Beverage Package Tips - how are they calculated?

[Shadow9612]

Lots of threads recently on tipping, which got me thinking...

 

Without having a beverage package, there is an 18% gratuity automatically added to every bar bill. Does this go into a 'pot' shared by all food and beverage servers across the whole ship for that sailing?

 

For people who buy beverage packages, or have them as a perk due to booking, how is an actual tip value calculated for the staff - is it simply a percentage of the package cost allocated to 'tips' ?

 

I have seen the staff being quite enthusiastic about selling or upgrading drink packages to guests in the first few days so wondered how this is 'beneficial to them' (vs the 18% per item)...

[ReneeFLL]

In the beverage package the tips are included. I'm not sure about the tips when buying individual drinks since hubby usually gets them.

[jelayne]

A package as a perk includes the 18% if you don't have a package & purchase a drink the 18% is added before you get the charge slip to sign.

 

It is my understanding that tips are pooled. I believe that a crew member who sells a beverage package or upgrade to a package at some point receives some benefit be that more free internet minutes, time off or $.

[Shadow9612]

In the beverage package the tips are included.

 

A package as a perk includes the 18% if you don't have a package & purchase a drink the 18% is added before you get the charge slip to sign.

 

It is my understanding that tips are pooled.

 

Thank you - so I understand that tips are included in packages and I'm not charged again.... but if a package is included as a perk, does this mean that 18% of Celebrity's cost for the perk is given from Celebrity to the 'tip pool', and that's what the servers receive independent of whether I get 1 drink a day or 20 drinks a day....?

[Guindalf]

Why should it concern you how the tips are divided? Do you inquire whether the waiter gets the tip you leave in your local Denny's or Olive Garden?

 

It's none of your business who gets what! As long as they are happy to serve you, then they are being treated properly, and that's all anyone should be concerned about. If you want to add a couple dollars cash to every drink you buy or reward a 'special' bartender or server during or at the end of the cruise, then by all means do so, just remember that it may go in a pool or it may go directly to that person.

 

I'm also sure that if you ask, the server will tell you the best way to tip if it makes a difference personally.

[jagoffee]

Thank you - so I understand that tips are included in packages and I'm not charged again.... but if a package is included as a perk, does this mean that 18% of Celebrity's cost for the perk is given from Celebrity to the 'tip pool', and that's what the servers receive independent of whether I get 1 drink a day or 20 drinks a day....?

 

Yes. It would be very logical to assume that that is correct. It certainly is most cruiser’s understanding.

[ORV]

Why should it concern you how the tips are divided? Do you inquire whether the waiter gets the tip you leave in your local Denny's or Olive Garden?

 

It's none of your business who gets what! As long as they are happy to serve you, then they are being treated properly, and that's all anyone should be concerned about. If you want to add a couple dollars cash to every drink you buy or reward a 'special' bartender or server during or at the end of the cruise, then by all means do so, just remember that it may go in a pool or it may go directly to that person.

 

I'm also sure that if you ask, the server will tell you the best way to tip if it makes a difference personally.

 

This!

 

It's between the employee and employer, if the employee is happy with the arrangement then I'm not concerned about it. Of course apparently some people are, and that's their prerogative.

[Wiltonian]

Why should it concern you how the tips are divided? Do you inquire whether the waiter gets the tip you leave in your local Denny's or Olive Garden?

 

.

 

Well, I did last week in my local chain restaurant, to check that the company didn't cream off any of the gratuities added to the credit card payment. This was commonplace in manyy chains until recently.

 

Answer was that the server kept all of any cash tip, and that the whole of any tip put on a CC was shared among the staff. I went for the latter option, so that pot-washers got something as well.

 

Why should we not be interested?

 

Stuart

Edited September 25, 2017 by Wiltonian
typo

[CHEZMARYLOU]

I guess I'm not alone in wondering why cruisers want to know how tips are distributed by the cruise line. As OVR said, if the staff is happy with the arrangement that's the important thing.

[cb at sea]

Most restaurants require that the waitstaff give something to the bus people, and bartenders, and even to the host/hostess....it's the same on the ship. Just tip the requested amount, and don't worry about it!

[fshagan]

Most restaurants require that the waitstaff give something to the bus people, and bartenders, and even to the host/hostess....it's the same on the ship. Just tip the requested amount, and don't worry about it!

 

It varies a lot by state in the US, and by country outside the US. US law has specific requirements about what is a tip, service charge, or mandatory service charge, and whether or not it can be split by management. States have different laws. The UK has different laws as well. But I think you are right. None of that applies to the custom on ships. What we know based on our own experiences doesn't really apply.

 

I've learned that pay is governed by the maritime union agreement for the ITF seafarers and the specific agreement between the crew member and the Master (captain) of the ship. You can search for "Celebrity" at this site and see that Celebrity's ships are covered by the union agreements.