Tipping Observation

[sunsailsand]

hello

 

i know i am going to get flamed for this and going to be called a troll. Just because my post count is low, doesn't mean i am one. I am a long time reader, just don't post often. I have been a member since december of 2009.

 

One of the first things i do when i get onboard is remove my automatic gratuities. I do know the crew works hard, but i don't appreciate a company telling me how much to tip. A tip is given when you get good service and you are at the discretion of you, only to decide on what to give. The company should pay the employees a salary that doesn't rely on customer's tips.

"you are so darn right"!!!!

[finzup-kt]

You are all missing the point. Only in North America do the customers pay the wages of the worker. The EMPLOYER should pay the wages. You are all assuming that I do not pay tips - this is completely wrong. I do pay tips at whatever rate I think is applicable. I absolutely hate it when a cruise ship employee thinks he has to bow down to my husband and I in order to get more tips. Nobody should have to do that. In other parts of the world (mainly Europe), workers earn a living wage and don't have to grovel or embarass themselves in order to be given tips. I do not give tips in order to feel better about myself, I give tips when I genuinely think the worker has done a good job for me and I want to show my thankfullness and respect to these workers. Why does everything come down to dollars and cents with North Americans - I find it very distasteful.

 

I've been to a lot of restaurants in Europe, yes tip is included and yes the service definitely reflects that they know they are getting an guaranteed x% ! There's just no incentive to provide great service... (not that I haven't had both good AND bad service)

 

I don't think most (if not all) service based companies in the US can afford to pay a living wage to their tipped employees. I don't think a waitress or bartender would WANT that anyway! They could make $3.00/hour + tips or make min wage (somewhere around $7.50) ? A looooong time (10+) years ago I was a waitress. I made $2.55 an hour but with tips it was more like I made $20/hour. I worked the bar, and made even more. And that was just at a "family restaurant" joint not even a bar or high-priced restaurant.

[Texaslandshark]

By way of comparison, I think you'll find that most restaurants will automatically add gratuities to "groups of 10 or more" or some similar number of guests.

Why? Because they constantly get stiffed for working their butts off. It's kind of the same thing.

[tef43]

The company should pay the employees a salary that doesn't rely on customer's tips.

Tell that to the land-based restaurants. :rolleyes:

[Katoo]

Oh for Pete's sake. $10 a day spread out to a lot of people is nothing. I see it as a convenience and not something that is dictated by the company. If it were something dictated, you would not have the option to change it or remove it, would you?

 

By the way, saying you are not a troll, doesn't mean this isn't a troll-ish post.

[sparks1093]

I will keep my personal tipping habits to myself. However, most wait staff here in the States don't make a living wage. For example, I can tell you that the IHOP near my house pays the wait staff about $3/hr (if that) plus tips. Now, they are required to pay the difference if a staff members' tips and hourly wage do not equal the minimum wage rate per hour. But they do depend on the tips to live. Obviously, you've never held one of these positions or know anyone who has or you would have a different opinion.

 

Pshaw. I went to a restaurant last year where the waitress made at least $60 on our party for about an hour and a half's worth of work (I didn't pay the tab but the person that did is generous so it's more likely she received $100). Even taking into consideration tipping out that's still not a bad wage. Yes, waitstaff in bottom tiered restaurants may not make as much in tips but as you point out they have to at least average minimum wage or the employer has to pony up (and they are probably averaging $12 an hour).

 

You are all missing the point. Only in North America do the customers pay the wages of the worker. The EMPLOYER should pay the wages. You are all assuming that I do not pay tips - this is completely wrong. I do pay tips at whatever rate I think is applicable. I absolutely hate it when a cruise ship employee thinks he has to bow down to my husband and I in order to get more tips. Nobody should have to do that. In other parts of the world (mainly Europe), workers earn a living wage and don't have to grovel or embarass themselves in order to be given tips. I do not give tips in order to feel better about myself, I give tips when I genuinely think the worker has done a good job for me and I want to show my thankfullness and respect to these workers. Why does everything come down to dollars and cents with North Americans - I find it very distasteful.

 

So in the above example the waitress is making $40 per hour when you total up and average out her tips. Do you really think the restaurant is going to pay that wage when the restaurant is empty? How much do you think it would increase the restaurant's prices? By earning tips waitstaff is able to have some direct control of what they earn- by providing superior service. The only fly in the ointment is unappreciative customers that stiff them because the don't agree with the process.

