Tips to bar staff - clarified

[magandab]

Before I left on my cruise, the subject of tips to bar staff came up. It was reported here that any extra tips given to bar staff were pooled and shared with the rest of the bar staff. I asked a senior beverage staff member about this and the answer was absolutely, positively NO. In his words, "That's what they work for, and they get to keep any extra."

[Scrapnana]

Which is the way it should be. If you have gotten special service and tip extra, they should be able to keep it. Thanks for finding out (and I hope you had a great time).

[RuthC]

Which is not to say that in some lounges, some of the stewards might not have an informal agreement to cover for each other, and share their additional tips within the group. That has happened, and is something entered into freely by those involved.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I have always known that.

There was a time when we used to have the same server -- for example -- in the Ocean Bar. But lately each night we would have someone different. When we had the same server, we did give extra tips. But with a different person each time -- no extra tips.

[Himself]

I believe there is an extra gratuity on each drink.

[magandab]

Yes, there is a gratuity on each drink, but there was a discussion before I left, and I cannot remember which thread, where it was stated that the bar staff was required to pool their additional tips. That was the question I asked onboard.

[summersigh]

I have always known that.

There was a time when we used to have the same server -- for example -- in the Ocean Bar. But lately each night we would have someone different. When we had the same server, we did give extra tips. But with a different person each time -- no extra tips.

 

We do the same. We also wait until the last couple of days to give the extra $$ to those who have become our "regulars". The extra tip isn't just for service but that server's excellent attitude.:)

[sail7seas]

megandab

 

Before I left on my cruise, the subject of tips to bar staff came up. It was reported here that any extra tips given to bar staff were pooled and shared with the rest of the bar staff. I asked a senior beverage staff member about this and the answer was absolutely, positively NO. In his words, "That's what they work for, and they get to keep any extra."

 

 

Which is not to say that in some lounges, some of the stewards might not have an informal agreement to cover for each other, and share their additional tips within the group. That has happened, and is something entered into freely by those involved.

 

 

 

I might suggest it is the way you asked the question. :D

There is absolutely nothing wrong with it, of course, and the way it was answered was correct but had you asked:

 

"Do the bartenders in a given bar ever pool their tips voluntarily? Is there a jar or something they drop all tips into and each bartender (perhaps they include the stewards ?) shares in all the tips in that bar for that cruise?

 

You might have gotten a different answer.

I know for absolutely sure we have been on cruises where we have known the bartenders for years and many cruises and we had this discussion with them. They agree among themselves whether they are going to pool or not. It is not ship/company mandated.

 

Edited September 9, 2014 by sail7seas

[magandab]

I might suggest it is the way you asked the question. :D

There is absolutely nothing wrong with it, of course, and the way it was answered was correct but had you asked:

 

"Do the bartenders in a given bar ever pool their tips voluntarily? Is there a jar or something they drop all tips into and each bartender (perhaps they include the stewards ?) shares in all the tips in that bar for that cruise?

 

You might have gotten a different answer.

I know for absolutely sure we have been on cruises where we have known the bartenders for years and many cruises and we had this discussion with them. They agree among themselves whether they are going to pool or not. It is not ship/company mandated.

 

 

No, actually I asked exactly the question I wanted answered. The previous discussion included allowance for those bar staff who voluntarily pooled their tips. Here is the thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2076148&highlight=bar+staff+tips

 

Now, scroll down to Post #50 and after that for the reason I asked the question I did.

[cruz chic]

No, actually I asked exactly the question I wanted answered. The previous discussion included allowance for those bar staff who voluntarily pooled their tips. Here is the thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2076148&highlight=bar+staff+tips

 

Now, scroll down to Post #50 and after that for the reason I asked the question I did.

 

You should have gotten it signed in blood by the captain:D;):D (kidding in case it's not clear).

[sail7seas]

No, actually I asked exactly the question I wanted answered. The previous discussion included allowance for those bar staff who voluntarily pooled their tips. Here is the thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2076148&highlight=bar+staff+tips

 

Now, scroll down to Post #50 and after that for the reason I asked the question I did.

 

 

Thank you for sharing with us, Amy.

