Tips and gratuities

[Kate45]

Does anyone ever go to customer service onboard and opt out of tips and gratuities? We have never in 15 past cruises but my neighbour told me yesterday, he does on every cruise. He goes to customer service as soon as he boards and opts out. He then requests envelopes and puts tips in and gives them personally to those that provides him good service. As I said, we have never done this but based on our last cruise (Princess) in November, we should have requested a price adjustment. Our cabin steward was the worst! 

 Anyway, has anyone done this or have info on doing this on HAL. And before you judge, I am aware that tips are split among everyone. I just believe tips are given by me for good service and I should not be told how much I need to tip. 

[RocketMan275]

Do as  you wish but you should be aware that opting out of the gratuities means that any cash you give to any crew will have to be turned into their supervisors and placed in the tip pool for distribution.  IOW, opting out and giving cash directly will not accomplish your objective.  

[RuthC]

I would never do such a thing, but there are people who do. Is your friend aware that by canceling the HSC, and distributing tips in envelopes, the recipient cannot keep what was given? They must turn it in to be split among the tip pool.
The only valid reason to remove or reduce the HSC, IMO, is because service has been lacking, which can't be determined on the first day.

If, during the cruise, you find a particular service lacking, then speak to the person involved, or their supervisor. The first option should always be to correct the problem! If that works, then there is nothing else to be done and you will get what you wanted in the first place---improved service.

[cabinluvn]

Will you be giving envelopes to each person that serves you in the Lido?  People in the laundry, if you use the laundry?  Each server around the pool decks that bring you drinks, clear the tables?  Your daily gratitudes go to behind the scene people as well as the people who give you good service. Opting out just penalizes everyone, really

[doone]

I never opt out, however, I will give an envelope to my room steward and assistant, waiter and assistant and to the wine steward, and if I frequent a lounge more than others and someone goes out of their way for me, they will get an envelope as well...........they all work very hard to provide me with a wonderful, carefree vacation, I would never want to take anything away from any of them..............................

[DaveOKC]

37 minutes ago, Kate45 said:

Does anyone ever go to customer service onboard and opt out of tips and gratuities? We have never in 15 past cruises but my neighbour told me yesterday, he does on every cruise. He goes to customer service as soon as he boards and opts out. He then requests envelopes and puts tips in and gives them personally to those that provides him good service. As I said, we have never done this but based on our last cruise (Princess) in November, we should have requested a price adjustment. Our cabin steward was the worst! 

 Anyway, has anyone done this or have info on doing this on HAL. And before you judge, I am aware that tips are split among everyone. I just believe tips are given by me for good service and I should not be told how much I need to tip. 

I wonder if your friend (who opts out) is just using this approach as a way to reduce his/her outlay for tips?  How in the world could you justify doing this on the first day, based on the service - you just got onboard!

[taxmantoo]

NO !!!

[kazu]

13 minutes ago, doone said:

I never opt out, however, I will give an envelope to my room steward and assistant, waiter and assistant and to the wine steward, and if I frequent a lounge more than others and someone goes out of their way for me, they will get an envelope as well...........they all work very hard to provide me with a wonderful, carefree vacation, I would never want to take anything away from any of them..............................

 

+1 🙂. We do the same and this way the crew members we wish to tip extra get to keep the additional cash 😄 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

As I said, we have never done this but based on our last cruise (Princess) in November, we should have requested a price adjustment. Our cabin steward was the worst! 

What did your cabin steward do (or not do) to earn the title “the worst”?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[msmayor]

We never opt out and always give extra to our room steward(s) and main dining room waiter/assistant.  Bar servers are always tipped at time of service (a few dollars, depending on how many drinks served...over the usual on the receipt) and if we've connected with a favorite bar tender or two during the trip they would also get an extra envelope at the end of the week.

 

If a wine steward or the main dining room manager were particularly attentive, we will also remember them.

[highland cruiser]

Agree with what everyone said previously.  We never opt out, always tips both cabin stewards more, remember dining and wine stewards and anyone else that has be extra helpful.  I remember one sweet young lady  that made sure we always had water and coffee/tea in the morning in the Lido as we would always go up early to enjoy the quiet before the breakfast crowd came.   We tipped her and she got tears in her eyes and said she had never had that happen before.  Everyone works so hard, is away from their family for so long and a lot are supporting their families with their cruise job.  They deserver their tips as far as we are concerned.   On a side note, we always keep a list of names of those who have been really helpful.  I fill out the comment cards recognizing them during the cruise and also in the survey.  Every little bit helps.  

[RocketMan275]

I was told on our last HAL cruise that comment cards were no longer used, that I would have opportunities to remember crew members on the post cruise email review.  

