Tipping Myths/Facts

[noblepa]

Some friends of ours, who are not very experienced cruisers, just returned a few weeks ago from a Hawaii cruise on Oosterdam.

 

She told us that someone on board told her to remove auto-tips, because the cruise line keeps a big portion of them. I tried to tell her that this is not true. I'm not sure she believed me.

 

What is the current breakdown for the distribution of the auto-tips? Last time we cruised, it was something like $2.50 to the dining room waiter and assistant waiter, $2.50 to the room steward and his/her assistant, plus a few others, such as the chefs, who have a large impact on the cruise experience, but who you can't find to tip in person.

 

She agreed with me that most of those who say not to pay the service charge were simply cheapskates.

 

I have also heard, but don't know for sure, that cash tips must be surrendered if you remove the auto-tips. This has been widely reported but has never been satisfactorily verified.

[catl331]

22 minutes ago, noblepa said:

This has been widely reported but has never been satisfactorily verified.

Yes it has.  See the Tipping Not Required paragraph in the Crew Services manual:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2597164-tipping/page/2/?tab=comments#comment-56025003

That's post #50 of this thread:

 

Edited December 12, 2019 by catl331

[noblepa]

I wasn't trying to start an argument. I was merely looking for evidence to backup my contention with our friend, that, first, HAL doesn't take a cut, and secondly, that the crew had to surrender any cash tips from guests who removed the auto-tips.

[RocketMan275]

1 minute ago, noblepa said:

I wasn't trying to start an argument. I was merely looking for evidence to backup my contention with our friend, that, first, HAL doesn't take a cut, and secondly, that the crew had to surrender any cash tips from guests who removed the auto-tips.

Tipping is like all other things. People will believe what they want.  Those that want to reduce/forgo tips will find an excuse.  

[catl331]

I'm simply showing you where it has been "satisfactorily verified"

[noblepa]

Just now, catl331 said:

I'm simply showing you where it has been "satisfactorily verified"

 

Thank you. I had not seen that before.

 

For the record, we always leave the auto-tips in place, and sweeten the pot a little for those who have given us extra service.

[Boatdrill]

HAL uses the HSC to pay their crew.   They're not really  TIPs (meaning "to insure personal service") as we think of tipping, but a percentage of the payroll.  

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have actually seen the lists of those passengers who removed the Hotel Service Charge (auto tips) to some people.  We were passing a service area for the cabin stewards and their supervisor was handing them the list.

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, catl331 said:

I'm simply showing you where it has been "satisfactorily verified"

Still, there are those who deny that anything has been "satisfactorily verified".

[freestyling]

While discussing HSC here is Some additional info I was provided in regards to the $18.00 corkage fee that I posted a few months ago. 

 

The Mariners Dept called me today to explain how the $18.00 corkage fee is dispersed. 

 

They use a fleet wide average wine cost that is calculated by the Food & Beverage Dept in Seattle. It is a rolling 4 month average. Currently the avg is 47.38 per bottle.

15% of this or $7.107 is placed in the wine stewards pool by ship. The remainder is shown in the revenue accounting for the Food and Beverage Dept by each ship.

I asked if this could perhaps increase the per bottle wine average and was told no. Seattle reviews wine sales by bottle and/packages to determine the average bottle amount. 

I thanked them for the return call and they said it was easier to call in case I didn’t understand the math. 

[KirkNC]

On our recent Maasdam cruise in the South Pacific and Australia the Maitre De told us most of the Australian passengers removed auto tipping as they do not believe in the practice.

[Ace5614]

3 hours ago, Boatdrill said:

HAL uses the HSC to pay their crew.   They're not really  TIPs (meaning "to insure personal service") as we think of tipping, but a percentage of the payroll.  

I always heard it meant to insure prompt service.

[kazu]

1 minute ago, Ace5614 said:

I always heard it meant to insure prompt service.

 

Well, it certainly does after I give the first room service tip 😉 

But seriously, that’s not the intention - prompt service is usually an expectation 😉 

[catl331]

12 minutes ago, Ace5614 said:

I always heard it meant to insure prompt service.

Actually that's a backronym ... a phrase made up to fit an existing word. If it was an acronym it would have to be tEp, because you can't Insure any kind of service, you have to Ensure it.

