Tips question

[Je Souhaite]

I have cruised for many years and it's a signature quick tip in bars, room service etc, to give $2 bills. I've never been told they were hard to cash nor have they been hard for me to cash on any island. What they do is make you memorable. I have what I need when I come back. They remember me. It's fun to be remembered. How can making change for $2 be any different than for $1 that doesn't make sense. Do what you want. I will do likewise.

I don't give $2 bills at end of cruise. I give gratuities in person, in an envelope. I like the smiles and handshakes I get and I am frequently remembered on return cruises.

No one has ever complained. They were always happy and said so.

The only place I hear a lot of complaining is in these forums from so called experts. There are quite a few of them all wanting to tell you what to do.

I'm only telling you what I do. You will make your own choice and whatever you do, do it with a glad heart.

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Even on land they are hard to get rid of. This is why they are not popular. Some lunch lady in Texas called the cops on a student because she thought the kid was trying to pass counterfeit money.

[beerman2]

"Sometimes I wonder why people ask for advice on a public message board"

 

Exactly and when it's personal ( how much to tip etc.) makes it even more crazy. How one/me spends their /my money should be of no concern to anybody else.

 

Simple answer do what you the individual feels is right and live with it.

 

People have a tendency to overthink things.

[lizardhowson]

You can check your sign and sail card on your tv or at kiosks in main lobby. I generally wait until day before last day to remove auto gratuities.

They will do and not look at you strange. Many people like the old fashioned way of doing things. I've been doing it for years. Honestly I think the people who serve me enjoy it too. Each cruise is different. There have been some where I eat in the specialty dining, others off ship when in port and order room service. I rarely eat on Lido but if I do I leave a tip just as I am accustom to doing at home. No biggie.

What about all those who served you during the cruise that you never meet - you "cheated" them out of their rightful portion of the auto tips, quite sure they don't enjoy not receiving a share of the tips they depend on to send the money back to their families. Honestly, I question anyone's motives who cancels auto tips so they can "feel" important as they hand out a few dollars in person.

[Evillefamily]

Please call this what it is. They are not tips or gratuity. This is a service charge. You are being charged for a service before services are given.

 

OP. It is up to you how you want to pay this service charge. Don't be bullied by other people.

 

 

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Well said. I totally agree

 

 

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[tonit964]

its interesting that someone comes to a message board for advice'I'm now not sure what my best avenue is in this regard. Could someone clarify?'

 

People provide advice but overwhelmingly share the advice that the thought process the OP is thinking shouldn't be done that way but the OP basically chooses to not listen to any of that advice because they didn't want to hear that advice.

as an example - if I asked when I should give my 2 dollar bills to the staff (at the beginning or the end of the cruise) and everyone told me not to give out 2 dollar bills because its very hard to cash on the islands and its looked at suspiciously I would heed the overwhelming advice here even though I didnt specifically ask that question and I would be grateful for the advice.

The folks here have tons of experience and if the overwhelming majority are saying something... typically there is good reason to listen to it. If the OP is new to Carnival and asked about tipping and the majority are telling the OP that he/she should keep the auto tips in place.... it might not have been exactly what they asked but it still has merit and validity and there must be a reason everyone is saying it most of which is well documented and posted in this thread.

sometimes I wonder why people ask for advice on a public message board....

 

 

 

What gets me is when everyone on the boards disagrees with the poster and what they're wanting to do or not do, they are "being rude"!

[Sitzmark]

What gets me is when everyone on the boards disagrees with the poster and what they're wanting to do or not do, they are "being rude"!

 

 

Just because a mob has a lot of people in it, doesn't make them right.

[tonit964]

Just because a mob has a lot of people in it, doesn't make them right.

 

 

What I'm saying is when you disagree with someone's opinion or thought on something, it doesn't make you rude.

 

There is no mob,and it's not about who's right or wrong, the poster asked for peoples thought on what he/she posted and most disagree with removing tips and paying in cash. Then came back and said he/she was "done" with the thread.

