So is the new tipping rate screwing the crew over now?

[firefly333]

Fantastic post!

 

the poster thought it was so good, he reposted it as a brand new thread now.

 

I need back on Triumph where no one is complaining ... well except Mr. Davis. He complained so many times the maitre d' knew him by name.

 

Have any of you who dont like how carnival distributes the tips considered changing to a cruiseline you are happy with?

[bzpilot]

the poster thought it was so good, he reposted it as a brand new thread now.

 

Well, I intended it to be in a new post to begin with but it ended up here. I tried to delete it but you can't after 20 min (I think it took me that long to type it!)

 

As for being so good, not sure about that but I would definitely say it is at least as good as most of what is posted around here. ;)

[firefly333]

Well, I intended it to be in a new post to begin with but it ended up here. I tried to delete it but you can't after 20 min (I think it took me that long to type it!)

 

As for being so good, not sure about that but I would definitely say it is at least as good as most of what is posted around here. ;)

 

Lets see 4 posts so far and you are a expert on posts on CC .. new ID? 3 of 4 posts complaining how Carnival laid out tipping? If you dont like it .. you dont have to cruise on Carnival. I was so glad to go on a cruise and get away from the people on CC who only want to complain. Its a company that has the right to set their own rules. Its your choice to cruise with them or not. It is not your choice to change things.. though it is true you can complain about how Carnival does them like you are doing. If you dislike Carnival ...there are other cruiselines. Its a simple choice. Maybe you dont want to cruise on any of the regular cruiselines if you so object to auto tipping. NCL calls it a service charge. ... which this really is. Would that help if Carnival just called it a add on service charge?

 

So, since you just joined CC last month, ... did you post under another ID before this?? .. since you say you think your post is so good compared to other posts? How exactly did you come to the conclusion your post is so good since theoretically you are new to CC.

 

Maybe NCL would make you happier since they just call the $12 pp per day a service charge. Lets make it more or less mandatory like NCL?

 

Carnival you just have to ask to have it removed if you think the tips are inappropriate... or didnt you know that you can have them removed? Insead of complaining .. just remove the tips. You dont even have to tell people here in public. Its the complaining and complaining here that gets me. They cant just do what they think is best... they have to complain and try to get others on their side to complain.

 

Carnival forum used to be a lot more fun, but lately it seems everyone is on the I hate Carnival kick... but yet they book Carnival?? go figure?????!!!

[bzpilot]

Lets see 4 posts so far and you are a expert on posts on CC

 

Been just a reader here for a few years just opened an account a few weeks ago. Only go on about 1 cruise a year. Enjoy the board a lot and its good information.

 

3 of 4 posts complaining how Carnival laid out tipping? If you dont like it .. you dont have to cruise on Carnival. I was so glad to go on a cruise and get away from the people on CC who only want to complain. Its a company that has the right to set their own rules. Its your choice to cruise with them or not. It is not your choice to change things.. though it is true you can complain about how Carnival does them like you are doing. If you dislike Carnival ...there are other cruiselines. Its a simple choice. Maybe you dont want to cruise on any of the regular cruiselines if you so object to auto tipping. NCL calls it a service charge. ... which this really is. Would that help if Carnival just called it a add on service charge?

 

Love Carnival Cruises and about 99% of how the cruise operates. The tipping thing is something that bothered me and that is why I have posted on it. Do I agree in tipping - absolutely. i worked in the service industry (although not on a cruise ship) for a looooong time and survived mainly on my tips, why? because I was not properly compensated for in my salary. My post was only to point this out and also point out that the new changes in suggested "tipping" was just going further into screwing up a system that is already screwed up.

 

since you say you think your post is so good compared to other posts? How exactly did you come to the conclusion your post is so good since theoretically you are new to CC.

 

Been reading here for years. Definitely was not an attempt to knock down the board or the posters in general here. I have received most of the great information on cruising here. But I did take time to attempt to get my point across clearly and I think that is what we all are trying to do. I was just trying to express an opinion and question a way the cruise operated. Disagree or agree with me - most seem to disagree which is fine. My comment on my post being good was more pointed towards those who responded with things like "tl;dr" and "yawn" - I believe my post was better than those, but again an opinion.

 

Maybe NCL would make you happier since they just call the $12 pp per day a service charge. Lets make it more or less mandatory like NCL?

 

Carnival you just have to ask to have it removed if you think the tips are inappropriate... or didnt you know that you can have them removed? Insead of complaining .. just remove the tips. You dont even have to tell people here in public. Its the complaining and complaining here that gets me. They cant just do what they think is best... they have to complain and try to get others on their side to complain.