 

I have seen one good suggestion: if you have received excellent service from a specific crew, have them write their name and duty position on a small card.  That ensures you spell their name correctly and they get the credit for the comment.

[Kate45]

As I originally said, in 15 cruises we have never done this. I just learned not many do (except maybe my neighbour). I was not aware tips given directly are split. As to what our cabin steward did or didn't do to deserve the worst rating, I stopped asking both in person and notes left for him to clean specifically the toilet but the bathroom in general, after day 4 and did it myself. For whatever reason the toilet was black everyday. A problem with the water maybe, but our friends next door didn't have this. There were hairs (pubic) in the sink when we first boarded, which I cleaned up and on a 10 day cruise, threads and pieces of paper on the floor under the desk for the entire time. We did mention this to both him and the front desk but nothing was done. My thoughts are...you don't tip a maid at a hotel if your room isn't cleaned so why just because this is a cruise do you have to tip unsatisfactory service. Just saying.....

[kazu]

6 minutes ago, Kate45 said:

As I originally said, in 15 cruises we have never done this. I just learned not many do (except maybe my neighbour). I was not aware tips given directly are split. As to what our cabin steward did or didn't do to deserve the worst rating, I stopped asking both in person and notes left for him to clean specifically the toilet but the bathroom in general, after day 4 and did it myself. For whatever reason the toilet was black everyday. A problem with the water maybe, but our friends next door didn't have this. There were hairs (pubic) in the sink when we first boarded, which I cleaned up and on a 10 day cruise, threads and pieces of paper on the floor under the desk for the entire time. We did mention this to both him and the front desk but nothing was done. My thoughts are...you don't tip a maid at a hotel if your room isn't cleaned so why just because this is a cruise do you have to tip unsatisfactory service. Just saying.....

 

Bolding is mine - I don’t disagree with this statement.  Hotels it is easy to withhold (as are restaurants) but cruise lines are a horse of a different colour.  You can’t punish one person without punishing all the rest 😞 

 

What you describe is abysmal cabin service.  If I ever encountered that and the steward did not improve after speaking to them, I would contact the head of Housekeeping and ask them to come and see my cabin. (I’ve often seen them doing inspections on cabins).

 

If that were to no avail, I’d write a letter to the Hotel Director AND make an appropriate comment on my survey.  

 

There were “tell us what you think” cards on my last cruise and assuming they are still provided you can also use those.

 

Whether they are there are not, it’s not hard to write a letter or use the Navigator app to provide the feedback.  

[Randyk47]

21 minutes ago, Kate45 said:

As I originally said, in 15 cruises we have never done this. I just learned not many do (except maybe my neighbour). I was not aware tips given directly are split. As to what our cabin steward did or didn't do to deserve the worst rating, I stopped asking both in person and notes left for him to clean specifically the toilet but the bathroom in general, after day 4 and did it myself. For whatever reason the toilet was black everyday. A problem with the water maybe, but our friends next door didn't have this. There were hairs (pubic) in the sink when we first boarded, which I cleaned up and on a 10 day cruise, threads and pieces of paper on the floor under the desk for the entire time. We did mention this to both him and the front desk but nothing was done. My thoughts are...you don't tip a maid at a hotel if your room isn't cleaned so why just because this is a cruise do you have to tip unsatisfactory service. Just saying.....

 

Cash tips given directly are only split if they are turned in because the passenger opted out of or reduced the hotel service charge.  Long as the HSC stays fully in place they can keep any cash tips.   Some bar staff have an agreement amongst themselves to split or share cash tips but that is not required.   Since their basic tip is built into the bar charge they are not impacted by what happens with the hotel service charge.   

[Cruising-along]

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

I was told on our last HAL cruise that comment cards were no longer used, that I would have opportunities to remember crew members on the post cruise email review.  

 

I have seen one good suggestion: if you have received excellent service from a specific crew, have them write their name and duty position on a small card.  That ensures you spell their name correctly and they get the credit for the comment.

Wow, no more comment cards?  That's a shame, as I know that crew who got favorable comments were recognized during the cruise.  I've always filled out the comment cards,  the post cruise survey, and kept their cards to be sure the name is spelled correctly (or put the name into "notes" on my phone).  Another cut back?

[kazu]

3 minutes ago, Cruising-along said:

Wow, no more comment cards?  That's a shame, as I know that crew who got favorable comments were recognized during the cruise.  I've always filled out the comment cards,  the post cruise survey, and kept their cards to be sure the name is spelled correctly (or put the name into "notes" on my phone).  Another cut back?

 

You can do feed back on the Navigator if there are no comment cards.

