Pre-paying crew tips-is this rate fair for the crew?

[crystalspin]

1 hour ago, VMax1700 said:

Is your cruise booked in Canadian Dollars?  

Ding-ding-ding we have a winner!

[kazu]

On 3/31/2022 at 2:59 PM, cbr663 said:

 

What type of extra services and effort are you expecting?  The suite experience on HAL does not come with services like a Butler that is on other lines.  I am at a loss of what type of extra services you may be expecting.

 

You can take your butler and put it where the sun doesn’t shine but I’ve only had one on O and he did nothing for us than bring me lemon tea (I can order it from room service on HAL).

 

The concierges can do a lot for you and the room stewards do some of it.

 

Ice 3 times a day?  Thank you.  Wine glasses delivered for a roll call get together.  thank you.  

Taking care of my room when I want - asking and not just showing up - thank you.

Swans and rose petals on our bed on the P’dam - thank you.

Dh not well one night at the MDR staff sending crackers and green apples back with me - thank you.

there’’s a lot of things that happen where staff go out of their way & yes, it is appreciated.

[-The-True-North-]

1 hour ago, VMax1700 said:

Is your cruise booked in Canadian Dollars?  

The Pre Paid Crew appreciation on the website is priced in local currency using HAL's corporate fixed exchange rate.

Thanks, That makes MUCH more sense than taxes.

[Tampa Girl]

On 3/31/2022 at 11:56 AM, Mary229 said:

I always pay the stated rate plus give extras to people who are visible to me,.  Once I mentioned to a crew member to also share the tip with his subordinate and he implied the extra tips went into a kitty to be divided up. Either way I am happy with the arrangement.  I know there are plenty of people unseen who are making my life easy, I do hope they can participate in guests’ generosity 

 

There has been in the a lot of discussion in the past about whether the extra tips go into a kitty to be divided up.  It was posted that if one removes the gratuity, then and  only then, do the extra tips go into the kitty.  If the ship's stated gratuity remains in place, the stewards are allowed to keep the extra tips.  It was further reported that the stewards get a list of those passengers who have removed the gratuity.

[albingirl]

These tipping threads have been around forever.  We keep things in place and give extra too.  Last cruise I was on, I won some money in the slot machine and gave it all to crew.  I usually don't gamble but this was fun to do.

[Mary229]

1 hour ago, Tampa Girl said:

It was further reported that the stewards get a list of those passengers who have removed the gratuity.

Thanks for filling me in, I knew they were given a list but did not know, for sure, the disposition of extras. 

[Florida_gal_50]

18 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

Is your cruise booked in Canadian Dollars?  

The Pre Paid Crew appreciation on the website is priced in local currency using HAL's corporate fixed exchange rate.   (I pre pay in Euros, but on my onboard account the daily crew appreciation is posted in U.S. Dollars and a matching credit is posted.)

If you prepay in Canadian dollars it’s actually a bit of a deal.  I think the exchange rate is around $1.24  for the prepaid crew appreciation which is better than the exchange rate is right now.

Edited August 7, 2022 by Florida_gal_50

[Florida_gal_50]

I almost always tip extra but I’m pretty low maintenance compared to what I read on cruise critic that people ask to be done.

[Boatdrill]

1 hour ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

It was further reported that the stewards get a list of those passengers who have removed the gratuity.

Is the alleged list given out before the cruise or after ? 

I have friends - all 4 star - who remove the tips and pay everyone in cash. 

One of them is booked on the 90+ day cruise on the Volendam in 2024. Although his fare comes with pre-paid gratuities, he said that perk is meaningless to him, since he removes the gratuities  and tips personally in cash.

 

Edited August 7, 2022 by Boatdrill

[rocksteady27]

19 hours ago, colbe said:

One morning I sent in a note of thanks to the laundry crew. A few hours later there was a knock on stateroom door - it was the head of housekeeping to say a personal thanks. He said that they get many complaints about (minor) things but very few words of praise.

I was in a Neptune and sent in laundry 3 or 4 days; each time it was returned with a note naming the person who did the laundry (always the same person). I left a cash tip for her with the Neptune Concierge and submitted a compliment in the app.

 

I also gave cash tips, in addition to the gratuities, to my Neptune concierge, my room stewards, dining stewards, and 2 casino beverage waiters who never let me go thirsty! I also sent in compliments via the app for the casino waiters and dining stewards; the Neptune Concierge thanked me for sharing my feedback.

Edited August 7, 2022 by rocksteady27

[Mary229]

We have been extra generous to the MDR staff.  The dining rooms have had so few diners these days I worry that lack of tips may drive employees away from the cruise lines.  I have experienced this locally and it is a problem. 

