Tipping stewards

[jtl513]

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.

They do ... or did one time at least. While waiting to be helped at the front desk I overheard a clerk explaining it to a man in the next line. His reason for wanting it removed was that he "didn't believe in it". I didn't hear the final outcome, as my matter was handled and I left.

 

I believe in the majority of the cases these people are just being cheap. While they may give some cash to their cabin and MDR stewards, I would bet it's a fraction of the HSC ... and of course they give nothing to other crew.

.

Edited March 14, 2014 by jtl513

[Randyk47]

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.

 

I agree and would add that in at least one Meet and Mingle that I went to on the Maasdam the Hotel Manager was asked this question and he clearly explained the policy as the one oft-quoted here. Absolutely no doubt about how he said it was handled. As Ruth said, it could have changed since then.

[The Odd Couple]

Sorry for any confusion, the use of the word "acceptable" was just me using English phraseology. I don't of course know exactly what the Front Desk said. We kept our HSC in place and also gave our steward cash at the end of the cruise and although I know there are many behind the scenes, I would be happier paying some portion of the HSC but giving the balance of it to my steward - provided he could keep it and didn't have to turn it in.

[Krazy Kruizers]

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:

 

I agree with you.

HAL should make this very clear to everyone what the policy is if someone decides to sign the form and opt out of the HSC or even part of it.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Okay

My mind keeps running over and over.

I know that if a person signs the form to have the entire HSC removed their ship board account, no crew member gets anything.

But -- and I have read it -- if you decide to remove only part of the HSC -- who exactly gets the partial tips and how much?

Anyone know?

[Randyk47]

Okay

My mind keeps running over and over.

I know that if a person signs the form to have the entire HSC removed their ship board account, no crew member gets anything.

But -- and I have read it -- if you decide to remove only part of the HSC -- who exactly gets the partial tips and how much?

Anyone know?

 

It was my understanding that if you reduce the HSC it still goes into the general pot and that results in the various shares out of the pot just being that much smaller. I'm not under the impression that you can designate where or who gets your HSC. For instance we have god-awful service in the MDR on one cruise but our cabin steward and assistant were pure gold. It's my understanding I can't go to the Front Office and say I want to remove an amount equal to what the MDR wait staff would get as their share and that the remainder of my HSC go to everybody else except them.

[lovesublime]

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 agree. If there really is such a list, I consider it a tacky business practice. What purpose does it serve.

[Lizzie68]

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.

 

 

So then the stewards cannot keep any tips given them on the last day just in case a passenger had the tips removed on the last day, and the name was not on the current list - I assume. In that case it sounds like they have to turn in all cash tips received and then get it back for the passengers who did not have the charge removed. Sounds very complex to me, and an administrative nightmare - and obviously there is no fail-safe system. Has anyone actually called Holland America to get it clarified? If there was no option to have it removed then that would simplify everything! Maybe Holland should just reimburse it after the cruise if the passenger had a valid reason.

Edited March 14, 2014 by Marco's Tia

[cruz chic]

I agree. If there really is such a list, I consider it a tacky business practice. What purpose does it serve.

If these people actually leave a tip it must then be handed in. That's what purpose it serves.

[Randyk47]

I agree. If there really is such a list, I consider it a tacky business practice. What purpose does it serve.

 

It may be tacky but it's pretty clear. It says if you get a tip from the occupants of Cabin XXX, and it does provide the occupants names, you must turn it in.

[jtl513]

I agree. If there really is such a list, I consider it a tacky business practice. What purpose does it serve.

It's not tacky, because it's only distributed internally. The stewards have to know which cash they have to turn in and which they can keep.

[Lizzie68]

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.

 

 

Sorry I didn't see this when I posted above. I guess that would make sense if there truly is a deadline. I'm getting hung up on this list business. Has an officer actually told passengers that there is such a list?

[jtl513]

Sorry I didn't see this when I posted above. I guess that would make sense if there truly is a deadline. I'm getting hung up on this list business. Has an officer actually told passengers that there is such a list?

Guess you missed at least one more post - Randyk47 posted that he had inadvertently seen one. Edited March 14, 2014 by jtl513

[Wakepatrol]

I believe in the majority of the cases these people are just being cheap. While they may give some cash to their cabin and MDR stewards, I would bet it's a fraction of the HSC ... and of course they give nothing to other crew.

.

 

 

Bingo. Hopefully karma pays them tenfold

[Lizzie68]

Guess you missed a couple more posts - Randyk47 and sail7seas both posted that had seen a list.

 

Guess you missed what I asked. Unless you study a list closely how can you know what it is really for. I asked if an officer (or I guess the Hotel Manager if that's who is responsible) had told passengers that such a list exists.

[innlady1]

They do ... or did one time at least. While waiting to be helped at the front desk I overheard a clerk explaining it to a man in the next line. His reason for wanting it removed was that he "didn't believe in it". I didn't hear the final outcome, as my matter was handled and I left.

 

I believe in the majority of the cases these people are just being cheap. While they may give some cash to their cabin and MDR stewards, I would bet it's a fraction of the HSC ... and of course they give nothing to other crew.

.

 

No matter what excuse they spin, I believe you are correct, John.

