another tipping thread

[drkitkat123]

saw this interesting quote in the paper today

"The standard view in the field of economics is that tipping in any service encounter where you don't expect to be a return customer is a behavioural quirk - something that, in a world where humans are rational, return-maximising actors, really should not happen.

It makes sense to leave a tip for your regular waiter at your regular diner or to give one to your doorman each holiday season, since the service quality you receive in the future will likely depend on those tips. But economists find it peculiar that people tip the bellman upon departing from a hotel they'll never visit again, a waitress at an out-of-town restaurant or a cabdriver in a big city. There's technically no economic reason for such transactions, beyond a social expectation."

which is interesting for people disembarking a ship....

the rest the article is quite good as well

Read more: http://www.traveller.com.au/tipping-in-new-york-research-reveals-surprising-ways-waiters-can-make-you-tip-more-gy3c3g#ixzz4qjaEzdSu

 

Edited August 25, 2017 by drkitkat123
adding a line

[Hambagahle]

Given the meaning from which TIPS was derived - To Insure Prompt Service - it would make more sense to tip someone before the service was performed!

 

This whole "tipping culture" in the US is awful. It really demeans people that they have to rely on the goodwill of their customers for their livelihood. Employers should pay decent wages and fix their prices in consequence, as they do in several countries in Europe (mine included), Asia and Australia/NZ. Living from tips turns a waiter into a beggar. But I suppose nothing can be done about it...

[njhorseman]

Given the meaning from which TIPS was derived - To Insure Prompt Service - it would make more sense to tip someone before the service was performed!

 

This whole "tipping culture" in the US is awful. It really demeans people that they have to rely on the goodwill of their customers for their livelihood. Employers should pay decent wages and fix their prices in consequence, as they do in several countries in Europe (mine included), Asia and Australia/NZ. Living from tips turns a waiter into a beggar. But I suppose nothing can be done about it...

 

One problem...you're wrong about "tip" being derived from "to insure prompt service".

 

http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/tip.asp

 

And, I'm not going to bother to engage you about the rest of your post.

[bitob]

Imo tipping in advance is a bribe. Those who tip in advance telegraph that only extra money will ensure good service. We prefer to reward people AFTER they show us that they will provide excellent service without guarantee of a tip. We are generous tippers but never in advance

 

 

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[LH25]

 

This whole "tipping culture" in the US is awful. It really demeans people that they have to rely on the goodwill of their customers for their livelihood. Employers should pay decent wages and fix their prices in consequence, as they do in several countries in Europe (mine included), Asia and Australia/NZ. Living from tips turns a waiter into a beggar. But I suppose nothing can be done about it...

 

I live in the US, and did get tips in college when I was delivering pizza. I can see that if you didn't grow up in a "tipping culture" you might see it as begging, but I never did. It was part of the job and how things worked.

 

We all see things through our cultural lens. For example, I was not raised to barter for things. I wouldn't go into a local store and barter prices, it's not how things work. I get that in other part of the world, it is. Even if it makes me uncomfortable to do.

[happy cruzer]

My experience in the US, is that employees that are in the service industry would chose a tip based job or one that pools all tips/service charges. They are in control of their performance and income. They may gripe about the details - who tipped what, a demanding customer, etc. But bottom line they typically choose to work for tips, gives them more take home pay.

 

Like for LH25 culture comment. I too have trouble with the barter thing.

[106f]

I only realized this in hindsight. Most of my above and beyond tip money has gone to those who established a personal rapport with me during the cruise.

[LHT28]

My experience in the US, is that employees that are in the service industry would chose a tip based job or one that pools all tips/service charge

 

Like for LH25 culture comment. I too have trouble with the barter thing.

Look at it from another perspective

 

Some people may not choose to go into the service industry but that is the only job they may be able to get

 

Not everyone is a doctor or engineer etc...

Some people just have different circumstances in life than others & have to work at low paying jobs to make ends meet

 

 

Cultural differences makes the world different

[Classiccruiser777]

Tipping is part of our (US) culture. I worked in hotels during my college years and, due to tips, made much more than friends of mine. I didn't find it demeaning at all and, after a professional career, would have no problem going back to a "tipped" job for a little extra money if need be.

[pinotlover]

The vast majority of Americans could care less about service. They only care about PRICE. Business owners respond by not paying their employees and have them work for tips, in an attempt to seduce customers with the lowest prices possible. Waitresses in some chains like Denny's barely make min wage because those patrons aren't tippers. On other boards, People often fight over things like tipping on the cost of a bottle of wine. They'll cut their tip significantly for items like that regardless of service.

[sammiedawg]

My experience in the US, is that employees that are in the service industry would chose a tip based job or one that pools all tips/service charges. They are in control of their performance and income. They may gripe about the details - who tipped what, a demanding customer, etc. But bottom line they typically choose to work for tips, gives them more take home pay.

 

Like for LH25 culture comment. I too have trouble with the barter thing.

 

High end NYC restaurants have experimented with no tipping policies, higher prices but no tipping. The downside was Experienced senior staff quit in high numbers, they earn more working for tips. Some including the Danny Meyer group have stayed the course but others Restaurants went back to tipping.

This is a very complicated economic issue. I go with the flow depending on what the tipping norm is. I don't lose sleep over it whether I'm on land or at sea.

[twochromic]

But here's what I don't understand in the cruise business: Oceania, like others, adds "gratuities" onto everyone's bill. Standard amount. You have to make a scene if you don't want it. Cabin and dining staff evidently earn peanuts wages, and depend on the gratuities to make their living. Okay, fine, if that's the way it is.

