What is the best way to reward and punish employees via tipping?

[njhorseman]

I am just guessing, but I bet they turn in all tips into a ship "bank" and note which stateroom gave it to them.

 

I cannot imagine that with close quarters and so many crew, anyone would want to keep cash accumulating on them for a 6 month contract.

 

If they turn it all in to their "account" it would be very easy to have it held as "pending" until it was confirmed that the guest didn't remove charges.

 

Just a thought.

 

That's not going to work for tips given to dining room staff. Your waiter doesn't know your name or what cabin you're in.

 

I assume it might apply, however to stateroom attendants.

[Tokaybean]

I know that NCL automatically charges $12 per person, per day for tipping.

 

I also know you can adjust, or perhaps remove entirely the tips. I do not plan on doing this, but I do not want to reward employees for poor service.

 

From what I understand, if you remove all your tips, then the employees you do tip yourself with cash, have to give up their tips and put it into the tip pool, so they still do not get rewarded.

 

What is the BEST way to reward the employees that do well, and punish the ones that provide horrible service without going above the $12/day automatic tipping? Would it just be best to keep the $12/day, not tip extra, but perhaps fill out comment cards to point out the exceptional employees while bringing light onto the bad ones?

 

"Punish" ??? Doesn't that sound a tad archaic? The best way to 'punish' an employee is to tell their supervisor immediately. Leave the service charge alone unless everyone including supervisors are 'horrible' which I highly doubt would ever happen or NCL would have gone out of business years ago.

[DAllenTCY]

Due to "cost cutting" measures by all of the large cruise lines, I can't immagine any circumstance where I would not tip at least the minimum to any employee. I can remember the day where a room steward only had a dozen or so rooms to keep up...not twice that even with the helper have now).

These people work their butts off for us, whether you appreciate it or not.

TMHO.

David

[bplazo]

I really hate the word "punishment". I have always received good service from the crew on the ship and there is no way that I would ever leave less then the recomended. Some people just look for an excurse to tip less or not at all.

 

 

 

Be generous, you will be making someone's day and you will feel good about yourself.

[dtracker]

I believe you will gain more via a comment card, that you will by removing your DSC. NCL is trying very hard to provide good service in order to justify in the consumer's minds the validity of the DSC. This is a relative new thing (past 10 years or so) in the cruiseline industry, and results from years of the pax stiffing the staff. I am happy with the DSC and happen to think the workers earn it! JMHO! :)

 

DT

[Tomct]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BIG_Steve

I've seen numerous times, not just in this thread, where a poster states if the Service charge is left in place, workers get to keep extra cash tips. I've also seen statements that state if a service charge is adjusted, any worker getting a cash tip has to kick it into the pooled tip/service charge money.

 

That's rather intimate knowledge of how these workers get paid. I'm wondering how that information was found out?

 

 

And further, how do you know they really do it? Does anyone think they really give up all their cash tips?

 

I spoke directly with our cabin steward one night, when she invited us to join her at Spinnakers Lounge. She was there as a reward, and spent an hour or so with us watching the show, and even shared one dance with her. She confirmed how important it is to leave comments, and how much they appreciate the extra tips they get to keep.

[Lvteks]

As I recall when "automatic" tips or service charges became the norm, CC had many comments. Eventually it was summarized as tip money could be kept by the individual if the auto account was not affected. From then on we tipped extra if we were really pleased and left the other alone at all times.

 

Blessings,

 

Gail

[CruisnGram]

I've seen numerous times, not just in this thread, where a poster states if the Service charge is left in place, workers get to keep extra cash tips. I've also seen statements that state if a service charge is adjusted, any worker getting a cash tip has to kick it into the pooled tip/service charge money.

 

That's rather intimate knowledge of how these workers get paid. I'm wondering how that information was found out?

 

From James. An NCL employee who posts on here regularly.

 

And further, how do you know they really do it? Does anyone think they really give up all their cash tips?

 

As i've said before, I don't believe it for one second. If you remove the autotip they could take extra tips you left on your sign and sail account. They could even ask the room steward to turn in any tip you left (in cash, in the room, where there are no cameras).

 

These people want their jobs. And they are not going to risk their job by not reporting tips. Both stewards and dining room attendants must turn in any cash tips they receive every day during the cruise. Rather or not the service charge has been removed, has no bearing on that as someone may not remove it until the last day. The amount and their name is recorded and after the cruise is over, if the DSC was left in place, the money is returned to them to keep. If the DSC was removed, the collected money goes into the tip pool. This has been witnessed by many CC members while on their cruise and has also been told to various CC members directly by ship employees.

 

But how would any other employee know you adjusted your daily service charge? If you remove the charge on your last day do they circulate your picture around the ship and tell everyone to remember if this person gave you a cash tip, and if so you should turn it in?

