Cabin Steward Left Envelope for His Tip

It's sort of like using behavior modification techniques.

Remember good ol' Pavlov's dogs.

I would appreciate the envelope, it would help me get my letter off to mom.

I would appreciate the envelope, it would help me get my letter off to mom.

Oh, I like this one.

Signed . . . Mom

I would appreciate the envelope, it would help me get my letter off to mom.

Wow, that's really old school, especially in this day of email.:D

Just curious, how old are you?:)

Enjoy your cruise. And if God wills, grant you good health, that you may live and not die before your next cruise.

"I cruise to eat healthy, and to eat a slice of apple pie every day before I die."

Someplace between 5 cents and 49 cents. :)

Call it what you wish. Just understand that "bribes" are incredibly effective and work.

As someone else, I think, pointed out - with all due respect - you have no idea whether "bribes" work or not in this circumstance. It's not like there are two of you with the same steward making the same requests, one pre-tipping and the other not, comparing notes at the end.

My husband and I don't give off "big spender" vibes, have never pre-tipped, and yet have almost never received sub-par service. On the last cruise we had the best waitstaff ever and tipped rather generously at the end of the cruise without any suggestion we planned to do so. Much as I'd like to think we got wonderful service because my husband and I are such charmers, it's more probable that they're just great waiters.

I used to work at a concert venue where bribes were, unsurprisingly, frowned on. "There's twenty bucks in it for you if you let me break the rules and (fill in whatever)." I never did. I found it insulting and kind of repulsive that someone thought his cash enabled him to special consideration, especially if that meant another concertgoer would get less as a result.

It's not quite the same with a steward, since his bringing you ice doesn't mean that someone else wouldn't get theirs. (And I never have a problem with having any reasonable request filled, anyway.) It would be if someone slipped money to a headwaiter at the beginning of a cruise, expecting that he would allow them to break into the ATD line ahead of other passengers, making the others wait longer. Recent events notwithstanding, I'd like to believe people on both sides of that transaction would be better than that.

As someone else, I think, pointed out - with all due respect - you have no idea whether "bribes" work or not.......

Not totally correct. On numerous occasions I have "bribed" staff for certain considerations.

For instance, specifically, I was in the Dominican Republic on a beach excursion. The keg of beer was not on the beach, matter of fact, it was some distance from the beach.

I asked the staff about this, and that was the way it was ..... until I took out a good old USA $20 greenback.

The keg was delivered to the beach. I could go on.

Yes, you are in a conversation with a "bribe" expert. BTW, I am from Philly area and I know all about the results of "bribes".

Not totally correct. On numerous occasions I have "bribed" staff for certain considerations.

 

For instance, specifically, I was in the Dominican Republic on a beach excursion. The keg of beer was not on the beach, matter of fact, it was some distance from the beach.

 

I asked the staff about this, and that was the way it was ..... until I took out a good old USA $20 greenback.

 

The keg was delivered to the beach. I could go on.

 

Yes, you are in a conversation with a "bribe" expert. BTW, I am from Philly area and I know all about the results of "bribes".

Stewart went with you on an excursion?

Stewart went with you on an excursion?

That was my thought. The example is apples to oranges. Giving a tip to a guy on the beach to bring your drinks closer is not the same as the guy hired to work for you to clean your cabin or waiter to serve your dinner. The beach experience is simply the "way it is done" if you want service. The other the service is provided already.

That was my thought. The example is apples to oranges. Giving a tip to a guy on the beach to bring your drinks closer is not the same as the guy hired to work for you to clean your cabin or waiter to serve your dinner. The beach experience is simply the "way it is done" if you want service. The other the service is provided already.

Agree nothing to do with the thread topic. :rolleyes:

I always treat my cabin steward with dignity & respect and always get great service without giving a tip when boarding the ship.

We nearly always provide additional cash for that great service at the end of our cruise as a token of our thanks.

We consider ourselves good tippers, always 20% at a land based restaurant. That being said, I think the extra tipping might be getting out of hand, pretty soon it will be the norm, meanwhile the automatic gratuities keep going up. Unless an employee goes that extra mile and exceeds expectations we have decided the automatic gratuities are enough. I think I would have questioned the cabin steward why he left an envelope and might have contacted guest relations.

My understanding - which might be incorrect - is that from a tax standpoint, it's advantageous to Princess not to include the gratuities in the overall cruise fare.

That's what I've often heard too; however, I'm not clear on why that's the case. An increase in revenue offset by an identical increase in expense yields no difference to net income. US companies companies are certainly not penalized for hiring non-US employees, so it can't be that.

As for the other reason we often hear, that the hiring agents in the crew's home country would take a larger percentage if the crew income was comprised of wages rather than tips, I can only say that the cruise lines have the power in that relationship and can force the agents to do things (or not do things) they might not do on their own.

Last two posts are two of the best so far! Well said Yosef42, like I said but in a lot less space! And notentirelynormal seems very normal to me.

 

As someone said a couple of pages back, some people are looking for an excuse to not tip. "I would have until I found he had left an envelope in my cabin. How Rude!".

 

AE_Collector

We are pretty generous tippers.

In over 40 cruises we've only not tipped our room steward extra twice.

However, if that envelope had been left in our cabin my gut feeling is that that extra tip might have gotten significantly smaller. (Unless the room steward had been super fantastic - then I would have ignored it. )

But I bet the room steward was mediocre. Fabulous guys don't need to hint.