 

I thought we didn’t have them on our last cruise but it was because of where they were put in the little grey thing that holds the next day’s When and Where and the chocolates.  I discovered them in the part you have to lift up 😉. 

[Cruising-along]

4 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

You can do feed back on the Navigator if there are no comment cards.

 

I thought we didn’t have them on our last cruise but it was because of where they were put in the little grey thing that holds the next day’s When and Where and the chocolates.  I discovered them in the part you have to lift up 😉. 

That’s where I found our last cards too. I hadn’t thought about using Navigator for that, thanks. 

[RocketMan275]

10 minutes ago, Cruising-along said:

Wow, no more comment cards?  That's a shame, as I know that crew who got favorable comments were recognized during the cruise.  I've always filled out the comment cards,  the post cruise survey, and kept their cards to be sure the name is spelled correctly (or put the name into "notes" on my phone).  Another cut back?

I was told by guest services that comment cards were being done away with.  One wonders if this was because people weren't filling them out.  Yes, I know you did but CC members are not representative of most cruisers.  Anyway, they told me that there were ample opportunities to make comments in the email review I would be receiving.

[dot73]

1 hour ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

room
What did your cabin steward do (or not do) to earn the title “the worst”?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have done a few Princess cruises because of their itineraries and the difference is huge.  HAL stewards, in my opinion, are the best in the industry. When I travel solo, I always leave the amounts they would have received if there were 2 people in the cabin or even a little bit more.  If I can't afford to pay medical insurance or the gratuities, then I can't afford a cruise.  

[fatcat04]

If service is so unsatisfactory (and on HAL we have never once found our cabin stewards to be anything but incredibly accommodating and thorough), report the issue to the front desk and have it resolved. Every time we have needed help, anything from missing laundry items to extra kleenex to some quick vacuuming after a broken wine glass in the cabin at 10pm, one call did the trick. I will never understand those who remove tips much less do so on the first day. 🤨 To us tipping is just part of the cost of cruising.

[Canadian Cruise]

Many people in this discussion seem to believe that individual staff can keep tips given directly to them.  My understanding from discussions with staff is that they can't and won't keep tips given directly to them.

 

It is HAL policy that all tips given directly to hotel and dining staff must be turned in and are put into the 'tip pool' to be shared by the various hotel and dining staff?

 

Staff indicated that they wouldn't risk keeping the tips as the consequences, if discovered, would be very severe.

 

Given a tip to staff directly to acknowledge excellent service certainly acknowledges the service and feels good for both staff and person giving the tip. But it will be turned over to the 'tip pool'.

 

[catl331]

28 minutes ago, Canadian Cruise said:

Many people in this discussion seem to believe that individual staff can keep tips given directly to them.  ... It is HAL policy that all tips given directly to hotel and dining staff must be turned in and are put into the 'tip pool' to be shared by the various hotel and dining staff?

IF the Hotel Service Charge is removed or reduced all cash given must be turned into the pool.  If the HSC is left intact they may keep the cash given them.  On the final night of the cruise a list is distributed to all room stewards containing the names of all who have decreased the HSC.

 

The Crew Services Cabin Directory given to all new crew states:

All ships have the Rewards for Excellence (RfE) Plan which
consists of Hotel Service Charges and Beverage Service
Charges. If a guest chooses to adjust out of the RfE Plan
and instead provide cash tips to an employee, the employee
is required to turn in this cash to their Department Head
so the money can be added to the RfE plan. Any “tips”
received above and beyond the guests standard amount
may be kept by the crewmember.

Edited August 13, 2019 by catl331

[Randyk47]

22 minutes ago, Canadian Cruise said:

Many people in this discussion seem to believe that individual staff can keep tips given directly to them.  My understanding from discussions with staff is that they can't and won't keep tips given directly to them.

 

It is HAL policy that all tips given directly to hotel and dining staff must be turned in and are put into the 'tip pool' to be shared by the various hotel and dining staff?

 

Staff indicated that they wouldn't risk keeping the tips as the consequences, if discovered, would be very severe.

 

Given a tip to staff directly to acknowledge excellent service certainly acknowledges the service and feels good for both staff and person giving the tip. But it will be turned over to the 'tip pool'.

 

 

That is not the policy as I have been told and understand.   If the policy was as you described there would be no need for the list I’ve seen that alerts staff to the passengers who have removed or reduced the HSC.

Edited August 13, 2019 by Randyk47

[Shmoo here]

30 minutes ago, Canadian Cruise said:

It is HAL policy that all tips given directly to hotel and dining staff must be turned in and are put into the 'tip pool' to be shared by the various hotel and dining staff?

See here (directly from HAL Employee handbook):

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2597164-tipping/?page=2&tab=comments#comment-56025003