Gratuities

[Colo Cruiser]

When I go to a hotel and a valet hails a taxi for me, and takes my bag 2 feet to the trunk of my Uber/taxi, I tip him. When a bellman wheels my family's luggage on a cart, up the elevator and to my hotel room, physically carrying the bags no more than 3 feet, I tip him. When I get back from a trip and take a shuttle back to long term parking and the driver moves my bag 4 feet from the van to the sidewalk, I tip him/her. I don't calculate the distance traveled, and I never think to ask them what their annual salary is. Are we only supposed to tip people on public assistance (and Sherpas)?

 

 

Not to mention a lack of a longshoreman tip could lead to a bag in the drink.

Have seen it happen a few times. Some are willing to take that chance. :rolleyes:

[Pierlesscruisers]

Not to mention a lack of a longshoreman tip could lead to a bag in the drink.

Have seen it happen a few times. Some are willing to take that chance. :rolleyes:

 

You, personally, have seen bags thrown into the water due to the person not receiving a tip? And did you report that incident to anybody?

 

Tom

[Colo Cruiser]

You, personally, have seen bags thrown into the water due to the person not receiving a tip? And did you report that incident to anybody?

 

Tom

 

Every time why?

You say it can't happen?

[RDC1]

Not to mention a lack of a longshoreman tip could lead to a bag in the drink.

Have seen it happen a few times. Some are willing to take that chance. :rolleyes:

 

And where have you seen a longshoreman dump an individual bag into the drink.

 

I have seen errors in loading where bags have fallen out of a container while crossing over onto the ship (fork lift driver was not one of the people receiving bags, also no way for them to determine exactly whose bags had fallen off. Also saw an entire container go into the water (doubt that the container was only the bags of non-tippers).

[Pierlesscruisers]

Every time why?

You say it can't happen?

 

Did you see me say that it couldn't happen? No. So please don't put words in my mouth. What I did was ask if the person who made that statement did anything about it in any manner? If I saw you or someone else commit a crime or do damage to someone's belongings, I would at least attempt to report what I saw to someone in authority, just as I would expect them to report someone they saw do damage to or steal something of mine. That's part of being a responsible person. If somebody at a pier took a bag of yours and threw it into the water wouldn't you want them to report that to someone?

 

Tom

[HaveDogWillTravel]

This is my first cruise. My hubby and I are taking a 7 days cruise on Princess. We've already paid the automatic tip amount and I'm fine with that. I was planning on leaving an additional tip for the room steward in particular; what is considered appropriate in generalities?

 

Thanks much,

 

Janis

I remember trying to figure this out before my first cruise 2 and a half years ago. There is no generally agreed upon answer to this question. I have tipped my steward, extra and above the auto grats that I always keep on, from $0 to $150 on 7 to 15 day cruises. The extra tip is not based on number of days nor upon any sob stories told. The extra tip is based upon how much above and beyond your job description did you go? $0 is reserved for those that perform their duties mostly as prescribed. If they do not do anything extra and they sometimes inconvenience me or forget something....no lotion, no tissues, no wash cloth or whatever, I still do not remove auto grats.

 

I only give extra money if extra care and service is given, and then only at the end of the cruise.

If you default to always leaving auto grats on you are fine. Don’t over think or worry too much about it.

[Colo Cruiser]

dup

Edited August 8, 2018 by Colo Cruiser

[Griller]

Not to mention a lack of a longshoreman tip could lead to a bag in the drink.

Have seen it happen a few times. Some are willing to take that chance. :rolleyes:

 

We haven't had that happen but twice at Fll when we had no cash to tip with the bags made it onto the ship but the cabin number tags were missing so they didn't get to our cabin. We just went to passenger services later on and got them from a heap of similar.

 

On one of those occasions a bag had been given rough treatment and things were broken inside.

 

Now we try to take our bags on with us through security if possible. Unless they are huge bags they will go through the scanner OK.

Avoids the extortion and risk of damage or loss

[Aulanis]

Every time I see one of these threads I read through it always hoping that someone will come up with something different. So Far No! or maybe just the salary for the luggage guy!

 

I now have a couple of points that might liven it up a bit. :evilsmile:

Before I start I would mention that my stance is that service charge or gratuities should be added to the fare advertised and a system put in place for compensation/refund should the service be terrible.

