SINGLE HSC/TIPPING THREAD (Previously "Why are gratuities not included in Fares?")

[gigianne]

This is interesting - we are on a TA April 19-May 5 and have Freedom 4. Then May 5 - 29 we don't have it. Final payment is tomorrow and to date we have not been informed of the increase. I am okay with this as long as the stewards are getting a raise. I sure hope that these increases do not lead to more passengers cancelling the HSC from their on board accounts and "tipping" on their own.

[serendipity1499]

I wonder what is causing these increases..

 

The cost of living has gone up on everything else, so why wouldn't HAL's Service charge be increased? They haven't raised their fares in many years.. It looks to me like most other Cruise Lines have higher Service charges..

 

Hotel Service charges are much higher than Cruise Lines Service Charges.. Looks like Celebrity will be or is $12.95 & $17.00 in suites..NCL & Princess I believe is $13.50 & $15.50... Have not checked out all the lines but IMO the crew deserves every penny of this increase & more...:):)

[Kamloops50]

HAL started to lower their fares in the last few years. Where is a lot of competition they have lower fares. There HSC was increased at the same time.

 

 

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[serendipity1499]

Assuming that you tip for service on land. Imagine what you would pay in a tip for - 3 meals a day, room service, hotel service ( towels, bed made etc) Way more than 13.50 a day - That much for 1 meal if its good.

 

Completely agree..Just yesterday we had a late breakfast at Perkins.. The bill was close to $24.00 & the tip was $5.00..

 

Tonight DH wanted to eat out but I convinced him to stay home & he could give me the tip.. He never tipped me & I still had to wash our dishes too.. Now methinks that's unfair!..:D

[cbr663]

I wonder what is causing these increases..

 

The last HSC increase was Dec 1, 2015.

 

I think it is just another of the many price increases HAL is/has implemented - from increased speciality dining, increased beverage costs and increased fares.

[newcruise]

This notice came from our TA:

"We have been informed that Holland America has increased their service charges as follows, effective for sailings departing on or after May 1, 2017:

• US$13.50 per guest per day for regular staterooms (interior, ocean-view and verandah) — an increase of $1.

• US$15.00 per guest per day for suites — an increase of $1.50."

What do you folks think of this increase? Deserved or excessive? In line with similar cruise companies or not?

[cb at sea]

All of the other lines charge about that....I'd say, pretty much inline with the rest of the cruise lines.

[igraf]

I'll pay the increased hotel service charge, but the increase will definitely diminish the need for additional cash tipping.

 

igraf

[DeeniEncinitas]

I believe there has been a thread to this already.I responded as I will again that I have no problem with the increase to help all our stewards on board. They all deserve it.

Smooth sailings to all!

Denise:)

[MsMolly]

I don't mind paying the increase. The staff work so hard and really deserve the raise. We have never seen such hard working and friendly staff!

[cruisebie]

I agree that this is in line with what a lot of the other cruise lines charge. I can see why they would need to do this. It might be hard to keep their best employees if they couldn't provide wages similar to the other lines.

[OlsSalt]

We learned on our last cruise that other cruise lines were actively poaching HAL staffers, to the point of even coming on board as a passenger to make offers right then and there. I believe he said NCL or RCCL (?) even opened up their training school in Indonesia too -- like the land-locked MS Jakarta has for HAL crew training.

 

The cost of labor is obviously going up. Particularly with so many new mega-ships which must have huge staffing demands, and I suspect maybe far higher turn-over compared to the smaller, more cohesive HAL ships cruises.

 

(This was stated at the officers cocktail party so let's assume this is fact, not rumor,)

[easyboy]

Said increase not a problem and just about the same as in other cruise lines.

[Lovely other]

Never happy about any rising costs in life but it is what it is ...

[lvz2cruz]

I think it is appropriate. We were charged that on Celebrity and the service was not as good or friendly. I was surprised HAL hadn't raised it sooner.

[igraf]

The staff works hard, but this does not necessarily translate into HAL having the right to understate the cost of a cruise. Cruise companies should be required to disclose service charges in large text right next to any advertised cruise price.

 

 

igraf

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't mind paying the increase. The staff work so hard and really deserve the raise. We have never seen such hard working and friendly staff!

[Boytjie]

On our charters we usually pay a fixed gratuity amount upfront: for our recent Caribbean cruise it was $90 per person based on double occupancy (yes, a single in a cabin pays double fare and double gratuity) and for August Alaska cruise it is $95. So we paid more on our 7-day cruise compared to the daily charge and in Alaska they will pay more than the new charge. But I have to add that suites guests score by this system since everyone pays the same, no matter what the cabin level is.

[TheAccidentalCruiser]

Okay, I'm a little miffed here.

 

I don't begrudge the staff their tips, which I expect they fully earn and then some. But as a first-time bare-bones-budget cruiser stressing out over how I can possibly afford this much fun and relaxation (?!), I had made a plan based on what I was told when the cruised was booked. And now this?

 

Yeah, it's a 7-day cruise, so this change is going to soak me all of seven bucks. That much, I can handle. But it makes me leery of what other charges and fees are suddenly going to start jumping up in price.

