Tipping and Open Seating..tip every meal?

[vbmom87]

We always eat in the traditional, fixed seating. Also, we have been giving an end-of-cruise tip to our room steward? Is this also beyond the call of duty?

 

 

We had open dining but had the same waiters each night per our request. Yes, we did give them an additional tip at the end of the cruise as we felt they were friendly, attentive and efficient.

 

We did give our room steward a little bit extra, but not much. He left a bit to be desired and afterwards I realized I probably should not have given him anything extra. I think I had a soft spot for him because it was his first time working on a HAL ship, so I decided to be a bit more forgiving.

[photomikey]

Seldom does anyone turn down a tip. You can tip in cash every night, in cash at the end, or adjust your auto-tip to reflect your pleasure (or displeasure) at the end of the cruise.

 

As far as need/appropriateness, the statement on the HAL website says that the hotel service charge takes care of it, and I generally take HAL on their word.

Here we go again.

If only there were a way to know that it were a tipping thread when you clicked on it in the main forum. Can I make a suggestion that the hosts put the title in the main forum, so you can know what the subject of the thread you're clicking on is before you do so?

[travelbug4]

All of the information has been really helpful.

 

Thank you all for your "tips" :D

[kazu]

We had open dining but had the same waiters each night per our request. Yes, we did give them an additional tip at the end of the cruise as we felt they were friendly, attentive and efficient.

 

We did give our room steward a little bit extra, but not much. He left a bit to be desired and afterwards I realized I probably should not have given him anything extra. I think I had a soft spot for him because it was his first time working on a HAL ship, so I decided to be a bit more forgiving.

 

and that's the way we like - at the end of the cruise:D:D I realize we do fixed dining and while the PG, etc, is a totally different kettle of fish, we prefer to tip at the end JMO:D The ideal scenario is to have the same area and the same waiters in open dining and then show your appreciation at the end (if you choose to)

[Tripper10]

Here we go again.

 

 

Don't act like they don't like it. If anything, it's post count +1. See :rolleyes:

[Lair Bear]

We were in the Prinsendam for our first time with HAL and had some bad experiences with the bar stewards (including the Pinnacle). There is an automatic 5% added to the bill, but does that go to the ship, bar tenders or the whole crew?

In addition, I was never able to find out how the 'eleven % tip' was distributed amongs the crew.

 

So, I did it the 'old fashioned way': tip those who deserve it most. Cancel the 11% and give it to those you think were the best.

In our case it was certainly our cabin attendants, then several dining room staff, but certainly not the wine stewards.

~~~ Why would a wine steward try to sell you another wine-card during out last evening at sea?!~~~

 

Or am I missing something here?

[CruiserBruce]

We were in the Prinsendam for our first time with HAL and had some bad experiences with the bar stewards (including the Pinnacle). There is an automatic 5% added to the bill, but does that go to the ship, bar tenders or the whole crew?

In addition, I was never able to find out how the 'eleven % tip' was distributed amongs the crew.

 

So, I did it the 'old fashioned way': tip those who deserve it most. Cancel the 11% and give it to those you think were the best.

In our case it was certainly our cabin attendants, then several dining room staff, but certainly not the wine stewards.

~~~ Why would a wine steward try to sell you another wine-card during out last evening at sea?!~~~

 

Or am I missing something here?

 

Well, you are missing some numbers. It is 15% on bar tabs, not 5%, and $11 service charge, per person, per day not 11%....

[ironin]

Or am I missing something here?

 

...and not just the percentages.

 

All of the cash tips you paid to those people were promptly turned over to their respective department heads for deposit into the hotel service charge fund. That's the rule and you can bet their managers and co-workers were looking over their shoulders. All of the people who served you prior to the date you removed your hotel service charge from your account were called to their manager's office and asked to explain what they did to cause you to remove your tip.

 

If, by any chance what you tipped in cash did not add up to the amount that person would normally receive as his/her part of the hotel service charge, then the crew member used his or her personal funds to supplement whatever you chose to give him or her to bring the total amount reported and deposited up to the minimum (35% for room stewards and 35% for MDR waiters) lest his/her co-workers or managers suspect he or she was hiding anything. If you tipped more than the minimum, the crew member couldn't keep that either, as the other 30% of the hotel service charge pool goes to people who likely received nothing directly from you as you never met most of them. That's just the "fact of life" aboard any ship with such an automatic daily charge.