 

It could still say somewhere what the amount was as I believe they do with Tax and Port fees.

 

In my mind that would remove the problem from the passengers and those who wish to pay more for additional service/bribes can feel free to do it. Though perhaps bear in mind that if in doing so you are reducing the service to others, that could result in the staff being penalised, if those receiving the worse service "it took me 30 minutes to get a drink, when other tables were served immediately" report the staff you are rewarding/bribing?

 

Another point might be how come you tip loving Americans book a cruise and then if a promotion comes along with included gratuities many seem to say great! 15 day cruise we saved $450 by switching. :confused:

Do you really think the cruise line is going to put that $450 into the pot on your behalf? or perhaps you think, well I was expecting to have to pay that so I will take an extra $450 in cash and distribute it to make sure the staff get it and will still give the barmen extra$

Note the ability to switch is not an option in the uk where almost all deposits are not refundable.

 

Now to really get you thinking, and this is back to the normal ( well not quite normal) rhetoric supposition and gossip. It has been rumored that a Cruise Director ( and from some of the things I have heard Cruise Directors say it could be a joke that went wrong and taken as fact)

 

"We are sorry for the queue to reboard the ship but the gangway was very steep because we didnt know it was going to be high tide!!"

In that particular case it was a Fact that sounded like a joke.

 

The reason cruise prices are generally higher in The UK and Australia is because Brits and Ossies dont like to pay gratuities so they are added to the cruise price up front so when they take them off it doesnt matter.

 

I suppose it could be right - part of an International Business Plan

What do you think? If it is true, does it mean I have been paying them twice!!

Donning the asbestos suit now.;p

[floridalover5623]

Hilarious and ridiculous.....from the lines at the Passenger Services Desk on the last night of a voyage it looks like many people wait until the last minute to take off their auto-gratuities so I am sure most cabin stewards and staff have no idea who does what when!!.....:rolleyes:

So you know the reasons all the people who are standing on line are there for? It couldn't be to get change to pass out for additional tips, could it?

Of course not all passengers wait until the last moment to remove their gratuities but the crew do know which ones they are.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1180762/Outrage-cruise-passengers-dont-tip-revealed-staff.html

 

 

 

The ratings they receive, which determine their allocation from the pool, is worth far more than payback to any customer who opted out of auto gratuities.

The drink servers always rotate their positions every so often, as do the cabin stewards. Cabin stewards as get extra time off based on how many good comment cards handed it during their trips.

ie. 1/2 day off for so many cards.

[1emerald1]

Hilarious and ridiculous.....from the lines at the Passenger Services Desk on the last night of a voyage it looks like many people wait until the last minute to take off their auto-gratuities so I am sure most cabin stewards and staff have no idea who does what when!!.....:rolleyes:

I've always assumed that the lines on the last night are passengers who just looked at their folio and are questioning charges. And those who were called to the front desk because their card on file won't cover the charges.

[RDC1]

Every time I see one of these threads I read through it always hoping that someone will come up with something different. So Far No! or maybe just the salary for the luggage guy!

 

I now have a couple of points that might liven it up a bit. :evilsmile:

Before I start I would mention that my stance is that service charge or gratuities should be added to the fare advertised and a system put in place for compensation/refund should the service be terrible.

 

It could still say somewhere what the amount was as I believe they do with Tax and Port fees.

 

In my mind that would remove the problem from the passengers and those who wish to pay more for additional service/bribes can feel free to do it. Though perhaps bear in mind that if in doing so you are reducing the service to others, that could result in the staff being penalised, if those receiving the worse service "it took me 30 minutes to get a drink, when other tables were served immediately" report the staff you are rewarding/bribing?

 

Another point might be how come you tip loving Americans book a cruise and then if a promotion comes along with included gratuities many seem to say great! 15 day cruise we saved $450 by switching. :confused:

Do you really think the cruise line is going to put that $450 into the pot on your behalf? or perhaps you think, well I was expecting to have to pay that so I will take an extra $450 in cash and distribute it to make sure the staff get it and will still give the barmen extra$

Note the ability to switch is not an option in the uk where almost all deposits are not refundable.

