Tipping

[elaine61]

Now don't get me wrong I don't have a problem with tipping as the guys on the ships work all the hours god sends for probably a mere pitance of a pay!! What I don't understand is the difference in tipping from one company in the carnival umbrella and another company in the carnival umbrella!! As you all know because I have mentioned it so often we generally cruise out of the UK with P & O. Their guidelines for tipping are £3.75 per passenger (aged 12 and over) per day. On Cunard it is $11 per day for Britannia accommodation. As of today's exchange rate that is approx £6.50. Not quite but nearly double what P & O recommend. Also I see that someone has stated that you can pay extra to the amount that gets put onto your on board account. Why is there such a difference in amounts. Is it because the staff on P & O are predominently Goan/Indian/Philipino whereas on the QM2 they tend to be European (are they still generally East European)????? I know a lot of the other cruise lines that operate out of the US charge the same as Cunard as I did some research!!!!!

 

Elaine

[mufi]

Elaine - P&O is marketed mainly to the British market, Cunard mainly to the US, though not exclusivly by any means. Tipping is very differently handled in the US. Leave anything less than 15% tip in an American resteraunt and you will be asked if there was anything wrong. Basically they can get away with it in the American market, but not with the British.

 

Also Americans pay much less than we do in the first place, so maybe this is one way to claw back some extra revenue.

 

David

[rula40]

Elaine,

 

 

 

I agree with you regarding the Tipping, and I also do not object to showing my gratitude for good service, but I would prefer to decide what I would like give each person as opposed to a blanket charge.

 

Our last cruise was with RCI we were supplied with envelopes and handed them out to the members of staff on the last day, which was better as we knew that the amount we wanted to give went to the right people.

 

I hope with our forthcoming crossing the full amount of gratuities is shared amongst the staff and there is not a tiered system depending on position and grade.

 

Phil

[JGR01]

I made a mistake and converted all my money to large Pounds before the end of the cruise. I only had US Dollar singles left....

 

I spoke with the Purser about tipping Waiter XXX and Butler/Steward AAA/BBB an extra amount.

 

I was about to sign some money onto my shipboard account to make life easier and to tip these wonderfule people.

 

I was informed that tipping via shipboard account goes into the TIP POOL for the entire SHIP. It cannot go to a specific individual! :(

 

Therefore if you wish to tip additionally to a specific person .. it MUST be done in cash and handed to that person.

 

As far as price per person per waiter/asst waiter/steward and other staff I am not making any comments/comparisons. I tip based on service.

[Ab Ovo]

One one hand, it may sound chintzy, but being charged $$ daily and knowing the money is going into a big pool for all qualifying employes of the ship I never see does not do it for me.............so I sign off on the charge via the Purser's Desk (then they do not charge you daily) and give the stewards & help that help me CASH.....on the other hand, just not caring and letting them bill you is easier, for you have to bring on cash with you, knowing you are going to tip. Still and all, I like the relationship with the cabin attendants and favorite bar personnel and enjoy giving them cash toward the end of the journey or segment. Ask them....I believe they all would prefer cash from you rather than a share of some pool many say they don't get much from.

[Ab Ovo]

:) By the way, Elaine, on three segments, your tipping toward the end of the first crossing may very well go in your favor for the Canadian trip and again on your second crossing. I've always felt I only want to tip my stewards and waiters, and some more than others, the most. Cash is handy to have......and if you're off the daily charge, you are not paying twice for services.

[Thisildome]

Having recently cruise on Cunard, we had some issues that caused me to speak with the Purser who stated I could remove all trace of tips from my account and deal direct as I saw fit, in cash. I was told that some of the monies in the pot went to staff we never even knew existed, let alone used their services.

[mufi]

This is accurate. We use the services, though not directly of all the crew on board. And the guy who looks after the sewage tanks, if there is such a guy is pretty important to our comfort. That's what I have against the way tipping works. The waiter gets the tip but the guy who does the washing up gets what?

 

David.

[Nepcib]

This is accurate. We use the services, though not directly of all the crew on board. And the guy who looks after the sewage tanks, if there is such a guy is pretty important to our comfort. That's what I have against the way tipping works. The waiter gets the tip but the guy who does the washing up gets what?

 

David.

 

Think of it this way - your waiter and Steward act as your agent to the ship. They in effect represent your interests to the kitchen or whatever. The manner in which the service is provided is a larger part of the overall service. That is they should be prompt, pleasant, and looking out for your interests rather than that of the ship (or resturant). The kitchen is a high stress place and I not a very pleasant one. The chef is yelling at everyone to maintain order in the chaos of serving 2,000 people each meal. When you send your server into that mess to ask for a ninth lobster tail because the current one is also not up to snuff you can bet that the line is cursing you up and down.

