Auto-tipping.

[jhannah]

Princess has the same tipping arrangement as HAL.

[mariner]

The auto tip certainly has saved me a bundle of money, but I don't like it for several reasons.

 

1) The bar staff and wine steward don't get the full amount of the 15%. The wine steward only gets 10%. The bartenders get 14.6 %. They're waiting on me, Seattle isn't.

 

2) I'm sorry. It's not my obligation to offset wages for those in the back of the house. And given what they're doing with the drink tip, how do I know that the whole $3 is going to those we don't see.

 

3) I always tip above and the staff should not have to pool that if I decide to remove the auto tip.

 

4) Since the policy began, I've noticed more indifference to service and more aggresive drink pushing. Neither are what I've come to expect from HAL.

[willowoodf]

We definitely intend to leave the auto-tip in place and then tip extra, as warranted.

 

I have a question about the $60 per person that HAL charges to our credit card. Is this against things like the daily auto-tip, drinks, and other "money" we spend on board? At the end of the cruise do they "refund" if we haven't used that much, and add on any extra?

 

Thanks!

 

Mary

[kryos]

I have a question about the $60 per person that HAL charges to our credit card. Is this against things like the daily auto-tip, drinks, and other "money" we spend on board? At the end of the cruise do they "refund" if we haven't used that much, and add on any extra?

I don't think they actually charge the $60 per day ... rather, they reserve it by receiving authorization from your credit card company for that amount x the number of days of the cruise. Apparently, that's the average of what people tend to spend onboard in a given day. Then, as the cruise progresses, the purser will monitor your charges, and if it appears that more is needed, he/she will seek authorization for additional funds from your credit card company.

 

However, at least as far as I know, no actual charges are put through until the last day of the cruise, and then you are charged for exactly what you spent. They are just securing an authorization for the estimated charges prior to that.

 

By the way, a word to the wise ... go down to the purser's office on one of the last full days of the cruise and request a printout of your onboard charges up to that point. This way, if there is something you wish to dispute, you have plenty of time to do that without having to join the masses at the purser's desk on disembarkation day.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[willowoodf]

Kryos - that's a good tip to request a printout BEFORE the last day! We have gotten used to at hotels pulling up our bill on the "tv" and checking every day or so to be sure all is OK. We might do that a couple of times during the cruise.

 

But my question is still, is that what the $60 a day is for? Shipboard tips, drinks, incidentals? I realize it is a pre-authorization, but is that what it is for? Just a clarification. That was my understanding, but DH is trying to tell me that the drinks aren't included on this. But you don't hand over cash to the bartender, do you? Our first cruise is in less than a week <gasp> and I want to be sure I understand everything. Thanks!

 

Mary

[RuthC]

You're right. DH is wrong. Such is the way of the world.

 

Yes, the $60/person/day "hold" is for everything that would be charged to your on-board account. Daily service charge, shops, photos, shore excursions, spa, Pinnacle, and drinks are all part of this charge.

[willowoodf]

Thanks, Ruth!

 

DH..... now he is wondering why the flight we have booked to Vancouver says it is going to Puerto Rico...... <sigh>

[heartofamerica]

Auto-tipping wasn't in place on my first HAL cruise, but I plan on leaving it in place and tipping an additional amount (for the person to keep and not pool) for service. IMHO, 7 days on a cruise ship is 7 days of pampering - I don't lift a finger for anything and the people making it possible do so with a smile or sometimes, I don't see them at all.

 

I'm not sure of what service I should "expect" on a cruise. I've only been on two, and in both cases, I've been treated like royalty. It certainly wasn't the level of service I would have "expected". I have no problem if the autotip money is split amongst the "behind the scenes" employees - but unless the service is utterly atrocious, I think that the employees with the 'face to face' contact deserve something for helping to make the trip a memorable experience.

