Removing auto gratuities

[resistk]

It would be a bit more transparent if it was posted on the pursers front desk.

 

David.

 

It is not posted because it is not true. I have left auto tips in place and have removed them at times and it seems to have no effect on service which would seem to go against human nature to be vindictive if the hit list was posted as claimed. Nor do I believe any self respecting crew member hands in cash if they can otherwise get away with it. If I slip the steward some money who knows? You think someone actually has a job monitoring this? I barely see a housekeeping supervisor anymore on most cruises.

[Pushka]

How does one tip appropriately to people who provide service but you never see? Please keep auto tips on!

[GUT2407]

It is not posted because it is not true. I have left auto tips in place and have removed them at times and it seems to have no effect on service which would seem to go against human nature to be vindictive if the hit list was posted as claimed. Nor do I believe any self respecting crew member hands in cash if they can otherwise get away with it. If I slip the steward some money who knows? You think someone actually has a job monitoring this? I barely see a housekeeping supervisor anymore on most cruises.

 

I believe they hand it in, as doing so says "See they didn't remove tips because I was giving bad service"!

[pepperrn]

How does one tip appropriately to people who provide service but you never see? Please keep auto tips on!

Well said Pushka.

 

For as long as we have the current system, auto-tips should be left in place, and tip additionally if you so wish.

 

(Certainly don't take them off on some trips, and leave them on on others, just to see if you still get your pillow chocolate...)

 

Happy sailings Pushka :)

[Yoshikitty]

I believe they hand it in, as doing so says "See they didn't remove tips because I was giving bad service"!

 

Just as a s all example, room stewards get help on embarkation days in order to keep the staterooms clean on time. How to pay these aids by tipping directly?

 

We've been recently on RCI and where shocked to learn that our (female) Steward was carrying all luggage to their section staterooms which explained why our bags arrived jut before midnight.

 

Luggage helpers at Cunard will be closed out as well from their share by tipping directly.

Edited October 16, 2016 by Yoshikitty

[Alibobs]

Just as a s all example, room stewards get help on embarkation days in order to keep the staterooms clean on time. How to pay these aids by tipping directly?

 

We've been recently on RCI and where shocked to learn that our (female) Steward was carrying all luggage to their section staterooms which explained why our bags arrived jut before midnight.

 

Luggage helpers at Cunard will be closed out as well from their share by tipping directly.

 

 

 

We were told by one of our stewards that he passes on some of his tips to his 'helper' on embarkation day. Similarly waiters have told us they pass money on to the 'runners'.......whether this is true or not I don't know, my personal thoughts are like most things in life it probably depends on the individual......I like to believe it though

 

Regarding the auto tips and crew knowing who has removed them.........given the huge queues you see at the pursers desk on the last day I imagine that a lot of people don't remove them until they have received their final account. The last evening on board is not the time to start being indifferent to passengers because you miss out on the possibility of a cash tip if you do!

 

And regarding cash tips going into a pool .........I may be cynical but I don't buy this either. Who is going to know how much each individual crew member has been given? I think a waiter at a table for 8 could easily achieve around $500 across both sittings.....if there is a pool and it is monitored put $200 in and keep the rest........

[pepperrn]

Hi Alibobs

... Regarding the auto tips and crew knowing who has removed them.........given the huge queues you see at the pursers desk on the last day I imagine that a lot of people don't remove them until they have received their final account. ...

I could very easily be totally mistaken, but I thought passengers had to remove the auto-tip on the first day, not the last? (unless there was a serious service issue). My apologies if I am wrong.

And regarding cash tips going into a pool .........I may be cynical but I don't buy this either. Who is going to know how much each individual crew member has been given? I think a waiter at a table for 8 could easily achieve around $500 across both sittings.....if there is a pool and it is monitored put $200 in and keep the rest........

Of course I don't know for sure, however if it were my business, after many years experience, I'd have a good idea of the average amount of cash tips a table for eight would produce. Consistently report less and enquiries would be made... Also your fellow honest crew members are going to take a dim view of their so-called friends abusing the system. And finally, the threat of instant dismissal, as in most employment, would keep many a hand from the till, so to speak.

 

Happy sailings to you Alibobs :)

[ToadOfToadHall]

......given the huge queues you see at the pursers desk on the last day I imagine that a lot of people don't remove them until they have received their final account.

 

I think you have a very valid point there.

 

When people see their bill on the last day they balk at the size of the auto gratuity when it's all added up and there in black and white.

