Who is correct

[MicCanberra]

How is that implying they are dishonest. They earnt it and they should keep it. I cant fathom that there would be any international laws that would force a person to hand over and share a gift or reward they receive from one person with their friends.

 

All a passenger has to do is slip a steward some cash in the privacy of their own cabin and no one will ever find out that this steward got it. He can easily hide it and it is not uncomon to possess cash on a ship. It would be just so easy to keep and deposit in a bank at the next port.

 

What I find dishonest is the fact that a passenger can no longer reward a crew member with cash. It is technically the passengers money that they are giving to a specific person. I have been on endless cruises where I have been very well looked after. There are bars on Princess ships where when the waiter sees you coming they automatically have your drink poured for you and ready to go and pull up a seat for you as soon as you arrive. Those waiters pay a lot of attention to passengers and they will get rewarded. I personally feel if a crew member goes above and beyond to look after someone and a passenger wants to reward them with cash then they need to be confident the steward will be able to keep their reward.

 

Hey if that doesnt work then all one has to do is get the crew members paypal details and slip them a personalised tip that way. No one will ever find out. With paypal you just get their email address and select friends and family transfer and slip them what you want in whatever currency they want.

 

They are required by the company law to hand in tips to their manager for the tip poll, ergo, if they hide it they are deemed to be dishonest. The ship's policy not mine.

Personally I wish they call a spade a spade and call the gratuities a service charge, as that is what it is.

Edited January 9, 2015 by MicCanberra

[cruisine21]

If you have already tipped then I wouldn't offer any more unless the service was completely above and beyond. The people on your table may have opted out of pre paid tips etc. Not to mention, if RCI truly pass on these tips like they say they do to the staff they are very good wages that they are earning if you add it all up just the base/pre paid tips!

 

 

 

For this exact reason I miss the old RCI method of giving envelopes and coupons that say you have tipped to give to the staff.

 

 

 

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We were on My Timing Dining so everyone had to pre pay.

I agree with you about the envelopes and coupons. It was a much better idea.

 

 

 

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[Royalty X]

I know I shouldn't let it bother me, but it really gets on my nerves when people don't prepay their gratuities or remove auto tipping. Seriously, just prepay it and then you don't have to worry about it. Consider it part of your cruise fare if you have to. One thing I wish RCI and Celebrity would do, is just include it in the upfront fare, don't make it optional to remove or have to pay it onboard.

[silverwillow]

I see American ships in the light of myself visiting their culture and their culture includes tipping. I think it smacks of arrogant tourist when people remove the gratuities. It's like a tourist going to another country and complaining that the culture is not like at home. Stay home then. I now just view it as part of the fare and budget accordingly.

[MicCanberra]

I see American ships in the light of myself visiting their culture and their culture includes tipping. I think it smacks of arrogant tourist when people remove the gratuities. It's like a tourist going to another country and complaining that the culture is not like at home. Stay home then. I now just view it as part of the fare and budget accordingly.

 

I agree, but some people feel that as they are leaving from Australia that they are not tourists and the ships should adopt the aussie culture of not tipping. The ships are based on the US wage /economy structure (except P&O and Princess-Aust) and even if they cruise here remain so. the easiest way for the cruiselines is to include the grats as a service charge and put it in the fares along with the fees and taxes.

Edited January 10, 2015 by MicCanberra

[GEcruzer]

A hot topic no doubt, I wonder if they have this debate on the USA forum?

 

We were of the opinion that opting out of the gratuities was a good idea and we could just tip the staff we felt did a good job.

But that changed after speaking to a few staff members on the Diamond Princess, in a nutshell we were told that all cash tips must be declared to the company/ supervisor

I think from now on we will opt in for all gratuities

 

 

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[The_Big_M]

I know I shouldn't let it bother me, but it really gets on my nerves when people don't prepay their gratuities or remove auto tipping. Seriously, just prepay it and then you don't have to worry about it. Consider it part of your cruise fare if you have to. One thing I wish RCI and Celebrity would do, is just include it in the upfront fare, don't make it optional to remove or have to pay it onboard.

 

Agreed. Problem is when agents encourage non-payment to try to get the sale. There was an agent who advertised on facebook last year emphasising tips are optional for RCL, with some bargain prices, trying to get the cheapies in with the view of no more to pay.

 

Of course, someone new who bought from that would have that expectation in mind.