[Randyk47]

Guess you missed at least one more post - Randyk47 posted that he had inadvertently seen one.

 

Yep, I'm not spinning yarn and I'm not blind. It was taped up on a cabinet just inside the door to the stewards' service room. I'll have to admit I was a bit surprised when I saw and I stress I wasn't looking for it. It really was one of those "I'll be darned, it exists and there it is!" moments. Also have that kind of "I ought not to have seen that" moments. :eek::)

[Lizzie68]

Yep, I'm not spinning yarn and I'm not blind. It was taped up on a cabinet just inside the door to the stewards' service room. I'll have to admit I was a bit surprised when I saw and I stress I wasn't looking for it. It really was one of those "I'll be darned, it exists and there it is!" moments. Also have that kind of "I ought not to have seen that" moments. :eek::)

 

Thank you for clarifying without sarcasm.:)

[jtl513]

Guess you missed what I asked. Unless you study a list closely how can you know what it is really for.

 

I'm not sure I'm the only one but I'm one of those who have seen' date=' 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.

 

M-Tia: If I was being sarcastic I would have used :rolleyes:

 

Sorry Randy, you replied while I was looking for your post to quote.

...

Edited March 14, 2014 by jtl513

[Randyk47]

Thank you for clarifying without sarcasm.:)

 

I'll also have to say the only "officer" I've ever talked to about the HSC, and it was during a HAL Roll Call Meet and Mingle, was the Hotel Manager. I don't recall he said anything about a list but he did say that the appropriate staff were notified of people removing the HSC and were under "standing orders" to turn in any tips received from those passengers. I guess it is logical to assume they'd have to get that information to the service staff somehow and a list makes a whole lot more sense that somebody verbally repeating a bunch of cabin numbers and names.

Edited March 14, 2014 by Randyk47

[sail7seas]

Sorry for any confusion, the use of the word "acceptable" was just me using English phraseology. I don't of course know exactly what the Front Desk said. We kept our HSC in place and also gave our steward cash at the end of the cruise and although I know there are many behind the scenes, I would be happier paying some portion of the HSC but giving the balance of it to my steward - provided he could keep it and didn't have to turn it in.

 

 

HAL has had an automatic service charge for maybe 7 or so years. I'm not sure exactly how long.

 

Prior to that, HAL's official tipping policy was "Tips Not Required". Because many TA's used that as a selling feature and told their customers they didn't have to tip in ways that made many believe no tips were allowed or expected, the policy changed.

 

We watched cruise after cruise, last night of each, as large numbers of guests ran out of the MDR when their steward was busy. These same folks didn't have their pre-dinner drink in the lounge they had been in every night. The reason was to leave without tipping and not have to face the crew person they were denying a tip. HAL was just about forced to put a new tipping policy into practice to hopefully have people tip those who took such good care of them during the cruise.

 

We all know there are some countries where tipping is widespread and some where it is not. When we book our cruises, the information is freely available we will be expected to pay the automatically billed Hotel Service Charge. If we are not agreeable to that, we should make other travel plans. When we make a booking, we make a committment.

 

If service is not satisfactory for you, we all know to speak up and have the situation corrected. If you suffer in silence and never attempt to have the problem addressed, why would you deny all who share in the HSC their tip at the end?

 

IF you were unsuccessful, after appropriate steps, to have your complaints addressed, that is a whole different story. THEN you would have a legitimate reason to remove HSC.

 

IMO

I am under no delusions that everyone agrees with this.

 

Edited March 14, 2014 by sail7seas

[innlady1]

Question: Why does HAL even allow the HSC to be removed? Perhaps they should not...

[sail7seas]

Question: Why does HAL even allow the HSC to be removed? Perhaps they should not...

 

 

Some agree with you but I'm not sure I do.

 

I think there has to be a 'sure route' for a guest who truly feels they did not receive good service despite reasonable requests to speak with their wallet. Sadly, there are those who abuse that ability.

 

[Randyk47]

Question: Why does HAL even allow the HSC to be removed? Perhaps they should not...

 

Let me put on my flame retardant clothing first....OK...ready.....I fully agree with you. I've been cruising another line since I got sideways with HAL and indeed tips aren't even called out as a separate line item in the basic fare or on the on-board charges. The lines simply say something more or less that their staff is paid higher wages and they imply they demand a higher level of service from that staff. Does it work? Beats me but the service we've gotten has been as good if not better than certainly recent HAL service we've experienced....I know, I know I'm not everybody and this is just my personal observation.....but that's how I feel. To me it's kind of a "pay me now or pay me later" as I typically tip so if it's included in the basic fare I'm fine with that. I haven't had bad service yet on our new line of choice but certainly it's possible and I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

[cruz chic]

Yep, I'm not spinning yarn and I'm not blind. It was taped up on a cabinet just inside the door to the stewards' service room. I'll have to admit I was a bit surprised when I saw and I stress I wasn't looking for it. It really was one of those "I'll be darned, it exists and there it is!" moments. Also have that kind of "I ought not to have seen that" moments. :eek::)

I think you should have made photocopies and put it in all the passenger mail slots on the ship:D;):D:p.