Gratuities on a long cruise Auto or No?

[shepp]

Really?Red Flagged!Are you certain?Staff members that earn a gratuity shall receive a gratuity and those that don't,won't!I'm not a believer of the auto tipping program.I believe staff members may become lazy when the assumption is "I get a gratuity...regardless"

 

So the waiters who serve you in the Horizon Court, for instance, how do you tip them if they're deserving? Leave a buck on the table?

 

And those poor folks are overworked and underpaid…but noblesse oblige.

Edited February 13, 2015 by shepp

[joeyancho]

It is the same on Princess, HK/F&B supervisors are given the list and its posted for the crew to see. I have seen this posting a couple of times. It is investigated with the crewmember to see if there was anything in particular that caused them to be removed.

 

I believe you are correct. There was a photo posted online that clearly showed the passengers who removed their tips. It was hanging in the galley. It is done for the reasons you suggest. I cannot imagine why anyone would remove their tips, without a legitimate reason, other than being cheap or spiteful. By legitimate reason I mean a serious failure in service, not some oversight or perceived slight. I always leave the auto tip on and always tip more to those who have served me well. I like to leave the impression that Americans are kind and generous people. These are my opinions, YMMV.

[TomCruises]

Yes, the staff knows who removes the tips...their superiors question why tips were removed and what problems there were.

 

Trust me, many of the staff keep track of names. We have had waiters who we had gotten years later and remembered us and what wine I drank at dinner. You know that saying about bad reviews they travel much quicker than the good ones.

 

We have done 30+ days and left the auto tips on and also gave extra tips to everyone. The most to our room steward as he does the most for us. We eat in the dining room at night. At lunch, we leave extra tip in the dining room to the staff there, or if we do room service. Hate the buffet.

 

We would never go on vacation if we could not afford to tip extra. We cut back on a lot during the year to save up for the trip...and we feel good about our decision. We would never want someone not to tip us if we were cleaning there room, etc. Sometimes it is nice to walk in someone else's shoes. These people work very hard. I know I wouldn't do all they do for the money they make.

I think your paranoid if you truely believe non auto tippers are "FLAGGED"!Prior to the so called "convenient" auto tipping system ,passengers tipped the stateroom attendant,waiter,asst. waiter and head waiter if he earned it.The Staff was geared towards excellent service all the time because they knew their gratuity was dependant upon it!NO ASSUMPTIONS due to Auto Tipping System!I tip generously with other staff members as well, based upon my cruise experience and interactions with them.:rolleyes:

[TomCruises]

Personally I don't care if you leave the auto tip in place or not, or if you accept it as part of the cruise fare.

 

But what happens if you get red flagged?:confused:

 

Ouote was meant for you. "FLAGGED":rolleyes:

[mellon1]

I think your paranoid if you truely believe non auto tippers are "FLAGGED"!Prior to the so called "convenient" auto tipping system ,passengers tipped the stateroom attendant,waiter,asst. waiter and head waiter if he earned it.The Staff was geared towards excellent service all the time because they knew their gratuity was dependant upon it!NO ASSUMPTIONS due to Auto Tipping System!I tip generously with other staff members as well, based upon my cruise experience and interactions with them.:rolleyes:

 

When we first started cruising 30 years ago...we would ask our waiter in the dining room where everyone was the last night...that was before the auto tips. He said this is very common for people not to show up so they don't have to tip. We could not believe it. This was on RCCL, HAL and Princess.

 

Yes, the MD told us they know who take of the tips and they ask their workers about it. So everyone knows...believe me that word travels fast.

 

I agree, back in the day, RCCL always prompted everything at dinner saying let me know if something is not excellent and I will take care of it. Fact is the staff work so very hard and I can't recall when we did not receive excellent service.

[TomCruises]

If someone is caught keeping cash tips and not claiming them, they are released. That is why they note the table/room number on the envelopes. Any tips they get from people who took their tips off have to go into the pool, so actually, they don't get all of the tip you give them. There is an honor system on board regarding tips.

 

 

How do you know that they are "RELEASED"?

[mellon1]

How do you know that they are "RELEASED"?

 

The MD told us...in addition to many waiters we have gotten to know over the years having he same ones over and over. You have to remember, there are many many cameras all around the ships watching everything.

[TomCruises]

So the waiters who serve you in the Horizon Court, for instance, how do you tip them if they're deserving? Leave a buck on the table?

 

And those poor folks are overworked and underpaid…but noblesse oblige.

