Question about Ocean Now and tipping

[majortom10]

5 minutes ago, VibeGuy said:

Astonishes me that in 2022 anyone thinks hospitality crew on a cruise ship is adequately compensated by the line.

Astonishes me that in 2022 that hospitality crew on a cruise ship arent adequately paid a decent wage by the cruise line. Perhaps if they didnt pay their senior managers of Carnival like Arnold Donald $15m in 2015 when ships werent even sailing and leaking money faster than the ships. They are employed by Carnival  and should be paid a decent wage without having to rely on tips just so that they pay staff a paltry wage to increase Carnival profits.

[VibeGuy]

I can vote my no vote on executive compensation.  I can vote against appointments to the compensation committee. I  can’t structurally change the economics of mid market cruising targeted to North American and anglophone European cruisers.  
 

I *can*, however, keep some singles at hand for staff I am incidentally served by, and larger bills at the end of the week for those who I see a lot of.  It doesn’t add up to a big percentage of my cruise spending but it seems to be genuinely appreciated.   The arguments against the practice consistently conflate the imposed labor subsidy surcharges with an actual freely-given gratuity offered beyond the contractual compensation due the employees by their employer.   The same argument that “they’re just doing their jobs” would apply to restaurant servers in my state who are not subject to tip credit and are paid the full state minimum wage for all worked hours, and I bet these keyboard cowboys who flaunt their refusal to tip onboard would be eating a lot of spit if they tried that at their local restaurant.  

[wowzz]

8 minutes ago, VibeGuy said:

I bet these keyboard cowboys who flaunt their refusal to tip onboard would be eating a lot of spit if they tried that at their local restaurant.  

Perhaps in the US, but not in the UK. 

[brisalta]

4 hours ago, c-boy said:

2 glasses of wine

 

Was that 2 very large glasses of wine?

 

[cruzin4us]

I also don't tip the drink servers.   

I don't tip additional to the waiters unless they are exceptional good.   Mediocre does not get an extra tip.

If a drink server has to hunt me down with my drink at the tail end of the ship or up on the sports deck, yes, I will give them a couple bucks.    If I'm sitting at a table 5 feet from the the bar....no tip

If we find a bartender that figures out what we like and takes care of us during the cruise, yes I tip at the end.

Our room steward on our last cruise was exceptional.    My key card (on HAL) didn't work and the line was long at guest services so he said he'd run and get me a new one (twice...).   That warranted a tip.   This wasn't in his job description and he went out of his way to give great service.    

 

[Lucky TGO]

When I was jogging one day on the Dawn Princess I needed a glass of water. I stoped a waiter and asked if he could leave me a glass of water on a table next to we’re we were? He said of course. Next time around the water was there. I seen him that night and gave him $5.00 The next day he was out there and left me water on both sides of the ship. The next day a gave him $10.00 now don’t tell me he didn’t deserve it. 
Tony 

[Potstech]

4 hours ago, wowzz said:

Perhaps in the US, but not in the UK. 

 

4 hours ago, VibeGuy said:

I can vote my no vote on executive compensation.  I can vote against appointments to the compensation committee. I  can’t structurally change the economics of mid market cruising targeted to North American and anglophone European cruisers.  
 

I *can*, however, keep some singles at hand for staff I am incidentally served by, and larger bills at the end of the week for those who I see a lot of.  It doesn’t add up to a big percentage of my cruise spending but it seems to be genuinely appreciated.   The arguments against the practice consistently conflate the imposed labor subsidy surcharges with an actual freely-given gratuity offered beyond the contractual compensation due the employees by their employer.   The same argument that “they’re just doing their jobs” would apply to restaurant servers in my state who are not subject to tip credit and are paid the full state minimum wage for all worked hours, and I bet these keyboard cowboys who flaunt their refusal to tip onboard would be eating a lot of spit if they tried that at their local restaurant.  

No we wouldn't

[wowzz]

4 hours ago, Lucky TGO said:

When I was jogging one day on the Dawn Princess I needed a glass of water. I stoped a waiter and asked if he could leave me a glass of water on a table next to we’re we were? He said of course. Next time around the water was there. I seen him that night and gave him $5.00 The next day he was out there and left me water on both sides of the ship. The next day a gave him $10.00 now don’t tell me he didn’t deserve it. 
Tony 

That, imho, deserves a tip,  because the waiter went out of his way to provide you with a service.   

