Tipping advice if cruise line includes daily gratuities charge.

[MiamiSpartan]

We always give some additional money to our room steward and restaurant staff if we get great service....

[sumorai]

Yes, my partner's Chinese & they aren't much for tipping either.

 

I'm Chinese (Malaysian)...I tip :rolleyes:, (I was in the cruise/hospitality industry before). Husbear and myself always prefer to pre paid our gratuities and add extra at the end of the cruise for our room stewards and MDR servers. It's less complicated.

 

Bar staff on the other hand...do normally pool their tips (from the 15% service charge added to bar bills) and split accordingly by venues or beverage department...pending cruise company? Like the MDR servers and buffet/specialty restaurant attendants...they are all rotated to ensure fairness and security of getting their due gratuities. You can't possibly tip them all as they are all wonderful, but we do also tip extra for other outstanding crew members.

[Doonan]

As regards meals or for service in a hotel in Australia ...

 

This has been interesting as read ... 'Australia we do not tip' ... that all depends were you live ... in the cities (Sydney in my case) we do tip.

 

I also lived in a Qld resort town for a few years and most of us tip.

 

I can not speak for ll Australians on a cruise ship ... but all of my friends pay the daily amount and then tip (if the service was good) extra to

the room and table waiters. Bar again that depends on service and I should add, how much fun the bar staff have been.

 

Its interesting when I can to Australia many years ago ... I was told Australian's do not tip ... but soon found this was not the case.

 

I might also add. I have spent a lot of time all over asia ... for sure in good restaurants and hotels one does tip.

 

In asia cabs can be different as one will often agree a price in advance ... I must admit though I normaly still give them a tip if they were nice.

 

Neil

 

Neil

 

Neil

[keithm]

I'm Chinese (Malaysian)...I tip :rolleyes:, (I was in the cruise/hospitality industry before). Husbear and myself always prefer to pre paid our gratuities and add extra at the end of the cruise for our room stewards and MDR servers. It's less complicated.

 

Bar staff on the other hand...do normally pool their tips (from the 15% service charge added to bar bills) and split accordingly by venues or beverage department...pending cruise company? Like the MDR servers and buffet/specialty restaurant attendants...they are all rotated to ensure fairness and security of getting their due gratuities. You can't possibly tip them all as they are all wonderful, but we do also tip extra for other outstanding crew members.

My partner's from Kuching. He's a chef. I just know that Asians aren't really known for generous tipping. I've pretty much changed him. I understand that a lot of dining is done banquet style, so you don't get the real "finesse" of one on one service. When we fist did Dim Sum years back that tipping was not that high. I've pretty much gotten him to do the 15-20% when he pays. The bill is pretty low any way. I do find most asian restaurants to be at times up to 50% less in cost. Never understood why, but it's a compelling reason to dine there.

[skidawg71]

I know where my tip money's going...

For my next cruise, I'm going to hand the guy in the piano bar a couple of 20's NOT play Billy Joel. Even if it takes $100, I don't want to hear another "Piano man", especially 4 times a night. And if the loud, drunk divorced lady in a bad cocktail dress keeps begging to hear that song over and over again, I'll just slap her :)

[sumorai]

 

I might also add. I have spent a lot of time all over asia ... for sure in good restaurants and hotels one does tip.

 

In asia cabs can be different as one will often agree a price in advance ... I must admit though I normaly still give them a tip if they were nice.

Neil

 

Strangely when we were in Beijing & Tianjin last year...cabbies and hotel/hospitality staff were reluctant to accept gratuities from us...I think they actually find the practice demeaning. We were not pushy, but thank them accordingly...which is not a common practice by the local.

 

Chengdu & Xian on the other hand is different...they don't imply but accept the gesture.

 

Public cabbies in Chengdu is frightening :eek:(some are maniac...there are no one way or two way there...it's any way). The same goes to pedestrian crossing the roads. Good to get these locations ticked off the list though. Got to hug the pandas...magic, worth every cents.

 

I know my way around KL...it's ok for me as I can pick, choose & haggle cab fares for metered or non metered. I do hate seeing foreign guests being ripped off blind by dishonest operators :mad:.

 

My partner's from Kuching. He's a chef. I just know that Asians aren't really known for generous tipping. I've pretty much changed him. I understand that a lot of dining is done banquet style, so you don't get the real "finesse" of one on one service. When we fist did Dim Sum years back that tipping was not that high. I've pretty much gotten him to do the 15-20% when he pays. The bill is pretty low any way. I do find most asian restaurants to be at times up to 50% less in cost. Never understood why, but it's a compelling reason to dine there.