Once again, ask different HAL people, get different answers. :)

Seems to happen from 'time to time'. :)

 

[kjw869]

Once again, ask different HAL people, get different answers. :)

Seems to happen from 'time to time'. :)

 

 

And when you call HAL in Seattle, you get different answers most of the time. :)

[PathfinderEss]

Thanks Magandad, I have always thought that. I have also ask that question and gotten the same answer. Love the bartenders on Hal and usually do some extra tipping.:D:eek:

[RetiredMustang]

We have always tipped the bar staff, even before the 15% add-on a couple of years ago (five at least? really!?!) We have several (many;)) Dutch girl hats with best wishes from the bar staff -- on one cruise we got two, one for the Piet Hein (as Jimmy Buffet sang, "step up and show your age") and one for the Crow's Nest.

 

We get pampered and enthusiastic service at all bars now. I was somewhat surprised recently to realize I was in the middle of a tipping snit when I offered my uncensored and unmedicated opinion, but we will always fail on the side of tipping the staff: many times in our salad days (to finish the quotation, when we were green in judgement), we were the staff, and we adored tips.

 

Old friend Voltaire, from at least two previous cruises we collectively figured out, and understudy Marvin, in the Crow's Nest on Amsterdam the last two weeks were among the best we have seen on HAL -- old-timers will recognize that that is high praise, indeed.

 

Dave

Edited September 10, 2014 by RetiredMustang

[kazu]

Thank you for sharing with us, Amy.

Once again, ask different HAL people, get different answers. :)

Seems to happen from 'time to time'. :)

 

 

I can only say that I have checked each time on every HAL cruise I have been on (or any cruise for that matter) and the answer has been the same all the time. I realize I haven't been on as many cruises as you Sail, but some have been longer and the longer the cruise the more important it is that the tips are right.

 

Nothing wrong with asking and the smiles answer the question.

 

I have no desire to tip people who have not added to my experience. If I am going to do a general tip, then I will just add to my HSC.

 

In any case, so far, I have been assured from wine stewards and bar tenders tht each gets to keep it as long as the hsc remains unchanged. But of course that is just my experience, for what little it is worth.

Edited September 10, 2014 by kazu

[cb at sea]

Tips are "shared" almost everywhere.....in restaurants, your waiter/waitress will share with the bus person, and host/hostess.

 

In casinos, the tips are shared by ALL dealers on that shift...not just the dealer you're tipping.

 

I don't know why everyone gets so "het up" about tips! Tip those who serve you...let them worry about the "divvying up".

[sail7seas]

I can only say that I have checked each time on every HAL cruise I have been on (or any cruise for that matter) and the answer has been the same all the time. I realize I haven't been on as many cruises as you Sail, but some have been longer and the longer the cruise the more important it is that the tips are right.

 

Nothing wrong with asking and the smiles answer the question.

 

I have no desire to tip people who have not added to my experience. If I am going to do a general tip, then I will just add to my HSC.

 

In any case, so far, I have been assured from wine stewards and bar tenders tht each gets to keep it as long as the hsc remains unchanged. But of course that is just my experience, for what little it is worth.

 

 

Cabin and Dining Stewards I agree keep the extra tips they are given if HSC is left in place.

 

There doesn't seem to be any question about them in that regard.

 

The standard answer would be they keep it for bartenders because they voluntarily share on some cruises/ some bars/ some ships. It is not mandatory by HAL so the 'company line' is "No sharing". ;)

 

Whatever it is doesn't truly matter IMO as long as two things happen:

If we get the great service we always enjoy and the bartenders are appropriately thanked and treated respectfully. Whether they choose to share or keep their own to themselves is their choice and once we provide a tip, it stops being my business what they do with it. IMO When I give the tip, it is now their money and I no longer have any interest in it.

 

[POA1]

Because we prefer our bar service to be dipped in awesome and sprinkled with glitter, we always pay attention to how the tips are handled. (Also, we're easily amused.) On our last cruise, the Crow's Nest bartenders pooled their tips, while the floor waiters kept theirs. The aft & Lido pool bartenders kept their tips, as did the roving bar waitstaff. The Ocean Bar's bartenders split their tips. We think - but are not sure - that the floor staff kept their individual tips. In the Queen's Lounge it was every man or woman for himself / herself. We don't have enough data on the Northern Lights disco or the main show lounge. Our wine steward definitely kept her tips.

