Please pay your tips!

[cruisemom67]

We went on Carnival Panorama in January, and we got to know some of the wait staff pretty well.  Something they told us that SHOCKED US is how many people do not pay their tips.  They were working in the "Anytime Dining" area.  They said they had some cruises that left from New York where they did not make any money.  NO ONE tipped.  

 

These people were excellent at what they did.  Even if they weren't, they should still get tips.  That is what they live on.  They don't make money other than that.

 

I know some people say that perhaps the cruise lines should pay them,, and just charge passengers the higher rate.  That is a great idea, but until it happens, these workers are dependent upon you paying your tips.  If you can't afford to pay the tips in addition to the fare, perhaps you shouldn't go on the cruise.  My husband was laid off from a job he had for 20 years (new CEO came in and let go all senior management) right before Christmas.  We cruised in January, paid our tips, and even gave extra to the wait staff who  went above and beyond.  I guarantee you, if you are able to take a cruise, you are living much better than these workers are. 

 

Even if you eat every meal in the buffet, who do you think is cleaning up for you?  Who is getting the food out for you?  You might not be "served" as much as main dining, but someone is still working so that you can eat.

 

Do the right thing:  PAY YOUR TIPS! 

Edited June 3, 2020 by cruisemom67
wrong ship

[PhillyFan33579]

Curious why the OP waited approximately 5 months after her cruise to post her comment.  

[cruisemom67]

I guess life gets in the way.  Sorry I waited so long.  I am a teacher and things have been pretty crazy since I got back from the trip.

[PhillyFan33579]

1 minute ago, cruisemom67 said:

I guess life gets in the way.  Sorry I waited so long.  I am a teacher and things have been pretty crazy since I got back from the trip.

That makes sense. I agree with your comment 100%, but threads like this can get interesting to put it nicely as other responses have already alluded. 

[BlerkOne]

The waiters in Anytime dining do receive part of the tips. You don't have to tip them each night. Just leave the auto tips alone.

[cruisemom67]

Yes, they do get part of the tips.  It is evenly split.  We only tipped them "extra" as they were really good with both my daughters who have serious allergies.  

 

That is where the "not getting paid" for an entire week is really crazy.   They literally did not make anything for an entire week.  Can you imagine working 80 hours per week, and NOT GETTING PAID AT ALL?  Yes, it is a problem with the system, and if everyone leaves the automatic tips alone, that would be wonderful!

[Gamecock_Cruiser]

Is this people REMOVING gratuities or not paying any ADDITIONAL tips? 

[cruisemom67]

4 minutes ago, Gamecock_Cruiser said:

Is this people REMOVING gratuities or not paying any ADDITIONAL tips? 

REMOVING ALL GRATUITIES.  I don't expect people to pay extra.  They can if they want.  We chose to because they had to work harder for us (daughters had to order the night before, had special meals due to allergies).  You know what they "suggest" before you go.  If everyone did what was "suggested" the workers would be fine.  

 

I remember the "old days" when you would have to save enough cash to give each worker on the last night.  I also remember people spending too much and not having that cash.  That is why they added them to your account.  We always had an extra envelope of cash that we wouldn't get into as that was reserved for tips.  

[TooManyWakeUpsTilWeSail]

13 minutes ago, cruisemom67 said:

Yes, they do get part of the tips.  It is evenly split.  We only tipped them "extra" as they were really good with both my daughters who have serious allergies.  

 

That is where the "not getting paid" for an entire week is really crazy.   They literally did not make anything for an entire week.  Can you imagine working 80 hours per week, and NOT GETTING PAID AT ALL?  Yes, it is a problem with the system, and if everyone leaves the automatic tips alone, that would be wonderful!

Not sure if you really think YTD staff doesn’t get paid or gets tips differently than standard (MDR) staff.  Hope you are joking or are completely misunderstood.  
 

Every staff member gets some salary/wage.  Every staff member who is in direct contact with customers share automatic gratuities.  You can always give cash to exceed the auto grats for exceptional service. At least 90% that post on this website let the standard grats ride.  Most (if not all of the 90%) tip GENEROUSLY.  
 

Basically old topic, new spin.

[ray98]

I find it hard to believe that as many tables as a wait team covers during an evening of ATD that ALL the customers removed gratuities.  That is dozens of people.

[cruisemom67]

No, I am not joking.  Most of the time, they do get paid.  In tips.  They had one week where they sailed out of New York, and it was a cruise where somehow everyone thought they didn't need to pay tips.  They did not get paid that week.  Many people will keep their auto-gratuity on their account.  However, there are many people who go to guest services and have them removed.  Usually for some stupid reason.  "My food came out cold" or "I didn't eat in the dining room."  I wish that guest services wouldn't let them out of it so easily.  

