Auto-tipping.

HAL began adding tips on automatically over the last couple of years.

Do you leave them on or have them removed?

IMO, you must leave these on. The reason for this is that all crew benefit from the pool. I believe it is $3 to each you cabin and dining steward and everyone else gets a piece of the $4 left over. If you remove them from you bill, not only do you defeat the purpose, but inevitably, you reduce the amount in the pool. If you remove them from the bill, the crew must contribute it to the pool. They cannot keep it personally. Thus... if you feel that the service was not adequate for the tip, talk to someone to get better service. If you believe service is above and beyond you expectations for the minor $10pdpp, tip more and the person that you give it to can then keep it.

On my first cruise, the service was so much better then a measley $10 for everyone that I tipped my cabin steward, room steward, wine steward and busser once nicely for excellent service the first day when they responded immediately to my specific requests. I also tipped another healthy one at the end. I believe I got excellent, excellent service and that the crew are paid so little for extremely hard work that they deserved every penny. I could also see tipping smaller each and every day, but I like the first and last impression tack.

I leave them, and where I think warranted, tip extra individually.

On our recent cruise, I left mine on. I did, however wonder if we would be considered cheapskates by the staff for not tipping above the auto-tip. I didn't really understand what the staff was expecting. I hope that we didn't offend any of our favorite staff members by sticking with the auto-tip.

Do most people tip on top of the auto-tip?

I leave them, and where I think warranted, tip extra individually.

Ditto - With the individual extra tips and the P/Grill, I think we are probably spending around the same as we ever did prior to the introduction of the auto-tipping. Perhaps a little more....:rolleyes:

Most of the people that I asked, did not tip above the auto tip and said that service was still most excellent.

I prefer the personal contact with the tippee rather than the impersonal folio voucher. I feel this really shows them that you appreciate their usually excellent service. For the attendant who isn't doing at least a mediocre job, it lets him/her know there's room for improvement. If they're going to get a tip anyway, why make the extra effort?

I will not remove the auto-tipping, but will tip extra when earned.

Candy

I don't have any problem with the auto-tipping, and apparently it has become a necessity do to the number of cruisers who just don't tip at all.

I'll always add more than HAL wants, because the service is well worth it.

David

I leave the tip on my account and then tip an additional amount, in person, above the automatic amount. I do this because the auto-tip amount is, in my opinion, too low.

WE leave on the auto tip and give extra to our dining room servers and cabin attendant.

Does anyone really believe that the crew "turns in" all of the individual tips they recieve from pax who don't go the auto-tip route ? I like the auto-tip policy but agree with the poster who suggested HAL just charge $10/day/pp more and say tips included in fare. What could be simpler ? Pax could still tip "extra" if desired.

Does anyone really believe that the crew "turns in" all of the individual tips they recieve from pax who don't go the auto-tip route ?

doowillie... Maybe they don't. However, we were told by one of our cabin attendants that each cabin steward, waiter, and busboy is carefully watched and reminded by supervisors (who have lists) as to which passengers are on auto-tip. Tips received by those pax not on auto-tip MUST be turned in or the employee receiving the unreported tip will be fired. In fact, it was emphasized that the employees are watched very closely. In addition, we were told that one person had already been fired and a couple more employees were "on notice" for not reporting tips from non-auto-tip pax. It seems difficult to believe, but IMO, I have no reason not to believe the employee making the statement.

We have always cheerfully tipped above the auto-tip for waiter, busboy, and cabin steward, as well as for the Pinnacle, since the service seemed to warrant it. :)

It may also be of interest to note that if someone wishes to tip the bar staff ABOVE the 15% on the bill, it should be in cash and directly to the server and NOT added to the tab, as anything on the tab is added to the total "tip pool", and not given totally to the server.

CalmSeas, I'm sure the crew is told those things, but can they really be enforced ? For example, no one knows who gives who what in the privacy of a stateroom. Perhaps I'm too cynical, but human nature being as it is... By the same token, I'm sure that many or most of the crew are honest and follow the rules. Anyway, I'm for the present policy.

i haven't yet cruised where the tip was automatically included; that said, it's my intention to leave it on the bill when i settle-up in a bit over three weeks from now. any services above-and-beyond the call of duty will be rewarded with extra cash personally given.

CalmSeas, I'm sure the crew is told those things, but can they really be enforced ? For example, no one knows who gives who what in the privacy of a stateroom. Perhaps I'm too cynical, but human nature being as it is... By the same token, I'm sure that many or most of the crew are honest and follow the rules. Anyway, I'm for the present policy.

