When it comes to tipping, Aussies are tightwads

[Hlitner]

I've read with some amusement peoples comments but the only one I will make is the comment about the less than well travelled aussies. As a percentage of our population we are one of the worlds biggest travellers to Foreign countries, which isn't bad considering the amount of time we have to spend in boring aircraft to get anywhere.

Lastly it's interesting the six star cruise lines also have abolished tipping because they pay their staff adequately, maybe us aussies are onto something!!

 

Hmm. Lets think about this. We can pay $1000 per day for Seabourn and pay no tips or we can $100 for Princess plus $12.50 in tips. That being said we do also enjoy the 6 star line but guess what?.... Many passengers on those lines tip despite the no tipping policy.

 

But for what its worth (probably not much) we have advocated for years (and on CC in many posts) that the cruise lines simply increase their price a few dollars per day and do away with so-called gratuities which have long stopped being "gratuities" and are now a marketing ploy where they can advertise faux low prices and add-in all the "tips," taxes and fees later.

 

As to your country (which we really enjoy) we can only say, "Aussie Aussie Aussie!

 

Hank

[erewhon]

Celle,

Agreed, people here are paid a decent living wage and do not have to depend on extra tips. Actually I find it's quite offensive that visitors to our country tip, even though they know it's not necessary.

[we2cruze]

Celle,

Agreed, people here are paid a decent living wage and do not have to depend on extra tips. Actually I find it's quite offensive that visitors to our country tip, even though they know it's not necessary.

 

Perhaps they don't know it is not necessary. I wouldn't have before reading this thread.

[celle]

Perhaps they don't know it is not necessary. I wouldn't have before reading this thread.

 

And maybe, in similar vein, Aussies might not know that tipping is required in your country! :D

[we2cruze]

And maybe, in similar vein, Aussies might not know that tipping is required in your country! :D

 

I agree and for the record I think it is wrong for establishments and individual servers to try to force tips.

[iancal]

We reduce the tip or eliminate it entirely for bad service. We do not feel compelled to tip even a minimum amount. We overtip for great service. We do not tip, or tip accordingly in countries where tipping is not customary or where tipping consists of 'rounding' up. I have seen people leave tips for incredibly bad or rude service and I just shake my head. That behavior just encourages more of the same. It can also be claimed that tipping is encouraged by management....it serves to reduce their wage costs.

[sail7seas]

We cherish diversity in people, we cherish diversity between cruise lines, why can't we cherish diversity in cultures and each country's way of doing things?

 

If you don't like the way a particular culture does things, avoid traveling with them and to their country. Don't try to remake their culture and habits.

 

There is nothing to be gained in constant criticism in how one culture does something that varies from another. It isn't going to change because someone from 10,000 miles away doesn't approve...... of course, that distance applies in both directions. No one here is telling Aussie's they should adopt U.S./Canadian methods of tipping into their culture and country so the same in reverse would be appropriate. Tipping is a part of our culture. You certainly are free to do things your way but so are we.

 

[iancal]

sail7seas.....exactly. It is the same when we get the old question '...can we use American currency in this country or that country'. It comes down to respect. And just try using a Euro, a GBP in a retail establishment in the US.

[world~citizen]

We cherish diversity in people, we cherish diversity between cruise lines, why can't we cherish diversity in cultures and each country's way of doing things?

 

If you don't like the way a particular culture does things, avoid traveling with them and to their country. Don't try to remake their culture and habits.

 

There is nothing to be gained in constant criticism in how one culture does something that varies from another. It isn't going to change because someone from 10,000 miles away doesn't approve...... of course, that distance applies in both directions. No one here is telling Aussie's they should adopt U.S./Canadian methods of tipping into their culture and country so the same in reverse would be appropriate. Tipping is a part of our culture. You certainly are free to do things your way but so are we.

 

 

Some people can say it and get away with it. :)

 

Of course you are quite correct...

 

Smooth sailing...

[Taxguy77]

Hi Famiglia Australiana,

 

It was I that started the thread and it was meant as a light hearted view from an Aussie journalist about the issue of tipping that we as aussie's face abroad.

 

I agree that the title is somewhat inflamatory but what the heck as real aussies we have thick skins and can see the funny side or can't we ?

 

I also do not feel that anyone is picking on us; perhaps the guy from Hawaii :); but then again he lives in the middle of nowhere and does not really count ;) (PS Aussie sence of humour:eek:)

Our taxi driver when leaving Hawaii splased a Japonese couple walking, explaining "They don't tip". We tipped him.:o

 

Just pity the poor 'yanks' we pinched their beloved America's Cup!!!!! No there's another thread!!!!!!

@#$%^&*()_OIUFDS

I actually think that tipping is part of our culture but not to the extent that it is in the States.