 

Wikipedia says "According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word "tip" originated as a slang term and its etymology is unclear."

Edited December 13, 2019 by catl331

[Seasick Sailor]

11 minutes ago, catl331 said:

Actually that's a backronym ... a phrase made up to fit an existing word. If it was an acronym it would have to be tEp, because you can't Insure any kind of service, you have to Ensure it.

 

Wikipedia says "According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word "tip" originated as a slang term and its etymology is unclear."

Oh jeez. Hope that was tongue in cheek.

Edited December 13, 2019 by Seasick Sailor
Misspell

[ChinaShrek]

3 hours ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

We have actually seen the lists of those passengers who removed the Hotel Service Charge (auto tips) to some people.  We were passing a service area for the cabin stewards and their supervisor was handing them the list.

 

Yes, shame them!  That will get people to tip for sure.

[kazu]

3 minutes ago, ChinaShrek said:

 

Yes, shame them!  That will get people to tip for sure.

 

NOPE, the point is the staff know who doesn’t tip and can’t keep the cash tips they get from those parties who think “they have taken care of their people” and eliminated the HSC.

 

You might not like it, but it’s true.

[ithaca gal]

2 hours ago, kazu said:

 

NOPE, the point is the staff know who doesn’t tip and can’t keep the cash tips they get from those parties who think “they have taken care of their people” and eliminated the HSC.

 

You might not like it, but it’s true.

You are absolutely right.  Those who don't like it will refuse to believe it.  And find more reasons to remove the service charge.  The rest of us will continue to leave it in place and tip more.

 

[Host Kat]

6 hours ago, KirkNC said:

On our recent Maasdam cruise in the South Pacific and Australia the Maitre De told us most of the Australian passengers removed auto tipping as they do not believe in the practice.

 

Perhaps this Cruise Critic article updated February 7, 2019 will be helpful in understanding their culture:

 

Tipping on Ships: An Australian Culture Clash

[comcox]

11 hours ago, catl331 said:

Yes it has.  See the Tipping Not Required paragraph in the Crew Services manual:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2597164-tipping/page/2/?tab=comments#comment-56025003

That's post #50 of this thread:

 

We always leave the automatic gratuity charge in place but give our cabin steward extra as well along with sometimes folk in the buffet is they have provided us with extra service.  Does this manual entry mean they all have to turn in that money, or only if we remove or reduce the automatic charge in place?

[MAVIP]

48 minutes ago, comcox said:

We always leave the automatic gratuity charge in place but give our cabin steward extra as well along with sometimes folk in the buffet is they have provided us with extra service.  Does this manual entry mean they all have to turn in that money, or only if we remove or reduce the automatic charge in place?

As I always understood: only if you removed the automatic charge.  And: we always tip(ped) extra, because the service was always very very good and kind.  And, like in Australia, tips in our country are included. 

[ski ww]

We like to tip extra at the end of the cruise, normally our dining room steward, wine steward & our cabin boys.

[kazu]

3 hours ago, comcox said:

Does this manual entry mean they all have to turn in that money, or only if we remove or reduce the automatic charge in place?

 

Only when you remove or reduce the automatic HSC.  If you leave it in place, the additional tips are theirs to keep.

[knittinggirl]

We don't remove the automatic tips, but we seldom give extra.    We've often had the policy that we don't add more if they add the tip.  But if the waiter/steward does an outstanding job, there will be a little extra for him.

 

We used to add a tip to the bottom of the bill for specialty coffee, then were told that the waiter doesn't get this, it's split among a lot of people, such as head waiter.   Once everyone gets their cut, the waiter's ends up with about five-cents on a $1 tip.  So, any write-in will be cash instead.  Also, I think the specialty coffee has an auto gratuity added to the bill.    Don't know how the drink packages work.

 

I don't understand this tipping thing.  We were told in Australia, they didn't tip, but HAL still added it to the bill.  But they call it a "Hotel Service Charge."

Edited December 14, 2019 by knittinggirl

[Mary229]

On 12/12/2019 at 3:15 PM, Krazy Kruizers said:

We have actually seen the lists of those passengers who removed the Hotel Service Charge (auto tips) to some people.  We were passing a service area for the cabin stewards and their supervisor was handing them the list.

I am pretty sure I know the answer but are people who's fare had free gratuities included with those who have not removed the gratuities?