Begging for Tips

[RRLLAL]

Happened last night, the last dinner of the cruise.

Gratuities were pre-paid.

On the way out, the dining room staff kept saying “please help us, you are feeding our families.”

 

sorry, but I'm not buying it.

[AAAAmerican]

TIPS: = To Insure Prompt Services

 

Begging on Cruise Ships should not be done, compensating the culprits allows them to know like SPAM ..some will give to them..

 

Even in Las Vegas, Nevada we went on a Bus Tour provided by the Hotel and the Driver demanded a high Tip from everyone.. No Way Jose..

 

 

On a RCL :NYSE ship our main server for our 10 top table provided Pee pot Poor Service the whole 12 night cruise, even a few times saying that Filet mignon was that but it was sirloin beef.. the Talapia he said was Dover Sole.. the last night we all orded the Fliet again and he brought Sirloin again.. fed up with..( nicer word) his malarky.. I brought this to the Head Waiters attenion, who inturn brought two full platers of real Filet mignon to us. This waiter said he needed tips and we had to order alcohol or he would be FIRED.. Huh after he said he had been witthe cruise line for 40 contracts?? Oh his faith even does not allow consumption of any alcohol and food items either.. He told us as well he needed us to fill out the Comment Cards well and top ratings..

 

IMHO, I did not tip him over what had been suggested nor write about him on the comment card at all. That trip we did have a wonderful two European women servicing and being our cabin stewards. Which we did comment well and praised as well gave above the tips suggested.

 

 

[purpletequila]

sorry, but I'm not buying it.

 

Don't care. You can peruse my 1,000 postings and see I'm just a regular poster, not a flame thrower or pot stirrer.

[kcdancerkc]

OP.....Which ship was this?

 

:cool:

[Moviela]

You should tip a small amount to any person who serves you in a tipped position. Yes, tips are necessary to get workers motivated.

 

Nothing worse than places where tips are automatically added to your bill. There is no need to hustle because compensation is the same.

 

Autograts on many cruise lines are there because most people do not know how to tip, or they are much younger and don't make enough money to leave a tip. So they don't.

 

Never hesitate to remove autograts if you did not receive service, but never remove them simply because you are cheap.

 

Don't feel offended or bullied by the patter and manners of tipped employees. The bottom line is it is your money, and it is your decision to spend it how you like.

 

Regarding surveys, I give the highest marks possible. Management does not use them to improve service, rather use the survey like a whip and chair to keep the workers in line with the company standards.

[xDisconnections]

TIPS: = To Insure Prompt Services

 

You can't insure prompt service as you would ensure it.

[xDisconnections]

Am I the only person who thinks it's in poor taste and defeats the purpose for staff members to give spiels about the evaluations? I've been on 7 cruises in the past year and a half and it seems to get more excessive every time and it happens from Cruise Director all the way to Guy's Burger worker. I'm one of those people who writes down names to give shoutouts for extra great care because I do know it's important. But it cheapens the metric, system and experience in my opinion to be reminded.

 

I agree that it shouldn't be mentioned and they should act as if it were non-existent to allow for an accurate and candid response. In reality, when cruise operators consider a 9/10 to be the same as a zero, you'll be asked to provide a perfect score when they feel comfortable asking you in hopes it will prevent them from being reprimanded over an 8 or a 9.

[sanmarcosman]

TIPS: = To Insure Prompt Services

 

Actually, that's a misnomer otherwise it would be TEPS: = To Ensure Prompt Service

Neither servers nor guests buy an insurance policy to insure tips.

[sammee]

If this happened in the MDR, it should have been reported immediately. I understand not wanting to have them fired. I'm sure alot of people here would feel that way, BUT you're going to have some that will be at Guest Services removing ALL tips because of the antics of a select few. I don't know what I would have done, possibly the same as you. But I now know, IF it ever happens, I will report it.

[evandbob]

I recently researched party and charter fishing boats here in south Florida and noted that on many of their websites, it mentioned "while tipping is not mandatory, our hard working staff will appreciate it. It's customary for a 15 - 20% tip to be added at the end of your trip".

 

As an ex New Yorker, where tipping is customary, what appalls me is not service people giving tipping reminders, but the number of guests who do not tip at all. Or worse, those who say I was going to tip, but they hassled me for it so I won't. Yeah, right big spender.

 

I recall a post by Chengpk who stated the average cruise ship worker makes $600 per month, that's $150 a week for a 60 hour week, or $2.50/hr. For a 12 hr per day shift, 7 days a week, that's about $1.75/hr.

 

I do agree with the OP that MDR staff should not have approached him about tipping if he had indeed pre-paid gratuities as he stated.

[mz-s]

I have never had a Carnival employee mention an extra tip, not even hint at it. Come to think of it, I'm not sure I've had a Carnival employee tell me to fill out the survey outside of the farewell show where they talk about what to do once you get home. I have had employees tell me about the survey after asking about it though, like "make sure to mention me" or stuff like that. It's never been uncomfortable in the least though.

 

I have had excursion workers request tips - some even told us how much an expected tip would be. I thought, if you are expecting a $20 tip per person, just add $20 to the ticket price.

[evandbob]

36 Carnival cruises, and I've never heard a Carnival employee "beg" for tips.

 

I do remember the CD imploring guests to fill in the "exceeded my expectations" box when they had given out written surveys towards the end of a cruise.

[Micahs Grandad]

36 Carnival cruises, and I've never heard a Carnival employee "beg" for tips.

 

I do remember the CD imploring guests to fill in the "exceeded my expectations" box when they had given out written surveys towards the end of a cruise.

 

Same here.

 

After doing 40 or so cruises with Carnival do not see how anyone can do exceeded my expectations when you know exactly what to expect on a cruise.

