Pre Tipping: Who gets the tip?

[MeOhMy]

As I understand it, if we leave the auto tip in place, then any additional money we give in tips may be kept by the person we are tipping. But how do they know if they are entitled to that particular tip or not?

 

And what happens if we add the extra tip to our account in their name?

 

Thanks.

[sail7seas]

A friend of mine and myself basically said "screw that." We're getting service, we're gonna tip for it. We both went down to the purser's desk and told her we wanted to add something onto our shipboard accounts to cover tips for these days. She was actually shocked. I think very few people did that.

 

 

That was nice of you to be sure to tip for the additional days but just because people did not go to the office to have it added to their shipboard account, does not mean they did not tip. Many very well may have chosen to privately tip their cabin steward, dining steward, bartender etc They just did it on their own and the individuals they wanted to get the money received it directly from them. That is what DH and I would have done. Same as we always managed to tip before there was such a thing as automatic tipping added to our account. It wasn't necessary to go to the office in order to tip.

 

[Grumpy1]

I was told by a HAL employee that should know, that most employees had a higher income after the autotips were put in place, even after deducting for the insurance/uniform /transportation costs. At the time the changes were implemented, though, there were quite a few that were just sure that they couldn't possibly make as much and left. That's pretty much the same in any industry when changes are made. Those that stayed found out that the system does work reasonably well.

 

I think Sail's conjecture is likely correct. Every pretip or tip before the end of the cruise would be turned in to the crew purser and credited to that employees account, with a notation of the passenger that was the source. At the end of the cruise, if the autotip is left in place everything extra from that passenger is returned to the employee. If the autotip is removed, then everything from that passenger is pooled. If that's not the way it is done, I think it should be.

[sail7seas]

As I understand it, if we leave the auto tip in place, then any additional money we give in tips may be kept by the person we are tipping. But how do they know if they are entitled to that particular tip or not?

 

And what happens if we add the extra tip to our account in their name?

 

Thanks.

 

They know who has removed automatic tip from their account.

 

 

If you wish to tip additional to anyone, IMO, it is best to give it directly to them rather than try to have the office credit it to an individual. I see too much 'room for error' by that method. Simply get an envelope (envelopes) and tip whoever you wish directly to them.

[MeOhMy]

Thank you, I will follow your advice.

[peaches from georgia]

I was told by a HAL employee that should know, that most employees had a higher income after the autotips were put in place, even after deducting for the insurance/uniform /transportation costs.

But why should a change in the tipping policy mean that the employees had to lose benefits that HAL had been providing (uniforms, transportation home, etc.)? In other words the pax's generosity in giving a larger amount in gratuities to the crew was used by the cruiseline as a reason to decrease employee benefits, thereby decreasing HAL's labor costs.

[Grumpy1]

But why should a change in the tipping policy mean that the employees had to lose benefits that HAL had been providing (uniforms, transportation home, etc.)? In other words the pax's generosity in giving a larger amount in gratuities to the crew was used by the cruiseline as a reason to decrease employee benefits, thereby decreasing HAL's labor costs.

Why? My guess would be to be able to advertise lower prices. Apparently, the average being given under the old policies must have been well under the current $10pp/pd, if crew members are doing as well as, or better, than they were before, even after the new deductions. I think most of us would like to see a system where the crew members were paid a good wage and provided with benefits, and where we could make our own decisions as to who to tip and how much. The question is... would we be willing to pay the increased price up front? Those that understand that an extra $10pp/pd needs to be factored into the cost of cruising under the current system would be willing. Others would go for the lower advertised price on another line, not knowing or thinking about the real cost down the line.

[Johanna7]

We prefer the auto tip on our credit card as we do not like to carry around so much cash until the end of the cruise.

 

We have tipped extra in cash to someone who was extra nice and helpful and always leave the auto tipping in place.

 

I do have an in-law who cruises often and stiffed the waiters and cabin stewards each time. I felt really, really bad about that but what can you do with a stubborn older person?

