Tipping in Cash

[fshagan]

On 8/6/2023 at 5:31 AM, djasinsk said:

I don’t think Norwegian passes on the beverage package tips to bar tenders and bar backs in full.

 

I didn't say they did.

 

I said that bartenders are not part of the DSC pool. Bartenders have a separate system that, unlike the DSC, cannot be skipped.

 

[Seas2mountains]

Tip with cash. Tip often. Tip generously.  . 

[KeithJenner]

On 8/1/2023 at 1:16 AM, WorkNCruise said:

Tip after all stands for To Insure Promptness. 

If that was true then they would be Teps.

[P_Mcruisers]

On 8/3/2023 at 8:00 AM, KangCruiser said:

On my last cruise we ordered an expensive drink in the Haven that wasn’t included in the beverage package. Left a generous tip on the slip. The bartender crossed it out and told us that money doesn’t go to him and not to waste it. We tip in cash now. 

I tip always at certain stations. One that I frequent at least once and sometimes 2 to 3 times a day I  tip 1 dollar per item ordered.  On one of my recent cruises I asked one of the servers if they share the tips with the rest of the servers at that station or are  the tips pooled between multiple stations. 

His response was - when the tips are in cash they divide the cash equally. When the tip is added to the bill they see don't see any of it.

 

[phillygwm]

On 8/6/2023 at 9:55 AM, BirdTravels said:

So, yes, your "tip" first goes to getting crew up to their minimum, contact value. Only after they hit their minimum contract value do they start realizing the additional gratuities. And, yes, some of that "tip" goes into crew enrichment funds to help the cruise line offset the cost of crew activities, parties, etc. (you're buying that bartender a free beer at the next crew party). 

Seems a lot less transparent than tipping cash.  So yeah, I'm paying $20/day for my drinks.  Call it what you will, I don't really consider that tipping in the traditional sense because the money isn't directly put into the crew members' pockets.  It's pooled, allocated to "crew enrichment", netted up to their contract amount, whatever.  Not entirely dissimilar to the DSC model.  You'd probably need an advanced degree to figure it out. 

 

None of this is inherently "unfair"; the crew knew their pay structure going in.  But if I'm going to do a supplemental tip, I want as much of it to go into the crew's pockets as possible so I bring cash.

Edited August 8, 2023 by phillygwm