Question about additional tipping

[MTNestr]

The way it works is: All tips are handed in to supervisors. If the tip giver is identified as leaving the full auto-tip on, the additional tip is returned to the staffer. If the giver isn’t identified or has removed or reduced the auto-tip, then anything given directly to the staffer goes into the tipping pool. This is why it’s always better to give any tip in an envelope with your name and cabin number on it. If you think you’re doing them a favor by slipping them cash, think again. If they can’t identify you, it’ll go into the pool.

 

I agree with Pam with one small difference. My waiter once told me that my extra tips went into a pool for everyone working at her station. She said they work as a team and share tips as a team. I did notice during our cruise that other waiters at her station would help if they were free at the time.

 

The staff really appreciates good reviews at the end of the cruise which we always truthfully do.

[moki'smommy]

I was aware that servers at some restaurants tip out the bus people but never knew the restaurant kept any of the tips, that is unfortunate.

 

 

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There have been at least a couple of law suits against restaurants for keeping a portion of the tips, both in the US and in London.

 

And you are correct that some other cruise lines are much more transparent about where the auto-grats go than Princess chooses to be.

[Happy2cruise]

This has been beaten to death and there is only ONE truthful answer WE DON"T KNOW and Princess chooses not to divulge this information where your tips go. At least at home when I leave the usual 15 - 20% in a restaurant I know the server gets it.

Not necessarily true. We were told by a server at a local restaurant and also a local chain restaurant server that if the tip is put on a credit card, it is is split with the bar server (even if you don't order a drink). If tip is in cash, the server keeps the entire tip.

Edited July 7, 2018 by Happy2cruise

[BarbaraP]

This has been beaten to death and there is only ONE truthful answer WE DON"T KNOW and Princess chooses not to divulge this information where your tips go. At least at home when I leave the usual 15 - 20% in a restaurant I know the server gets it.

 

That's not true either. Restaurants have different rules, some require the server to share his/her tips with the hostess or bar tender.

[MTNestr]

Do the tips work the same in the speciality restaurants? Is a % added to the bill? Do pax also leave cash?

 

We always eat in the MDR at assigned times but may try a speciality restaurant sometime.

[majortom10]

Easy and dont know why there is any argument as it clearly states on what happens to auto gratuities on Princesses website - This gratuity will be shared amongst those staff who have helped provide and support your cruise experience, including all waitstaff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards, and housekeeping staff across the fleet.

If I am eating in a speciality restaurant the gratuity I have paid for in MDR which I am not using is enough for those in speciality restaurant as they will get a share of auto gratuity. I have never ever had the need to tip extra on top of autogratuity in cash.

[Toofarfromthesea]

This has been beaten to death and there is only ONE truthful answer WE DON"T KNOW and Princess chooses not to divulge this information where your tips go. At least at home when I leave the usual 15 - 20% in a restaurant I know the server gets it.

 

No, you don't. Many (most?) restaurants pool tips. But I guess that doesn't fit the narrative.

[Toofarfromthesea]

It is difficult to picture all crew members handing in extra tip money to be pooled with their fellow workers. We rarely wait until the last night to hand out extras to those with whom we have enjoyed their extra efforts! We give it very quietly so no one else is around to see in case they feel slighted. I cannot imagine that this tip money is shared. Who would know they have it??

 

Yeah, it's not as if they have cameras everywhere and other crew looking on to see if a colleague is effectively stealing from them.

 

Or here is a thought, maybe they are just honest and do the right thing.

[floridalover5623]

If I am eating in a speciality restaurant the gratuity I have paid for in MDR which I am not using is enough for those in speciality restaurant as they will get a share of auto gratuity. I have never ever had the need to tip extra on top of autogratuity in cash.

Many people forget about that point and tip even more based upon what they perceive the meal to be worth.

 

Last time were were in a Specialty restaurant they even had a place on the tab for you to add your "additional" tip.

We thought the service was OK but nothing extraordinary which would warrant much extra.

[misterkevin]

[...]For Princess I am relying on a friend at Corporate who tells me the tips are pooled fleetwide. That formula is not proportionate to what we leave via the auto tips because the tip pool pays for employee incentive programs and employee of the month and employee parties and celebrations. I'm told RCL keeps a 10% administration fee for collecting and administering the gratuity and suspect Princess does similar, it does cost them labor to do all the book keeping and accounting.

[...]

If Princess wants to clear this up I'd be all ears.

 

If the cruise line keeps some of the auto tips or pooled tips as an administration fee or to administer incentive programs or employee parties, I'm shocked and disheartened. That makes me very upset because the cruise lines are raking in every extra possible dollar they can at the ultimate expense of their meagerly paid employees.

 

I hope this isn't true.

[riffatsea]

I don't see how keeping money you have earned by doing extra wonderful service to folks is "stealing" from your fellow crew members!

That is really a new definition of stealing!

[shepp]

Easy and dont know why there is any argument as it clearly states on what happens to auto gratuities on Princesses website - This gratuity will be shared amongst those staff who have helped provide and support your cruise experience, including all waitstaff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards, and housekeeping staff across the fleet.

If I am eating in a speciality restaurant the gratuity I have paid for in MDR which I am not using is enough for those in speciality restaurant as they will get a share of auto gratuity. I have never ever had the need to tip extra on top of autogratuity in cash.

 

While I find the "across the fleet" thing troubling, I don't think that slipping an extra twenty or thirty bucks to a waiter who's served me well over the course of a couple of weeks is at all onerous. I've tipped that much for one slightly fancy meal in San Francisco.

 

I have no control over Princess' policies, but I can control showing my appreciation with a little bit of cash.

[majortom10]

While I find the "across the fleet" thing troubling, I don't think that slipping an extra twenty or thirty bucks to a waiter who's served me well over the course of a couple of weeks is at all onerous. I've tipped that much for one slightly fancy meal in San Francisco.

 

I have no control over Princess' policies, but I can control showing my appreciation with a little bit of cash.

 

Never been or likely to be in the position of giving a waiter a £15-£25 as a tip on top of the price of the bill doesnt matter how good the service is.

[Jimbo59]

Some cruise lines (I recall Holland America for one) identify the tips as Hotel Service Charge.”

 

In restaurants in the USA, when you add the tip to the credit card, you have no idea how much the server actually receives. Probably the credit card fee (2-3%) is deducted from what the server gets. Maybe more?

[misterkevin]

I don't see how keeping money you have earned by doing extra wonderful service to folks is "stealing" from your fellow crew members!

That is really a new definition of stealing!

I don't mean to start a flame war, but I give my tips to the staff, not the corporation. The corporation makes enough money to reward their employees with recognition parties without skimming from the largesse of their customers intended to reward the workers.