Crew Fund Question

[Martita B.]

fairbourne

There are many ways to thank Staff/Crew ~I start my "gift list" months before my sailing ~then buy/order ~~ I UPS my cardboard box either to the ship or to my hotel where I'll be staying before boarding. My "remembrances" are small inexpensive items.....but the Crew loves simply being acknowledged! There are 19 "Boiler Room Boy's" (on the small ships) and I believe they appreciate my sending their gifts down more than any of the Crew Members ~my card always reads, "YOU are the Stars! ~if it was not for YOU I wouldn't be here!" Chief Eng. delivers the pkg.

I don't, however, send every Crew a gift each voyage ~'they sorta have to take turns;)

Just my MO ~gives me great pleasure in thanking the sweet, thoughtful, hard working Crew Members.

MB

[electra2008]

When I told my husband that tips were included he said "thank the L for that". ( That by the way is the total input about the cruise that I have had from him):D Having lived both in UK and Canada I do understand both points of view. Also understand that some people love to do little things for others. The look on a person face when you have got it right, even if all it is is giving up your seat on a bus makes it worth while. So as they say

Different strokes for differnt folks

I for one am pleased I do not need to work it out. I will go with what I feel like on the given day.:)

[fairbourne]

When I told my husband that tips were included he said "thank the L for that". ( That by the way is the total input about the cruise that I have had from him):D Having lived both in UK and Canada I do understand both points of view. Also understand that some people love to do little things for others. The look on a person face when you have got it right, even if all it is is giving up your seat on a bus makes it worth while. So as they say

Different strokes for differnt folks

 

 

I for one am pleased I do not need to work it out. I will go with what I feel like on the given day.:)

LOL! :D:D Know exactly what you mean!

 

Yes the little things mean so much - how true - and it doesn't always have to be money! :)

[NEOPHYTUS]

Tip early, Tip often, Tip generously. Seabourn or not, an important part of our cruise planning.

[Lexcruiser]

An email to Seabourn received the reply that the no tipping policy does extend to the spa staff.

[fairbourne]

An email to Seabourn received the reply that the no tipping policy does extend to the spa staff.

 

 

In the Spa on the Quest in November, we were given a receipt to sign after our treatments which had a gratuity added to it. I remember quite clearly as my DH added a bit extra as the treatments were fabulous! That was the only time we "tipped" on Seabourn, so I remember it well! LOL!

[wripro]

We should also all pay for our drinks, pay for our meals and bring our own sheets since these are also all included. Why stop with tipping?

[turtlemichael]

We should also all pay for our drinks, pay for our meals and bring our own sheets since these are also all included. Why stop with tipping?

 

I did buy a couple of bottles of wine and I also bought some lovely serrano ham and some cheese in Barcelona. I guess it is off to the brig for me. :D

[wripro]

If I bring a couple of baguettes and some pastries can I join you?

[mariner]

Fairbourne,

 

I think the main reason North Americans tip is most restaurants aren't staffed with professional waiters. They're paid below the minimum wage and rely on tips for their incomes. That's just the way it is.

 

And in most instances, if you expect to see them again, tip often for they'll remember.

 

We'll be calling at St. Barts, where I see le Francais expect at least 10 percent.

 

Having started cruising in the 60s, I just expect to tip. I interpreted the Seabourn policy as the way it was on HAL until they started adding service charges.

When we're in Europe or elsewhere where tipping isn't the norm, we extend a gratuity for those who go above and beyond (i.e. the concierge who returns the rental car when the streets are closed because of a festival that we want to go to).

 

 

I really think the crew fund is a great thingespecially if one of them needs to get home. They're usually on their own at that point.

[MillieMeter]

Ok, hoping this works--first time I have trie posting from my IPad and thru Tapatalk. But I have a ? Do you or do you not tip at the spa? I did but I didn't know that a gratuity had been added on. If that is the case then is a tip not necessary? I didn't want to appear cheap if it was not included in the "all gratuities included. Anyone an answer, please.

 

 

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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=32.332401,-86.165855

[mariners]

MillieMeter, Although Lexcruiser received an answer from Seabourn that said that tipping for the spa was included, I think that there might be a discrepancy between head office and the spa - or, perhaps, each Seabourn ship is different, or Steiner has found a way to make passengers believe that it is nor included. We had just completed a cruise on Crystal where I had a spa treatment (which is also run by Steiner) when we boarded the Odyssey. My "Fire & Ice Pedicure" was exactly the same cost on both cruise lines. Crystal tells you specifically that the tip is not included. On both lines, there was a space for adding a gratuity that included the name of the individual who provided the service. I tipped accordingly.

[wripro]

I think the spa and beauty salon are the only places onboard where the tips are not included. This is because these are concessions run by outside firms and not part of Seabourn itself.

[TXBlonde]

[/b]

 

Thank goodness, some common sense! I am so fed up of all this tipping discussions which seem to rear their ugly head every now and then. I read this thread because it started off about the Crew Fund and now has degenerated into a pro/con tipping discussion with some insults thrown in for good measure.