 

Carnival forum used to be a lot more fun, but lately it seems everyone is on the I hate Carnival kick... but yet they book Carnival?? go figure?????!!!

 

Like I said I love Carnival cruises and mostly how they are run. This is just one thing that I see is wrong in my opinion, and in my opinion is one thing that is getting worse.

 

Yes, people are not going to care for the most part because it is only a couple of bucks. I don't care at all about the amount of money involved either. It has do with where that money goes and why these employes are probably not getting properly compensated to begin with.

 

....making lots of friends around here tonight aren't I :(

[golfadj]

Fire we have the right to complain. Granted people complain about silly things but on this one a principal is involved.

 

Been going on 2-3 cruises a year on Carnival and very happy with our experiences but think it is wrong to auto tip entertainment and guest services.

 

I asked John about this over a week ago he said he would speak to the beards and get right back to me and still waiting.

 

Sent him several reminders and so far no answer and now I give up. Believe he has been told not to answer.

[Gypsywych]

....making lots of friends around here tonight aren't I :(

 

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic, and if you've been reading here a couple of years you'll know already to take it all with a grain of salt, or two, or three. ;)

 

 

I only have one comment on your original post:

 

I read quite a few of the tipping threads because I had questions, and I was hoping for answers. I saw very very few complaining about the actual $1.50. I saw complaints about the timeline and the way the information was handled. I also saw people like me, questioning the wording on who exactly was to receive tips now. Outnumbering all of those people were those that had to come on the tipping threads to harass, call names and be rude. Gee! Does that sound familiar to you? :D

[firefly333]

Fire we have the right to complain. Granted people complain about silly things but on this one a principal is involved.

 

I do get it, really. I left last weekend on my cruise, and come home to the same complaints though. If you dont like it, remove the tips, its your choice, but at some point it is up to YOU (plural, to all the complainers) to deal with it. You cant make Carnival respond... just like when I had that miserable cruise on conquest when Ike hit and customer service to me stank, I had to get over it and move on.

 

John promised me a phone call. I meet him in person at the commercial they shot in Dallas. He broke his promise to me and mach and others who could have let him know refused to let him know...so to me he is already someone who isnt honest or keeps promises. Lots of hot air. Mach would rather me think less of John forever, than let john know he broke his promise...so dont sit around waiting for john.

 

Iv been cruising too much, 6 to 8 times a year. I keep saying I need to cut back a little. My time on a cruise is too valuable to waste it letting things like how tipping is done upset me. It is Carnival's choice.. just like it was johns choice to not go thru with a simple phone call to say carnival heard me on the bad service we got. I too simply wanted to be heard. Now I know its like knocking my head against a wall .. not worth the effort.

 

That particular cruise, and Carnival's and John not keeping his word was when I started leaning toward my preferance of RCL. I dont like people who dont keep their word. Im a honest person. I did not ask for the phone call, John volunteered that someone would call me.

 

Its your choice now how you want to handle the fact that John isnt replying to you. Carnival had the choice of keeping me loyal or not and choose not.. now its your choice.

[Eileen2]

Welcome to Cruise Critic, and if you've been reading here a couple of years you'll know already to take it all with a grain of salt, or two, or three. ;)

 

 

I only have one comment on your original post:

 

I read quite a few of the tipping threads because I had questions, and I was hoping for answers. I saw very very few complaining about the actual $1.50. I saw complaints about the timeline and the way the information was handled. I also saw people like me, questioning the wording on who exactly was to receive tips now. Outnumbering all of those people were those that had to come on the tipping threads to harass, call names and be rude. Gee! Does that sound familiar to you? :D

 

I think Ops post was well thought out and I too believe we all should be allowed to comment on threads knowing we are putting in "our two cents worth" expecting respect and civility in return.{ even from those whose right it is to disagree} This poster may not have many posts but I for one welcome his or her comments:)

[firefly333]

Fire we have the right to complain. Granted people complain about silly things but on this one a principal is involved.

 

Been going on 2-3 cruises a year on Carnival and very happy with our experiences but think it is wrong to auto tip entertainment and guest services.

 

I asked John about this over a week ago he said he would speak to the beards and get right back to me and still waiting.

 

Sent him several reminders and so far no answer and now I give up. Believe he has been told not to answer.

