Room service waiters are "volunteers"??

[Cranberry Seas]

I figured as much :) DH and I are also signed up for anytime looking for tables for 2 (or depending on the size of our balcony we may do some dinners on the balcony) so my comment was more rhetorical ;). I could see if you didn't take your other comments on this thread in to context where Cranberry Seas could see where you comment was angry but I had a pretty good idea where you were coming from.

 

Cranberry Seas, if you haven't already, stop by the Roll Call thread for our cruise: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=678355

 

We're actually a pretty nice group (despite what you may think of me on this thread ;) LOL)

I guess...

 

I just went back and read through all this. Looks to me like it all started when this cruzincurt guy said "I always understood that the room service delivery was "extra" volunteer work on the part of the crew." then argued that that is why people should tip extra. Then when he was was proved wrong and it was posted that the room service people are regular emplyees assinged to room service he got nasty.

 

I'm not in the "incrowd" here so I dunno but that is the way it comes across to me.

 

Why are people getting so pissy at people who are doing what Holland America has instructed them to do as regards to tipping??

[roohound]

Why are people getting so pissy at people who are doing what Holland America has instructed them to do as regards to tipping??

 

Because they can ;) Welcome to the HAL boards LOL!

[sodomojo]

Strange that you would say the $3.50 per day is just pure fiction.

 

Then I shall assume that when the CD's on the various ships that we have sailed on our telling us fictional stories when they have their disembarkation talks and actually tell people what the $10 is divided among the crew!!

 

If they tell you the $10 (or $11 now) are divided based on a points system how many people can actually understand the concept? The reason it's not $3.50 is each cruise will pull in a different amount (pool of $$), therefore you cannot use a fixed amount for the distribution. I know some lines do that but not HAL. Sorry but I cannot get into more detail than this as this is really business related.

[roohound]

If they tell you the $10 (or $11 now) are divided based on a points system how many people can actually understand the concept?

 

So are we now saying HAL patrons just aren't the sharpest crayons in the box? ;) (j/k!!!)

[cruzincurt]

Cranberry Seas, you need to be careful when someone on these boards, or the internet for that matter, states "this is a fact". Maybe, maybe not.

 

I don't know funlovin'cruiser's credentials for being taken as factual from a hole in the ground. I was told early on in my cruising career that crew could volunteer for room service to make extra money. That was then, on a different cruiseline, and may no longer be true.

 

Holland America hasn't instructed me how to tip. They have decided to make it easy for me to have a recommended tip amount (their opinion) charged against my account. People no longer carry cash to tip at the end of the cruise because they have to charge even that $1.59 cup of coffee to a credit card.

[CowPrincess]

Looks to me like it all started when this cruzincurt guy said "I always understood that the room service delivery was "extra" volunteer work on the part of the crew."

 

No, I really think some of us took offense when another poster tried (using specious arguments, IMHO) to justify not tipping, and implying that the crew should be happy for whatever their paycheque is because (to paraphrase) they are from poor countries and don't need as much money to live as North Americans do.

 

Given that most people on this board are from USA, the "land of opportunity", it offends me personally to hear anyone suggest that the poor should stay poor, regardless of how long and hard they work.

 

I think you've completely misinterpreted cruzincurt's role in the deterioration of this thread.

 

JMHO, YMMV

[Cranberry Seas]

No, I really think some of us took offense when another poster tried (using specious arguments, IMHO) to justify not tipping, and implying that the crew should be happy for whatever their paycheque is because (to paraphrase) they are from poor countries and don't need as much money to live as North Americans do.

 

Given that most people on this board are from USA, the "land of opportunity", it offends me personally to hear anyone suggest that the poor should stay poor, regardless of how long and hard they work.

 

I think you've completely misinterpreted cruzincurt's role in the deterioration of this thread.

 

JMHO, YMMV

I saw a lot of nasty accusations that people were trying to "justify not tipping" but hello the autotip IS tipping! It is what Holland America recommends.and i read all that about Indonesia and I agree with the people who pointed out that they make a fortune working on the ship as compared to working in indonesia. where did anyone say the poor should stay poor????

[Jade13]

If they tell you the $10 (or $11 now) are divided based on a points system how many people can actually understand the concept? The reason it's not $3.50 is each cruise will pull in a different amount (pool of $$), therefore you cannot use a fixed amount for the distribution. I know some lines do that but not HAL. Sorry but I cannot get into more detail than this as this is really business related.