[krehberg]

Well said. I totally agree

 

 

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I pretty much just consider it a service charge at this point. Though I remember, when I took my first cruise just over 10 years ago, the base fare price hasn't changed much, if at all. I recall, we paid approx 749pp for a 7A cabin on the Legend in 2006. Checking fares for the Miracle in Tampa for May 2008, and 749pp for a 7A is the price. Also, 23 years ago, when I audited NCL's books, the going rate was not much different....back in those days, they might not have auto tipped...but considering the fares haven't increased much in 25 years...treating this as an add on fee doesn't bother me one bit. For those that go over and above for me...I give them extra. One thing to note...since it applied back in 2006...is that back then, there was a fuel surcharge, which hasn't been in place since I believe 2008 or so. Needless to say, those that remove tips certainly do cause unintentional harm to some that share in the auto tips. If the conscience is clean for ya...then so be it.

[Larry6905]

Even on land they are hard to get rid of. This is why they are not popular. Some lunch lady in Texas called the cops on a student because she thought the kid was trying to pass counterfeit money.

 

 

Well I'm 74 and have been doing it for my whole adult life. My father did it. I have never personally encountered what you described.

 

We lived in Dallas, TX. I'm a retired professor.

[Larry6905]

What about all those who served you during the cruise that you never meet - you "cheated" them out of their rightful portion of the auto tips, quite sure they don't enjoy not receiving a share of the tips they depend on to send the money back to their families. Honestly, I question anyone's motives who cancels auto tips so they can "feel" important as they hand out a few dollars in person.

 

 

Really, seriously...to quote the comic on our last cruise. You can jump to conclusions all you want. I did not cheat anyone.

 

Ask yourself if your child or loved one worked as a server in the States would you want her employer to confiscate their hard earned tips and used to pay their salary?

 

No, I wouldn't like that. I tip my server at home the same way I do anywhere.

 

Sorry this bothers you.

 

Hope the original poster can come to an informed conclusion of his/her own.

 

Happy Cruising.

[Sitzmark]

What I'm saying is when you disagree with someone's opinion or thought on something, it doesn't make you rude.

 

There is no mob,and it's not about who's right or wrong, the poster asked for peoples thought on what he/she posted and most disagree with removing tips and paying in cash. Then came back and said he/she was "done" with the thread.

 

 

No, but maybe repeatedly questioning their motives and accusing them of underhanded intentions is rude. OP was accused of being "Stingy, OCD, Arrogant, Vain, Cheap, control freak, cheat. Someone suggested that 95% of people that remove tips do not tip at all. Someone posted "you are screwing the workers", another stated that the names of people removing auto tips would be published to the crew. Others then piled on with echoes of "I agree" and "shouldn't be done" here is your mob.

 

5 pages with over 80 posts and only a couple people actually answer the question. seems like a mob to me. Question was actually answered in post 3, probably could have stopped there.

[Larry6905]

Cruise line makes tipping compulsory - unless passengers fill in a form to opt out

Norwegian service charges add up to £90 per person to the cost of an eight-day trip

Norwegian Cruise Line could be in breach of trading standards rules on pricing. These specify: “Additional charges should be included in the up-front price if they are compulsory. A failure to include compulsory charges in the up-front price may breach the Regulations.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/cruises-tips-service-charge-compulsory-norwegian-cruise-line-royal-caribbean-a7581921.html

[mafig]

Cruise line makes tipping compulsory - unless passengers fill in a form to opt out

Norwegian service charges add up to £90 per person to the cost of an eight-day trip

Norwegian Cruise Line could be in breach of trading standards rules on pricing. These specify: “Additional charges should be included in the up-front price if they are compulsory. A failure to include compulsory charges in the up-front price may breach the Regulations.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/cruises-tips-service-charge-compulsory-norwegian-cruise-line-royal-caribbean-a7581921.html

 

 

I believe that law is in England, not the US.

[quickrate]

I know some restaurants do this, but is this a fact on a cruise ship? or just something someone mentioned once? So I tip the cabin steward $20 on day 1 to keep the ice bucket/cooler filled for my smuggled booze and to hustle about for every perceived "need" I may have during my stay, and he/she has to give it up to the proles running the vacuums on another deck?:rolleyes:

They only have to turn over cash you give them IF the auto grat has been removed. Extra given for great service is not subject to this rule. This is how it was explained to me

Pat

[Computer Nerd]

What about all those who served you during the cruise that you never meet - you "cheated" them out of their rightful portion of the auto tips, quite sure they don't enjoy not receiving a share of the tips they depend on to send the money back to their families. Honestly, I question anyone's motives who cancels auto tips so they can "feel" important as they hand out a few dollars in person.

 

 

And the reason he's never heard anyone complain is because the people he's handing money to aren't going to complain and he never talks to the people he's jipping.

