Gratuities

[duquephart]

On 2/3/2019 at 7:56 AM, Not a Georgia Peach said:

There is no guarantee of great service, even on Viking.  We had very poor service on a Viking river this past year.  Prepaying gratuities is a unusual concept.  I would never prepay my tip in a restaurant before I had been served.

Prepay gratuity? Doesn't that make them service fees?

[Not a Georgia Peach]

I hadn't thought of that description, but service fee is a much more accurate description.  It amazes me how many people do the prepaid because it is "easier".  We just got off the Viking Sky where we certainly would not pay the suggested gratuity amount.  Our cabin steward was terrific and he got extra.

 

[janetcbl]

11 minutes ago, Not a Georgia Peach said:

I hadn't thought of that description, but service fee is a much more accurate description.  It amazes me how many people do the prepaid because it is "easier".  We just got off the Viking Sky where we certainly would not pay the suggested gratuity amount.  Our cabin steward was terrific and he got extra.

 

I once agreed with you until someone pointed out...”but what about the people you don’t see...the cooks, the laundry crew, the people in the engine room, etc. By prepaying the amount, all are included...”, and  you can still leave a bit extra for your cabin steward if you wish.

 

 

[Jim Avery]

As this subject has re surfaced, I would like to share what I learned on our recent long voyage on the Sun.  Like most of us, we get close to many of the crew.  A great hard working group if there ever was one.  One evening this topic came up.  I asked how they got paid the gratuities.  I was not happy to hear that they don't get paid at the end of the cruise or any other time.  Crew says they are told "it is part of your salary".  So no bonus checks, no distribution of gratuities collected for a cruise.  So the "gratuities" we are charged or which are included in our fare as an inducement would more accurately be called a service charge.  Viking can set the rules as they see fit but somehow this leaves me feeling a bit cheated.  Maybe cheated is too harsh a word maybe misled.

[_alan_]

16 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

As this subject has re surfaced, I would like to share what I learned on our recent long voyage on the Sun.  Like most of us, we get close to many of the crew.  A great hard working group if there ever was one.  One evening this topic came up.  I asked how they got paid the gratuities.  I was not happy to hear that they don't get paid at the end of the cruise or any other time.  Crew says they are told "it is part of your salary".  So no bonus checks, no distribution of gratuities collected for a cruise.  So the "gratuities" we are charged or which are included in our fare as an inducement would more accurately be called a service charge.  Viking can set the rules as they see fit but somehow this leaves me feeling a bit cheated.  Maybe cheated is too harsh a word maybe misled.

If this is true, this is hugely disappointing. I feel that Viking should address this on this forum ASAP. 

[deec]

If this is indeed true (and I do trust Jim)  We will no longer pay auto gratuities ...we will give it to room stewards and in restaurants if we frequently sit at one station.  I liked concept of auto gratuities and not running around with envelopes at the end of a cruise BUT I truly thought staff was receiving our money not Viking.  Jim what about bar staff and the $$auto add? 

 

I think Viking does good job with the staff...they seem happy and I know living quarters are better than on some other lines,  they have free internet and I love that some of them get braces through Viking.  BUT I thought we were supplementing their wages.

 

Do you suppose this is for both Ocean and River? 

[Jim Avery]

Hi Dee,

I have no idea about river but I was told this independently by several crew.  After hearing it the first time I wanted to know if it was true.  Unless several crew, independently, came up with the same story I have to believe them.  Even with the auto "gratuity" included we tipped those we felt really went out of their way for us.  And yes, this leaves the "unseen" crew left out but what to do about that?

[aungrl]

1 hour ago, flashfearless said:

If this is true, this is hugely disappointing. I feel that Viking should address this on this forum ASAP. 

Agree 100%.  I’m glad to know the ‘facts on the ground’, and would appreciate hearing the Viking perspective.  

[Peregrina651]

Time to end the confusion. Time for Viking to go 'gratuities included' in all markets.  

[Not a Georgia Peach]

I agree - gratuities included would be the solution. 

[lackcreativity]

I was disappointed to learn this, even though I accept the notion that Viking collects the gratuities and they get passed on as a part of the crew's salaries. In some way, I felt good about paying the gratuities as a separate charge in recognition of the fine work done by all the Viking staff members. If that indeed was just an illusion, then I really would prefer to have them included in the cruise fare. 

 

On the other hand, at least the few people who crop up on here who claim they do not pay the gratuities do not result in shortchanging the staff!

 

 The more I think about it, the idea that gratuities were directly passed along to the staff sounds like a bookkeeping nightmare. Crew members sometimes leave in the middle of a cruise when their rotation is up, and I suspect different categories of staff earn different percentages, so to literally take a pot of money for one specific cruise and distribute it to individual staff members would not be a cost effective process. I still think that gratuities included in the cruise fare is the best strategy.

 

Edited January 19, 2020 by lackcreativity

[Not a Georgia Peach]

The use of the word gratuities is a misnomer  It is a service fee, but it also a subsidy of Viking's payroll.

[deec]

Service fees are usually mandatory at resorts .

I am hoping Viking will clear up this confusion.  We always have done the suggested gratuity and then left something for favorite staff...room steward, bartender, wait staff.  Always tipped room service too but not as much as I thought they were getting from my $$$ auto payment.

[Liz Masterson]

I've pre-paid on a Princess cruise assuming it was passed out among the crew as well. Then I've given some extra at meals and to the room steward. I was just about to go ahead and prepay the gratuities here on Viking for our trip in June as well. Now I'm less enthusiastic to get that done!