[VMax1700]

2 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

If you prepay in Canadian dollars it’s actually a bit of a deal.  I think the exchange rate is around $1.24  for the prepaid crew appreciation which is better than the exchange rate is right now.

Similar in euros.  The official exchange rate is around €1 = $1.02 and lucky to get $0.98.

HAL's corporate exchange rate for Crew Appreciation is around €1 = $1.12.  That is a great discount and it does not affect the crew as the usual daily rate is charged to the onboard folio and then credited.

[VMax1700]

2 hours ago, Boatdrill said:

Is the alleged list given out before the cruise or after ? 

I have friends - all 4 star - who remove the tips and pay everyone in cash. 

One of them is booked on the 90+ day cruise on the Volendam in 2024. Although his fare comes with pre-paid gratuities, he said that perk is meaningless to him, since he removes the gratuities  and tips personally in cash.

 

Can he remove pre paid gratuities??  That should be a no no!

[RAS4331]

If you removed pre-paid gratuities and paid “everyone” in cash, wouldn’t that mean that the behind-the-scenes people wouldn’t get a share?

[DaveOKC]

5 minutes ago, RAS4331 said:

If you removed pre-paid gratuities and paid “everyone” in cash, wouldn’t that mean that the behind-the-scenes people wouldn’t get a share?

They would assuming that the crew that DID get the tips turned them in as required.  See #29 post above for details on this.

Edited August 7, 2022 by DaveOKC

[aeraen]

5 hours ago, Mary229 said:

We have been extra generous to the MDR staff.  The dining rooms have had so few diners these days I worry that lack of tips may drive employees away from the cruise lines.  I have experienced this locally and it is a problem. 

 

I have a dietary restriction, so like to eat in the MDR every night with the same staff, who can get to know my needs.  Therefore, I tip especially well to our server to make up for the inconvenience.  

 

I also like to add an extra tip for the cabin steward.  I like to keep my cabin tidy for my own comfort, but it just doesn't sit right with me to not say thank you directly to the people who clean up after you.  

Edited August 7, 2022 by aeraen

[ontheweb]

19 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

Can he remove pre paid gratuities??  That should be a no no!

I was also wondering how you remove prepaid gratuities?

[DaveOKC]

16 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

I was also wondering how you remove prepaid gratuities?

Better question - WHY would you want to?  All it can do is hurt the crew and you gain nothing.

 

[Mary229]

35 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

Better question - WHY would you want to?  All it can do is hurt the crew and you gain nothing.

 

It doesn’t seem to make sense anyway.  If it is part of a package deal you are it going to receive the cash, you are simply not going to get the benefit, will you?

[rodndonna]

23 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

Can he remove pre paid gratuities??  That should be a no no!

 

I don't think that is what the poster is saying. The person 'generally' removes the auto-grats and tips in cash, so for him/her the 'prepaid grats' perk is 'meaningless'.

 

Pretty sure the staff doesn't find it meaningless though (assuming he/she still tips in cash) 😄

[LMaxwell]

On 3/31/2022 at 8:42 AM, VermeulT said:

Suite guests pay more than non-suite guests so those extras are covered. 

 

Like others have said - you can choose to tip extra - that's your choice.

Yes, suite guests are charged a nominal amount more for their services. 

 

However on a percentage basis of cruise costs, they pay a significantly smaller percentage than someone in an inside or oceanview cabin.  

 

Are we tipping based on costs, service level, etc? 

[LMaxwell]

4 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

Better question - WHY would you want to?  All it can do is hurt the crew and you gain nothing.

 

 

You can switch Pre-Paid to Post-Paid; the amount charged is the same but if you have OBC it can be used against your total bill.  The crew receive the same amount but it's less out of your pocket this way.  I don't see how the crew are hurt in that scenario, or how keeping money in your pocket is "nothing". 

[DaveOKC]

4 minutes ago, LMaxwell said:

 

You can switch Pre-Paid to Post-Paid; the amount charged is the same but if you have OBC it can be used against your total bill.  The crew receive the same amount but it's less out of your pocket this way.  I don't see how the crew are hurt in that scenario, or how keeping money in your pocket is "nothing". 

The assumption I made was that the "prepaid" grats were paid for by HAL, not the consumer.

 

[LMaxwell]

2 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

The assumption I made was that the "prepaid" grats were paid for by HAL, not the consumer.

 

You mean like a booking promotion where that's one of the "perks"?  In that case since there is no charge against your account, there's nothing to remove or take off.  It just is what it is. 

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, DaveOKC said:

The assumption I made was that the "prepaid" grats were paid for by HAL, not the consumer.

 

That was also how I read it.