Labadee: No tip, no chairs

[TravelerThom]

As noted earlier by someone , it is printed in the compass that no tipping is necessary. Someone at sometime gave the chair guy a couple bucks and he said , this is cool. Now he expects everyone to give him something.

Saying that someone said that the Compass said this does not make it true.

 

I am looking at the Compass for Oasis in Labadee 21 Dec 2015 and all I can find (maybe I missed something) about Money on Labadee is:

"Please be advised that your SeaPass card can be used at all bars ashore. However if you wish to purchase souvenirs from the Artisans' Market or Authentic Haitian Flea Market, United States currency, Visa & MasterCard are accepted."

 

RCI's Labadee map says:

"Just as on board, lounge chairs on Labadee are complementary. They cannot be reserved and guests are kindly requested not to offer payment for the chairs. This also applies to hammocks found throughout the beach area."

 

NEITHER of these specifically mention ANYTHING about tipping. Admittedly "guests are kindly requested not to offer payment for the chairs" could be interpreted as meaning No Tipping, but if that is what they mean, why don't they just say so. Until someone produces a RCI document that specifically references tipping at Labadee, I am calling BS on all the people who claim RCI has explicitly said No Tipping. (But this still does not excuse the attitude encountered by the OP)

[Who Cares?]

Royal and Celebrity tell passengers that all they need is their seapass card. That Labadee is like being on the ship. I would not bring any money if I did not know about the chair butler tips. I have never taken any money to Half Moon Cay or Princess Cay. There was never a need too. They also are private just like being on the ship. Again, I never carry money on the ship. That is because I am a seasoned traveler and know I don't need any bucks there. I don't actually need any money at Labadee.

 

Well, I am a seasoned traveler and you never know when a situation may arise (as I have learned the hard way) and ALWAYS carry a few bucks, whether I expect to need it or not. As I learned in the military "Plan for the worst, hope for the best".

 

Plus, how do you plan to buy trinkets without cash or plastic? You Seapass card does no good in the vendor's area.

[Who Cares?]

You insist on getting your own chair. I agree with mek. WOW!

 

That's fine. But I'm not the one having an issue with how people spend their hard earned cash, Mek is. If you want to tip for a service, feel free to do so. If I choose to ignore their service and save money, that's good also. No need to be lectured on how I can't afford to cruise if I don't give a buck to someone who hasn't earned it.

[Who Cares?]

If he does put them out for you, and is nice to you while he does it, the LEAST you should do is toss him a few dollars.

 

The LEAST? What would be the MOST, a good back massage? :p :D

[Who Cares?]

My local supermarket chain offers carry out service and they specifically have signs saying NO TIPPING. So if I use the service should I explain to the worker not to expect a tip?

 

Are we talking about Labadee or your supermarket? Care to stick to the subject at hand? :rolleyes:

 

But to answer your question, I carry my own groceries out unless I'm doing my large monthly shopping and then I tip the person a few bucks for their effort. You don't need to tell anyone anything, you need to do what's right. Sign or not, if someone performs a service for me, I'm going to offer a tip. Reminds me of when I worked at the cable company. We were told not to accept tips. Unlike my colleagues, I would decline a tip the first time offered. If the customer kept pressuring, then I would accept (only twice did they put it back in their wallet when I said no the first time).

[Who Cares?]

As noted earlier by someone , it is printed in the compass that no tipping is necessary. Someone at sometime gave the chair guy a couple bucks and he said , this is cool. Now he expects everyone to give him something.

 

Most likely that was the first passenger to ever step foot on Labadee. :D

[Who Cares?]

Well this comment specifically applies to Labadee, but you really don't throw a dollar in the basket for the guys who are playing music on the dock?????

 

Again, I just don't get it. We have so much and they have so little.

 

Actually, no, I don't, really. They are not providing a service for me (I don't need Muzak on the dock). If I asked them to play a song then I would be expected to tip them.

 

What I earn compared to what they earn is and will always be complete immaterial.

[Charles4515]

Well, I am a seasoned traveler and you never know when a situation may arise (as I have learned the hard way) and ALWAYS carry a few bucks, whether I expect to need it or not. As I learned in the military "Plan for the worst, hope for the best".

 

 

 

Plus, how do you plan to buy trinkets without cash or plastic? You Seapass card does no good in the vendor's area.

 

 

Many cruise ship passengers are not seasoned travelers.

 

If I were planning or thinking of buying trinkets I would bring cash or plastic for that. However I plan not to buy trinkets. I plan not to go to the vendors area. I don't even go to that area and look. Other passengers may not be into shopping or trinkets either. They only want a relaxing beach day.

[A&L_Ont]

.

