Ordering tap water from the deck waiters

[richleeds]

Hi

 

Seen this quite a few times when the deck/pool waiters come around asking if anyone would like a drink, some passengers will ask for an iced tap water with lemon and nothing else! What do you think about this?

 

It would sit better with me if they were buying a drink and asking for the water to go alongside it but when they just ask for a tap water and have the waiter trundle down to the bar and bring it all the way back with no more than a thank you from the passenger.

 

I presume the waiters are monitored daily for their sales and a close eye paid to those who fall below the ships average as they are always keen to serve you as you lie on your lounger, so they must feel the pressure of a daily sales target.

 

Maybe slightly excusable if you stay in the same spot all day and purchase drinks 5 or 6 times throughout the day from the same waiter and on one occasion ask for tap water, otherwise I think its a bit cheeky!

[NauticalMiss]

Crikey, really? I would never have dreamed of asking a deck waiter to get a glass of tap water for me. I would have thought they would have politely declined and directed me to the water dispenser, so I could help myself. But that's just me I suppose.

[rickpo]

I have often have a glass of iced tap water but have always gone up for it myself, usually as i'm passing a bar.

Although thinking about it I can't see the harm in asking for one to be brought to you by the waiter, part of a cruise holiday is to be waited on and as long as you are polite and courteous and not snapping your fingers then it's all part of the package.

If the waiter has his or her sales monitored, then over he course of a day or week then good and bad sales will even themselves out. As will tips.

 

Rick.

[gazzas127]

I pay all that money for the cruise & gratuities surely a few glasses of water brought to me by the waiter would not hurt !!

[macren]

I have ordered tap water with ice but only when my husband has ordered a beer and that would be a few times whilst sunbathing but I would have an odd cocktail as well ,I would not not just order water and no other drinks I would go get my own if husband didn't want a beer . Mind you when I think about that statement husband Would always want a beer :D

[davecttr]

I have been told drinks stewards get 6% commission but tap water is free!

 

A wasted journey for them.

 

If you are capable of doing it get it yourself ;)

[the english lady]

I have been told drinks stewards get 6% commission but tap water is free!

 

A wasted journey for them.

 

If you are capable of doing it get it yourself ;)

 

Agree.

The waiters are not servants there for every wish to be granted.

There are there to sell refreshments.

[shallwe]

My wife drinks tap water the majority of the time. We never had a problem asking a waiter for this, sometimes on its own and sometimes with a drink order from myself.

 

We never felt guilty though as we paid the gratuities. As for saying that the waiters are only there for selling refreshments, how absolutely absurd. They are there, and get paid, to wait on you, hence the term 'waiter'. I haven't heard them being referred to as 'salesperson'.

[hunnibunni123]

My wife drinks tap water the majority of the time. We never had a problem asking a waiter for this, sometimes on its own and sometimes with a drink order from myself.

 

We never felt guilty though as we paid the gratuities. As for saying that the waiters are only there for selling refreshments, how absolutely absurd. They are there, and get paid, to wait on you, hence the term 'waiter'. I haven't heard them being referred to as 'salesperson'.

 

I completely agree. It annoys me when certain professions supposedly 'deserve' tips. It is a job, why should a waiter get tipped but not a nurse when they save lives? We paid the automatic gratuities and will do this year, I would have no problem asking for water if I wanted it

[richleeds]

Do remember the reason P&O has these crew walking around the public areas offering you drinks is simply to SELL you a drink.

Edited July 23, 2014 by richleeds
....

[the english lady]

My wife drinks tap water the majority of the time. We never had a problem asking a waiter for this, sometimes on its own and sometimes with a drink order from myself.

 

We never felt guilty though as we paid the gratuities. As for saying that the waiters are only there for selling refreshments, how absolutely absurd. They are there, and get paid, to wait on you, hence the term 'waiter'. I haven't heard them being referred to as 'salesperson'.

Then me thinks you maybe need to consider a 6* line, where they would be happy to peel grapes for you, get you tap water etc, as they get paid a lot more (hence the 6* prices for the cruise)

The likes of P and O etc, they are there to sell you drinks. If you think that they are more than happy to run around getting you tap water, with no commission, then you are being very very naïve.

You may call them waiters, they would have been told to SELL.

[kevinyork]

 

 

 

We never felt guilty though as we paid the gratuities. As for saying that the waiters are only there for selling refreshments, how absolutely absurd. They are there, and get paid, to wait on you, hence the term 'waiter'. I haven't heard them being referred to as 'salesperson'.

 

 

Your grats dont cover the drinks service. They are for your cabin steward and MDR service. The drinks waiters get commission on drinks sales.