 

That is just a way of saying what I always suspected. The tips are pulled for everyone on the ship (or most everyone, perhaps not officers). So, if one steward really is bad and his guests pull the tips, mine will be covering those tips and ultimately my steward does not get the full $3.50 per day.

[Krazy Kruizers]

If they tell you the $10 (or $11 now) are divided based on a points system how many people can actually understand the concept? The reason it's not $3.50 is each cruise will pull in a different amount (pool of $$), therefore you cannot use a fixed amount for the distribution. I know some lines do that but not HAL. Sorry but I cannot get into more detail than this as this is really business related.

 

We have not cruised on the other lines since 2001.

Then someone should instruct the CD's to adjust their speeches!!!

We have sailed on R, S and Vista class ships -- and the CD's for the most part give this same speech as to how much is given to whom.

We even had a HM tell us the breakdown one time.

I am just reporting what we have been told since these auto tips first began.

[Krazy Kruizers]

sodomojo

Check out this thread -- as I know you think I am making all this up:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=817054&highlight=auto+tips

 

Post #5

[sodomojo]

sodomojo

 

Check out this thread -- as I know you think I am making all this up:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=817054&highlight=auto+tips

 

Post #5

 

Never have that thought since you only know what's fed to you. Like I stated earlier telling you $3.50 is a lot easier to tell you how the whole points system works. Oh about that thread you provided above, there's also misleading information on the BSC, that's even more complicated than the HSC we are discussing here.

[navybankerteacher]

Never have that thought since you only know what's fed to you. Like I stated earlier telling you $3.50 is a lot easier to tell you how the whole points system works. Oh about that thread you provided above, there's also misleading information on the BSC, that's even more complicated than the HSC we are discussing here.

 

sodomojo - it is somewhat off-putting for you to repeatedly interject in conversations to prove that someone is mistaken -- and then to regularly back off on discussing the details on the grounds that they represent some sort of proprietary information which you, as an employee of HAL, should not discuss: as the saying goes, perhaps you sholud put up or shut up.

 

The point being discussed is whether something admittedly out of the normal run of service should warrant a tip. Appreciative people think so, others grasp at straws to justify not showing generosity. Period.

[Cranberry Seas]

others grasp at straws to justify not showing generosity. Period.

How on earth does FOLLOWING HOLLAND AMERICA'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TIPPING = "grasping at straws" to avoid "showing generosity"???

[Jade13]

Never have that thought since you only know what's fed to you. Like I stated earlier telling you $3.50 is a lot easier to tell you how the whole points system works. Oh about that thread you provided above, there's also misleading information on the BSC, that's even more complicated than the HSC we are discussing here.

 

Does BSC stand for "Behind the Scenes"? Thanks.

[Jade13]

How on earth does FOLLOWING HOLLAND AMERICA'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TIPPING = "grasping at straws" to avoid "showing generosity"???

 

I assume NavyBanker was referring to people who do not tip at all, which includes no auto-tip or tip left by credit card etc.

[sodomojo]

sodomojo - it is somewhat off-putting for you to repeatedly interject in conversations to prove that someone is mistaken -- and then to regularly back off on discussing the details on the grounds that they represent some sort of proprietary information which you, as an employee of HAL, should not discuss: as the saying goes, perhaps you sholud put up or shut up.

 

The point being discussed is whether something admittedly out of the normal run of service should warrant a tip. Appreciative people think so, others grasp at straws to justify not showing generosity. Period.

 

Original poster asked if the room service attendants are "volunteers" or not. You're mistaken this post with another one. Oh about the personal feeling of whether one should tip the room service attendants or not, please see post #35.

[tompeter]

Jade- I think BSC= Bar Service Charge...

[sodomojo]

Jade- I think BSC= Bar Service Charge...

 

Bingo!:)

[fun*n*sun]

sodomojo - it is somewhat off-putting for you to repeatedly interject in conversations to prove that someone is mistaken -- and then to regularly back off on discussing the details on the grounds that they represent some sort of proprietary information which you, as an employee of HAL, should not discuss: as the saying goes, perhaps you should put up or shut up.

 

The point being discussed is whether something admittedly out of the normal run of service should warrant a tip. Appreciative people think so, others grasp at straws to justify not showing generosity. Period.

 

 

Why do you consider room service to be out of the normal run of service? If that is the job someone gets paid to do and they get their share of the tip, that would seem to me the same as a waiter or other food service person. Walking from the kitchen to your table over and over for your order, drinks several times a meal, serving several courses is probably walking further than room service waiters have to walk to deliver their food, especially if you are on the far side of the dining room. Should people further from the kitchen tip their waiter more? Again, I myself do tip room service, I just don't like the idea of belittling those who choose to rely on the HAL recommended tip.