 

Rather they know or they don't, it doesn't matter. As I said, all tips are turned in the entire cruise and are returned if the DSC is left in place at the end of the cruise.

 

CG

[njhorseman]

So many posters on this thread have gone off the deep end. The guy wants to know if he can adjust his tip/service charge if service is bad. Because of his wording, he's being pecked apart. But that's the norm. It's his money, not yours. It's his expectation of service level, not yours.

 

I have belonged to a number of vaction/resort type discussion groups over the years. They are all the same as this one. Toe the line, or be shredded. And if someone starts to peck on a poster, the whole hen house empties to join in.

 

And since you're interested in my tipping habits. In my 51 trips around the sun, I HAVE had horrible service on a very few occasions. It happens, get over it. When I left no tip, I didn't go sneaking off either. Guess that's beyond your comprehension.

 

When you're communicating via the written word, expect to get "pecked apart" if your choice of words can be interpreted as being inflammatory or insensitive. On the Internet you don't have the luxury of looking at someones facial expression or hearing their tone of voice. It's understandable if apparently angry words are met with angry responses.

 

On the Internet, you are what you write, so choose your words carefully.

[njhorseman]

I've seen numerous times, not just in this thread, where a poster states if the Service charge is left in place, workers get to keep extra cash tips. I've also seen statements that state if a service charge is adjusted, any worker getting a cash tip has to kick it into the pooled tip/service charge money.

 

That's rather intimate knowledge of how these workers get paid. I'm wondering how that information was found out?

 

From James. An NCL employee who posts on here regularly.

 

 

 

 

 

They don't. As I said, all tips are turned in the entire cruise and are returned if the DSC is left in place at the end of the cruise.

 

CG

 

Again, that might work for cabin stewards, but how does a dining room waiter know who tipped in order to identify if the service charge was left in place? Remember, both the dining room staff and the room stewards are in the pool.

 

Are you trying to say that if even one passenger has their service charge deleted, then all tips from every passenger for all employees are dumped in the pool?

[BIG_Steve]

When you're communicating via the written word, expect to get "pecked apart" if your choice of words can be interpreted as being inflammatory or insensitive. On the Internet you don't have the luxury of looking at someones facial expression or hearing their tone of voice. It's understandable if apparently angry words are met with angry responses.

 

On the Internet, you are what you write, so choose your words carefully.

 

Fine advice, but it's the OP that's being pecked apart, not me. OTOH if we're dealing in a "2 dimensional" forum, isn't it just as valid for a responder to take a step back and think over again what an OP is saying?

 

I saw nothing angry in the OP. I did see a bunch of responders jump on the word "Punish" and completly ignore everything else the OP said.

 

This is nonsense. When I found this site, I asked questions and got some good answers. But it's time to go. Ciao.

[CruisnGram]

 

Again, that might work for cabin stewards, but how does a dining room waiter know who tipped in order to identify if the service charge was left in place? Remember, both the dining room staff and the room stewards are in the pool.

 

I can't answer that for other people. For me, the only time I tip extra in the dining room is if I order liquor, or if I'm in a specialty restaurant. In both of those cases, they have my cabin number from my sign and sail card when I pay the tab, so they can just mark that down. For those that do tip extra in the main dining room, I wonder if they are asked their name/cabin number? That would make sense.

 

Are you trying to say that if even one passenger has their service charge deleted, then all tips from every passenger for all employees are dumped in the pool?

 

Absolutely not. Only the person's cash tips who remove the DSC are pooled.

 

 

 

CG

[njhorseman]

Absolutely not. Only the person's cash tips who remove the DSC are pooled.

 

 

 

CG

 

So, I ask again, how would one know which passenger gave a dining room waiter a tip?

 

The system you are describing could only work with tips to room stewards (assuming they are being honest and reporting their cash tips), who do know which passengers tip them.

 

They can't possibly pool any tips to dining room staff under the system you describe.

[CruisnGram]

So, I ask again, how would one know which passenger gave a dining room waiter a tip?

 

And I'll answer again. I have only tipped extra in a dining room if I had a tab to pay and used my S&S card which gave them my cabin number.

 

The system you are describing could only work with tips to room stewards (assuming they are being honest and reporting their cash tips), who do know which passengers tip them.

 

They can't possibly pool any tips to dining room staff under the system you describe.

 

 

Have you given cash in a dining room (without using your S&S card to pay for an extra) ? If you haven't (as I have not) how do you know that they don't ask your cabin number? That way, it would indeed work.

 

CG

[CC Help Michell]

Have you given cash in a dining room (without using your S&S card to pay for an extra) ? If you haven't (as I have not) how do you know that they don't ask your cabin number? That way, it would indeed work.

 

CG

 

We've always been asked for our cabin number when making reservations for dinner, or when being seated if we go without reservations -- again, at dinner. I don't recall being asked at lunch or breakfast.

