Auto Tip? ...... or not?

[keep on cruisin]

To the OP...don't be classless for heaven's sake...especially on HAL :D. The crew works extremely hard every single day to make your cruise experience very special. Give them their due...and then ask the purser's desk for envelopes to enclose cash for those persons who were above and beyond what was expected. Do the right thing...leave the tips in place. NONE of the monies collected through auto-tip goes to the cruiseline. Your friend is grossly uninformed!

 

 

I see the OP has already responded for themselves, but why, if you read the origingal post, would you even consider calling them "classless"

 

In the OP, they state they have been told they should remove them, and then give them out directly. Never saying they planned on stiffing anyone. Since most, if not all the cruiselines require case tips to be put back in to the tip pool, it would make no difference other than make the tipper do it the way they want.

 

I will leave them in place an give extra for good service. And if I feel lowering them is warranted I will deal with the Pursers desk and try to resolve the problem first.

[keep on cruisin]

My SO is an assistant maitre d' in the dining room of a major upscale cruise line and well-known ship and I'd like to add a little bit of information on this thread. (He has been with his current cruise line for 9 years and for a previous line for 5 years.) The crew members in the dining room, at least on his ship, actually prefer to have gratuities automatically added to the guests' onboard accounts. Three things are accomplished by this: 1.) They are given a list of guests and the amount of gratuities that have been paid, thereby assuring the crew member of the amount of their income for that cruise, based on how many guests are in their section; 2.) It allows them to relax and focus on giving outstanding service instead of worrying and wondering about their income for that cruise; and 3.) They don't have to wait around on the last night of the cruise, making sure to make themselves available to the guests, even though they may have pressing duties to perform, and wondering if some are going to leave without giving them anything. This is embarrassing and uncomfortable for them. And for those of you who might think that adding gratuities automatically to the guests' shipboard accounts might also make those service personnel relax a little bit too much and slack off on their level of service, I can assure you that, in general, this is certainly not the case. In fact, it works just the opposite and gives them the incentive to perform at their highest level.

 

One other comment is that my SO and I just returned from a Med cruise on one of Costa's ships and our gratuities were automatically added to our onboard account. However, we were not given vouchers to give out to our service personnel and when we asked our waiter about it on the last night, he claimed that he knew nothing about who had paid and who might have had their gratuities removed. This made us feel very uncomfortable and we did not know exactly what to say to our waiter except to assure him that we had paid. We had proof on our onboard account statement that the tips had been paid, so we didn't know why our waiter had not been properly informed, but, unfortunately, it also made us question whether our waiter was being truthful with us or was hoping for additional cash in person, which we normally do but since we had only had dinner in the dining room four times that week and the service was considerably less than expected and desired, we decided not to give extra, though we certainly did for our cabin stewardess because she was excellent.

 

I agree with the person who said earlier in this thread that in a perfect world these people would be paid a decent salary and these gratuities issues would not be such a big deal. But the truth is that the gratuities mean everything to these crew members. In most cases the gratuities amount to at least 98% of their income, and even when they become a supervisor or in a management position in the dining room or specialty restaurants, gratuities still amount to more than 50% of their income.

 

Just thought I would add some insight from an extremely experienced and reliable source.

 

 

Great post. Terrific to get the perspective of the staff.

 

I would think that we as passengers are better off with the tipping policies staying in place as compared to raising the salaries and cruise prices.

 

Since the cruise fare is commisionable to the TA's, they would not only add the equivalent of $10.00 per person per day, they would also have to add more to break even with the commisions. They would also have to come up with an average of how many passengers will actually be every sailing, because even if every room is sold, that doesn't account for 3rds and 4ths in rooms. On the other side they would also consider what % of passengers stiff the staff on tips altogether.

 

I can see the point both ways, but in my opinion it is better this way. We can tip more or less if we feel it is warranted. And typically we get excellent service, so more is much more likely.

 

For our next cruise they are already paid, as we are doing My Time Dining on Freedom of the Seas. Hopefully after that trip I won't be changing my mind:eek: I am sure we will be more than satisfied with the service. We don't ask much. We just want the wold:p .

 

Happy Cruising,

David

[Cuizer2]

We don't ask much. We just want the wold:p .

 

Happy Cruising,

David

 

I assume you mean world. So, here you go ...

 

 

 

[keep on cruisin]

I assume you mean world. So, here you go ...