 

My guess is that there is no hard and fast policy. Granted, I didn't ask any of our servers. It's their money. I don't ask what they do with our tips. I just figure that if I do, it could lead to questions about why I drink - and that could be awkward. :eek:

 

(Answer: Because it makes other people more fun. ;))

Edited September 10, 2014 by POA1

[magandab]

Here is a twist to consider. On the Oosterdam and then on the Zuiderdam last year we learned that many of the bar staff rotate lounges, cruise to cruise. For instance, the server in the Explorers Lounge for our cruise was moving to the Ocean Bar the next. I have this mental image of total chaos as at the beginning of each cruise as the staff for that cruise at each bar takes a vote??!!??

 

Then there is the matter of them moving around each day. For instance, one of our favorites on the Zuiderdam was also on the Rotterdam. She worked the Lido during the day and the Ocean Bar at night. Our wonderful wine steward in the MDR served drinks around the Lido in the afternoon.

 

I have a headache - I think I need a drink!

[Hlitner]

Most folks would argue that the built-in 15% gratutity, coupled with the mandatory daily "tips," is enough to properly compensate the staff. On the other hand, DW and I will sometimes reward (generously) specific staff for service above and beyond. With bartenders and waiters who are very good to us over a long period (we do take some longer cruises) we might slip them a twenty in a way that nobody else is aware of our action. With exceptional staff (this happened to us in the Crow's Nest of the Prinsendam) are "generosity" can get a bit expensive, but those folks earned it! But as a norm, we just do not see justification to give extra tips.

 

Hank

[richwmn]

Here is a twist to consider. On the Oosterdam and then on the Zuiderdam last year we learned that many of the bar staff rotate lounges, cruise to cruise. For instance, the server in the Explorers Lounge for our cruise was moving to the Ocean Bar the next. I have this mental image of total chaos as at the beginning of each cruise as the staff for that cruise at each bar takes a vote??!!??

 

Then there is the matter of them moving around each day. For instance, one of our favorites on the Zuiderdam was also on the Rotterdam. She worked the Lido during the day and the Ocean Bar at night. Our wonderful wine steward in the MDR served drinks around the Lido in the afternoon.

 

I have a headache - I think I need a drink!

 

And don't forget that many of the beverage servers work in different places over the course of the day. On the Veendam recently I had a server that worked at the Mix during the evenings and the Lido during the day. Many others do the same.

[Randyk47]

Personally I've never given much thought to whether or not the bar staff, servers and bartenders, shares or doesn't share extra tips. Generally, before and after the now automatically added gratuity, we have tipped individual servers and bartenders based on our perception of their service to us. Sometimes it's been a number, sometimes it's been none. I'll have to say we believe there has been a degradation of service since the implementation of 15% surcharge. It seems to us there is less and less personal service and sometimes downright no service at all to the point that on our last Maasdam cruise we actually had to go find a server. Kind of went downhill fast when the server said "Guess you want a drink." and it really fell off the cliff when I was told "We're playing a card game and I'll come over when we're done with this hand." For the first and only time we actually made by name negative remarks on our survey at the end of the cruise. Needless to say there were no out of hand tips for that bar staff at the end of the cruise.

[Lizzie68]

When we tip, it is entirely up to them what they do with it and whatever arrangement they have with each other is none of our business. My concern finishes when it leaves my hand to theirs.

[magandab]

When we tip, it is entirely up to them what they do with it and whatever arrangement they have with each other is none of our business. My concern finishes when it leaves my hand to theirs.

 

Not singling you out, but my point in this thread was NOT to comment on, or wonder about, what agreement the servers have with each other. It was to address an earlier assertion that the pooling/sharing of tips among the bar staff was HAL mandated and compulsory. I suspect that the bar servers who told a passenger that they were forced to pool tips may have been in the minority vote among those they worked with at a particular bar.

[DaveOKC]

Personally I've never given much thought to whether or not the bar staff, servers and bartenders, shares or doesn't share extra tips. Generally, before and after the now automatically added gratuity, we have tipped individual servers and bartenders based on our perception of their service to us. Sometimes it's been a number, sometimes it's been none. I'll have to say we believe there has been a degradation of service since the implementation of 15% surcharge. It seems to us there is less and less personal service and sometimes downright no service at all to the point that on our last Maasdam cruise we actually had to go find a server. Kind of went downhill fast when the server said "Guess you want a drink." and it really fell off the cliff when I was told "We're playing a card game and I'll come over when we're done with this hand." For the first and only time we actually made by name negative remarks on our survey at the end of the cruise. Needless to say there were no out of hand tips for that bar staff at the end of the cruise.

 

I have always felt that auto tips reduce service levels, as there is less incentive. Just my opinion of course.