Prepaid Gratuities

[MizBlueyez]

Is there anyone else who would rather not pay the prepaid gratuities?  

[Tapi]

6 minutes ago, MizBlueyez said:

Is there anyone else who would rather not pay the prepaid gratuities?  

You picked a great (and controversial) topic for your first post on Cruise Critic. 
 

To answer your question, no. 
 

[sparks1093]

I would rather not pay an awful lot of things but I'll never skip out on gratuities. Welcome to Cruise Critic.

[cb at sea]

Even if you pre-pay them, those who serve you and receive those tips don't GET them until the cruise is over...just as if you tipped in person.  On most lines, you can have them added to your account nightly, rather than pre-pay in advance.  

[RocketMan275]

2 hours ago, MizBlueyez said:

Is there anyone else who would rather not pay the prepaid gratuities?  

Are you asking if there is a way to avoid paying gratuities?

[MizBlueyez]

Not necessarily; I just sometimes think when does it ever end. Lol This applies to many aspects of life, too. I’ll pay it, of course. I was just curious if anyone else ever feels this way. Have a blessed day! 

[sparks1093]

1 hour ago, MizBlueyez said:

Not necessarily; I just sometimes think when does it ever end. Lol This applies to many aspects of life, too. I’ll pay it, of course. I was just curious if anyone else ever feels this way. Have a blessed day! 

A couple of years ago DW and I dined out for breakfast and then dinner in the same day. The tips came to around $8 per person. So paying $12.95 or so per person for 3 meals and twice a day cabin service seems like a steal.

[MizBlueyez]

So very true! Have a wonderful weekend! 

[Canmilitarywife]

I prefer to prepay. 

[montREALady]

I'll pay on the ship. Family of 4 so $350 for a 5-day cruise and just more feasible to put it aside bit by bit until the cruise for us.

[lindsay0526]

We pay them in advance. And we do the recommended amount, only adjusting it if service is terrible (down) or service was fantastic (up). 

[red zebra]

I object to this assumption that, having worked hard all year, saved up for our trip, we then are expected to tip people for doing their jobs. Why is it assumed that the person who has done something for us, for which they are being paid, should then be further rewarded for doing their job.

Do we tip the military for protecting our borders, the police for keeping us safe, fire service, paramedics etc etc.

People are guilted into paying them because cruise personnel are paid so poorly, so by continuing this practice we continue to encourage the cruise companies to keep wages low and the profits for the fat cats high.

Then, if needs be, you have to go through the hullabaloo of asking them to be removed because you have received poor service!

I swear some of these companies would slap a tax on every breath of fresh air you take whilst aboard. 

[RocketMan275]

17 hours ago, red zebra said:

I object to this assumption that, having worked hard all year, saved up for our trip, we then are expected to tip people for doing their jobs. Why is it assumed that the person who has done something for us, for which they are being paid, should then be further rewarded for doing their job.

Do we tip the military for protecting our borders, the police for keeping us safe, fire service, paramedics etc etc.

People are guilted into paying them because cruise personnel are paid so poorly, so by continuing this practice we continue to encourage the cruise companies to keep wages low and the profits for the fat cats high.

Then, if needs be, you have to go through the hullabaloo of asking them to be removed because you have received poor service!

I swear some of these companies would slap a tax on every breath of fresh air you take whilst aboard. 

If you think the crew is underpaid then you can rectify that by directly supplementing their pay with gratuities.

Companies don't impose taxes.  Governments do.  Just think how much better we all would be if governments reduced their taxes.

[red zebra]

5 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

If you think the crew is underpaid then you can rectify that by directly supplementing their pay with gratuities.

Companies don't impose taxes.  Governments do.  Just think how much better we all would be if governments reduced their taxes.

Governments don't run cruise companies, the cruise companies are those that apply all these additional tariffs. It may be the norm across the pond to tip for everything and anything but I still don't accept we should have to pay people extra just for doing the job they are paid to do.

Sure if government reduced personal taxation we would all be better off and be able to spend more, but to offset that they would have to increase corporate tax and we all know how well some of the big companies avoid that. Anyway a topic for another day.

I still am against automatically applying tips, it doesn't happen in hotels so why on ships. Many hotels are staffed by similar people to those found on a cruise ship yet we seem to accept it. I still say it is the cruise companies profiteering from their staff and whilst everyone continues to obey the cruise companies, nothing will change

[RocketMan275]

6 minutes ago, red zebra said:

Governments don't run cruise companies, the cruise companies are those that apply all these additional tariffs. It may be the norm across the pond to tip for everything and anything but I still don't accept we should have to pay people extra just for doing the job they are paid to do.

