Gratutities

[drinkspackageexpert]

I live in the UK.

When I use a taxi and he does a good job I leave a tip.

When I eat in a restaurant and receive good service I leave a tip.

When I cruise, I always prepay my gratuities and also tip extra of I receive good to exceptional service.

Please do not tar us all with the same brush ok!! Not all bits refuse to tip and I get fed up with being told "you bits don't tip", when I fact I do.....all the time. I always tip good service....even my bin men get a Christmas bonus.

[cruisestitch]

The OP asked:

 

Does anyone know if one can go to the purser's desk and sign a form , saying that you will tip on your own ?

 

I'm always curious how people expect to be able to accomplish that. The stateroom attendants are relatively easy, you see them each day. But the food service staff?

 

Let's think about several scenarios. You stop by Cafe Al Bacio and order a piece of chocolate cake. A waiter brings it to your table, and clears the table when you are finished. How do you tip that person?

 

You are sitting at Oceanview cafe reading. A waiter comes by and asks if you would like something to drink. You say "I'd love a cup of coffee". How do you tip that person?

 

You are in line waiting for a fresh pizza to be made. A waiter comes by and says, "where are you sitting, I'll bring you some when it's ready". How do you tip that person?

 

You go to Aqua Spa for breakfast. You order an egg white omelet. It is brought to your table a few minutes later. How do you tip that person?

 

With the auto-tips in place, these workers all share in the tip pool. When you remove your tips, I can't see how it is possible to tip them, do you carry a pocketful of cash?

 

So many people only consider the staff they see at dinner, but those same people work the buffet, and al Bacio, and even the hamburger grill sometimes.

 

If you decide not to eat dinner in the MDR, presumably you eat somewhere, and you have breakfast and lunch somewhere, and how can you include all those servers in your plan?

[woodyren]

First, I thank you for doing the right thing and not removing the gratuities as so many of your countrymen do. That is commendable.

 

 

How do you know which country Bean41 is from?

Edited August 2, 2015 by woodyren

[rose6]

In my opinion, the cruise lines who add on these auto tips are failing to pay their tipped workers a proper living wage. I agree with the poster fom New Zealand that tipping should be based on exceptional service received, not just for performing the minimum requirements of their job discription. An 18% tip for someone to take an overpriced beer from the refrigerator is ridiculous. It also amazes me that in these gratuities discussions on cruise critic so few question this policy. When I stay in a hotel I am not billed an additional gratuity fee to pay the wages of the hotel staff. And I am free to tip for excellent service as I may wish.

 

I find this auto tipping policy disrespectful to the guests, and even worse, an excuse for the cruise lines not to assume the appropriate financial responsibility for the wages of some of its staff.

 

On too many occasions I have read negative comments directed at some who question this auto tipping practice. Perhaps it is time for more cruisers to speak up and tell the cruise lines to pay their staff a proper living wage.

[JAF1]

I live in the UK.

When I use a taxi and he does a good job I leave a tip.

When I eat in a restaurant and receive good service I leave a tip.

When I cruise, I always prepay my gratuities and also tip extra of I receive good to exceptional service.

Please do not tar us all with the same brush ok!! Not all bits refuse to tip and I get fed up with being told "you bits don't tip", when I fact I do.....all the time. I always tip good service....even my bin men get a Christmas bonus.

 

Same here. Have been in several American restaurants and noticed locals only tip a dollar or two when the figure should have been far more so it is not just UK residents who are poor tippers.

[cle-guy]

How do you know what country Bean41 is from?

 

I myself, assumed Wellington is either the UK or New Zealand as it's not a familiar city name in the USA.

 

Then I think of Mr. Bean, Rowan Atkinson and the British Television show.

 

Those clues lead me to believe UK. :D

[Fouremco]

How do you know which country Bean41 is from?

Any regular reader of this board would know from past posts that Bean41 is from New Zealand.

[cle-guy]

In my opinion, the cruise lines who add on these auto tips are failing to pay their tipped workers a proper living wage. I agree with the poster fom New Zealand that tipping should be based on exceptional service received, not just for performing the minimum requirements of their job discription. An 18% tip for someone to take an overpriced beer from the refrigerator is ridiculous. It also amazes me that in these gratuities discussions on cruise critic so few question this policy. When I stay in a hotel I am not billed an additional gratuity fee to pay the wages of the hotel staff. And I am free to tip for excellent service as I may wish.

