Service Charge (Tips) Increase

[cruz chic]

The fare is commissionable. The taxes, fees, and service charges are not.

 

<RANT>

 

To be quite frank, if I were as bothered as some of you are by the HSC, I'd be taking some other sort of vacation. If you are concerned about living wages, and making sure that the employees are taken care of, tip extra. Make it rain for crying out loud.

 

Once you are here, participating in the discussion, you're clearly aware and utterly unsurprised when you are charged HSC on your next cruise. Some of you have been at this for years. You know there's a hotel service charge. Figure it in to your cruise cost. If the math gives you pause, calculators are really inexpensive and astonishingly easy to operate.

 

</RANT>

 

Yup. Like!

[GUT2407]

The fare is commissionable. The taxes, fees, and service charges are not.

 

<RANT>

 

To be quite frank, if I were as bothered as some of you are by the HSC, I'd be taking some other sort of vacation. If you are concerned about living wages, and making sure that the employees are taken care of, tip extra. Make it rain for crying out loud.

 

Once you are here, participating in the discussion, you're clearly aware and utterly unsurprised when you are charged HSC on your next cruise. Some of you have been at this for years. You know there's a hotel service charge. Figure it in to your cruise cost. If the math gives you pause, calculators are really inexpensive and astonishingly easy to operate.

 

</RANT>

 

That's nice.

 

I hope you find some sort of vacation you enjoy.

[GUT2407]

The fare is commissionable. The taxes, fees, and service charges are not.

 

<RANT>

 

To be quite frank, if I were as bothered as some of you are by the HSC, I'd be taking some other sort of vacation. If you are concerned about living wages, and making sure that the employees are taken care of, tip extra. Make it rain for crying out loud.

 

Once you are here, participating in the discussion, you're clearly aware and utterly unsurprised when you are charged HSC on your next cruise. Some of you have been at this for years. You know there's a hotel service charge. Figure it in to your cruise cost. If the math gives you pause, calculators are really inexpensive and astonishingly easy to operate.

 

</RANT>

 

Ummmm

 

The fare is commissionable, taxes .... Aren't.

 

Is to do with commission to TAs not employment agents.

 

And again the lines old easily renegotiate to exclude the tips.

 

You do know that they manage to do that in some parts of the world don't you.

[POA1]

That's nice.

 

I hope you find some sort of vacation you enjoy.

Why thank you ever so much! I enjoy almost all of our vacations, including cruising. It's always a treat to travel and to have the opportunity to reward good service above and beyond the mandatory minimum service charges. We're very fortunate, and we like to share.

 

I try to be like that cool uncle, you know - the one who always buys the awesome birthday presents. The kids are always happy to see him at the party.

 

In unrelated news, do you have any idea how many of your thousands of posts have to do with tipping? In the words of Vizzini, "Inconceivable!"

Edited September 30, 2015 by POA1

[3rdGenCunarder]

I do like the money in my pocket instead of theirs!

 

So do you remove the HSC when you cruise?

[cbr663]

Actually, 100% of the fare is not commissionable. There is a non-commissionable portion of every fare.

 

It is my understanding that agency fees are based on salary earned, not on passenger fare paid. The HSC would still not be considered salary, but tips. It's just a timing issue of when it is collected by HAL - it would still be paid to the crew at the same time.

[GUT2407]

Actually, 100% of the fare is not commissionable. There is a non-commissionable portion of every fare.

 

It is my understanding that agency fees are based on salary earned, not on passenger fare paid. The HSC would still not be considered salary, but tips. It's just a timing issue of when it is collected by HAL - it would still be paid to the crew at the same time.

 

Hope you're ready to be abused, many many hear don't like that type of talk.

[GUT2407]

So do you remove the HSC when you cruise?

 

Hows it anyone's business but theirs???

[serendipity1499]

The fare is commissionable. The taxes, fees, and service charges are not.

 

<RANT>

 

To be quite frank, if I were as bothered as some of you are by the HSC, I'd be taking some other sort of vacation. If you are concerned about living wages, and making sure that the employees are taken care of, tip extra. Make it rain for crying out loud.

 

Once you are here, participating in the discussion, you're clearly aware and utterly unsurprised when you are charged HSC on your next cruise. Some of you have been at this for years. You know there's a hotel service charge. Figure it in to your cruise cost. If the math gives you pause, calculators are really inexpensive and astonishingly easy to operate.