 

Ok. So let's raise the cruise fare $70 per person and remove the auto-gratuities. Would that satisfy you?

 

It would turn out to be more than that because you have to account for the times when the ship doesn't sail full.

 

For cruise ship staff the wages they make compared to what is made in the US may seem inadequate, but for most of them they are able to earn more than they could earn in their home country (and sometimes 3 to 4 times more). The bottom line is one shouldn't take one's disagreement with the way things are done out on those people directly responsible for providing a great cruise experience.

[parrothead74]

I don't believe in tipping... I believe in over-tipping!

Steve Martin in "My Blue Heaven"

[Smithkids5521]

Hello

 

I know I am going to get flamed for this and going to be called a troll. Just because my post count is low, doesn't mean I am one. I am a long time reader, just don't post often. I have been a member since December of 2009.

 

One of the first things I do when I get onboard is remove my automatic gratuities. I do know the crew works hard, but I don't appreciate a company telling me how much to tip. A tip is given when you get good service and you are at the discretion of you, only to decide on what to give. The company should pay the employees a salary that doesn't rely on customer's tips.

 

Hi gotallanswers,

 

I can see your reasoning, but I think you are looking at it from a different point of view than some of us. I find that the auto gratuities are not the cruise lines way of telling us how much to tip...it is more a way of offering a helpful guideline. If they did not add tips on, how many threads here would be asking " how much should I tip? What is fair". Some of us prefer to just have it added on and not have to worry about it.

 

And for all of the comments complaining that tipping is an American thing- you may be correct, but you are flying here to an American port to embark on a cruise ship. So, as another poster mentioned- when in Rome...

If you are that outraged about tips, please feel free to find a European all inclusive Cruise line and have a wonderful, gratuity free cruise. :)

[B and C Blake]

I do hope everyone posting to the OP realizes he is an 18 year old 1st year college student who has not even sailed on CCL. Just look at his previous posts and even his FB site he has in his signature.

 

Thus making his experience moot just as this thread should be axed IMHO because he is nothing more than a troll trying to get CCL cruisers riled up.

[4hunters]

I do hope everyone posting to the OP realizes he is an 18 year old 1st year college student who has not even sailed on CCL. Just look at his previous posts and even his FB site he has in his signature.

 

Thus making his experience moot just as this thread should be axed IMHO because he is nothing more than a troll trying to get CCL cruisers riled up.

 

B & C Blake is correct. Everyone please, DON'T feed the trolls!

[okwriter]

I do hope everyone posting to the OP realizes he is an 18 year old 1st year college student who has not even sailed on CCL. Just look at his previous posts and even his FB site he has in his signature.

 

Thus making his experience moot just as this thread should be axed IMHO because he is nothing more than a troll trying to get CCL cruisers riled up.

 

I noticed his age, too. I think that explains a lot. :rolleyes:

 

I agree with your statement about his intent.

[Elmer McCurdy]

I do hope everyone posting to the OP realizes he is an 18 year old 1st year college student who has not even sailed on CCL. Just look at his previous posts and even his FB site he has in his signature.

 

Thus making his experience moot just as this thread should be axed IMHO because he is nothing more than a troll trying to get CCL cruisers riled up.

 

Good, maybe this person can get a job waiting tables and find out how hard people work, how crappy customers treat wait staff (yes, believe it or not, wait staff are not amused when you snap your fingers at them or yell at them), and perhaps gain a bit of perspective and maturity.

[klmorg]

Oh puh-leeeeease. Why someone would come on here just to post that statement is suspect, and silly. Or maybe just clueless? Ahhhh, the human species....:rolleyes:

[crusinpsychRN]

I noticed his age, too. I think that explains a lot. :rolleyes:

 

Where'd you see his age? Or student status?

[B and C Blake]

I noticed his age, too. I think that explains a lot. :rolleyes:

 

Where'd you see his age? Or student status?

 

In his previous posts ... http://boards.cruisecritic.com/search.php?searchid=24760897

 

 

LOL he also had his FB acct linked in signature but either OP or CC deleted it.

 

He just graduated HS in June.:eek:

[DEBnGAB]

I do hope everyone posting to the OP realizes he is an 18 year old 1st year college student who has not even sailed on CCL. Just look at his previous posts and even his FB site he has in his signature.

 

Thus making his experience moot just as this thread should be axed IMHO because he is nothing more than a troll trying to get CCL cruisers riled up.