 

Using some real world figures. Our next cruise is 16 nights in Britannia class. It's £4200 for us both, which is £260/night. At $11.5/day each, that's about £20 for both of us per night. So that's 7.5% on top of the fare.

 

So that does not seem too bad. But on the last night I will be looking at another £360 on my bill. That's when it hits home to people how much it is and they then have them removed.

 

So I think that's why people get to the last night and then remove them.

 

For myself, on our first cruise I removed them on the last day and then tipped individually. But I've never done that again. So now I just leave them on and that's it. The individual tipping is all to much of a faff to me.

[Underwatr]

£20 * 16 is £320 rather than £360 but if you convert ($23 *16) to £ you'll see that it's a little over £300

Edited October 16, 2016 by Underwatr

[ToadOfToadHall]

£20 * 16 is £320 rather than £360 but if you convert ($23 *16) to £ you'll see that it's a little over £300

 

You are correct.

 

($23 * 16) / 1.22 = £301.

 

But either way, my point is that when people see 300 quid on their bill that's what makes them stop and think more about it.

 

Plus it depends how big the rest of your bill is as well. For people that do not drink, for example, they may well have a very small on-board account (more so now that excursions have to be paid for up front and are no longer added to your on-board about). So if you are Mr and Mrs Tea-Total and you see a few pounds for a couple of items and then 300 pound in tips it would make you more likely to go and remove them on the last day (well, I think so anyway).

[Pushka]

I'm a bit more cynical re the removal on the last night. People don't want to risk 'outcomes' by removing them earlier.

[ToadOfToadHall]

But surely the biggest issue with the gratuities in the UK/US cultural attitude to tipping in general.

 

In the UK, whilst people generally do tip in restaurants (10% is normal), that's about it. For example, no one tips at a bar.

 

But in the US, if you don't tip (and the last time I was there a couple of years ago I was being presented with checks with 22% added on), they chase you down the road with a meat cleaver.

[balf]

Hi Alibobs I could very easily be totally mistaken, but I thought passengers had to remove the auto-tip on the first day, not the last? (unless there was a serious service issue). My apologies if I am wrong.

Of course I don't know for sure, however if it were my business, after many years experience, I'd have a good idea of the average amount of cash tips a table for eight would produce. Consistently report less and enquiries would be made... Also your fellow honest crew members are going to take a dim view of their so-called friends abusing the system. And finally, the threat of instant dismissal, as in most employment, would keep many a hand from the till, so to speak.

 

Happy sailings to you Alibobs :)

 

I don't think "have to" comes in to it Pepperrn, they are your tips and discretionary and know of no reason why they can't be removed on the last evening. On the morning of departure you get the final account and the adjustment will be shown. Not that you need to be concerned about that.

 

As to crew members abusing the system, I don't believe there is a system. Everyone here has their own theory. I would rely on human nature.

 

David.

[Tangoqueen]

Has anyone here ever asked the Hotel Director on board for an explanation re tipping? There is a lot of guessing and rumours on most forums and although speaking to the cabin steward or waiter gives an idea of their personal situation it doesn't give the whole picture. We did ask at reception last year but if the weather is against us on our forthcoming Canaries cruise I may set aside half an hour of my day to ask an officer for an explanation. If I do I will share the answer on my return. My husband will probably think I've gone mad but I think he's already come to the conclusion.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Bell Boy]

An industry insider who is a member here, BruceMuzz, outlined that it works like this:

 

"All the major mass market cruise lines handle gratuities in just about the same way. There are some minor variations, but essentially it works like this: At the beginning of the cruise, the number of guests onboard is posted in crew areas.

During the cruise, the names and cabin numbers of any guests who refuse the auto-tip are posted - as well as the reasons given by the guests.

At the end of the cruise, the number of cabins who tipped, the amount they each tipped, and the total dollar amount in the tip pool is posted.

Any additional tips or funds received for the tip pool are also posted.

Finally, a list of the actual dollars from the tipping pool, received by each crewmember is posted.

The entire process is very transparent. The crew is very careful to ensure that all the numbers add up correctly..."

 

I think it's time for clarification and maybe a closure on this posting.

 

The above procedure certainly does not operate on any Cunard ship across the fleet. As this is the Cunard board, it is important that this misinformation is not continually repeated over and over again.

 

This procedure may operate on other Cruise Lines, however it is not the system used on Cunard Line.

 

How do I Know, and why am I posting this.

