Gratuities

[bushy tail]

We prefer to give our Gratuities to our people that have taken care of us through the ship. What do we need to do to get this done. We will be on the Nieuw Amsterdam b2b. Nov 17

Edited November 2, 2013 by bushy tail
forgot to name the ship

[luvteaching]

Good morning,

 

To be sure those that take care of you can enjoy the full benefit of your gratuities you leave the Hotel Service Charge (HSC) in place. Then you use envelopes or whatever you'd like to add a gratuity to those individuals you wish to acknowledge. As many will tell you, if you remove the HSC then any and all tips you give to individuals must be turned in and shared.

Karen

[kazu]

We prefer to give our Gratuities to our people that have taken care of us through the ship. What do we need to do to get this done. We will be on the Nieuw Amsterdam b2b. Nov 17

 

If you do this, you will in effect remove the hotel service charge and then tip these people separately. Now, here is the sad truth - if you do that they DO NOT get to keep the tips you gave them.

 

They have to pool them if the hsc is not kept in place.

 

You don't see all the people that take care of you and would probably not tip them - like those cleaning, serving in the Lido, laundry, etc., etc.

 

The point of the hsc is that everyone receives something - the bulk goes to your stewards and waiters in the MDR.

 

If you want to show appreciation for a job well done, keep the hsc in place and tip a bit extra to those who made your cruise special. If the HSC is kept in place any extra trips are theirs to KEEP:D

 

edited to say - sorry looks like luvteaching and I were typing at the same time.

Edited November 2, 2013 by kazu

[RuthC]

Do exactly as Karen said. Do not remove or reduce the Hotel Service Charge, with the intent of giving cash instead.

Not only will this approach backfire, and the recipients will be required to turn over the cash to the gratuity pool, but they will also be called in to be questioned as to what they could have done better to prevent your actions. Please don't put them in this stressful situation.

[sail7seas]

We have read here on this forum a number of times a list is posted of those cabins who have removed the automatic hotel service charge from their accounts. All the stewards and supervisors need to know that information as they will be required to turn into the pool any individual tips you may choose to provide them. They will all know you have withheld their tips for two weeks seeing you are doing b-to-b.

 

Edited November 2, 2013 by sail7seas

[nana51]

Agree with everyone. We always slip an extra tip to our stewards, MDR waiters, and anyone else we think did a great job and made our cruise wonderful. We ALWAYS leave the auto tip in place. We have never had a reason to remove it.

[boards]

I have no problem with the way Hal does the service charge to our account, but I wonder how, if you did cancel the program, how does the waiter in the bar or anyone else know if you have cancelled if he is not your cabin steward. Does he or she have to hunt up the information? That is a lot of extra work for them at the end of a already business schedule, got to remember everyone who gave them extra tips. Doesn't sound workable It is just a question not meant for an argument.

[momatibm]

I have no problem with the way Hal does the service charge to our account, but I wonder how, if you did cancel the program, how does the waiter in the bar or anyone else know if you have cancelled if he is not your cabin steward. Does he or she have to hunt up the information? That is a lot of extra work for them at the end of a already business schedule, got to remember everyone who gave them extra tips. Doesn't sound workable It is just a question not meant for an argument.

 

The 15% charge on drinks is a 'pooled' pot. They are not included in the daily service charge and have no need to know who pulls the service charge. If you give an individual bar waiter/bartender a separate gratuity that is theirs to keep. This was explained to me by a F&B manager.

[jtl513]

I have no problem with the way Hal does the service charge to our account, but I wonder how, if you did cancel the program, how does the waiter in the bar or anyone else know if you have cancelled if he is not your cabin steward.

The bar staff doesn't draw from the HSC pool, they have their own pool funded by the 15% added to every sale.

 

I think that was done that way to take care of the 15% Service Charge on pre-ordered beverages, both alcoholic or non. If you've ever wondered how they get those odd prices on pre-ordered drinks and drink cards, it's because it's a "round" number times 1.15

 

I believe in most cases if you leave extra cash for your bar waiter/ess that also gets tossed in a common jar at the bar, to be split ship wide. That is, they get to keep that extra as part of the group, not as individuals. That's only fair way for those who serve in less busy places.

 

edit: momatibm, you typed faster and/or started sooner. :)

Edited November 2, 2013 by jtl513

[sail7seas]

I have no problem with the way Hal does the service charge to our account, but I wonder how, if you did cancel the program, how does the waiter in the bar or anyone else know if you have cancelled if he is not your cabin steward. Does he or she have to hunt up the information? That is a lot of extra work for them at the end of a already business schedule, got to remember everyone who gave them extra tips. Doesn't sound workable It is just a question not meant for an argument.

 

 

HAL does not permit the removal of the automatic 15% added to bar/drink tabs.

 

As to how does crew know who has removed automatic hotel service charge....... lists are posted in crew areas. ;)

 

Just imagine how the cabin steward or dining steward feels taking care of someone's cabin and/or serving them dinner each evening knowing the guest goes not value their work enough to provide the expected, known about in advance hotel service charge? I know how I would feel and it wouldn't be great. Yet, they are forced to keep a smile on their face and polite words from their mouths.

 

 

Edited November 2, 2013 by sail7seas

[Randyk47]

I agree that the bar staff don't have to worry about the tips since their tips are generated automatically by the 15% surcharge which you can't cancel. The cabin and MDR staff are given a list at the end of the passengers who have removed the HSC. The list includes instructions to turn cash tips in for the passengers on the list.