[IJustWantToGo36]

14 hours ago, majortom10 said:

Taken from Princess website - The crew appreciation is a daily (adjustable) amount added to your onboard account and pooled in order to recognize the many crew members in the Bar, Dining, Entertainment, Housekeeping, Guest Services, Galley and Onboard Revenue areas and entertainment areas throughout our fleet who contribute to the guest experience. The daily amount of the Crew Appreciation is based on stateroom category: $14.50 per guests in Interior, Oceanview and Balcony, $15.50 per guest in Mini-Suite and Club Class, $16.50 per guests in Suites.

 

Noticed the statement "throughout the fleet" so any crew appreciation either through Princess Plus or added to onboard account daily is pooled from all Princess fleet and then divided out. If that is not an admission that it goes to enhance a very poor wage I dont know what is. About time in 21st century that all staff are paid a respectable wage accounting for where they come from and not have to rely on cruisers to pay their wages. Cruise lines employ them they should then pay them a decent wage.

What is the difference if wage is paid as tips or service charges?

 

[IJustWantToGo36]

13 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

 Normally, I would see 18% on a beverage as a quite adequate level of tip, but I suppose that team (not in the standard Appreciation pool) is also paid lower than someone we might encounter in a land-based bar.

land based bar employees have huge turn-over

Cruiseline emoloyees on ship- not so much

this tells you alot.

[majortom10]

10 hours ago, VibeGuy said:

The same argument that “they’re just doing their jobs” would apply to restaurant servers in my state who are not subject to tip credit and are paid the full state minimum wage for all worked hours, and I bet these keyboard cowboys who flaunt their refusal to tip onboard would be eating a lot of spit if they tried that at their local restaurant.  

The difference being in the UK is that the minimum wage is a lot higher than in the US so therefore staff don't rely or expect tips to give them a decent wage. Tipping in UK is nowhere as high as in the US and tipping in restaurants is not common.

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, majortom10 said:

tipping in restaurants is not common.

Not my experience- most of my acquaintances tip, but at nowhere near the US level. Somewhere between 5% and 10%.

[majortom10]

3 hours ago, wowzz said:

Not my experience- most of my acquaintances tip, but at nowhere near the US level. Somewhere between 5% and 10%.

Well the restaurants or pubs where I go for meals dont auto tip or expect tips. I suppose it is common in London and tourist cities i.e. Bath, York, Chester and the likes but certainly not round my area.  

[wowzz]

56 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Well the restaurants or pubs where I go for meals dont auto tip or expect tips. I suppose it is common in London and tourist cities i.e. Bath, York, Chester and the likes but certainly not round my area.  

We don't live in a tourist area either,  but would always leave a few pounds for our server in a restaurant.

[nini]

We never remove the Auto Gratuities.

We tip extra for Room Service, very good Cabin Stewards and others who stand out in a special way.

(Like Tony mentioned).

 

[majortom10]

12 minutes ago, nini said:

We never remove the Auto Gratuities.

We tip extra for Room Service, very good Cabin Stewards and others who stand out in a special way.

(Like Tony mentioned).

 

Sorry but I think the daily auto gratuity or the gratuity paid as part of Princess Plus is enough to pay for all aspects with rewarding of staff without the need for extra tipping.

[wowzz]

8 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Sorry but I think the daily auto gratuity or the gratuity paid as part of Princess Plus is enough to pay for all aspects with rewarding of staff without the need for extra tipping.

In principle I agree with you, but if an individual goes out of their way to provide you with special service, it does seem a little curmudgeonly not to reward them for their effort.

And that principle is not restricted just to cruising. 

[majortom10]

6 minutes ago, wowzz said:

In principle I agree with you, but if an individual goes out of their way to provide you with special service, it does seem a little curmudgeonly not to reward them for their effort.

And that principle is not restricted just to cruising. 

I agree but to be honest in nearly 50 cruises with varying cruise lines I have yet had anyone or requested anyone to provide me with a special service. If they did I would be more than happy to give them an extra tip but dont see bringing me a drink or room service as a special service that warrants it. Having said that we very rarely have room service.