 

I always tip at a restaurant and have for years (just did so about 1 hour after our Yum Cha here locally; its was only 10% of the bill but good service; good food so tip!)

]Being a USA person with the TIP mentality, I almost always tip, EXCEPT for the horrible service I received a couple of weeks ago! Service that bad deserves the tip I gave, $0.05 just to let her know I didn't forget!:eek: First time in 20+ years I did that.

Come on Australian Family lighten up; life is far too short; I can send you a hug if you like :)

 

Ciao,

 

Cristiano.[/color]

 

Was at a bar in Las Vegas watching Australian Rules football (why does it look so much more physical and we have the most injuries?) I was talking to the man next to me. He told me he was a kiwi and aussie rules were for girls!

 

For the record, Mexicans tip very poorly also.

[manbehindthecurtain]

And maybe, in similar vein, Aussies might not know that tipping is required in your country! :D

 

Then maybe its time to stop calling it a tip, but label it a service charge....:rolleyes:

[HAZMAT]

aaa

[sapper1]

I just got back from a 14 day Panama Canal Cruise on HAL. We noticed that the Americans on board were so tight that the only time they would buy a drink was during two for one happy hour. The bars were empty except for one hour per day the rest of the time. The only thing that they would order was glasses of water that were free. The line up at the front desk on the last day with American passengers getting their automatic gratuities of $11 dollars a day refunded went as far as the eye could see. These people treat the crew like slaves and are amongst the rudest people I have ever met they do not tip,they do not spend money on board and they complain about everything. When I cruise I pay the gratuity and I tip the room stewards, barmen etc. In Australia we pay people a decent wage so they don"t have to beg for tips and when we get good service we tip accordingly. Take a look at yourself before you start throwing stones you may not like what you see!.

Well that certainly throws the cat in among the pigeons.:)

[newfarmers]

Great article...

My experience in Austraila over theyears..was over the top prices in restauraunts. and super high taxes on stuff. . Service was non-existant and ho-hum... for the most part. I took a taxi once in Sydney, and asked the driver to take me somewhere... He sort of glared at me and threw me a map book.. " you want the go there... then you tell me"

Tipping is not rocket science though, you tip according the the place and the price you paid...

 

Australian residents need to understand they are paying huge ( much larger than 20% service charges ...pumped into the price. They just dont see it. If they had more reasonable prices and paid for service as a tip.. it would be far cheaper in the long run and result in way better service... Australian restauraunts I found were aq good 30 to 50% higher than here in Hawaii.. which is highere than much of the us !!!

 

I do agree with the when in Rome idea and that Aussies lining up to take tips off the bill, when they know that the tip or service charge is part of the ships crews salary.. seems a little cold. and I would write that off as to being cheap... not cultural

 

Gotta disagree.

 

We don't pay huge prices nor pay huge taxes. Only our federal govt can even charge taxes. In the US there are state taxes and federal taxes (local taxes?). On the whole service isn't that bad. Sometimes it is so so, sometimes it's fantastic, sometimes I wonder why the person even got out of bad but I'm sure that happens everyone, even in the land of the tip. That's just human nature.

 

Everyone says how cheap stuff is in the States and if we are talking consumer goods - clothing especially, then you'd be right. But in no way is 'sit down' food cheap. Maybe if I came over now, seeing as our dollar is now worth more than the US$ (since two days ago), I might change my mind but it ws 75c last time we were over there.

 

I do not begrudge US hospitality staff getting tips at all -they are paid wages that defy comprehension. I do begrudge the fact that their bosses don't pay them enough. I still can't get my head around how restaurants and bars in the states aren't money printing machines - they pay their staff peanuts and charge top dollar, bizarre.

 

But, when we travel, we tip the expected amount because it's the expected amount.

 

Aussies and Kiwis aren't tightwads, we just live in nations where workers get paid a fair wage for a fair day's work, and no matter how much the Oz/Kiwi business world moans about high wages, we have an economy that pretty much breezed through the GFC.

 

Cruising is a different thing altogether. We have been amazed how little money the North Americans we travel with spend on board ships. They are similarly amazed at the amount we do spend on board. We are a bottle of wine a night with dinner kinda guys, not water or iced tea. We are bucket of beer by the pool guys, close the nightclub guys, as are so many Oz and Kiwi cruisers. We are constantly amazed at how little some people can spend on a cruise, especially considering how little cruises can cost for US travellers. We would never dream of redusing the daily service charge (as we know some Aussies do) and we also pay additional tips for good service.

 

Our recent NCL cruise left us with a 1400 bill for twelve days. Not bad going when that included no NCL shorex, no photos, no casino, just restaurant and bar charges. They, and their staff did very well out of us, as have the staff on our Celebrity, HAL and NCCL cruises.