[Larry6905]

I believe that law is in England, not the US.

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/cruises-tips-service-charge-compulsory-norwegian-cruise-line-royal-caribbean-a7581921.html

 

Scroll down and read comments. They blame the Yanks for their tipping culture. Some comments are insightful.

 

NCL is registered in Bahamas. Supposedly they are to disclose the service charge upfront not after purchase.

[Schoifmom]

Ask yourself if your child or loved one worked as a server in the States would you want her employer to confiscate their hard earned tips and used to pay their salary?

 

No, I wouldn't like that. I tip my server at home the same way I do anywhere.

 

 

In the US, the servers who work in full service restaurants receive a much lower wage than the typical worker (the federal minimum wage is $7.25/hour for non-tipped positions and $2.13/hour for tipped employees). You are paying their wages by tipping. That is the American culture.

 

The management is not allowed by law to obtain or retain any of those tips, either in a restaurant or on a cruise ship. However, those tips must be reported if they are cash. The employer is then required to withhold taxes from the paycheck for the total of wages and tips.

 

Additionally, the servers in US restaurants in many cases will be required to "tip out" supplemental services such as bussers, runners, host/hostesses, etc. Again, this reduced the amount of tips retained by the server.

 

I hope this helps you understand what happens to tips. Carnival just makes it a little easier on the consumer and the tipped employee by collecting a set amount and distributing it in a fair manner. JMHO.

[Sitzmark]

In the US, the servers who work in full service restaurants receive a much lower wage than the typical worker (the federal minimum wage is $7.25/hour for non-tipped positions and $2.13/hour for tipped employees). You are paying their wages by tipping. That is the American culture.

 

The management is not allowed by law to obtain or retain any of those tips, either in a restaurant or on a cruise ship. However, those tips must be reported if they are cash. The employer is then required to withhold taxes from the paycheck for the total of wages and tips.

 

Additionally, the servers in US restaurants in many cases will be required to "tip out" supplemental services such as bussers, runners, host/hostesses, etc. Again, this reduced the amount of tips retained by the server.

 

I hope this helps you understand what happens to tips. Carnival just makes it a little easier on the consumer and the tipped employee by collecting a set amount and distributing it in a fair manner. JMHO.

 

 

In the USA while there is a federal minimum wage, states enforce their own rules. In Ohio for instance it's a little over 4 dollars an hour for tipped positions. In California it's 10 dollars an hour but in Washington it's 11 bucks an hour.

 

https://www.dol.gov/whd/state/tipped.htm

[Schoifmom]

In the USA while there is a federal minimum wage, states enforce their own rules. In Ohio for instance it's a little over 4 dollars an hour for tipped positions. In California it's 10 dollars an hour but in Washington it's 11 bucks an hour.

 

https://www.dol.gov/whd/state/tipped.htm

 

 

That is true. Generally, though, in the US, tipped positions are paid at a lower rate than non-tipped (CA and WA are exceptions). I used the federal regulations as that is the baseline for all states (they can have higher minimums, but not lower).

[Larry6905]

In the US, the servers who work in full service restaurants receive a much lower wage than the typical worker (the federal minimum wage is $7.25/hour for non-tipped positions and $2.13/hour for tipped employees). You are paying their wages by tipping. That is the American culture.

 

The management is not allowed by law to obtain or retain any of those tips, either in a restaurant or on a cruise ship. However, those tips must be reported if they are cash. The employer is then required to withhold taxes from the paycheck for the total of wages and tips.

 

Additionally, the servers in US restaurants in many cases will be required to "tip out" supplemental services such as bussers, runners, host/hostesses, etc. Again, this reduced the amount of tips retained by the server.

 

I hope this helps you understand what happens to tips. Carnival just makes it a little easier on the consumer and the tipped employee by collecting a set amount and distributing it in a fair manner. JMHO.

 

 

I'd very much like to see this in print by Carnival, RCL, NCL? The answer I get when I ask that question is it's confidential.

 

There are many restaurants which pay under the table and do not pay unemployment tax even though they take it out.

 

I still like spending my hard earned money my way. If it's a gratuity - it's my choice. If it's a service charge they must say so up front.

 

I had many students from many nations who have worked in different service industries. Not all are fair. I have no control over that. I do over my wallet.

[Computer Nerd]

I'd very much like to see this in print by Carnival, RCL, NCL? The answer I get when I ask that question is it's confidential.

