Gratuities

[yankees111]

35 minutes ago, Reds4life said:

Don't be an ass. If you can't answer the question he asked without judgement then stay off the internet

Real mature of you to curse. You are probably just as cheap as the individual who started this thread!

[Reds4life]

9 minutes ago, yankees111 said:

Real mature of you to curse. You are probably just as cheap as the individual who started this thread!

I call them like I see them. I can't think of a more fitting term. You prove my point again by judging people you know nothing about. The guy just asked a simple question. 

[Swedish Viking]

I’m shocked at how people judge someone without even knowing their circumstances. I am not cheap!!! I was only asking a question. My daughter worked on P&O cruises and didn’t receive any extra money (gratuities) from the company. It was only when someone came and gave it to her personally. How do we know the tips are actually going to the staff? I agree with the person who said it’s up to the company to give their staff decent wages and not have to depend on customers to pay it for them. I always give tips but I question whether the daily charge actually goes to the staff. When i tip individually at least I know it’s going to the person who deserves it and not to the company. 

[megaelch]

@Swedish Viking  you are rightfully asking the questions about the tips going to staff.

 

I will be Diamond on my next cruise on the Grandiosa this month by sailing a lot on MSC. We did ask our cabin stewards every time about getting part of the gratuity and it was confirmed they do not see a single penny of it on MSC.

Our workaround is removing the tips completely and handing out the money in cash to people providing service to us. Our cabin steward gets 100 EUR cash ( and i did see more than one of them with tears in their eyes ), the restaurant waiters in the restaurants we use get cash tips, casino staff gets tips, bar waiters get tips. In total more than our automatic gratuity would have been.

 

In my opinion all other cast members should be paid by the company directly from the cruise price i paid. Tips are for service .

 

[Stacey5boys]

On 2/3/2020 at 5:19 AM, megaelch said:

@Swedish Viking  you are rightfully asking the questions about the tips going to staff.

 

I will be Diamond on my next cruise on the Grandiosa this month by sailing a lot on MSC. We did ask our cabin stewards every time about getting part of the gratuity and it was confirmed they do not see a single penny of it on MSC.

Our workaround is removing the tips completely and handing out the money in cash to people providing service to us. Our cabin steward gets 100 EUR cash ( and i did see more than one of them with tears in their eyes ), the restaurant waiters in the restaurants we use get cash tips, casino staff gets tips, bar waiters get tips. In total more than our automatic gratuity would have been.

 

In my opinion all other cast members should be paid by the company directly from the cruise price i paid. Tips are for service .

 

Thank you for the info. I think we all assume it goes to the actual service staff and am disappointed to find out it doesn't. I will be bringing Euros and tipping on my own. Cabin stewards are such an integral part of the enjoyment of your cruise. Last time we gave ours $20 off the hop for a 4 night cruise and he was always there so we kept it going. No joke..we would be walking down the hall and mention his name in our convo and I swear his head popped out of a room door 30 ft down the hall lol

[cruisingnewtoit]

My DH & I pay the DSC up front but I always think about removing it and paying the money to the direct service staff. I worry they don't receive it. I have in the past tipped my room steward & waitstaff extra. 

 

I don't think I should have to pay gratuities for staff I don't interact with. That's the Co responsibility.to pay them a fair wage.

[Reds4life]

Last summer on Seaside we were debating on just paying the auto DSC or tipping directly. We asked the room steward and she said definitely tip directly so we did. She was great and the wait staff was not. We were able to show our appreciation better by tipping directly. We still tipped the wait staff even though they were adequate at best. 

51 minutes ago, cruisingnewtoit said:

 

I don't think I should have to pay gratuities for staff I don't interact with. That's the Co responsibility.to pay them a fair wage.

I agree with this also. We don't drink so why is the bartenders getting part of our DSC? Also we are very much the type of people that clean up after ourselves. We pretty much bus our own table at the buffet, pick up our towels and trash, and don't ask for much. 

[mafig]

2 hours ago, Reds4life said:

 

I agree with this also. We don't drink so why is the bartenders getting part of our DSC? 

 

You are wrong.  Bartenders are not part of the DSC pool.

A gratuity is charged for each drink ordered.

[Reds4life]

4 hours ago, mafig said:

 

You are wrong.  Bartenders are not part of the DSC pool.

A gratuity is charged for each drink ordered.

Who all is included? I stand corrected on MSC but remember being told that bartenders are included on other lines

[Jembeccatoo]

5 hours ago, mafig said:

 

You are wrong.  Bartenders are not part of the DSC pool.

A gratuity is charged for each drink ordered.

 

If I prepay my drink package before sailing, there is no 15% gratuity charged. Does that mean unless I tip for each drink, the bartender gets nothing at all?

[perakcruiser]

1 hour ago, Jembeccatoo said:

 

If I prepay my drink package before sailing, there is no 15% gratuity charged. Does that mean unless I tip for each drink, the bartender gets nothing at all?

The bartender certainly not gets anything of the 15%, this service charge belongs solely to the company. In Europe they have this strange concept of salary instead of gratuities 😄

 

 

[Até]

Exactly how the crew is paid will probably remain undisclosed and a mystery.  Whether you have the Drinks On Us package that charges 15% on each drink or purchase a' la carte and directly pay a 15% "gratuity" or have a newer drinks package that is all inclusive there is no way to tell what part of these the bartenders will actually get.  From what I've seen bartenders are mainly interested in processing transactions in whatever format.  While any cash tips are always appreciated their main focus seems to be serving as many customers as possible.