 

What's the story Viking?

 

 

[duquephart]

11 hours ago, deec said:

If this is indeed true (and I do trust Jim)  We will no longer pay auto gratuities ...we will give it to room stewards and in restaurants if we frequently sit at one station.  I liked concept of auto gratuities and not running around with envelopes at the end of a cruise BUT I truly thought staff was receiving our money not Viking.  Jim what about bar staff and the $$auto add? 

 

I think Viking does good job with the staff...they seem happy and I know living quarters are better than on some other lines,  they have free internet and I love that some of them get braces through Viking.  BUT I thought we were supplementing their wages.

 

Do you suppose this is for both Ocean and River? 

I read somewhere that if/when you "tip" folks individually they are required to turn them into their supervisors.

[Squawkman]

13 hours ago, duquephart said:

I read somewhere that if/when you "tip" folks individually they are required to turn them into their supervisors.

I’d like to know where you read that.

[CCWineLover]

Obviously a hot topic.  I would hope that Viking could give us all a clarification, since what Jim Avery has passed on sheds a different light on what we were all told.  If true and I have no reason to doubt it, that would make tipping strategies entirely different for us.

Am wondering what the River Cruises do?  and what other comparable lines do (like Oceana, Celebrity).

[Squawkman]

1 minute ago, CCWineLover said:

Am wondering what the River Cruises do?

This is a good question as the last Viking river we were on included tips as a promotion (November 2017). From what I could gather, the process is similar to ocean. Will find out In the fall when we go on another river cruise.

[Jim Avery]

If it is called "tips" or "gratuities" I want the crew to get them.  If it is "part of their salary" it should be part of the fare.  We used to travel Cunard in the Olden Days (pre Carnival) and there was a time when everything onboard was cash.  They accepted US$ and GBP on board.  If you went to a bar you paid when you left, cash and a tip of your choosing.  At the end of the voyage envelopes were available and on the last evening tips were given to who you wished.  It is my understanding that the service staff tipped the galley staff and so on downstream.  A cash economy.  Of course this would be open to some less than honest abusing the system.  Cruise lines eventually wanted in on this and instituted "cashless" onboard experiences.  I don't think Viking does it any different than the rest do these days but I still want the crew to get what I am charged for gratuities, not the company. Otherwise stop the charade.  I know Viking reads every post on CC so something will eventually be said.  As is, the silence is deafening.  Btw, in another vein, we are still waiting for our refundable OBC, going on three weeks.  But that is another issue....

Edited January 20, 2020 by Jim Avery

[duquephart]

2 hours ago, Squawkman said:

I’d like to know where you read that.

 

Here somewhere.

[duquephart]

22 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

If it is called "tips" or "gratuities" I want the crew to get them.  If it is "part of their salary" it should be part of the fare.  We used to travel Cunard in the Olden Days (pre Carnival) and there was a time when everything onboard was cash.  They accepted US$ and GBP on board.  If you went to a bar you paid when you left, cash and a tip of your choosing.  At the end of the voyage envelopes were available and on the last evening tips were given to who you wished.  It is my understanding that the service staff tipped the galley staff and so on downstream.  A cash economy.  Of course this would be open to some less than honest abusing the system.  Cruise lines eventually wanted in on this and instituted "cashless" onboard experiences.  I don't think Viking does it any different than the rest do these days but I still want the crew to get what I am charged for gratuities, not the company. Otherwise stop the charade.  I know Viking reads every post on CC so something will eventually be said.  As is, the silence is deafening.  Btw, in another vein, we are still waiting for our refundable OBC, going on three weeks.  But that is another issue....

 

This is what I don't get ---- being "charged for gratuities" makes then service fees. Period. Most people feel they are tipping for service when, in reality, they are assisting Viking in paying their employees. You want Viking to pack your ass be my guest. I prefer reality. The only sensible thing would be for Viking to pay a living wage and pay accordingly on a "employment at will" basis.

[Baron Barracuda]

Two possible reasons for cruise lines not going to all inclusive fares are 1) the cost of the cruise looks cheaper without grats and 2) if grats were included in the base fare cruise lines might have to pay ta commissions on them.

 

The only excuse I can imagine for VO not paying out auto tips to staff is they have already factored them into salary.  That way staff is protected in case some passengers have auto tips removed.

[just_dont]

Two possible reasons for cruise lines not going to all inclusive fares are 1) the cost of the cruise looks cheaper without grats and 2) if grats were included in the base fare cruise lines might have to pay ta commissions on them.
 
The only excuse I can imagine for VO not paying out auto tips to staff is they have already factored them into salary.  That way staff is protected in case some passengers have auto tips removed.

This all (unfortunately) makes sense. The looking cheaper. The no TA commissions. The normalization of staff pay.

All that said, if I have a really good experience on a cruise, it would have been because of THAT crew. And decide to 'tip' more by increasing my gratuities, I would want it to go to THAT crew, and NOT to Viking Corporate profits.
Clearly I will not be increasing 'gratuities', and when I encounter staff going above and beyond, I will have to plan on having cash for tipping them directly.

Which brings us to the statement about staff being required to relinquish any cash tips they receive. If anyone can confirm or refute that, please do.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[Hockeyump]

UK prices include gratuities and I believe the same applies in Australia.  If these countries can do it why can't it happen in the US?

[Clay Clayton]

3 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

.  Btw, in another vein, we are still waiting for our refundable OBC, going on three weeks.  But that is another issue....

FWIW, it took exactly 15 business days for our refund to show up as a credit on our credit card.