Does the crew know when we've prepaid gratuities?

[Donald]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

Adjustable by who?  Certainly not by the passengers paying the dollars.  If you are still living in Japan, just take a good look at how the Japanese deal with tipping. :).

 

Hank

On Japanese Cruise Ships there is no tipping. If you price a Japanese Cruise, you will understand why tips are not part of the tradition.

But we are talking about Western Cruise Ships, where tipping - like it or not - is part of the cruising tradition and system.

You might be surprised to learn that on mass market ships, a rather large number of passengers choose to visit the Reception Desk and actually INCREASE the Service Charge on their cabin portfolio. As with the pax who decrease the charges, the Reception Desk staff always ask if there is a particular reason or person responsible for the decision. Quite often, a particular crewmember's name is mentioned for the increase.

[wowzz]

4 hours ago, Donald said:

As with the pax who decrease the charges, the Reception Desk staff always ask if there is a particular reason or person responsible for the decision. Quite often, a particular crewmember's name is mentioned for the increase.

So why not just give the individual involved a cash tip ?

[Hlitner]

4 hours ago, wowzz said:

So why not just give the individual involved a cash tip ?

Agree and that is what we do, quite often.  We have never decreased or eliminated auto tips...Ever!  But, I still prefer the system on lines like Seabourn where there is a no tipping policy.  On that line, if one wants to show their appreciation (real crew appreciation) they can donate to the onboard Crew Welfare Fund.  This money is used for various things that directly benefit the crew on that particular ship.  It is administered by the ship's own senior staff (we have been told that both the Captain and Hotel Manager are involved).  That is only line where I actually had a cash tip refused by a bartender who than suggested I donate to the crew fund through through Guest Services.  Quite a few passengers will donate their unused on board credit to that fund.  But to the credit of that line we have never had anyone solicit donations and the existence of the fund is not even mentioned except in response to a direct inquiry.

 

Hank

[wowzz]

17 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Agree and that is what we do, quite often

That would be us as well.  We tip extra to those members of staff who go the "extra mile" rather than give out dollar bills to all and sundry.

[Donald]

9 hours ago, wowzz said:

So why not just give the individual involved a cash tip ?

You really need to ask that question of the people increasing gratuities at the Reception Desk. When I have asked, the usual answer was, “We don’t carry much cash and prefer to have it go on our Credit Card.

[Toofarfromthesea]

1 hour ago, Donald said:

You really need to ask that question of the people increasing gratuities at the Reception Desk. When I have asked, the usual answer was, “We don’t carry much cash and prefer to have it go on our Credit Card.

 

One would think that someone who would do this would have the foresight to carry cash.

[ldubs]

9 minutes ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

One would think that someone who would do this would have the foresight to carry cash.

 

In just about everything I would actually prefer to use a credit card.  Only reason not to in this case, IMO, is the uncertainty over how the additional amount would be distributed.   

[Spif Barwunkel]

First off, let me preface my remarks with the following. Whether or not I remove pre-paid gratuities, tip extra, or try to finagle your pre-paid tips into my account in order to help pay for my onboard expenses is totally irrelevant here.

 

I am offended by the cruise lines asking me to pay up front for services not yet rendered then giving me the opportunity to remove them. How ridiculous is that? I grow weary of cruisers lamenting the trials and tribulations of the woeful crew and how it is my responsibility to lift them from the doldrums. How notional is that? And, although it is not as prevalent, I do not appreciate being solicited to give high ratings. How condescending is that? Yet, I continue to cruise, which brings me to the socioeconomic reference and cruising whether or not one can afford it. It is the “desire” to tip, not the amount one tips. You cannot segregate tippers and non-tippers in to separate categories. How segregationist is that?

 

My point to all of this is, tipping is not required by law, maritime or otherwise. It is not a rite of passage to tip while sailing the seven seas and partaking of the services provided. It is not up to me to satisfy your concerns about whether or not your favorite crew member is fairly compensated. I do not care what the crew knows or doesn’t know. Most importantly, I make the choice how much money to spend and who or what I spend it on. Each crew member makes their choice as to whether or not their work environment and the process in which it operates, is satisfactory to them. We all have choices, don’t we? How great is that?        

Edited December 26, 2022 by Spif Barwunkel

[Charles4515]

26 minutes ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

 

 

My point to all of this is, tipping is not required by law, maritime or otherwise. It is not a rite of passage to tip while sailing the seven seas and partaking of the services provided. It is not up to me to satisfy your concerns about whether or not your favorite crew member is fairly compensated. I do not care what the crew knows or doesn’t know. Most importantly, I make the choice how much money to spend and who or what I spend it on. Each crew member makes their choice as to whether or not their work environment and the process in which it operates, is satisfactory to them. We all have choices, don’t we? How great is that?        