[perakcruiser]

5 minutes ago, Até said:

Whether you have the Drinks On Us package that charges 15% on each drink or purchase a' la carte and directly pay a 15% "gratuity" or have a newer drinks package that is all inclusive there is no way to tell what part of these the bartenders will actually get.

I don't know where this idea is coming from that the 15% charge for services on board is going to any staff member. This belongs to the company and goes to the company. And it is a main reason why the cruises are so cheap 🙂

 

But certainly you are right, how the crew is paid will probably remain undisclosed and a mystery. And the system changes all the time anyway, now with so much more tipping US pax on board, MSC surely has changed already.

[skiierx131]

First time reading MSC doesn't divvy out the daily service charge in a thread like this. But it doesn't surprise me in any way.

[perakcruiser]

49 minutes ago, skiierx131 said:

First time reading MSC doesn't divvy out the daily service charge in a thread like this. But it doesn't surprise me in any way.

The daily service charge is not the 15% service charge for on board services. MSC has a bonus reward and incentive system for the staff that is connected to the daily service charge in some way.

[KennyFla]

I also assumed that the daily charge was divided up among the employees.  If I cancel the automatic charge and tip individually, what are some good guidelines?

[jkgourmet]

I hated hated hated the prior system. What is the appropriate amount.  Carrying cash onto the ship.  Did I bring enough?  And I hate carrying cash - it's a credit card society (or Apple/Google pay).  On the last day and night, I have to stews put tracking down those I want/need to tip.

 

I'll take the daily charge any day.  

 

I woukd remind you that when a party of eight dine in a restaurant, most US restaurants automatically add an 18% tip.  I don't object to that as I have the ability to change it - up or down.  I don't see this as any different.

Edited February 13, 2020 by jkgourmet

[jkgourmet]

On 2/2/2020 at 11:17 PM, yankees111 said:

Real mature of you to curse. You are probably just as cheap as the individual who started this thread!

 

Curse?  Where?  All I see is rudeness in the above quote, as well some other posters on this thread.

 

And a lot of opinions from people who have zero knowledge of how the system is distributed by MSC or ANY cruise line.

[mickey89]

On 1/28/2020 at 5:13 PM, Swedish Viking said:

Are gratuities compulsory on MSC Seaside? Please no negative comments, I only want to know if it’s yes or no. Thank you

We were on Preziosa last week and I can confirm that the DSC is definitely NOT mandatory, many people cancelled the service charge without any hassle whatsoever

[Swedish Viking]

Thank you 😊 

[Reds4life]

On 2/11/2020 at 7:25 AM, KennyFla said:

I also assumed that the daily charge was divided up among the employees.  If I cancel the automatic charge and tip individually, what are some good guidelines?

Kenny, I tried at one point to rationalize my tips as I would at home in the USA and some people tried to tell me that it was somehow different on a ship. It didn't make much sense and I got different answers from everyone. Bottom line is that it's a personal preference. Here's my rationale though just in case you're wondering (I use US News and World Reports Tipping Guidelines for amounts):

 

In the US, restaurants are 15% to 20%. We eat in the MDR for dinner only. I equate it to about a $50 to $60  meal. So $7.50 to $12 per day for us. If we eat lunch or breakfast there then add accordingly. Minimum $52.50 to $84 for the week usually averaging $80. 

 

Housekeeping is a recommended $2 to $5 per day. Our housekeeper usually cleans at least twice and also takes your luggage to and from your room. I figure $10 per day minimum with a little thrown in for the luggage. $75 minimum but we typically go higher. 

 

We don't drink, so can't help you with the bartender. We also clean up after ourselves wherever we go. We are very low maintenance travelers. 

 

As for massage, beauty treatments, haircuts, etc. same 15 to 20% as wait staff. 

 

We tip the porters at the drop off of luggage usually $5. 

 

Not saying that this is perfect or even recommended, and I'm sure it will be criticized. But, at least before someone can say I'm "cheap" they can see that there is some thought put into how we distribute our gratuities. 

 

 

[jkgourmet]

Call it a 'resort fee' like the hotels tack on to the bill.

  You'll feel better.

[KennyFla]

8 minutes ago, Reds4life said:

Kenny, I tried at one point to rationalize my tips as I would at home in the USA and some people tried to tell me that it was somehow different on a ship. It didn't make much sense and I got different answers from everyone. Bottom line is that it's a personal preference. Here's my rationale though just in case you're wondering (I use US News and World Reports Tipping Guidelines for amounts):

 

In the US, restaurants are 15% to 20%. We eat in the MDR for dinner only. I equate it to about a $50 to $60  meal. So $7.50 to $12 per day for us. If we eat lunch or breakfast there then add accordingly. Minimum $52.50 to $84 for the week usually averaging $80. 

 

Housekeeping is a recommended $2 to $5 per day. Our housekeeper usually cleans at least twice and also takes your luggage to and from your room. I figure $10 per day minimum with a little thrown in for the luggage. $75 minimum but we typically go higher. 

 

We don't drink, so can't help you with the bartender. We also clean up after ourselves wherever we go. We are very low maintenance travelers. 

 

As for massage, beauty treatments, haircuts, etc. same 15 to 20% as wait staff. 

 

We tip the porters at the drop off of luggage usually $5. 

 

Not saying that this is perfect or even recommended, and I'm sure it will be criticized. But, at least before someone can say I'm "cheap" they can see that there is some thought put into how we distribute our gratuities. 

 

 

That goes along well with the per day automatic charge.  Thanks