Same thing when a tour operator mentions tipping once too often.

I don't eliminate the tip entirely but it's smaller than it would have been without the extra reminders.

I think I would have given him the envelope back to him and say"I think you put this in the wrong cabin and I bet those passengers are looking/looking for it".

This way if it was a mistake, I think I might find out.

I think I would have given him the envelope back to him and say"I think you put this in the wrong cabin and I bet those passengers are looking/looking for it".

This way if it was a mistake, I think I might find out.

I'd rather have an envelope placed in my stateroom than to go and get one.

That'd guarantee he got no extra tip from me.

I think I would have given him the envelope back to him and say"I think you put this in the wrong cabin and I bet those passengers are looking/looking for it".

This way if it was a mistake, I think I might find out.

"As someone said a couple of pages back, some people are looking for an excuse to not tip. "I would have until I found he had left an envelope in my cabin. How Rude!".

"Funny just how many PAX can find petty excuses to stiff their cabin stewards. :D

"I cruise to eat healthy, and to have a slice of apple pie every day before I die."

I'd rather have an envelope placed in my stateroom than to go and get one.

I would too, if I ask for it.

How about if he left 3 envelopes? For other crew members also, we supposed. I guess we are weird, we just said "good we don't have to find envelopes". We did not feel more pressure to tip, nor did we feel like it was begging.

"As someone said a couple of pages back, some people are looking for an excuse to not tip. "I would have until I found he had left an envelope in my cabin. How Rude!".

 

"Funny just how many PAX can find petty excuses to stiff their cabin stewards. :D

 

 

"I cruise to eat healthy, and to have a slice of apple pie every day before I die."

I am looking at this through my point of view. For me, I would it would seem strange because I leave the auto tip on.

Also, for me, one envelope is not enough, so I still would be going down to the front desk.

There are PAX, like you said, who take the auto tip off, but not me.

I would too, if I ask for it.

Always thought those white envelopes left in the stateroom at embark were meant for PAX to write letters home. Anyway, the envelopes saves me a trip to the PSD.

BTW, I hope Princes will stop all that daily junk mail they leave in the mail slot. Stuff like invitations to art auctions, spa package promotions, jewelry sales, tee-shirt sales, midnight sales, and other nonsense notices, etc, Way too many, and a waste of paper. :evilsmile:

Enjoy you cruise, and if God wills, grant you good health, and to live and not die before your next cruise.

"I cruise to eat healthy, and to eat a slice of apple pie every day before I die."

Always thought those white envelopes left in the stateroom at embark were meant for PAX to write letters home.

 

BTW, I hope Princes will stop all that daily junk mail they leave in the mail slot. Stuff like invitations to art auctions, spa package promotions, jewelry sales, tee-shirt sales, and other nonsense notices, etc, Way too many, and a waste of paper. :evilsmile:

 

Enjoy you cruise, and if God wills, grant you good health, and to live and not die before your next cruise.

 

 

 

 

"I cruise to eat healthy, and to eat a slice of apple pie every day before I die."

I never thought of using the white one that are left in the cabin at embarkation. I usually need four. But, I still go to the desk to get the cards.

PS

I like what you have written in your signature.

That's what I've often heard too; however, I'm not clear on why that's the case. An increase in revenue offset by an identical increase in expense yields no difference to net income. US companies companies are certainly not penalized for hiring non-US employees, so it can't be that.

 

As for the other reason we often hear, that the hiring agents in the crew's home country would take a larger percentage if the crew income was comprised of wages rather than tips, I can only say that the cruise lines have the power in that relationship and can force the agents to do things (or not do things) they might not do on their own.

Not quite. Under US tax law (which is applicable since the cruise lines list on the US stock exchanges and there fore their accounting must meet US standards for their SEC filings) if gratuities are collected and fully distributed to employees then the tips are neither income nor the payouts expenses. This is if the gratuities are optional and they are fully redistributed to the crew. They are basically outside of the companies financial reporting. While it may not impact net profit if they were included in both revenue and expense areas, it would impact the net margin percentage (making it slightly worse) and stock analysts do follow that number.

I suspect the main reason for keeping tips separately are more due to:

1. tax ramifications for employees. Tips are treated differently than salary in a number of countries. Especially for retirement system. It may also impact the company if there is a company match required in some countries.

2. Competition. Not only with other cruise lines, but also with other types of vacations. Keeping the initial number low (without taxes, fees and tips) is a competitive advantage. Just as you see with hotels and their little resort fee add-ons. Even if one cruise line made the switch, the others would probably not follow, unless they saw the line that made the switch gain market share.

How about if he left 3 envelopes? For other crew members also, we supposed. I guess we are weird, we just said "good we don't have to find envelopes". We did not feel more pressure to tip, nor did we feel like it was begging.

we've had occasion where the steward left an extra envelope, and thought the same thing: "We don't have to go to the Purser to find one." This was especially true when we had Anytime Dining and had run into no particular waiter, server, or bartender that was outstanding. So one envelope was all we needed. Anyhow, we got a chuckle out of noting to each other "Think the steward is expecting something, maybe?"

Out of all our cruises we have only had one where we didn't think our steward/stewardess hadn't done something extra, deserving of some extra gratuity. That's part of the reason we love Princess.