Another tipping question

[Wakepatrol]

Sometimes people tip in advance because they want ice delivered 5 times a day to keep their pineapple crush good and cold 

[NSWP]

On 11/5/2022 at 9:50 AM, PEB said:

I have never tipped in advance of my cruise. I do keep the automatic tip but I always treat the crew with respect and have never had trouble with getting good service. If I feel the service was great or better than I expected I do give an extra tip at the end of the cruise to those that I felt deserved it. I have made many friends with crew members and still stay in contact with some of them. The crew will take care of you as long as you treat them right. 

 

By the way I worked on cruise ships for a couple years and believe me the crew know who treat them right and those that do not treat them right. The crew will know in a very short time who to cater to or who to avoid as much as possible.

They probably avoid the Aussies, Kiwis and Brits lol.   As tipping is not widely accepted in these countries.

[NSWP]

7 hours ago, caribill said:

 

The resort fee is mandatory. The "crew appreciation" is not with the "Standard" Princess fare. (However, most people agree that the staff deserve to be so appreciated.)

 

However, with Princess expecting 50% of passengers to book with the Plus fare and 25% to book with the Premier fare, both of which include the Crew Appreciation, pricing is like the lines that do include the crew tipping in the fare.

 

Now that Princess is sharing all Crew Appreciation money across the entire fleet, you are no longer truly rewarding those that directly serve you on your cruise unless you tip them directly.

 

On Princess ships operating in Australia/NZ, gratuities are included in total cruise fare and not negotiable. Reason being, so many pax were lining up at Guest Services, taking their gratuities off or reducing them. I think the same applies to the ships operating in UK, not sure.

[NSWP]

6 hours ago, avonlady6390 said:

For those who have cruised in the Caribbean know tipping is expected on shore excursions for the driver and the guide.  I've even experienced tipping in the restrooms particularly in Cozumel and Mexico.

Also in Europe where a dragon lady is stationed at the entry, no pay, no loo, lol.

[Kay S]

2 hours ago, NSWP said:

Also in Europe where a dragon lady is stationed at the entry, no pay, no loo, lol.

The nicest Loo Lady I ever met was in St Petersburg.  She didn't speak English and I didn't speak Russian, but she took a couple of Euros instead of the local currency, and she walked with me to the available loo.  (It was a weird maze with lots of unhelpful signs in Russian.)  I guess it's not a tip in that circumstance.  It's a fee.  Russia had some of the cleanest washrooms I've ever seen.

[wowzz]

On 11/6/2022 at 12:41 AM, NSWP said:

I think the same applies to the ships operating in UK, not sure.

No, Princess ships operating out of the UK still have autotips. 

P&O (UK) no longer use autotips - tipping is not "required or expected"

[Princessfan20]

On 11/5/2022 at 5:43 PM, NSWP said:

Also in Europe where a dragon lady is stationed at the entry, no pay, no loo, lol.

 

In many countries in Europe and other parts of the world restrooms are privately owned and the payment to the attendant is more for the service of being able to use a freshly cleaned restroom and not considered a tip.  

[RNRcruisers]

Interesting - when we were in London I was surprised that most of our restaurant and pub checks had a gratuity added on. I had been led to believe that tipping wasn't the norm in the UK but in our experience it is. 

 

When we started cruising you brought cash on board for the tips and then distributed it at the end. I never liked that, it felt uncomfortable. I much prefer that auto tip for convenience. However, I don't tip extra unless we have received above and beyond service. DH and I are pretty easy, we don't ask for much and are low maintenance. I do feel like the culture is trying to guilt us into tipping more but I just ignore it 😝

[wowzz]

44 minutes ago, RNRcruisers said:

Interesting - when we were in London I was surprised that most of our restaurant and pub checks had a gratuity added on. I had been led to believe that tipping wasn't the norm in the UK but in our experience it is. 

 

When we started cruising you brought cash on board for the tips and then distributed it at the end. I never liked that, it felt uncomfortable. I much prefer that auto tip for convenience. However, I don't tip extra unless we have received above and beyond service. DH and I are pretty easy, we don't ask for much and are low maintenance. I do feel like the culture is trying to guilt us into tipping more but I just ignore it 😝

I think that whilst certain restaurants in London, (and other major cities) especially high end ones, may add on a service  charge, that is not the case elsewhere in the UK.

And, after over 50 years of drinking in UK pubs, I have never been asked to pay a service charge! 

[Eglesbrech]

3 hours ago, RNRcruisers said:

Interesting - when we were in London I was surprised that most of our restaurant and pub checks had a gratuity added on. I had been led to believe that tipping wasn't the norm in the UK but in our experience it is. 

 

When we started cruising you brought cash on board for the tips and then distributed it at the end. I never liked that, it felt uncomfortable. I much prefer that auto tip for convenience. However, I don't tip extra unless we have received above and beyond service. DH and I are pretty easy, we don't ask for much and are low maintenance. I do feel like the culture is trying to guilt us into tipping more but I just ignore it 😝

It’s not normal in the U.K. London restaurants are not representative of the rest of the U.K.