 

 

NEITHER of these specifically mention ANYTHING about tipping. Admittedly "guests are kindly requested not to offer payment for the chairs" could be interpreted as meaning No Tipping, but if that is what they mean, why don't they just say so. Until someone produces a RCI document that specifically references tipping at Labadee, I am calling BS on all the people who claim RCI has explicitly said No Tipping. (But this still does not excuse the attitude encountered by the OP)

 

If you are not to offer payment for the chairs as a tip, are you giving money to buy the chairs? I can see the onslaught of Labadee guests taking loungers back to the ship as it was such a good buy they want to take them home. This is a joke comment, just to clarify.

 

One can be rest assured that if you get as far as the pier security with one, I can only imagine what their reaction might be. There are towel scans, so I can see the lounger scan coming soon and that would make the job of the lounger helper obsolete. Don't return the lounger, $50 dollar charge added to your onboard account.

 

With Labadee in a bit of unrest this thread might not be as relevant for a while. The guys who expect the few dollar tips might be looking for more money when he gets back to work.

[Cruzaholic41]

Hence my pointing out that Royal specifically tells people that they need to bring cash if they want to make any purchases.... that the statement made here about Royal telling people "that all they need is their seapass card" was completely and totally false.

 

I suggest the next time you are on a ship that calls at Labadee that you go to the port talks held in the theater. They will absolutely tell you that you only need a Seapass. So no, not completely and totally false. take a deep breath. it will all be okay...

 

Both of you are correct, so there's no need to continue this pissing and moaning match. Yes, they do tell you cash is not necessary, but they also tell you to take cash if you want to shop in the straw market. It's like that on every private island on every cruise line.

[Karma5]

Peace be with you all………………………….

[Charles4515]

 

NEITHER of these specifically mention ANYTHING about tipping. Admittedly "guests are kindly requested not to offer payment for the chairs" could be interpreted as meaning No Tipping, but if that is what they mean, why don't they just say so. Until someone produces a RCI document that specifically references tipping at Labadee, I am calling BS on all the people who claim RCI has explicitly said No Tipping. (But this still does not excuse the attitude encountered by the OP)

 

 

Yes, I think an interpretation that what it means is that the chairs are complementary, but that does not mean no tipping of the person who sets it out for you is valid. I think that reading that and thinking it means no tipping is also valid. But since I do tip the chair butler I lean toward that the first. They are not saying no tipping.

 

I don't want to get into a tiff with the chair butler about putting out the chair and I don't mind giving the dollar.

 

If Who Cares or whoever wants to put out his own chair, not tipping the dollar, and feels comfortable doing that, and dealing with the irked chair butler I think that is fine too.

 

Whatever, if any of the employees does something major out of line I am going to let whichever cruise line know about it. I have personally never had any major issues at Labadee. I have been there a bunch of times, so many I have lost count since the late 90's, I take a book, relax on the beach, go in the water, and enjoy a great beach day.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Edited January 21, 2016 by Charles4515

[Big_G]

Both of you are correct, so there's no need to continue this pissing and moaning match. Yes, they do tell you cash is not necessary, but they also tell you to take cash if you want to shop in the straw market. It's like that on every private island on every cruise line.

 

Good luck with that. :D

[TravelerThom]

If you are not to offer payment for the chairs as a tip, are you giving money to buy the chairs? I can see the onslaught of Labadee guests taking loungers back to the ship as it was such a good buy they want to take them home. This is a joke comment, just to clarify...

Thanks for the chuckle. I have (now) read on the internet (right here on CruiseCritic) that I can buy lounge chairs at Labadee.:D I'll be checking this out if we manage to dock in two weeks. They'll go home with me as carry-on luggage; that'll be me cramming them in the overhead:p

[DonnaK]

Returning to the original topic of conversation, I think this would be a good thing to bring up at the Port and Shopping talk prior to disembarking. Have them clarify the policy regarding tipping on Labadee, and find out how they want you to handle chair porters who demand a tip or who state "no tip, no chair". Personally, I don't mind tipping a dollar or two, but I also don't think they should refuse serving anyone who didn't bring money off the ship or who choose not to tip.

 

Labadee is one of my favorite ports. I love the beach and the scenery there. I avoid the craft market and prefer to shop in the Price-fixed building behind the market. I don't think it's a place to be avoided, but I do think that the cruiseline has a responsibility to clearly inform the passengers of the expected tip culture ashore, and must take responsibility for how the workers behave and treat the passengers.

[Rala]

Peace be with you all………………………….

 

You could tell this to the pushy vendors next time you are in Labadee...maybe it would do some good, but I doubt it.:rolleyes:

[GeoffH]

I have just found the following fact sheet for Labadee from royalcaribbean.com website.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/shared_assets/pdf/port_explorer/Labadee_EN_RCI.pdf

 

For vendors it says:

"Bargaining at the open-air market is common.

