What's the appropriate tipping on Viking?

[jasardeax]

One question……..

 

Why would anyone care how much, or who little anyone chooses to tip?

[Murt22]

No one cares, unless the person who double tips basically posts that they double the required gratuities and wants to get patted on the back for it.

[CaptainCook808]

2 hours ago, Murt22 said:

No one cares, unless the person who double tips basically posts that they double the required gratuities and wants to get patted on the back for it.

Or they want to know what’s a reasonable amount for awesome service.

[duquephart]

4 minutes ago, CaptainCook808 said:

Or they want to know what’s a reasonable amount for awesome service.

 

Viking has already suggested that amount.

[Heidi13]

55 minutes ago, CaptainCook808 said:

Or they want to know what’s a reasonable amount for awesome service.

 

Isn't that a personal decision with respect to how much you valued the service?

 

How can I, or anyone else, suggest a reasonable amount when we didn't receive the service, only you did.

[onlyslightlymad]

13 hours ago, LindaS272 said:

Gratuities are added to U.S. pax accounts but are not required and one can opt out just by letting Guest Services know before the last day of the cruise.

I wouldn't want crew members to go without so I would never ask for tips to be removed, I would just much prefer that all service charges be included.  One less stress to worry about.

[duquephart]

Crew members do not go without.

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, onlyslightlymad said:

I wouldn't want crew members to go without so I would never ask for tips to be removed, I would just much prefer that all service charges be included

 

But, you are from New Zealand, so you don't have to worry about it. Gratuities are included in your fare and will not appear on your on-board account.

 

Maybe eventually Viking will make it a company-wide policy.

 

[duquephart]

1 hour ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

But, you are from New Zealand, so you don't have to worry about it. Gratuities are included in your fare and will not appear on your on-board account.

 

Maybe eventually Viking will make it a company-wide policy.

 

 

Would certainly simplify things across the board. But, I imagine there are those who prefer having the option to opt out.

[pavementends]

On 8/1/2023 at 1:47 AM, onlyslightlymad said:

Okay, I bite.  You are scaring me.  One of the reasons I have booked Viking is because 'tips' are included.  Thank god.  Please don't tell me I'm wrong.

 

I have an upcoming cruise on Viking and I have done a couple cruises with another "all inclusive" line.

 

One of the attractions has been that (1) I know what I am going to be spending and (2) I don't need to make microdecisions about, say, whether the person who helps me into the tender gets a tip (and how much).

 

If I am persuaded that I am exploiting the masses by not tipping additionally I will just stop cruising and do only land tours. Ideally in countries with a non-tipping culture.

[molymoo]

 

On 7/15/2023 at 10:21 PM, stephenandrew said:

I dunno.  Seems to me one video on YouTube by a current or ex-Viking employee would make it pretty easy for everyone to know Viking’s tip distribution policy.   

I'm sorry but this brings out my sarcastic nature (and I really do try to keep it under contro!l).  Really, a YouTube video?!?  That's really a reliable source of information! (sarcasm)  And I'm sure that if the individual(s) making said video(s) say they are or were Viking employee(s), it's the absolute truth!! (sarcasm, again).  

[stephenandrew]

13 minutes ago, molymoo said:

 

I'm sorry but this brings out my sarcastic nature (and I really do try to keep it under contro!l).  Really, a YouTube video?!?  That's really a reliable source of information! (sarcasm)  And I'm sure that if the individual(s) making said video(s) say they are or were Viking employee(s), it's the absolute truth!! (sarcasm, again).  

Maybe try harder

[MrsB05]

On 8/1/2023 at 8:25 AM, May B said:

For us in the US, they are not included in our cruise fare. A daily gratuity is posted to our shipboard acct. but not until near the end of the cruise. Of course some of us like to reward our favorite crew members with a little extra.

Following this thread because we'll be newbies on Viking May 2025.

So, perhaps a silly question, when providing extra cash, what currency is to be used?  Euro (we'll be on a Italian/Mediterranean cruise).

[KBs mum]

26 minutes ago, MrsB05 said:

Following this thread because we'll be newbies on Viking May 2025.

So, perhaps a silly question, when providing extra cash, what currency is to be used?  Euro (we'll be on a Italian/Mediterranean cruise).

Local or US dollars onboard. But tipping is not important enough to plan for. Only US passengers give it any thought. 

We check local protocol if a country we haven't visited before, so far, other than in the US we don't 'plan' to tip at all 

[millybess]

30 minutes ago, KBs mum said:

Only US passengers give it any thought. 

 

?

[duquephart]

And in this corner ---------------------

[MrsB05]

1 hour ago, KBs mum said:

Local or US dollars onboard. But tipping is not important enough to plan for. Only US passengers give it any thought. 

We check local protocol if a country we haven't visited before, so far, other than in the US we don't 'plan' to tip at all 

I am one of those LOL

[CILCIANRQTS]

2 hours ago, KBs mum said:

Local or US dollars onboard. But tipping is not important enough to plan for. Only US passengers give it any thought. 

We check local protocol if a country we haven't visited before, so far, other than in the US we don't 'plan' to tip at all 

Why on earth would you tip in US dollars when the cruise is in Europe??
I doubt many of the crew vacation in New York City!!

[LindaS272]

If U.S. $$ is the currency you have, the crew/staff are more than happy to accept it. We have tipped in various currencies in various parts of the world where the cruise is. Most of the crew are from countries other than where the cruise is. On one cruise, our stewards told us the crew exchanged currencies with each other from the tips depending on who can use which currencies. So that’s why. 😎

[KBs mum]

6 hours ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

Why on earth would you tip in US dollars when the cruise is in Europe??
I doubt many of the crew vacation in New York City!!

Dollars are onboard currency

[CILCIANRQTS]

7 hours ago, KBs mum said:

Dollars are onboard currency

Which has nothing to do with their ability to spend dollars in Europe and their home country - where they’ll also suffer a conversion loss.

Think of it from the recipient’s perspective, not the donor’s.

[KBs mum]

44 minutes ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

Which has nothing to do with their ability to spend dollars in Europe and their home country - where they’ll also suffer a conversion loss.

Think of it from the recipient’s perspective, not the donor’s.

On a European cruise there could be 5+ currencies, and there is no way to know in advance which country crew may be from. They would likely have to convert anything. Euros may be a safe choice as covering the widest area. 

US Dollars can be spent onboard, and are fairly strong and stable. Crew gratuities are allready in US. 

I wouldn't tip in dollars, as I have no reason to have any, but I am used to dealing with them being used onboard. 

I wouldn't tip in sterling (which would be easiest for us) unless on a UK itinerary, as although stronger than US dollar and Euro, sterling is of no immediate use onboard or outside the UK. 

Ashore all tips should be in local

 

[Reuben's 3rd]

Canadian here.  We get lumped in with the Americans.  I have followed many of these thread topics, found it thouroughly confusing, and made my own decision.

1)  leave the standard daily charge in place.

2)  additionally, tip our room steward per day (assuming the so far excellent service)

3)   get a cache of small U.S. bills from our bank before we leave.  Good for all additional tips that we want to make.

Life is good!