Mythbusters: Tipping the Photo Attendant to Avoid Purchase

[MissP22]

I'm taking my photos and leaving. 

[voljeep]

maybe Princess 'does' know what's going on ... but the dud(ette) is making Princess so much money with his salesmanship, they just ignore it

[Daniel A]

Definition of the word "Bribe":  persuade (someone) to act in one's favor, typically illegally or dishonestly, by a gift of money or other inducement.

 

It's not a tip - it's a bribe.  Why let the OP down-play that payoff by calling it a 'tip?'  It wasn't just the ship's employee that was wrong here.  They're both lucky that they didn't get another set of photos for free - taken at the nearest police station...

Edited December 2, 2019 by Daniel A

[sanger727]

11 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

What would you think if the guy worked for a camera store and he gave away photo equipment that was lying around for a while and was not selling.  What would YOU think if you owned a store and he gave away old stock to customers just because it was not selling?  What would you think if you think if he worked for a food store and he gave away food that was approaching its hold date to customers so that they did not have to buy in date food.

 

He is giving away merchandise without the approval of his employer.  That is grounds for termination.

 

DON

 

I don't think it's quite as black and white as you are making it. Assuming we are talking about the person who completed a purchase. Had no intent to purchase more. And photos that were slated to be thrown away anyway were given to them as a thank you for a compliment card. 

 

There are times when product is given away and it's good customer service. For example, I used to waitress. There were a few items that we could access without ringing them up, like bread sticks or chips. If a customers food was taking an inordinately long amount of time to come out I would bring them bread sticks or chips without ringing them up. No, I didn't ask my boss every time I did that. But I also knew my boss wouldn't have a problem with that. Yes, I was doing it in the hopes that it would keep my tip from being decreased due to the food taking too long. But I was also doing it for the restaurant so the customer left with a good experience. I don't see a problem with a product that is slated to be thrown away, being given to a customer free of charge when there's a reason for it. 

Edited December 2, 2019 by sanger727

[winnifer]

4 hours ago, Daniel A said:

Definition of the word "Bribe":  persuade (someone) to act in one's favor, typically illegally or dishonestly, by a gift of money or other inducement.

 

It's not a tip - it's a bribe.  Why let the OP down-play that payoff by calling it a 'tip?'  It wasn't just the ship's employee that was wrong here.  They're both lucky that they didn't get another set of photos for free - taken at the nearest police station...

 

Hey now, as OP I must interject - I didn't do it!  I'm not downplaying anything. I was merely asking about other people's thoughts on a story I'd heard from a co-worker!

[weedpindle]

He said his coworkers roommate said...yea, rigggght

[Daniel A]

7 minutes ago, winnifer said:

 

Hey now, as OP I must interject - I didn't do it!  I'm not downplaying anything. I was merely asking about other people's thoughts on a story I'd heard from a co-worker!

I'm not arguing with you, just looking to clarify the intent of my post.  I thought that you were downplaying the bribe by referring to it as a tip. I never thought or suggested that you participated.  I did think that you saw the event as being a legitimate transaction though.  Maybe I'm wrong.  

[pablo222]

On 12/2/2019 at 8:51 AM, Daniel A said:

They're both lucky that they didn't get another set of photos for free - taken at the nearest police station...

 

You're dreaming.

I've known two people who were terminated during their contracts.

They were simply disembarked at the next port.

 

 

Edited December 4, 2019 by pablo222

[Expat Cruise]

How the money on the ship belongs to the cruise line. Payments tips cash however done it it written into the crew contacts. If a crew member takes 1 cent the company policy is clear, they are terminated and off the ship at the next port.  Could what was suggested happen sure but would it happen? I really do not think the crew member would risks his / her job.

 

[Tatka]

    Most of lines switched to digital photos which are only printed after you request and paid for them, but I remember on our first cruise I met a guy (general area cleaner I believe) who was from one of the countries my original country consisted of till it dissolved. He was a computer programmer, but situation in his country was not easy so he temporarily signed a contract with cruise line. I wanted to do something nice for him and bought toys and T-shirts for his baby back home. On the last morning during disembarkation he met me and gave me some folder. i was in a hurry to disembark and make my flight home. When I opened that folder on the bust to the airport there were all photos of me and my son. He probably gathered them when he was assigned to destroy photos from the gallery.

[pris993]

With all the moralizing here, wonder if anyone would refuse a free upgrade on an airline?  Done all the time... 

 

[pris993]

Oh, I have even a better one, do you insist on paying a corking fee, even if waiter is going to give you a free pass?

 

[donaldsc]

30 minutes ago, pris993 said:

With all the moralizing here, wonder if anyone would refuse a free upgrade on an airline?  Done all the time... 

 

 

That is done w the approval and by the airline.  The upgrade is documented and not hidden and is not given in the hope of getting a big tip.  There is a big difference.  The same comment applies to the posted who talked about comping breadsticks and other stuff at restaurants when there was a kitchen delay.  Again, it was not hidden.