[April42749]

Happened last night, the last dinner of the cruise.

Gratuities were pre-paid.

On the way out, the dining room staff kept saying “please help us, you are feeding our families.”

I know they work hard and everything but I think this crossed a line. It was very uncomfortable and honestly, felt like people begging on the street to the point that I don’t think Carnival is an option anymore as it wasn’t just them.

The ship sponsored excursions were just as bad in this department. The guide and bus driver are one thing, although we don’t need to be reminded to tip as they did. But On one in Mexico, every time we entered a room, the guide would point out that the person standing in the room was also helping—who knows how—and that tips are “not expected but certainly appreciated.”

 

I can imagine the responses but I assure you I am a good tipper. But it has really gotten out of control and I don’t see how anyone could think it is ok for dining staff to yes, beg, for more tips to feed their families as people are leaving. Thoughts?

 

I think this is open to interpretation. First of all, I never met a waiter who spoke English as a first language. I would have interpreted this as "Thank you for sailing with Carnival and giving us jobs. Because of that, you are feeding our families".

 

As far as asking for a tip, once, in the spa, we had that "body chemistry analysis"....and my husband, who was always a healthy eater, was told he had problems. Me, who at that time, on on that day, lived to eat junk food was told I had problems too, but not as bad as DH. The "physical trainer" who did the analysis said "we accept tips" (beyond the cost...which I forget). Knowing that this test was "bs" I didn't add anything extra because I didn't receive anything beneficial.

 

DH and I take note of what people give on excursions, and you'd be amazed how many people leave the bus/van giving the guide nothing more than a smile.

[Dmgabe]

Only ever had the porters at the port lecturer over tips. Hell they even openly show disgust if you tip them less than the idiotic rate they have set in their minds per bag. Most of them are probably bringing in an extra 500-1000 (just do a little mental math on how much they are getting for each shuttle that comes through and then think about how many trips those shuttles make in a day) a day in tips alone for a big ship, and these are employees that have the benefit of US wage and labor laws.

 

Have had staff on the ship mention surveys and I don’t take issue with that. The truth is, without constant reminders and mentioning it’s importance most people wouldn’t bother to fill the thing out. I fill it out honestly and always mention those individuals that stood out by name.

[E@syPe@zy]

What Carnival Ship and date of cruise??

And which of the MDR staff said this? Your waiters??

[teacher32]

What Carnival Ship and date of cruise??

And which of the MDR staff said this? Your waiters??

 

 

Was about to ask the same questions.

[riffatsea]

I also wonder what ship?? We have never encountered anything like this!

[Towel Critter]

Yeah, a common occurrence on excursions. I've not experienced outright begging for tips on board, but I have experienced strong "hinting" a time or two, though honestly, not on any of our recent cruises. I don't think Carnival would be happy about it if they were aware.

[Towel Critter]

36

 

I do remember the CD imploring guests to fill in the "exceeded my expectations" box when they had given out written surveys towards the end of a cruise.

I remember this happening too, on multiple cruises. They seem to have stopped doing it though. Haven't personally experienced it in a few.

[StillPooh]

Only ever had the porters at the port lecturer over tips. Hell they even openly show disgust if you tip them less than the idiotic rate they have set in their minds per bag. Most of them are probably bringing in an extra 500-1000 (just do a little mental math on how much they are getting for each shuttle that comes through and then think about how many trips those shuttles make in a day) a day in tips alone for a big ship, and these are employees that have the benefit of US wage and labor laws.

Not to mention they’re probably all union labor, earning far in excess of minimum wage. But tip too little, and your bags might go for a swim.

[jimbo5544]

Unless this is happening more frequently than we realize. I hope not.

 

 

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There are two sides (at least) to every story

 

 

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[Elaine5715]

The spa staff beg for tips even though their services have a 15% automatic tip. (I imagine the spa staff earn more than most of the crew-I know they are contract and not Carnival employees.)

 

The only time I experienced a Carnival staff member asking for a tip was on our last cruise, when a staff member brought our gold VIFP water to our cabin, he asked my wife for a 6% tip. Normally, she would have given a tip but when he asked she did not tip him. (Of course, 6% of free water is zero, right?)

I have never had a spa employee ever mention adding tips. They also don't make that much and are also dependant on tips.

[Badfinger]

Happened last night, the last dinner of the cruise.

Gratuities were pre-paid.

On the way out, the dining room staff kept saying “please help us, you are feeding our families.”

I know they work hard and everything but I think this crossed a line. It was very uncomfortable and honestly, felt like people begging on the street to the point that I don’t think Carnival is an option anymore as it wasn’t just them.

The ship sponsored excursions were just as bad in this department. The guide and bus driver are one thing, although we don’t need to be reminded to tip as they did. But On one in Mexico, every time we entered a room, the guide would point out that the person standing in the room was also helping—who knows how—and that tips are “not expected but certainly appreciated.”

 

I can imagine the responses but I assure you I am a good tipper. But it has really gotten out of control and I don’t see how anyone could think it is ok for dining staff to yes, beg, for more tips to feed their families as people are leaving. Thoughts?

 

If I experienced that, I would immediately remove my automatic gratuities from my account, flip our cabin steward some money at the end of the cruise (if justified) and call it good.

[Dmgabe]

If I experienced that, I would immediately remove my automatic gratuities from my account, flip our cabin steward some money at the end of the cruise (if justified) and call it good.

 

So because one person asked for a tip you would deprive all the others on the ship that have been working hard behind the scenes day and night of a tip? Those prepaid gratuities cover a whole lot of people and aren’t really that generous to start with when you look at the breakdown.

Edited June 30, 2018 by Dmgabe
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