[sail7seas]

I'm not so sure it is posted 'at the end'. I think it is updated regularly.

 

Also, for a b-to-b, of course, they know if someone removed their hotel service charge the first segment and why should/would they expect different for the next segment? :rolleyes:

Edited November 2, 2013 by sail7seas

[summersigh]

You don't see all the people that take care of you and would probably not tip them - like those cleaning, serving in the Lido, laundry, etc., etc.

 

The point of the hsc is that everyone receives something - the bulk goes to your stewards and waiters in the MDR.

 

If you want to show appreciation for a job well done, keep the hsc in place and tip a bit extra to those who made your cruise special. If the HSC is kept in place any extra trips are theirs to KEEP:D

We agree and stick with the HSC ... then slip extra to those that gave us service that was above and beyond the expected.:)

[Typhoon1]

Do not remove the HSC from your cabin.

 

Those that were taking good care of you are then asked why they failed to deliver outstanding service by their supervisor.

 

As mentioned, any cash tips are all pooled in the end.

[RuthC]

As mentioned, any cash tips are all pooled in the end.

Let's clarify that statement:

 

If you remove or reduce the Hotel Service Charge, then any cash tips are pooled.

If you leave the Hotel Service Charge intact, then any cash tips are retained by the recipient.

[Vict0riann]

When you think about it, the $11.50 or $12 pp, pd, that is charged to your account, is probably not even 10% of your daily fare, maybe not even 5%! For the accommodation, service, food, entertainment and activities, there is really no reason anyone would expect to pay less in a service charge. In fact, we always tip generously on top of that.

[sapper1]

Most places I go, I just tip because it is expected. However when I am aboard a HAL ship I can honestly say that I add extra tips with pleasure because we are so well taken care of. My husband likes to joke about it and calls me the "tip lady" but I know he is only teasing and doesn't really mind.

[HamOp]

HAL does not permit the removal of the automatic 15% added to bar/drink tabs.

 

As to how does crew know who has removed automatic hotel service charge....... lists are posted in crew areas. ;)

 

Just imagine how the cabin steward or dining steward feels taking care of someone's cabin and/or serving them dinner each evening knowing the guest goes not value their work enough to provide the expected, known about in advance hotel service charge? I know how I would feel and it wouldn't be great. Yet, they are forced to keep a smile on their face and polite words from their mouths.

 

 

While what you say it true on a back to back, from what I understand most people remove the HSC on the last night of the cruise. So Mr. and Mrs. Cheapskate would be at 30,000 feet on the way back to Kalamazoo before any of the service people even knew the tips had been removed.

[startwin]

Most places I go, I just tip because it is expected. However when I am aboard a HAL ship I can honestly say that I add extra tips with pleasure because we are so well taken care of. My husband likes to joke about it and calls me the "tip lady" but I know he is only teasing and doesn't really mind.

 

 

Ditto. And you seldom find the same kind of service on land as we do on a HAL ship. All with a smile.

[boards]

We are not disputing the policy, we agree, but how do staff who are far removed from our cabin know whether or not we have cancelled. We wouldn't do it, just inquiring how they would know, so they wouldn't get into trouble for not pooling the tip.

[sail7seas]

While what you say it true on a back to back, from what I understand most people remove the HSC on the last night of the cruise. So Mr. and Mrs. Cheapskate would be at 30,000 feet on the way back to Kalamazoo before any of the service people even knew the tips had been removed.

 

 

 

Good for them, then.

They can be proud. :(

 

 

 

We are not disputing the policy, we agree, but how do staff who are far removed from our cabin know whether or not we have cancelled. We wouldn't do it, just inquiring how they would know, so they wouldn't get into trouble for not pooling the tip.

 

 

Not all of those who choose to not pay the hotel service charge have it removed on the last night though some do. At whatever point during the cruise they advice the front office they will not be paying it, their name is posted on a list in crew areas so crew know they have to pool any tips they receive from those guests...... if they give anything at all which is another subject all together.

 

[HamOp]

Good for them, then.

They can be proud. :(

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not all of those who choose to not pay the hotel service charge have it removed on the last night though some do. At whatever point during the cruise they advice the front office they will not be paying it, their name is posted on a list in crew areas so crew know they have to pool any tips they receive from those guests...... if they give anything at all which is another subject all together.

 

 

Agree with all the above. Karma is a ________ (insert common name for female dog here):D

[Barrheadlass]

On our last cruised I gave extra at the end to a waiter who waited on us nearly every day in the Crow's Nest. I thought he got to keep it, but a previous poster said that is pooled too?

[Boytjie]

On our last cruised I gave extra at the end to a waiter who waited on us nearly every day in the Crow's Nest. I thought he got to keep it, but a previous poster said that is pooled too?

 

It has to be pooled only if you removed the Hotel Service Charge.

Edited November 2, 2013 by Boytjie

[HamOp]

It has to be pooled only if you removed the Hotel Service Charge.

 

Are you sure that's true for the bartenders? I thought because of the 15% automatically added to the bar bill, the bartenders were not part of the HSC split.

 

Maybe the bartenders pool any additional tips and split them among them selves?

 

You may be correct. I just don't know how that works.