Automatic tip addition to account

[Mike07]

7 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

Are you confusing prepaid with automatic. If you do not prepay "gratuities" they will automatically be added to your onboard account.

 

 

My guess is more "a pre-set gratuity should not automatically be billed to any guest without their express written consent." I sort of get that argument, though, most every cruise line does this. I'm sure there are some luxury and/or countries where gratuities have to be included in the original fare sell. (Aussies??)

[Peregrina651]

16 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

Are you confusing prepaid with automatic. If you do not prepay "gratuities" they will automatically be added to your onboard account.

 

And will be removed or adjusted at the guest's request.

 

For your consideration: Viking has chosen an "opt out" program; it is spelled out in the FAQ (which is linked to below). Right now, not enough people are opting out of the program for them to consider changing how they are doing things. As long as most of the guests are happy, the policy will stand.

 

 

 

 

What is the tipping policy?

 

 

 

       Our onboard staff is dedicated to providing you with the best cruise experience possible, and it is customary to give gratuities in recognition of their service. How much you choose to tip is a personal matter and completely at your discretion. To save you worry over whom to tip and how much, we automatically add a discretionary hotel and dining charge of $17.00 USD per guest per day to your shipboard account, which appears on your final invoice at the end of your cruise. This charge will be shared among the onboard staff who helped support and provide your cruise experience, including the waitstaff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards, galley staff, laundry staff and others. Should you wish to make changes to the gratuity amounts or pay in cash, stop by Guest Services at any time. You may also wish to tip your local excursion guides and/or drivers; we suggest doing so in cash at the end of each tour. For your convenience, you can pre-purchase gratuities at our standard recommended rate in My Viking Journey. This charge will be shared among the onboard staff who helped support and provide for your cruise experience, including your Program Director, waitstaff, stateroom stewards, galley staff, nautical staff and others.

(accurate as of the date posted on CC)

 

Edited November 3, 2023 by Peregrina651

[ericosmith]

2 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

And will be removed or adjusted at the guest's request.

 

For your consideration: Viking has chosen an "opt out" program; it is spelled out in the FAQ (which is linked to below). Right now, not enough people are opting out of the program for them to consider changing how they are doing things. As long as most of the guests are happy, the policy will stand.

 

 

 

 

What is the tipping policy?

 

 

 

       Our onboard staff is dedicated to providing you with the best cruise experience possible, and it is customary to give gratuities in recognition of their service. How much you choose to tip is a personal matter and completely at your discretion. To save you worry over whom to tip and how much, we automatically add a discretionary hotel and dining charge of $17.00 USD per guest per day to your shipboard account, which appears on your final invoice at the end of your cruise. This charge will be shared among the onboard staff who helped support and provide your cruise experience, including the waitstaff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards, galley staff, laundry staff and others. Should you wish to make changes to the gratuity amounts or pay in cash, stop by Guest Services at any time. You may also wish to tip your local excursion guides and/or drivers; we suggest doing so in cash at the end of each tour. For your convenience, you can pre-purchase gratuities at our standard recommended rate in My Viking Journey. This charge will be shared among the onboard staff who helped support and provide for your cruise experience, including your Program Director, waitstaff, stateroom stewards, galley staff, nautical staff and others.

(accurate as of the date posted on CC)

 

I find it interesting that the list of staff definition is different between the automatic charge and the pre-paid gratuities.

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, ericosmith said:

I find it interesting that the list of staff definition is different between the automatic charge and the pre-paid gratuities.

 

AGREED!  Lousy proofreading.

[duquephart]

4 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

And will be removed or adjusted at the guest's request.

 

For your consideration: Viking has chosen an "opt out" program; it is spelled out in the FAQ (which is linked to below). Right now, not enough people are opting out of the program for them to consider changing how they are doing things. As long as most of the guests are happy, the policy will stand.

 

 

 

 

What is the tipping policy?

 

 

 

       Our onboard staff is dedicated to providing you with the best cruise experience possible, and it is customary to give gratuities in recognition of their service. How much you choose to tip is a personal matter and completely at your discretion. To save you worry over whom to tip and how much, we automatically add a discretionary hotel and dining charge of $17.00 USD per guest per day to your shipboard account, which appears on your final invoice at the end of your cruise. This charge will be shared among the onboard staff who helped support and provide your cruise experience, including the waitstaff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards, galley staff, laundry staff and others. Should you wish to make changes to the gratuity amounts or pay in cash, stop by Guest Services at any time. You may also wish to tip your local excursion guides and/or drivers; we suggest doing so in cash at the end of each tour. For your convenience, you can pre-purchase gratuities at our standard recommended rate in My Viking Journey. This charge will be shared among the onboard staff who helped support and provide for your cruise experience, including your Program Director, waitstaff, stateroom stewards, galley staff, nautical staff and others.