 

Do you go to a restaurant and not tip?  I have a daughter who waitresses right now, and I know some people don't tip them, either.  Restaurants get to pay wait staff $2.xx per hour as they expect them to get a certain amount in tips.  

[boatseller]

To be clear, they didn't 'not get paid'.  There's always a contract minimum, like the minimum wage for land restaurant workers.

 

Two (at least what I'm thinking right now 🙂) reasons people don't pay the grats.  They're foreigners who don't understand how tipping works in the US.  Or, they're making righteous social statement about living wages by...shorting the people who depend on those wages.  Or they're cheap.  Ok, three.

 

Yes, just leave the auto grats, it make the accounting easier and wages more fare and predictable.  The cash system is like a lottery.  I really think the cruise lines should make it a smidgen short of impossible to remove them.  

[Purvis1231]

Not paid at all is the little hyperbolic since know they got something. With that said, I have always paid my fair share and a little more.  On my last cruise on the Dream, I had a cabin overlooking the atrium and as soon as the tips were posted on the accounts there was a mad rush to the service desk.  

Edited June 3, 2020 by Purvis1231
typo

[TNcruising02]

As long as tips are voluntary, there will always be people who remove them and justify it to themselves.  We eat at the buffet at night, but still leave our tips on the bill.  Nobody can control what other people do.  If it becomes a huge issue, then the cruise lines should make it mandatory.  People can talk about the non-tippers endlessly and the non-tippers aren't going to change.  I doubt those people could ever be shamed into doing the right thing.

[ScubaKat]

Sounds to me like the servers were just fishing for additional tips,  giving a sob story .   I don't believe everyone pulled their tips.

[TooManyWakeUpsTilWeSail]

@cruisemom67

 

Again, standard grats go equally to every customer-facing staff member.  Not sure why you think any time dining is different.  And as I said before, your Cruise Critic target audience is fairly affluent (well not me) and usually generous (yep me).

 

Not sure who you are really trying to convince....I got lousy service or am cheap but I continued to dine but stiffed the staff?  

[Roz]

1 hour ago, cruisemom67 said:

NO ONE tipped.  

 

 

I find that very hard to believe.  

[GAMOMOF2]

I am more shocked they would tell you that.   Very unprofessional. I cant see the staff telling you their personal business

 

[bingomamma19]

Sorry...you were fed a sob story.    There is NO way that every cruiser removed their tips.    And many, many people give addtional in cash.

 

The way to get more money is to say you made no money  LOL

[Jamman54]

1 hour ago, cruisemom67 said:

We went on Carnival Panorama in January, and we got to know some of the wait staff pretty well.  Something they told us that SHOCKED US is how many people do not pay their tips.  They were working in the "Anytime Dining" area.  They said they had some cruises that left from New York where they did not make any money.  NO ONE tipped.  

 

First, the Panorama has never sailed from New York. 

 

Second, those who live in the New York metropolitan area, us included, are generally very good tippers.

 

It sounds like a sob story to generate extra tips. It happens. Glad you were satisfied with the service you received. 

[PhillyFan33579]

13 minutes ago, Jamman54 said:

First, the Panorama has never sailed from New York. 

 

Second, those who live in the New York metropolitan area, us included, are generally very good tippers.

 

It sounds like a sob story to generate extra tips. It happens. Glad you were satisfied with the service you received. 

The OP didn’t say the Panorama sailed out of New York. I assume the waiters were talking about their experience on a previous ship that sailed out of New York. I
 

Like you mentioned I have heard sob stories from waiters and bartenders before, although not too often, so I don’t doubt the OP’s story. 

[Georgia_Peaches]

Just seems like a strange time for a tipping thread given the fact that nobody is cruising and therefore, tipping and/or removing them.  I actually had to double check the date of this post to make sure it wasn't one that bubbled up from a year ago.  

 

I get being busy, but maybe the timing of this thread would work better when cruising actually resumes.

Edited June 3, 2020 by Georgia_Peaches

[Elaine5715]

2 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

The waiters in Anytime dining do receive part of the tips. You don't have to tip them each night. Just leave the auto tips alone.

They get dinged when ATD guests pull their tips

[Elaine5715]

1 hour ago, TooManyWakeUpsTilWeSail said:

@cruisemom67

 

Again, standard grats go equally to every customer-facing staff member.  Not sure why you think any time dining is different.  And as I said before, your Cruise Critic target audience is fairly affluent (well not me) and usually generous (yep me).

 

Not sure who you are really trying to convince....I got lousy service or am cheap but I continued to dine but stiffed the staff?  

When you go to ATD,  you are asked for your cabin number.  Then a portion of your daily grat goes to that team. 

[evandbob]

New Yorkers know that tipping is a way of life - it makes the world spin round.  No way would they be not tipping or standing in a line to remove auto tips.