A couple of general questions

[clo]

1 minute ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Actually, it appears that YOU wanted the last word.😉

Oh, hell, why don't *I* have the last word?!?!? Here's a man in Hue, Vietnam. A group of them were taking us to dinner at a local's home. You betcha we tipped him in dongs.

[Vineyard View]

6 hours ago, osandomir said:

If I remember correctly tips were neither required nor suggested when we visited New Zealand years ago.

We spent 3 weeks 14 years ago in NZ for our anniversary on a land trip. Still to this day one of my favorite places. Simply beautiful. People, land, culture….stamp to memory  I researched prior, was told no tipping. As in none at that time.  The only time we felt like we may have messed up in not doing so was with a concierge at one lodging. He did quite a bit for us, and in hindsight we probably should have. 
The reference that I made earlier to Venice last year….When in a nice restaurant, we tipped very modestly. In one particular, the service was so bad that we didn’t tip, and when we left, the server was not happy with us and made it very clear.  Oh well, he didn’t deserve it. 
Would it be great for servers to be paid a living wage here in the States, and therefore no tips required?  Yes it would. After all these decades of tipping, can you imagine the confusion and chaos that would create? But if it were a perfect world, and a living wage was offered, yes. 
As has been said here. Tipping cultures can be so confusing. 
 

[tine-tine]

Maybe one of our American cousins can help me with my musings when I eat in a US restaurant (not high end), I look at the number of diners, the rotation of tables and the number of tables a waiter/busboy is servicing, the average cost of say a one or two course meal then add the 20% tip on top and it is becomes obvious there are lucrative earnings on top of their wage, possibly not so much for a quiet restaurant but then there probably is a reason no-one is dining!

[Techno123]

At least no-one on here is advocating pre-tipping 😜

 

I do wonder why it is service staff who get tips and not other equally hard working and poorly paid staff?
 

Having recently retired from teaching and having originally trained as a nurse I have been doing some shifts in my local hospital as a bank, health care assistant (nursing aid possible in the US) as our NHS is desperate for staff and I enjoy it - gets me out from under my husbands feet 😂. My salary is the princely sum of £11.62 ($14.49) per hour which is just slightly better than the National living wage. For me that's some pocket money but for my colleagues they are having to run homes and look after families and the tasks they perform are far less savoury than serving meals and wiping down tables 😜
 

Should my colleagues be standing by the door as the patient is discharged 'well you've been with us for 10 days at a gratuity rate of $18 dollars per day so that's $180 and I'm sure you would like to give me a bit extra as I have looked after you so well' 

😂😂

Edited April 15 by Techno123

[Harters]

1 hour ago, Techno123 said:

I do wonder why it is service staff who get tips and not other equally hard working and poorly paid staff?

It's historical. Goes back to the time that "hospitality" workers were indentured servants, rather than employees earning a wage. It's too lengthy a subject for discussion on this forum but Google will find you info. Here's a scenario.

 

In the middle of the 19th century, I'm a wealthy friend of the equally wealthy William Hanmer and visit him for the weekend at his home at Bodnant Hall. I havent brought my servants with me, of course, so I am "looked after" by his. On leaving, for my train back to Manchester from the new station at Llandudno Junction, I thank Hanmer's butler and slip him a small sum of money. And there you have the start of tipping service workers. 

 

It's an archaic practice I hope we eventually see consigned to history as other European countries have managed to do. 

Edited April 15 by Harters

[Techno123]

@Harters that is a perfect explanation - thank you 😁
 

I do remember the day when a grateful patient brought in a bag of 20 deniers American tan tights for us girls and black socks for the boys - they were very gratefully received 😁

Edited April 15 by Techno123

[pinotlover]

So according to certain posters here: when the Marina is on her last seasonal run around South America and you and your room attendant are both getting off in Lima , and she’s going home to the Philippines, giving her the last scraps of your Argentinean pesos and Chilean money ( maybe $30) is a good plan? I’d vote it’s not, but rumored to happen regularly.

 

Might we welcomed on the ski lift line! 

Edited April 15 by pinotlover

[Flatbush Flyer]

6 hours ago, tine-tine said:

Maybe one of our American cousins can help me with my musings when I eat in a US restaurant (not high end), I look at the number of diners, the rotation of tables and the number of tables a waiter/busboy is servicing, the average cost of say a one or two course meal then add the 20% tip on top and it is becomes obvious there are lucrative earnings on top of their wage, possibly not so much for a quiet restaurant but then there probably is a reason no-one is dining!

In a premiere American food city like San Francisco, being a waiter/waitress in a restaurant that is popular with both locals and tourists alike (e.g., Scoma’s, The Slanted Door, Perbacco…) and is always packed with patrons makes for a very good living!

[Flatbush Flyer]

3 hours ago, pinotlover said:

So according to certain posters here: when the Marina is on her last seasonal run around South America and you and your room attendant are both getting off in Lima , and she’s going home to the Philippines, giving her the last scraps of your Argentinean pesos and Chilean money ( maybe $30) is a good plan? I’d vote it’s not, but rumored to happen regularly. 

With the understanding that the USD, of course, remains the “coin of the realm” on Oceania ships (including for added gratuities), there certainly are occasions when augmenting $$$ with appropriate local currency makes sense for all concerned.
 

This is especially true for crew mid-contract on a series of reverse segments where they’ll often do internal money exchanges that save them the time and expense of finding exchange outlets in port and paying some exorbitant fee.   
 

Savvy cruisers chat with service crew they encounter on a daily basis and can quickly determine when a mix of currencies might be useful/welcomed.