 

I find this auto tipping policy disrespectful to the guests, and even worse, an excuse for the cruise lines not to assume the appropriate financial responsibility for the wages of some of its staff.

 

On too many occasions I have read negative comments directed at some who question this auto tipping practice. Perhaps it is time for more cruisers to speak up and tell the cruise lines to pay their staff a proper living wage.

 

Fact is, the vast majority of cruise ships add tips, and do not include them. There are very few that are all inclusive, and those tend to be the far higher end and far higher priced ships.

 

Anyone who is going to do any amount of international travel needs to understand the local custom, and generally abide by it, especially when it's explained in a contract, at booking, and ad nauseum on cruise critic.

 

As you are from the UK, perhaps you could recap the number of ships that cruise out of the UK that do not add gratuities. Here's my recap I've been able to gather:

 

Lines that add on a gratuity:

• Cunard
  
• Costa - and DOES NOT allow modifications
  
• Carnival
  
• RCL
  
• Celebrity
  
• MSC- no modifications without proving bad service
  
• Cruise & Maritime Voyages
  
• Disney
  
• HAL
  
• NCL
  
• P&O - UK (intersting, P&O Australia does not)
  
• Princess
  
• Oceania
  
• Windstar
  

Lines that Include in Fare

• Saga Crusies
  
• Thomson Cruises
  
• Azamara
  
• Hapag Lloyd
  
• Regent Seven Seas
  
• Seabourn
  
• Sea Dream
  
• Silversea
  

Lines that allow full discretion

• P&O Australia
  

Edited August 2, 2015 by cle-guy

[Beanb41]

In my opinion, the cruise lines who add on these auto tips are failing to pay their tipped workers a proper living wage. I agree with the poster fom New Zealand that tipping should be based on exceptional service received, not just for performing the minimum requirements of their job discription. An 18% tip for someone to take an overpriced beer from the refrigerator is ridiculous. It also amazes me that in these gratuities discussions on cruise critic so few question this policy. When I stay in a hotel I am not billed an additional gratuity fee to pay the wages of the hotel staff. And I am free to tip for excellent service as I may wish.

 

I find this auto tipping policy disrespectful to the guests, and even worse, an excuse for the cruise lines not to assume the appropriate financial responsibility for the wages of some of its staff.

 

On too many occasions I have read negative comments directed at some who question this auto tipping practice. Perhaps it is time for more cruisers to speak up and tell the cruise lines to pay their staff a proper living wage.

 

Rose is correct I am from New Zealand. Regarding an earlier comment concerning waiters in Café Bacio on our last cruise we ended up tipping one of the waitress' for exceptional service. We had a habit of going to Café Bacio for coffee after our meal and a cognac. On our cruise there was a shortage of Brandy Balloons in fact Bistro and Bacio shared the only two brandy balloons available. There were none elsewhere on the ship either. This particular waitress knowing our preference for cognac in balloons grabbed the balloons, put them away until we arrived. The fact the others may have been deprived was of no concern to us. ( We are selfish like that). For going that extra mile she was well rewarded (in our view anyway) at the end of the cruise. She did this every night with no guarantee of any reward other than our thanks.

Had she just brought our drinks in a shot glass no extra remuneration would have been forthcoming.

 

I stand to be corrected here but we came to the conclusion that the smaller the ship the more personalised the service which gives rise to greater opportunity for extra remuneration for the staff. The larger the ship and thus greater through put in the same amount of time give the impression of a lesser caring staff. This applies to particularly in the "anytime" dining rooms and to some extent the bar waiter service on pool decks and associated areas.

[sloopsailor]

How do you know which country Bean41 is from?

 

Bean41 has mentioned it in other posts. Besides, it would have been easy to guess. Wellington is the capital city and second largest city in New Zealand. A nice city that I had the good fortune to visit in my youth.

[sloopsailor]

Same here. Have been in several American restaurants and noticed locals only tip a dollar or two when the figure should have been far more so it is not just UK residents who are poor tippers.

 

No argument that there are some very cheap Americans who take advantage of the tipping methodology in the US. I would expect that there are cheap people in every country of the world.

 

I would find it appalling if someone uses the bad behavior by the locals as a justification to behave equally bad when travelling. I hope you aren't admitting that you do that. Otherwise, why make such a point? :eek:

Edited August 2, 2015 by sloopsailor

[Lsimon]

I believe that Celebrity charges US $12.95 per day per person for the gratuties on your shipbaord account.