 

Top end restaurants tend to add a service charge but your average eatery or pub outwith the M25 don’t.

[Eglesbrech]

On 11/6/2022 at 3:31 AM, Kay S said:

The nicest Loo Lady I ever met was in St Petersburg.  She didn't speak English and I didn't speak Russian, but she took a couple of Euros instead of the local currency, and she walked with me to the available loo.  (It was a weird maze with lots of unhelpful signs in Russian.)  I guess it's not a tip in that circumstance.  It's a fee.  Russia had some of the cleanest washrooms I've ever seen.

We had the best and worst in St Petersburg. The one in the hermitage charged me, wiped the loo with a dubious cloth and gave me one small piece of toilet paper (I always carry loo roll and wet wipes for emergencies).

 

The lady in the Constantine palace escorted me to the stall, inspected it for cleanliness and almost joined me! She was ready when I exited with soap, a clean towel and a squirt of perfume.

[RNRcruisers]

2 hours ago, Eglesbrech said:

It’s not normal in the U.K. London restaurants are not representative of the rest of the U.K.

 

Top end restaurants tend to add a service charge but your average eatery or pub outwith the M25 don’t.

 

These weren't top end restaurants but I get that it might be different in a touristy area. Just surprised me.

 

[Roberto256]

On 11/4/2022 at 7:57 PM, wowzz said:

You forget to mention tipping the taxi driver in advance, to make sure you arrived safely at the port !

 

I'm glad that you have found something which works for you.

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, RNRcruisers said:

 

These weren't top end restaurants but I get that it might be different in a touristy area. Just surprised me.

 

I think the "touristy area" might be the key.

Out here in the UK countryside, no pub or restaurant would survive if they charged 10% service charge. 

 

[wowzz]

53 minutes ago, Roberto256 said:

 

I'm glad that you have found something which works for you.

Do you know what irony is ?

[Roberto256]

22 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Do you know what irony is ?

Do you know what sarcasm is?

 

You seem very concerned with how others tip.

 

Edited November 8, 2022 by Roberto256

[Papa Yoda]

10 hours ago, RNRcruisers said:

When we started cruising you brought cash on board for the tips and then distributed it at the end. I never liked that, it felt uncomfortable.

 

Our first cruise, at last night dinner, a buxom lady had taped all the bills in her tip together end to end, rolled them up and put the roll in her bra.  Waiters had to pull their tip out.  Talk about feeling uncomfortable...   Guess the cruise line.

[Kay S]

6 minutes ago, Papa Yoda said:

 

Our first cruise, at last night dinner, a buxom lady had taped all the bills in her tip together end to end, rolled them up and put the roll in her bra.  Waiters had to pull their tip out.  Talk about feeling uncomfortable...   Guess the cruise line.

Cunard?

[Roberto256]

1 hour ago, Papa Yoda said:

Waiters had to pull their tip out. 

 

Being basically a 14 year old ... I had to read that over and over, to decide if it was naughty...

[1965]

1 hour ago, Papa Yoda said:

 

Our first cruise, at last night dinner, a buxom lady had taped all the bills in her tip together end to end, rolled them up and put the roll in her bra.  Waiters had to pull their tip out.  Talk about feeling uncomfortable...   Guess the cruise line.

Ick!Icky!! 

[Papa Yoda]

3 hours ago, Kay S said:

Cunard?

 

Close!  it does start with a "C"

[Papa Yoda]

1 hour ago, Roberto256 said:

 

Being basically a 14 year old ... I had to read that over and over, to decide if it was naughty...

 

She may have made her point later!

[leck57]

13 hours ago, wowzz said:

I think that whilst certain restaurants in London, (and other major cities) especially high end ones, may add on a service  charge, that is not the case elsewhere in the UK.

And, after over 50 years of drinking in UK pubs, I have never been asked to pay a service charge! 

 

Maybe more than just certain restaurants in London. I was there for 2 weeks recently and ate out every night. Without exception all added a 10% gratuity to the bill. I think most had wording that it was discretionary but you'd have to especially ask as it was just automatically added. Surprised me because I'd been led to believe the UK was tip free unless I decided to tip. Not really the case.

[sloopsailor]

34 minutes ago, leck57 said:

 

Maybe more than just certain restaurants in London. I was there for 2 weeks recently and ate out every night. Without exception all added a 10% gratuity to the bill. I think most had wording that it was discretionary but you'd have to especially ask as it was just automatically added. Surprised me because I'd been led to believe the UK was tip free unless I decided to tip. Not really the case.

 

Sounds like the propaganda we are repeatedly told doesn't match the reality. 

 

Edited November 9, 2022 by sloopsailor

[Tedferg]

In UK I thought it was typical to tell the barman to 'Have a drink yourself' if you had several drinks at a bar. The barman would take a small tip. Wozz ?