Why tip with drink coupons?

[NewCruzer1]

I'm no tipping cheapskate -- I generally start at 15% and round up, so it's usually closer to 20%, even when it's not included in the bill -- but I note that most posters to threads discussing the pre-purchased drink coupons ($19.50 for 4) still speak of adding a tip. The purchase terms indicate the coupon "are inclusive of Gratuity and Delivery Fees."

Well, I'm also not inclined to pay twice for the same thing. If the tip is included, why should I feel the need to add something? If Carnival doesn't distribute 15% of the coupon price in gratuities, it's lying to us. If it does, as advertised, then why bother to buy the coupon if you're gonna tip extra and offset the price break?

(And, please, don't pounce on me for suggesting NOT tipping, because I'm not -- it's just already paid within the coupon, according to their terms.)

[GoinCruisin]

All the drinks (drink coupons or not) include a 15% gratuity. We tip extra, whether using coupons or not, just for good service. We tipped our pool waiter on the first day and our glasses were never empty... he took excellent care of us... I always tip between 20-25% for good service, so this was right in line....

[Cotton]

I'm inclined to agree with you, NewCruzer. I know what you're saying...why feel obligated to tip on top on a tip? I tip WELL in all other areas, but not for a drink where the tip is already included.

[Travelitis]

I agree with you, too. The gratuity is included, and there's no need to tip further. Otherwise, what is the point of the coupon?

[pholter]

When I'm ordering drinks that are much higher in price than the face value of the coupon, then I normally tip extra when the waiter/waitress or bartender brings me my super strong perfect drink. They could charge me the difference, but they don't...... I don't always tip extra, but I do when service needs a bit a rewarding ;)

[steveaaaa]

Americans are stupid with this tipping thing.We are herded like cattle and told to do something.What does it say when we are given a suggested tipping amount and it is added automatically for us?

Then we have all those who want to tip extra in the supper clubs.The tipping should be included in the cruise fare.I too am a cheapskate and I will tip exactely to the 15%.As a rule I deduct 1% for every item that ticks me off.I rarely get even good service so great service is something I don't know.

Steve

[GoinCruisin]

A 15% gratuity is average, so what is wrong with tipping more for great service? If I get excellent service I tip more than 15% in a restaurant and it is no different on a cruise ship. If you order a drink at the bar, the 15% is included, and for good service I tip extra too... I have NO problem tipping 20-25% for great service, regardless of where I am... you don't have to, but for those that want to, no biggie....

[steveaaaa]

A 15% gratuity is average, so what is wrong with tipping more for great service? If I get excellent service I tip more than 15% in a restaurant and it is no different on a cruise ship. If you order a drink at the bar, the 15% is included, and for good service I tip extra too... I have NO problem tipping 20-25% for great service, regardless of where I am... you don't have to, but for those that want to, no biggie....

 

 

If you don't mind can you please define "Great service or Excellent service" as compared to doing their job in regards to your reply above.

I will even give you a scenario....

I go to a bar on board and order a beer and they give me my can of beer.

 

What warrants anything extra?

Steve

[SevenVII]

Thats exactly what happens to me at a bar. I usually get a guy that gives me what I order. He doesnt do backflips brining it to me, I usually get the drink in a decnt amount of time....the only one thing a bartender can give to the experience is pour them a little stronger, but then if you are tipping higher you are basically paying for that anyway, right?

 

I had to help out my grandparents last year at their bowling alley. Sometimes I would tend the bar for a few hours at a time and everyone would ask where my tip jar was....I always told them, tip the waitresses they have to actually do something I just stand here and give you beers. But some were persistant, mostly females, so I caved a time or two :D

[lisacas1]

Can you tip them "extra" with cash on the spot or do you have to just add it to the Sail & Sign card?

 

Lisa

[GoinCruisin]

If you don't mind can you please define "Great service or Excellent service" as compared to doing their job in regards to your reply above.

I will even give you a scenario....

I go to a bar on board and order a beer and they give me my can of beer.

 

What warrants anything extra?