 

Do you go to Chili's, Applebees, TGIF, etc.....and expect to see their procedures for how their employees are paid? Do you boycott any business that does not show you, a customer, what their internal policies are?

 

 

If it's a gratuity - it's my choice. If it's a service charge they must say so up front.

 

 

On NCL, for several years now the it is called the DSC, Daily Service Charge and they let people know up front. Still doesn't stop people from calling it "it's really a tip" and then removing it "so they can pay people in cash". Didn't believe it the first 10,000 times I heard that statement, still don't. Some people are cheap and if they can get something for free instead of paying for it, they will.

Edited February 23, 2017 by Computer Nerd

[Larry6905]

Do you go to Chili's, Applebees, TGIF, etc.....and expect to see their procedures for how their employees are paid? Do you boycott any business that does not show you, a customer, what their internal policies are?

 

On NCL, for several years now the it is called the DSC, Daily Service Charge and they let people know up front. Still doesn't stop people from calling it "it's really a tip" and then removing it "so they can pay people in cash". Didn't believe it the first 10,000 times I heard that statement, still don't. Some people are cheap and if they can get something for free instead of paying for it, they will.

 

Fact of the matter, it's considered a gratuity for a reason.

 

NCL has run a snag in UK according to above article. A service charge must be disclosed as a mandatory cost before you purchase.

 

I leave a tip for good service. I also always check prior to ordering is the gratuity included.

 

This reminds me of giving everyone in a class the same grade or every child in a sport an award For participation.

 

You don't know what the people are doing when the remove the gratuity. It's their choice. They are not cheap.

[Schoifmom]

I'd very much like to see this in print by Carnival, RCL, NCL? The answer I get when I ask that question is it's confidential.

 

There are many restaurants which pay under the table and do not pay unemployment tax even though they take it out.

 

I still like spending my hard earned money my way. If it's a gratuity - it's my choice. If it's a service charge they must say so up front.

 

I had many students from many nations who have worked in different service industries. Not all are fair. I have no control over that. I do over my wallet.

 

 

Wow, Larry, obviously HR is not your specialty ;) Unemployment taxes are not withheld from employees, it is insurance that the employer is required to pay by law. The withholding from employees is for federal and state income taxes, Medicare, and Social Security. The employers are required by law to withhold those taxes and send them to the appropriate agencies. They are required to withhold them on all wages and tips. Any company that chooses to pay "under the table" is in violation of the law and does so at their own risk.

 

Yes, you can tip in cash. That is a very acceptable way to to do it. The employees who receive those cash tips are required to report them to their employers for tax purposes. For those in the service industry in the US (in most states ... see legal discussion above), there is also a requirement that employers must guarantee that their employees make at least the minimum hourly wage for that state in a combination of wages and tips. If the employee does not report enough tips to make up the difference between the minimum tipped wage and the minimum hourly wage, the employer may be required to pay the difference to the employee.

 

As far as the cruise lines are concerned, they are subject to the laws of country under which they are registered. Carnival ships are registered in Panama and the Bahamas; however, Carnival Corporation is a US company. I'm not certainly where their legal jurisdiction may fall regarding minimum wage laws. I do understand; however, that those who serve me so well on the ship very much earn the gratitude that I show when I pay my gratuities (however they are paid, although I choose to use the auto-gratuity process and tip over and above that).

[Computer Nerd]

You don't know what the people are doing when the remove the gratuity. It's their choice. They are not cheap.

 

 

You are entitled to your own opinions but not your own facts. As you stated in the first sentence, you also don't know what people are doing when they remove the gratuity so you have no idea if they are being cheap or not.

 

I've heard enough excuses to make the general statement that they are being cheap. The fact that someone would do so much extra work to pay people in cash and then argue (on other threads) that some of the people in the tip pool aren't actually doing anything for them takes me to that conclusion. You can come to whatever conclusion you wish but for me, when I see 100 people at Guest Services all removing their tips and for some of the absolutely weakest excuses ever, I will continue to believe that anyone who removes their tips is nothing but cheap.

 

But you are correct. Until the gratuities become mandatory (which I wish they would), it is anyone's choice to leave them on or not. Luckily, NCL has made it much more difficult to remove and hopefully other lines will follow suit.

[Larry6905]

So you sail a cruiseline that you don't trust? Do you really think that Carnival (or any other line) is going to commit fraud?

 

 

Yes here's why:

https://story.californiasunday.com/below-deck