 

Perhaps you felt better about doing it your way. The crew members surely didn't, but they undoubtedly provided you with exactly the same level of service you would have received had you left the $11/day in place and not unintentionally caused them and their co-workers unwanted problems.

 

BTW, WRT to the wine steward: You'll be happy to know that they don't sell wine cards any more. Perhaps the steward mistook you as being one of the many aboard the Prinsendam at any given time who can't wait to sail a HAL ship again soon. Many people used previously purchased wine cards on their next cruise. FWIW, they offer beverage cards now, with 10% discounts. No commission is paid on their sale. Unused portions are automatically calculated and credited to the passenger account late the last night.

[Lair Bear]

...and not just the percentages.

 

All of the cash tips you paid to those people were promptly turned over to their respective department heads for deposit into the hotel service charge fund. That's the rule and you can bet .....the last night.

 

What all of this tells me is that HAL should just pay their emplyees more and leave the tipping up to the passengers. It just sounds like Big Brother is watching over you and, in my opinion, a very bad way to do business.

[ironin]

What all of this tells me is that HAL should just pay their emplyees more and leave the tipping up to the passengers. It just sounds like Big Brother is watching over you and, in my opinion, a very bad way to do business.

 

Can't change the way you think, but you should know that This is not exclusive to HAL. Almost ALL major cruise lines have the same system and use similar methods to guarantee fairness for all crew members. A few of the luxury lines are all-inclusive (tips are already figured into the fare and not disclosed).

 

A few decades ago, Holland America did do things differently. They paid their crew members far more than almost all of the other lines that used the compensation system reportedly devised by Cunard to promote better service early in the 20th century. Holland America's fares reflected it, too. Perhaps that's why they were on the verge of bankruptcy when CCL bought them in the late '80's.

[Palmetto Lady]

I believe that the reason that thea cruise lines started the automatic tipping was because while some people were extremely generious, some (like us) are moderate tippers, more people than you may realize never tipped so those crew members were stiffed even if it was not deserved. The people who did not tip justified it saying that they were paying enough for the cruise and it was a matter of principle.

[TheHopscotch]

I know many get tired of seeing certain threads that may have been discussed multiple times in the past, but I have to say, as a first time cruiser I am very glad to have found this thread!

 

For those that have shared insight into how everything works and how the money is distributed, I greatly appreciate it! After only a very short stint of working as a waitress in college, I am very sensitive to tipping and always want to make sure that people that provide services to me are tipped well. I appreciate the explanation behind the $11/day auto-tip, as well as the information about providing extra tips to those that go above and beyond. I was a little confused, as well, since we're planning to do open seating, so this was very informative.

 

Thanks again!

[RuthC]

What all of this tells me is that HAL should just pay their emplyees more and leave the tipping up to the passengers. It just sounds like Big Brother is watching over you and, in my opinion, a very bad way to do business.

And when you run a cruiseline, then you are free to run your business differently. In the meantime, this is how HAL does business.

It would be totally unfair to take it out on the stewards, and others who depend on the service charge, just because you hold a different philosophy than the HAL business leaders do.

[bellebride116]

What all of this tells me is that HAL should just pay their emplyees more and leave the tipping up to the passengers. It just sounds like Big Brother is watching over you and, in my opinion, a very bad way to do business.

 

Yeah, if this is the way it works, that sucks for them, but as the client/guest I'm going to do what works best for me. I'm sorry their conditions for receiving tips stinks, but I like to personally hand a tip to those who personally give me good service, whether that be my room steward, whoever brings me my room service, and the different servers I get each night in the MDR. A lot of other line's work this way as well {with the auto tipping}, while other line's {mostly the higher end ones} include tips in the cruise price, so anything you give is extra.

[Lair Bear]

And when you run a cruiseline, then you are free to run your business differently. In the meantime, this is how HAL does business.

It would be totally unfair to take it out on the stewards, and others who depend on the service charge, just because you hold a different philosophy than the HAL business leaders do.

