Tipping main waiter and room attendant

[molsonschooner]

5 minutes ago, SantaFeFan said:

 

 

The reason for giving them additional tips is for YOU to show THEM appreciation for a job well done, not for them to appreciate you.  🙁

they appreciate the fact that we appreciate them

[time4u2go]

1 hour ago, SantaFeFan said:

The way most cruise lines handle cash tips is to require the crew member receiving that tip to turn it into accounting for safekeeping until the end of the cruise, with a record of who gave them the tip and when. If they don't do this they risk being fired and will have to find their on way home and pay for it out of their own pocket.

There are many people that completely disagree with this statement, that say that cash tips remain with whomever they are given to.  And everyone (including you, probably) assure us that their story is correct, often based on what cruise line employees have stated.

[sparks1093]

3 hours ago, time4u2go said:

That's what I was thinking.  I want to make sure the people I intend the tip to go to actually get the tip.

That's the thing- once it leaves your hands you have absolutely no control of it. The extra tips will be divided per the agreement of the staff and we don't know how that division works. Yes, you can try to control it by giving it to individuals but if they are pooling the tips that is where that money ends up.

[SantaFeFan]

58 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

There are many people that completely disagree with this statement, that say that cash tips remain with whomever they are given to.  And everyone (including you, probably) assure us that their story is correct, often based on what cruise line employees have stated.

 

I am not the expert. However, one "cruise line employee" that backs up my claim is well known here for his knowledge of the cruise industry and his generosity to share it. He is the expert. He has decades of experience, including being chief purser on cruise ships for a number of years. If you are uncertain about what a purser does, read this link:  https://work.chron.com/duties-purser-ship-21293.html  In a nutshell, his job was to handle employee accounts, including their gratuities. 

 

I really don't care that "many people completely disagree with this statement". I am simply passing along what he has shared with us. You and those "many people" have every right to be wrong, and in this care, that is exactly what you and they are. I have complete trust in what he says, and a lot of other CC members do, too. So I will believe him and not your imaginary "many people". 

Edited May 25, 2019 by SantaFeFan

[time4u2go]

29 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

That's the thing- once it leaves your hands you have absolutely no control of it. The extra tips will be divided per the agreement of the staff and we don't know how that division works. Yes, you can try to control it by giving it to individuals but if they are pooling the tips that is where that money ends up.

I totally agree with you that if they are pooling tips, we have no control over it, and it doesn't matter whose hand I put it into.  But if they are not pooling the tips, then it ends up in the hands that it was put into.  Since I don't know which way it really is, I'm going to do what I can to increase the chances that it stays with the person I gave it to.

Edited May 25, 2019 by time4u2go

[time4u2go]

13 minutes ago, SantaFeFan said:

 

I am not the expert. One "cruise line employee" that backs up my claim is well known here for his knowledge of the cruise industry and his generosity to share it. He is the expert. He has decades of experience, including being chief purser on cruise ships for a number of years. If you are uncertain about what a purser does, read this link:  https://work.chron.com/duties-purser-ship-21293.html  In a nutshell, his job was to handle employee accounts, including their gratuities. 

 

I have trust in what he says, and a lot of other CC members do to. So I will believe him and not your "many people". 

 

I really don't care that "many people completely disagree with this statement". I am simply passing along what he has shared with us. You and those "many people" have every right to be wrong, and in this care, that is exactly what you and they are. 

Lol of course everyone that disagrees with your opinion is wrong.  

Edited May 25, 2019 by time4u2go

[SantaFeFan]

8 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

Lol of course everyone that disagrees with your opinion is wrong.  

 

No, not everyone. Just you, apparently. I am simply passing along facts that an expert has shared with us. 

Edited May 25, 2019 by SantaFeFan

[time4u2go]

3 minutes ago, SantaFeFan said:

 

No, not everyone. Just you, apparently. I am simply passing along facts that an expert has shared with us. 

No, not just me.  Other "experts" on the RC board have stated the same thing.

Edited May 25, 2019 by time4u2go

[SantaFeFan]

19 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

I agree with you that if they are pooling tips, we have no control over it, and it doesn't matter whose hand I put it into.  But if they are not pooling the tips, then it ends up in the hands that it was put into.  Since I don't know which way it really is, I'm going to do what I can to increase the chances that it stays with the person I gave it to.

