To “Tip or Not to”

[Claudia444]

I understand the gratuities are included, and we did not do the silver spirits. But

we are seeing many folks tip the wait staff and bartenders. How much of the “Included Gratuities “ actually get to the staff? 
They work so hard. 

[duquephart]

1 hour ago, Claudia444 said:

I understand the gratuities are included, and we did not do the silver spirits. But

we are seeing many folks tip the wait staff and bartenders. How much of the “Included Gratuities “ actually get to the staff? 
They work so hard. 

 

You could try asking Viking. Or ----- you could just talk to your foot.

[TayanaLorna]

5 hours ago, Claudia444 said:

I understand the gratuities are included, and we did not do the silver spirits. But

we are seeing many folks tip the wait staff and bartenders. How much of the “Included Gratuities “ actually get to the staff? 
They work so hard. 

The bartenders share in the 15% gratuity when the SSBP is purchased as well as the 15% included in each drink purchased.  The wait staff shares in the suggested gratuity at the end of the cruise.  Guests often tip a bartender or waiter/ress that provided good service at the end of the cruise.  We have not done this as we rarely have had the same person serve us.  On our recent cruise of 2 weeks, we were seated in the same section having the same staff only twice.  Tipping at the end of each meal or when each bar drink is served is a very recent thing on Viking.  Who wants to carry cash around on ship or complete to have good service.

[duquephart]

"The wait staff shares in the suggested gratuity at the end of the cruise."

I don't think so. I believe it's been well established that you are not contributing to a pot which is divided up at the end of a particular cruise (based on some unknown formula/ratio) but rather depositing money in the company payroll fund. In other words, you are further assisting Viking in paying their employees. "Gratuities" are really a service charge - and a hidden fee to boot.

Edited May 17, 2023 by duquephart

[CCWineLover]

Who has established this?  I’ve never seen that established.  Where is the proof?

[duquephart]

The subject has been well covered/discussed in many posts/threads here. I remember Jim Avery being among those who disproved the "pot" fantasy. And where did that story come from in the first place? Where is the proof?

[deec]

I thought the "pot money"  was deposited in a community employee fund that could be accessed by staff for "emergencies"  such as sick kids or having to unexpectedly fly home.  I really wish Viking would be forthcoming with the truth of where the money goes.  I am really considering having it removed from our bill and giving a bigger tip to cabin stewards.

[Hobson1754]

1 hour ago, CCWineLover said:

Who has established this?  I’ve never seen that established.  Where is the proof?

My thoughts exactly. 

[duquephart]

If Viking was more forthcoming there wouldn't be all these "thought(s)" flying around. I think it's pretty clear that Viking is not going to account for how your money is used. Those who like to know what is being done with their money have the option of making it so.

[sundaycreek]

It really pays to tip the bar staff.  On our recent WC, DH tipped his favorites at Explorers’ many times and always received excellent service.  One day we were on the Aquavit Terrace and he went in to the back bar which we very rarely frequented.  He was gone forever and finally came back empty-handed as the bartender basically ignored him in favor of others who he served first even though they came after DH.  They were all called by name and definitely “regulars”……probably regular tippers too!

[1985rz1]

1 hour ago, sundaycreek said:

It really pays to tip the bar staff.  On our recent WC, DH tipped his favorites at Explorers’ many times and always received excellent service.  One day we were on the Aquavit Terrace and he went in to the back bar which we very rarely frequented.  He was gone forever and finally came back empty-handed as the bartender basically ignored him in favor of others who he served first even though they came after DH.  They were all called by name and definitely “regulars”……probably regular tippers too!

Our experience differs from yours.  We've had excellent service and were never ignored if we didn't tip our servers each time.  We have tipped at the end of a cruise an exceptional bar server whom we've had several times, but not with each visit. 

[Jammy Bun]

1 hour ago, 1985rz1 said:

Our experience differs from yours.  We've had excellent service and were never ignored if we didn't tip our servers each time.  We have tipped at the end of a cruise an exceptional bar server whom we've had several times, but not with each visit. 

Same.  Never tip during the cruise.  And have never had bad service or felt we had to wait longer than anyone else.  

[deec]

I hope this "tipping" during the cruise does not become a regular part of the Viking culture.

[CDNPolar]

We have asked Viking and they will NOT respond in writing nor will they be specific with their answers when they call you to explain.

 

They will confirm that it is NOT a pooled fund for emergencies or upgrades of services for staff as some profess.

 

They continue to say that it is a fund that is divided amongst all staff.

 

I also asked and they would not confirm or deny - is this by cruise?  Is it by contract?  They will not answer this.

