(Another) question about tipping bar tenders and servers

[cruisedd]

Can anyone think of a better way for HAL to handle drink receipts for people on a drink package?  On a few occasions my card was swiped and returned without the receipt.  But most of the time, it was printed and handed back for me to sign.  Since the tip is included, I almost always added no additional tip and signed.  I found that "extra" step slightly inconvenient. I realize they don't know if I'm going to add an additional tip or not, so they are just giving me the option.  My question is this, do you typically add a second tip to bar tabs or not?  If most people do not, then I'm thinking those that do want to tip extra could ask for the receipt when ordering so they can add the tip or just use cash if they prefer.  I'm suggesting that the default for HAL should be to not print a receipt for us to sign.  I recall being on another cruise line without the receipts and I liked that way better.

[Petronillus]

I wish I could take credit for this idea, but one gentleman posted that he liked to bring a stack of $2 bills (with Jefferson's portrait) to distribute to bartenders and servers, particularly at the beginning of the cruise. He  figured that it made his generosity more memorable.

I find that I tend to save my $1 bills in anticipation of an upcoming cruise. Then I hand one or two of them to the bartender and/or server when I'm trying to establish (and later occasionally to sustain) my status as a regular.

With the HIA drinks package it feels more natural and less extravagant/flamboyant. Since I never get close to exceeding the daily 15-drink allotment, what I appreciate most about the drinks package is that it takes the on-the-spot economics out of the decision of what to drink and when.

[Laminator]

40 minutes ago, cruisedd said:

Can anyone think of a better way for HAL to handle drink receipts for people on a drink package?  On a few occasions my card was swiped and returned without the receipt.  But most of the time, it was printed and handed back for me to sign.  Since the tip is included, I almost always added no additional tip and signed.  I found that "extra" step slightly inconvenient. I realize they don't know if I'm going to add an additional tip or not, so they are just giving me the option.  My question is this, do you typically add a second tip to bar tabs or not?  If most people do not, then I'm thinking those that do want to tip extra could ask for the receipt when ordering so they can add the tip or just use cash if they prefer.  I'm suggesting that the default for HAL should be to not print a receipt for us to sign.  I recall being on another cruise line without the receipts and I liked that way better.

The reason HAL is making pax sign the receipts is they were having issues with pax claiming they were being charged for drinks that they did not receive. 

[Sea42]

1 hour ago, cruisedd said:

My question is this, do you typically add a second tip to bar tabs or not?

It is my go to option for spending most of my non-refundable OBC.

[DaveOKC]

9 minutes ago, Sea42 said:

It is my go to option for spending most of my non-refundable OBC.

Ditto this. Also specialty dining.

[crystalspin]

I like the paper slips. I add a $1 tip every few slips so I do not have to carry $1 bills (or $2 bills -- an awful idea!) OR try to find my favorite servers on the last full day with $5 bills! 

 

ETA: If drinking as a couple, alternate cards -- the bartender will like this as not making two swipes. You can sign the slips with an abbreviated signature, like your initials, just always do the same sig.

[kazu]

JMO - I don’t care for the receipts.  It’s like there is an expectation of an additional tip.  While I have used them to tip on occasion, I prefer to give nice one in cash to the person of my choice.  

I might be in the minority it seems but it’s a waste of paper to me.

the paper they print those on is NOT compostable and goes to the landfill.  We get rid of plastic bottles and do this?  

[SargassoPirate]

1 hour ago, crystalspin said:

I like the paper slips. I add a $1 tip every few slips so I do not have to carry $1 bills (or $2 bills -- an awful idea!) OR try to find my favorite servers on the last full day with $5 bills! 

 

ETA: If drinking as a couple, alternate cards -- the bartender will like this as not making two swipes. You can sign the slips with an abbreviated signature, like your initials, just always do the same sig.

I've been carrying $2 bills since I started cruising 20 years ago.  They are unusual, so the servers  recognize me and before you know it my butt and my drink are hitting the table at about the same time.  I only have a wee dram or two in the evening, so I give them the $2 on the first drink.  The second usually just appears.

 

Some folks dislike the $2 routine, but it's worked well for me over the years.

[Toofarfromthesea]

18 minutes ago, SargassoPirate said:

Some folks dislike the $2 routine, but it's worked well for me over the years.

 

The problem with the $2 bill routine is that it is harder for the crew to exchange or spend.

[SargassoPirate]

21 minutes ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

The problem with the $2 bill routine is that it is harder for the crew to exchange or spend.

How are they any more difficult that $1, $5, $10, $20, $50 or $100?

 

Please explain.

 

All I know is the $2 get results.

 

Edited December 22, 2023 by SargassoPirate

[Seasick Sailor]

We are probably in the minority here. Our favorite bartender knows what we are going to order and delivers our drinks to our table in Lido. We tip him $5. We are good for the rest of the day and evening. Never get a receipt. I've seen those stupid receipts blowing around the deck and it's crazy. 

[oakridger]

6 hours ago, cruisedd said:

do you typically add a second tip to bar tabs or not?

 

No, I don't add extra tip for each drink, and guess what, I have always received excellent bar service on all my HAL cruises without upfront incentives!! 