 

Now to really get you thinking, and this is back to the normal ( well not quite normal) rhetoric supposition and gossip. It has been rumored that a Cruise Director ( and from some of the things I have heard Cruise Directors say it could be a joke that went wrong and taken as fact)

 

"We are sorry for the queue to reboard the ship but the gangway was very steep because we didnt know it was going to be high tide!!"

In that particular case it was a Fact that sounded like a joke.

 

The reason cruise prices are generally higher in The UK and Australia is because Brits and Ossies dont like to pay gratuities so they are added to the cruise price up front so when they take them off it doesnt matter.

 

I suppose it could be right - part of an International Business Plan

What do you think? If it is true, does it mean I have been paying them twice!!

Donning the asbestos suit now.;p

 

The Princess cruises from Australia that have tips included are ships that are operated under the Australian subsidiary. By doing so it escapes the US financial regulations concerning how tips are treated under financial reporting laws, which the major companies CCL, RCL ,NCLH follow because they are listed on the US stock markets and therefore have to follow SEC financial reporting requirements. Part of the requirements for tip tax treatment includes that all of the money must be distributed to the employees, and the customer must have the ability to remove or modify the tip amount.

 

The UK is also impacted by the terms of the CCL purchase of P&O (who owned Princess at the time) requiring that the P&O UK corporate structure remained intact in the UK, even though Princess itself transitioned to the US corporate structure.

 

 

As well as the issue with competition. You will not see one line do it, unless their competitors do it as well. As long as their primary market is US you probably will not see a change.

 

Yes, when a cruise line includes gratuities they do put that money into the tip pool. While you may take the money out and distribute it yourself there are people behind the scenes that help make for the experience that you never see, the people in the laundry, public area cleaners, kitchen workers, etc. They also benefit from the tip pool. In addition the tip pool balances out differences in various routes to make sure crew members do suffer an impact when they are assigned to routes that tend to have more people from countries that tend to remove tips.

[moki'smommy]

A dining room server told us that good comments get him "the best" assignments (whatever that means), and some extra time off on port days. He seemed to feel that was very important!

[1emerald1]

A dining room server told us that good comments get him "the best" assignments (whatever that means)' date=' and some extra time off on port days. He seemed to feel that was very important![/quote']I was told the same thing by my last waiter.

[Toofarfromthesea]

This is my first cruise. My hubby and I are taking a 7 days cruise on Princess. We've already paid the automatic tip amount and I'm fine with that. I was planning on leaving an additional tip for the room steward in particular; what is considered appropriate in generalities?

 

Thanks much,

 

Janis

 

There is no one answer to this. Personally, once I have paid the auto-grats, which I always do, I don't do any 'routine' tipping. I would never decide ahead of time that I was going to give my room steward anything extra because I don't know how the service will be. And if I don't ask for anything special I wouldn't give any additional. And filling my ice bucket each evening isn't something special. Just as simply taking my order and bringing me my food isn't something special in the MDR. OTOH, other people have different standards as to what constitutes special, or above and beyond.

 

On my last cruise the people who got extra tips were the performer at the piano bar and a few of the staff at the piano bar bar.

[RDC1]

We haven't had that happen but twice at Fll when we had no cash to tip with the bags made it onto the ship but the cabin number tags were missing so they didn't get to our cabin. We just went to passenger services later on and got them from a heap of similar.

 

On one of those occasions a bag had been given rough treatment and things were broken inside.

 

Now we try to take our bags on with us through security if possible. Unless they are huge bags they will go through the scanner OK.

Avoids the extortion and risk of damage or loss

 

I always watch my bags until they are placed on the cart. Never had a bag damaged or a tag removed. Then again I always put 2 tags (inside plastic tag holders) on each bag.

[PrincessLuver]

Of course not all passengers wait until the last moment to remove their gratuities but the crew do know which ones they are.

