Tipping on Silversea

[Dolcevita Diva]

21 minutes ago, Silver Spectre said:

I just saw this and was truly appalled. Apparently the HD is new on the ship and doesn’t appear to have had any training. If this was done off her own back, then hopefully she will be gone soon. If it was authorised by corporate then SS needs to change all their marking asap and ‘own’ this.

I did not recognize the Hotel Director's name and wondered how long this person has been with Silversea.   Or perhaps this Hotel Director read the paragraph on Silversea's website that states that with Silversea you should never have to worry about whom to tip or how much and decided that somehow these "suggestions" would provide a service by eliminating that worry! 😄

[gcornell]

If they leave a letter like that in my cabin the chance of me tipping twice goes from 1% to 0%

[caviargal]

Wow!  So much for their everything included policy!  That reeks of RCI influence!

[Techno123]

48 minutes ago, Silver Spectre said:

I just saw this and was truly appalled. Apparently the HD is new on the ship and doesn’t appear to have had any training. If this was done off her own back, then hopefully she will be gone soon. If it was authorised by corporate then SS needs to change all their marking asap and ‘own’ this.

Also @Dolcevita Diva She's on linked in - been with them as a Hotel director since September 2022.

 

Edited March 16 by Techno123

[Techno123]

8 minutes ago, gcornell said:

If they leave a letter like that in my cabin the chance of me tipping twice goes from 1% to 0%

Me too.

 

[Dolcevita Diva]

9 minutes ago, Techno123 said:

Also @Dolcevita Diva She's on linked in - been with them as a Hotel director since September 2022.

 

Interesting. So not new to the brand, which makes one wonder if this was done on her own initiative or if we'll start seeing reports of similar letters aboard other Silversea ships. 

[les37b]

1 hour ago, Dolcevita Diva said:

On another site, passengers aboard the Silver Dawn have just shared a letter they received from the Hotel Director suggesting appropriate amounts for "additional appreciation."

 

Begging is not a good sign.

 

In the history of cruising has a 6 star all inclusive live remotely dipped a begging cap to its “esteemed” guests?

 

Silversea are making themselves a laughing stock? Who is the idiot that is coming up with this nonsense (I include the outrageous you’ve missed your flight because you are not esteemed guests debacle?)

 

I do wish they’d make themselves known. I suspect I know, but if it’s not, it would be nice not to be pointing fingers within. The silence from the photoshoot thing was deafening. 

What next? Door to door in your own car? Pay for food that used to be included? Drinks packages? Photographers on every corner? 

 

Its insulting and Silversea appear to want to self destruct… on actually want to get rid of their loyal customers and hope to replace with people non the wiser?

 

Things won’t change…. My backside.

 

Im currently on Viking. Welcome champagne not a problem (with refills if you want.)… lo and behold… nothing has run out.

 

I feel so sad how far things are being degraded. Im glad I experienced how good it was and certainly consider myself as loyal to the brand…. But I guess I have to accept there are superior products who don’t treat “esteemed guests” (what a joke that’s become) with complete contempt.

 

Cant believe I’m on a Viking ship on what’s been an exemplary cruise venting anger. It’s upsetting even if it appears not to be.

 

 

 

[Tothesunset]

2 hours ago, Dolcevita Diva said:

On another site, passengers aboard the Silver Dawn have just shared a letter they received from the Hotel Director suggesting appropriate amounts for "additional appreciation."

 

Truly shocked. 

[Grand Duchess]

1 hour ago, Techno123 said:

Also @Dolcevita Diva She's on linked in - been with them as a Hotel director since September 2022.

 

Sailed with her on the Muse around Japan last year, she seemed like a sensible and very present HD then...

I suspect there is a lot of pressure from corporate now. Still, totally unacceptable.

5 more cruises with them booked, one of them a WC. Looking at Ponant and Explora now.

[machotspur]

OK - lots of speculation & opinions here. My attempt to introduce some factual insight below …

 

My wife and I are currently onboard Silver Dawn and had the dubious honour of receiving this letter on our bed last night - three days before the end of the cruise !!!

 

We were horrified by the content and this morning sought out some insight into this disgraceful communication. 
From speaking with ‘those in the know’ onboard I can confirm that I’ve been advised that :-

 

- this is a corporate message, so ‘don’t shoot the messenger’ ie the Hotel Director.

- Silver Dawn is the first ship on which this communication has been distributed.

- there is no insight as to this being rolled out across the fleet, although I suspect, when considering Silversea’s usual attitude that this new policy will stand.

- admittedly based on a limited sample there appears to be significant discontent onboard regarding this cynical announcement.

- as has already been stated comments on ‘the other place’ are mostly extremely negative, although comments have now been turned off !!

 

The primary reason we have travelled on Silversea/Seabourn/Regent for so many years is for the fully inclusive nature of the product. I know that there are a range of opinions on the subject of gratuities but we personally do not wish to be compelled to cough up a gratuity - we much prefer an all inclusive cost upfront (which is what we thought the deal had been for the past x number of years).
 

For Silversea to now be encouraging/ embarrassing me to pay a set gratuity, in addition to the ever increasing fully inclusive cruise cost that I have already paid is IMHO shockingly cynical and a complete degradation of the core elements of the product.