 

secoma 4 is right. It really doesn't help, as peer pressure towards those of us in a "we don't tip everybody as a given" nation will result in some of them tipping, because they feel they should! This is a ridiculous situation. One of the reasons we chose Seabourn was that tipping or service charge whatever you want to call it is included. That saved us from trying to work out who to tip, when to tip and how much to tip - we really would have had no idea:confused:. So this made it easy for us and I'm sure lots of others like us. If tipping is included, i.e. already paid for, then that's that. We know this and the crew certainly know this. So why do some of you feel you HAVE to tip extra? I really have struggled to find a proper answer to this question. And what you feel as "extra" service e.g. room service course by course, is not an answer as this again is part of the Seabourn experience and already paid for!

 

And by the way I do understand the North American culture of tipping, so please do not have a pop at me about this. But why oh why can't the North Americans get their heads around this "no tipping expected or required"? And not feel they have to give extra tips or feel in the absence of tipping, they have a comfort blanket in giving (tips!) to a Crew Fund? I am making a general comment here not directed at anyone or anything, living or otherwise. Only MHO. And Turtlemichael is spot on!

 

I await the backlash!:);)

 

I agree with you on this. We have been on over 30 cruises but never on Seabourn. I've been reading these boards to get information on Seabourn since we are about to book a 2013 cruise with them. This topic had me confused. At a Seabourn presentation it was emphasized it's all inclusive, no tipping required or expected. The cruise book states the same thing. Now I'm reading people tip anyway and/or give to a "crew fund", which I've never heard of before. We've always enjoyed the all inclusive cruises and the cruise lines that automatically put the tips on your account. It is so much easier than in the days we had to carry envelopes around. So I'm assuming some people will tip no matter what and others abide by the "no tipping necessary" style that Seabourn has adopted. I prefer the latter and it has nothing to do with generosity or lack thereof. Personally, I think some people may tip regardless of having already done so with their cruise payment because they either want to give more or think they have to.

[lincslady]

TxBlonde - We did quite a few Seabourn cruises before looking on this board, and never tipped anybody, taking the 'tipping not required' as being a simple fact. We have since discovered that some people do tip individuals, some don't.

 

If we were to tip, it would be to the crew fund, which we now know about. I don't think anyone has ever treated us any differently as non-tippers - although I suppose you would never know! We have always found almost all staff to be charming, helpful and friendly, and the odd exception seemed to be less than nice with everyone, and I believe would not last long with the company. The nice thing is that we have never found tippers letting anyone else know about it. No need to be at all concerned.

[seabournaddict]

 

 

The nice thing is that we have never found tippers letting anyone else know about it. No need to be at all concerned.

 

We did actually see one woman on our last cruise tipping VERY publicly in the Veranda during her final breakfast. I felt so embarrassed for the crew who "missed out on her favors"! She gave to about 5 people and ignored the rest. That is exactly why I prefer NO tipping and use the crew fund. I had never seen it that blatant before.

[lincslady]

seabournaddict - you are right to say that tipping is never normally blatant. We have friends who have told us privately that they do tip - maybe their stewardess and a waiter and his team at whose tables they have often dined - but IMO hardly anyone makes a fuss about it. And if they do they are not the sort of people most of us would particularly want to befriend! Not too many of those to be found on Seabourn ships.

[Chairsin]

No one should feel the need to tip on Seabourn. Those of us that regularly make a donation to the crew fund do so simply because we very much appreciate the good service we receive and would like to do a little something to help out those crew members who need it or to provide something that benefits all of the crew. Remember that you will likely only come in contact with some of the many people who work so hard to ensure you enjoy your trip -- most of the crew work behind the scenes.Thus a regular tipping policy would IMHO unfairly only benefit those with direct customer contact. And yes, I have been quite mortified when on the last day at breakfast there is someone who goes around passing out money to a few servers in front of everyone. On our last trip there was a gentleman who was rather " full of himself" and our last morning in the Colonnade he went up to one of the officers standing near the entrance and asked where X was saying in a loud voice " I want to give him a a nice fat tip."

[curiousx]

We have always left our contribution to the crew fund with the purser's office but have NEVER had a thank you acknowledgment...which we find quite odd

[Chairsin]

We have always received a nice letter thanking us for our gift so yes, I do find it odd that you never received one. Personally I think the letter is not necessary but I do think that they should be consistent.

[wripro]

I too have always received an acknowledgment and thank you letter.

[toppot]

We have always left our contribution to the crew fund with the purser's office but have NEVER had a thank you acknowledgment...which we find quite odd

We have not received an acknowledgment either.

[Seabourntraveller]

We have not received an acknowledgment either.

 

At least I received an acknowledgement and smile when I additionally left a tip for our cabin stewardess and regular room service bellboy..:):p

[JaneBP]

I have always received a written thank you note. Perhaps it's the same crew purser who doesn't send them? I would comment upon it. Smiles are often and I never noticed them in relation to other thank you's.

[Jim Avery]

No letter for us.:(