Gratuities [eeeek]

[Jetdriver787]

14 minutes ago, #55worktoplay said:

When we use to pay for drinks with cash on airplanes I always tipped the FA. They were always very nice and had to deal with a holes with a smile on their face.   I’m not a huge drinker but I hate flying so liquor is involved no matter the time of flight. 

Most airlines cabin crew are required to politely decline any such offers. It is usually a disciplinary offence not to.

[#55worktoplay]

2 minutes ago, Jetdriver787 said:

Most airlines cabin crew are required to politely decline any such offers. It is usually a disciplinary offence not to.

Really that’s odd

[#55worktoplay]

Just now, #55worktoplay said:

Really that’s odd

I actually tried to tip the guy who loaded my car at Walmart last week and he had to decline. I’m in Canada so it may be different in the US.

Edited September 21, 2023 by #55worktoplay

[Jetdriver787]

13 minutes ago, #55worktoplay said:

Really that’s odd

The crew are salaried and their primary role is safety and regulatory. Unlike a waiter or bar keeper,  the hospitality aspect is secondary, even though it likely takes up the bulk of the onboard day. 

 
The crew treat everyone with professionalism and equality. You can see the problems that could arise from the passenger who didn’t get their upgrade, their first choice of meal, their preferred seat, etc, when they saw a crew member slipping cash in their pocket from somebody perceived as less inconvenienced than themselves?

[Ret MP]

On 9/21/2023 at 4:02 PM, ReneeFLL said:

Fair enough, but next time you fly AA make sure you look for DH in the cockpit and give him a tip. Pilots and flight attendants are providing a service also. More cruise money for me. 😆 Personally, I just think tipping has gotten out of hand. Seems like a lot of people are expecting a tip these days even in non-tipping positions.

I have provided tips to "Stewardesses." oh excuse me, Flight Attendants with tips back is the day when I used to fly.  Never thought of the pilot though.  Maybe because they never came back to my seat and delivered a drink, food, or anything else.  Oh, I don't tip the driver on the subway, the bus driver, or whatever.  Let's not get carried away here. 

 

BTW, I do give a Christmas tip to my Postal Delivery person and the Garbage collection folks, too.

[ReneeFLL]

On 9/21/2023 at 8:49 PM, bucfan2 said:

Tell him I said hey.  Pretty sure he & I flew a bit together before I retired (I went very early lol)  He'll most likely recognize my screenname/commuter location (we have same first initial as well) and you'll perhaps recall as well after chatting w/ him.  Apologize if I'm completely thinking about another married couple.

I think you flew something else. He flew the 767’s and now the 787’s.

[ReneeFLL]

On 9/21/2023 at 8:45 PM, Tree_skier said:

I can't imagine the look on your husbands face if, as we are departing, I slipped a $20 into is hand.  🤣

I know you’re joking, but I hope others don’t take me seriously. I’m just pointing out when people say they tip the porters because they are providing a service, but what about all the other people that provide a service? That’s why I mentioned pilots and flight attendants. Of course there are many others.
 

My comment is getting people to think about where does it end? If people want to tip the porters go right ahead, but I hope they don’t do so because they are afraid something is going to happen to their luggage. I’m pointing out porters because it’s related to cruising. This scenario happens in so many other situations. Food for thought.

 

Edited October 3, 2023 by ReneeFLL

[bucfan2]

1 hour ago, ReneeFLL said:

I think you flew something else. He flew the 767’s and now the 787’s.

Yep - my apologies. 73 for me. 

[Banana Benders]

Australia has the best system for Cruise gratuities !!!!

All cruise fare booked in Australia must include all expenses,

Gratuities are classed as a "hidden cost" that is charged to your account.

 

So when we cruise you don't see any Gratuities on your account,

but if you wish to give extra that is up to you.

 

We always tip the Drink waiters in the Diamond lounge as they don't receive any gratuities on the drinks they serve during happy hours 🍹🍹🍹

[Ocean Boy]

13 minutes ago, Banana Benders said:

Australia has the best system for Cruise gratuities !!!!

All cruise fare booked in Australia must include all expenses,

Gratuities are classed as a "hidden cost" that is charged to your account.

 

So when we cruise you don't see any Gratuities on your account,

but if you wish to give extra that is up to you.

 

We always tip the Drink waiters in the Diamond lounge as they don't receive any gratuities on the drinks they serve during happy hours 🍹🍹🍹

"Hidden Costs"?

[Ret MP]

17 minutes ago, Banana Benders said:

Australia has the best system for Cruise gratuities !!!!

