Gratuities

[Bjbilly]

Was wondering how much the daily gratuities are thanks for any info I'm in an ocean view

[PalmSprings]

Here’s the current info from the HALwebsite:

 

Crew Appreciation and Service Charges:
Effective on February 1, 2023

Non-Suite	Suite
$16.00	$17.50

We pride ourselves on excellent guest satisfaction and our onboard team is available to immediately address any concerns you may have about your cruise. In the unlikely event you remain dissatisfied for any reason, the Crew Appreciation is subject to adjustment, at your discretion, at any time during the cruise up to the time you settle your onboard account prior to disembarkation. If you do not choose to adjust this daily charge while on board, your payment becomes final and nonrefundable.

A nonrefundable Service Charge of 18% of purchase will be automatically added to optional purchases of beverage packages, drinks, dining room and specialty dining, private events, and other elected products, services or amenities provided to guests that are not included in the Cruise Fare.

 

[Quo Vadis?]

Does anyone know the breakdown of the SC? How much for which service?

 

[Moriah]

10 hours ago, Quo Vadis? said:

Does anyone know the breakdown of the SC? How much for which service?

 

I'm trying to understand your question.  It's always 18%, no matter what you purchased - drinks if you don't have a package, meals in specialty restaurants, coffee at Explorations, whatever, it's 18% of your purchase added on, and unlike the daily "crew appreciation" charges, it is not refundable.  The $16 per day is a "crew appreciation" charge and it is actually optional (yes, there are people who have it removed from their bill before end of sailing) and my understanding is it goes to ALL crew besides those who are included in the "service charges" discussed above, such a bar-tenders, waiters, etc.  That means cabin stewards, laundry workers, cleaners, all the incredibly hard-working people behind the scenes we may never have a chance to thank face to face.  I don't know how they divide that up, if that's what you meant, and I doubt HAL would make that public.

Edited March 17, 2023 by Moriah

[Caribbean Chris]

11 hours ago, Quo Vadis? said:

Does anyone know the breakdown of the SC? How much for which service?

 

It’s a logical question but no longer easy to answer. As Moriah said above, it is reportedly distributed to all crew, including those behind the scenes.
 

Years ago, HAL had a “no tipping required” policy. In those days, other cruise lines did not add gratuities to your account automatically, either.  However other lines explained in their brochures and on board a suggested per person/per day amount. You personally handed it over in an envelope to “your” crew the last night of the cruise on most sailings (more often on long voyages). I think it went roughly like this: 50% to your cabin stewards, 35% to your waiter, and 15% to your assistant waiter.  Those were also the days when everyone sat at the same table/same time/same waiter every night.
 

Obviously that’s just a trip down memory lane, out of date. Maybe some CC posters who have worked on board in recent years will chime in on how the automatic crew appreciation $ is actually distributed.

[firsttimer1971]

12 hours ago, Quo Vadis? said:

Does anyone know the breakdown of the SC? How much for which service?

 

 

Quote from the HAL Website:

 

" All of the Crew Appreciation and Service Charge payments made by all guests on all ships in our fleet are pooled, net of credit card transaction fees. The pooled funds are distributed throughout the year in the form of compensation, including bonuses, to crewmembers fleetwide who interact directly with guests and/or behind the scenes throughout every cruise, including those in the Bar, Dining, Entertainment, Housekeeping, Guest Services, Galley and Onboard Revenue areas." 

 

Source: https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/crew-appreciation.html

[Crew News]

16 hours ago, Quo Vadis? said:

Does anyone know the breakdown of the SC? How much for which service?

 

I asked a Hotel Manager and was told that 30% went to Room Stewards, 30% to MDR waiters, and 40% to those behind the scenes (laundry, Front Desk, kitchen staff, etc.).  I will ask again in May to see if there is any changes.

[VMax1700]

1 hour ago, Crew News said:

I asked a Hotel Manager and was told that 30% went to Room Stewards, 30% to MDR waiters, and 40% to those behind the scenes (laundry, Front Desk, kitchen staff, etc.).  I will ask again in May to see if there is any changes.

I would have thought that Front Desk staff were salaried and not in the tip pool.  I really don't see them as deserving of being included when compared to laundry or kitchen staff.

[firsttimer1971]

 

2 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

I would have thought that Front Desk staff were salaried and not in the tip pool.  I really don't see them as deserving of being included when compared to laundry or kitchen staff.

 

I agree but as you can see from the text I quoted from the HAL website "Guest Services" are included in the Crew Appreciation/Service Charge pool. 

They should just pay everybody a decent wage and include that in the cruise fare instead of all these extra charges. 

[FlaMariner]

3 minutes ago, firsttimer1971 said:

They should just pay everybody a decent wage

 

How much is "a decent wage"?

[CruiserBruce]

22 minutes ago, FlaMariner said:

 

How much is "a decent wage"?

Yep...a tremendously vague term, like someone should pay their "fair share" of taxes.

[VMax1700]

24 minutes ago, firsttimer1971 said:

 

They should just pay everybody a decent wage and include that in the cruise fare instead of all these extra charges. 

That would be the European renumeration way, however if that was to ever be achieved then we need more 'Holland' and less 'America'

 

[firsttimer1971]

11 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

That would be the European renumeration way, however if that was to ever be achieved then we need more 'Holland' and less 'America'

 

 

As I live in the province of "North-Holland" I would say there is nothing wrong with a bit more "Holland" 😅

[lyndarra]

14 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

I would have thought that Front Desk staff were salaried and not in the tip pool.  I really don't see them as deserving of being included when compared to laundry or kitchen staff.

Why not? Laundry or kitchen staff never have to put up with abuse from hard-to-please cruisers.

[VMax1700]

2 hours ago, lyndarra said:

Why not? Laundry or kitchen staff never have to put up with abuse from hard-to-please cruisers.

Offer me 10 hours in the laundry or kitchen or a shift at front desk and I know which one I would pick.

[Skipper's Mom]

19 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

I would have thought that Front Desk staff were salaried and not in the tip pool.  I really don't see them as deserving of being included when compared to laundry or kitchen staff.

Have you ever observed the Front Desk staff dealing with guests?  Especially the rude and impatient ones?

[DaveOKC]

4 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

Offer me 10 hours in the laundry or kitchen or a shift at front desk and I know which one I would pick.

I vote for "none of the above"

[Haljo1935]

On 3/17/2023 at 1:25 PM, VMax1700 said:

I would have thought that Front Desk staff were salaried and not in the tip pool.  I really don't see them as deserving of being included when compared to laundry or kitchen staff.

There's a semi-recent post on HAL site saying guest services has been removed from participating in the tip pool and received pay increase to offset it, but no real way to confirm that.

[Crew News]

28 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

There's a semi-recent post on HAL site saying guest services has been removed from participating in the tip pool and received pay increase to offset it, but no real way to confirm that.

I will ask in 35 days.

[ski ww]

I find it hard to believe some people have their gratuities removed from their bill & only hand out tips to crew they see on a daily bases. And they are very rude to the staff at the front desk when they do it. There are a lot of people behind the scenes that make it all happen.