 

my two cents worth

 

pete

[shandryl]

Reminds me of the very first cruise I went on and my first time visiting the USA. It was the first time I ever heard the word "gratuity"

 

Near the end of my 7 day cruise, I get my statement. I had been charged a % an extra amount. I was mad and shocked :eek: went to the guest services counter and wanted an explaination of these charges. :confused: :mad: Lets just say...... I did not end up paying the gratuities for week. I felt justified and was very happy about that.

 

You see In my mind I had paid alot of money for this cruise. I assumed the servies received were just part of the cruisefare. I was still trying to figure out why I was be charged 15% everytime I ordered a drink.........LOL

 

Very big Culture Shock me............. I was brought up thinking that the only time you would ever tip/or give a gratuity was if the service you received was very good/excellent.

 

The "Expecting a Tip" whether service you received was good or bad. I did not understand that.

 

My thinking was these working people get paid hourly wages... what the problem? I am in the service industry too. I do not get tipped and I don't expect too. The odd occasion that being tipped did happen was special thing but not common practice.

 

Anyway, Now that I know the American Culture and understand alot more about why gratuities/tips are expected. I have no problem with tipping/gratuities. (Just saying)

 

A note: I see alittle more tipping these days, its still not common practice in Canada.

[Cristiano]

Hey HazMat,

 

OUCH!!!!!! This was not meant to be tit for tat!!!! :)

 

I am sitting here in my office / home looking at the rain and onto Ku-ring-gai National Park and thinking at least we should not have a bad bush fire season this year ! What do you think ?

 

We have very close American friends arriving on the Amstedam the following weekend and I wonder what Anne & Dick would think of the tipping issue.

 

I totally agree with whomever said that the cruise lines should just increase the fares and remove the automatic "service charge"!!!

 

Better do some work~~~

 

Ciao,

 

Cristiano.

[sapper1]

Reminds me of the very first cruise I went on and my first time visiting the USA. It was the first time I ever heard the word "gratuity"

 

Near the end of my 7 day cruise, I get my statement. I had been charged a % an extra amount. I was mad and shocked :eek: went to the guest services counter and wanted an explaination of these charges. :confused: :mad: Lets just say...... I did not end up paying the gratuities for week. I felt justified and was very happy about that.

 

You see In my mind I had paid alot of money for this cruise. I assumed the servies received were just part of the cruisefare. I was still trying to figure out why I was be charged 15% everytime I ordered a drink.........LOL

 

Very big Culture Shock me............. I was brought up thinking that the only time you would ever tip/or give a gratuity was if the service you received was very good/excellent.

 

The "Expecting a Tip" whether service you received was good or bad. I did not understand that.

 

My thinking was these working people get paid hourly wages... what the problem? I am in the service industry too. I do not get tipped and I don't expect too. The odd occasion that being tipped did happen was special thing but not common practice.

 

Anyway, Now that I know the American Culture and understand alot more about why gratuities/tips are expected. I have no problem with tipping/gratuities. (Just saying)

I am very curious as to what part of Canada you live in. Tipping is certainly alive and well here in the Maritimes.

[NSWP]

Talk about Aussies spending up big on drinks etc. On Sun Princess around Australia, ship had 95% Aussies on board, just about every restaurant table had purchased bottles of wine and when you went in for the show, most tables had drinks. However on Crown Princess last year in Med and British Isles, 95% American pax, very few bottles of wine on the tables and at the show, hardly a drink to be seen, just the waiters up and down the steps, bored.

 

Yes, Aussies contribute well to the economy on board, maybe we are drunks? LOL.

I reckon the shortfall in the auto tip pool is made up by huge booze revenue on ships with loads of Aussies on board.

[Cinder Again]

I reckon the shortfall in the auto tip pool is made up by huge booze revenue on ships with loads of Aussies on board.

You could be right. On my Oz/NZ cruise a few years ago, the Aussies I met on board were amazed when they saw my boyfriend and I carrying wine and beer back on board at every port. They had no idea you could bring wine (and beer at that time) back on board, and once they realized it, they were in line at the grocery stores with us! I am sure the bar bills went down after that!

 

I like cultural differences. Why travel, if everywhere/everyone looks and acts the same? I used to have exchange students living with me every year, and when they found something different from their culture, we would remind them that both cultures had valued reasons for how they do things. Different, but not wrong.

[iancal]

We find tipping in Western Canada-Calgary and Vancouver-to be exactly the same as in any other North American city.

[justtime]

The "Expecting a Tip" whether service you received was good or bad. I did not understand that.

 

My thinking was these working people get paid hourly wages... what the problem? I am in the service industry too. I do not get tipped and I don't expect too. The odd occasion that being tipped did happen was special thing but not common practice.

 

Anyway, Now that I know the American Culture and understand alot more about why gratuities/tips are expected. I have no problem with tipping/gratuities. (Just saying)

 

A note: I see alittle more tipping these days, its still not common practice in Canada.