Some local vendors may seem a bit persistent to the uninitiated,

however courtesy and firmness will be respected."

 

For tipping it says:

"While the use of the beach chairs is complimentary, tipping the beach

attendants for their service is always appreciated."

 

That does not tie up with the previous document posted on this thread, that we have all read.:confused:

Edited January 22, 2016 by GeoffH

[moopetguy]

I have just found the following fact sheet for Labadee from royalcaribbean.com website.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/shared_assets/pdf/port_explorer/Labadee_EN_RCI.pdf

 

For vendors it says:

"Bargaining at the open-air market is common.

Some local vendors may seem a bit persistent to the uninitiated,

however courtesy and firmness will be respected."

 

For tipping it says:

"While the use of the beach chairs is complimentary, tipping the beach

attendants for their service is always appreciated."

 

That does not tie up with the previous document posted on this thread, that we have all read.:confused:

 

Thanks for digging that up!

 

That PDF file has a creation date of 2010-05-07, and RCI has certainly produced and distributed newer information packs on Labadee since then. Not to say that the information you linked to is outdated -- if anything, it's more precise than the wishy-washy wording used more recently that has been quoted earlier in the thread about not offering payment for the chairs but being silent on gratuities.

[fletch1027]

I have just found the following fact sheet for Labadee from royalcaribbean.com website.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/shared_assets/pdf/port_explorer/Labadee_EN_RCI.pdf

 

For vendors it says:

"Bargaining at the open-air market is common.

Some local vendors may seem a bit persistent to the uninitiated,

however courtesy and firmness will be respected."

 

For tipping it says:

"While the use of the beach chairs is complimentary, tipping the beach

attendants for their service is always appreciated."

 

That does not tie up with the previous document posted on this thread, that we have all read.:confused:

 

Also, isn't there a blatant container labeled "TIPS" up by the driver on the shuttles? I thought I remember seeing one last time I was there in 2014...

 

 

[cmpells87]

That is too bad. When I was there April 2014 my family of 5 (3 "kids" were early-mid 20's) walked up to the beach and were handed chairs voluntarily by the staff. I honestly didn't think to tip and unless my Mom & Dad did and I didn't notice, I don't think we did and weren't treated any differently.

[TravelerThom]

You could tell this to the pushy vendors next time you are in Labadee...maybe it would do some good, but I doubt it.:rolleyes:

Every time I have been in Labadee the vendors were restricted to their sales areas. IME if you don't go to the vendor areas you will never encounter a vendor (other than the non-pushy Labradoodle vendors), pushy or otherwise. While do I feel that this is self inflicted...

 

GeoffH: thanks for digging that document up. Too bad that 2007 (at least that's what was said by someone else) is a lot more useful than the vague words put out now.

[marci22]

To summarize: I don't think anyone has a problem with giving a dollar or few as a tip to the chair guys, but it is not required, and they should perform their job in a nice way regardless.

 

Mean or rude chair guys have no excuse. And that applies to anyone in a tipped position. Sometimes no tip is part of the experience and they need to accept that. And I'm sure they are briefed that not all people tip.

[UCF_Knight]

Every time I have been in Labadee the vendors were restricted to their sales areas. IME if you don't go to the vendor areas you will never encounter a vendor (other than the non-pushy Labradoodle vendors), pushy or otherwise.

 

Last time I was there there (December 2014) there was a roaming vendor with an arm full of wood necklaces walking through one of the large picnic pavilions going table to table trying to get people to buy his stuff.

 

There was another vendor with a small folding table sitting about 1 foot away from the concrete slab of the pavilion with some sort of carved wood trinkets.

[Rala]

Every time I have been in Labadee the vendors were restricted to their sales areas. IME if you don't go to the vendor areas you will never encounter a vendor (other than the non-pushy Labradoodle vendors), pushy or otherwise. While do I feel that this is self inflicted...

 

GeoffH: thanks for digging that document up. Too bad that 2007 (at least that's what was said by someone else) is a lot more useful than the vague words put out now.

 

Yes, mostly they are restricted and it is not hard to avoid them. I just wish they weren't so pushy and impolite because some of their stuff is nice and I would like to have a look, but I will not subject myself to their persistent and extremely annoying sales tactics. Their loss.

Edited January 22, 2016 by Rala

[A&L_Ont]

Thanks for the chuckle. I have (now) read on the internet (right here on CruiseCritic) that I can buy lounge chairs at Labadee.:D I'll be checking this out if we manage to dock in two weeks. They'll go home with me as carry-on luggage; that'll be me cramming them in the overhead:p

 

Everything on the net is true after all.;) As for the chuckle, sometimes it's needed.

 

Just move quickly to get the best chair before others catch on. Think about it, when you go to the ship's pool deck you can take your own lounger, and never have to worry about the chair hogs again.:p