All cruise fare booked in Australia must include all expenses,

Gratuities are classed as a "hidden cost" that is charged to your account.

 

So when we cruise you don't see any Gratuities on your account,

but if you wish to  give extra that is up to you.

 

We always tip the Drink waiters in the Diamond lounge as they don't receive any gratuities on the drinks they serve during happy hours 🍹🍹🍹

This is not to debate with you.  I feel that you, as a country, should do what the people will tolerate/want.  It's your country, it's your decision.  

 

What I want to know is, however, what do you do if you receive substandard service, that you already paid for?  Does a lazy employee make as much as an energized, <for lack of a better term, employee does?

[Biker19]

34 minutes ago, Banana Benders said:

We always tip the Drink waiters in the Diamond lounge as they don't receive any gratuities on the drinks they serve during happy hours.

Most reporting suggests otherwise.

[S_M_B]

We prefer the pkgs that "include gratuities". The last several cruises we've been on, it seemed we never had the same waitstaff twice in 9+ days. If thats the case, included tips with the fare is fair with us. 

 

If we have the same waitstaff nightly, we will tip them on our last evening. 

 

After that, we will always tip our cabin steward, handsomely. We will question them throughout the trip about family, children, how long he's been at sea or yet to go. This weighs in to what we tip as well. Ya a single guy hoping to hook up with passengers or crew, tip goes down. But if they talk about the kids all the time, tip goes up. 

 

We try to keep our cabin as our home, neat and clean as possible. But we've seen other rooms as we've passed by their open doors...oh my. Those poor cabin stewards.

 

We also will take aboard family size multi-choice chip assortments and candy assortments. We will leave these along with the tip. I had read somewhere on the forum here that the crew has limited choices in their store. Plus, I used to work away from home for long periods, so I understand their work days. They have it better with txting, and FB, and all that other stuff though. Those contracts and those hours can be ruthless not only on the body, but also on the mind. Hopefully, the chip or candy assortments we leave contain things they either do not have, or can sell/swap with other crewmembers. Just an extra special treat.

 

Tips should be based on service, and the quality of said service. Though we do practice that no matter how poor the service, we will still tip that accepted amount. Anyone can have a bad day. Tip jumps up with exceptional service and attitude. 

[Ret MP]

4 minutes ago, S_M_B said:

Tips should be based on service, and the quality of said service. Though we do practice that no matter how poor the service, we will still tip that accepted amount. Anyone can have a bad day. Tip jumps up with exceptional service and attitude. 

I totally agree people have bad DAYS.  But, on a cruise ship, you get to know the crew that serves you as you see most of them over and over again, especially if you eat in the MDR most nights.  On our last Alaskan cruise, we had the same servers in the Coastal Kitchen for every meal that we had there, yes, that includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner, they worked long hours and the ship was short-handed, post-COVID.  We, our group of 4, got to know who the good servers were and who weren't.  We did individual envelopes for each server.  One had a dollar in it, the others had a lot in it.  And I'm not shy, I did tell the bad server many times that I wasn't too happy with his/her service and attitude.  On the last day, I had a short talk with the maitre d, about the poor service and attitude that one server provided.   

[Ocean Boy]

20 minutes ago, S_M_B said:

We prefer the pkgs that "include gratuities". The last several cruises we've been on, it seemed we never had the same waitstaff twice in 9+ days. If thats the case, included tips with the fare is fair with us. 

 

If we have the same waitstaff nightly, we will tip them on our last evening. 

 

After that, we will always tip our cabin steward, handsomely. We will question them throughout the trip about family, children, how long he's been at sea or yet to go. This weighs in to what we tip as well. Ya a single guy hoping to hook up with passengers or crew, tip goes down. But if they talk about the kids all the time, tip goes up. 

 

We try to keep our cabin as our home, neat and clean as possible. But we've seen other rooms as we've passed by their open doors...oh my. Those poor cabin stewards.

 

We also will take aboard family size multi-choice chip assortments and candy assortments. We will leave these along with the tip. I had read somewhere on the forum here that the crew has limited choices in their store. Plus, I used to work away from home for long periods, so I understand their work days. They have it better with txting, and FB, and all that other stuff though. Those contracts and those hours can be ruthless not only on the body, but also on the mind. Hopefully, the chip or candy assortments we leave contain things they either do not have, or can sell/swap with other crewmembers. Just an extra special treat.

 

Tips should be based on service, and the quality of said service. Though we do practice that no matter how poor the service, we will still tip that accepted amount. Anyone can have a bad day. Tip jumps up with exceptional service and attitude. 