 

Hey Shepp!When you receive Stateroom Service do you tip!If I dine in Horizon Court which typically I don't,should I receive any service,it is a cash tip!Do you tip the folks that make the pizza and waffles for you each day?How about when in Sanctuary,do you tip when they bring you a Cucumber Water?How about when they go fetch a Cheesburger & Fries for you?Tipping is ALL ABOUT providing a GRATUITY to those who DIRECTLY impact your experience making it memmorable and unforgetable.I believe PRINCESS CRUISE LINES and STAFF are entirely to busy and overwhelmed taking care of 3,000 passengers or more to be so obessed as to "RED FLAG" passengers and "RELEASE" employees for having a couple bucks in their pocket!

[SadieN]

Prepay or leave the auto-grats in place.

 

There is a list. Do a google search Carnival Splendor 2008 or 2009. The pic was pulled from CC but it's still on the web

 

Found it

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1180762/Outrage-cruise-passengers-dont-tip-revealed-staff.html

Edited February 13, 2015 by SadieN

[shredie]

Tipping is ALL ABOUT providing a GRATUITY to those who DIRECTLY impact your experience making it memmorable and unforgetable.

So a tip is warranted only if the person performing the service is right there in front of you when it's performed?

I believe PRINCESS CRUISE LINES and STAFF are entirely to busy and overwhelmed taking care of 3,000 passengers or more to be so obessed as to "RED FLAG" passengers and "RELEASE" employees for having a couple bucks in their pocket!

 

I believe they are absolutely aware of all tipping, and I also believe there are staff whose job it is to collect and distribute the tips, auto or otherwise.

Edited February 13, 2015 by shredie

[mellon1]

In regard to tipping....one comment...treat others as you yourself would want to be treated. ENOUGH SAID. If you wouldn't mind being stiffed, then I guess that old saying about what goes around comes around.

[wrvrwego]

Being an Aussie cruiser I would like to point out that tipping is not custom with us due to the fact that workers are paid well and when tips are paid it is due to exceptional service. It is true that international passengers sailing on cruises out of Oz do get hit with the auto gratuity and the cost is included in our fares. We are not able to book cruises in Oz outside of the country so pay a higher fare, with the gratuities already included. I'm sailing on Diamond Princess in two weeks time and my Travel Agent has provided written advice that out tips are included. That being said, I still like to tip my cabin steward and table waiters if we have had a great time.

[shredie]

Your fellow Aussies have educated us about the tipping issues before. I guess it makes it all that much simpler if you pay the gratuities as part of the fare.

[wrvrwego]

Definitely save a lot of angst for all concerned. You have a fixed price for your cruise that is all inclusive (apart from booze, specialty restaurants etc). You also don't have problems caused by exchange rates (currently $US11.50 is about $A15.50).

[shepp]

Hey Shepp!When you receive Stateroom Service do you tip!If I dine in Horizon Court which typically I don't,should I receive any service,it is a cash tip!Do you tip the folks that make the pizza and waffles for you each day?How about when in Sanctuary,do you tip when they bring you a Cucumber Water?How about when they go fetch a Cheesburger & Fries for you?Tipping is ALL ABOUT providing a GRATUITY to those who DIRECTLY impact your experience making it memmorable and unforgetable!

 

As has ben pointed out many times, the auto-tip should more accurately be termed a "service charge," as it supplements the low wages the hard-working folks both in your presence and behind the scenes receive. Same with restaurant waiters who get miserable basic wages under the assumptions they'll get tipped.

 

I agree that tipping is weird. When I worked at a rock venue, I made much more per hour when I worked in coat check (tipped) than worked equally hard as an untapped usher. I have no clue why that's fair. But when I'm in a culture that tips - ours, for instance - I bite down hard and do what's expected. The assumption is that everyone's tips are pooled and go to many service-providing employees…including the people you mentioned. (Though I have idea which people in the kitchen staff actually share the auto-tip. Neither do I understand what the Maitre d' does to deserve such a big chunk of the auto-tip.)

 

I'm not the most generous of tippers, but it would take truly lousy service for me to withhold the expected 15-20% on a restaurant meal. Onboard, I find 11 bucks a day for all the service I receive to be laughably low. My last steward was a delight, so she got extra from us. However, I don't read her performance as "just angling for a bigger tip." Guess I'm not that cynical.

 

I'm interested to know that you leave a cash tip in the HC, though. In 173 days on Princess, I've never, ever seen that happen.

