Gratuities/Tips or Commission/Subsidies!! which is it??

[DonnasMom&Dad]

I notice that a good percentage of the complainers, about this subject, list quite a few past and future cruises, so I don’t think it is about affordability, and people from other cultures, than US and/or Canada, may be used to having 15 to 25 % added to their bill in restaurants or clubs, as a

commission/service charge, anything above that is a gratuity/tip, and is voluntary.

 

Let’s look at the terminology!!

 

Gratuity/Tip, is given in appreciation and/or gratitude for some thing or service received, which is strictly voluntary, so any monies, that the cruise line adds onto your on board bill is neither!!

 

Subsidies/Commission, is more like what the cruise lines are adding on to your on board bill even though it is

voluntary, so if you wish to opt out of this

subsidy/commission, you’re actually diminishing the wages of crew members.

 

The income of crew members in the subsidies/commissions pool, is actually, wages + subsidy/commission, anything else, that they receive from passenger, is gratuities/tips.

 

I have traveled in both North America and Europe, and have experienced different methods on this subject, and this is the opinion, that I have formed.

 

I’m open to comments.

 

Cato :);)

[karatemom2]

It is referred to as a gratuity, but I view it more as a daily service charge, similar to what some resorts and hotels are now charging. I consider it part of the cost of cruising and in my mind just add it on to the price of my fare.

 

Then if there are people who provide above and beyond service during our cruise, I am happy to provide additional tips in appreciation of their efforts.

[pg.]

It is in my opinion a service charge. Tips are extra bonus to me,, not to bring a sub par slave wage up to an acceptable level,, which is all cruise ship "tips" are.

 

BTw,, I have travelled alot in Europe, I have never seen a 25 % service charge. The norm seems to be 15% in most countries.

[dudeoutthere]

What does it matter whats its called.....it is what it is.....10 or 11 bucks a day....sign up for auto pay and move on with your cruise....

[Pam in CA]

It's called a service charge so whatever else you want to call it is probably OK.

 

FYI, I recently booked my hotel in London for my pre-cruise stay in September on hotels.com and was charged 19% on top of the room rate for "Tax Recovery Charges And Service Fees."

[DrivesLikeMario]

What does it matter whats its called.....it is what it is.....10 or 11 bucks a day....sign up for auto pay and move on with your cruise....

 

Good advice. ;)

[michigan tim]

It's called a service charge so whatever else you want to call it is probably OK.

 

This is listed on the Princess website under FAQ - Gratuities: "A discretionary Hotel and Dining charge of $11 per person for mini-suites and suites, and $10.50 per passenger in all other staterooms per day (including children) will be added to your shipboard account on a daily basis. This charge will be shared amongst those staff who help provide and support your cruise experience, including the waitstaff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards, galley staff, laundry staff and others."

 

No mention of a service charge, which is what it is to me. It is simply a nasty little hidden charge the cruiselines use to keep the advertised price as low as possible. I'd much prefer it be included in the price this way these hardworking folks could not be stiffed, it should not be "discretionary".

[NSWP]

I like to call the auto tips - AWS - AUTOMATIC WAGE SUBSIDY. Fair enough if the service is to your expectations, but in my humble opinion it should always be discretionary. Like what if the service is bad, not to your expectations or Princess standard. If you are dining out ashore and food/service is bad or not to your expectations do you still tip, I don't. Well cruising is no different.

 

Although I must say in 243 cruising days with Princess, 15 cruises, on only one have I varied my AWS because of a poor cabin steward and told the steward and his supervisor so, e.g. ice service poor, soap replacement poor, pool towel replacement poor, general cabin cleaning poor. The other 14 were fine.

 

As I say disecretionary auto tips.. it must stay that way.

[Doug R.]

I notice that a good percentage of the complainers' date=' about this subject, list quite a few past and future cruises, so I don’t think it is about affordability, and people from other cultures, than US and/or Canada, may be used to having 15 to 25 % added to their bill in restaurants or clubs, as a[/color']

commission/service charge, anything above that is a gratuity/tip, and is voluntary.

 

Let’s look at the terminology!!

 

Gratuity/Tip, is given in appreciation and/or gratitude for some thing or service received, which is strictly voluntary, so any monies, that the cruise line adds onto your on board bill is neither!!

 

Subsidies/Commission, is more like what the cruise lines are adding on to your on board bill even though it is

voluntary, so if you wish to opt out of this

subsidy/commission, you’re actually diminishing the wages of crew members.

 

The income of crew members in the subsidies/commissions pool, is actually, wages + subsidy/commission, anything else, that they receive from passenger, is gratuities/tips.

 

I have traveled in both North America and Europe, and have experienced different methods on this subject, and this is the opinion, that I have formed.

 

I’m open to comments.

 

Cato :);)

 

In case you haven't noticed Sunshine, this topic has already been beaten to death from all angles. Don't you have better things to do with your spare time? I suggest a time consuming hobby. You are just stirring the pot. :mad:

[NSWP]

I agree subject sure has been done to death, but it keeps emerging from the grave.

[LARGIN]

Agree. Nothing new, just old garbage... The Hosts should lock the thread.. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

[CALMOM]

In case you haven't noticed Sunshine, this topic has already been beaten to death from all angles. Don't you have better things to do with your spare time? I suggest a time consuming hobby. You are just stirring the pot. :mad:

 

Donna must be busy and dad got bored :D

[chasetf]

Donna must be busy and dad got bored :D

Agreed.... Wonder what he wants discussed. Are we debating the definition of "is" :confused:

[michigan tim]

In case you haven't noticed Sunshine, this topic has already been beaten to death from all angles. Don't you have better things to do with your spare time? I suggest a time consuming hobby.