(accurate as of the date posted on CC)

 

 

Indeed. I'm pointing out that OP seems to be confusing the terms.

[duquephart]

On Viking River it used to be that "gratuities" were discretionary and optional. Towards the end of the cruise the program director would suggest a lump sum per person/day amount that you could have added to your account. Or you could add an amount other than that suggested. Or you could get little brown envelopes and do your own distribution. Or you could do nothing. Everything was voluntary --- the PD simply outlined the options while making sure you were aware that tipping was customary and (hint, hint) pretty much expected. Apparently that scenario is no longer the case and the situation is now handled in the same manner as Viking Ocean: You either pre-pay "gratuities" at a set rate or they are automatically added to your account at the end of the trip (same as bar charges, spa charges, etc.) - unless you arrange a deviation with guest services. OP had three options in this regard:  

1. Pre-pay and be done with it.

2. Have them appear on his final accounting.

3. Make arrangements with guest services regarding the amount to appear on final accounting.

OP seems to be disturbed that #2 took place given that #1 did not. But that's the way it is and he should have known it was coming. 

Edited November 3, 2023 by duquephart

[longterm]

9 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

Indeed. I'm pointing out that OP seems to be confusing the terms.

Nonsense. So, I should have called it a "discretionary hotel and dining charge?" 

 

What's discretionary about it? Oh, I see--it's at VIKING'S discretion and not mine. Got it.

 

My post wasn't a confusion of terms, and that's hardly the point of the original post. My post was a comment on the fact that Viking automatically adds a prepaid gratuity fee (call it whatever you want, that's what it is) per passenger, without being authorized to do so. Regardless of the nomenclature, it's a bad policy and needs to be discontinued.

 

To be sure, you can insist that the fee be removed, but if you don't notice (and I suspect lots of passengers don't notice), it gets quietly added to your final bill.

 

I mentioned it in a phone call with Viking; if enough people complain, perhaps they'll stop the practice, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

 

We always tip certain staff members; we also value the unseen workers who rarely get personal tips, and we've always chosen to opt into the prepaid gratuity in the past--but this time, I had waited until the last day to do so, and realized then that it had been added in already.

Enough already. On our next cruise in July I'll be sure to either opt in or out before the end of the cruise.

 

 

[duquephart]

20 minutes ago, longterm said:

Nonsense. So, I should have called it a "discretionary hotel and dining charge?" 

 

What's discretionary about it? Oh, I see--it's at VIKING'S discretion and not mine. Got it.

 

My post wasn't a confusion of terms, and that's hardly the point of the original post. My post was a comment on the fact that Viking automatically adds a prepaid gratuity fee (call it whatever you want, that's what it is) per passenger, without being authorized to do so. Regardless of the nomenclature, it's a bad policy and needs to be discontinued.

 

To be sure, you can insist that the fee be removed, but if you don't notice (and I suspect lots of passengers don't notice), it gets quietly added to your final bill.

 

I mentioned it in a phone call with Viking; if enough people complain, perhaps they'll stop the practice, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

 

We always tip certain staff members; we also value the unseen workers who rarely get personal tips, and we've always chosen to opt into the prepaid gratuity in the past--but this time, I had waited until the last day to do so, and realized then that it had been added in already.

Enough already. On our next cruise in July I'll be sure to either opt in or out before the end of the cruise.

 

 

 

It's your misuse of "prepaid gratuity fee" that I refer. Viking does not add such a fee as it would already have been paid. It does add an "automatic gratuity fee" as per the conditions you agreed to. Prepaid and automatic are two different things.

[CDNPolar]

2 hours ago, longterm said:

 

 

To be sure, you can insist that the fee be removed, but if you don't notice (and I suspect lots of passengers don't notice), it gets quietly added to your final bill.

 

 

 

 

 

Not trying to be argumentative here, but I think the % of guests that don't notice a charge like this on their final bill is very low and less than 1%.

 

On some of our cruises the gratuities have been close to $600.00 USD for the two of us, and I tell you I notice that on the bill.  On longer cruises that we have taken it has been in excess of $800 USD.

 

I don't necessarily agree with the add to my bill and for me I wish that Viking would just incorporate it into the cost of the cruise.  