Sure if government reduced personal taxation we would all be better off and be able to spend more, but to offset that they would have to increase corporate tax and we all know how well some of the big companies avoid that. Anyway a topic for another day.

I still am against automatically applying tips, it doesn't happen in hotels so why on ships. Many hotels are staffed by similar people to those found on a cruise ship yet we seem to accept it. I still say it is the cruise companies profiteering from their staff and whilst everyone continues to obey the cruise companies, nothing will change

I appreciate  your opinion.  When in Scotland, don't tip.  When you're on an American cruise line, you're expected to tip.  When in Rome and all that.

[Mikiejag]

I think the OP was referring more to pre-pay vs paying at the end of the trip.  As far as that goes, I prefer to prepay for everything from Gratuities to the Excursions. I know what it costs, get it out of the way and then usually leave with a zero balance.

 

Helps in my planning for the trip, prepaying, for me is the only way to go. 

[sparks1093]

17 hours ago, red zebra said:

Governments don't run cruise companies, the cruise companies are those that apply all these additional tariffs. It may be the norm across the pond to tip for everything and anything but I still don't accept we should have to pay people extra just for doing the job they are paid to do.

Sure if government reduced personal taxation we would all be better off and be able to spend more, but to offset that they would have to increase corporate tax and we all know how well some of the big companies avoid that. Anyway a topic for another day.

I still am against automatically applying tips, it doesn't happen in hotels so why on ships. Many hotels are staffed by similar people to those found on a cruise ship yet we seem to accept it. I still say it is the cruise companies profiteering from their staff and whilst everyone continues to obey the cruise companies, nothing will change

There are cruise lines you may choose that don't expect you to tip at all. I personally see the tips being added automatically as a convenience, it's one less thing that I have to worry about. 

[pacruise804]

On 2/10/2020 at 1:56 PM, red zebra said:

 

I still am against automatically applying tips, it doesn't happen in hotels so why on ships. Many hotels are staffed by similar people to those found on a cruise ship yet we seem to accept it. I still say it is the cruise companies profiteering from their staff and whilst everyone continues to obey the cruise companies, nothing will change

 

One way or another the labor cost is passed on to the customer - either as a gratuity charge or as a higher fare.  You may not see a line item breakdown, but you are paying the compensation one way or the other.  There are cruise lines which include gratuities, but they come with a higher fare (and may have a different demographic than you would prefer).

 

 

[red zebra]

Look guys, I appreciate it is the norm stateside because your big corporations pay crap wages for service staff and you have people over there that still work for tips only so please, sort your own economy and jobs market out before imposing your values on the rest of the world.

I go back to my initial post, when you bump into a military lad or lass, a firefighter, paramedic etc, due you tip them for doing their jobs? No you don't, you expect them to do the job they are trained and paid for, but you go on holiday (for which you have worked and saved hard) and are happy to hand over a disproportionate amount of your money to people doing the job they are paid to do. How does that work?

As for @RocketMan275 if you want to tip folks when you visit Scotland, that's down to you, it is neither expected nor demanded. Over here we do our jobs to the best of our abilities, it's what we are paid for and down to personal pride and simple please and thank yous go much further than a few cents here and there.

The American culture has set a precedence, it is down to you to break it. Lead, don't be sheep.

[pacruise804]

22 minutes ago, red zebra said:

 

I go back to my initial post, when you bump into a military lad or lass, a firefighter, paramedic etc, due you tip them for doing their jobs? No you don't, you expect them to do the job they are trained and paid for, but you go on holiday (for which you have worked and saved hard) and are happy to hand over a disproportionate amount of your money to people doing the job they are paid to do. How does that work?

 

 

I haven't seen military, firefighter, etc tipped for doing their jobs, but I have seen them get meals purchased or discounts given as a thanks for their service.  In many areas of the US the firefighter and paramedic aren't even paid but are rather a volunteer position.

 

I personally don't have a problem with the gratuity being rolled into the cost of the cruise fare.  It is still a matter of pay me now or pay me later and either way I'm paying the cost.  I suspect the employees would balk at it it though as it affects their taxes how the income is reported.  It isn't only a US issue.

[red zebra]

5 minutes ago, pacruise804 said:

 It is still a matter of pay me now or pay me later and either way I'm paying the cost.  I suspect the employees would balk at it it though as it affects their taxes how the income is reported.  It isn't only a US issue.