Yes, they can be enforced and removing it from the bill only helps HAL enforce it. For example you remove the autotip from your bill and the employee does not contribute anything to the pool. The net result is not good for the cruiser or the crew. Whether they take some dallars out of their pay or bring it up with the cruiser. It is a mistake to remove it from your bill.

And for those that believe it is not enforced or that the screw does not turn it in. I would almost guarantee that the crew pays a price if they do this. For example they contribute nothing and thusly get nothing. The same thing happened when Reagan introduced the tip laws that all tipped employees must include the tip in their earnings. Guess what, you do not report a tip and the govt will automatically add 15% of your bills as a tip, regardless of what you really made.

You don't play the game, and you will pay. The internal rules for HAL and employees was not diuscussed on the cruise, but Dane Butcher made it very, very clear that if you remove the autotip, everyone pays a price.

I'm sure I will leave the auto-tip on. Just out of curiosity, how much additional do most of you tip to room steward, dining room attendants, etc.? I don't want to under-tip but I don't want them to think I'm Bill Gates traveling in cognito either. Assuming a 7-day cruise, is $20 on top of auto-tip to room steward sufficient or is that a little on the short side?

Yes in US, the servers are required to report the tips. However, the servers that I have talked to only report a portion of their tips rather than all. Its dishonest, but people do it.

When I was in the business... If what they report does not add to 15% of their bills, the govt will add it for you so reporting less that 15% of you bills is pointless. Don't know how much the rules have changed or not, but at the hotel where I worked you had to sign your name to your tips on a daily basis.

I'm sure I will leave the auto-tip on. Just out of curiosity, how much additional do most of you tip to room steward, dining room attendants, etc.? I don't want to under-tip but I don't want them to think I'm Bill Gates traveling in cognito either. Assuming a 7-day cruise, is $20 on top of auto-tip to room steward sufficient or is that a little on the short side?

Well your room steward and your dining steward are each getting $3 of your $10/day auto-tip, so they are each getting $21 from you for the week through the auto-tip.

If you give your room steward an extra $20 he is getting a total of $41 (21 + 20) from you for the week. Only you can decide if that is enough. I don't think there is a chance in the world of him mistaking you for Bill Gates though. :D

CalmSeas, I was told much the same thing as you when I was aboard the Oosterdam this last Feb and asked about it.

As a side-bar, I note that you're going to be aboard the Noordam for her maiden voyage! So am I!

I think 20 for the week is OK, certainly better than most people I talked to that gave no additional tip. I would typically do $5 per day for excellent response to my requests. Especially if I ask for something on day 1 and it gets done each and every day. I was even more impressed with the dining room staff. They got more than that on average too, but I have a lot of strange dining requests.

Don't forget though that on the extras when dining or in the room, such as liquor/drinks... the tip is included in the price of those items. More to worry about.

On a recent Princess cruise I went to Pursers desk to remove auto tips due to really rotten service. The gal at the desk told me that I could expect a visit from the Head Waiter. They get a list of those removing tips and they would like to know why. If you tell them you removed because you want to tip yourself, they will expect that money to be pooled. If you tell them you will not tip, the servers are really watched......They also make it known that tipping is expected.

This is also true for the Hotel Manager if tips are remmoved from Cabin Steward portion. They want to know why.

If you are unhappy, they want to make it right. and believe you me, they make it right......I was overwhelmed with the service after complaining about our waiter and our requesting to remove his tip!!!!!

We left the tip as it is pooled. We had a table change and that wait staff got extra they were sooooo good. We were told that if you leave the tips on and tip extra, the individual is allowed to keep that for themselves.

We also pre-tip (at the begining) to our room steward....

<snip>

 

This is also true for the Hotel Manager if tips are remmoved from Cabin Steward portion. They want to know why.

 

If you are unhappy, they want to make it right. and believe you me, they make it right......I was overwhelmed with the service after complaining about our waiter and our requesting to remove his tip!!!!!

<snip>

 

We also pre-tip (at the begining) to our room steward....

Someone that obviously knows how to get good service. Politely complaining and tipping appropriate to the service are the key.

Tipping straight away will almost definitely get you the service. The first day that I was on the cruise I tipped the all stewards (cabin, dining, wine) and specifically told them more was coming their way if the kept everything perfect-- they did and I did.

We also pre-tip (at the begining) to our room steward....

LMHSRN - You are right on track. Usually I wait for the first day or two in order to see how attentive the room steward is going to be, then adjust the "pre" accordingly. It is surprising, however, how much services improve with even the best of room stewards when they know they are appreciated ;)

CalmSeas, .....As a side-bar, I note that you're going to be aboard the Noordam for her maiden voyage! So am I!

RevNeal - Looking forward to chating with you on the Noordam thread :)

I leave them, and where I think warranted, tip extra individually.

ditto... :)