 

Therefore, I can see the need for the auto tipping. Nice that eventually, at the end of the cruise, the recipients can keep the extra tip.

[sail7seas]

do have an in-law who cruises often and stiffed the waiters and cabin stewards each time. I felt really, really bad about that but what can you do with a stubborn older person?

What can you do with a stubborn young person??? :) ;)

 

[arzz]

All you have to do is read these boards to discover that people will choose one cruise over another, or one TA over another, by a price difference that is sometimes as small as $25. As long as that mentality is ruling the choices made by potential cruisers, HAL would only lose by adding the autotip to the cost of the cruise.

 

In a perfect world everyone would care about (and think about) the people who serve them on board and understand their needs and what is appropriate. Problem is, the world is not perfect yet. Until then they need an autotip.

[Randyk47]

OK....right up front....I don't believe in pre-tipping. Never have done it and unless something unusual happens I don't plan on doing it. Yes, I can understand if somebody has a special request that it might make sense.

 

Now that I've gotten that out of the way....I used to think I preferred the old method of tipping...but I think that was just because that's what I was used to doing more than any particular reservation about the new system. Our recent Volendam cruise was our first HAL cruise since they went to the auto-tip. We just barely missed the implementation on our Oosterdam cruise back in 2004 by like a month or so. Anyhow, as I said, this past cruise was the first under the auto-tip and I really wondered how it was going to go. Quite frankly it was very easy and even a bit relaxing not to have to worry about making sure we had sufficient cash on hand at the end of a 10-day cruise to pay out the tips. We did tip selected people, people who are part of the auto-tip distribution, additionally for what we thought was above and beyond service. So I support auto-tip but will probably continue to recognize exceptional service with an additional out-of-hand tip.

[refman]

auto-tipping is a good idea and imo is pre-tipping,post-tipping or any tipping for exceptional service but pooling of tips is a complete joke. rewarding staff for poor service should never be encouraged. pooling sends the message that do whatever you please and still get the same as the staff that actually goes out of their way to make the cruise more enjoyable.

[james j feller]

I think the cruise lines should just increase the price of the cruise to reflect the tips, that way nobody has to worry .

 

JIM

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Right now, the cabin steward gets $3.50 and the dining staff split $3.50 and the other $3 is pooled among the other crew.

Still don't believe in pre-tipping.

 

I thought the dining staff split $5.50? $3.50 for waiter and $2.00 asst waiter? no ??

 

Bill

[ray77]

If an employee is not allowed to keep cash "tips" given to them, can they keep non-cash "gifts" such as the international prepaid phone cards that many of them seem to like?

[RuthC]

If an employee is not allowed to keep cash "tips" given to them, can they keep non-cash "gifts" such as the international prepaid phone cards that many of them seem to like?

Remember, the only reason someone can't keep a cash tip is because the giver has reduced or removed the $10 per person, per day service charge.

However, in that case the employee would be able to keep a non-cash gift. Otherwise, how could it be divided?

[serendipity1499]

Twinkletoes........

 

HAL agrees with you and they have set up the system for exactly that to happen.

 

IF YOU LEAVE YOUR AUTOMATIC TIP IN PLACE ----you DO NOT have it removed from your account-----

 

THEN any and all additional tips you give to anyone on the ship are theirs to keep. They do not have to pool it.

 

ONLY when someone removes the automatic tip from their account are those tips shared. ONLY then does a steward have to turn into the pool funds (tips) he received directly from a passenger.

 

 

Sail is absolutely correct!..Any extra tip you give to your stewards & Bar servers are kept by them as long as you keep the $10.00 auto tip in place. This policy has been explained to psgrs. many times by the CD on board, but it was the most clearly explained by Peter Daems (sp) the CD on board the "Prinsendam" last week..My guess is that your room steward must report your pre-tip, but he most definitely would be permitted to keep it if you leave the $10.00 per day per Psgr. on your account..