 

At some point you have to just decide, ok Carnival does not care what I think ... and then decide if you want to keep cruising with them. It did make me start branching out more.. so maybe it was for the best. I was thinking today when I got off Triumph, 5th time for those shows, that I think Im going to try NCL next booking. More branching out needed. ..at some point some of us start growing away more and more from carnival due to ...whatever. It is up to you though to decide. .. especially if John never responds, and especially if it really is a point about how the tips are distrubuting, how much do you really care?

 

Just like John choose not to follow thru on his promise to me to "have someone call me" and folks here knew that meant for the rest of my time on CC I would say john does not keep his promises... it was a choice they made. ... and we know I make a lot of posts, and will keep saying that about john.

[golfadj]

At some point you have to just decide, ok Carnival does not care what I think ... and then decide if you want to keep cruising with them. It did make me start branching out more.. so maybe it was for the best. I was thinking today when I got off Triumph, 5th time for those shows, that I think Im going to try NCL next booking. More branching out needed. ..at some point some of us start growing away more and more from carnival due to ...whatever. It is up to you though to decide. .. especially if John never responds, and especially if it really is a point about how the tips are distrubuting, how much do you really care?

 

Just like John choose not to follow thru on his promise to me to "have someone call me" and folks here knew that meant for the rest of my time on CC I would say john does not keep his promises... it was a choice they made. ... and we know I make a lot of posts, and will keep saying that about john.

 

For now Carnival suits our convenience and the issue of the tipping is still rather minor in the overall scheme of things.

 

Either I will adjust the autotips or I will not but think Carnival has made an error here.

 

When John did not respond after a day figured he would not and honestly he has gone down in my opinion.

 

Actually the real funny thing is we have been wanting to try another cruise line again for a while but whenever we find something, something always seems to happen that makes us go back again.

 

F or example we were all set to book the Gem for Sept 2011, 7 days to Bermuda. Good price for inside cabin. For the heck of it check pricing on the same cruise on the Miracle. An 8 day cruise with balcony is the same price. So Miracle here we came and of course had a great time.

 

Than we are set to book another one on NCL or HA for next month. At the last minute DW cannot get that week off.

 

Chalk it up to karma or something.

[Warm Breezes]

if the employees are ok with what and how they are paid, who are you to get all irate over your perception?...no one here has any facts/numbers on who gets paid what. You're all just jumping to conclusions and i wager the staff (if they read through all this crap) would wonder what the hell was wrong with everyone.

 

Do you want people second guessing your salary...assuming you're being screwed over and thus implying you are an idiot for taking such crap, when no one has any idea of your salary?????

 

 

This is such a crock.

 

 

 

Why should they???

 

Ftlog! It's none of our business!

 

like!!!!

[Gypsywych]

I think Ops post was well thought out and I too believe we all should be allowed to comment on threads knowing we are putting in "our two cents worth" expecting respect and civility in return.{ even from those whose right it is to disagree} This poster may not have many posts but I for one welcome his or her comments:)

 

I was agreeing with him and trying to tell him not to worry about those who just want to complain about the thread.

Guess it didn't read like it sounded in my head. :o

[iceleven]

Is Carnival losing it's business sense or what? They MUST KNOW by now that Carnival passengers don't like change, unless it's in their favor and not going to cost them anything. Didn't they see there would be a massive revolt with this increase? A whole $10 increase can really raise some ire. :rolleyes: Good grief, Carnival, couldn't you just increase the fare $10 and no one would have been the wiser?

[Eileen2]

I was agreeing with him and trying to tell him not to worry about those who just want to complain about the thread.

Guess it didn't read like it sounded in my head. :o

Guess my post wasn't clear I was also agreeing with you:) sorry I wasn't clear about that.

[JLvacation]

Tipping was originally conceived as a way to acknowledge a personal service over and above what was to be expected.

 

 

• A waiter should be tipped for things like thorough knowledge of the menu, the city, local attractions, etc.; not for bringing me the food or keeping my glass full, that is to be expected that is there job and should be adequately compensated through their salary.
  
• A cab driver should be tipped for his knowledge of the local area and suggestions that might help me in my travels; not for taking me to the address I told him to, that is there job and should be adequately compensated for in their fare.
  
• Room service should have never required a tip. I am ordering food which before hand you know needs to be delivered to my room. It should already be in the price and that should cover someones salary to deliver it. I should not be tipping someone I see for less than 30 seconds typically - it should never have been a tipped service.
  
• The pizza delivery guy should have never required a tip. I am ordering a pizza that you know needs to be delivered, the price should include delivery in it. I should not be tipping someone I see for less than 30 seconds typically - it should never have been a tipped service.
  