Steve

If you will notice in my post, I mentioned our POOL WAITER. He went well above his "job" to take great care of us. In the other "tip" posts discussed over the last 24 hours I explained it as well... As far as explaining.. when he knew he was going to get busy, he brought us additional drinks so we would not have to get up and go to the bar. We had empty drinks once for about 1 minute and he brought us free ones for our "inconvenience", he brought us 2 trays of drinks at the captains party so we would not be without and we could pick and choose what we wanted. All of this while in the peak of July carribean heat, drenched, running around... yet still had a smile and great attitude and service for US. He always came over and talked to us, we had a great time with him and he was one of the highlights of our trip. He deserved WELL ABOVE 15%... as for everyone else... If a round of drinks is $10 and they add 15% (1.50) to the S&S already, there is nothing wrong with me tipping a dollar, which would make the tip 25%. I generally tip 20-25% anywhere, a cruise is no exception. You don't have to do it, but please don't question me as to WHY I do it... and PLEASE don't call me stupid because I prefer to tip well... there are far more stupid things that are done.

[SevenVII]

Nobody was calling you stupid GC. But some of the frugal guys have been drilled pretty heavily on the boards, so you cant fault them for trying to toss in a punch or two here and there as well.:p

[GoinCruisin]

Seven, and I quote

 

"Americans are stupid with this tipping thing"

 

Nuf said :D

[mnhenderson]

Americans are stupid with this tipping thing..

Steve

 

I am going to jump in and defend GoinCruisin here.

I completly respect that everyone has thier own opinion,but lumping Americans together as being stupid,because some of us CHOOSE to tip is offensive.

I would love for everyone to get a fair wage,but it just isn't happening.You are able to back out every tip on every bill you are given(even the 15% that is added to drinks.)Just make your choice and let those of us that choose to tip do so.Just a little respect for our opinions is all we are asking for.

Thanks,Mariann

[VentureMan_2000]

Steveaaa, there are a lot of folks out there with "extra" money. Even though tips are included for everything, it is interesting that people want to tip twice To Insure Propper Service (TIPS). I wish I could provide a PO Box so that these folks could send some my way.

 

Personally, I will leave it up to Carnival to decide what the TIPping guidelines will be and I will pay accordingly. Where I may tip extra every now and then is at the pool to (hopefully) ensure that the waitress will give be better attentiveness than the others at the pool.

 

Regarding a "Fair Wage", who decides this. Certainly no one on this board can decide or define this. Maybe for my job, a fair wage is $250,000 per year.

 

The best predictor of a fair wage is the market place. The more folks that are avaiable to perform a task. the smaller the wage. As long as Carnival has plenty of workers applying, then the wages will be adjusted lower. If you pay the $10 per person per day, then Carnival has determined that this is adequate in supplementing wages for the emplyess on board.

 

How much do you TIP the folks putting on the show? How about the cooks?

 

The best answer is pay by the guidelines. TIPping extra because you want to make sure workers are being paid a fair wage is weird. TIPS are for good service. I only thought California Liberals thought this way.

[SxyEbnyFem]

I generally tip 20-25% anywhere, a cruise is no exception. You don't have to do it, but please don't question me as to WHY I do it... and PLEASE don't call me stupid because I prefer to tip well... there are far more stupid things that are done.

You hit the nail on the head, girl! I am the same way as you. Haven't been on a cruise yet, but plan to tip along the same lines as you do. I always tip above and beyond. :D

I have worked in the service industry before and lived off my tips. I provided excellent customer service and was rewarded as such. Yes, everyone deserves to be treated with great service, even the rude ones :confused: , but it makes it all worthwhile knowing someone actually appreciates the great service I provided and let it be known.

I think those who haven't a clue as to how much tips are important are the ones who usually skim out on tipping. :rolleyes: Either that or they are cheap azzes! :eek: Just my two cents! :p

Happy sailing & keep tipping well!!

T.

[GoinCruisin]

There are a lot of folks out there with "extra" money. Even though tips are included for everything, it is interesting that people want to tip twice To Insure Propper Service (TIPS). I wish I could provide a PO Box so that these folks could send some my way.

 

Not extra money, but I tip well... big flippin deal! If I want to tip well, and I am following the guidelines, what concern is it of yours? Or anyone?? Send you money? Ha ha... and you are doing WHAT to deserve it? We are not just throwing money away, we are tipping.... FTLOG :rolleyes: AND, if we want to go by what TIP means, then why WOULDN'T you tip ahead, if you are INSURING proper service? Hmmmm....

 

Regarding a "Fair Wage", who decides this. Certainly no one on this board can decide or define this. Maybe for my job, a fair wage is $250,000 per year.

 

I don't think $1.50 a day is a fair wage, ANYWHERE. The tips make up their wage.

 

The best predictor of a fair wage is the market place. The more folks that are avaiable to perform a task. the smaller the wage. As long as Carnival has plenty of workers applying, then the wages will be adjusted lower. If you pay the $10 per person per day, then Carnival has determined that this is adequate in supplementing wages for the emplyess on board.