Come on Ruth, you are not really implying that HAL can do whatever they want, including unfair practices to their employees?>?????>>>

 

I don't think we, the passengers, are taking it out on the stewards and other crew members, it really sounds like HAL is doing that.

 

I still maintain that I want to tip those who deserve good service and let the company take care of the rest. And that is not a phiilosophy that is all that different.

And from this thread it seems that I am not the only one with this 'philosophy'.

[vbmom87]

I still maintain that I want to tip those who deserve good service and let the company take care of the rest. And that is not a phiilosophy that is all that different.

 

I believe that many agree with you that tipping for great service is how it should be. Automatic tipping is not usually a good thing.

 

However, the way the cruiselines (not only HAL) have set things up, if you choose to cancel your automatic service fee, any tips you give to those whom you think deserve them, will not go to them. Instead, they have to put those tips in a pool to be shared. So, what you were trying to accomplish will not be accomplished. That is why so many give something extra to those who went above and beyond. If they leave their service charge in place, then the extra they give can be kept by those they choose to reward.

 

Do I like the way the cruiselines have set up the tipping system? No, I don't. However, I go along with it and on my cruise in August, will reward anyone that I feel went above and beyond. The only way I would consider removing the automatic tip is if absolutely every aspect of my cruise was a totally negative experience.

[GeriatricNurse]

I believe that many agree with you that tipping for great service is how it should be. Automatic tipping is not usually a good thing.

 

However, the way the cruiselines (not only HAL) have set things up, if you choose to cancel your automatic service fee, any tips you give to those whom you think deserve them, will not go to them. Instead, they have to put those tips in a pool to be shared. So, what you were trying to accomplish will not be accomplished. That is why so many give something extra to those who went above and beyond. If they leave their service charge in place, then the extra they give can be kept by those they choose to reward.

 

Do I like the way the cruiselines have set up the tipping system? No, I don't. However, I go along with it and on my cruise in August, will reward anyone that I feel went above and beyond. The only way I would consider removing the automatic tip is if absolutely every aspect of my cruise was a totally negative experience.

 

 

I just love the term "above and beyond" in reference to donating extra gratuities! :rolleyes: Exactly what what would "above and beyond" refer to in terms of service which is already included in your daily service charge? :confused: And would you tip flight attendants, as well, for example, who would go "above and beyond"? :rolleyes:

[ironin]

... Exactly what what would "above and beyond" refer to in terms of service which is already included in your daily service charge? :confused:

I'm reminded of the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart's opinion in a precedent-setting pornography case:

 

I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description ["hard-core pornography"]; and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it...

 

Those of us who have experienced what we believe constitutes "above and beyond" service at one time or another may have difficulty quantifying it to the satisfaction of someone who has never experienced it (or our own, for that matter ;)).

 

And would you tip flight attendants, as well, for example, who would go "above and beyond"? :rolleyes:

Depending on the circumstances, I might. It seems to me a more pertinent question might be, "Do you always tip a waiter or waitress the same percentage or amount or does it vary according to perceived value of the service received?" YMMV, of course.

[Lair Bear]

I believe that many agree with you that tipping for great service is how it should be. Automatic tipping is not usually a good thing.

So, what you were trying to accomplish will not be accomplished. That is why so many give something extra to those who went above and beyond. If they leave their service charge in place, then the extra they give can be kept by those they choose to reward.

 

I now understand. But what about the 'extra' I gave to several individuals who did not know that I cancelled the 11 dollars per day. I agree that the cabin stewards would find out, but the waiters and others did not know my cabin number when I slipped them an 'extra' twenty.

[RuthC]

I agree that the cabin stewards would find out, but the waiters and others did not know my cabin number when I slipped them an 'extra' twenty.

Ya, they do. It's in the computer when you enter the dining room.

[jtl513]

... but I like to personally hand a tip to those who personally give me good service, whether that be my room steward, ...

I still maintain that I want to tip those who deserve good service ...

We also like to give cash tips, and do so. But we leave the $11/p/d Hotel Service Charge alone! That is NOT a tip. The ONLY time you should remove that is at the end of a cruise where you have had exceptionally bad service.

Come on Ruth, you are not really implying that HAL can do whatever they want, including unfair practices to their employees?

If they thought it was unfair they would not continue to work for HAL contract after contract.