Cruizer Bill Posted February 17, 2017 #676 Share Posted February 17, 2017 We learned on our last cruise that other cruise lines were actively poaching HAL staffers, to the point of even coming on board as a passenger to make offers right then and there. I believe he said NCL or RCCL (?) even opened up their training school in Indonesia too -- like the land-locked MS Jakarta has for HAL crew training. The cost of labor is obviously going up. Particularly with so many new mega-ships which must have huge staffing demands, and I suspect maybe far higher turn-over compared to the smaller, more cohesive HAL ships cruises. (This was stated at the officers cocktail party so let's assume this is fact, not rumor,) That was an EXCELLENT post. Thank you for the info, it makes sense. Our concern is with the crew members, we want them to be paid fairly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bUU Posted February 17, 2017 #677 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Gratuities for most the crew members are considered as non taxable income. Precisely the point. If the HSC becomes part of the fare as some has suggested then it becomes taxable income, and would rightfully need to be grossed up to account for changing it from gratuity to part of the fare, and that would end up raising the fare significantly more than the the HSC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kwaj girl Posted February 17, 2017 #678 Share Posted February 17, 2017 If it is a "service charge" then it is not a '"tip." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Rare LauraS Posted February 17, 2017 Administrators #679 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Check out the latest Holland America news from Cruise Critic: Holland America Line Raises Daily Gratuities Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bUU Posted February 17, 2017 #680 Share Posted February 17, 2017 If it is a "service charge" then it is not a '"tip." What they call it is another matter. I don't think any cruise line calls it a tip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sapper1 Posted February 18, 2017 #681 Share Posted February 18, 2017 Okay, I'm a little miffed here. I don't begrudge the staff their tips, which I expect they fully earn and then some. But as a first-time bare-bones-budget cruiser stressing out over how I can possibly afford this much fun and relaxation (?!), I had made a plan based on what I was told when the cruised was booked. And now this? Yeah, it's a 7-day cruise, so this change is going to soak me all of seven bucks. That much, I can handle. But it makes me leery of what other charges and fees are suddenly going to start jumping up in price. And effective May 1? When my cruise sails on May 7??? (...obviously, HAL has it in for me personally, and chose this timing especially to add insult to my seven-smackeroonie injury. ;) ) You should be aware, that if the port fees increase after final payment there will be a letter in your cabin and the extra will be charged to your onboard account. Conversely, if the port charges go down, the letter will give notice of a credit to your account. We have had both happen. Just a little heads up. If you are going to cruise you have to roll with the little punches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVNode Posted February 18, 2017 #682 Share Posted February 18, 2017 Is the gratuity in the initial price you are quoted, or is it tacked on later? I see they also bill your card ahead $60.00/person/day for things you might charge on board, which I also assume does not include the gratuity? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cbr663 Posted February 18, 2017 #683 Share Posted February 18, 2017 No, the gratuities are not included in the price that you are quoted and are charged to your on board account every day. HAL will put a hold of $60 per person, per day, on your credit card. As this is a hold and not a charge, it does not include the gratuity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUT2407 Posted February 18, 2017 #684 Share Posted February 18, 2017 Here we go again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVNode Posted February 18, 2017 #685 Share Posted February 18, 2017 No, the gratuities are not included in the price that you are quoted and are charged to your on board account every day. HAL will put a hold of $60 per person, per day, on your credit card. As this is a hold and not a charge, it does not include the gratuity. Thanks...just need to make sure I am prepared for all the charges so I have enough saved for the cruise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Gail & Marty sailing away Posted February 18, 2017 #686 Share Posted February 18, 2017 Other lines have done the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easyboy Posted February 18, 2017 #687 Share Posted February 18, 2017 Just about the same amount with other cruise lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyk47 Posted February 18, 2017 #688 Share Posted February 18, 2017 What they call it is another matter. I don't think any cruise line calls it a tip. Seabourn and Silversea both advertise on their websites that "tipping is neither required or expected" while Regent doesn't but says pre-paid gratuities are included in the fare. Silversea also goes on to say that all gratuities are included in the basic fare. I can't easily find the same statement on