 

It is not required but it is a cruising norm. I wish we did not have the tipping culture in the US but until it goes away I follow tipping etiquette. You do what you want to do. I have choosen to participate in the auto gratuiites so I want the crew to know. If they know that I participated then they are going to know who has not. Who would mind that? And they do know who has and who has not. They should know.

Edited December 26, 2022 by Charles4515

[navybankerteacher]

2 hours ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

... You cannot segregate tippers and non-tippers in to separate categories. How segregationist is that?

...

My point to all of this is, tipping is not required by law, maritime or otherwise. It is not a rite of passage to tip while sailing the seven seas and partaking of the services provided.  

How fatuous can you get?  Of course some history makes the word “segregate” politically and socially unacceptable ,  but the sort of separation it reflects does in fact make it a valid word.

 

like it or not - being a tipper or a non-tipper (certainly in the context of this thread) is a totally valid distinction.

 

And sailing on a ship on which those who serve you must depend upon tips for reasonable compensation makes you part of the equation:  tipping on ships sailing in the “tipping culture” DOES impose a requirement on you .  Your being able to afford your cruise depends, at least in part, on the “tipping culture”,

 

If you want to take a moral position against the way they do business, refusing to business with them should be one of your first steps.

[Toofarfromthesea]

18 hours ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

First off, let me preface my remarks with the following. Whether or not I remove pre-paid gratuities, tip extra, or try to finagle your pre-paid tips into my account in order to help pay for my onboard expenses is totally irrelevant here.

 

I am offended by the cruise lines asking me to pay up front for services not yet rendered then giving me the opportunity to remove them. How ridiculous is that? I grow weary of cruisers lamenting the trials and tribulations of the woeful crew and how it is my responsibility to lift them from the doldrums. How notional is that? And, although it is not as prevalent, I do not appreciate being solicited to give high ratings. How condescending is that? Yet, I continue to cruise, which brings me to the socioeconomic reference and cruising whether or not one can afford it. It is the “desire” to tip, not the amount one tips. You cannot segregate tippers and non-tippers in to separate categories. How segregationist is that?

 

My point to all of this is, tipping is not required by law, maritime or otherwise. It is not a rite of passage to tip while sailing the seven seas and partaking of the services provided. It is not up to me to satisfy your concerns about whether or not your favorite crew member is fairly compensated. I do not care what the crew knows or doesn’t know. Most importantly, I make the choice how much money to spend and who or what I spend it on. Each crew member makes their choice as to whether or not their work environment and the process in which it operates, is satisfactory to them. We all have choices, don’t we? How great is that?        

 

That's an awful lot of words to justify . . . something.  But since you put it in big letters .  .  .  

[sanger727]

On 12/26/2022 at 3:23 AM, wowzz said:

So why not just give the individual involved a cash tip ?

 

Some cruise lines allow passengers to use OBC to give extra tips. 

[Elaine5715]

On 12/26/2022 at 4:37 PM, Spif Barwunkel said:

First off, let me preface my remarks with the following. Whether or not I remove pre-paid gratuities, tip extra, or try to finagle your pre-paid tips into my account in order to help pay for my onboard expenses is totally irrelevant here.

 

I am offended by the cruise lines asking me to pay up front for services not yet rendered then giving me the opportunity to remove them. How ridiculous is that? I grow weary of cruisers lamenting the trials and tribulations of the woeful crew and how it is my responsibility to lift them from the doldrums. How notional is that? And, although it is not as prevalent, I do not appreciate being solicited to give high ratings. How condescending is that? Yet, I continue to cruise, which brings me to the socioeconomic reference and cruising whether or not one can afford it. It is the “desire” to tip, not the amount one tips. You cannot segregate tippers and non-tippers in to separate categories. How segregationist is that?

 

My point to all of this is, tipping is not required by law, maritime or otherwise. It is not a rite of passage to tip while sailing the seven seas and partaking of the services provided. It is not up to me to satisfy your concerns about whether or not your favorite crew member is fairly compensated. I do not care what the crew knows or doesn’t know. Most importantly, I make the choice how much money to spend and who or what I spend it on. Each crew member makes their choice as to whether or not their work environment and the process in which it operates, is satisfactory to them. We all have choices, don’t we? How great is that?        

The "upfront" payment was requested by guests.  Crew do not receive grats until after the cruise

[wowzz]

6 hours ago, sanger727 said:

 

Some cruise lines allow passengers to use OBC to give extra tips. 