Tax on income is tax on income, no matter how it is earned.

 

8 minutes ago, pacruise804 said:

I personally don't have a problem with the gratuity being rolled into the cost of the cruise fare.  It is still a matter of pay me now or pay me later and either way I'm paying the cost.  

Why? Why are you paying people to do the jobs they are already being paid for? Sorry but I don't get it. If i build a complex subsea data logging system for a client, and it works as they want it to, I get paid every month, nothing more. They don't send me tips from the Gulf of Mexico, Africa or the North Sea. Why is it you find it necessary to tip someone for doing their job?

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, red zebra said:

Look guys, I appreciate it is the norm stateside because your big corporations pay crap wages for service staff and you have people over there that still work for tips only so please, sort your own economy and jobs market out before imposing your values on the rest of the world.

I go back to my initial post, when you bump into a military lad or lass, a firefighter, paramedic etc, due you tip them for doing their jobs? No you don't, you expect them to do the job they are trained and paid for, but you go on holiday (for which you have worked and saved hard) and are happy to hand over a disproportionate amount of your money to people doing the job they are paid to do. How does that work?

As for @RocketMan275 if you want to tip folks when you visit Scotland, that's down to you, it is neither expected nor demanded. Over here we do our jobs to the best of our abilities, it's what we are paid for and down to personal pride and simple please and thank yous go much further than a few cents here and there.

The American culture has set a precedence, it is down to you to break it. Lead, don't be sheep.

You have a very mistaken opinion of big corporations in the US.  The tipping culture only applies to jobs where it is effective in incentivizing performance.  Military, firefighters, etc., are adequately paid by salary and other benefits.  Just because you choose a different compensation method in your country does not make it worldwide applicable.  I see no reason to break the tipping system of compensation.  It works quite well and those who work for tips are very well compensated. In fact, some of the more vocal opponents of doing away with this system are those who do work for tips.  One wonders if workers in Scotland might appreciate our system.

[red zebra]

2 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

You have a very mistaken opinion of big corporations in the US.  The tipping culture only applies to jobs where it is effective in incentivizing performance.  Military, firefighters, etc., are adequately paid by salary and other benefits.  Just because you choose a different compensation method in your country does not make it worldwide applicable.  I see no reason to break the tipping system of compensation.  It works quite well and those who work for tips are very well compensated. In fact, some of the more vocal opponents of doing away with this system are those who do work for tips.  One wonders if workers in Scotland might appreciate our system.

Curiously the two American guys I work with (California & Wisconsin) disagree with your premise and are glad to be out of it.

No, workers in Scotland would not appreciate your system (i'm one of them remember) it is demeaning and akin to a dancing bear. If chucking someone a couple of extra bills from your over extended wallet makes you feel good, so be it. You keep your system thanks, we are just fine here.

[pacruise804]

42 minutes ago, red zebra said:

Tax on income is tax on income, no matter how it is earned.

My understanding from past forum discussions on tipping is that Philippines (which is where many tipped ship employees are from) view tips as a different income than wages paid by the employer.  Perhaps in Scotland all sources of income are taxed the same but that is not the case everywhere.

 

42 minutes ago, red zebra said:

Why? Why are you paying people to do the jobs they are already being paid for? Sorry but I don't get it. If i build a complex subsea data logging system for a client, and it works as they want it to, I get paid every month, nothing more. They don't send me tips from the Gulf of Mexico, Africa or the North Sea. Why is it you find it necessary to tip someone for doing their job?

 

I don't find it necessary to tip someone for doing their job, but I do realize that labor costs are passed on to the customer.  When I worked for temporary agencies the client paid my wage even though the paycheck came from the employment agency.  When I have a car repair done I pay labor as well as parts.  The mechanic is paid by the shop, but I am paying their wage through what I am being charged.

 

For a cruise I can pay a cruise fare plus gratuity or I can pay a cruise fare which includes gratuity.  The cruise line will pass the difference on to passengers, so either way I am paying a portion of their wage.

[RocketMan275]

2 minutes ago, red zebra said:

Curiously the two American guys I work with (California & Wisconsin) disagree with your premise and are glad to be out of it.

No, workers in Scotland would not appreciate your system (i'm one of them remember) it is demeaning and akin to a dancing bear. If chucking someone a couple of extra bills from your over extended wallet makes you feel good, so be it. You keep your system thanks, we are just fine here.

I doubt that very much.  In my experience workers always prefer the system that provides the highest compensation.