 

This weekend I am entertaining a former Cunard Hotel Manager ( a personal friend of mine who has recently retired) together with his wife.

 

Last evening I broached this subject, and I also showed him the above posting.

I can categorically assure anyone who travels onboard a Cunard ship that the above posting is not true. No customer facing crew member has privy to a guest's personal information.

 

I was given to understand, the only ships personnel who are privy to a guest's personal information (i.e. guest's removal of the gratuity system) are the Executive officers within the Hotel department, and the Crew Purser department. There are no open lists, posted up or around crew quarters.

 

I also broached the suggestion that cash in hand given to an individual crew member, either in lieu or in addition to the auto gratuity was to be surrendered. I was given to understand that this would be impossible to police.

 

The above was nothing new to me , I have know of this for some time, having had it confirmed to me by other Cunard personnel, however, I have refrained from posting clarification, for fear that it may lead to others in removing their auto gratuities.

 

Thank You for reading this, I shall not make any other comments, hopefully this will not lead to a lengthy thread.

 

Bell Boy :)

Edited October 16, 2016 by Bell Boy

[Host Hattie]

Thank you for the clarification Bell Boy.

[fantasy51]

Plus it depends how big the rest of your bill is as well. For people that do not drink, for example, they may well have a very small on-board account (more so now that excursions have to be paid for up front and are no longer added to your on-board about). So if you are Mr and Mrs Tea-Total and you see a few pounds for a couple of items and then 300 pound in tips it would make you more likely to go and remove them on the last day (well, I think so anyway).

 

That's interesting. I would have thought the opposite. There have been times when the gratuities were just about the only item on my account. I plan for that and I pay them. The time I travelled with a friend and we had a huge (well, seemed that way to me) joint bar bill, I wished my conscience would allow me to make it lighter by removing the gratuities. :D

[SALAD MUNCHER]

But surely the biggest issue with the gratuities in the UK/US cultural attitude to tipping in general.

 

In the UK, whilst people generally do tip in restaurants (10% is normal), that's about it. For example, no one tips at a bar.

.

 

Hey, what happened to " and one for yourself..." very common in UK methinks! :)

[Morgans]

Bellboy - thank you for the clarification. This also verifies what we have been told on several occasions.

[ToadOfToadHall]

Hey, what happened to " and one for yourself..." very common in UK methinks! :)

 

Exceptionally uncommon I'd say these days. Less so a few years ago but not now.

[balf]

Hey, what happened to " and one for yourself..." very common in UK methinks! :)

 

In my experience not common at all nowadays. Used to hear it a lot but not now. Times they are a changing.

 

David.

[balf]

I

 

 

 

 

I also broached the suggestion that cash in hand given to an individual crew member, either in lieu or in addition to the auto gratuity was to be surrendered. I was given to understand that this would be impossible to police.

 

 

 

Bell Boy :)

 

Is it possible for this to be posted as a sticky so we don't have to listen to all the same far fetched theories over and over again.

 

It really isn't rocket science.

 

David.

[Scottygirl1]

And then you have us from New Zealand. We only ever tip if we've had service over and above or if at a really "posh" establishment. New Zealanders in general never tip - it's not that we are mean, it's just not part of our culture. Our waiting and bar staff are paid an appropriate wage and do not depend on tips (unlike those in US).

 

I'm very happy to leave the auto tip and also give a tip for an individual if I think they deserve it but that is usually just at the end of a cruise. I remember we tipped our butler very well after our last cruise because he certainly went out of his way for us.

 

Could I ask... do others always give a small tip for room service? I was not intending to but don't want to appear tight.

[fantasy51]

Could I ask... do others always give a small tip for room service? I was not intending to but don't want to appear tight.

 

I spoke to Reception and asked them this question. They assured me that part of my auto gratuities go to room service already, so I do not need to give them a tip.

 

Diane

[Alibobs]

And then you have us from New Zealand. We only ever tip if we've had service over and above or if at a really "posh" establishment. New Zealanders in general never tip - it's not that we are mean, it's just not part of our culture. Our waiting and bar staff are paid an appropriate wage and do not depend on tips (unlike those in US).

 

I'm very happy to leave the auto tip and also give a tip for an individual if I think they deserve it but that is usually just at the end of a cruise. I remember we tipped our butler very well after our last cruise because he certainly went out of his way for us.

 

Could I ask... do others always give a small tip for room service? I was not intending to but don't want to appear tight.

 

 

 

We do tip room service, it's always gratefully received, it is our choice and have never felt under any pressure to do so