 

Yet you still have people that whine and moan about what Carnival has determined to be adequate.

 

How much do you TIP the folks putting on the show? How about the cooks?

 

These people do not rely on tips, and do not make $1.50 a day... Apples and Oranges :D

 

The best answer is pay by the guidelines. TIPping extra because you want to make sure workers are being paid a fair wage is weird.

 

I don't tip extra because I want to be "fair", I tip a certain percentage always, and I go above that for great service. If I prefer to tip upfront to show my steward or waiter that I expect great service, that is up to me!

 

I only thought California Liberals thought this way

 

Not from CA, but this is not a very nice statement...

[SevenVII]

Dont get me started on California liberals!:eek:

[dms_cruisers04]

GC, you're missing the point.

If you're tipping above the recommended amount and thus getting great service because of it, then because I refuse to tip anything above what is expected, then I'm only getting average service. The person is just doing their job and not going out of their way to make my vacation extraordinary.

So see, it's not fair to me if you're tipping better than I am and getting better service then me. :rolleyes: :p :D

 

Okay, seriously, I'm still wondering how this got so far off topic.

And why is it anyones business how I spend my money? I guess we need to start arguing about why people paying more for their cabin are ending up on a better deck then those that are paying less.

[txflood3]

If you don't mind can you please define "Great service or Excellent service" as compared to doing their job

 

Good question...I can certainly answer that. Keep in mind, expectations vary, so this is my opinion....

 

Senario : You order a can/bottle of beer

 

Doing their job: serving you a can of beer

Good service: serving you the beer and gives you a frosted mug/glass to drink it

Excellent service: does all above and lays a bev nap down and shakes a little salt on it so it will not stick to the glass or can/bottle.

 

The differences in average and excellent service can be and usually are very miniscule. If you set your expectations very high, you will probablly never achieve excellent service, at least in your opinion.

 

I go with the idea that the server/bartender will do their job. 99% of the time my expectations are met. That makes it much easier for my expectations to be exceded.

 

Great service is all about anticipation. The server/bartender anticipating what I will need before I ask for it. If I order something with french fries, will the server anticipate that I will ask for kethup and bring it before I ask? If I order Baby Back Ribs, will the server anticipate I will need extra napkins and bring them before my last one is muddled with BBQ and I have nothing to wipe my hands on. With that same order of ribs, will my server go one step further and provide an extra small plate for the discarded bones so I have room on my plate to fix/eat side dishes. Will that server offer to box up the discarded bones for my dog at home if I have one....obviously this one is not for cruising...but you get the idea. The steps between average and great are very very small, but very very noticed and apreciated...at least by me.

[VentureMan_2000]

Are you saying being called a California Liberal is not very nice, or infering that thinking like a California Liberal is bad?

 

Also, if folks tip by the guidelines, and 97% of the folks do, stewards are making more than $1.50 an hour. They get room, board, entertainment, discounted drinks. They make about $40K, not including with room and board that they don't pay for.

 

Most folks that rely on tips are also paid a smaller amount knowing that they will be given tips. Just how the service industry is.

[GoinCruisin]

No, I'm saying that the comment was not nice. Not all liberals from CA think the same way... I am a staunch NC Conservative, and obviously my thinking is FAR from that of a CA Lib.

 

FYI, look at any cruiseship job and you will see that the servers and stewards DO NOT make $40K a year. Average is $1200-$1500/month. They have to report their own wages. They are only working 4-9 month contracts at a time. They work 12-16 hours a day, 7 days a week for 4-9 months straight... oh yeah, the glamour of it all is overwhelming :rolleyes:

[DebBrown]

Tipping is a personal choice, period. If you feel you have received good service and you want to tip, do so. If not, don't. I tip according to the service I receive. Waiters, waitresses and bartenders know that their income depends on their level of service, just like my job does. If I don't do a good job, I don't have a job. I have tipped up to 30% if the service was outstanding and have left nothing if the service was horrible. Bottom line, it's everyone's personal preference.

[dms_cruisers04]

Well said txflood and DebBrown.

 

VM, $40K does seem a bit high considering the contract lengths. But if that's the case I am so in the wrong business.

 

GC, I'm with ya, conservative or liberal, tipping is personal choice. Of course the whole NC thing I'm a little iffy on. :p lol

[CruznTom]

Txflood - I agree with your definitions of quality and levels of service, but the waiter or pet owner that thinks giving rib bones (that splinter easily) to a dog has never paid the vets' bill or lost a dog to choking. Just a friendly tip.:)