 

Well Keith, it's the opposite here...Brian's the tight arse :D! Old school Aussie.

 

And if the loud, drunk divorced lady in a bad cocktail dress keeps begging to hear that song over and over again, I'll just slap her :)

 

That's hilarious...LOL! Shirley you won't do that. Question: It seems like entertainers on board are also working hard to get other revenue from their entertainment...doesn't the cruise company pays them well???

[keithm]

I know where my tip money's going...

For my next cruise, I'm going to hand the guy in the piano bar a couple of 20's NOT play Billy Joel. Even if it takes $100, I don't want to hear another "Piano man", especially 4 times a night. And if the loud, drunk divorced lady in a bad cocktail dress keeps begging to hear that song over and over again, I'll just slap her :)

Try going on Cunard. At least the old drunk divorced woman will be better dressed.

[keithm]

Strangely when we were in Beijing & Tianjin last year...cabbies and hotel/hospitality staff were reluctant to accept gratuities from us...I think they actually find the practice demeaning. We were not pushy, but thank them accordingly...which is not a common practice by the local.

 

Chengdu & Xian on the other hand is different...they don't imply but accept the gesture.

 

Public cabbies in Chengdu is frightening :eek:(some are maniac...there are no one way or two way there...it's any way). The same goes to pedestrian crossing the roads. Good to get these locations ticked off the list though. Got to hug the pandas...magic, worth every cents.

 

I know my way around KL...it's ok for me as I can pick, choose & haggle cab fares for metered or non metered. I do hate seeing foreign guests being ripped off blind by dishonest operators :mad:.

 

 

 

Well Keith, it's the opposite here...Brian's the tight arse :D! Old school Aussie.

 

 

 

That's hilarious...LOL! Shirley you won't do that. Question: It seems like entertainers on board are also working hard to get other revenue from their entertainment...doesn't the cruise company pays them well???

Yes, I seem to read that about the Aussies. Not sure why. The ones we've met on Cunard are usually a real hoot.

[hotdog647]

We prepay tips, and prepaid tips are added to bar drinks. We do add cash tips by hand to cabin attendant or waiter etc for exceptional or additional services. At 'free' drink parties we always tip our waiter-our glasses are always full and drinks are strong. For the most part these folks work for next to nothing and any extra tips mean more to them and their families than to me. Doug

[sumorai]

For the most part these folks work for next to nothing and any extra tips mean more to them and their families than to me. Doug

 

You've a generous soul, like many other on this thread, it's a beautiful thing :). La Dolce Vita.

 

If you can afford to cruise, you can afford to tip ;).

[topguy]

I know where my tip money's going...

For my next cruise, I'm going to hand the guy in the piano bar a couple of 20's NOT play Billy Joel. Even if it takes $100, I don't want to hear another "Piano man", especially 4 times a night. And if the loud, drunk divorced lady in a bad cocktail dress keeps begging to hear that song over and over again, I'll just slap her :)

ROFLMAO. I'll chip in some cash, too. On one of my cruises, there were 2 drunk couples who requested Piano Man at least 5 times during 2 sets. The pianist played it twice and refused to do it again. Bless him.

[NEOPHYTUS]

All Inclusive or not, Tip early, Tip often, Tip generously as crew wages range between second and third world.

[shepp]

For my next cruise, I'm going to hand the guy in the piano bar a couple of 20's NOT play Billy Joel. Even if it takes $100, I don't want to hear another "Piano man", especially 4 times a night.

 

Do try to avoid Princess, then, which features a show called - yes! - "Piano Man." Not only does one get to hear the oeuvre of Mr. Joel, but there's a salute to Barry Manilow, so you're regaled with "I Write the Songs," as well.

 

Jeez, Louise! Why can't a line come up with a show featuring songs by Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, and Radiohead?

[skidawg71]

Do try to avoid Princess, then, which features a show called - yes! - "Piano Man." Not only does one get to hear the oeuvre of Mr. Joel, but there's a salute to Barry Manilow, so you're regaled with "I Write the Songs," as well.

 

Jeez, Louise! Why can't a line come up with a show featuring songs by Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, and Radiohead?

 

Salute to Barry Manilow?? <sigh>

Yeah, I think I'll be missing that. Thanks for the heads up.

 

It's a shame to hear the great american song book being completely ignored on cruise ships.