 

Virtually every mass market cruise line pools the tips. A few may not, but they are lines that do not have mandatory gratuities, and instead have them built into the base fare. Pooling provides a share of tips to those behind the scenes people that contribute to your enjoyment of your cruise. People you would not have access to to give cash tips to. It is no different than a waiter in a shore based restaurant who shares his tips with the people in the kitchen who support his servicing the customers he deals with.

 

 

Edited May 25, 2019 by SantaFeFan

[SantaFeFan]

1 minute ago, time4u2go said:

No, not just me.  Other "experts" on the RC board have stated the same thing.

 

Yeah, right. 

 

Clearly you will never accept a concept you don't agree with. Reasoning with people with their minds made up based only on their personal desires is an impossible errand. Much like attempting to push a rope up hill, the effort is a complete waste of time. You just continue to believe what you want to believe. I will believe what a respected expert here has shared with us. 'Nuff said. 

[time4u2go]

3 minutes ago, SantaFeFan said:

 

Yeah, right. 

 

Clearly you will never accept a concept you don't agree with. Reasoning with people with their minds made up based only on their personal desires is an impossible errand. Much like attempting to push a rope up hill, the effort is a complete waste of time. You just continue to believe what you want to believe. I will believe what a respected expert here has shared with us. 'Nuff said. 

The thing is, I don't know which way is the actual method.  I'm open-minded, and I am willing to believe that either way is being done.  Unlike you, apparently because of your "expert".

Edited May 25, 2019 by time4u2go

[PTMary]

10 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

The thing is, I don't know which way is the actual method.  I'm open-minded, and I am willing to believe that either way is being done.  Unlike you, apparently because of your "expert".

 

I am probably going to regret getting into this debate, but unlike the other poster, I am not afraid to name drop:

 

I am pretty sure that expert's name is Chengpk75. I remember his comments on other tipping threads and it is consistent with what is being described here. I would bet that many people reading this thread are quite familiar with his valuable contributions to the knowledge base on CC, and appreciate his insights on this and many other topics.

 

OK, now I am getting out of here before you start insulting and ridiculing me as well. 

Edited May 25, 2019 by PTMary

[time4u2go]

6 minutes ago, PTMary said:

 

I am going to regret getting into this debate, but:

 

I am pretty sure that expert's name is Chengpk75 or something similar. I remember his comments on other tipping threads and it is consistent with what is being described here. I would bet that many people reading this thread are quite familiar with his valuable contributions to the knowledge base on CC, and appreciate his factual information on this and many other topics.

I've seen his writings, and I definitely respect his viewpoint.  I didn't recall him specifically mentioning tipping, and I didn't recall him stating that he had worked for Royal Caribbean.  But I realize that me not remembering doesn't mean he didn't state those things.  Can you refer me to what he said about this as it pertains to Royal Caribbean?

Edited May 25, 2019 by time4u2go

[scuddles]

We always take a few extra $20 bills to tip our room stewards. We have always have always had exceptional service. I don't think they expect it but I think it brightens their days know how much we appreciate them. 

[sparks1093]

10 hours ago, time4u2go said:

I totally agree with you that if they are pooling tips, we have no control over it, and it doesn't matter whose hand I put it into.  But if they are not pooling the tips, then it ends up in the hands that it was put into.  Since I don't know which way it really is, I'm going to do what I can to increase the chances that it stays with the person I gave it to.

If they are a team then they are likely pooling tips, that's how most teams operate in a tipped environment. In any event it's up to the leader of the team to take care of his team.

Edited May 25, 2019 by sparks1093

[sparks1093]

9 hours ago, PTMary said:

 

I am probably going to regret getting into this debate, but unlike the other poster, I am not afraid to name drop:

 

I am pretty sure that expert's name is Chengpk75. I remember his comments on other tipping threads and it is consistent with what is being described here. I would bet that many people reading this thread are quite familiar with his valuable contributions to the knowledge base on CC, and appreciate his insights on this and many other topics.

 

OK, now I am getting out of here before you start insulting and ridiculing me as well. 

The person SantaFe is referring to is a Chief Purser and Chengpk75 is a Chief Engineer. He has shared his experience as a member of shipboard management staff. I do recall seeing a Chief Purser posting on here from time to time but I can't remember his screen name. Leaving extra tips is entirely discretionary and either process works, giving it to each individual or giving it to the head waiter. The crew work closely together and the vast majority of them play by the rules when it comes to tips, it's their bread and butter. No one wants to work with a crew member who is playing fast and lose with the tip structure. I would expect that if they knew that the passengers doubted their ability to do right by their team they would be gravely insulted.