 

</RANT>

 

Love It! And completely agree! Wish there was a like Button on CC!:D:D

[GUT2407]

And you also know you are allowed reduce or remove it.

[emmieepoo]

So do you remove the HSC when you cruise?

 

You bet I do

[dakrewser]

Actually, 100% of the fare is not commissionable. There is a non-commissionable portion of every fare.

 

It is my understanding that agency fees are based on salary earned, not on passenger fare paid. The HSC would still not be considered salary, but tips. It's just a timing issue of when it is collected by HAL - it would still be paid to the crew at the same time.

 

What possible difference does it make when you pay the HSC??? Whether it's before you cruise or after, what real difference does it make?

 

Of course if it were paid before you sail, then there be no opportunity to reduce or remove it.

 

Still, is there any other industry that allows/compels you to pay tips or service charges before you receive the service?

[Boytjie]

<RANT>

 

To be quite frank, if I were as bothered as some of you are by the HSC, I'd be taking some other sort of vacation. If you are concerned about living wages, and making sure that the employees are taken care of, tip extra. Make it rain for crying out loud.

 

Once you are here, participating in the discussion, you're clearly aware and utterly unsurprised when you are charged HSC on your next cruise. Some of you have been at this for years. You know there's a hotel service charge. Figure it in to your cruise cost. If the math gives you pause, calculators are really inexpensive and astonishingly easy to operate.

 

</RANT>

 

Someone buy this man a drink!

 

:D

[GUT2407]

 

Still, is there any other industry that allows/compels you to pay tips or service charges before you receive the service?

 

 

Or even if the service isn't provided or is sub-par.

 

None that I know of.

 

And very few that tell you how much you should pay.

[doublebzz]

We Americans have become a tip happy culture. Order an egg roll from the mall fast food counter, there's a tip jar at the register; hoist you own luggage aboard the airport shuttle, the tip plate is alongside the exit door; and the most tacky scenario of all, attend a private party in a friend's home and the hired bartender has a tip jar adorned with a self-deposit of $1 and $5 bills. Lets get real!

 

By the by, with all the discussion and 2nd and 3rd hand information about what benefits the crew more - pre-paid gratuities or on-board service charges - does anybody actually know what the crew prefers?

Edited October 1, 2015 by doublebzz

[POA1]

Actually, 100% of the fare is not commissionable. There is a non-commissionable portion of every fare.

 

It is my understanding that agency fees are based on salary earned, not on passenger fare paid. The HSC would still not be considered salary, but tips. It's just a timing issue of when it is collected by HAL - it would still be paid to the crew at the same time.

This is from TravelAgentUniversity.com, which is on the Internet, which means it has to be true.

 

"Cruise commission is based on the voyage fare including single supplement less all discounts and air inclusive amounts or non-use credits. Commission is paid 14 days prior to sailing. Land packages and select pre-bookable shore excursions are commissionable at 5%. Insurance is commissionable at 10%. Air is not commissionable. Commission is 10% of cancellation penalty for bookings cancelled inside of penalty up to 100% cancellation period. Commission is protected at full level if booking is cancelled within 100% cancellation period and final payment is received. Where an administration fee is the only penalty, commission is 0%."

 

The verbiage above is from RSSC, but it's pretty standard. Commissions are paid on a POS escalating scale and typically run from 10% to 15%. Some other factors, like marketing consortiums or national partnerships can impact the rates.

 

Bottom line - What most of us consider to be the cruise fare is indeed commissionable.

 

Anywho... cbr663, what's the portion of every fare that's not commission eligible? I know that taxes and fees aren't, but I doubt most people consider that the cruise fare. I'd hate to think that TravelAgentUniversity.com would lie to me.

Edited October 1, 2015 by POA1

[GUT2407]

We Americans have become a tip happy culture. Order an egg roll from the mall fast food counter, there's a tip jar at the register; hoist you own luggage aboard the airport shuttle, the tip plate is alongside the exit door; and the most tacky scenario of all, attend a private party in a friend's home and the hired bartender has a tip jar adorned with a self-deposit of $1 and $5 bills. Lets get real!

 

By the by, with all the discussion and 2nd and 3rd hand information about what benefits the crew more - pre-paid gratuities or on-board service charges - does anybody actually know what the crew prefers?

 

 

Being from a land where tipping is rare, it certainly appears that America has gone tip happy.

 

And posts on CC about luggage going into the water because you didn't tp properly or food dropped on the floor are just plain crazy.

 

I have heard of people being chased down the street by waiters because the waiter didn't think they'd been tipped enough, I'm sorry but here that could see the waiter in Court.