Edited March 16 by machotspur

[jollyjones]

Nasty little letter. 
Simple solution. 
Everyone completely ignore it. 
File it immediately in the trash. 

[A Tucson Guy]

We are boarding the Nova in Athens on 6-9-24 and if I receive this same letter, it will not bother me in the least. There are so many other happenings in the world that are much more troublesome, that this type of letter does not even register. I used to live in Hawaii, hence I have a large collection of Tommy Bahama silk shirts, which I wear when I play golf, almost daily. All the Tommy shirts have a little cloth insert inside with five letters written on it. The letters are RELAX. I look at the insert every time I put the shirt on. It works for me!! If a piece of paper like this gets you all worked up, I feel sorry for you. Cruises for me are relaxation and a time to be so grateful that we can cruise on SS, RSSC or SB. There was a time in my life that I could not imagine taking these pricy, but worth it, cruises. I hope I see some of you on the Nova this June.

Aloha and Mahalo!!

[gcornell]

Wow!  So it did come from corporate. Another money grab from companies providing the same (or less) goods/service and trying to get more money from my wallet. Hard NO. 

[Techno123]

I wonder if this will back fire and people who would normally tip the staff will be so fed up that they don't bother!

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 minutes ago, Techno123 said:

I wonder if this will back fire and people who would normally tip the staff will be so fed up that they don't bother!

That's how I feel right now.  On Whisper last month they announced that they were trying something new (for a non-excursion ship) and auctioned off the navigational chart – which had been made beautiful by a talented crew member who 'illuminated' it with scenes from our voyage.  Only one person bid, but they did raise $600 for the crew welfare fund, and that prompted me to donate to it also (a lesser sum...).  But if I had just gotten this letter, I would not have donated.  This may indeed backfire.

[caviargal]

Apparently the HD on Dawn is being replaced.  I hope they did not hang her out to dry if this letter was another experiment by their home office that back fired.

Edited March 16 by caviargal

[PaulMCO]

HD's on cruise ships don't take a poo without HQ's approval.  This could be a test to see the objection level.  Obviously with that other board shutting down comments (it takes 100) in only a few hours, then doing it again when it was restarted and now onto the third, there is alot of negative feeling.

[frantic36]

5 hours ago, les37b said:

Begging is not a good sign.

 

In the history of cruising has a 6 star all inclusive live remotely dipped a begging cap to its “esteemed” guests?

 

I don't think they do it anymore but on our 2012 Crystal cruise the Cruise Director Rick Spath a few times made a similar suggestion that though gratuities were included that a show of appreciation to staff would be good. A few days before the end of our cruise envelopes appeared in our room for this purpose. We didn't tip, not even our stewardess because not one person did anything we considered exceptional service and in the case of our stewardess was the worst we have had.

 

I have tipped before and still do at times and always give to the crew fund. 

[Observer]

18 minutes ago, caviargal said:

Apparently the HD on Dawn is being replaced. 

 

How long was she in place?  Rotations are common, but I believe that HDs typically serve for at least a few months.

 

Edited March 16 by Observer

[machotspur]

23 minutes ago, caviargal said:

Apparently the HD on Dawn is being replaced.  I hope they did not hang her out to dry if this letter was another experiment by their home office that back fired.

The HD only came onboard at the beginning of this cruise - the end of last week. What information do you have please to suggest she is being replaced ? She was still here this morning !

[Texas Tillie]

53 minutes ago, frantic36 said:

 

I don't think they do it anymore but on our 2012 Crystal cruise the Cruise Director Rick Spath a few times made a similar suggestion that though gratuities were included that a show of appreciation to staff would be good. A few days before the end of our cruise envelopes appeared in our room for this purpose. We didn't tip, not even our stewardess because not one person did anything we considered exceptional service and in the case of our stewardess was the worst we have had.

 

I have tipped before and still do at times and always give to the crew fund. 

 

2012 was the year Crystal started including alcohol in all inclusive. I never heard anything like this on Crystal, but I'm not saying that you didn't that one time, Rick Spath was/is on the Serenity and I mostly cruised on the Symphony. I can say that was not the norm then and certainly isn't now. 

[turtlemichael]

I don't want to start a conspiracy theory but it looks like the Hotel Director's signature has a $ sign in the middle of it. See the letter above. 😆 Now, where are my pills? 

[frantic36]

29 minutes ago, Texas Tillie said:

 

2012 was the year Crystal started including alcohol in all inclusive. I never heard anything like this on Crystal, but I'm not saying that you didn't that one time, Rick Spath was/is on the Serenity and I mostly cruised on the Symphony. I can say that was not the norm then and certainly isn't now. 

 

It was a cruise soon after they changed the concept of $1000per suite As You Wish so I think he was just used to doing it from previous cruises. As you say it is unlikely they do it now. I was just responding to les's post by saying I have encountered it before. I think Crystal sensibly moved away from asking upfront and now leave it to the passenger's discretion.

[drron29]

I have always loved SS but now it appears that love has been turned into this.

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

47 minutes ago, drron29 said:

I have always loved SS but now it appears that love has been turned into this.

 

That's a song about Curry, right?  🤪