Tipping on Viking

[pontac]

53 minutes ago, Nippy Sweetie said:

Business is business I suppose. Viking knows what customers expect and/or are used to and tailor their offering to that.

 

That, but also competition. Scenic include gratuities for everything - i.e. for coach drivers and guides as well.

 

Why doesn't Viking? I'm assuming - and it's only an assumption - that the majority of their customers are from the USA who are used to and happy to pay tips. While it's easy to not deliver tip envelopes to UK cruisers its not so easy to manage driver/guide tips.

 

Viking - and I expect the others - have different offerings in different markets.

Our host has said he won't book Viking while they require full payment so long before travel. But plenty of Americans do, so I'm assuming Viking won't see the necessity to change until their US payment policy becomes a serious obstacle to them getting bookings.

Edited May 18 by pontac

[CDNPolar]

1 hour ago, pontac said:

 

Name a cruise and I'll tell you the UK price; but UK prices also include travel (air with option of trains when possible)

 

Ok... here goes.  West Indies to Iberia  -  Trans-atlantic from Barcelona to San Juan.

 

 

October 16th, 2024

 

We are in a DV6-Deluxe Veranda 

 

Our pricing is in CDN:

 

Cabin.  $5,099.00

Air.       $1,499.00

Total.    $6,598.00 CDN per person

 

No SSBP

Gratuities NOT included

 

If I pop this in a Google conversion I get 3813.65 GBP

 

Edited May 18 by CDNPolar

[Nippy Sweetie]

Viking may well leave an envelope for tips in our cabin but we'll not be filling it. Re early payment: that's always seemed strange to me. We pay a deposit on booking then full payment  about 8 weeks before the cruise.

It's interesting to see the difference in offerings between those companies that advertise in the UK market (and I think the Australian one) and the US one. Very different focuses related to different expectations I suppose. Fair enough. It's a business.

[PlatinumMan]

3 hours ago, pontac said:

 

That, but also competition. Scenic include gratuities for everything - i.e. for coach drivers and guides as well.

 

Why doesn't Viking? I'm assuming - and it's only an assumption - that the majority of their customers are from the USA who are used to and happy to pay tips. While it's easy to not deliver tip envelopes to UK cruisers its not so easy to manage driver/guide tips.

 

Viking - and I expect the others - have different offerings in different markets.

Our host has said he won't book Viking while they require full payment so long before travel. But plenty of Americans do, so I'm assuming Viking won't see the necessity to change until their US payment policy becomes a serious obstacle to them getting bookings.

Agreed, and major reason I'd not use Viking in the future.  American style add-ons for everything except the included tours.  NTW,no tours on extensions and they charge double the hotel house rate. You "can" book extensions on your own, but if you use their air booking they charge an extra few hundred $ to do so. Also, the same applies if you wantvto book your own air. They cater to 70-90 yo Americans, and it shows in their time wasting slow tours that rarely actually go jnside the attractions ( unless an expensoptional) and in their brand unseasoned food. I will be sticking with UK and Austrailian based cruiselines.

[pontac]

1 hour ago, CDNPolar said:

Our pricing is in CDN:

 

Cabin.  $5,099.00

Air.       $1,499.00

Total.    $6,598.00 CDN per person

 

OK, this is for an ocean cruise. I don't know about them because Mrs P. flatly refuses to consider cruising on the ocean.

 

Getting a quote is more of a chore than for a river cruise, anyway I went through the rigmarole and got a price for two of £7980 which includes economy class flights to/from London Heathrow and on-board gratuities.

 

Same date, same cabin, same cruise (West Indies to Iberia - San Juan to Barcelona)

 

[pontac]

8 minutes ago, PlatinumMan said:

BTW, no tours offered on extensions and they charge double the hotel house rate

There are included excursions on some extensions, but we've never booked an extension because - as you say - one can book a hotel cheaper ones-self. And anyway, we've either been to these cities, worked in them, and they're only a short inexpensive flight if we did want to visit them. 

 

13 minutes ago, PlatinumMan said:

I will be sticking with UK and Austrailian based cruiselines.

 

Fair enough. You've tried Viking and don't like the experience. Different folks, different tastes. I'll be interested in reading your reports on these other lines.

[pontac]

1 hour ago, Nippy Sweetie said:

Viking may well leave an envelope for tips in our cabin but we'll not be filling it.

 

You won't get envelopes because gratuities are included on UK bookings.

[Nippy Sweetie]

@pontac I know! However, crew don't necessarily know or just optimistically leave them anyway.