 

DON

 

[pris993]

13 minutes ago, donaldsc said:

 

That is done w the approval and by the airline.  The upgrade is documented and not hidden and is not given in the hope of getting a big tip.  There is a big difference.  The same comment applies to the posted who talked about comping breadsticks and other stuff at restaurants when there was a kitchen delay.  Again, it was not hidden.

 

DON

 

Maybe documented to day with computers .... but we have been flying for years... got many upgrades I doubt they were documented...just by being nice, well dressed, etc. 

[MissP22]

1 hour ago, pris993 said:

Oh, I have even a better one, do you insist on paying a corking fee, even if waiter is going to give you a free pass?

 

Or what about a free drink at the bar? 🙄

[WpgCruise]

On 12/2/2019 at 10:22 AM, sanger727 said:

 

I don't think it's quite as black and white as you are making it.

We can agree to differ. I think it is black and white.

You either have ethics and morals or you don't. The employer expects payment for product.

 

If the employee "gives" the product away for free, or in return of a tip or bribe, this is stealing from the employer.

[ldubs]

I think comping something with the understanding of management is different than accepting a bribe in return for providing something under the table.   

[rugerdog]

I was hoping this thread was about tipping the photographer to keep them from taking pictures of you during dinner, embarkation, etc.  I might be up for that 😉

[Outerdog]

Let's put the morality debate on the passengers instead of the crew.

 

Just take pictures of the pictures with your phone. Problem solved.

 

[sanger727]

14 hours ago, WpgCruise said:

We can agree to differ. I think it is black and white.

You either have ethics and morals or you don't. The employer expects payment for product.

 

If the employee "gives" the product away for free, or in return of a tip or bribe, this is stealing from the employer.

The employer throws the unsold product away. It costs them nothing for the employee to give it away at the very very end of the cruise when it's clear it won't be sold anyway. Would you also have a problem with an employee giving restaurant leftovers to a homeless shelter after closing?

Edited December 5, 2019 by sanger727

[Daniel A]

On ‎11‎/‎30‎/‎2019 at 2:16 PM, winnifer said:

 

roommate had tipped the photo attendant $50 to put all of their photos aside and hook them up with them at the end, bypassing purchasing the photo package or individual photos. They got their photos, saved a chunk of change

 

14 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

The employer throws the unsold product away. It costs them nothing for the employee to give it away at the very very end of the cruise when it's clear it won't be sold anyway.

The bribe took place before the end of the cruise, the stolen photos that were put aside were delivered at the end of the cruise.  Obviously the roommate wanted the photos in the first place or he wouldn't have bribed the photo worker in order to get them cheaper.  The employee did not altruistically 'give' the photos away to a needy person - he took the photos from the employer and provided them to the roommate in exchange for cash.  Would the roommate have bought the photos if the crooked employee didn't agree to the bribe in the first place?  Anyone who can't see that this scheme is illegitimate will never see it no how many posts show otherwise.

[billco]

On 12/1/2019 at 6:14 PM, MissP22 said:

What scam? I was referring to what  HughMann  had posted, not the op.

The way I read it is that he didn't get anything in return for the photo's. 

Getting the guy fired for that doesn't seem right. 

Would your analogy also apply to Thrak giving away computers to fellow workers? The way I read it the photographer gave away property of his employer. If the word got out, it might affect future sales. 

[sanger727]

11 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

 

The bribe took place before the end of the cruise, the stolen photos that were put aside were delivered at the end of the cruise.  Obviously the roommate wanted the photos in the first place or he wouldn't have bribed the photo worker in order to get them cheaper.  The employee did not altruistically 'give' the photos away to a needy person - he took the photos from the employer and provided them to the roommate in exchange for cash.  Would the roommate have bought the photos if the crooked employee didn't agree to the bribe in the first place?  Anyone who can't see that this scheme is illegitimate will never see it no how many posts show otherwise.

 

I'm talking about a completely different things. A couple people on here have mentioned that after the they purchased photos or on the very last morning of the cruise, after they turned in a comment card praising and employee the employee gave them the photos that prior to destroying them .

[MissP22]

4 minutes ago, billco said:

Would your analogy also apply to Thrak giving away computers to fellow workers? The way I read it the photographer gave away property of his employer. If the word got out, it might affect future sales. 

That was his decision to make and we don't know the whole story. He could have been the manager of the dept & runs things the way he wants.

Who knows? 

[Daniel A]

1 hour ago, sanger727 said:

The employer throws the unsold product away. It costs them nothing for the employee to give it away at the very very end of the cruise when it's clear it won't be sold anyway.

There is certainly a difference of opinions on this thread.  I believe the true test of whether the employees actions are ok or not is whether or not the employee would want the give away of the merchandise mentioned in their comment card.  If there's nothing wrong with the employees actions then they should welcome a happy customer supplying the details of the transaction with their employer.