Gratuities Conundrum

[cb at sea]

The tips they charge to you are for your CABIN ATTENDANT, WAITER, ASS'T WAITER and Head Waiter. There is no need to tip additionally on top of what the "daily amount" is charged. The folks who serve you GET THEIR TIPS!

 

The couple you spoke with shortchanged the folks who serve them.

 

Better to leave the "daily charged" tips on, and not tip more, than to take the daily charge off, and tip in cash.

[Havingfun2010]

I'm going to try to explain this in easy, and simple math terms.

$10.00 per passenger times 20 passengers equal $200.00

20 passengers total

 

14 give auto tips ($140.00)

4 gives cash ($40.00)

2 removes tips, and gives nothing. (0.00)

 

Ship shows they received $140.00 and they "assume" they got $200.00

 

1. Now, no one gives extra, so they really only got $180.00 but taxed and pooled at $200.00. They did not have happy week

 

2. Now a bunch of people gave extra, and lets say it was about $100.00 extra. The total is $280.00. The 2 still stiffed them. So They are taxed and pooled at $200.00 but they have an extra $80.00 in cash on them. This cash should be reported but that's between them and Uncle Sam.

 

Does not matter if you tip, in cash or not, or prepaid or not, the ship assumes you got your tips. The assumed amount will be pooled and taxed. Anything over, or under is either a loss or gain.

 

Pay in cash, and basically you are covering what others did not pay. They only keep "over" what the total amount is, and not what you tipped "over". The shop does not know, but they assume.

 

The game of paying cash in this day of age, is nothing more than a tipping game that does not help, the employee. It makes the customer fell good only.

 

Why go through all the bother to wait in line, have tips removed, and than turn around and give it back? It is just complicated the passengers life, and everyone else involved without any benefits to the employee.

[Biker19]

This cash should be reported but that's between them and Uncle Sam.

 

The chances of anyone in the tip pool having to deal with Uncle Sam are about the same as finding a pepper grinder on your table in the MDR.;)

[BekkaW]

I always leave the autos in place, this is what the cruise line and their employees have agreed on and no one misses out - including windjammer etc who receive their share of the tip pool.

 

I then tip extra in cash to those who have gone above expectations.

[4774Papa]

So we have been on about 15 cruises and for all those cruises we have always paid the $16.50 x 2 daily gratuities (or whatever the rates were at the time).

 

In addition to this (as our choice) we would tip the stateroom attendant, $5 in cash daily. And at the end of the cruise give our waiter, assistant waiter, concierge and concierge servers $50 in cash for 7 days or less cruises and $75+ for longer cruises.

 

I always thought this was the norm (daily grats on Bill and some additional cash if you were feeling generous with the understanding that some passengers don't tip additional which is completely okay)

 

However on my last trip I met this lovely couple who always cruise who told me they remove their daily gratuities and give the people the entire total in cash because it goes directly to them. As an example my last trip I paid roughly $420 in daily grats. They instead removed the daily grats and gave $100 to the 4 crew members that served them.

 

Does this indeed make more sense? Or is there something I am missing here? I like to do whatever is best for the people who were so gracious to us.

 

 

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We don't remove the gratuities, but still tip extra, but not as generously as you.

We generally book a balcony and for a two week cruise, I tip the room steward in charge $20 and his assistant $10, unless, for whatever reason, the assistant serves us more. Also, if we order room service or get laundry, I tip extra for that. I usually time the bartenders a couple of dollars when ordering drinks for DW and self in addition to the add on tip. For the waiters, wine steward and assistant waiters, I give similar to the room stewards. However, on a recent cruise of only 7 days we had the most fantastic waiter that we have ever had and we dined at his table five nights (two nights at a specialty) and we gave him $40.

Are you in a suite, that usually calls for higher tipping.

[4774Papa]

This subject came up on the Celebrity Boards on cc and an individual that worked for the cruise line explained what the staff and crew get from the gratuities.

 

Basically, there is a minimum pay that is provided (different for what your job or rank may be) and the gratuities up to a point support that pay (not more to the staff or crew), but once it passes a threshold, the staff and crew do benefit. The sense is that most of the gratuities don't go to the crew, but a significant part usually still does increase their pay.

[kontraxed]

Why not eliminate the automatic "gratuities" completely and just build it in to the cruise fare? Merriam Webster defines gratuity as "something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service; especially :* tip" There is nothing voluntary about the shipboard gratuity. I would like to be able to choose to give (or not) a true voluntary tip to a particular individual(s) for providing a good service to me.

[tazza_0712]

Why not eliminate the automatic "gratuities" completely and just build it in to the cruise fare? Merriam Webster defines gratuity as "something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service; especially :* tip" There is nothing voluntary about the shipboard gratuity. I would like to be able to choose to give (or not) a true voluntary tip to a particular individual(s) for providing a good service to me.

 

 

 

That's exactly what RCI and Celebrity are doing for all Australian bookings from December/January 2017.