 

But how does that standard gratuity encourage better service? May as well scowl your way through the cruise, you still get your cut of the gratuities.

[LHT28]

But here's what I don't understand in the cruise business: Oceania, like others, adds "gratuities" onto everyone's bill. Standard amount. You have to make a scene if you don't want it. Cabin and dining staff evidently earn peanuts wages, and depend on the gratuities to make their living. Okay, fine, if that's the way it is.

 

But how does that standard gratuity encourage better service? May as well scowl your way through the cruise, you still get your cut of the gratuities.

If you do not want to pay the daily gratuity you probably can just ask at reception to remove the charge

I do not think you need to make a scene unless that is your style

[Redtravel]

Tipping seems to be more an American thing. In Europe, often a service fee is included in the price. Sometimes, the fee is a small %. The service fee or tips on a cruise line ought to be included in the fare.

[GUT2407]

High end NYC restaurants have experimented with no tipping policies, higher prices but no tipping. The downside was Experienced senior staff quit in high numbers, they earn more working for tips. Some including the Danny Meyer group have stayed the course but others Restaurants went back to tipping.

This is a very complicated economic issue. I go with the flow depending on what the tipping norm is. I don't lose sleep over it whether I'm on land or at sea.

 

 

Well if the staff prefer working for tips they can't complain when some decline to tip, can they.

[JimandStan]

Well if the staff prefer working for tips they can't complain when some decline to tip, can they.

 

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why it has evolved that passengers from certain areas of the World are required to prepay their tips, and may not remove them.

Poetic justice, don't you think?

[pinotlover]

Like many things in the US, what may be good for those top 1%ers in high end restaurants in NYC, and other large cities, may not be good for most service workers across the rest of the country.

[drkitkat123]

We are from Australia. Certainly on our coming cruise tips are included in the price which works well for us, we know the total price and don't have to stress about it. Although we do tend to add something for our stewards at the end but don't feel stressed to give a huge amount.

 

Interested for those that tip but don't like bartering whether they negotiated the price of their cruise, rebates from travel agent etc which is exactly bartering?

[ronrick1943]

Tipping is up to you as a person. I for one would never tip before the service, if it's good they get a tip, if it's OK I lower the tip amount and if it's great service they get more in the tip. If service is bad from the start I stop the service and have the problem corrected asap.

[St Paul Girl]

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why it has evolved that passengers from certain areas of the World are required to prepay their tips, and may not remove them.

Poetic justice, don't you think?

How many people posting on this topic actually pay the per person gratuities? We all have ppd gratuities from our TA or from Oceania!

Just a comment to make everyone think about their posts!

[Caroldoll]

So for me, when I was really young, many moons ago, I worked in cocktails in Hawaii. I had a child and I found out early on, as good as you make yourself...maybe even better, the larger the tip. I brought my baby up well as I gave exemplary service.

 

Now on the cruise lines, I give the butler a list on check on day of what WE expect and a small tip as I think a list is over the top. If he delivers that or better, than the tip is many moons higher.

 

I know a lot of you come from another culture (no tips) but when you give a two page list, you are asking for the best. If that is delivered, plus plus, why not reward the person. As a past server, I certainly loved that.

[LHT28]

How many people posting on this topic actually pay the per person gratuities? We all have ppd gratuities from our TA or from Oceania!

Just a comment to make everyone think about their posts!

Before we got it from our Loyalty benefits we always paid the amount suggested & sometimes more

 

Now we do tip extra to housekeeping even though we are low maintenance type people

If we sit is the same section of the GDR a lot then we do tip extra there as well

we tip the Barista on occasion

 

We never tip in advance

 

People should do what works best for them

[Mura]

How many people posting on this topic actually pay the per person gratuities? We all have ppd gratuities from our TA or from Oceania!

Just a comment to make everyone think about their posts!

 

 

In the early days we all did ... unless we went to Reception when the final bill came through and either increased or decreased the gratuities. (You COULD do either although from my observations very few people said "I want to pay less". This goes back to Renaissance days.)

 

These days we haven't had to pay gratuities for a while. And so we do give extra to those who give us extra service. I can't say we've done that to dining staff -- maybe we should rethink that except that we tend not to see the same servers much of the time. And we tend not to do drinks in the bars.

 

But for our butler (when we have one) and for our cabin crew, we do so ...

 

Mura

[ronrick1943]

We haven't paid our self, but it's all in the fare---if you get it from "O" or your TA. But if the service is really good we always give extra, but that's us.

[Hambagahle]

One problem...you're wrong about "tip" being derived from "to insure prompt service".

 

http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/tip.asp

 

And, I'm not going to bother to engage you about the rest of your post.

Funny - because the site you referred to above says that in English pubs several hundred years ago there were boxes placed with TIPS on them and also "to insure prompt service"... Looks as though I am correct from the snopes.com site.

 

On our next cruise - Riviera on 6 Nov - for the first time the gratuities are not included or covered by our TA. We have other "perks". So -- we will of course pay the daily charge put on our account AND give the butler and steward/ess a tip on top of that. We understand that this is the American way. That doesn't mean to say we like it. One of the things I prefer about Regent to Oceania is that tips are included in the fare. As they are here in Switzerland in our restaurant etc prices. We still give our butler something at the end of a voyage on Regent if we are happy with his services. And this has been the case with only one exception in the 15 or so years we have been cruising.