Tipping stewards

[The Odd Couple]

I am going to be opening a can of worms, but here goes. On Noordam last week, I met a man who had been cruising with HAL for 16 years. He said he has always reduced his daily hotel service charge to $6 a day and gives the balance to his steward. When I first cruised with HAL, all you good people advised me that if the hotel service charge was cancelled, then the steward had to hand over all additional tips made by a passenger. I repeated what I had been advised, and when I saw this man later in the week, he said he had been to the Front Desk and was told that if he reduced his hotel service charge and gave the balance to his steward, this was perfectly acceptable. Apparently his steward also confirmed this. This contradicts everything I thought I knew, or had I previously got it wrong? Does anyone have any recent experience of this?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Maybe the rules have changed lately.

I know when HAL started the Hotel Service Charge, we witnessed a scene in the dining room where a couple got into an argument with the dining room manager. They had removed the HSC and gave their waiter an envelope and he in turn have it to the dining room manager. They sat across from us. The dining room manager explained that whenever the HSC is removed or reduced, the names of those passengers are passed onto the various department heads who then passes on the names to the people below him.

Someone even mentioned on here some time ago that they saw the list of names posted in the cabin steward's work room.

Many of us did ask what would happen if the crew kept tips when they were suppose to turn in that money from the passengers on those lists and we were told that the crew member(s) would be fired. I always asked "How honest are the crew"? I have no idea.

[Aruba]

... when I saw this man later in the week, he said he had been to the Front Desk and was told that if he reduced his hotel service charge and gave the balance to his steward, this was perfectly acceptable.

I don't know the answer to your question -- but I know from experience that the Front Desk staff do not always provide correct answers to questions.

[richwmn]

I am going to be opening a can of worms, but here goes. On Noordam last week, I met a man who had been cruising with HAL for 16 years. He said he has always reduced his daily hotel service charge to $6 a day and gives the balance to his steward. When I first cruised with HAL, all you good people advised me that if the hotel service charge was cancelled, then the steward had to hand over all additional tips made by a passenger. I repeated what I had been advised, and when I saw this man later in the week, he said he had been to the Front Desk and was told that if he reduced his hotel service charge and gave the balance to his steward, this was perfectly acceptable. Apparently his steward also confirmed this. This contradicts everything I thought I knew, or had I previously got it wrong? Does anyone have any recent experience of this?

 

The fact that it is "acceptable" does not mean that the steward can keep the money.

[Randyk47]

Maybe the rules have changed lately.

I know when HAL started the Hotel Service Charge, we witnessed a scene in the dining room where a couple got into an argument with the dining room manager. They had removed the HSC and gave their waiter an envelope and he in turn have it to the dining room manager. They sat across from us. The dining room manager explained that whenever the HSC is removed or reduced, the names of those passengers are passed onto the various department heads who then passes on the names to the people below him.

Someone even mentioned on here some time ago that they saw the list of names posted in the cabin steward's work room.

Many of us did ask what would happen if the crew kept tips when they were suppose to turn in that money from the passengers on those lists and we were told that the crew member(s) would be fired. I always asked "How honest are the crew"? I have no idea.

 

I'm not sure I'm the only one but I'm one of those who have seen, with my own eyes, a list of names posted in the cabin stewards' work room. By the way I wasn't snooping, I was looking for a steward to get ice for our cabin and the room's door was open so I stepped in to see if anybody was in there or get ice myself. And no, I didn't read the list of names, but it was clearly labeled as a list of passengers by cabin number who had left or removed their HSC. As for what the Front Desk said or didn't say....beats me. Maybe they were factually reporting a different or new policy, maybe they were just being polite and didn't want to make the passenger feel like he/she was doing something "wrong", or maybe they were just plain mistaken.

[cbr663]

If the passenger approached guest services and asked whether he could reduce the HSC and tip directly, the answer would be a resounding yes. Any passenger has the option of doing this as the HSC is not a compulsory charge. I understand why he would be told that it was acceptable, as it is. HAL is not going to state that it is unacceptable for a passenger to tip.

 

The argument put forward by many posters is that it is useless to do this as the employees are expected to turn in all tips received to the HSC account irregardless, so the end result is the same. So it is acceptable for you to reduce your HSC charge and to pass the money to your steward, but he or she must then pass the money to be included in the total HSC account.