[ryansmemom]

I don't mind the auto-tip. The $10per day/per person is actually less than Chimera and I usually tip so we do leave it in place. We then tip those we feel are deserving of more an additional amount of money. There are also those crew members who are not included in the auto-tip system that we tip because they have provided services to us that we have appreciated.

 

Just one more thought for those people who pre-tip. I have had the opportunity to meet people who have been the reciepents of pre-tips in the course of my profession, psychologist. Some of them see pre-tipping differently than you may expect. Indeed, pretipping may very well backfire on you. Many people in service occupations take great pride in their work. This is true of Americans and it is especially true of people from other cultures where service is highly valued. Pre-tipping may be interpreted to be a bribe which could be construed to be an insult to their professionalism. This will cause them to feel uncomfortable with you and result in a decline in the level of service you may recieve. That, my friends, is human nature. We tend to avoid people who make us feel uncomfortable. Actual people have worked though these actual feeling with me in the course of actual counseling. They were uncomfortable with the feelings they had on the job and with their own job performance. They had integrity and didn't feel right when it was messed with. Think about it.

 

Linda

[rickcohen2]

....Pre-tipping may be interpreted to be a bribe which could be construed to be an insult to their professionalism.

Thank You.

 

I find the whole idea of a pre-tip offensive. I don't even understand the mindset that thinks this is a good idea. Do pre-tippers think, because they throw a couple of greens around at the crew, they are going to get something they wouldn't have gotten otherwise. To me, this smacks of that "Ugly American" stereotype. Who else in the world would do this?

 

And, where else do these pre-tippers pre-tip? Hotels, resturants, movie houses, car rentals...? Has it really gotten to the point that pre-tippers believe that without a "bribe" service providers won't provide service? Or, is pre-tipping helping to create that beast?

 

I tend to tip very well, but as a gratuity. And I don't go running around a resturant looking for the chef, the pastry chef, the bar back, the fry cook and the prep cook in order to thank them for a job well done (with cash). If they don't do their job well, the wait staff suffers. It's then up to management to fix the problem. If they don't, business suffers and the poorly managed machine grinds to a stop.

 

We are a capitalistic society. When we resort to the "worldly" practice of "bribes-for-services", we seem to be telling the world that being so, in and of itself, does not work. Worse yet, we seem to be telling our service providers that they are entitled to something for nothing. I won't do that!

 

[Climbing down from my soapbox now.]

[doowillie]

The old "grease the palm" mentality. I certainly agree with the preceding posts.

[jhannah]

I find the whole idea of a pre-tip offensive. I don't even understand the mindset that thinks this is a good idea.

Actually, this is how it all started. TIP stands for "to insure promptness," and was given upon entering an establishment in an effort to obtain priority service. That being said, that was then ... this is now. The culture has changed. I personally don't participate in pre-tipping.

[Krazy Kruizers]

When HAL first started putting the auto tips on the accounts in May 2004, we didn't remove them. And we still don't remove them. In fact we still give extra to those who have served us well and made our cruis an enjoyable one.

 

[DLepard]

I have no problem with auto tipping... I liked it on RCI although it was different... they charged a set ammount per person (staff) per cabin, and you could ammend it at anytime. However, I kept it the way it was. As far as pre-tipping... I have done it, but only on the cruise I brought my child. I told the cabin steward that this was for the extra task he might have in picking up a cabin with a 7 year old. We arent slobs, but kids are kids. He was great, and I do not regret doing so. Mid week, I also tipped my waiter a little extra (same cruise) as he went out of his way to make sure my daughter had something to eat that she enjoyed. AND one night brought me a covered plate of chocolate strawberries, because he knew I wouldnt make it up on deck for the midnight spread. HE was the most thoughtful waiter I ever EVER met.

 

My other cruises, i did not pre-tip.

 

I have never sailed with HAL, but I am looking forward to my veranda B room in 2.5 weeks!

[Sigtau21]

I like the auto tip, It means I dont have to bring as much cash on the trip. And at the end of the trip I can add to that and personally give more to the servers, they never get enough.