 

 

As Randy said in a previous post, we were the old reactionaries & hated the Auto-tip when NCL first came out with it..We swore that we would never travel on a line again that had the auto-tip..Guess what, our beloved HAL instituted the Auto tip & we now love it..We were able to put the extra $500 plus on our credit card & get reward points & we were then able to have extra cash to give to those people we felt deserved it..It's a win-win situation..

 

Happy cruising all..Betty

 

P.S. We were on NCL's "Crown" last year & loved it, so will never say never again!LOL

[SailGirl21976]

Greetings Seasoned CC Crusiers: I appreciate all the excellent conversation about the pre-tipping, etc. DH and I sailed our first cruise w/ HAL in March '06, and during one, & only one of our room service deliveries, the steward who delivered our food made me very uncomfortable as he delayed his exit from our cabin and started looking around, almost "caseing the room," as if he was expecting something...I was so glad my DH was there with me...the steward made me quite nervous. None of the other room servers acted in this manner. We were told by our TA and others that even the tips for room service were included in the automatic tipping @ the end of the cruise and we could also choose to add funds to that. Was this "normal" protocol for this room service steward? Have others of you experienced this demeanor? Thank you in advance for your reply. Ever learning here . . .:confused:

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Greetings Seasoned CC Crusiers: I appreciate all the excellent conversation about the pre-tipping, etc. DH and I sailed our first cruise w/ HAL in March '06, and during one, & only one of our room service deliveries, the steward who delivered our food made me very uncomfortable as he delayed his exit from our cabin and started looking around, almost "caseing the room," as if he was expecting something...I was so glad my DH was there with me...the steward made me quite nervous. None of the other room servers acted in this manner. We were told by our TA and others that even the tips for room service were included in the automatic tipping @ the end of the cruise and we could also choose to add funds to that. Was this "normal" protocol for this room service steward? Have others of you experienced this demeanor? Thank you in advance for your reply. Ever learning here . . .:confused:

 

That wasn't my experience on the Zuiderdam last summer. I had to practically run down the hall after him and he was still reluctant to take it. He did finally and seemed somewhat embarassed.

 

Bill

[sunflowerstarr]

When

I go to a restaurant and leave a tip, to my knowledge, none of that

tip goes to the various cooks in the kitchen, etc.etc.etc.etc.

 

no but if the establishment has them it goes to the bartender, bus boy/girl and possibly the hostess depending on how their pay is worked out. we had to tip out 10% of what we earned to to each person.

[CCaroleAnn]

Right now, the cabin steward gets $3.50 and the dining staff split $3.50 and the other $3 is pooled among the other crew.

 

Still don't believe in pre-tipping.

 

I also don't "pre-tip".

 

But I just can't leave only the automatic tips. On our last cruise our dining staff worked their butts off. I eat out quite often and to give these hard working guys a total of only $24.00 for 7 days is wrong. IMO

I always think about what a meal like that would have cost at a good restaurant and what I would have tipped. (Of course it's never that much. :p) Maybe if the service was "off" I would feel different. Our waiter and his assistant did seem hesitant to accept the extra money. They asked us to just please note how happy we were with them on our comment card. Which we did.

 

CC

[MiRo]

ISo.......HAL had to do something to keep these fine crews happy to return to HAL ships. Money. .

 

Which still makes the new HAL policy wrong and dishonest. Instead of paying the crew more (and increasing the cruise fare by an amount equaling the daily forced tip per person) they just intoduced the now dead policies Mao and Stalin used.

 

It's a shame to do not allow crew members to get a personal tip on the top for extra good service. Instead, each crew member, if nice or not, if helpful or not gets the same piece of the cake.

 

Thius policy discriminates the better performers.

[sail7seas]

One should remember that for crew who are under-performing or consistently displeasing guests.......they do not get another contract. I doubt any stewards who are not carrying their load get 'away with it' for very long. Their supervisors/co-workers know who needs more training or encouragement to do better.