I don't get your post at all. First you say how your tip is based, at least in part, on the server's personal life based on information obtained by your ongoing interrogation thoughout the trip. Then you say tips should be based on service, and quality, of that service.

 

I haven't a clue how someone's personal life is any guests' business or how it weighs into the gratuity factor. I guess their personal life has to meet with your approval. This just strikes me as bazaar.

[Banana Benders]

48 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

This is not to debate with you.  I feel that you, as a country, should do what the people will tolerate/want.  It's your country, it's your decision.  

 

What I want to know is, however, what do you do if you receive substandard service, that you already paid for?  Does a lazy employee make as much as an energized, <for lack of a better term, employee does?

This is not to debate with you ????  Really

If we get excellent service we do tip, But I'm not going to tip a waiter or bar person in restaurant for just doing their job.

Royal and other cruise line prices haven't gone up since they introduced this measure, because they know that would be suicid with our laws

[Badatz2]

14 minutes ago, Banana Benders said:

Royal and other cruise line prices haven't gone up since they introduced this measure, because they know that would be suicide with our laws

I don't understand how that works.  Cruise prices are subjective and set by the cruise line at their whim and includes whatever they want or do not want.

Do the Australian authorities have the power to question a cruise price? Do they check what was included last week or last year.   How are they controlling cruise prices with this measure?

 

[Ret MP]

20 minutes ago, Banana Benders said:

This is not to debate with you ????  Really

If we get excellent service we do tip, But I'm not going to tip a waiter or bar person in restaurant for just doing their job.

Royal and other cruise line prices haven't gone up since they introduced this measure, because they know that would be suicid with our laws

No, it wasn't to debate, it was a couple of simple questions, period.

 

Again, however, since you seem to want to debate, I'm not talking about what you tip above and beyond what is already included in your cruise fare.  I'm talking about the tip/gratuity/"hidden costs".  Can you adjust it, or remove it?  Do the not-so-great servers get the same % of the "hidden cost" as the good servers?  Simple questions, REALLY!

[S_M_B]

I apologize for any misunderstandings. Its not about their personal choices. I was referring to leaving family at home. We tip the young mom or dad better as they have kids to support.

[Billy Baltic]

1 hour ago, S_M_B said:

Though we do practice that no matter how poor the service, we will still tip that accepted amount. Anyone can have a bad day. Tip jumps up with exceptional service and attitude. 

Thank you for posting this. IMO this is where NA tipping and European tipping differs. Yes. I know that is a massive generalisation but it goes some way to explaining why there is never agreement on it. 

[d9704011]

4 minutes ago, S_M_B said:

I apologize for any misunderstandings. Its not about their personal choices. I was referring to leaving family at home. We tip the young mom or dad better as they have kids to support.

Do you follow-up on the information you've gleaned through your questioning or do you take it on face value if the stories remain consistent?

[S_M_B]

Face value. Anyone can lie, and do it very well. When you deal with liars and schemers every day, all day, face to face, you learn to see and hear, subtle body language and voice differences. From those observances we deduct what is most likely the truth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ret MP]

1 hour ago, S_M_B said:

We tip the young mom or dad better as they have kids to support.

So, you do tip based on social/personal status, not necessarily job performance.

 

I tend to tip more generously on a cruise ship and I have stated so many times in this forum and others because many, not all, are supporting extended families back in their native, usually 3rd world, nation.  But, that is a generalization, not an individual-based determination.  I don't give any one crew member a larger tip because they are a mom or dad or they have 15 kids that don't have any shoes (there are charities for that).  I tip based on individual performance.  But, I do generally tip a little more in a cruise ship bar than I do in a land-based bar in the U.S. of A.

[Ocean Boy]

2 hours ago, S_M_B said:

I apologize for any misunderstandings. Its not about their personal choices. I was referring to leaving family at home. We tip the young mom or dad better as they have kids to support.

So two different people can work equally hard to provide you with excellent service yet one gets tipped more based on factors totally unrelated to service. Like I said before... bazaar... 

 

I'm curious, have you ever had a job where your pay was based on whether you were single, married,  or how many kids you had?

 

 

[Mum2Mercury]

On 9/13/2023 at 12:40 PM, not-enough-cruising said:

DW said she was presented the “gratuity prompt” at the self-check out register at the local grocery store recently. 

I usually tip the person who rings up my groceries at the self-check out with an iced coffee.  She deserves it after running all the errands for the family.