[CDNPolar]

5 hours ago, Nippy Sweetie said:

@pontac I know! However, crew don't necessarily know or just optimistically leave them anyway.

 

I have never in 10 Viking Cruises had an envelope left in my cabin...?  Not River, not Ocean.

[CDNPolar]

6 hours ago, pontac said:

 

OK, this is for an ocean cruise. I don't know about them because Mrs P. flatly refuses to consider cruising on the ocean.

 

Getting a quote is more of a chore than for a river cruise, anyway I went through the rigmarole and got a price for two of £7980 which includes economy class flights to/from London Heathrow and on-board gratuities.

 

Same date, same cabin, same cruise (West Indies to Iberia - San Juan to Barcelona)

 

 Pretty much the same in price.  My price converted to Pounds is a bit less but we pay gratuities on top.

 

Thanks for this.

[PlatinumMan]

36 minutes ago, CDNPolar said:

 

I have never in 10 Viking Cruises had an envelope left in my cabin...?  Not River, not Ocean.

Same, they seem very inconsistent in how they operate 

[Mitina]

6 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 

I have never in 10 Viking Cruises had an envelope left in my cabin...?  Not River, not Ocean

Last time we had envelopes was on a river cruise in 2017.  Since then, suggested gratuities are now included in the final bill. Never did it, but asking for the amount to be adjusted is supposedly easy.

[PlatinumMan]

17 hours ago, Mitina said:

Last time we had envelopes was on a river cruise in 2017.  Since then, suggested gratuities are now included in the final bill. Never did it, but asking for the amount to be adjusted is supposedly easy.

100% wish we would gave known. We absolutely got no better service by prepaying gratuities.  DON'T FALL FOR IT LIKE WE DID. SHAME ON YOU VIKING!

[Host Jazzbeau]

22 minutes ago, PlatinumMan said:

100% wish we would gave known. We absolutely got no better service by prepaying gratuities.  DON'T FALL FOR IT LIKE WE DID. SHAME ON YOU VIKING!

I don't know where you got the idea that prepaying gratuities would get you better service.  In other contexts that is known as a bribe.  If I thought that the only way to get good service on a cruise line was to prepay gratuities (or bribe the servers in any other way), I would run away from that cruise line!!!

[PlatinumMan]

3 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I don't know where you got the idea that prepaying gratuities would get you better service.  In other contexts that is known as a bribe.  If I thought that the only way to get good service on a cruise line was to prepay gratuities (or bribe the servers in any other way), I would run away from that cruise line!!!

Please google the definition of bribe, nothing dishonest nor illegal is occurring. Do you work a job not knowing your salary? Most cruise workers work almost entirely for the tip money and are paid little or nothing else. How hard would you work if you were told this month you'd be getting a bonus versus you might not get a paycheck at all? 

this would be more akin to a work contract than a "bride". 

 

"You keep using that word, but it does not mean what you think it means" --Princess Bride

 

[Kristelle]

So you thought you would get preferential treatment by pre paying gratuities?? 

 

That isnt how it works either.

 

I don't care if people pre pay them, pay them at the end or go on gratuities included  set price trips 

 

But thinking Viking should be ashamed of not giving  you preferential treatment because you did it x way ??

 

Sounds very entitled to me.

[Canal archive]

I’m sorry but I take issue with ‘most cruise workers basically only getting tip money’. I know the U.K. has left the EU but I can assure you that because of EU legislation that situation would not be sanctioned and if you have evidence of it please report it asap., as it would definitely be designated ‘slave labour’.

[CDNPolar]

12 hours ago, PlatinumMan said:

100% wish we would gave known. We absolutely got no better service by prepaying gratuities.  DON'T FALL FOR IT LIKE WE DID. SHAME ON YOU VIKING!

 

This has been discussed on CC for ever about tipping on Viking.  Some countries that Viking sells to include grats and some don't - like Canada and USA.  We (CAN and USA) either pre-pay or are charged when we disembark to which we have full control if we pay what is charged (suggested) or we can increase, decrease, or remove completely.

 

It has also been discussed how these tips/gratuities are distributed to the crew and this is a mystery.  I have emailed Viking to get a phone call back and a very vague generic answer with giving me no more knowledge than I had before asking.

 

Never would I assume that paying in advance would get us a "badge" on our profile once boarding the ship so that the crew would give us better service.  Viking service, in our eyes, is one of the main reasons that we keep going back.  Viking service in our eyes is amazing with or without the gratuity.