Seabourn's site and any search there takes you back to the "tipping is neither required or expected" statement. None of the lines separates out gratuities on their fares so if there is a set aside amount it is not visible to the passenger. Looking at the Cruise Critic sections for the lines you can find some threads or questions about gratuities or tipping. Typical discussions about tipping though since included in the fares they're more about tipping or not tipping extra with some for, some against for various reasons. All the lines have some kind of a "crew fund" so that's often recommended as an alternative to direct tipping. I didn't look at any of the other supposedly all-inclusive lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bUU Posted February 18, 2017 #689 Share Posted February 18, 2017 Seabourn and Silversea both advertise on their websites that "tipping is neither required or expected" while Regent doesn't but says pre-paid gratuities are included in the fare.So only passengers, and the cruise lines that don't have what we're talking about, use that word. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyk47 Posted February 18, 2017 #690 Share Posted February 18, 2017 So only passengers, and the cruise lines that don't have what we're talking about, use that word. Again I didn't check every cruise line but generally I'd say that's kind of true. Celebrity doesn't use "tippping" or "tips" on their website and best I can easily find is what they call their "Automatic Gratuity Program" which appears to work pretty much like Holland America's. Interestingly HAL, in their FAQ's, has the question "Is there a Hotel Service Charge (Gratuity/Tip)?" That seems to me that HAL recognizes that their HSC is by some definition a gratuity or tip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catl331 Posted February 18, 2017 #691 Share Posted February 18, 2017 .. in their FAQ's, has the question "Is there a Hotel Service Charge (Gratuity/Tip)?" That seems to me that HAL recognizes that their HSC is by some definition a gratuity or tip.Or it could be just recognizing that those are key words that someone might look for in a FAQ search. p.s. Disney uses gratuity rather than tip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bUU Posted February 18, 2017 #692 Share Posted February 18, 2017 Or it could be just recognizing that those are key words that someone might look for in a FAQ search.My thought exactly... a recognition that some people gloss over the small nuances that a thread with over 690 posts tends to delve into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RocketMan275 Posted February 18, 2017 #693 Share Posted February 18, 2017 Can someone explain why it makes a difference if the cruise line calls it a "gratuity", a "tip", or a "hotel service charge"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oaktreerb Posted February 18, 2017 #694 Share Posted February 18, 2017 Why was an announcement of HAL raising gratuities in 2017 merged into a thread from 2015? I need to see this upfront now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamloops50 Posted February 18, 2017 #695 Share Posted February 18, 2017 Can someone explain why it makes a difference if the cruise line calls it a "gratuity", a "tip", or a "hotel service charge"? It usually is a tax issue from the country they live. Gratuities , tips etc usually aren't taxed in their ccountries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtl513 Posted February 18, 2017 #696 Share Posted February 18, 2017 Can someone explain why it makes a difference if the cruise line calls it a "gratuity", a "tip", or a "hotel service charge"?Gratuities/tips are voluntary, charges are obligatory. Like donation versus tax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sapper1 Posted February 18, 2017 #697 Share Posted February 18, 2017 Can someone explain why it makes a difference if the cruise line calls it a "gratuity", a "tip", or a "hotel service charge"? I call it a tip. The cruise line or others can call it whatever they want. It doesn't make any difference to me. It costs the same no matter what you call it. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sapper1 Posted February 18, 2017 #698 Share Posted February 18, 2017 Why was an announcement of HAL raising gratuities in 2017 merged into a thread from 2015? I need to see this upfront now. It is because all discussion regarding HSC and/or tipping is supposed to be done on this thread only. It has been ongoing since 2015. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oaktreerb Posted February 18, 2017 #699 Share Posted February 18, 2017 Thankfully the new information was allowed to exist separately for a few days. I would never look at this thread for current information as it's pretty much been the same old discussion..over..and over...and over. Not quite as bad as the smoking but close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bUU Posted February 18, 2017 #700 Share Posted February 18, 2017 I call it a tip. The cruise line or others can call it whatever they want. It doesn't make any difference to me. It costs the same no matter what you call it. :) As long as you're okay with the terms and conditions that they've outlined being applied to something you choose to call a tip, then absolutely no problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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