What About Automatic Tipping?

[sail7seas]

Seeing as Zuiderdam is a least one day late returning........do you think that for pax who complain we are getting low on money (after all that extra day at sea FORCED up to go to the Casino :) ) and we need to buy new air tickets to get home, they will waive automatic tipping? Or only charge it for the seven days scheduled for the cruise?

 

Just random thoughts?

 

Do you think those of us who always tip additional over the automatically charged amout, will keep adding extra for each extra day to the sums we choose to give certain individuals?

[Krazy Kruizers]

I have been wondering the same thing (but didn't want to start a post - someone might think it dumb).

Right now there are 2 extra days - Saturday (when they should have gotten off the ship) and Sunday - $10 per person per day - another $20 per person. There are probably some who will complain about that extra tip money.

[etrainer1]

perhaps it should be discretionary. hal should be responsible for paying their employees for those extra days!

[imsulin]

I agree. I think the mandatory tips should be waived for the extra days, but I would still tip in cash to those who served me.

[Cruising Jake]

I have wondered about the tipping as well. I know DH would tip for those days even if they weren't not covered in auto tipping. He would feel that we were there, we got the service, we have more than the ship's workers, so tip them htey deserve it. It is such a small amount anyway in the larger scheme of things to us.

[Lisa63]

I think it's safe to assume that the HAL stewards are still providing the same, fine level of service -- so I would hope that passengers continue to tip, whether through the automatic system or in person.

 

I think there are very few pax for whom an extra $20 per person would cause financial hardship. Besides, they aren't being asked to pay extra $ for the additional meals served to them during the extra two days.

 

Don't get me wrong -- I realize that returning to port two days behind schedule will certainly cause a lot of headaches for pax, especially those who had plane tickets, business obligations, school, etc. I would hope that these frustrations, all understandable, would not be taken out on the crew.

[sail7seas]

I have been wondering the same thing (but didn't want to start a post - someone might think it dumb).

 

 

 

 

Gee, Thanks, KK....... :) I know there are some here who are delighted to call me dumb and all sorts of other things, but I didn't think YOU would. :D

Okay..I'll get even. :( When you least expect it. .....Whammo....:p

[digby]

Didn't the workers serve you during those days? If so, shouldn't they be rewarded?

[gliles]

I don't think it is a dumb question. I will admit that we are on a budget on a cruise and in life and the extra money that we would spend on tips, beverages (yes, gotta have them!), the casino because we wouldn't be able to resist would be a slight hardship. We usually take just enough money and have a credit card for unexpected events but we would put the extra tips on the credit card because remember, the people working on the ship aren't getting an extra 2 day vacation, they are probably working harder then they would be if it were day 1 & 2 of a new cruise.

 

I don't agree that HAL should cover the tips, this is out of their control and they are already paying a huge penalty for all that has happened.

[elmorejj]

With all of the cabin credit HAL is passing out, I don`t think it should be a hardship on anyone. Extra money for drinks etc, surely another $20 could be squeezed out of it.....jean :cool:

[Krazy Kruizers]

sail7seas - I didn't mean you were dumb.

I refering to a thread that I started a while back - and some said the thread was dumb - giving me the impression that I was dumb for starting such a thread.

Guess I phrased it wrong.

Sorry.

[jhannah]

Under these circumstances, I would like to see HAL stop the $10 pp/pd auto tip at the point the cruise was to end and kick in the additional days themselves. The hard working stewards are still at it, and deserve what they deserve every other day. Personally, I would not balk at continuing the auto tip myself for the extra days.

[sail7seas]

sail7seas - I didn't mean you were dumb.

 

I refering to a thread that I started a while back - and some said the thread was dumb - giving me the impression that I was dumb for starting such a thread.

 

Guess I phrased it wrong.

 

Sorry.

 

 

No problem, KK.....

I didn't think you meant I was dumb!!! Then again, it is possible you might have been correct if that IS what you meant. :D

[sail7seas]

With all of the cabin credit HAL is passing out, I don`t think it should be a hardship on anyone. Extra money for drinks etc, surely another $20 could be squeezed out of it.....jean :cool:

 

Jean...I must have missed that news. Are the people who are still on Zuiderdam, the ones who boarded a week ago also getting a shipboard credit? I thought the credit was offered to those who were supposed to board yesterday but will not now board until Sunday or Monday?