[SantaCruiser]

We prepay tips, and prepaid tips are added to bar drinks. We do add cash tips by hand to cabin attendant or waiter etc for exceptional or additional services. At 'free' drink parties we always tip our waiter-our glasses are always full and drinks are strong. For the most part these folks work for next to nothing and any extra tips mean more to them and their families than to me. Doug

 

EXACTLY! That two dollar tip will buy you a coke in a bad restaurant in your home town. In a small town in Indonesia it will buy alot more.

[GXmanDC]

On the Atlantis charters everyone prepays, there is no option to remove them. When we travel on a non-charter cruises, we always choose to prepay the tips.

 

We generally tip our steward on the last morning on top of the prepaid gratuities. We also tip room service and add extra to the bar slips.

 

We aren't wealthy, but feel the service on board warrants the extra money. The crew are so attentive and friendly, the extra cash is a small gesture to thank them.

[dthompsond1]

All Inclusive or not, Tip early, Tip often, Tip generously as crew wages range between second and third world.

 

Get real Americans, pay the crew descent wages and do away with tipping completely. No, tipping does not give you better service but it does turn the hard working crew into nothing more than modern day slaves. PAY THEM DESCENT WAGES and stop treating them like serfs!

[ikelmay]

Get real Americans, pay the crew descent wages and do away with tipping completely. No, tipping does not give you better service but it does turn the hard working crew into nothing more than modern day slaves. PAY THEM DESCENT WAGES and stop treating them like serfs!

 

Unfortunately the reality of the current cutthroat cruise business means that NO cruise line will break ranks and pay crew a higher wage which in turn would mean offsetting the 'hotel charge' or daily gratuity or whatever you want to call it by including this element in the basic cruise fare.

 

You could also maintain that paying part of crew wages as a gratuity (a variable and customer based fee) doesn't have the same tax implications as a base salary, which also works in the cruise lines' favour.

 

Much as I dislike the current payment system, its a case of suck it up and accept that the gratuity provided by the cruiser is an essential part of the crew's wages and should be factored in as part of the base price of a cruise. I haven't encountered a situation on any cruise where I would even think of reducing the recommended daily gratuity to the staff.

[TravelDan99]

This has always been a good rapport building and ice breaker for some, especially newbies from the beginning. Even if it's just a couple of bucks, I always can find a special request, like an extra pillow, extra ice, remove the bar setup, change the bed layout, if needed, an extra towel, etc. A little recognition up front goes a long way. I know it's their job anyway, but, they are the ones that look after your needs day after day, and in the evening, also, and if they know your preferences up front, all the better. It works for me.

[Doonan]

Unfortunately the reality of the current cutthroat cruise business means that NO cruise line will break ranks and pay crew a higher wage which in turn would mean offsetting the 'hotel charge' or daily gratuity or whatever you want to call it by including this element in the basic cruise fare.

 

You could also maintain that paying part of crew wages as a gratuity (a variable and customer based fee) doesn't have the same tax implications as a base salary, which also works in the cruise lines' favour.

 

Much as I dislike the current payment system, its a case of suck it up and accept that the gratuity provided by the cruiser is an essential part of the crew's wages and should be factored in as part of the base price of a cruise. I haven't encountered a situation on any cruise where I would even think of reducing the recommended daily gratuity to the staff.

 

A side to also remember .... the cost of a cruies ... includes the commission that is paid to agents.

 

Agents get variouse commission rates but lets just say 10% as a figure ... so example a 10 days cruise with gratuity at $11 is $110 .. then they would have to add more that $11 to this to give to the agent.

 

The alternative they show the amount seperate ... and that then comes back to the present system.

 

In Australia I understand some lines do not now charge the gratuity ... if this is the case it has to be added to the cruise cost ... someone has to pay it.

 

I like to present system ... as I know what I am paying and am happy to.

 

Neil

[Rodbarry]

I think the difference between Australia & other countries incl USA is that in Oz we do pay staff a reasonable wage and whether we tip or not for good service is discretionary...whereas tipping has always been a supplement to a poor wage in USA and other countries. When we tip in Australia apart from thanking staff for good meal/service etc it also can be seen as socially the correct thing to do, regardless of the person's wage....it can often be a social pressure which is quite pathetic really. Many of my friends comment on how this social expectation has been creeping in...and none of them think 'oh yes the person serving has a poor wage''.

In Australia there have been long union traditions to uphold reasonable wages and it's a shame this hasn't been the practice in USA