 

We had a bartender in the Living Room bar that knew our names from day one and he left the ship - contract end - for vacation half way through the cruise.  Did he get any of OUR gratuity that we paid for that cruise?  We don't know.  Viking will not answer this question.

 

Because Viking are so PRIVATE with this information there are two things that you can do...

 

Continue to pay it blindly and hope that people are fairly given a % of the money, OR, boycott onboard gratuities until they are transparent with how it is distributed.

 

After my last call with Viking I made it very clear, that since they were not willing to answer the majority of my questions, that I may in the future decline all onboard gratuities and give a mid-cruise or end of cruise gratuity to those that I feel gave me the best experience.  The problem with this is that there are people behind the scenes that deserve gratuities that would now not receive them... that being if Viking truly have an honest program that truly and fairly distributes the gratuities.

 

We always tip our cabin stewards on the first day when they come to our cabin, and then half way through the cruise.

 

We will NOT tip daily or for every drink that we order, but we will tip for excellent service when we feel it is deserved, or selfishly when we feel it will benefit us.

 

We are on a river cruise in August, and it is my intent to decline the auto gratuity and give where I fee appropriate and I will make the statement to whoever is interested on the ship the reason why I am boycotting these auto gratuities.

[duquephart]

Do river cruises now have auto gratuity?

 

It has been reported here by regular posters that they were told by service staff that they do not receive a gratuity "bonus" at the end of a cruise and that when hired they were told that "gratuities" are figured in to their agreed upon pay.

Edited May 17, 2023 by duquephart

[Harrietq]

4 hours ago, deec said:

I hope this "tipping" during the cruise does not become a regular part of the Viking culture.

As do I. All I can picture is a caricature type with a shiny shirt and thick gold necklaces dangling in his chest hairs (Dan Ackroyd could portray) loudly offering twenties so everyone can see what a high roller he is. And I hope he goes back to Carnival.

[duquephart]

16 hours ago, CCWineLover said:

Who has established this?  I’ve never seen that established.  Where is the proof?

 

Find the "Gratuities" thread started by Missymssy and read it - paying particular attention to the post by Jim Avery and what follows.

[duquephart]

In regard to the "hidden fee" aspect of the "gratuity" fairy tale here's what I wrote in a previous post:

 

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.

 

 

[duquephart]

The thread I refer to above:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2630344-gratuities/

 

[Mrs Miggins]

4 hours ago, duquephart said:

The thread I refer to above:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2630344-gratuities/

 

Just had a quick look.   In the UK the tips/service charge is included in the published fare.  Just out of interest what do you do ?  Pay the suggested amount despite your knowledge, or tip individuals at the end of the cruise, or both ?

[duquephart]

I have no knowlege. I merely pass along information.

[CCWineLover]

7 hours ago, duquephart said:

The thread I refer to above:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2630344-gratuities/

 

Thank you for your research.  I vaguely remember this thread since is was pre-COVID, which certainly caused some memory loss, or is it just we're all 3 years old now?  🙂

Yikes!

 

Quoting Jim Avery's post #29 (and many of our regulars responded as well):

 

"As this subject has re surfaced, I would like to share what I learned on our recent long voyage on the Sun.  Like most of us, we get close to many of the crew.  A great hard working group if there ever was one.  One evening this topic came up.  I asked how they got paid the gratuities.  I was not happy to hear that they don't get paid at the end of the cruise or any other time.  Crew says they are told "it is part of your salary".  So no bonus checks, no distribution of gratuities collected for a cruise.  So the "gratuities" we are charged or which are included in our fare as an inducement would more accurately be called a service charge.  Viking can set the rules as they see fit but somehow this leaves me feeling a bit cheated.  Maybe cheated is too harsh a word maybe misled."
 

[Mackdogmolly]

3 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

Maybe cheated is too harsh a word maybe misled."

This is very bad news and extremely misleading, to say the least!!

[Mrs Miggins]

4 hours ago, duquephart said:

I have no knowlege. I merely pass along information.

Sorry I thought you appeared to have very strong feelings on the subject as reflected in your post 18.  Now that we have re read the thread and especially Jim Avery's quote I still wonder what we should do.  

Therefore I wonder which of the options you choose ?

As I said in the UK the charge is included in the UK fare.

[pavementends]

I intend to pay only the "recommended" gratuity until I am convinced that not paying additional tips is grossly unfair.

 

Two reasons: (1) I want to make purchasing decisions based on a good idea of what something is going to cost and (2) the need to make many decisions about when and how to tip turns a vacation into something less than a vacation.

 

There are services I don't use almost entirely because of the complication and annoyance of tipping (take out delivery? No thanks).