 

Does anyone know if one can go to the purser's desk and sign a form , saying that you will tip on your own ? (that way they will not charge your shipboard account)

 

Another question, does anyone know if the crew actually receive the amount of tips, that Celebrity charges the guests ?, or does Celebrity take a cut first, and then distribute.

 

Then how do they distribute the tip ?

 

If you are planning on stiffing the staff by saving a few dollars then, yes you can have the gratuities removed at Guest Relations unless they've been prepaid.

 

But if you want to tip directly on your own then save some time and effort and just leave the tips in place. The staff does get them. Also, if you have your tips removed word is that the staff have to contribute any cash tips they get directly from you to the tip pool so you can't divert tips to a specific individual, and bypass the tip pool, that way. From everything I've heard, the only time they get to keep any direct cash tips is if they are over and above the auto tip amounts (i.e. extra tips paid in cash if the auto tips were left in place).

[SantaFeFan]

Same here. Have been in several American restaurants and noticed locals only tip a dollar or two when the figure should have been far more so it is not just UK residents who are poor tippers.

 

Interesting observation. As an American, I am always grateful to be able to visit foreign countries, which to us almost always means long and expensive overseas travel. I am there to enjoy myself and do not make a point at studying the bad habits of locals as you seem to do. Perhaps I am too naive to be traveling? :rolleyes:

 

No, that't not it. I would have to say that I prefer to enjoy the positive of a what a country has to offer, and not focus on the negative. But, that's just the way we Americans travel - all excited to be there and not trying to force our culture on the places we visit. It guess it must be unreasonable of us to expect people from other countries to do the same. :(

Edited August 2, 2015 by SantaFeFan

[Iamcruzin]

On our recent cruise with RCL we decided not to eat in the MDR but went to CHOPS for 2 dinners & the rest of the cruise eat in the Windjammers at our leisure. We went & removed our tips from everywhere & tipped the room steward & of course the waiter in Chops, were we wrong in doing this??

 

george35

 

Yes. First of all I would not tip in a specialty restaurant if I had been paying the auto tip. You are paying an up charge for the restaurant for the extra special service so there is no need in my opinion to tip extra. We choose select pay the gratuity at final payment. I don't tip the waitstaff each night at dinner so I don't feel the need to tip extra in the specialty restaurants, especially on Celebrity where the prices are so high to being with. Many feel they need to tip in the specialty restaurant. I think it's just force of habit since you are handed a bill with a line to add a tip. The people in the buffet got stiffed because they didn't receive anything. They may not serve you directly but they keep the stations full. The room steward probably had to turn in the tip for it to be redistributed to the rest of the staff that get paid from the auto gratuity. I hope you tipped him at least $84 per person in the room because that would be about what the auto tip would come out to for a 7 day cruise. At least if it had to be distributed, at that rate everyone would have received their fair share.

Edited August 2, 2015 by Iamcruzin

[LabGuy64]

I agree with much of what you say however, By making tips the major part of wages received the lines take themselves (mostly) out of responsibility for wage negotiation with the employees other than what to charge as an auto tip....second, for the American guests tipping is ingrained in our culture and by setting up auto tipping which IS seen as part of the cost of cruising to many it sets up an atmosphere where the passengers feel like they should be tipping at point of service as well...(as is the norm) and this establishes a secondary layer of expected tipping that I think is very wrong.....and I do think the amount of the tips is too high. I agree that an 18% charge for pouring a drink is absurd.

 

 

First, I thank you for doing the right thing and not removing the gratuities as so many of your countrymen do. That is commendable.

 

As for their wages, it is really non of our business how they get paid, nor how much. This is strictly between the cruise company and the employee, not us. If they didn't think they were being paid fairly, you can bet that they would not return over and over again, some for many years in a row.

 

Yes, the gratuities make up for the lower salary they make. But, as in all business, it is the customers who pay ALL expenses, whether in up front costs or additional fees or charges. If the pay was raised to what you consider a "fair" wage [which should not be determined by your country's standard of living, but by the standard of living where the employee is from], you would be paying those wages in increased fares.

 

So what is the difference? You pay a lower fare and then pay the gratuities, or you pay a higher fare and you don't pay the gratuities. You end up paying THE SAME AMOUNT, either way!

 

In fact, it can be argued that you would have to pay more in total because as it now stands, the gratuities are not considered corporate income, so no taxes or other fees have to be paid because of this income. That the gratuity amounts go directly to the employees means the cost of doing business is lower for the cruise lines, and they can pass those lower expenses to the customers.