Yes, but I don't think you can use obc to reward a specific individual. 

[Hlitner]

These tipping threads always morph into the usual debate.  But perhaps an argument can be made that this is all completely twisted!  Consider that the only reason the crew has a job is because of the passengers!  So, if we accept that statement as accurate than it just flows to the conclusion that the crew should be paying "Passenger Appreciation."  

[njhorseman]

57 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Yes, but I don't think you can use obc to reward a specific individual. 

i don't know about other cruise lines, but I've been able to do it on NCL. I go to the guest services deck, fill out forms with the names of the employees I am tipping and the tip gets credited to their accounts.

[ontheweb]

48 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

These tipping threads always morph into the usual debate.  But perhaps an argument can be made that this is all completely twisted!  Consider that the only reason the crew has a job is because of the passengers!  So, if we accept that statement as accurate than it just flows to the conclusion that the crew should be paying "Passenger Appreciation."  

So have you ever asked a crew member for a tip? 😉

[Hlitner]

16 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

So have you ever asked a crew member for a tip? 😉

Yes :).  Once upon a time we got very friendly with a bar tender and I teased her that she should tip me for being such a good customer.  That did get me a free drink (of course I already had a drink package).

 

Hank

[shipgeeks]

11 hours ago, wowzz said:

Yes, but I don't think you can use obc to reward a specific individual. 

We have done so a number of times on RC and X, and in one case, the crew member told us she had just received notification of it on her phone.

[wowzz]

20 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

We have done so a number of times on RC and X, and in one case, the crew member told us she had just received notification of it on her phone.

I'm pleased to be corrected.  

[ontheweb]

11 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Yes :).  Once upon a time we got very friendly with a bar tender and I teased her that she should tip me for being such a good customer.  That did get me a free drink (of course I already had a drink package).

 

Hank

Aha, but were you required to report it so it would go into a tip pool for passengers with each (at least all of those above the minimum drinking age) getting an extremely small sip of the drink?

[sanger727]

14 hours ago, wowzz said:

Yes, but I don't think you can use obc to reward a specific individual. 

 

Yes, on Celebrity you can. So that would be the rationale for charging it to your account rather than giving cash. 

[navybankerteacher]

3 hours ago, sanger727 said:

 

Yes, on Celebrity you can. So that would be the rationale for charging it to your account rather than giving cash. 

Of course, a cash tip personally handed to an individual leaves no audit trail,  while I am inclined to think that a tip charged to your account would be tracked by the line’s bean counters - perhaps to claim credit for the compensation, and possibly making it taxable for the recipient.

[Spif Barwunkel]

On 12/22/2022 at 6:03 PM, Donald said:

The system / practice varies by cruise line.

Generally speaking, on many ships, the Chief Purser sends out a daily update on gratuities / service charges.

Usually the daily report lists any changes in the service charges, additions and subtractions, by guest and by cabin.

At the risk of sounding fatuous, again, does anyone else realize how absurd the above post sounds? I will certainly give way to the many tipping experts on this thread - of which there are many - but why would any employer even consider such a ridiculous and non-productive action? That question will segway perfectly into my next comment and the meat of this thread. With the exception of very few, no one on the ship knows your tipping practices, not at the beginning, not at the end. Not unless you tell them, of course. That from the reigning tipping topic amateur.

 

Hypothetically, what if they did know. Would it make a difference in their service to you? Would you feel played and placated in order to compensate for the "non-tippers" or would the crew efforts be genuine and self-fulfilling? Would it matter to you, or are you satisfied with being just another source of income?

 

Note: Font size and number of words have been approved for human consumption.

Edited December 28, 2022 by Spif Barwunkel

[navybankerteacher]

5 hours ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

At the risk of sounding fatuous, again, does anyone else realize how absurd the above post sounds? I will certainly give way to the many tipping experts on this thread - of which there are many - but why would any employer even consider such a ridiculous and non-productive action? That question will segway perfectly into my next comment and the meat of this thread. With the exception of very few, no one on the ship knows your tipping practices, not at the beginning, not at the end. Not unless you tell them, of course. That from the reigning tipping topic amateur.

 

 

To the extent management wants to manage, it is reasonable for there to be some reporting to the staff of passenger satisfaction.    

 

On another point:   raising the irrelevant question concerning whether others on the ship are aware of  your tipping practices is simply another plunge into fatuosity --  unless you refer strictly to other passengers.  When it comes it comes to the staff being aware you are dead wrong.   Certainly whoever you told to remove service charges has a damn good idea of your tipping practices -- and thinking that those people would treat that information with the confidentiality of the confessional does not even rise to the level of being fatuous,