 

Gratuities for US and Canada are automatically added to the bill.   I have asked for clarification on how and when it is paid that Viking avoids answering.  I have made my feelings known to Viking about this and they avoid any kind of definitive answer or solution.  

 

We have just decided to accept it and pay it and move on.  I now incorporate the gratuity into my budgeting for the cruise.

[Cruising Domer]

Not to start an argument, but just imagine the uproar that would ensue if Viking changed their policies to include gratuities within the cruise fare -- enough folks already complain about having to pay the cruise fare so far in advance as it is, I can't imagine what people would say if they had to pay for gratuities that far in advance as part of the cruise fare!

[Breckski]

5 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 

Not trying to be argumentative here, but I think the % of guests that don't notice a charge like this on their final bill is very low and less than 1%.

 

 

Let's than 1% - less than 9 cabins.  Hopefully you weren't being literal.  

 

I think a lot of folks go on vacation and say to hell with the cost, I'm on vacation.  And do/buy whatever they want.  Sorta like Vegas, just not as wild.  Likely not as much with Viking as some other lines. 

 

[CDNPolar]

9 hours ago, mwike said:

Let's than 1% - less than 9 cabins.  Hopefully you weren't being literal.  

 

I think a lot of folks go on vacation and say to hell with the cost, I'm on vacation.  And do/buy whatever they want.  Sorta like Vegas, just not as wild.  Likely not as much with Viking as some other lines. 

 

 

Perhaps I should not have used an actual percent.  I just personally feel that many people would miss a charge like this on their account, and if they do then I don't think they have a care in the world about what they are paying for.

[duquephart]

The argument has been made that what Viking calls "gratuites" are really a service fee. And that this fee can be viewed as hidden on the grounds that it is not upfront in nature and is, essentially, sprung on the customer after he/she has booked a cruise. And further that the fee is a fraud in the sense that the customer is ultimately expected to pay more than the advertised/agreed upon price for the product. That some are surprised/distressed to find the charge on their final billing or don't even notice (or care) it would seem to support the argument.

[bison2013]

per Webster's 

[Frenchberet]

Honestly, I think it's very unlikely that a person would miss the tip amount charged to their stateroom account.  (1) Viking's "tipping policy" is clearly stated on their website under FAQ's (see below), (2) The option to pre-pay gratuities is described on My Viking, Before You Go, (3) Several days before the end of the cruise Viking notifies you of the exact amount that will be charged to your onboard account, and (4) The information is available to view on the TV in your stateroom.  You may not agree with tipping in general or Viking's tipping policy, but I think they provide clear information about this issue.  There should be no surprises.

 

 

What is the tipping policy?

Our onboard staff is dedicated to providing you with the best cruise experience possible, and it is customary to give gratuities in recognition of their service. How much you choose to tip is a personal matter and completely at your discretion. To save you worry over whom to tip and how much, we automatically add a discretionary hotel and dining charge of $17.00 USD per guest per day to your shipboard account, which appears on your final invoice at the end of your cruise. This charge will be shared among the onboard staff who helped support and provide your cruise experience, including the waitstaff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards, galley staff, laundry staff and others. Should you wish to make changes to the gratuity amounts or pay in cash, stop by Guest Services at any time. You may also wish to tip your local excursion guides and/or drivers; we suggest doing so in cash at the end of each tour. For your convenience, you can pre-purchase gratuities at our standard recommended rate in My Viking Journey. This charge will be shared among the onboard staff who helped support and provide for your cruise experience, including your Program Director, waitstaff, stateroom stewards, galley staff, nautical staff and others.

[duquephart]

15 minutes ago, Frenchberet said:

Honestly, I think it's very unlikely that a person would miss the tip amount charged to their stateroom account.  (1) Viking's "tipping policy" is clearly stated on their website under FAQ's (see below), (2) The option to pre-pay gratuities is described on My Viking, Before You Go, (3) Several days before the end of the cruise Viking notifies you of the exact amount that will be charged to your onboard account, and (4) The information is available to view on the TV in your stateroom.  You may not agree with tipping in general or Viking's tipping policy, but I think they provide clear information about this issue.  There should be no surprises.

 

 

What is the tipping policy?