[GUT2407]

This is from TravelAgentUniversity.com, which is on the Internet, which means it has to be true.

 

"Cruise commission is based on the voyage fare including single supplement less all discounts and air inclusive amounts or non-use credits. Commission is paid 14 days prior to sailing. Land packages and select pre-bookable shore excursions are commissionable at 5%. Insurance is commissionable at 10%. Air is not commissionable. Commission is 10% of cancellation penalty for bookings cancelled inside of penalty up to 100% cancellation period. Commission is protected at full level if booking is cancelled within 100% cancellation period and final payment is received. Where an administration fee is the only penalty, commission is 0%."

 

The verbiage above is from RSSC, but it's pretty standard. Commissions are paid on a POS escalating scale and typically run from 10% to 15%. Some other factors, like marketing consortiums or national partnerships can impact the rates.

 

Bottom line - What most of us consider to be the cruise fare is indeed commissionable.

 

Anywho... cbr663, what's the portion of every fare that's not commission eligible? I know that taxes and fees aren't, but I doubt most people consider that the cruise fare. I'd hate to think that TravelAgentUniversity.com would lie to me.

 

 

Oh well it's on the internet???? :confused::confused::confused:

[mcrcruiser]

It's been the only increase in a decade. That equates to 0.837% per year. (Just calculate the compound interest rate in reverse, using annual compounding.) While it's true that an 8% increase is a lot, no Increase for 10 years, followed by an 8% one time raise - or well under 1% per year is not exactly something to write home about.

 

We understand that most crew could never earn the $30K + per year in their own countries .Not only that they couldn't earn that level in their own countries.Getting paid in US dollars makes their buying power much greater when converted into their own countries currencies .

 

Now do not think that we won't take care of our servers ,with getting good service .They work hard & most times go the extra mile to please .Thus ,we simply consider the tips as part of the cruise fare . We been doing this for 67 past cruises:D

[LMaxwell]

And posts on CC about luggage going into the water because you didn't tp properly or food dropped on the floor are just plain crazy.

 

The real lunatics start in with the toothbrush stories...:rolleyes:

[GUT2407]

The real lunatics start in with the toothbrush stories...:rolleyes:

 

Yep I forget them.

 

I wonder how long they think anyone actually doing those things would keep their jobs.

[GUT2407]

The real lunatics start in with the toothbrush stories...:rolleyes:

 

Yep I forget them.

 

I wonder how long they think anyone actually doing those things would keep their jobs.

[Hows the Serenity]

Hope you're ready to be abused, many many hear don't like that type of talk.

 

 

Yep,

I agree with you.

I just want to pay it up front.

We booked a celebrity cruise and were able to pay the gratuities up front.

Dont know why there is so much drama about just adding another line to the HAL fare that says "prepaid gratuities".

It is not part of the fare, it is gratuities, but I can pay it before I sail.

With Celebrity I had a choice, I chose to prepay.

If they can do it, why can't HAL????????

I will comment here no more.

Thank you and happy sailing to all

Chris

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[kazu]

The fare is commissionable. The taxes, fees, and service charges are not.

 

<RANT>

 

To be quite frank, if I were as bothered as some of you are by the HSC, I'd be taking some other sort of vacation. If you are concerned about living wages, and making sure that the employees are taken care of, tip extra. Make it rain for crying out loud.

 

Once you are here, participating in the discussion, you're clearly aware and utterly unsurprised when you are charged HSC on your next cruise. Some of you have been at this for years. You know there's a hotel service charge. Figure it in to your cruise cost. If the math gives you pause, calculators are really inexpensive and astonishingly easy to operate.

 

</RANT>

 

I think you deserve two drinks :) well said.

[GUT2407]

The fare is commissionable. The taxes, fees, and service charges are not.

 

<RANT>

 

To be quite frank, if I were as bothered as some of you are by the HSC, I'd be taking some other sort of vacation. If you are concerned about living wages, and making sure that the employees are taken care of, tip extra. Make it rain for crying out loud.

 

Once you are here, participating in the discussion, you're clearly aware and utterly unsurprised when you are charged HSC on your next cruise. Some of you have been at this for years. You know there's a hotel service charge. Figure it in to your cruise cost. If the math gives you pause, calculators are really inexpensive and astonishingly easy to operate.

 

</RANT>

 

 

well why doesn't the line do just that, include it as a line n the fare like they do with Taxes, Fees etc???