[Lois R]

Hi...Jean, I have to wonder as well...why would those on the ship now being getting credit?

I believe those who are sailing tomorrow (which will be a 5 night cruise) will be the ones getting on board credits.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

DH and I talked about this same subject last night. It would not bother me either way but I am sure there are some that have a tight budget and this would be a strain on their credit card if they had not planned it.

 

I do have a question with the auto tip that I did not think of when I was on the Oosterdam the first week of auto tip. Since on next cruise will be on the Ryndam and we have our first Suite we want to have Room Service Breakfest out on the Verrandah several morning. (We ate in the main dining room when we went to Alaska) should we tip the Room Service Waiter when he brings the breakfest? In April 2003 on the Zuirderdam we did have Room Service Breakfest a few times and I did tip each time but with the new auto tip I just was not sure.

[jhannah]

It would not bother me either way but I am sure there are some that have a tight budget and this would be a strain on their credit card if they had not planned it.

In one respect, I hear what you're saying. But then again, if (assuming 2 extra days for 2 people) $40 would cause a financial hardship, then perhaps a cruise is too extravagant a vacation to be taking.

[Cruising Jake]

S7S, slight deviation from the topic, but you mentioned on one of these threads (forget which one - it must be "some"zheimers disease) that you live 30 minutes from the port. If you meant the port of Fort Lauderdale, I hope you and yours remained safe during Frances.

[jhannah]

Sail lives near Boston.

[Lefty Bob]

Do you think HAL should offer low or free phone calls from the ship? Only for the extra days. Some may have big problems back home.

 

Lefty Bob

[gliles]

I do have a question with the auto tip that I did not think of when I was on the Oosterdam the first week of auto tip. Since on next cruise will be on the Ryndam and we have our first Suite we want to have Room Service Breakfest out on the Verrandah several morning. (We ate in the main dining room when we went to Alaska) should we tip the Room Service Waiter when he brings the breakfest? In April 2003 on the Zuirderdam we did have Room Service Breakfest a few times and I did tip each time but with the new auto tip I just was not sure.

Room service tips are above and beyond the $10 pp perday...at least that's what I have always thought and done.

[gliles]

In one respect, I hear what you're saying. But then again, if (assuming 2 extra days for 2 people) $40 would cause a financial hardship, then perhaps a cruise is too extravagant a vacation to be taking.

You are right but everyone's circumstance is different. I'll never forget a young couple I met on the Norway years ago. They had received the cruise as a gift from parents who didn't tell them about tips, shipboard credit or anything, they thought it was all inclusive. They didn't have a credit card or even enough cash to put down. There was also a gentlman on the Ryndam last year who bought a soda card and had $5 to his name, amazing. So you are right, that is not the vacation for them but I am sure there are some people for whom an extra $40 would be a hardship.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Room service tips are above and beyond the $10 pp perday...at least that's what I have always thought and done.

Thanks Gretchen, that is what I figured but thought I should ask. I did not want to offer the tip and have them tell me no they can't take it.:o

[Himself]

I hope there was enough food to feed the pax for two extra days.

Himself

[Ziggy7]

We tip because we feel they are deserved, not because we are told to. We left on the auto tipping but we also tipped through out the cruise, we budgeted it as part of our cruise. Some did not get a tip, because they did not deserve it, while others received many well deserved tips. As someone who worked as a waitress, I believe if I wanted a tip, then I better earn it. I also served many people who could not afford an extra tip, and my service to them was no different. In this business, there really are much more people wanting to tip, than those not wanting to or being able too.

 

 

Also I say don’t judge others too harshly who don’t always tip, I only say this because of the post that said if they couldn’t afford the tips then they shouldn’t cruise,

 

I had a mother at my restaurant, which brought her three daughters in for a treat because they were doing really well in school, she ordered 2 dinners to be split 4 ways, which was all she could afford. I served her no less than a tipping customer, and feel she had just as much right being there as anyone else. Yes most of us depend a great deal on our tips but we are not heartless to the elements. So to those who don’t have enough for tips, my best advice to you is highly commenting their services to their bosses or on your evaluation forms. This is a nice tip that’s free to you :) but helps the servers in the long run :)

 

 

This reply is in not meant to offend anyone, so please forgive me if it does. I just thought a view from the other side was needed.