Our onboard staff is dedicated to providing you with the best cruise experience possible, and it is customary to give gratuities in recognition of their service. How much you choose to tip is a personal matter and completely at your discretion. To save you worry over whom to tip and how much, we automatically add a discretionary hotel and dining charge of $17.00 USD per guest per day to your shipboard account, which appears on your final invoice at the end of your cruise. This charge will be shared among the onboard staff who helped support and provide your cruise experience, including the waitstaff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards, galley staff, laundry staff and others. Should you wish to make changes to the gratuity amounts or pay in cash, stop by Guest Services at any time. You may also wish to tip your local excursion guides and/or drivers; we suggest doing so in cash at the end of each tour. For your convenience, you can pre-purchase gratuities at our standard recommended rate in My Viking Journey. This charge will be shared among the onboard staff who helped support and provide for your cruise experience, including your Program Director, waitstaff, stateroom stewards, galley staff, nautical staff and others.

 

Most of the info/opportunities you cite have to be looked for/sought out - an activity at least some, apparently, do not engage in. And isn't "Several days before the end of the cruise" actually one or two? Would it not be more ethical/honest/transparent for Viking to clearly state their "tipping policy" during the booking process in such a way that the potential cruiser can not avoid knowing about it? What Viking does is no better than hotels, etc. with their "resort fees", "convenience fees", etc. that the customer learns about in "oh by the way" fashion.

Edited November 4, 2023 by duquephart

[deec]

BUT in viking's case it IS voluntary unlike resort fees or taxes at hotels.

[duquephart]

24 minutes ago, deec said:

BUT in viking's case it IS voluntary unlike resort fees or taxes at hotels.

 

I suppose. But opting out requires activity, and knowlege of the option. It's not a "yes" or "no" option up front.

[KBs mum]

The whole tipping thing seems bizarre to those outside North America. We're used to paying only whatever is on the invoice, anything else is voluntary with no set, suggested or unspoken rule amounts. 

This is why gratuities are included for other countries, if it was optional Viking wouldn't get it. UK law prohibits asking for extra after quoting (a summary of the legislation) apparently cruise companies used to US passengers got a bit of a shock when they did UK only cruises during covid. We do tip, but most view asking or agitating for a tip as poor service or annoying. Poor service or being annoying = no tip. 

 

[Reaniel]

I always thought this is more of an industry-wide practice as opposed to something specific to Viking.

Same goes for the whole "# Days" instead of "# Nights" in advertisement.

 

And don't get me started on the "99" dollar amount in pricing, which is almost universal in the entire economy.

 

I mean is it annoying?  Yes.

Should Viking "do better" and adopt changes?  Absolutely!

Are they going to do it?  Not unless the changes would significantly impact them in a positive way.

[duquephart]

4 hours ago, KBs mum said:

The whole tipping thing seems bizarre to those outside North America. We're used to paying only whatever is on the invoice, anything else is voluntary with no set, suggested or unspoken rule amounts. 

This is why gratuities are included for other countries, if it was optional Viking wouldn't get it. UK law prohibits asking for extra after quoting (a summary of the legislation) apparently cruise companies used to US passengers got a bit of a shock when they did UK only cruises during covid. We do tip, but most view asking or agitating for a tip as poor service or annoying. Poor service or being annoying = no tip. 

 

 

I would welcome a "the price is what you will pay" policy - I just got done paying almost $90 for a $70 ticket to see a Tom Rush performance. And --- don't get me going on tip jars, suggested gratuity amounts, etc. The person who spends two seconds moving a cheesburger from a shelf behind him/her to the counter in front of me needs to look elsewhere.

[millybess]

25 minutes ago, duquephart said:

 

I just got done paying almost $90 for a $70 ticket to see a Tom Rush performance.

 

Who did you tip to get that?

[duquephart]

6 minutes ago, millybess said:

 

Who did you tip to get that?

 

Ticket Fee $10.92

Credit Card Fee $2.36

Sales Tax $6.51

[sbp59]

Note the bank draft prepay option apparently goes away at some time before departure...

 

We understood the prepaid gratuity policy by reading the FAQ, etc., but were surprised, when we finally decided a couple of weeks before our voyage to prepay (via bank draft to avoid the CC fee), that the bank draft option was no longer available.  So if you want to avoid the CC fee, prepay early.

[CCWineLover]

2 hours ago, sbp59 said:

Note the bank draft prepay option apparently goes away at some time before departure...

 

We understood the prepaid gratuity policy by reading the FAQ, etc., but were surprised, when we finally decided a couple of weeks before our voyage to prepay (via bank draft to avoid the CC fee), that the bank draft option was no longer available.  So if you want to avoid the CC fee, prepay early.

at 30 days.   Not sure what you mean by CC fee.  Use a CC that doesn't charge a fee and gives rewards in cash or miles/points.