[rkacruiser]

The information in this thread re-affirms "my gratuity policy" ever since the auto-tip policy was instituted. Not knowing about the points policy of the Company, and not knowing FOR SURE who gets how much, it is my belief--and practice-- that, at a minimum, my cabin steward is given $3.50 per day; my dining room steward receives $3.50 per day; my assistant dining room steward receives $1.75 per day; my Head Steward is given $1.00 per day. And, often, the deck steward (the young man who takes care of the deck chairs and cushions and distributes iced tea) will receive a small gratuity as well.

 

It is my belief that the above figures represent the minimum these hard working people should receive from me as a guest. And, regardless of the auto-tip--which I consider to be like a service charge in a European hotel--I want to be certain that these people receive it.

[kryos]

And where was it "admitted" by anyone that room service is "out of the normal run of service"? There are numerous ways to enjoy the food on the cruise...buffet, Pinnacle, Tamirind, or eat in your cabin.

Those other options, though, do not require a steward to tramp through the ship, laden often with a full tray of food, to deliver it to your cabin door. That's why I feel room service is deserving of an extra tip ... a few dollars ... for that added trouble.

 

Remember, on a ship you pay zilch for room service. The food is free. There is no special service charge for it. So, why not part with a couple of bucks to the poor sop who had to deliver it?

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

It is my belief that the above figures represent the minimum these hard working people should receive from me as a guest. And, regardless of the auto-tip--which I consider to be like a service charge in a European hotel--I want to be certain that these people receive it.

Problem is that they don't. Remember, the waiters included in that service charge also include Lido staff, pool grill staff ... just about any food service person on the ship. There is also a lot of auxiliary people getting a cut of that auto-tip too ... people you may never see ... such as those working in the galley and the laundry ... actually almost anyone in the food service departments and anyone working in housekeeping. So, I would imagine that the actual amount your cabin steward or head waiter gets is probably significantly less than the amounts you quoted. Yes, that is how much of the auto-tip goes for these functions, but that amount must be divided among a lot of people, resulting in your cabin steward maybe getting half of that, if that much.

 

I'm not saying this to advocate tipping additional. I'm just stating it for informational purposes. What you decide to tip is your business, and frankly, I rarely tip extra to anyone other than possibly an exceptionally good cabin steward who impressed me over the course of the cruise as deserving of more. You should just follow your conscious in this regard as well, and don't let anyone else ... either on or off of these boards ... tell you what you should be tipping. That's your business.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[Q.E.D.]

Those other options, though, do not require a steward to tramp through the ship, laden often with a full tray of food, to deliver it to your cabin door. That's why I feel room service is deserving of an extra tip ... a few dollars ... for that added trouble.

But that's his job. Delivering food to cabins is what he was hired and paid to do. Just like delivering food to my table in the dining room is what my dining room waiter was hired and paid to do. Do you also go and find each laundry worker who washed your towels and sheets and tip him extra too, because the "poor sop" had to slave all day in a hot room, lifting and pressing hot steaming, heavy laundry?

 

Remember, on a ship you pay zilch for room service. The food is free.

Um, it's not "free" at all. It is part of the price of the cruise.

 

So, why not part with a couple of bucks to the poor sop who had to deliver it?

I fully intend to. Via the autotip that HAL has recommended to me for that purpose.

[Teresa Price]

I'm with you QED. And I've just remembered why I don't come on this board much anymore!

I wonder just how keen people will be to be slipping the person who delivered their breakfast $10 [which I have read on here before] once the credit crunch [as we call it over here] takes a real hold. People will be looking for good value for money from a holiday and maybe not guilt tripping about HAL staff,

Teresa

[martini cruiser]

I'm for the tip extra for the room service side. Yes I know in some countries what they make on board are good wages. But you have to factor in how long thet are away from families and friends. I've found that the Fillipinos,Indonesians, and now the Eastern Europeans are overall happier and better servers/bartenders/stewards due to the fact that compared to working in thier own country the cruiseline pay is worth the seperation, cramped quarters and long hours. On American Hawaiian and NCl Hawaiian cruises with an all US staff I found the level of service to be sub par, I guess that's because what they made was less than what they could make on land so they were not as happy. A happy employee does a better job .

Also when I go to a restaurant in the States I don't tip the server by how much he makes but by what value I place on his service, it's the same on a cruise. I tip for service, and I feel that unless I get bad service they deserve a tip.

 

Martini Cruiser