 

For the reasons stated in your definition of the word, "gratuity".

 

 

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[north29]

I always though that auto gratuities were just a easy way to tip period.

I have always given a few extra bucks if they(all areas of the ship) did something for me ABOVE AND BEYOND. Giving cash makes some people feel GOOD, like the old days. Those who remove auto Gratuities SUCK, most will not tip even close to the daily requested amount. I bet these same people stiff the waitstaff at their local restaurants.

I said this some where before it is not our problem/business on how the Gratuities are paid out, and the employees are DOING THEIR JOB.

Being friendly to a crew member who may see you for a week and never see you again can tell you strange stories true or made up to make you feel sorry for them. Working on a cruise ship is a hard job but it must be better than what other jobs they can find.

 

NOTE,, many cruisers who live near a cruise port, and seem to live on a partially ship, and yes become known by first names by many crew member, maybe it is a good thing to tip above and beyond.

[ARI421]

You really think the ten dollars I just discreetly handed to the guy on his hands and knees scrubbing the hand rails puts that in a jar to be pooled? Seriously?!! Or the room steward?? I talk to the crew members every vacation! Noone knows if you hand your cabin steward 40 bucks you think he is running up and down the halls?!

 

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[LMaxwell]

 

on many cruise lines now, if you remove the gratuities and then pay in cash.. EVERY DOLLAR you goes them in cash MUST be POOLED to be divided up amongst the entire staff of that department.

 

 

I maintain that since no one shakes down the crew so there is no way to tell if they turn in 100% of their cash (that they "should") or not. Open to proof otherwise.

[LMaxwell]

You really think the ten dollars I just discreetly handed to the guy on his hands and knees scrubbing the hand rails puts that in a jar to be pooled? Seriously?!! Or the room steward?? I talk to the crew members every vacation! Noone knows if you hand your cabin steward 40 bucks you think he is running up and down the halls?!

 

Bingo. Makes perfect sense; most logical answer. I've handed crew members a 10 or 20 as we get off in port if we see them getting off too and say enjoy lunch on us. That's money in their pocket, period.

[LMaxwell]

it is part of their employment contract and failure to abide by it does result in immediate termination. they do keep track of who removes gratuities. I have seen the list in person. those people who have guests who have done so are thus already under extra scrutiny.

 

Like a fish that grows each time the story is told...

[Ocean Boy]

You really think the ten dollars I just discreetly handed to the guy on his hands and knees scrubbing the hand rails puts that in a jar to be pooled? Seriously?!! Or the room steward?? I talk to the crew members every vacation! Noone knows if you hand your cabin steward 40 bucks you think he is running up and down the halls?!

 

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I agree. In fact on our last cruise I handed our steward some cash and told him it was for taking good care of us and that I was intending it for him and not anyone else. He seemed quite appreciative as he put it into his pocket.

[troykahack]

Might at well get it out of the way.......

 

 

I actually think this is a great post. Maybe not for you??? I find it very interesting and learned a few things I did not know.

[troykahack]

The chances of anyone in the tip pool having to deal with Uncle Sam are about the same as finding a pepper grinder on your table in the MDR.;)

 

Pepper Grinders were out in full force in the MDR on Serenade. Just got off the ship yesterday. I have pictures.

[JVilleGal]

Someone always has a justification and tries to convince everyone they are justified in removing Gratuities, just pay the damn things! I have to wonder if the removers actually ever intend to pay a dime...

 

 

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[Garavar]

Pepper Grinders were out in full force in the MDR on Serenade. Just got off the ship yesterday. I have pictures.

I don't get the pepper grinder comments on every thread. I was just on Rhapsody and every meal I was asked if I wanted fresh ground pepper from pepper grinder.

 

Confused?

 

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[Ken at the beach]

I don't get the pepper grinder comments on every thread. I was just on Rhapsody and every meal I was asked if I wanted fresh ground pepper from pepper grinder.

 

Confused?

 

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Several reports over the last few weeks of missing pepper grinders on several ships.

[Garavar]

Several reports over the last few weeks of missing pepper grinders on several ships.

So people are upset about missing pepper grinders? Is it that important?

 

Doesnt every table have salt and pepper shakers? Close enough

 

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[troykahack]

So people are upset about missing pepper grinders? Is it that important?

 

Doesnt every table have salt and pepper shakers? Close enough

 

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Biker19 brought up the missing Pepper Grinders. We have always had access to Pepper Grinders in MDR.

[kerrycoco1]

.

 

 

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[Biker19]

I don't get the pepper grinder comments on every thread.

 

Read this for context: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2414901&highlight=pepper

[Garavar]

Read this for context: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2414901&highlight=pepper

I get it now but I don't get the mayo, banana, ketchup comment now.

 

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[Biker19]

I get it now but I don't get the mayo, banana, ketchup comment now.

 

I don't remember the title of that thread to easily search for it but like the pepper grinder one, it turned into a very humorous discussion about where condiments are/should be or not be.

 

Poncho?