[CruisnGram]

We've always been asked for our cabin number when making reservations for dinner, or when being seated if we go without reservations -- again, at dinner. I don't recall being asked at lunch or breakfast.

 

You are right. I've never thought of that. Now that I think about it, when we were on the Sky, it was one of the ships that was updated with all the new restaurant boards, etc. When we went to dinner, they asked us for our S&S card and actually swiped it through the computer. It certainly could be a way of tracking where they seated you so that they know the cabin numbers of each table.

 

CG

[Don Haynes]

Too many passengers see the daily surcharge as tips. In reality the daily surcharge is the bulk of their salary, not tips.

 

More and more cruise lines have implemented the daily surcharge because so many, up to half the passengers, skipped and stiffed the tips, these employees salary. The cruise lines compete to sign these employees to contracts. Frankly they are more independent contractors than employees.

 

They sign where they get paid, they don't sign where they aren't. So in the long run, those who stiffed created the daily surcharge. And no matter how much you don't want to reward them with tips, they will be rewarded. No one works for nothing.

[mickeysgal]

Too many passengers see the daily surcharge as tips. In reality the daily surcharge is the bulk of their salary, not tips.

 

More and more cruise lines have implemented the daily surcharge because so many, up to half the passengers, skipped and stiffed the tips, these employees salary. The cruise lines compete to sign these employees to contracts. Frankly they are more independent contractors than employees.

 

They sign where they get paid, they don't sign where they aren't. So in the long run, those who stiffed created the daily surcharge. And no matter how much you don't want to reward them with tips, they will be rewarded. No one works for nothing.

 

The problem is that they are referred to as gratutities - meaning tips.

 

I, for one, love the concept of prepaying. It's quick and easy, you don't have to make sure you have the correct denominations, and you don't have to make sure you find all the employees that you want to tip. There is always one that we're hunting down.

[TrinaLC]

 

They do get rewarded for good comments (time in the employee hot tub, for instance, more on shore time).

 

 

Seriously - more time in the hot tub? or are you just guessing? Incidentally I have never seen any employee use the hot tubs at the front of the ship (the ones that appear in the web cam).

[CC Help Michell]

The problem is that they are referred to as gratutities - meaning tips.

 

I, for one, love the concept of prepaying. It's quick and easy, you don't have to make sure you have the correct denominations, and you don't have to make sure you find all the employees that you want to tip. There is always one that we're hunting down.

 

Actually, they aren't on NCL. On NCL they are called "Pre-paid Service Fee." http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/cruiser/cmsPages.html?pageId=FAQ#tipping

[njhorseman]

You are right. I've never thought of that. Now that I think about it, when we were on the Sky, it was one of the ships that was updated with all the new restaurant boards, etc. When we went to dinner, they asked us for our S&S card and actually swiped it through the computer. It certainly could be a way of tracking where they seated you so that they know the cabin numbers of each table.

 

CG

 

There are times when you're not asked for identification, such as lunch. I've see passengers reach into their pockets and leave cash on the table as if it were a land-based restaurant.

 

There are times when we've shared tables with other passengers. How can you know who tipped and who didn't?

 

Since you don't have an assigned table/waiter on NCL, on the last night of the cruise I've sought out and tipped good waiters I've had earlier in the week, but who weren't serving me that night.

[mickeysgal]

Actually, they aren't on NCL. On NCL they are called "Pre-paid Service Fee." http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/cruiser/cmsPages.html?pageId=FAQ#tipping

 

Well, then I stand corrected. :)

[Down-Unders]

I know that NCL automatically charges $12 per person, per day for tipping.

 

I also know you can adjust, or perhaps remove entirely the tips. I do not plan on doing this, but I do not want to reward employees for poor service.

 

From what I understand, if you remove all your tips, then the employees you do tip yourself with cash, have to give up their tips and put it into the tip pool, so they still do not get rewarded.

 

What is the BEST way to reward the employees that do well, and punish the ones that provide horrible service without going above the $12/day automatic tipping? Would it just be best to keep the $12/day, not tip extra, but perhaps fill out comment cards to point out the exceptional employees while bringing light onto the bad ones?

 

 

Punish!

 

 

 

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

[mimisandy]

We haven't cruised on NCL so this is just a general cruise response. We like to give our tips in CASH on the last night. We like to give extra to those that have been fun, extra attentive, helpful, whatever. We have never shorted anyone the recommended tip. We have always felt like they work very hard for their tips and commend them for this.

HOWEVER, one time the maitre d NEVER came to our table (six or eight at table, can't remember). In lieu of the fact that he never stopped by to chit chat, ask what we did in port, make a recommendation for the next port, ask how our meal was, etc., we didn't tip him on the last night when he, of course, made it to our table.

Were we wrong?

[*Wink*]

LOL.. It's really too bad employees can't "punish" jerks with a god complex.