 

I assume you are joking, I assume, crew staff are NOT PAID an hourly wage

They typically are paid a wage relative to the company they are hired from i.e. Asia

Tips make a good portion of thier income

 

If anyone has better knowledge please correct my mistake or assumptions

[Hlitner]

Children children, lets please stop throwing stones! We are Americans and will attest that the Aussies love to drink (I first learned this when serving with Aussies in Vietnam back in the 70s) and we personally find it is a lot of fun drinking with Aussies (Aussie, Aussie, Aussie). As to the tipping culture, we think it has gotten our of control in the states and we now see more and more restaurants using "service charges" in a similar way as in Europe except that in the states we add 18% whereas in Europe they might add a max of 10%. As to the cruise lines, they have created their own culture of tipping which is total bologna (vegemite for u Aussies). It is not a "tip" or "gratuitiy" when it is added to your account (mandatory on some lines) but rather a way to "low ball" the real cost of a cruise. We agree with most Aussies that the cruise lines should simply pay their crew properly and stop all this tip hooey! Tips were fine when we gave them directly to certain staff who gave us good service (such as our steward) but now they are put into a pot a split up so even the supervisors get their cut. How many leave tips for the chamber maid's boss in a hotel, the dishwasher in a restaurant, etc.

 

We recently booked a Celebrity cruise and discovered that if we wanted their anytime dining option we were required to prepay "gratuities" at the time we paid for the cruise. Instead of charging $1000 for the cruise its now $1000 for the cruise and $200 for gratuities? Geez! It's no wonder our Aussie friends feel the need for lots of booze when on American ships! :)

 

Hank

 

P.S. Through the lips and over the gums, look out tummy here it comes!

[moggi1964]

I worked on board the Sun Princess back in 81-83 and then went on to the Canberra for a time. Shortly after the crew wages were renegotiated DOWN as the company said we did very well in tips and they wanted to save some money.

 

They were right, sometimes we did do very well in tips and then, sometimes we didn't. As a 16 year old I was earning a lot of money and spending even more :D but the tips were never expected and a hand did not linger at any point when service had been provided.

 

I decided soon after it was time for me to go shoreside and find a job that had a salary (it was a lot less than I had previously earned but more than my base salary was when I left sea).

 

The Aussies are great travelers, brilliant people and in my top tier of nations I would wanna share a beer with. I drink coffee with an Aussie every day during the week; I had one to stay last Christmas and have another coming this year with his girlfriend. I have yet to meet an Aussie who hasn't had a warm heart and a friendly demeanor.

 

I agree that the prices should rise a bit, a fair wage should be paid and the culture of 'almost compulsory' tipping should be sent to Davy Jones' locker for good.

[kyriecat]

Maybe it's just me, but this thread is starting to look like the cast of "My Life in Ruins" (anyone else seen it?). We've got the loud Americans, the heavy-drinking Aussies, the uptight Americans, etc. So, are we all going to be friends at the end of this? :p

 

We recently booked a Celebrity cruise and discovered that if we wanted their anytime dining option we were required to prepay "gratuities" at the time we paid for the cruise. Instead of charging $1000 for the cruise its now $1000 for the cruise and $200 for gratuities? Geez! It's no wonder our Aussie friends feel the need for lots of booze when on American ships! :)

Not to switch subjects, but that is the reason that I WILL NEVER sign up for "My Time Dining" on a Royal Caribbean owned ship again. I prepaid my gratuities and got the WORST cabin steward ever. She didn't even come to our cabin 5 days of the 13. I'm normally a very easy-going person and do not require much from a steward. She wouldn't even bring ice or change the towels unless I left a note specifically asking for those things every time. If I forget to leave a note, she wouldn't bring ice or towels or even empty the trash. I complained several times at the customer service desk and to the head of housekeeping, but the service didn't get any better. I asked to have the cabin steward gratuities refunded because of the poor job. I have never asked to have gratuities reduced or removed before, but I did not feel that the steward deserved anything. I was told that prepaid gratuities are non-refundable. Once you pay, it doesn't matter how bad the service is, you are out the money.

 

I used to like the idea of including the expected gratuities as part of the cruise fare and doing away with the tipping concept. However, after dealing with that steward for almost two weeks, I changed my mind. She knew that we had prepaid our gratuities and that she was getting her share whether she actually did anything or not. She chose not to do anything unless we complained to her supervisor. Even then, her effort would only last a day or two then she'd "forget" about us again. :mad:

[world~citizen]

I am very curious as to what part of Canada you live in. Tipping is certainly alive and well here in the Maritimes.

 

Tipping is alive and well where ever I have travelled in Canada.

 

In fact, when I was in high school, the money I made in tips far exceeded my official remuneration.

 

I have no problems with tips.:D

 

Smooth sailing...