 

Keep in mind that this is all speculation. You have to be very clear when asking any questions to guest relations and need to accept that more often than not, some people are more apt to tell you what they think you want to hear rather than what the reality is.

[sail7seas]

I fully agree with those who state the steward must pool any tips (s)he receives IF the guest removes or reduces the automatically billed hotel service charge.

 

Front Office is not always exactly accurate. The verbage they used as to 'acceptable' is very different than preferable.

 

 

 

Edited March 14, 2014 by sail7seas

[adrift@sea]

I'm not sure I'm the only one but I'm one of those who have seen, with my own eyes, a list of names posted in the cabin stewards' work room. By the way I wasn't snooping, I was looking for a steward to get ice for our cabin and the room's door was open so I stepped in to see if anybody was in there or get ice myself. And no, I didn't read the list of names, but it was clearly labeled as a list of passengers by cabin number who had left or removed their HSC. As for what the Front Desk said or didn't say....beats me. Maybe they were factually reporting a different or new policy, maybe they were just being polite and didn't want to make the passenger feel like he/she was doing something "wrong", or maybe they were just plain mistaken.

 

Yes, we have also seen the list. There are additional lists in the kitchens, DR Mgrs./Housekeeping Offices, etc.

 

Perhaps the misunderstanding is not in the answer, but in the question. How did the passenger phrase his question? Was it a direct question or was it basically a statement (of his understanding and/or belief) seeking some sort of confirmation from the Front Office.

 

Again, same thoughts regarding the conversation with the steward--question or confirmation of a statement? Really, what was he supposed to say? We have all encountered stewards that were more forward and direct but the majority are not. I think many would be uncomfortable in participating in a conversation of this nature and would agree pretty much with whatever a passenger said.

 

Maybe the Front Office did get it wrong, it certainly wouldn't be the first time that erroneous information was given. Based on HAL's current policy, it stands to reason that if the HSC is reduced, any additional monies received by the stewards would have to be turned in.

 

I agree that "acceptable" does not mean that the steward can keep the money.

[jtl513]

... maybe they were just being polite and didn't want to make the passenger feel like he/she was doing something "wrong", ...

I suspect he was being argumentative, and they just gave him a "do whatever you want" type of an answer just to get rid of him ... but that the rules have not changed.

.

Edited March 14, 2014 by jtl513

[OVgirl]

On our Noordam cruise a few weeks ago, a number of other passengers told us they were removing their HSC and giving tips directly to the staff.

 

I was surprised by the number of people doing this, as we would have never even considered this as an option.

 

So, on one of my visits to the front desk, I asked if the HSC was removed and one gave the tips directly to the staff, do they have to hand it in to be distributed to others in the tipping pool.

 

I was told that the steward could keep the tip.

 

Like others here have stated, I'm not sure if that is correct or not.

 

I know for a 21 day cruise it does add up ($483) but we leave it in place and budget the amount as part of the cost of our cruise.

[Randyk47]

I suspect he was being argumentative, and they just gave him a "do whatever you want" type of an answer just to get rid of him ... but that the rules have not changed.

.

 

The other aspect is sometimes we hear what we want to hear not what was said. ;):)

[Lizzie68]

If there really is such a list, then how does that account for those who reduce or have the service charge removed on the last day? I am coming to the conclusion that just about everything written as fact on here is speculation. And really, what would be the purpose of all stewards having such a list? Are they to give them less service?

[alwaysfrantic]

I know the "rule" is often quoted here, and defended by some as a known fact. BUT, just because we read it here doesn't necessarily make it true. Maybe the workers do get to keep the cash. Maybe it has recently changed.

[Randyk47]

If there really is such a list' date=' then how does that account for those who reduce or have the service charge removed on the last day? I am coming to the conclusion that just about everything written as fact on here is speculation. And really, what would be the purpose of all stewards having such a list? Are they to give them less service?[/quote']

 

I am absolutely for 100% sure there is such a list since I saw it and it was quite plain what the list said across the top of the page. Personally I saw the list on the last full day of our cruise. As to the purpose? The only rational purpose would be to alert the stewards as to who had removed the HSC and that any tips received from those passengers would have to be turned in. Considering it was so late in the cruise when I saw the list it really wouldn't have much impact on the service, too late to make a difference. I don't know if a list is available earlier in the cruise and is changed or updated as the cruise progresses, I'm only speaking to what, when, and where I saw the one list I've seen. I have no idea what happens if a passenger literally goes to the front desk the very last minute to remove the HSC.

