Tips

[mousefan73]

Can anyone confirm if it’s true that the gratuity that’s automatically added to any type of drink bill does not go to the servers? We do not have a drink package and pay for drinks at dinner. I brought up the issue gratuity because I was just curious how they make tips on those that have the drink package vs  “cash”

people that pay per dink.  Then he explained to me that actually he doesn’t even get that 15% on my bill and  that it goes to some type of pool that goes main lead to supervising staff and they don’t get anything. Which is sad and wrong IMO. 

[laudergayle]

Lots of posts/threads on this topic on almost every cruise line.  Yes, the daily service charge gets pooled.  Fact.  When every crew person signs their short-term contract they are given a per day salary (which may or not specify the # hours per day) but will also include a guaranteed per day gratuity amount…it will also include a clause if daily service charges exceed they will be equally divided amongst crew.  So, if a lot of people go to guest services and reduce or eliminate their daily service charge…it is not going to affect the contracted crew.  If lots of people tip extra via a check (and not a cash tip in hand) then it probably just offsets those passengers who reduced/eliminated their DSC.  If you really want to make sure a crew member gets $$ then give it to them in cash.  Cash is still king.

[perakcruiser]

3 hours ago, laudergayle said:

 So, if a lot of people go to guest services and reduce or eliminate their daily service charge…it is not going to affect the contracted crew.  

Yes, but this is not a topic anymore as basically no guests except the US pax can delete or reduce the DSC. totally different than 3 years before when half of the ship deleted it reduced. At this time they certainly had to find a way that it not effects the crews salary which by the way is quite good at MSC.

[perakcruiser]

7 hours ago, mousefan73 said:

Then he explained to me that actually he doesn’t even get that 15% on my bill and  that it goes to some type of pool that goes main lead to supervising staff and they don’t get anything. 

This is a lie. But probably he don't even know how exactly his salary is sourced from, he just knows the amount MSC pays him.

[bruce85]

Currently on the Seaside. Last time we sailed on her, when we ate at the speciality restaurants we could add an additional tip and the end. This time we could not, waiter said only way to tip extra was cash. Which was fine with us, just know to take cash with you if you are inclined to tip extra.

[mousefan73]

Just to clarify, I think there’s some confusion because I’m not referring to the typical per person per day gratuity that’s part of the hotel service fee thing. I am referring to that if I sit and eat dinner in the MDR and I order a beer I am being charged about nine €, 1euros which is the 15% gratuity. So who gets the one euro? My server told me he does not get that so that’s being put into the pool for the entire ship?

[laudergayle]

2 hours ago, mousefan73 said:

Just to clarify, I think there’s some confusion because I’m not referring to the typical per person per day gratuity that’s part of the hotel service fee thing. I am referring to that if I sit and eat dinner in the MDR and I order a beer I am being charged about nine €, 1euros which is the 15% gratuity. So who gets the one euro? My server told me he does not get that so that’s being put into the pool for the entire ship?

Correct. Any tipping done by paper check (ie the 15% added for buying that drink) gets pooled.  The only way anyone can be tipped directly is by cash in hand.

[laudergayle]

8 hours ago, bruce85 said:

Currently on the Seaside. Last time we sailed on her, when we ate at the speciality restaurants we could add an additional tip and the end. This time we could not, waiter said only way to tip extra was cash. Which was fine with us, just know to take cash with you if you are inclined to tip extra.

Haven’t sailed MSC but recently sailed NCL.  In the dining venues that use the kiosks for ordering, there was no way to add a tip. Had to tip cash if you wanted to tip.  I thought how nice for the crew.  Hopefully it was pooled at the restaurant and divided appropriately at the end of the evening giving deserving people cash.

[PTC DAWG]

17 hours ago, laudergayle said:

Lots of posts/threads on this topic on almost every cruise line.  Yes, the daily service charge gets pooled.  Fact.  When every crew person signs their short-term contract they are given a per day salary (which may or not specify the # hours per day) but will also include a guaranteed per day gratuity amount…it will also include a clause if daily service charges exceed they will be equally divided amongst crew.  So, if a lot of people go to guest services and reduce or eliminate their daily service charge…it is not going to affect the contracted crew.  If lots of people tip extra via a check (and not a cash tip in hand) then it probably just offsets those passengers who reduced/eliminated their DSC.  If you really want to make sure a crew member gets $$ then give it to them in cash.  Cash is still king.

It takes a special kind of person to have their daily gratuities eliminated. 

[Illbcruzn4life]

On 6/2/2023 at 4:01 PM, mousefan73 said:

Can anyone confirm if it’s true that the gratuity that’s automatically added to any type of drink bill does not go to the servers? We do not have a drink package and pay for drinks at dinner. I brought up the issue gratuity because I was just curious how they make tips on those that have the drink package vs  “cash”

people that pay per dink.  Then he explained to me that actually he doesn’t even get that 15% on my bill and  that it goes to some type of pool that goes main lead to supervising staff and they don’t get anything. Which is sad and wrong IMO. 

I am not sure how MSC works but on other cruise lines they add 18% and then there is a line on the receipt for a tip. That is up to you if you tip more or not.

 

So if I'm working on a cruise ship and a person who seems naive about the tips they can tell you this tale of woe and you'll tip more because you feel bad for them.