Edited February 13, 2015 by shepp

[robandana]

I'd like to see your calculations showing how the cruise line makes $600,000 on these tips.

 

Its simple each passenger pays $11.50 per day X 3000 passengers = $34,500.00 per cruise day X 340 days (lets leave a few days per year for dry dock) =$11,730,000.00 per year if they charge a 5% admin fee that would be $586,500 per ship per year.

 

Please note that many passengers in suites pay more and some remove the tips and other add more on...these are best guess numbers.

Edited February 13, 2015 by robandana

[westwind6371]

Robandana; Please site your source that says Princess charges a 5% "admin" fee to staff to handle the tips. I have over 23 cruises on Princess and have never heard of this from anyone.

 

Fair winds

Dave

[robandana]

Robandana; Please site your source that says Princess charges a 5% "admin" fee to staff to handle the tips. I have over 23 cruises on Princess and have never heard of this from anyone.

 

Fair winds

Dave

 

Hi, I never said they DO, I said "if they" There are hundreds of articles stating such things. But if you pay your bill with your CC and the CC company charge Princess 2-3% fee don't you think they will pass this charge down to the crew?

 

This article explains that cruise companies hold the tips back depending of the rating they crew member gets....Imagine you give them all the tips and someone gives them a bad review and they never see that tip....???

 

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2012/12/articles/worst-cruise-line-in-the-world/are-crew-members-receving-the-tips-you-pay-watch-royal-caribbeans-screw-the-crew-scheme/

 

 

This is a Facebook page where crew tell some stories.

 

https://www.facebook.com/crewwrite

Edited February 13, 2015 by robandana

[SadieN]

If it's so bad why would any crew sign up for more contracts. Just off a Carnival 3 day party cruise and met up with two waiters from previous cruises on the same ship. One was on their fourth contract on the same ship.

Edited February 13, 2015 by SadieN

[RocketMan275]

Its simple each passenger pays $11.50 per day X 3000 passengers = $34,500.00 per cruise day X 340 days (lets leave a few days per year for dry dock) =$11,730,000.00 per year if they charge a 5% admin fee that would be $586,500 per ship per year.

 

Please note that many passengers in suites pay more and some remove the tips and other add more on...these are best guess numbers.

 

The key assumption is: "if they charge a 5% admin fee..." How do you know they charge a fee? Or that the fee is 5%?

 

I have seen that most service personnel are hired through some kind of employment agency or agencies. I'm sure they charge a fee but that's a very different thing isn't it?

[PrincessLuver]

In regard to tipping....one comment...treat others as you yourself would want to be treated. ENOUGH SAID. If you wouldn't mind being stiffed, then I guess that old saying about what goes around comes around.

 

O'vey.....these constant tipping threads are boring and full of heresy.....can we start one now on "Can I wear my flip-flops with on my tux on Formal Nights? :rolleyes:

[RocketMan275]

Hi, I never said they DO, I said "if they" There are hundreds of articles stating such things. But if you pay your bill with your CC and the CC company charge Princess 2-3% fee don't you think they will pass this charge down to the crew?

 

This article explains that cruise companies hold the tips back depending of the rating they crew member gets....Imagine you give them all the tips and someone gives them a bad review and they never see that tip....???

 

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2012/12/articles/worst-cruise-line-in-the-world/are-crew-members-receving-the-tips-you-pay-watch-royal-caribbeans-screw-the-crew-scheme/

 

 

So Jim Walker quoting the Guardian is your source of information? Really? If there are "hundreds of articles stating such things", you shouldn't have much difficulty referencing a few from other than a trial lawyer and a socialist (IMHO) newspaper in the UK.

 

BTW, I do not do Facebook so there's no need to provide links.

[RocketMan275]

O'vey.....these constant tipping threads are boring and full of heresy.....can we start one now on "Can I wear my flip-flops with on my tux on Formal Nights? :rolleyes:

 

As long as they are really nice flip flops with a tasteful amount of bling. Tell the matre'd that I said it was OK.

[cruzsnooze]

People on these boards are so adamant they say you get flagged if you remove the auto gratuity and use cash instead but you do NOT get flagged. I asked several different guest services people and the cruise director and the head waiter and all said no body knows. You can get tip envelopes at guest services and use cash if that is what you want to do.

I leave the auto charge intact but think everyone should do as they see fit.

[TomCruises]

Just the same should you opt for "Anytime Dining"! You'll have a different waiter and asst. server every evening.I prefer to tip them at that time since I'll probably never see them again!Based upon service received!