Canceling gratuity

[RJ2002]

Although I have seen a few instances where a land-based "resort fee" could be removed, in most cases, they are non-discretionary.

 

Many of the casinos here in Las Vegas have resort fees now, and they can't be removed.

[Boytjie]

The 15% is what we call standard service. If somebody looks after us above what we expect we tip them at the end of the cruise.

 

To me it is the same kind of thing :)

 

Yes it did say 18% on the menu, so we paid it but we thought it was high.

 

But I am still confused. Were you a large group at a restaurant? That is usually when it is automatically added and it is mentioned on the menus.

 

As I have said before all I was doing in my post was trying to explain the different mindset we or rather myself have in the UK.

 

I somehow now feel a skinflint that is not worthy to be cruising with HAl.

 

I agree I am wrong to refer to the service charge as tips, and from today I will pay the damn thing with a smile.

 

Happy cruising.....

 

Understood. :) "Two countries separated by a common language."

 

PS. I had to look up the meaning of "skinflint" :)

[Thebes]

Hello CC fellas,

I'm the op. I had never thought that my simple question will lead to such gigantic thread. Glad folks had fun with my simple question. And btw : I'm totally against removing gratuity. I know how hard these guys work and any of us would not do their job. Being generous to people when we can is a good thing.

[sapper1]

Well doing that is tatamount to removing the ship charge because you didn't eat in the MDR or use the spa. How do you pick and choose?

I think I would like to have it included in the cruise fare, as it is not a tip, it is a service charge. Or you could have it listed with the cruise fare for instance

cruise $1,000

service charge $84.00

port charge ?

etc. etc.

 

That is more upfront. My husband and I did not read all the info on our first cruise and were surprised when we got our bill. Our fault of course but we still went ahead and tipped extra to our stewards and MDR staff. Now I know and add it into my expenses.

 

The resort fee did not go to the service people. It was to defray the cost to the resort of providing a shuttle which we did not use. If we had been advised of this charge upon check-in we would have moved on.

We cruise on HAL fully aware of the service charge and because it goes to the service people we would never remove it. We also tip over and above the HSC.

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

Although I have seen a few instances where a land-based "resort fee" could be removed, in most cases, they are non-discretionary.

 

Many of the casinos here in Las Vegas have resort fees now, and they can't be removed.

 

The casinos in Vegas are a step ahead of HAL I'm afraid.....!;)

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

Hello CC fellas,

I'm the op. I had never thought that my simple question will lead to such gigantic thread. Glad folks had fun with my simple question. And btw : I'm totally against removing gratuity. I know how hard these guys work and any of us would not do their job. Being generous to people when we can is a good thing.

 

Yes, it is. It helps others and makes you (the giver) feel good too!:)

[jtl513]

Require a sit-down meeting with a manager of the appropriate alleged inadequate service area - at a time inconvenient to the passenger - and see how many still want to do it! ;)

Schedule just one hour for everybody, so there might be a waiting line build-up that will discourage some from staying. :D

[Linda&Vern]

Hello CC fellas,

I'm the op. I had never thought that my simple question will lead to such gigantic thread. Glad folks had fun with my simple question. And btw : I'm totally against removing gratuity. I know how hard these guys work and any of us would not do their job. Being generous to people when we can is a good thing.

Thebes - Please, please, please - do NOT start a thread asking what to wear on formal night! :D :D

[sail7seas]

And definitely do not ask what we think of smoking on verandahs!!! :eek: :D

[serendipity1499]

Thebes - Please, please, please - do NOT start a thread asking what to wear on formal night! :D :D

 

And definitely do not ask what we think of smoking on verandahs!!! :eek: :D

 

Ha Ha:D:D..Also don't ask if your teenage kids have to be dressed up on Formal night..

Just finished booking DH & me to fly to NYC this weekend for a funeral..The WEB site I used was onetravel.com. Had never heard of them before.. They were going to charge me $11.00 plus just to pick our seats..That's a new one on me..I declined & am waiting for our seat numbers..Guess they will be in the peanut gallery..LOL

Betty

[Thebes]

Schedule just one hour for everybody, so there might be a waiting line build-up that will discourage some from staying. :D

 

How about what you or me think of the new wine policy. Would that be an appropriate question? :):)

[Wakepatrol]

How about what you or me think of the new wine policy. Would that be an appropriate question? :):)

 

That would be coma inducing

[jwm51]

Thebes, you're the absolute best I swear!!!:p

 

-typing this while eating popcorn & smoking Newport 100's-:eek::D

[Copper10-8]

That would be coma inducing

 

Like watching the submarine races:cool:

[mudscraper]

Like watching the submarine races:cool:

Watching the submarine races while parked along the lakefront with my first mate was most enjoyable!