[GUT2407]

I was talking to a man today who has just come back from a Holland America cruise to New Zealand and back. He proudly told me how he and his friends removed the gratuity and at the end of the cruise gave the cabin steward an envelope with money in it. I told him that the money would have to be handed in to the tips pool and given evenly to all the crew. (not bar staff)

He didn't believe me and said he was assured the money could be kept by the cabin steward and his off sider. I don't know what he did in the dining room. I didn't want to discuss it further with him, but I would love to know, was I right?

 

Cheers

 

Everyone seems to have a different answer to this question, even if you ask two crew members they give different answers.

[GUT2407]

Agreed. Problem is when agents encourage non-payment to try to get the sale. There was an agent who advertised on facebook last year emphasising tips are optional for RCL, with some bargain prices, trying to get the cheapies in with the view of no more to pay.

 

Of course, someone new who bought from that would have that expectation in mind.

 

 

I think that a lot of people also don't understand what happens, you get on board in Australia where tipping is an extra and not part of the wage system, and read that the steward is getting about $3.50 pp per day and doing say 20 rooms and that's almost $1,000 a week, if you are thinking that that is merely tips and he is getting a wage on top of that is it any wonder a lot of people want to remove or reduce it.

Edited January 11, 2015 by GUT2407

[The_Big_M]

I think that a lot of people also don't understand what happens, you get on board in Australia where tipping is an extra and not part of the wage system, and read that the steward is getting about $3.50 pp per day and doing say 20 rooms and that's almost $1,000 a week, if you are thinking that that is merely tips and he is getting a wage on top of that is it any wonder a lot of people want to remove or reduce it.

 

Sure, that's understandable.

 

The issue is when some agents take advantage of that when they have the knowledge to know better, but then mislead potential customers.

[wangeling gal]

A hot topic no doubt, I wonder if they have this debate on the USA forum?

 

We were of the opinion that opting out of the gratuities was a good idea and we could just tip the staff we felt did a good job.

But that changed after speaking to a few staff members on the Diamond Princess, in a nutshell we were told that all cash tips must be declared to the company/ supervisor

I think from now on we will opt in for all gratuities

 

 

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They certainly do, and it causes many an arguement and judgements on those boards. We Aussies and the Brits/Europeans can come in for a hammering because of our stance/beliefs/misunderstanding of the service fee/tipping/gratuities side of cruising.

There is a feeling that this extra payment isn't explained when booking. People think that the price advertised is the price you pay, and it's not till later into the booking (if at all) you find out there is the extra charge. It's all very well to say read the fine print, but certainly first timers get can get confused. Gratuities/service fee should be included in the price upfront, then we know what we are in for in total from the start. I can't understand the thinking behind not doing so, it would save so much trouble and heartache for everyone concerned.

That said (and it has been said on the US boards-causing all sorts of upset) maybe if a semi decent wage was paid the need for the (IMHO) tasteless practice of tipping could be fazed out. Until then we need to do the right thing by those who look after us on the cruise by paying our tips and mentioning those who give great service in the reports at the end of our cruise.

All those cruising soon may you have a wonderful time.

Edited January 11, 2015 by wangeling gal

[MicCanberra]

Adding on extras happens all around the world, including the south pacific and asia where the advertised price is never what you end up paying due to taxes and service charges. True Gratuities is slightly different but in the end it is still an extra amount. We have it good in Australia as they include everything in the price (or at least they are supposed to), this issue is just one of the hang ups of travelling.

[GUT2407]

Sure, that's understandable.

 

The issue is when some agents take advantage of that when they have the knowledge to know better, but then mislead potential customers.

 

 

But are they mis leading customers when they tell them they can remove the auto grats?

[The_Big_M]

But are they mis leading customers when they tell them they can remove the auto grats?

 

Yes, when you emphasise that that when that is not the expectation, nor conformant with the cruise line staff's salary model.

 

It's just like telling potential customers visiting America "YOU DON'T NEED TO GIVE ANYONE TIPS."

 

Sure, you don't /need/ to... but good luck having a good experience when you're not conforming to way people are remunerated over there. It's just ripping off employees, and setting the traveller off with the wrong expectation.

[GUT2407]

Yes, when you emphasise that that when that is not the expectation, nor conformant with the cruise line staff's salary model.

 

It's just like telling potential customers visiting America "YOU DON'T NEED TO GIVE ANYONE TIPS."

 

Sure, you don't /need/ to... but good luck having a good experience when you're not conforming to way people are remunerated over there. It's just ripping off employees, and setting the traveller off with the wrong expectation.

 

 

That I agree with, they do the customer no service.