 

And effective May 1? When my cruise sails on May 7??? (...obviously, HAL has it in for me personally, and chose this timing especially to add insult to my seven-smackeroonie injury. ;) )

[bUU]

The staff works hard, but this does not necessarily translate into HAL having the right to understate the cost of a cruise. Cruise companies should be required to disclose service charges in large text right next to any advertised cruise price.

Even if that makes the gratuity more taxable for the staff in their home nations? I don't disagree, necessarily, but let's realize that by all rights what we pay when the service charge is rolled into the advertised prices should be significantly higher that what we're paying now, so the cruise line can gross up what the staff gets.

[RuthC]

Even if that makes the gratuity more taxable for the staff in their home nations? I don't disagree, necessarily, but let's realize that by all rights what we pay when the service charge is rolled into the advertised prices should be significantly higher that what we're paying now, so the cruise line can gross up what the staff gets.

That isn't what the post you quoted suggested.

[POA1]

To take a contrarian position, I happen to like the fact that the HSC is broken out separately. We've always received service way above and beyond the daily charge, but it's good know that people have leverage if they don't.

 

When you book a cruise, port charges, taxes and government fees aren't included. Why is that acceptable to you if HSC is not? It seems grossly unfair to single out your room steward, dining steward, and the people who bus your table in the Lido. If you are getting off the ship and marching with a sign demanding to know where your port fees and taxes are going, I'll give you a pass.

 

For $h1ts and giggles, let's say that you get off the ship in St Kitts. You're disappointed in the port and what it has to offer. Do you petition the government? March, carrying a sign? (Saint Kitts, It's the pits!)

 

No, but Lord forbid that the people taking care of you on the ship get an extra dollar.

 

It's absolutely unfair to complain about service charges unless you're all up in arms about taxes and fees.

 

BTW, port taxes and fees have been rising for years. How many threads have you seen decrying that? Where's the sticky?

[bUU]

That isn't what the post you quoted suggested.

It is really important to take matters into consideration in light of all their possible ramifications (effectively taking into consider everything we've learned in this rather long thread) rather than promoting that which addresses one concern while exasperating another to a greater degree.

[kazu]

To take a contrarian position, I happen to like the fact that the HSC is broken out separately. We've always received service way above and beyond the daily charge, but it's good know that people have leverage if they don't.

 

When you book a cruise, port charges, taxes and government fees aren't included. Why is that acceptable to you if HSC is not? It seems grossly unfair to single out your room steward, dining steward, and the people who bus your table in the Lido. If you are getting off the ship and marching with a sign demanding to know where your port fees and taxes are going, I'll give you a pass.

 

For $h1ts and giggles, let's say that you get off the ship in St Kitts. You're disappointed in the port and what it has to offer. Do you petition the government? March, carrying a sign? (Saint Kitts, It's the pits!)

 

No, but Lord forbid that the people taking care of you on the ship get an extra dollar.

 

It's absolutely unfair to complain about service charges unless you're all up in arms about taxes and fees.

 

BTW, port taxes and fees have been rising for years. How many threads have you seen decrying that? Where's the sticky?

 

+1. Well said.

 

 

And port taxes and fees can change when you are onboard. HSC does not ;)

[RocketMan275]

To take a contrarian position, I happen to like the fact that the HSC is broken out separately. We've always received service way above and beyond the daily charge, but it's good know that people have leverage if they don't.

 

When you book a cruise, port charges, taxes and government fees aren't included. Why is that acceptable to you if HSC is not? It seems grossly unfair to single out your room steward, dining steward, and the people who bus your table in the Lido. If you are getting off the ship and marching with a sign demanding to know where your port fees and taxes are going, I'll give you a pass.

 

For $h1ts and giggles, let's say that you get off the ship in St Kitts. You're disappointed in the port and what it has to offer. Do you petition the government? March, carrying a sign? (Saint Kitts, It's the pits!)

 

No, but Lord forbid that the people taking care of you on the ship get an extra dollar.

 

It's absolutely unfair to complain about service charges unless you're all up in arms about taxes and fees.

 

BTW, port taxes and fees have been rising for years. How many threads have you seen decrying that? Where's the sticky?

 

Well stated.

 

 

Seems to me, a lot those complaints about the HSC are really attempts to justify not paying gratuities.

 

 

I've often thought that at least some who complain that the HSC should be included in the fare are not saying that the fare should be increased to cover the HSC. They're saying the cruise line should pay the HSC without increasing the fare.

 

 

Really? What difference does it make if the cruise line increases the fare in lieu of the HSC or if there is an HSC? As a wise man once said: "TANSTAAFL, There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch."

[Kamloops50]

Even if that makes the gratuity more taxable for the staff in their home nations? I don't disagree, necessarily, but let's realize that by all rights what we pay when the service charge is rolled into the advertised prices should be significantly higher that what we're paying now, so the cruise line can gross up what the staff gets.

 

Gratuities for most the crew members are considered as non taxable income. The fix rate is taxable and a percentage goes to the agency that hired them for the cruise line.