 

I was just going to say that as well. I can say that my teenaged DD (now 20) had nowhere in her mind to "remove the tips as soon as she got onto a cruise ship." :rolleyes: lol!

[Missiowa]

I kind of agree with the OP. Most nights, you have to compare your meal to a family restaurant. Like Olive garden, red lobster, applebees, chilis, etc. We tip and we usually tip good. For a family of 4, we ususally spend between $50-70. We ususally tip $7-$10 for average service. Breakfast cost us usually $15-$20. We go up if its great service. so 3 meals a day, for 4 people should be about $25 per day in tips. Carnival is charging us $40 per day. I understand the buffet workers, the room person, etc but I like to leave them a healthy tip. I would rather tip them personally. Remember once you leave international waters, its not the US any more. When you go to other countries, do you tip the regular rate? NO! Europeans don't tip. I'm sure even if they only make so much per day plus $40 per day per family, they are making huge bucks! They have 10 rooms per steward and probaly at least 5-10 tables a piece. They are making more than I am!

[gmros]

I also believe that tips should be based on quality of service, and automatic tipping before service is rendered defeats that. And I agree that employers should pay their employees enough for their employees not to rely on tips to get by. Unfortunately, that is not the case here in the US, and the employers are the only ones who win in this case, not the employees nor the clients.

 

When I am new to a cruiseline, I always research on their tipping guidelines so I know how much to tip. However, I always find myself doing the automatic gratuities since it's convenient.

[diamondgirl54]

I totally agree that the amount of tip should be based on the quality of the service. I am not in any way saying not tip. You should tip well if you get excellent service....25% or more. If you get terrible service you should tip much less. Tipping is a very personal thing. I live off tips and I strive to provide excellent service.

[kelly11]

Age is no excuse, our older sons are 20, 21 and 21, and NONE of them would walk out of a restaurant where they received good service without leaving a tip, we taught them better than that. Even when they were 18, they were all working, going to school, if they could afford to go out to eat where a waitress brought them their food and served them, then they can also afford a tip to show their appreciation for good service.

[a3593]

They actually AREN'T paid in advance. They are charged to your card at the end of your vacation, AFTER you have recieved days of service. And it's only $10 per day, to be served good food, your room cleaned TWICE a day, and many other needs you may have. Whats the big deal about $10, if you've allready spent $$$$$ on the cruise/airfare? :confused:

[gmros]

I'm a little confused why some posters are attacking the OP for not tipping. I don't see it anywhere on OP's post that he/she is not planning to tip. The OP said he/she didn't agree with the cruiseline dictating the exact amount of gratuity and automatically charging it to the passenger's account. Why can't it be like in restaurants where you determine the tip based on service and give the tip after service has been rendered except if you're a big group?

 

And to those who are questioning why OP is posting here when OP has only sailed RCI. Maybe the OP is planning to sail Carnival in the future? And the one time I sailed RCI (last June), they didn't do automatic gratuities. We had to fill out a form to make them take it out of our onboard account.

[H82seaUgo]

Hello

 

I know I am going to get flamed for this and going to be called a troll. Just because my post count is low, doesn't mean I am one. I am a long time reader, just don't post often. I have been a member since December of 2009.

 

One of the first things I do when I get onboard is remove my automatic gratuities. I do know the crew works hard, but I don't appreciate a company telling me how much to tip. A tip is given when you get good service and you are at the discretion of you, only to decide on what to give. The company should pay the employees a salary that doesn't rely on customer's tips.

 

and what did you do before they started doing auto tips? cruiseing almost 30 years, and the first thing we did on our first cruise was look to see what the tipping guidelines were.

 

not sure why this would offend you.

 

just hope you give at least 1.66 per per, per meal, when you eat, and enough to take care of your room person like you would do on land.

[cruisenanny]

As was pointed out several times early on in this thread the OP is barely 18! This thread is just silly:p Anyone wondering where OP is since starting the thread?? Maybe he is in in SCHOOL or just sitting back laughing that he is actually getting such serious responses!! I know I am:D

[tiyana4]

As was pointed out several times early on in this thread the OP is barely 18! This thread is just silly:p Anyone wondering where OP is since starting the thread?? Maybe he is in in SCHOOL or just sitting back laughing that he is actually getting such serious responses!! I know I am:D

 

Gotta agree. Judging by OP's previous writing style and the 2nd half of his post in this thread, it appears to be copied and pasted.