 

Bottom line - if wages were included in the base fare, you would be paying their salaries, and your total cruise costs would be higher than they are today for the exact same product due to additional costs on the additional income earned by the cruise corporations.

[SantaFeFan]

and I do think the amount of the tips is too high. I agree that an 18% charge for pouring a drink is absurd.

 

What do you tip for drinks when you go to a bar in the your home city? Or drinks in a nightclub? Or when ordering a drink in a restaurant?

Edited August 2, 2015 by SantaFeFan

[Iamcruzin]

In an answer to your question "where did I eat Breakfast & Lunch" I dont belive that comes into the question about tipping. I Tip for the service I receive not for the service that is offered & not used.

 

george35

 

So I guess you just walked into the galley and scrambled and fried your own eggs and fried your own bacon, Someone cooked the food and someone set it up in the buffet dishes to be served. The fact that you had to walk up and fill your dish isn't part of the service in the buffet which is why they don't receive the same portion of the the auto tip as a waiter would.

[Beanb41]

Yes. First of all I would not tip in a specialty restaurant if I had been paying the auto tip. You are paying an up charge for the restaurant for the extra special service so there is no need in my opinion to tip extra. We choose select pay the gratuity at final payment. I don't tip the waitstaff each night at dinner so I don't feel the need to tip extra in the specialty restaurants, especially on Celebrity where the prices are so high to being with. Many feel they need to tip in the specialty restaurant. I think it's just force of habit since you are handed a bill with a line to add a tip. The people in the buffet got stiffed because they didn't receive anything. They may not serve you directly but they keep the stations full. The room steward probably had to turn in the tip for it to be redistributed to the rest of the staff that get paid from the auto gratuity. I hope you tipped him at least $84 per person in the room because that would be about what the auto tip would come out to for a 7 day cruise. At least if it had to be distributed, at that rate everyone would have received their fair share.

 

There is already an 18% gratuity included in the cost of dining in a specialty restaurant.

 

To be fair to the staff on board cruise ships I have been given any impression that a tip is required for services rendered. They have always been courteous and friendly

[cle-guy]

What do you tip for drinks when you go to a bar in the your home city? Or drinks in a nightclub? Or when ordering a drink in a restaurant?

 

For me, a tip is a buck per drink if I walk to a bar and order it myself and stand there waiting for them to make it, if part of sit down dining, then 20% on the whole bill.

 

I agree that 18% is high for drinks at Martini bar etc. But I am made well aware of the cost up front, so I deal with it and understand it as part of my cruise cost. It makes getting drink packages that much more attractive.

[cle-guy]

There is already an 18% gratuity included in the cost of dining in a specialty restaurant.

 

To be fair to the staff on board cruise ships I have been given any impression that a tip is required for services rendered. They have always been courteous and friendly

 

Specialty restaurants do not add 18% gratuity.

 

From their onboard accounting perspective, they would need to itemize out $40 charge $5 gratuity to track it. They don't - they bill just $45 flat.

 

I imagine you are thinking the $45 is inclusive of the 18%. It is not at least not from any proof anyone has, but understanding their accounting methods, as it isn't itemized, they are not tracking it. But to make a correlation, when buying a drink above package price on Premium package, their is the "upcharge" and the "gratuity", this leads me even more verification that the $45 includes no gratuity.

 

But I imagine the specialty dining staff get a higher portion of the gratuity pool, my thinking is they put their best waitress there, next time in MDR fixed, and lower tier in Select and lowest tier in Buffet etc.

Edited August 2, 2015 by cle-guy

[LabGuy64]

We end up paying one way or the other....the only question is how much.. if the lines set a pay scale and incorporated the amount into the fare then THEY would be totally responsible for the wages the staff is paid and would have to negotiate with the staff for increases etc. the way it is now...with passengers directly involved in the wages of the staff ...and feeling sorry for the "poor people from 3rd world countries"

Passengers feel as if they need to over tip to compensate for the horrid lines that pay little or nothing to the staff. I see this on so many threads on tipping...by doing things this way the cruise lines can simply up the auto tip to allow higher compensation to employees without hurting the bottom line. Also, the staff I believe gets much higher wages then they would get if only Celebrity paid them as, there is MUCH sympathetic overtipping which drives up wages (at no cost to the cruise lines).