 

I would never think about asking a waiter to get me a free glass of tap water unless other chargeable drinks were ordered or the waiter was given an individual tip to do so. I would walk to the buffet and help myself.

 

 

 

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[kevinyork]

I pay all that money for the cruise & gratuities surely a few glasses of water brought to me by the waiter would not hurt !!

 

 

But the waiter that gets you that glass of water sees nothing of your cruise fare or grats. He's fetching and carrying your water for no extra reward.

 

 

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[richleeds]

I haven't heard them being referred to as 'salesperson'.

 

 

That's exactly what they are!

[hunnibunni123]

But the waiter that gets you that glass of water sees nothing of your cruise fare or grats. He's fetching and carrying your water for no extra reward.

 

 

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I do that in my job, dont get a tip or "reward"

 

I do many things in my job that are not in my job description...because I'm there to work and it is the job that I have chosen to do. If there is a waiter walking around, if I want a glass of water I would kindly ask...I'm on holiday and they are at work!

[the english lady]

I am quite amazed at some of the replies on here.

After having it explained simply that the waiters do not get a share of your grats,their very low wages are made up by the commission on SELLING you drinks, some still seem to think they are more than happy running around for nothing.

If you do not like p and o,s policy with the commission please go on an American line with the additional 15% added_and I am sure on there they would be more than happy to point out where you get tap water from, or go on one of the 6* lines, that charge an arm and a leg,but would be happy to run around after the little lumps who cannot get off a sunbed

[silver service]

It may have been missed that these deck service waiters, also do a shift

And some in the MDR. I have met my wine waitress, serving on deck.

Therefore they get some of the automatic gratuities. Free water or not.

[kevinyork]

It may have been missed that these deck service waiters, also do a shift

 

And some in the MDR. I have met my wine waitress, serving on deck.

 

Therefore they get some of the automatic gratuities. Free water or not.

 

 

They get some of the auto grats for their work in the MDR, not for fetching free tap water for those that are too lazy to get their own on deck.

 

The English lady, well said. Have we moved back into the days of the raj? These guys work horribly long shifts over a 9 month contract. Why make their lives even move difficult?

 

 

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Edited July 23, 2014 by kevinyork
added

[kevinyork]

I do that in my job, dont get a tip or "reward"

 

 

 

I do many things in my job that are not in my job description...because I'm there to work and it is the job that I have chosen to do. If there is a waiter walking around, if I want a glass of water I would kindly ask...I'm on holiday and they are at work!

 

 

But I bet you are paid a reasonable hourly rate compared to these waiters? Do you depend on tips to send a wage back home?

 

 

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[Cloudyrain]

Although im not a "culprit" of this most heinous of crimes :rolleyes: I don't think people should be put on the rack for it. Most of the waiters we saw took several orders at once and came back with several orders - it's not as if they were running down several flights of stairs just for one persons water and loosing out on the 15p they could of made in commission on £2.50 soft drinks order ;)

 

Personally I highly recommend a large plastic insulated drinks cup that you can buy from TK Maxx for £3 and fill with about 4 of the glasses of tap water from the machine: it keeps it relatively cool, you can't spill it, it's hygienic and no poor little waiter has to run around after you :D

[CCFC]

I think you will find that the people behind the bar look after the waiters quite well.

 

Many a time I have been sat at a bar or standing there to get served quicker and you will see the name of a waiter at the bottom even though they have not brought the drink to me. They have their own way of spreading the tips.

 

I really wouldn't worry about it.

[groovechick]

We were halfway through our Iberian cruise last year before we realised that we did not have to go to the buffet for the small glasses of tepid water, but could get pint glasses of iced water from the poolside bars. We would never have dreamt, however, of asking a waiter to get it. Personally I like to stretch my legs now and again, or send the kids! :D

[shallwe]

But the waiter that gets you that glass of water sees nothing of your cruise fare or grats. He's fetching and carrying your water for no extra reward.

 

 

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So if I go into a restaurant in town and want a glass of tap water, I have to go myself into the kitchen to fetch it myself, the waiter mustn't get it for me as he won't get paid for it?

 

Absurd.

[richleeds]

So if I go into a restaurant in town and want a glass of tap water, I have to go myself into the kitchen to fetch it myself, the waiter mustn't get it for me as he won't get paid for it?

 

 

 

Absurd.

 

 

You can compare your restaurant in town to dining in the MDR on a ship, of course water will be brought to you as part of the meal service. However daytime on pool deck, P&O places these crew members on deck to SELL you drinks not offer a free water fetching service.

[heywood]

I wouldn't do it either but it's not my concern what drinks other people order.

 

I wonder what will happen if the all-inclusive packages happen. Will the waiters be asked not to 'sell' so much as the profit margins could go down.:confused: