Gratuities [eeeek]

[ReneeFLL]

On 10/4/2023 at 11:49 AM, Mum2Mercury said:

I usually tip the person who rings up my groceries at the self-check out with an iced coffee.  She deserves it after running all the errands for the family.  

My earlier comment went poof, but someone brought it to my attention (which their comment also disappeared which is ridiculous, to many snowflakes out there) that you were probably referring to yourself when you said you would buy the person a coffee doing the errands. Sorry, but that comment went right over my head. 😁  I actually thought you were buying the checker a coffee. Yes you do deserve a coffee and more.

[OSUZorba]

17 hours ago, RoyalC said:

Of course- you have to tip the stripper more too because they are in college lol

And single moms.

 

Research shows tipping is usually discriminatory, young white women make far more in tips than black men. If people feel some type of personal connection, they tend to tip more. If the server is attractive, they make more in tips.

 

Research further shows, quality of service doesn't have much affect on tips.

 

I'm a poor tipper in general, but I do tip well on cruises because the crew members are away from home for a long time and work hard. I assume most are trying to provide for someone at home, and if not, to provide a better life for themselves.

[Ocean Boy]

On 10/4/2023 at 5:46 PM, scooby1 said:

More places are starting to ask for a tip as part of the bill in the UK especially in major cities or certain chains. But it is optional, we went out to somewhere recently and were specifically asked if we wanted to pay the amount without the gratuity. It’s optional but I have to say I don’t like it added to the bill as a semi default. 

Be careful, what is optional now will eventually become expected.

[Mum2Mercury]

On 10/4/2023 at 1:27 PM, swoopy2110 said:

London is certainly not the norm for the rest of the UK.

Most people on this board are American, and while we are certainly aware that London is one of the most expensive cities in the world, most of us are only aware of this in a vague sense and could not give you details about exactly what makes it more expensive.  

On 10/5/2023 at 5:42 AM, HappyTexan44 said:

Eons ago I was in the home of plastic surgeon in Rome.  There was a really fine bottle of 30-year-old Macallan being used as a door stop. 

I have a relative who's a principal in a Catholic school.  She says she gets lots of bottles at Christmas -- that parents send their elementary school children with a bottle to give to each teacher + administrator.  Having been a teacher in the public schools for years, this is shocking to me! 

On 10/9/2023 at 1:09 PM, ReneeFLL said:

My earlier comment went poof, but someone brought it to my attention (which their comment also disappeared which is ridiculous, to many snowflakes out there) that you were probably referring to yourself when you said you would buy the person a coffee doing the errands. Sorry, but that comment went right over my head. 😁  I actually thought you were buying the checker a coffee. Yes you do deserve a coffee and more.

Yes, it was an attempt at humor!  I am the checker, and I often buy myself an Iced Coffee while I'm out doing errands.  In fact, I think I'll do it this afternoon.  

[Leejanste]

Tipping is a pain outside of the U.K. and Europe 

in the U.K. I do tip for good service and good food. If honest it is usually around 10%, never anymore

we have just returned from Orlando(non cruise) and tipping was difficult as simply 20% appeared the norm - if honest I think that was my average tip 

I appreciate this is the culture, and I do tip but feel 20% is high

 

a few years back we travelled from Seattle on RCL to Alaska

at the end of the cruise we tipped the fella who done our room each day

as we had been to Vancouver we had Canadian $ over

 

i tipped him in American and Canadian $, I reckon the tip was around £30-£40…. I thought generous 

 

he had taken the tip

As we were leaving the room he was outside, I went to say thanks for everything - He just blanked me

 

was the amount not enough

 

was it because it was a mixture of notes

 

was it simply him thinking about his next customer

 

disappointing if honest

[gavvy]

On 10/4/2023 at 9:21 PM, gerig said:

I was just in London for a few days and a British Isles cruise.  Every restaurant receipt, transportation receipt they add 12.5% which is considered a gratuity.   So why would people not leave at least 12.5% since that is the norm in their country.

I would 100% ask for that to be taken off, it's not a tip but a service charge and it's often used to make up wages, its a way of the company paying below minimum wage and then they top up with that money- after taking a cut themselves, its a very murky area as every company does different things with it.

Tip cash- only way of knowing where its likely to go, and don't feel the need to tip at all for average service, its not expected, despite what your receipt may say.

[gerig]

18 minutes ago, gavvy said:

I would 100% ask for that to be taken off, it's not a tip but a service charge and it's often used to make up wages, its a way of the company paying below minimum wage and then they top up with that money- after taking a cut themselves, its a very murky area as every company does different things with it.

Tip cash- only way of knowing where its likely to go, and don't feel the need to tip at all for average service, its not expected, despite what your receipt may say.

I asked the waitress if the service charge was a tip and she told me yes it was

[gavvy]

If you pushed them and asked them if they got all of it though you may have got a different answer, As I say every business does it differently and some do pass on 100% others including some big chain restaurants have been very underhand with it.

From the GOV uk website

 

Tip or gratuity

A tip or gratuity is an uncalled for and spontaneous payment offered by a customer. This can be in cash, as part of a cheque payment, as a specific gratuity on a credit or debit card payment or paid using a digital payment service or application.

 

Service charge

A service charge is an amount added to the customer’s bill before it is presented to the customer. If it is made clear to the customer that the charge is a purely discretionary amount and there is no obligation to pay, the payment is a voluntary service charge. Where this is not the case, the payment is a mandatory service charge.

Edited October 13, 2023 by gavvy

[bucfan2]

The sooner this thread dies, the sooner we get to start page 1 of the ongoing gratuity saga.

[Vibe]

51 minutes ago, bucfan2 said:

The sooner this thread dies, the sooner we get to start page 1 of the ongoing gratuity saga.

Wouldn’t it be easier to just skip over the threads that don’t interest you? 🤔

[SRF]

On 9/4/2023 at 5:51 AM, Pandamonia said:

Whats funny is that Celebrity is supposed to be Royals upmarket brand and yet inside Europe Celebrity are always including drinks, wifi and tips in the cruise fare and yet Royals ships get nothing included any more. 

 

In fact i have never seen inclusive grats on any EU Royal sailing personally and yet they get huge numbers refunded every cruise. 

 

Makes me wonder what they are thinking most of the time as there seems to be very little logic. 

 

 

Because for a more budget line you are competing more on price.  Higher end lines can include those things in the fare.

 

I always pay my grats, but would rather they just charge a higher cruise fee and pay the staff a set wage, and allow grats to be for a higher level of service, like they are supposed to be.

 

My way of dealing with grats or service fees is that unless the service is AMAZING, I do not add any extra,

[bucfan2]

3 hours ago, Vibe said:

Wouldn’t it be easier to just skip over the threads that don’t interest you? 🤔

That's the problem with making poor assumptions...I enjoy the threads.  Just like to see pg1 again.  Used to be you'd get 1/2 credit for trying...we'll give you full credit in accordance w/ today's standards.

Edited October 13, 2023 by bucfan2

[Morecruisesplz]

6 hours ago, bucfan2 said:

The sooner this thread dies, the sooner we get to start page 1 of the ongoing gratuity saga.

Bumping