[innlady1]

Tia, welcome to CC. All I can think of, by providing them a list, is that they then know whose tips need to be turned in to the pool. :confused:

 

Anne Marie (OVGirl), it was nice to meet you on the Noordam! Hope you enjoyed the rest of your cruise. No wonder I saw a long line at Guest Services toward the end of our cruise. Our cabin was right down the hall.

 

[sail7seas]

If there really is such a list' date=' then how does that account for those who reduce or have the service charge removed on the last day? I am coming to the conclusion that just about everything written as fact on here is speculation. And really, what would be the purpose of all stewards having such a list? Are they to give them less service?[/quote']

 

Tia, welcome to CC. All I can think of, by providing them a list, is that they then know whose tips need to be turned in to the pool. :confused:

 

Anne Marie (OVGirl), it was nice to meet you on the Noordam! Hope you enjoyed the rest of your cruise. No wonder I saw a long line at Guest Services toward the end of our cruise. Our cabin was right down the hall.

 

 

 

Yes, the reason for the list is so stewards know they have to turnover to the pool any tips they receive.

 

If people wait until last day to remove their tips, the stewards still have to turn over anything they are given.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

I know the "rule" is often quoted here, and defended by some as a known fact. BUT, just because we read it here doesn't necessarily make it true. Maybe the workers do get to keep the cash. Maybe it has recently changed.

 

That is why I started off my response with "maybe the rules have changed lately".

There have been lots of changes on HAL the last couple of months.

[cbr663]

Another reason for the list may have to do with the distribution of the HSC. Some cruise lines distribute the HSC based on employee performance and not whether it was actually received. So it is quite possible that even though you left the HSC in tact and may even have left extra, there is no guarantee that the employee will actually receive it.

 

It is normal for most people to assume that if you leave a tip for a certain person that that person will receive it, but this is not always the practice.

[cbr663]

I know the "rule" is often quoted here, and defended by some as a known fact. BUT, just because we read it here doesn't necessarily make it true. Maybe the workers do get to keep the cash. Maybe it has recently changed.

 

+1. If there is one thing that all cruise lines keep secret, it is their employment practices. A quick internet search and you will quickly learn why.

[cruz chic]

It is normal for most people to assume that if you leave a tip for a certain person that that person will receive it, but this is not always the practice.

I always leave my HSC in place. When I leave extra for my room and MDR steward they will most certainly get it. I leave cash, not add it onto my on board account. If you add it to your on board account that is the only way I would see them not getting it.

[RuthC]

I know the "rule" is often quoted here, and defended by some as a known fact. BUT, just because we read it here doesn't necessarily make it true. Maybe the workers do get to keep the cash. Maybe it has recently changed.

It is conceivable that the rule that is oft-quoted here has been changed, but it was not spun out of thin air, either.

 

The rule that we all know and quote has been explained to us in countless disembarkation talks over the last (almost) 10 years. It was a standard part of the CD's speech until the end of that portion of our cruises not that long ago.

[sail7seas]

Another reason for the list may have to do with the distribution of the HSC. Some cruise lines distribute the HSC based on employee performance and not whether it was actually received. So it is quite possible that even though you left the HSC in tact and may even have left extra, there is no guarantee that the employee will actually receive it.

 

It is normal for most people to assume that if you leave a tip for a certain person that that person will receive it, but this is not always the practice.

 

 

Are you saying some cabin stewards/dining stewards may not be receiving a full share of the HSC distribution?

 

If so, Why?

 

[cbr663]

Are you saying some cabin stewards/dining stewards may not be receiving a full share of the HSC distribution?

 

If so, Why?

 

 

Yes, some may not as some crew employees have shared that the HSC is distributed based on the employee meeting certain performance standards first.

[jtl513]

I have no idea what happens if a passenger literally goes to the front desk the very last minute to remove the HSC.

I believe the deadline for altering the HSC is the last night of the cruise, so the list published that night and in the hands of the stewards on disembarkation is what counts.

[Swelldame]

Why, oh why, does HAL continue to let this all be a mystery? If, when someone wants to remove the HSC, the front desk would just explain what happens while asking "why", I'm sure a lot of people would leave it in place. It's the lack of clarity that is causing all this silliness.

 

Jeeze! :mad: