Bar service for veranda cabins

[Clay Clayton]

2 hours ago, MICHE99 said:

So is it not possible to sign for the order and add a tip?

Not that I’m aware….I’ve never had to “sign” for anything on Viking…they are basically paperless

[Clay Clayton]

2 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Unless you are ordering caviar or drinks from the bar, there is no bill to sign. Room service (24/7) is included in our cruise fare regardless of cabin category.

 

Drinks from the bar already include a 15% gratuity whether you are drinking them in the bar or having them delivered to your cabin. Some people will give a tip in addition to what has already been charged and they will do it in cash so that it goes directly to the server and not to the tip pool.

What drinks require a signature?  I don’t remember ever signing anything even when I purchased the SS package…I just requested and it showed up on my onboard account. 

[Jim Avery]

Never signed a ticket either.🍸

[broker1217]

Can confirm. We ordered Roederer Cristal twice for room service and did not have to sign anything.

The first time they called to confirm that we knew the price.

 After that there were no questions.

[Peregrina651]

6 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

What drinks require a signature?  I don’t remember ever signing anything even when I purchased the SS package…I just requested and it showed up on my onboard account. 

 

 

Good to know. It has been ages since I ordered anything from the bar that went on my on-board account.  But I do remembered being presented with slips to sign at some point in my Viking history, so I erred on the side of caution.

 

[duquephart]

On 3/3/2022 at 9:56 AM, Jim Avery said:

I have long said that Viking, given all the other things they do well and where they position themselves, should be including "gratuities" in the fare.  Just a bit tacky to "nickel & dime" by adding on daily gratuities.  

 

Kind of puts the lie to their "no nickel & dime" marketing BS.

[duquephart]

On 3/4/2022 at 2:03 PM, Peregrina651 said:

 

Unless you are ordering caviar or drinks from the bar, there is no bill to sign. Room service (24/7) is included in our cruise fare regardless of cabin category.

 

Drinks from the bar already include a 15% gratuity whether you are drinking them in the bar or having them delivered to your cabin. Some people will give a tip in addition to what has already been charged and they will do it in cash so that it goes directly to the server and not to the tip pool.

 

It has been reported elsewhere that servers are required to "turn in" any tips they receive. It's also been reported that what you are really doing by paying the "gratuities" is contributing to the payroll account. The notion that there is a pile of "tips" at the end of a cruise that is divided up according to some secret formula is a fairy tale.

[deec]

Have you had that verified by someone?

[duquephart]

13 minutes ago, deec said:

Have you had that verified by someone?

 

Just posts buried in the various tipping threads. People who said they asked the servers about what becomes of the "tips." Can anything about Viking "gratuity" policy be verified?

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

It has been reported elsewhere that servers are required to "turn in" any tips they receive. It's also been reported that what you are really doing by paying the "gratuities" is contributing to the payroll account. The notion that there is a pile of "tips" at the end of a cruise that is divided up according to some secret formula is a fairy tale.

 

Although we got to know many of the crew very well during the normal cruise, during our final 3-weeks with only 8 pax, we really got to know them.

 

Having been invited to the crew nightclub for beers, swam in the pool with them, shared the Star Theatre with them and even invited a number of them to join us for dinner, I call BS.

 

Many of our discussions were in confidence, but rest assured, the Viking crew are very well compensated and have superior terms & conditions, in comparison to other cruise lines.

[duquephart]

4 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Although we got to know many of the crew very well during the normal cruise, during our final 3-weeks with only 8 pax, we really got to know them.

 

Having been invited to the crew nightclub for beers, swam in the pool with them, shared the Star Theatre with them and even invited a number of them to join us for dinner, I call BS.

 

Many of our discussions were in confidence, but rest assured, the Viking crew are very well compensated and have superior terms & conditions, in comparison to other cruise lines.

 

True. And nothing to do with how tips are handled.

[duquephart]

9 hours ago, deec said:

Have you had that verified by someone?

 

Found one source - to which you responded (post 29 under "Gratuities" thread):

 

Edited June 13, 2022 by duquephart

[duquephart]

1 hour ago, duquephart said:

 

Found one source - to which you responded (post 29 under "Gratuities" thread):

 

 

And by the way, I didn't make up the "turn in tips" part either - it's in here somewhere. Viking uses "gratuities" because it works better for them than "service charge" or "hidden fee" - count me among those who would prefer that Viking was upfront about this whole matter.

[deec]

Agree 100%...so nice on WC where it is included !

 

[duquephart]

When it comes to advertising bogus/teaser cruise prices Viking is no better than the rest of the pack - and they should be. As in the case of "resort fees", "convenience fees", "processing fees", etc., etc., etc., if you can't purchase the product for the price advertised the advertised price is a fraud. Viking is not upfront about what it calls gratuities, the average customer finds out about them in "Oh, by the way" fashion. They even get away with the "prepaid gratuities" nonsense.

Edited June 13, 2022 by duquephart

[duquephart]

The bottom line is that we are very generous tippers, due in part to the fact that my wife (who in a previous life was a drunken sailor), is in charge. That we are really only throwing $$$ into Viking's coffers is upsetting.

[Heidi13]

9 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

And by the way, I didn't make up the "turn in tips" part either - it's in here somewhere. Viking uses "gratuities" because it works better for them than "service charge" or "hidden fee" - count me among those who would prefer that Viking was upfront about this whole matter.

 

If it worked better for Viking, then they would use the same model in all their markets. However, both UK and Australia/New Zealand do not use this model, as it is unacceptable to those passengers.

 

The North American market is the only one they use this model, and I suspect that it is due to your predominant tipping culture.

 

When taking the Viking introductory crew training course hosted by the HR Manager, I recall he mentioned that unlike other cruise lines, Viking pay their crew an excellent wage, without tips. I believe the tips pool is used for crew welfare, education, etc. On the World Cruise, where tips are included, Viking makes the contribution.

 

Having spent 3 weeks socialising with the crew, I can assure you that the money we provided them stayed with them. It was not handed over to Viking.