 

Yes, I understand that tipping in these situations above have now become the norm. I just bring them up to show the slippery path we started down. It is only going to get worse.

 

Tipping is getting totally out of control. We are paying for "tipping" because businesses are trying to keep their prices from appearing higher. The airlines got in on it with baggage service and restaurants and cruises are doing it with tipping. Pulling services that should be compensated for in the base prices and expecting us to pay for the service on the backend making their prices appear lower.

 

Does the $1.50 additional a day bother me at all? NO

 

Does it bother me that people complain about it? YES, in a way.

 

Why?

Because most of the ones that are complaining about it are complaining about THE WRONG THING. You shouldn't be complaining about the extra $1.50 a day it costs you (your cruise is very reasonably priced in most cases and some of this has to do with staff who are inadequately compensated to begin with). That $1.50 a day should have already been in the cruise price, and it should probably be a lot more than that. What you should be complaining about is that now the cruise is asking you to "tip" for many services that should not require a tip.

 

What has now become of "Tipping" on Carnival and shouldn't be....

 

The old tipping levels were broken down as follows (per day): $5.50 to the headwaiter/waiter, $1 to the assistant waiter/cooks and $3.50 to the cabin steward.

 

 

• Other that the cooks listed above, I believe the other people listed above should be "tipped" for service over and above there job.
  

 

The new guidelines allocate $5.80 to dining room services, $3.70 to cabin services and $2 per day for alternative services, which include kitchen, entertainment, guest services and other hotel staff members.

 

 

• Yeah, this whole thing has gotten convoluted. We should only be "tipping" for those people who we interact face-to-face with and who give us a service which is over and above what is expected by their job which should be adequately compensated by a salary.
  

 

"Tipping" even as obscured as it has gotten has always been for a face-to-face service. Yes, it has gotten away from just being a compensation for over and above service, now to a supplement for an inadequate salaries. But Carnival has now taken it a step further and now requesting tips for staff we may never even see and will most likely have no personal interaction with. Yes, I believe the laundry staff does a great job and I'm always appreciative of the clean sheets and towels, that does not mean I should tip them - this is there job. They should get an adequate salary for it. The entertainer on stage who performs for his job, yes he entertains me but also should be adequately compensated in his salary for this.

 

 

 

Do I blame Carnival for this? No. At least not completely.

 

 

• I do like the idea of not having to worry about paying tips continually throughout the day on my vacation and a reasonable daily flat rate is a great idea!!! I commend you for offering this service Carnival! ...I'm not going to give you a tip for it - so don't ask!
  
• My issue is with who they are going to! At a minimum if I don't interact with you face-to-face you should not be getting a tip. You should be getting adequately compensated for it in your base salary.
  
• Until people complain about it (and in the right way, for the right reasons) this will continue to happen and will only get worse.
  

Great Post ... well thought out and to the point :) Thank You ! ! !

[H82seaUgo]

I do get it, really. I left last weekend on my cruise, and come home to the same complaints though. If you dont like it, remove the tips, its your choice, but at some point it is up to YOU (plural, to all the complainers) to deal with it. You cant make Carnival respond... just like when I had that miserable cruise on conquest when Ike hit and customer service to me stank, I had to get over it and move on.

 

John promised me a phone call. I meet him in person at the commercial they shot in Dallas. He broke his promise to me and mach and others who could have let him know refused to let him know...so to me he is already someone who isnt honest or keeps promises. Lots of hot air. Mach would rather me think less of John forever, than let john know he broke his promise...so dont sit around waiting for john.

 

Iv been cruising too much, 6 to 8 times a year. I keep saying I need to cut back a little. My time on a cruise is too valuable to waste it letting things like how tipping is done upset me. It is Carnival's choice.. just like it was johns choice to not go thru with a simple phone call to say carnival heard me on the bad service we got. I too simply wanted to be heard. Now I know its like knocking my head against a wall .. not worth the effort.

 

That particular cruise, and Carnival's and John not keeping his word was when I started leaning toward my preferance of RCL. I dont like people who dont keep their word. Im a honest person. I did not ask for the phone call, John volunteered that someone would call me.

 

Its your choice now how you want to handle the fact that John isnt replying to you. Carnival had the choice of keeping me loyal or not and choose not.. now its your choice.

 

i read this and go, "WHAT"?

 

my head is spinning.

 

a cruise critic moderator told you not to do what, and you listened?

 

i'm seriously missing something here.