 

I hate the receipts and have expressed my opinion to HAL several times since they started issuing them again last fall.  I can't imagine how much extra time it takes to keep track of them all, if in fact they really do so!  On a $10 drink I'm already paying $1.80 in tips.  For a waiter to hand me a bottle of beer, I figure $1.40 is an adequate tip for the effort expended.   I always have a favorite bartender/server...or two/three....at the end of the cruise I give them a nice cash gratuity. 

 

I'm saying this as a former bartender/waitress! Clearly, everyone has their own way of doing things.

 

Cheers!!

 

~Nancy

 

 

[kazu]

1 minute ago, Seasick Sailor said:

We are probably in the minority here. Our favorite bartender knows what we are going to order and delivers our drinks to our table in Lido. We tip him $5. We are good for the rest of the day and evening. Never get a receipt. I've seen those stupid receipts blowing around the deck and it's crazy. 

 

Ditto 🙂 

[DaveOKC]

It is pretty stupid to make such a big deal about not wasting paper onboard and then needlessly print off these receipts.

[rover16]

A total waste of paper!

[Nickelpenny]

After boarding my waiter/server knows I hate signing the stupid paper and they don’t ask/ bring it to me. It is so stupid. 

[Live4cruises]

I was most emphatically roasted a few months ago with a question about using $2 bills as tips. Where were you guys when I needed you?!

There was considerable discussion that the recipient would have trouble using a denomination unfamiliar to many. And one kind person called me cheap and told me to use a $5!

Edited December 22, 2023 by Live4cruises

[RuthC]

I never tip extra on a per-drink basis, but also would love to get a receipt for every drink. It makes it so much easier to proof out my bill at the end of the voyage when I have those bar slips (no HIA or SBP for me; I don't drink enough). 
I do give a cruise-end tip to those who have served me, and the drink slips have the names, which is also handy. 

[js1357]

2 hours ago, kazu said:

JMO - I don’t care for the receipts.  It’s like there is an expectation of an additional tip.  While I have used them to tip on occasion, I prefer to give nice one in cash to the person of my choice.  

I might be in the minority it seems but it’s a waste of paper to me.

the paper they print those on is NOT compostable and goes to the landfill.  We get rid of plastic bottles and do this?  

Agree on every point.

[deliver42]

I never tip  using the slip. I tip the server in cash. $1.00 per drink.

[Navybikermom]

5 hours ago, kazu said:

JMO - I don’t care for the receipts.  It’s like there is an expectation of an additional tip.  While I have used them to tip on occasion, I prefer to give nice one in cash to the person of my choice.  

I might be in the minority it seems but it’s a waste of paper to me.

the paper they print those on is NOT compostable and goes to the landfill.  We get rid of plastic bottles and do this?  

I agree! If they’re going to waste all that paper for receipts (imagine 2000 of those things per day!), then bring back those delicious little boxes of cereal and get rid of those dispensers of boring flavors 😡.

 

I tip those who go above and beyond. There’s already 18% being added onto my drinks, for goodness sake. Tipping is starting to get out of hand in this world.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

5 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

How are they any more difficult that $1, $5, $10, $20, $50 or $100?

 

Please explain.

 

All I know is the $2 get results.

 

I  tried to spend $2 bill in Papette, and it took 10 minutes for me to convince the vendor they were real.    I used to hand out $2 bill - I asked my bartender once if he preferred 2 $1's or a $2 - He said two ones.    I am sure no one would refuse them - but next time you hand them out - ask the person which they prefer....

 

Try this - lay two singles and one $2 bill on the counter - tell the bartender they can have one or the other -see which one they take.

 

I no longer tip per drink - I can't tell any difference in service - it's always first-rate, regardless.

Edited December 23, 2023 by The-Inside-Cabin

[Bill B]

3 hours ago, RuthC said:

I never tip extra on a per-drink basis, but also would love to get a receipt for every drink. It makes it so much easier to proof out my bill at the end of the voyage when I have those bar slips (no HIA or SBP for me; I don't drink enough). 

 

 Surely they will give you receipt if you ask.

[cbr663]

4 hours ago, rover16 said:

A total waste of paper!

 

A total waste of toxic paper.  Thermal paper receipts have been found to contain the toxic chemicals BPA and BPS and simply touching the receipts can lead to these toxic chemicals being easily absorbed into your body.  No one should be touching or handling these receipts.  That HAL requires its staff to print so many of these receipts, place them in those little flip folders and then you have to handle that folder (imagine for a second the amount of toxic chemicals on those things) and then use a contaminated pen to sign it and close the folder and pass it back?  Astonishing.

 

Even more astonishing is think about this process the next time you hand your room card to your barista or bartender onboard just to purchase a drink from your beverage package.  Touch-less POS systems have been around for ages and yet HAL insists that its staff must physically handle and possibly contaminant your room card just to make a simple purchase.  

[POA1]

4 hours ago, RuthC said:

drink slips have the names, which is also handy. 

I'm glad to see that we aren't the only ones who refer back to the receipts for the names of our severs.

 

I could swear that we used to be able to keep this straight in the past. Now I find myself putting notes in Google Keep and wondering if I should take photos of my server's name tags.

 

I really expected to be a lot older before I became a doddering old fool.