[richarduk]

One more vote here in agreement.

Stop permitting people to remove HSC without absolutely firmly established, well recognized good reason. It the reasons are so extreme to remove HSC, the cruise line should be refunding/giving OBC to the guest for the poor experience they encountered.

 

If you can't afford the cost of cruising, fine. Understandable. What is not understandable is to not save up a bit longer until you can afford to pay what is expected and made known in advance.

 

I see your point here, however, if my experience it sometimes takes far too much effort and time to get proper recognition of a genuine problem by HAL whilst onboard. I remember well taking 11 out of 12 days to agree OBC and other compensation for serious cabin issues. Now, we did not take the HSC away at the end, but I can see why some people would if they were having issues whilst onboard with which HAL were dragging their feet upon.

 

We are always going to have the issue of people disagreeing whilst these charges remain not 100% mandatory ( I didn't want to say optional).

 

The only way around this, in my opinion, is for HAL to include these in the cruise fare. What difference does it make at the end of the day.

 

My negative slant on that is that people NEED to have some leverage when facing serious onboard issue, and if like us, you were getting nowehere fast, deducting/reducing the HSC could be a viable instant option. Yes, that may result in hotel staff not receiving such moneys, but to be fair that is an issue for HAL if they are not addressing guest issue appropriately. It's not the guests fault.

 

Cruise lines always talk about THEIR bottom lines, but what about OURS?:)

[catl331]

What difference does it make at the end of the day.

Cruise lines compete on price.

[sail7seas]

Originally Posted by richarduk

What difference does it make at the end of the day.

 

 

 

If HSC is included in the fare, it could become commissionable to TA's. HAL does not want to pay more commission.

 

I agree with your comment 'what about OUR bottom line'. It is not only HAL that needs to receive adequate value..... we do, too. I also understand your comment about 'leverage'. It just pains me to think of shorting the hard working crew because of poor management or corporate choices. However, in the end, that is HAL's problem and not ours. If crew is shorted too many times, the company has to evaluate why that continues to happen if some of the reason is not cheapskates but something they possibly could improve upon.... something they may be able to do better.

 

I would find another way to make my point than to not tip the crew.

[Randyk47]

 

 

If HSC is included in the fare, it could become commissionable to TA's. HAL does not want to pay more commission.

 

But other cruise lines do it, at least in the sense that embedded within the fare is a cost that covers crew and staff wages, so it can and is done. It's all in the accounting. I suppose the other approach, as suggested in other posts, is make it a fee and exempt it from commissions like fees and taxes are today. Will there's a will there's a fee.

[scdreamer]

This may have been addressed somewhere else, but I am exhausted following this thread to the end, so I am going to ask it here.

 

If one tips a particular crew member (waiter, steward, etc) in addition to the regular service fee charged by HAL, is that crew member allowed to keep the tip? Must they report it?

[Randyk47]

This may have been addressed somewhere else, but I am exhausted following this thread to the end, so I am going to ask it here.

 

If one tips a particular crew member (waiter, steward, etc) in addition to the regular service fee charged by HAL, is that crew member allowed to keep the tip? Must they report it?

 

No, as long as the passenger's name and cabin number is not on the "removed HSC" list they do not have to report it and may keep the tip.

[sail7seas]

This may have been addressed somewhere else, but I am exhausted following this thread to the end, so I am going to ask it here.

 

If one tips a particular crew member (waiter, steward, etc) in addition to the regular service fee charged by HAL, is that crew member allowed to keep the tip? Must they report it?

 

 

If you leave the Hotel Service Charge in place and pay it, any additional tips you give any crew person is their's to keep for themselves.

They do not have to pool it when guest pays the HSC. :)

 

[RuthC]

No, as long as the passenger's name and cabin number is not on the "removed HSC" list they do not have to report it and may keep the tip.

Nor reduced. The HSC must remain at the entire charged amount, or increased, for anyone to be allowed to keep extra cash tips.

[Boytjie]

If one tips a particular crew member (waiter, steward, etc) in addition to the regular service fee charged by HAL, is that crew member allowed to keep the tip? Must they report it?

 

If you leave the Hotel Service Charge in place then the employee gets to keep what you tip.

[Willem Ruys]

.... Why can't these lines pay their employees a living wage and pass the costs on to the passengers?..."

 

We DO get the cost passed on to us...we pay it in the form of Hotel Service Charges and additional tips.