tipped the waiter personally because he made us feel special on the nights he waited on our table. We also tipped our room steward. Tipping is personal and we treat it that way. The envelopes are separate for the staff and CD.

Again their suggestions are too high.

[TravelBugM]

That's exactly my point why I don't want gratuity to be included in the cost of the cruise. Tipping is a very personal, discretionary thing. Not everyone has the same experience and the amount of tip should be at each persons discretion not a uniform levy across the board.

[jan can]

Since Europe is not commonly known for tipping, or at least in the percentage we are, it would be interesting to know if passengers on non-American boats are given the same advice.

 

I will tip based on service.

[Jimmyfan]

We believe the tipping suggestion is high. The cruise is expense and paid one year in advance. what about Viking paying there employees more? The CD did a good job, however why a tip? He even sat at our table during a below average lunch at a hotel(this was because of the floods). He did mention that Viking paid him during the flood mess when cruises were cancelled. So I assume he is paid , they also helped with his flight home during canceled flood cruises.

We did tip but not in the amounts suggested. We also tipped the waiter personally because he made us feel special on the nights he waited on our table. We also tipped our room steward. Tipping is personal and we treat it that way. The envelopes are separate for the staff and CD.

Again their suggestions are too high.

I am curious on the tipping - did you just tip the room steward and the waiters individually and not submit an envelope at the end of the cruise? If you don't mind revealing what you tipped for each individual? Did you tip the Cruise Director and if yes directly or via envelope. Trying to figure out what is best. I like to tip the individuals and not the group. Thanks!

[franski]

I like to tip the individuals and not the group. Thanks!

 

That is really too bad for the rest of the crew.

 

On a river cruise, most crew members do more than 1 "job". You might see the bartenders helping out in the dining room, or the sailors and/or captain moving luggage. The front desk is often manned 24/7 - so there are people there who you may never meet if you go to bed before the night crew starts working. The sailors keep the outside areas of the boat clean... so although they might not interact with you directly (and they are traditionally a "shy" bunch....) they do impact your experiences on the boat.

 

If you want to tip over and above the "group" amount, that it one thing... but to tip individuals and not the group means that you will be - most likely - excluding people who worked hard behind the scenes to make your trip an enjoyable one.

 

Fran