Avoiding Tipping

[Ocean Boy]

Originally Posted by yarlenna

I really do have a problem with people who do not tip because the waiters etc don't get a living wage - and have to rely you and me to pay them for their work. I do wish that the "tips" would just go away and pay everybody a real wage. I really don't want to be part of slavery and working without pay is slavery.

 

We always tip over and above what we are supposed to..

However, these service people are not slaves by any means...They sign a contract and must make a decent wage..otherwise they'd be outta there!

The sad fact is there are some people and people of certain cultures and nationalities that think its just fine to indulge a service worker and consume that workers very best service effort and leave a sub standard tip or no tip..........Shame on these people!

I really wish these people would inform the service provider up from that they will not be getting a tip..this would level the playing field and give the service worker an opportunity to understand and not feel snubbed after they have done their job and received little or no gratuity. :)

 

You don't think it is a bit of a shame that Americans have little understanding or tolerance of people from other cultures or nationalities who simply don't get the tipping thing or even realize that in the U.S. service people like wait staff are paid a ridiculously low wage which is subsidized by tips?

 

Why is it that everyone should understand American culture and those who deviate from it are concidered "a shame"?

[TPKeller]

You don't think it is a bit of a shame that Americans have little understanding or tolerance of people from other cultures or nationalities who simply don't get the tipping thing or even realize that in the U.S. service people like wait staff are paid a ridiculously low wage which is subsidized by tips?

 

Why is it that everyone should understand American culture and those who deviate from it are concidered "a shame"?

The answer is simple. When you travel to another culture, it is your responsibility to educate yourself to the point where you can reasonably participate in the culture. When I travel outside of the USA, I do that, to the best of my ability. It is not unreasonable to expect someone who travels into a culture where tipping is practiced to make themselves aware of such.

 

Do people who travel to British flavored areas drive their rental cars on the right? "It's not what we're used to." "It makes me uncomfortable." "Why should I have to practice a culture that isn't like mine?" I'm sure if you pulled out these excuses at the site of a head-on collision, you'd end up in jail, responsible for all the injuries and damages you caused.

 

The truth is it is "cheaper" to claim "it's not the way we do things", "it makes me uncomfortable", "it's demeaning to hand them cash", any of a hundred other excuses. I guarantee you if it was the other way around, these folks wouldn't need to make up excuses NOT to pay tips.

 

Theron

[Ocean Boy]

The answer is simple. When you travel to another culture, it is your responsibility to educate yourself to the point where you can reasonably participate in the culture. When I travel outside of the USA, I do that, to the best of my ability. It is not unreasonable to expect someone who travels into a culture where tipping is practiced to make themselves aware of such.

 

Do people who travel to British flavored areas drive their rental cars on the right? "It's not what we're used to." "It makes me uncomfortable." "Why should I have to practice a culture that isn't like mine?" I'm sure if you pulled out these excuses at the site of a head-on collision, you'd end up in jail, responsible for all the injuries and damages you caused.

 

The truth is it is "cheaper" to claim "it's not the way we do things", "it makes me uncomfortable", "it's demeaning to hand them cash", any of a hundred other excuses. I guarantee you if it was the other way around, these folks wouldn't need to make up excuses NOT to pay tips.

 

Theron

 

 

I don't disagree with anything that you said. When traveling I have always tried to live be the expression....When in Rome.... However, the person that I quoted simply said "shame on those people" of other cultures and nationalities. Maybe those folks need to be educated in the workings of an American cruise ship company or how things work when visiting America. Yes, they should attempt to familiarize themselves with the culture of where they will be visiting. But, in general, I don't know that Americans are in any better position to be throwing stones. And to tell you the truth, I have far greater issues with Americans who know the customs aboard an American cruise ship and ignore them than I do with people of "other cultures and nationalities" who may just be uneducated in the ways.

 

As for your example about driving, I really don't think that it applies. There is a huge difference between local customs and local laws. And I have read enough of your posts over the years to know that I don't have to explain to you the difference between the two.

[RCCL Fan]

I'll never forget cruising with my mom on Thanksgiving week during my teen years.

 

Our table mates was a huge family. A man who said he was a wealthy doctor who practically own a small village in Puerto Rico where they lived.

 

Very well dressed, huge diamonds on the wife, and ordered expensive bottles of wine each night for the whole table.

 

The staff gave them top notch service, lots of special orders, any and everything they needed.

 

The last dinner of the cruise the doc went out of his way to say, he forgot the tipping envelopes in their cabin and they would bring them to breakfast the next morning.

 

Well, they didn't show. The faces on the wait staffs faces were so tellng. I think they expected a big tip, and they appeared to get squat.

 

My mom couldn't take it. She left the table, and came back 15 minutes later with more cash for everyone. She just was outdone by the thought that the man didn't tip these people who went out of there way for him. I kept saying, maybe he left it for them mom.

 

Well, we saw them getting off the ship later that morning. My mom asked why they didn't go to breakfast and they said they chose to just do the windjammer. And kid me added, but did you go and give tips to the waitors? (teens are blunt) He smiled, put his arm around my shoulders and said, "Son, don't ever waste your money that way, you'll never go far." Smiled and kept walking. I was shocked.