 

 

Fact is, the vast majority of cruise ships add tips, and do not include them. There are very few that are all inclusive, and those tend to be the far higher end and far higher priced ships.

 

Anyone who is going to do any amount of international travel needs to understand the local custom, and generally abide by it, especially when it's explained in a contract, at booking, and ad nauseum on cruise critic.

 

As you are from the UK, perhaps you could recap the number of ships that cruise out of the UK that do not add gratuities. Here's my recap I've been able to gather:

 

Lines that add on a gratuity:

• Cunard
  
• Costa - and DOES NOT allow modifications
  
• Carnival
  
• RCL
  
• Celebrity
  
• MSC- no modifications without proving bad service
  
• Cruise & Maritime Voyages
  
• Disney
  
• HAL
  
• NCL
  
• P&O - UK (intersting, P&O Australia does not)
  
• Princess
  
• Oceania
  
• Windstar
  

Lines that Include in Fare

• Saga Crusies
  
• Thomson Cruises
  
• Azamara
  
• Hapag Lloyd
  
• Regent Seven Seas
  
• Seabourn
  
• Sea Dream
  
• Silversea
  

Lines that allow full discretion

• P&O Australia
  

[cle-guy]

We end up paying one way or the other....the only question is how much.. if the lines set a pay scale and incorporated the amount into the fare then THEY would be totally responsible for the wages the staff is paid and would have to negotiate with the staff for increases etc. the way it is now...with passengers directly involved in the wages of the staff ...and feeling sorry for the "poor people from 3rd world countries"

Passengers feel as if they need to over tip to compensate for the horrid lines that pay little or nothing to the staff. I see this on so many threads on tipping...by doing things this way the cruise lines can simply up the auto tip to allow higher compensation to employees without hurting the bottom line. Also, the staff I believe gets much higher wages then they would get if only Celebrity paid them as, there is MUCH sympathetic overtipping which drives up wages (at no cost to the cruise lines).

 

I go on record as tipping only what he cruise line tells me to. I do not give extra cash, except for my butler when he arranges parties.

 

I don't feel the need to tip any more than requested, I feel those amounts are quite fair overall.

[beautifulbc2]

Thanks for all the replies,

I was asking on behalf of a friend who is sailing with Celebrity in October.

 

They have the option of prepaying their gratuities in Canadian dollars, some of their friends are prepaying in Cad $$, but these folks are hoping to get the shareholders benefit and in turn pay for the gratuities on board the ship.

 

In the old days, when one used the envelopes to put the gratuities in, and hand to the crew on the last day or night, I thought that sometimes the crew went out of their way to "look" after you.

 

Then the automatic gratutities charged per day came into effect which is ok too, so I didnt have to make sure that I had enough cash to cover the tips.

 

The only time I thought of removing the automatic gratuities was when I was onboard the Carnival Splendor (one & only time on Carnival ship), The service from the waiter and the non service from assistant waiter was terrible. In the end I did not remove the automatic grats, and to top it out, the waiter was whining on the last night and wanting more $$, I guess I was a softie and even gave him more (which he did not deserve)

I also thought that if I removed the automatic grat, they might lose their job which I didint want to happen to them.

 

I am on the Solstice in September and have already prepaid my gratuities with my final payment in Cad $$.

I have never stiffed anyone of their tips, but have heard from waiters (whom I have become friends with over the years) of guests that dont show up on the last night so the wait staff gets stiffed.

[LabGuy64]

As involved as you are on Cruise Critic you have to agree that the sentiment I describe is very prevalent.....

 

I go on record as tipping only what he cruise line tells me to. I do not give extra cash, except for my butler when he arranges parties.

 

I don't feel the need to tip any more than requested, I feel those amounts are quite fair overall.

[cle-guy]

As involved as you are on Cruise Critic you have to agree that the sentiment I describe is very prevalent.....

 

I think it is, I also wonder how many people exaggerate the amount of extra tipping they do.

 

That;s why I just do as recommended, no guilty conscience at all.

 

I don't get "guilted" easily. My last TA to rome, I was kind of taken back when I returned to cabin final night and there were 2 tip envelopes on the bed, I had already paid my normal grants, and even had up-tipped the butler for a party. I put nothing in those envelopes. It was the first time for me to see tip envelopes show up.

 

My world travels have shown me that someone can live on $200 a month and be happy in some countries, and in others, $20,000 a month is tough to get by on. It's all relative to the home country and local custom and economy.

Edited August 3, 2015 by cle-guy