 

hmm :confused:

[Donray]

I notice that a good percentage of the complainers' date=' about this subject, list quite a few past and future cruises, so I don’t think it is about affordability, and people from other cultures, than US and/or Canada, may be used to having 15 to 25 % added to their bill in restaurants or clubs, as a[/color']

commission/service charge, anything above that is a gratuity/tip, and is voluntary.

 

Let’s look at the terminology!!

 

Gratuity/Tip, is given in appreciation and/or gratitude for some thing or service received, which is strictly voluntary, so any monies, that the cruise line adds onto your on board bill is neither!!

 

Subsidies/Commission, is more like what the cruise lines are adding on to your on board bill even though it is

voluntary, so if you wish to opt out of this

subsidy/commission, you’re actually diminishing the wages of crew members.

 

The income of crew members in the subsidies/commissions pool, is actually, wages + subsidy/commission, anything else, that they receive from passenger, is gratuities/tips.

 

I have traveled in both North America and Europe, and have experienced different methods on this subject, and this is the opinion, that I have formed.

 

I’m open to comments.

 

Cato :);)

 

 

Are you trying to make any point????????????????????????

[Dorset Cruiser]

It's called a service charge so whatever else you want to call it is probably OK.

 

FYI, I recently booked my hotel in London for my pre-cruise stay in September on hotels.com and was charged 19% on top of the room rate for "Tax Recovery Charges And Service Fees."

 

 

Never heard of an addition like this in a London hotel. Which one was it:confused:

[luddite]

Old news is the best news.

[lady_cruiser]

Here we go again! Yawn!

 

[lady_cruiser]

Opps! Double post

[smeyer418]

the reality is that people who do these kinds of post resent having to pay it whether its a service charge, tip, gratutity or whatever or else they wouldn't think about it so much. This is especially true of those who called it a wage subsidy. Cruise fares don't include this as part of the fare except for a few cruise lines that charge heftily for it. That is the reality. the rest is people who resent paying it. The reality also is that when its not a service charge or an auto tip about 40% of the people leave less than the suggested amount even when they don't have a service related issue(and that percentage goes up for certain nationalities- that is a US related number)

[sail7seas]

When I am on a HAL ship and they add $11 per person per day to my shipboard account I don't care what they call it as it is going to the wonderful crew who take such great care of us and make our cruises so special. They can call it anything they want and we are happy to provide it along with extra to those who made our cruises better by what they did for us/how they treated us.

 

For pete's sake, we all know what is expected of us and when we book a cruise we agree with the terms. If you don't want to tip, you probably don't want the good service to continue. This is how the cruise industry operates. Most of us think it is fine and know they put these tipping systems in place because of so many people who didn't tip a bit when it was left to them to know the right thing to do and thank their stewards. Cruise after cruise we watched what we called 'cheapos' leave the dining room the last night and not even say goodbye and thank you much less tip. How many of these 'generous tippers' decided last night of the cruise they wanted to go to a bar they hadn't been to the whole cruise for the pre-dinner drinks. Sure..... they didn't want to tip the bartenders and stewards who had taken care of them the whole cruise in their favorite bar. It made us so sad. We were happy HAL instituted a hotel service charge. It's not my place to say their union should negotiate different contracts and the stewards should be paid more by the cruise line (which, of course, means the cruiser). It's my place to tip appropriately and say thank you. That's how cruise lines operate. If I didn't like it, I wouldn't book cruises.

 

 

JMHO.......

 

[Putterdude]

I really think that the op, Donna's Dad, is sitting over on Vancouver Island, laughing his head off....he has stirred the post on the auto-tip matter. It's the same old, same old...let it go folks.:eek:

[navybankerteacher]

Agreed.... Wonder what he wants discussed. Are we debating the definition of "is" :confused:

 

We've gone beyond debating the meaning of "is" -- and appear to be trying to define "definition".

[Dorset Cruiser]

the reality is that people who do these kinds of post resent having to pay it whether its a service charge, tip, gratutity or whatever or else they wouldn't think about it so much. This is especially true of those who called it a wage subsidy. Cruise fares don't include this as part of the fare except for a few cruise lines that charge heftily for it. That is the reality. the rest is people who resent paying it. The reality also is that when its not a service charge or an auto tip about 40% of the people leave less than the suggested amount even when they don't have a service related issue(and that percentage goes up for certain nationalities- that is a US related number)

 

How do you know what the reality is of people posting on these threads and whether they resent paying something or not. You have absolutely no idea at all. Oh - come to think of it, you are posting on this thread yourself so by your reasoning, you resent paying gratuities, service charges etc. etc.

[smeyer418]

How do you know what the reality is of people posting on these threads and whether they resent paying something or not. You have absolutely no idea at all. Oh - come to think of it, you are posting on this thread yourself so by your reasoning, you resent paying gratuities, service charges etc. etc.

because its simple. they wouldn't post unless their intent was not to tip. No I didn't start this post. I would be very happy if they added it to the cruise price although if Azamara is an example of what happens when they do, expect to pay extra for the privilege(they increased the price by 20%-whether these increases will hold will have to await actual cruises). The history of what people do when they remove their service charge and say they will leave cash is that a large group just does not. The stories about the problems that the employees had with certain nationalities not leaving tips at all is all pretty well documented.