 

The tip is not to subsidize wages, rather it is to ensure that were service matters you will get it and to minimize the friction between you and the staff. It is not to enable Cunard to under pay its staff

[nitnyleo]

You wrote:

>The tip is not to subsidize wages, rather it is to ensure that were service matters you will get it and to minimize the friction between >you and the staff. It is not to enable Cunard to under pay its staff

 

The fact is that workers who depend on tips (ie, wait staff) do not need to be paid the US federal minimum wage because they can make up the difference in tips.

 

In the USA, tips DO subsidize wages and they are taxed, accordingly, by the IRS.

 

So, Nepcib, how well is the Cunard wait staff paid? (You seem to know.)

[Nepcib]

I have no idea how well the Cunard staff are paid. I imagine it is quite poor but I really do not know. I was taking some license when I was talking about the ship’s kitchen - I was only trying to illustrate that restaurant kitchens in general are not calm relaxing work environments (esp. with over 2,000 customers a meal) and are exactly the opposite environments that one would normally want to dine in.

I was not saying that Tips are not income - they clearly are. My point was that tipping serves to align your server's interest with your own and that they then will go on to represent you to the larger organization. In this sense the server is now working for you rather than the organization. Which is entirely consistent with the lower minimum wage that server’s are required to be paid.

I would argue that often when the organization takes over the tipping (service charge) by collecting a fixed amount and deciding how it is redistributed then one often will lose the benefits of tipping (alignment of interests). In addition there is no guarantee that the organization will redistribute all of the service collected, and instead pocket a portion of it.

[Thisildome]

I have to say that on Cunard you do not expect to find a galley serving 2,000 meals what with the seperation of restaurants. Also it was not until the last full day that my wait staff asked 'How is the service?' Wrere they looking for enhanced tips? When I replied 'not very good, 'you should not be clearing my plate whilst my wife has not even finished', I was looked at somewhat agahst! I am qualified in waiting with food and wine and have never ever cleared a lady before her companion - either male or even same sex - had finished . I was reached across to clear my wife and in spite of 5 requests to restaurant staff to rectify the error, this was never corrected. I cannot understand why QE2's Queens Grill keeps receiving the accolades it does, in my opinion - to which I am entitled - it does not regularly meet that standard. Please accept my comments, as my comments, and not the comments of all recent diners in Queens Grill, others may hold differing views which I respect.

[rula40]

I have decided.that as I am doing the Transatlantic Southampton NY back to back I will speak with the purser on my arrival and agree to the automatic policy for the crossing and make my own arrangements for the return, that way I can show my gratitude for good service and also contribute to the unseen crew members.

 

I could not make my mind up after reading so many different views and that combined with the fact that there is no guarantee that all monies deducted is put in the pot

[newishcruiser]

I've only cruised on the QE2 and the Brilliance of the Seas and on both occasions pre-paid tips.

 

Royal Caribbean I think handled it much better in that they supplied envelopes and 'vouchers' showing pre-payment which you could give to staff who directly looked after you. Envelopes are provided for your cabin steward, waiter, assistant waiter and Maitre d' responsible for your table. Additonal monies could also be added if service had been exceptional.

 

Cunard didn't have similar system so those who have prepaid have nothing to give on the last night which left me for one feeling uncomfortable - especially as prepayment was at a level probably higher than those who paid in cash (as we had prepaid for our kids as well)! One of the other guests who had also prepaid asked his cabin steward if they were aware who had/hadn't prepaid and was given the impression that they didn't!

 

If/when we cruise with Cunard again we certainly wouldn't prepay tips. When we cruise again with RCL in 2006 we'll prepay as they had a professional manner of handling it.

[elaine61]

Waiting staff are poorly paid here in the UK too!!!!!! Mum used to wait on in a hotel function suite many years ago. She used to moan about the amount they got paid. But here in the UK you cannot rely on being given a tip!! In general we (as in we personally) give 10% of the total amount on the final bill.

 

I have been told that the waiters on the P & O ships do not get taxed on their pay. Generally they send it home to their family in India/Goa/Phillipines. We must be something right with the tipping because the past waiters that we have had always remember us and go out of their way to speak to us. If they thought we hadn't tipped them enough they wouldn't bother!!

 

Thisildome, I have never ever had that situation on P & O and if I get it on QM2 they will be asked firmly but politely not to do it again. You do not clear away a table before everyone has finished let alone come across the path of another diner!!!!! You should be behind the diner to remove the tableware.

 

I wonder how attentive the Cunard wait staff are to those that we have on P & O. Somehow I think that the waitstaff on P & O will come out on top. I'll be glad if I'm proven wrong!!

 

Elaine

[Coolgran]

I pay 50 per cent on my cabin bill. I am then able to afford to reward my steward,waiter etc. as much or as little as I feel they deserve, thereby I feel I have contributed both to the 'pool' and to my personal favourites. I think this is the fairest way as I HATE being told what to tip but don't like to think of anyone being left out as they all (mostly) work very hard

[atticus]

Just for reference...... a senior member of the bar staff pulled in 33-37K (salary plus tips) last year. In US dollars, no taxes paid.

