Gratuities and tipping

[FrankieJayIII]

I am going to chime in here.  Tipping is an amazing bribe system that only people who aren't tight with the coin can understand.   I tip because I watched my parents and sister tip everyone all the time.  The service literally does go up a notch even when you aren't tipping every single time

Head waiters-  the people who seat you-  the bartenders-  the room steward-  the person who does something extra special for you.   

A tip is remembered with a "nod", a handshake, a smile.   All of this and saying names goes a long way.   It's just a nice thing to do for someone making your day better; you make their day better with a little appreciation money.    Get about $200 in 5s and $100 in 1s and practice tipping.    You will become a celebrity, at least in your own mind.   

I don't even do it for the treatment or the perks, or anything other than wanting to help those helping me, and making their lives a little better, because I can.   The perk does come because i treat them well and they treat me well.   I want this to make sense to people.   Those who get it, get it.  Those who don't don't.  

I've literally walked into a restaurant and suddenly "my table" appeared because of my past "kindness".    I've been on a cruise ship and snacks, and treats, and drinks "show up"...   yes I am paying for them... but I'm also reciprocating the kindness. 

One day on my first cruise ever... this bartender was so kind to me and my wife, so I gave $20 on top of the package we had.    You would have thought I was a celebrity the rest of the trip... sometimes none, sometimes a few extra dollars.   

Kindness and money go a long way.   But, don't do it because you feel compelled.  Do it because you are a good person. 

[So_Tweetie]

1 hour ago, rickays said:

 

That was a uncalled for remark,  Why do you single out that "Australians" don't tip??? 

I am sorry if you were personally offended by the statement, it is not meant to be judgmental. One of the things I have learned from cruising is that as a general rule, Australians do not believe in tipping. That fact has been mentioned by several others on this very thread. 

[rickays]

7 minutes ago, So_Tweetie said:

I am sorry if you were personally offended by the statement, it is not meant to be judgmental. One of the things I have learned from cruising is that as a general rule, Australians do not believe in tipping. That fact has been mentioned by several others on this very thread. 

We do not have a tipping culture IN AUSTRALIA  but most Australians do the right thing when visiting other countries.  I know it is mentioned many times on forums that Australians don't tip but that is usually by people from other countries because they don't understand.

[So_Tweetie]

1 minute ago, rickays said:

We do not have a tipping culture IN AUSTRALIA ... I know it is mentioned many times on forums that Australians don't tip but that is usually by people from other countries because they don't understand.

In the context of cruising, ships leaving out of Australia do not add gratuities to prices and fares because Australians "do not have a tipping culture". 🤷‍♀️

[rickays]

10 minutes ago, So_Tweetie said:

In the context of cruising, ships leaving out of Australia do not add gratuities to prices and fares because Australians "do not have a tipping culture". 🤷‍♀️

Gratuities are INCLUDED in the fare we pay.  How Princess then distributes this is up to them.  Waiters and Cabin Stewards say they are very happy doing Australian/NZ cruises so something must be working.

If you dont want to understand, thats up to you!

[2 cruises a year]

24 minutes ago, So_Tweetie said:

In the context of cruising, ships leaving out of Australia do not add gratuities to prices and fares because Australians "do not have a tipping culture". 🤷‍♀️

 

32 minutes ago, rickays said:

We do not have a tipping culture IN AUSTRALIA  but most Australians do the right thing when visiting other countries.  I know it is mentioned many times on forums that Australians don't tip but that is usually by people from other countries because they don't understand.

Australians don't have a tipping culture because they pay fair and living wages.

In America, people in the service industry earn less than a living wage. Tips are necessary to get by.  This is also true on Princess. I don't care where the ships or corporation is registered, Princess is an American company. They have two major corporate offices in America, the corporate philosophy is American. And their service sector is under payed with out tips.  They need the tips.

I like @rickays attitude toward tipping around the world. He gets it.  When in Rome, do as the Romans.

[2 cruises a year]

11 minutes ago, rickays said:

Gratuities are INCLUDED in the fare we pay.  How Princess then distributes this is up to them.  Waiters and Cabin Stewards say they are very happy doing Australian/NZ cruises so something must be working.

If you dont want to understand, thats up to you!

👍👍👍

[2 cruises a year]

41 minutes ago, So_Tweetie said:

In the context of cruising, ships leaving out of Australia do not add gratuities to prices and fares because Australians "do not have a tipping culture". 🤷‍♀️

Sorry, you are misinformed here. Fares are higher out of Australia because Australia has a living wage "culture". 

[So_Tweetie]

8 minutes ago, 2 cruises a year said:

Sorry, you are misinformed here. Fares are higher out of Australia because Australia has a living wage "culture". 

I understand the reason why tips are factored into rather than added on to pricing for Australian cruises. 

[So_Tweetie]

27 minutes ago, rickays said:

Waiters and Cabin Stewards say they are very happy doing Australian/NZ cruises so something must be working.