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

That's all we ever wanted:D :D

 

David

[Teetype]

My SO is an assistant maitre d' in the dining room of a major upscale cruise line and well-known ship and I'd like to add a little bit of information on this thread. (He has been with his current cruise line for 9 years and for a previous line for 5 years.) The crew members in the dining room, at least on his ship, actually prefer to have gratuities automatically added to the guests' onboard accounts. Three things are accomplished by this: 1.) They are given a list of guests and the amount of gratuities that have been paid, thereby assuring the crew member of the amount of their income for that cruise, based on how many guests are in their section; 2.) It allows them to relax and focus on giving outstanding service instead of worrying and wondering about their income for that cruise; and 3.) They don't have to wait around on the last night of the cruise, making sure to make themselves available to the guests, even though they may have pressing duties to perform, and wondering if some are going to leave without giving them anything. This is embarrassing and uncomfortable for them. And for those of you who might think that adding gratuities automatically to the guests' shipboard accounts might also make those service personnel relax a little bit too much and slack off on their level of service, I can assure you that, in general, this is certainly not the case. In fact, it works just the opposite and gives them the incentive to perform at their highest level.

 

One other comment is that my SO and I just returned from a Med cruise on one of Costa's ships and our gratuities were automatically added to our onboard account. However, we were not given vouchers to give out to our service personnel and when we asked our waiter about it on the last night, he claimed that he knew nothing about who had paid and who might have had their gratuities removed. This made us feel very uncomfortable and we did not know exactly what to say to our waiter except to assure him that we had paid. We had proof on our onboard account statement that the tips had been paid, so we didn't know why our waiter had not been properly informed, but, unfortunately, it also made us question whether our waiter was being truthful with us or was hoping for additional cash in person, which we normally do but since we had only had dinner in the dining room four times that week and the service was considerably less than expected and desired, we decided not to give extra, though we certainly did for our cabin stewardess because she was excellent.

 

I agree with the person who said earlier in this thread that in a perfect world these people would be paid a decent salary and these gratuities issues would not be such a big deal. But the truth is that the gratuities mean everything to these crew members. In most cases the gratuities amount to at least 98% of their income, and even when they become a supervisor or in a management position in the dining room or specialty restaurants, gratuities still amount to more than 50% of their income.

 

Just thought I would add some insight from an extremely experienced and reliable source.

 

 

Nadalina:

 

Thank you so much for this post. May I have your permission to copy it and use on in future posts on this topic? The "from the horses mouth" may well impact others down the road. I will, of course, include your signature.

 

Thanks!

Tee

[Sundagger]

With auto or pre-paid tips, you receive vouchers so you are still able to hand them something and thank them for the service.

 

I also have a hard time believing that they send the cash you have given them for a tip immediately home to their family. I work for a bank and the only way to send money overseas (other than mailing cash or a cheque) is through a wire transfer - and they aren't cheap. I'd be willing to bet that if someone is going to send money home they are sending a large amount at once - and are likely doing this on payday.

 

I am sure as long as the staff member is being tipped they are happy.

 

RCL (not sure about Celebrity) issues vouchers. Most lines are "paperless".

[Sundagger]

Hey CV if you read my second post in this thread you will see that I am going to keep my auto tip in place and also give cash where warranted.

 

I was only trying to get people's opinions on something that was told to me by someone who goes on cruises every year. I wasn't asking because I wanted to do it.

 

Anyway why do I have to explain myself to you.

 

Tipping is very much a "hot button" topic on CC. Some people get carried away with their comments. And a LOT of people don't read (or even skim) all the posts before making their comment - one of my pet peeves.

[nadalina]

Nadalina:

 

Thank you so much for this post. May I have your permission to copy it and use on in future posts on this topic? The "from the horses mouth" may well impact others down the road. I will, of course, include your signature.

 

Thanks!

Tee

 

Hi, Tee.

Yes, you certainly may use my post in whatever form or fashion you deem appropriate and useful. This Board serves many purposes and I, for one, am grateful for the opportunity to share information as well as to be educated and enlightened myself. I have always felt that the better I can understand a situation, then the better I can deal with it and react/respond appropriately. Crew members' onboard lives are a mystery to most people and we can't help but be curious about them. So if I have helped any of the readers of this Board understand their point of view on this matter, then I am grateful for that as well.

 

Thank you, and others, for your kind words.

Peggy

[Solara]

Leave the auto tip in place. Just give extra to those who you feel went that extra mile.

[blindrid]

Totally agree and thanks to nadalina.

 

I have cruised many lines and have yet to receive vouchers, envelopes or whatever on top of the auto-tip. I don't see it being an issue as I typically hand them cash, thank them and go......

 

I don not see why one would remove the auto-tip as that assures me that everyone is getting taken care of that deserves it without the hassle. IMO, if you stop the auto-tip there is probably no way to catch all of the employees that made your stay enjoyable.

[Cuizer2]

I have cruised many lines and have yet to receive vouchers, envelopes or whatever on top of the auto-tip. I don't see it being an issue as I typically hand them cash, thank them and go......

 

Royal Caribbean provides vouchers.

[miamibobk]

At the end of every cruise I always check to see if there are any tips in the pool. So far none. So I doubt that they have to put their cash tips into the pool.

You keep checking the pool. You may get lucky one day.

[blindrid]

Royal Caribbean provides vouchers.

 

Figures (with foot in mouth), one of the few lines I have not been on and then you make me look bad.... :) .