 

They work like dogs, but quite a few of them are able to sock away a nice little nest egg for real estate purchases in US and abroad.

[elaine61]

Just for reference...... a senior member of the bar staff pulled in 33-37K (salary plus tips) last year. In US dollars, no taxes paid.

 

They work like dogs, but quite a few of them are able to sock away a nice little nest egg for real estate purchases in US and abroad.

 

I am led to believe that the staff on the P & O ships don't pay UK tax!! So their wages are tax free and the have no living expenses. Like I say they do work all the hours god sends, but there must be some reason that they come back for a new contract time after time!!!!!! I'm sure the pay cannot be that bad!!!!!!!

 

Elaine

[nutmegger]

We just returned from the Aug 9 crossing. At the end of the crossing we gave our cabin steward, waiter and assistant waiter an envelop with an additional tip. We thought that the included tip was very low considering that it covered the whole staff and if we were eating the quality of dinners in a US resaurants that tip alone would be near the included amount. Also, we felt the dinner service was outstanding, after the first night they routinely offered our special requests like extra bread and decafinated expresso with lemon peel.

[elaine61]

Nutmegger

 

So you paid a tip on top of the tip???? I'm sure there are people behind the scenes in the hospitality industry that don't get to see a tip. I don't mind tipping the guys that are actually serving me (ie cabin steward and the restaurant waiter and his mate (they usually work in pairs) possibly the maitre D and the wine waiter if they have been really helpful) but that is where I draw the line. I mean we could tip the captain for steering us in the right direction, but then it isn't usually him it's usually an officer. So where do we stop. No I think I've decided to just tip the guys that attend to us personally directly and we shall have the tip removed from our accounts. My original question was to ask how can they charge nearly double what our usual cruise line recommend and then I find that kind hearted people like Nutmegger tip on top of the tip (not saying that you are wrong or anything)!!!!! Tipping here in the UK is usually 10% of the bill!!! I wonder if our English accent will go against us!!!!:rolleyes:

 

Elaine

[PRINSENDAM]

I am led to believe that the staff on the P & O ships don't pay UK tax!! So their wages are tax free and the have no living expenses. Like I say they do work all the hours god sends, but there must be some reason that they come back for a new contract time after time!!!!!! I'm sure the pay cannot be that bad!!!!!!!

 

Elaine

 

 

Elaine,

 

Don't forget that the crews on ships do have to pay taxes in their own country and they have to maintain homes and families as well so.... they do pay yaxes and they do have living expenses.

 

Stephen

[dougnewmanatsea]

Interesting that on Cunard it is possible to "deal direct" in cash.

 

On HAL, if you decide to do away with your automatic tips (which are $10/day - as I recall, $3 goes to your cabin steward, $3 to your dining room steward, and $4 is distributed amongst most other service staff excluding bar staff), anything you give up to the automatic tip account is supposed to be turned in to be distributed as per the usual guidelines.

 

We received excellent service and gave extra tips "on top of the tips" as someone suggested above. On HAL this is not completely out of the ordinary though obviously it is not expected. I have no idea how common this is on Cunard, or how the $11/day is broken up.

 

Incidentally, on Cunard, I think the amount is different depending on whether you are in "regular" dining (Britannia/Caronia/Mauretania) or Grills.

 

I am not sure how it works with butlers e.g. on QE2 as I recall butlers are only in QS, Q1, and Q2 grades but those pax pay "standard" Grill tips. If the tips are distributed as on HAL then they would get part of the "generally distributed" allotment, but if not...?

[mufi]

Elaine - One other little novelty you will see on Cunard is on the bar bill. You may have opted to pay the $11 per day on your account. When you buy a drink from the bar you will pay an additional 15% and there will be a space on your chit for you to add extra again.

 

David.

[thames_side]

Elaine, for what its worth on my last cruise on QE2 many people seemed to regard the standard tip as the basic amount and gave a little extra on the last day to those that had given them good service. We are off again on QE2 on Tuesday - the transatlantic to Quebec, down the coast to New York and transatlantic back to Southampton. We have cruised a lot on P&O but we very much enjoyed Cunard. I'm sure you'll have a great time on QM2. Probably best not to spend too much time comparing with P&O, just relax and enjoy Cunard.

Doug

[dtwtraveler]

:confused:

This is accurate. We use the services, though not directly of all the crew on board. And the guy who looks after the sewage tanks, if there is such a guy is pretty important to our comfort. That's what I have against the way tipping works. The waiter gets the tip but the guy who does the washing up gets what?

 

David.

 

I've never heard of a sewage tank cleaner or a dishwasher getting tips! Where in the world do they get tips?