[sparky-elpaso]

I'll never forget cruising with my mom on Thanksgiving week during my teen years.

 

Our table mates was a huge family. A man who said he was a wealthy doctor who practically own a small village in Puerto Rico where they lived.

 

Very well dressed, huge diamonds on the wife, and ordered expensive bottles of wine each night for the whole table.

 

The staff gave them top notch service, lots of special orders, any and everything they needed.

 

The last dinner of the cruise the doc went out of his way to say, he forgot the tipping envelopes in their cabin and they would bring them to breakfast the next morning.

 

Well, they didn't show. The faces on the wait staffs faces were so tellng. I think they expected a big tip, and they appeared to get squat.

 

My mom couldn't take it. She left the table, and came back 15 minutes later with more cash for everyone. She just was outdone by the thought that the man didn't tip these people who went out of there way for him. I kept saying, maybe he left it for them mom.

 

Well, we saw them getting off the ship later that morning. My mom asked why they didn't go to breakfast and they said they chose to just do the windjammer. And kid me added, but did you go and give tips to the waitors? (teens are blunt) He smiled, put his arm around my shoulders and said, "Son, don't ever waste your money that way, you'll never go far." Smiled and kept walking. I was shocked.

 

He had to have some way to pay for all those diamonds. :rolleyes:

[TPKeller]

As for your example about driving, I really don't think that it applies. There is a huge difference between local customs and local laws. And I have read enough of your posts over the years to know that I don't have to explain to you the difference between the two.

Thanks. No analogy correlates perfectly. Some do better than others. ETA: I wasn't really trying to equate the two examples, merely to illustrate that both require sufficient research before one arrives at the destination.

 

:)

 

Theron

[storm1of4]

You don't think it is a bit of a shame that Americans have little understanding or tolerance of people from other cultures or nationalities who simply don't get the tipping thing or even realize that in the U.S. service people like wait staff are paid a ridiculously low wage which is subsidized by tips?

 

Why is it that everyone should understand American culture and those who deviate from it are concidered "a shame"?

 

 

REALLY? I am intorerant because I think its unfair some blatenly ignore the tipping guidlines and use the service person's resources. And besides...I dont know what crusie line you have experience with... but most of my services people on RCI were not of American origin....and RCI is an international corporation traveling more so now out of the United States....This is not an American thing.

The waiter person's wage is ablolutely not my concern.

The issue is tell the service person right up front that you dont tip. Then the waiter doesnt have to try to figure out what it was he did wrong.....You'll still get your food served on time.. the waiter will just give his extra service............as we all have descretion in our jobs......to others who are willing to pay for the extras.

 

Theron and RCCL FAN are exactly right!!

[LovesCruising]

One time our table mates went to a specialty dining on their last night. But they did come to the table with their tips.

 

Jan

 

We did this, came to the dining room aftewards to tip our waiter, you had to see the look on his face, I guess so many people avoid the last night and stiff them he was surprised to see us. We hugged and thanked him for his wonderful service. I think he was pleased.

[Ocean Boy]

REALLY? I am intorerant because I think its unfair some blatenly ignore the tipping guidlines and use the service person's resources. And besides...I dont know what crusie line you have experience with... but most of my services people on RCI were not of American origin....and RCI is an international corporation traveling more so now out of the United States....This is not an American thing.

The waiter person's wage is ablolutely not my concern.

The issue is tell the service person right up front that you dont tip. Then the waiter doesnt have to try to figure out what it was he did wrong.....You'll still get your food served on time.. the waiter will just give his extra service............as we all have descretion in our jobs......to others who are willing to pay for the extras.

 

Theron and RCCL FAN are exactly right!!

 

What does the does the nationality of RCI's employees have to do with anything? If someone from the U.K. comes to work in the U.S. they abide by our customs. If Someone from the U.S. goes to work in the U.K. they abide by their customs. It is RCI's customers that do, or do not, provide a tip and are the issue here. And how can you say that this is not an American thing? In many countries tipping is not customary. If RCI is an international company as you say, then maybe RCI should adjust its policies and procedures to be more in line with the countries that it is operating out of? The fact is RCI is an American company and it is run as such.

 

And are you really serious that you don't know which cruise line I have had experience with? You and I have posted on plenty of the same threads yet you still don't know?

[storm1of4]

What does the does the nationality of RCI's employees have to do with anything? If someone from the U.K. comes to work in the U.S. they abide by our customs. If Someone from the U.S. goes to work in the U.K. they abide by their customs. It is RCI's customers that do, or do not, provide a tip and are the issue here. And how can you say that this is not an American thing? In many countries tipping is not customary. If RCI is an international company as you say, then maybe RCI should adjust its policies and procedures to be more in line with the countries that it is operating out of? The fact is RCI is an American company and it is run as such.

 

And are you really serious that you don't know which cruise line I have had experience with? You and I have posted on plenty of the same threads yet you still don't know?

 

Lighten up Guy :) You want to be right? Ok Youre right Now get some rest. :)

[Ocean Boy]

Lighten up Guy :) You want to be right? Ok Youre right Now get some rest. :)

 

Got plenty last night but I do appreciate your concern.