 

That’s great and potentially a model for US cruises moving forward as people seem unhappy with add-on costs.

[rickays]

15 minutes ago, So_Tweetie said:

That’s great and potentially a model for US cruises moving forward as people seem unhappy with add-on costs.

I think that is the purpose of the all inclusive PLUS fare but they still have the standard fare for those who prefer.

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, FrankieJayIII said:

Tipping is an amazing bribe system that only people who aren't tight with the coin can understand. 

And yet the rest of the world seems to survive without this system of bribery. 

 

Edited March 24, 2023 by wowzz

[DallasGuy75219]

1 hour ago, So_Tweetie said:

In the context of cruising, ships leaving out of Australia do not add gratuities to prices and fares because Australians "do not have a tipping culture". 🤷‍♀️

Actually gratuities are already included in the price of cruises out of Australia.

 

Please stop being an "ugly American" and generalizing other cultures based on something you know nothing about; the ignorance is making the rest of us look bad.

[So_Tweetie]

1 minute ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

Actually gratuities are already included in the price of cruises out of Australia.

 

Please stop being an "ugly American" and generalizing other cultures based on something you know nothing about; the ignorance is making the rest of us look bad.

I understand that gratuities are included in pricing for Australia. Lol at the ugly American comment. 😜😘

[caribill]

21 minutes ago, rickays said:

I think that is the purpose of the all inclusive PLUS fare but they still have the standard fare for those who prefer.

 

Those who do not book the Plus or Premier fare:

a) Have a daily crew appreciation amount ($16 and up depending on cabin type per person per day) added daily to their on board account. This covers tips for cabin stewards, all dining room staff, staff that delivers room service and more. So for a 7-day cruise for two people this is a minimum of $224 in tips.

b) Have an 18% charge added to every beverage purchase from water to fine wine.

 

So without handing out $$$ or Euros or other currencies, those with and without Plus and Premier fares are paying tips. Of course, some people feel a need to hand out additional tips, but many feel the crew appreciation already being paid is sufficient.

[david63]

19 hours ago, david63 said:

Can I ask those who "bribe" crew members why they consider that they require this "special" treatment at the expense of other passengers?

Anybody care to answer this?

[FrankieJayIII]

5 hours ago, wowzz said:

And yet the rest of the world seems to survive without this system of bribery. 

 

survival?   oh yes, you can simply choose to survive or you can choose to thrive.   i think calling it a bribe is the issue.   do you believe that the people serving you, deserve to be tipped more than they receive?   open hands are rewarded, not closed fists.    i would never want to just survive. 

[FrankieJayIII]

40 minutes ago, david63 said:

Anybody care to answer this?

let's not call it bribery.  let's call it recognizing those who work hard.  whether or not it works as a bribe is debatable.   recognition with compensation goes a long way.   we are tipping because it makes us feel good to recognize people who deserve the money.    do you think extra tipping should be banned?  you take care of me, i take care of you.  it's pretty simple. 

[FrankieJayIII]

i do want to add-  i don't feel i deserve any special treatment as a result of tipping more.   i don't deserve anything more than anyone else gets.  the person who deserves it is the person who receives the tipping.   now whatever they do as a result of that tipping is on them.   some do nothing extra or special... just like the people who didn't tip extra.  some do extra because they appreciate what's done for them.   it's what goes around comes around philosophy of life.   deserved?  nothing really is deserved more than the next person.   open hands are receptive to more, closed fists have what they have. 

[roadster08]

As technology does more and more for us, and people do less and less, when to tip becomes less of a dilemma.

 

The trend in the US lately has been to tip less frequently, but tip more when it is warranted. Many chain restaurants are putting kiosks on tables where you can order food and pay the bill without assistance from a server. Have to think that will happen soon on cruise ships too.

 

For example, Americans are eating at home more and less in restaurants, but tipping more than 15% when they do go to a full service restaurant. 

Edited March 24, 2023 by roadster08

[david63]

36 minutes ago, FrankieJayIII said:

let's not call it bribery.

But that is what it is when it is paid before any service has been performed.

37 minutes ago, FrankieJayIII said:

do you think extra tipping should be banned?

No and I have, and will, tip extra when I have received good service but I would ban it before the event

[FrankieJayIII]

ok that's fair.  

 

[billco]

53 minutes ago, david63 said:

But that is what it is when it is paid before any service has been performed.

No and I have, and will, tip extra when I have received good service but I would ban it before the event

I just spent a month on the Discovery Princess. If I had tipped extra every time I had received good service i would have spent more than the cost of the cruise.

[FrankieJayIII]

2 minutes ago, billco said:

I just spent a month on the Discovery Princess. If I had tipped extra every time I had received good service i would have spent more than the cost of the cruise.

Then it would be better to give a pre-service bonus. 

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, FrankieJayIII said:

we are tipping because it makes us feel good to recognize people who deserve the money.

Are you happy to tip people who earn more than you do ?