 

Still do not believe they do.....more CC myths....and have been told that by Passenger Service personnel too....we tend to do 30 day cruises so you get to know the staff....I am sure it makes no difference to the passengers who do it anyway.....we have been on many cruises with Australians, New Zealanders, and other nationalities where it is not the custom to tip and you will definitely see long lines removing auto tips (wages)......:cool:

[floridalover5623]

Still do not believe they do.....more CC myths....and have been told that by Passenger Service personnel too....we tend to do 30 day cruises so you get to know the staff....I am sure it makes no difference to the passengers who do it anyway.....we have been on many cruises with Australians, New Zealanders, and other nationalities where it is not the custom to tip and you will definitely see long lines removing auto tips (wages)......:cool:

On your next cruise you should ask one of the crew and you'll get your answer.

[mickrory]

The fall of the British £ thru ongoing Brexit fiasco is sure to impact on the size of the tip at the end of the cruise.

With tourist rates down to $1.20 paying $27USD tips a day on American cruise ships isn't going to happen.

On P&O tips are £7 pppd which equates to $8.40USD on current rates.

 

Sent from my CUBOT MAGIC using Forums mobile app

[Josy1953]

The fall of the British £ thru ongoing Brexit fiasco is sure to impact on the size of the tip at the end of the cruise.

With tourist rates down to $1.20 paying $27USD tips a day on American cruise ships isn't going to happen.

On P&O tips are £7 pppd which equates to $8.40USD on current rates.

 

Sent from my CUBOT MAGIC using Forums mobile app

Regardless of exchange rates we know when we book that Princess tips are $13.50 pppd and that we will be paying $$ on board so why remove / reduce it.

If the exchange rate moved in the opposite direction would you up your tips ?

If we were having a US land based holiday we could not reduce the cost of anything in USA simply because the exchange rate was less favourable.

[mickrory]

Regardless of exchange rates we know when we book that Princess tips are $13.50 pppd and that we will be paying $$ on board so why remove / reduce it.

If the exchange rate moved in the opposite direction would you up your tips ?

If we were having a US land based holiday we could not reduce the cost of anything in USA simply because the exchange rate was less favourable.

 

 

What I'm saying is the price of tips for UK cruisers has gone exponentially north as the UK £ continues to crumble against the USD and other currencies.

When we first cruised Princess 14 years ago from memory we paid $11.50 pppd autograts. Rates then were around the $1.94 = £1 UK pound so a 14 night cruise cost us around £160 in tips which we were happy to pay.

As our useless apology for a Government gropes around in the dark the £ has dropped to $1.26 and will go down further on a "no deal" Brexit so for the same 14 night cruise, although the tips rate has increased by a couple of dollars a night our overall tip bill due to the falling pound has almost doubled.

We certainly won't be paying over £300 tips for a 14 night cruise, what others choose to do is up to them.

[Toofarfromthesea]

Still do not believe they do.....more CC myths....and have been told that by Passenger Service personnel too....we tend to do 30 day cruises so you get to know the staff....I am sure it makes no difference to the passengers who do it anyway.....we have been on many cruises with Australians, New Zealanders, and other nationalities where it is not the custom to tip and you will definitely see long lines removing auto tips (wages)......:cool:

 

I doubt that the demo that takes 30 day cruises provides a representative sampling of the line-wide pax demo.

[PrincessLuver]

I doubt that the demo that takes 30 day cruises provides a representative sampling of the line-wide pax demo.

 

And what would that be? :confused:

[SmedonSeas]

That's funny ... I just posted on another thread about having recently finished reading Cruise Confidential. He does not even touch on tips, amounts, how their pooled or dispersed. Only that they (the workers) are motivated by money, they endure because of the money.

I guess we ALL endure for the $ so we can go on lovely cruises and retire. :evilsmile:

[SmedonSeas]

What I'm saying is the price of tips for UK cruisers has gone exponentially north as the UK £ continues to crumble against the USD and other currencies.

When we first cruised Princess 14 years ago from memory we paid $11.50 pppd autograts. Rates then were around the $1.94 = £1 UK pound so a 14 night cruise cost us around £160 in tips which we were happy to pay.

As our useless apology for a Government gropes around in the dark the £ has dropped to $1.26 and will go down further on a "no deal" Brexit so for the same 14 night cruise, although the tips rate has increased by a couple of dollars a night our overall tip bill due to the falling pound has almost doubled.

We certainly won't be paying over £300 tips for a 14 night cruise, what others choose to do is up to them.

Man, I remember when we went to England in late 80s....it was almost $3 to 1 pound! Amazing how times change