[skylock]

i read this and go, "WHAT"?

 

my head is spinning.

 

a cruise critic moderator told you not to do what, and you listened?

 

i'm seriously missing something here.

 

Yeah, me too. I am not a John lover, but I think the man just forgot. How Mach figures in I have no idea.

[golfadj]

Yeah, me too. I am not a John lover, but I think the man just forgot. How Mach figures in I have no idea.

 

In the case of me asking John about where the tips are going and why they are going to people not in the tip pool, John first said he would speak to the beards and get back to me.

 

11 days later and 2 reminders from me no answer.

 

Apparently he has been told to not talk about tipping changes. Do not think he has forgotten about fire's request either.

[deborahjo]

In the case of me asking John about where the tips are going and why they are going to people not in the tip pool, John first said he would speak to the beards and get back to me.

 

11 days later and 2 reminders from me no answer.

 

Apparently he has been told to not talk about tipping changes. Do not think he has forgotten about fire's request either.

 

Maybe he thinks if he does not respond we will "let it go." Well not me. Sorry but a big problem for me. But that is me. I speak for no one else because I can only tip or not tip for anyone else.

[rdler]

My son and I are going on a Carnival cruise in December. I don't care much about the extra $1.50, but I really do have a problem with where it goes. We cruise 2 or 3 times a year. I rarely visit "Guest Services" for a problem, but whenever I do no matter how small or how important it simply cannot be solved. So I object to my "tips" going there. They are affirmatively not providing me a service.

 

I am clueless as to why we are going to be tipping the entertainment staff. Good grief! I win the trivia contests because I've heard them three times before!

 

I like Carnival, but there are so many things that have diminished over the years. I think our December cruise will be the last for quite some time. No hurt, no anger, no nothing. But to me Carnival has become stale and nickel and diming.

 

I'll happily pay the increased "gratuities", but I don't like where they're going.

[H82seaUgo]

Maybe he thinks if he does not respond we will "let it go." Well not me. Sorry but a big problem for me. But that is me. I speak for no one else because I can only tip or not tip for anyone else.

 

no letting go yet. only new info:

 

 

 

Originally Posted by katiel53

I asked JH just as you did and he told me the same thing. I think I asked either the same day as you or before. I did get an email from the executive office and this is in a nutshell what I was told.

 

There is an increase in tips to those who were getting tips under the old plane; however, entertainment staff and guest relations personnel are getting a raise and that is from our tips. The new people getting raises are ones that deal with the passengers.

 

The last part was in response to my question as to who in the entertainment staff and guest relations were getting the tips.

 

My guess, and it's only my guess as it was not specified, but I feel the entertainment staff getting tips are the people in the kids clubs. After a couple of emails from this person, she said we would have to agree to disagree and if I wanted to I was free to adjust or remove my tips as I told her not all of us use the kids club and those that do should pay a fee, not the rest of us.

 

I did thank her for answering and I told her that if I consider the tips to the guest relations personnel as "battle pay" for the way some of the "guests" treat the employees and that the entertainment staff keeps the kids out of trouble and busy, then perhaps, peace and quiet to me is worth the addition.

 

I do not expect to have JH ever try to justify the additional fees. I'm sure the beards told him not to address the concerns. JMO.

[Warm Breezes]

no letting go yet. only new info:

 

H8 are you going to copy this on every single tipping thread that was started over the last couple of weeks? Don't you have a life:confused: The person who posted this didn't even quote the direct e-mail..."in a nutshell"? FYI...still don't care...Carnival can pay whoever they want from my tip...it's between them and their employees, just so long as I don't have to worry about dishing it out.

[H82seaUgo]

H8 are you going to copy this on every single tipping thread that was started over the last couple of weeks? Don't you have a life:confused: The person who posted this didn't even quote the direct e-mail..."in a nutshell"? FYI...still don't care...Carnival can pay whoever they want from my tip...it's between them and their employees, just so long as I don't have to worry about dishing it out.

 

i beg to differ. if you didn't care, you would not have responded.

[Warm Breezes]

i beg to differ. if you didn't care, you would not have responded.

 

I don't care how my tip gets divided. I'm paying $12 pp/pd next month on NCL. I don't know how they divide it and I don't care. I just think it is odd that you think you need to drag up all these other posts to copy one poster's hearsay over and over again:rolleyes:.

[H82seaUgo]

I don't care how my tip gets divided. I'm paying $12 pp/pd next month on NCL. I don't know how they divide it and I don't care.

 

who and how you tip are between you and your wait staff.