Gratuities

[Squawkman]

1 hour ago, deec said:

We are on a 2 VO cruises in the upcoming months and I really don't know what to do....certainly we are NOT a non-tippers...but the thought that Viking is just pocketing the extra money is upsetting!

I am convinced this is not the case based on my discussion with our room steward 2 months ago. Why not just give Viking the benefit of the doubt and go for $15pp per night? I'd be more upset if a lot of folks adjusted their tip bill downward and deserving staff received less.

[jiminyC_fan]

48 minutes ago, Squawkman said:

I am convinced this is not the case based on my discussion with our room steward 2 months ago. Why not just give Viking the benefit of the doubt and go for $15pp per night? I'd be more upset if a lot of folks adjusted their tip bill downward and deserving staff received less.

I agree with you 100%.

[DaveSJ711]

I agree with Squawkman.  Give Viking the benefit of the doubt here.  Besides, $15 pp per night is chump change compared to the cost of the cruise (which all of us can afford).  Dig a little deeper into your wallets and purses and pay the gratuity, willingly and gratefully -- it's peanuts to us, but a big deal to those who provide the stellar service on Viking ships.  

Edited January 23, 2020 by DaveSJ711

[Hanoj]

58 minutes ago, DaveSJ711 said:

I agree with Squawkman.  Give Viking the benefit of the doubt here.  Besides, $15 pp per night is chump change compared to the cost of the cruise (which all of us can afford).  Dig a little deeper into your wallets and purses and pay the gratuity, willingly and gratefully -- it's peanuts to us, but a big deal to those who provide the stellar service on Viking ships.  

 

Until I read @Jim Avery's comments in posts #29, 32 & 44, I was of this sentiment. But if gratuities are never paid to the staff, then my opinion is different, especially if I hand a steward, waiter, etc. a cash tip and they are expected to turn it over to their supervisor, without every receiving what I intended as a display of gratitude for service received.

 

Tip accounting and compensation reporting may not be readily transparent to the crew. For example, if tips get allocated to a crew member but the net pay doesn't change, there may be explanations for which the crew member did receive an economic benefit (e.g., it went to tax withholdings or it was transferred in a separate payment a family member back home, etc.). It is also possible staff compensation is unaffected by the gratuities charge or guest to staff direct tips. I would like an explanation from Viking.

 

If Viking doesn't clarify what happens with the $15 pp per night gratuities (adjusted up, down or unadjusted), all we have are anecdotal explanations and prejudices. Viking already markets these differently across its markets, so I would like Viking to remove the doubt by wrapping the charged gratuities into the cruise fare. I would also like explanation about what happens to the direct tips to staff.  

 

[lackcreativity]

Even if the gratuities that we pay do not go directly to the crew members as many of us assumed, that doesn't mean that Viking is "keeping" the money. Money that passes through Viking's hands can still make its way to the crew as salary. If the crew member's are satisfied with their wages and benefits, perhaps that should be good enough for us.

[duquephart]

Service staff turnover might tell a tale.

[jiminyC_fan]

17 hours ago, duquephart said:

Service staff turnover might tell a tale.

I have a friend and her husband who both work for Viking.  They told me that Viking is an excellent company to work for.  They have worked for other companies that she doesn't claim to be great.   That's good enough for me!

[zitsky]

8 minutes ago, jiminyC_fan said:

I have a friend and her husband who both work for Viking.  They told me that Viking is an excellent company to work for.  They have worked for other companies that she doesn't claim to be great.   That's good enough for me!

 

I hope you left them a good tip?!  🙂

[jiminyC_fan]

8 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

I hope you left them a good tip?!  🙂

Without hesitation!  Not sure why I wouldn't?? 

[duquephart]

1 hour ago, jiminyC_fan said:

I have a friend and her husband who both work for Viking.  They told me that Viking is an excellent company to work for.  They have worked for other companies that she doesn't claim to be great.   That's good enough for me!

 

There was a little drama on a river cruise we were on that resulted in at least one fewer face.

[Mich3554]

21 hours ago, duquephart said:

Service staff turnover might tell a tale.

 All I can tell you is that we were on Viking Jupiter in Oct.  We were also on the same ship in Dec.  The vast majority of the staff was the same, and remembered us.  
 

Our old cabin steward was going home after the Dec. cruise for a few months.  He told me that when he came back, he’d be on the Orion instead.  Many of the staff leaving for a break had plans of coming back after their break....maybe not the same ship, but back to Viking.

[_alan_]

On 1/20/2020 at 3:12 PM, Hockeyump said:

UK prices include gratuities and I believe the same applies in Australia.  If these countries can do it why can't it happen in the US?

 

I guess it is the whole "incentive" concept.  Exceptional service from one waitress should begat exceptional tips.  At least that is the concept.  

[Redtravel]

Can we use a OBC to pay the gratuitous?

[deec]

Last time we were onboard YES.

[Clay Clayton]

We have used our OBC in four VO cruises to pay gratuities. 

[blacksmith]

On 2/5/2019 at 3:21 PM, Hockeyump said:

In the UK gratuities are included in the price.  The tipping culture in the UK is so very different to that in the USA. From reading many posts tipping in the USA seems almost mandatory whenever a service is received, very different in the UK.

Are you saying that the cruise fares are higher in the UK?

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, blacksmith said:

Are you saying that the cruise fares are higher in the UK?

 

Same product, different packaging. In the UK market, prices include round trip air and gratuities. In the US, cruise and air travel are priced a la carte and gratuities are not usually part of the package but expected to be paid by the guests.

 

Here is an example of pricing. I choose to price a cruise in Australia because it means a long haul flight from either country. January, 2021. If we compare, cruises in Europe or the Caribbean, he who lives closer to the destination is going to save on the overall cost of the trip because of the difference in airfare costs.

 

Price today for the cheapest cabin is £6790 ($8718) in the UK market (includes air and grats) and $6499 cruise + $1999 air + $225 gratuities = $8723 in the US market. In other words, regardless of how things are package, we end up paying about the same price for cruise, air and gratuities --at least for this cruise and under today's promos. Other comparisons may yield different results.

Edited February 6, 2020 by Peregrina651

[Clay Clayton]

What promos do the Brits get when Viking uses air (free or a few hundred bucks) to fill the ship close to sailing?

[Nippy Sweetie]

Silver spirits package included, tips included (although that's becoming pretty standard here) OBC etc. 

[Hockeyump]

Had an email this week reducing cabin prices for an April cruise.

[deec]

hockeyup,  Was this a cruise you were already booked on?  or was it an advertisement?

 

[Hockeyump]

It was an advert for one in April this year, not booked on it.

[fudgbug]

On 2/3/2019 at 3:55 AM, Parsley Cruises said:

Firstly, unless we have received outstanding service, we do not tip.  

Secondly when we have booked a cruise which states that gratuities are included we don't tip.

 

End of story - it's not a matter of finances, it's just how we are.

I really don't get this 'compulsion' to show-off with tipping.  We were on one particular cruise (not a VO) cruise, and the competition to tip more than others became really vulgar; in the end it all got rather offensive.

It's not a matter of showing off.  If in the end tipping became really vulgar, JMO you must have been on one of the monster ships.

[Parsley Cruises]

4 minutes ago, fudgbug said:

It's not a matter of showing off.  If in the end tipping became really vulgar, JMO you must have been on one of the monster ships.

Wrong.  Size was irrelevant.