 

Now some will come and say that this practice is a "bribe" but from our standpoint it is not.  If a serving team in the dining room is exceptional, we ask for them night after night.  We will pass a gratuity in cash to each member of the serving team.  This is as a thank you, not a bribe.  Notice that I say when we find they are exceptional we pass a tip... not before to get exceptional service, but when we experience great service we give something.

 

On our last Viking Rver cruise, the very first night we loved the serving team of 3 where we sat in the dining room.  This team on the second night automatically brought me a San Pellegrino water without asking.  The second morning for breakfast the server brought decaf coffee without asking because they remembered from the first morning.  These are the type of crew servers that we consider passing a gratuity to directly, but usually near the end of the cruise because we are not doing this as a bribe.  These are the type of crew members that do go above and beyond because they just turned over a ship of 180 people and they remember my preference the second time they see me.  To us this is exceeds expectations service. 

[pontac]

8 hours ago, PlatinumMan said:

Most cruise workers work almost entirely for the tip money and are paid little or nothing else.

 

You were cruising in Europe. What happens in the USA where people in service industries basically work for tips does not happen here.

 

And I am amazed that you thought you'd get better service than other passengers because you prepaid gratuities.

[Kristelle]

 

34 minutes ago, CDNPolar said:

Now some will come and say that this practice is a "bribe" but from our standpoint it is not.

 

 

Although I dislike tipping and go on trips that have tips included in the set price (obviously reflects Australian culture) even  I can see the difference between pre paying tips before the service expecting preferential treatment (bribe style)  and paying tips afterwards as thankyou/acknowledgement of exceptional service already delivered.

 

(not saying everyone who pre pays tips is expecting preferential treatment, I realise many people just do it for convenience)

[PlatinumMan]

34 minutes ago, Kristelle said:

 

 

 

Although I dislike tipping and go on trips that have tips included in the set price (obviously reflects Australian culture) even  I can see the difference between pre paying tips before the service expecting preferential treatment (bribe style)  and paying tips afterwards as thankyou/acknowledgement of exceptional service already delivered.

 

(not saying everyone who pre pays tips is expecting preferential treatment, I realise many people just do it for convenience)

Unfortunately their prepaid amount for tipping is very high and NOT adjustable from their set prepaid amount ($280)

[Canal archive]

Tipping is very subjective, in some parts accepted as a norm in others frowned on and others flatly refused. When Scenic first introduced included tipping the company actively discouraged tips for perceived extra special service as in their minds tipping meant that all members including unseen crew were also included in the largess, and I don’t think anyone would argue with that (i.e. unseen catering staff, marine crew etc.) but now there is no problem if you have over and above service a discreet extra is okay.
Unless your used to it the main tipping in the U.K. is a - Service Charge - or if you pay by card on a machine check with your server if they get the tips if they do add it on if they don’t cash in hand is better.

[PlatinumMan]

1 hour ago, CDNPolar said:

 

This has been discussed on CC for ever about tipping on Viking.  Some countries that Viking sells to include grats and some don't - like Canada and USA.  We (CAN and USA) either pre-pay or are charged when we disembark to which we have full control if we pay what is charged (suggested) or we can increase, decrease, or remove completely.

 

It has also been discussed how these tips/gratuities are distributed to the crew and this is a mystery.  I have emailed Viking to get a phone call back and a very vague generic answer with giving me no more knowledge than I had before asking.

 

Never would I assume that paying in advance would get us a "badge" on our profile once boarding the ship so that the crew would give us better service.  Viking service, in our eyes, is one of the main reasons that we keep going back.  Viking service in our eyes is amazing with or without the gratuity.

 

Now some will come and say that this practice is a "bribe" but from our standpoint it is not.  If a serving team in the dining room is exceptional, we ask for them night after night.  We will pass a gratuity in cash to each member of the serving team.  This is as a thank you, not a bribe.  Notice that I say when we find they are exceptional we pass a tip... not before to get exceptional service, but when we experience great service we give something.

 

On our last Viking Rver cruise, the very first night we loved the serving team of 3 where we sat in the dining room.  This team on the second night automatically brought me a San Pellegrino water without asking.  The second morning for breakfast the server brought decaf coffee without asking because they remembered from the first morning.  These are the type of crew servers that we consider passing a gratuity to directly, but usually near the end of the cruise because we are not doing this as a bribe.  These are the type of crew members that do go above and beyond because they just turned over a ship of 180 people and they remember my preference the second time they see me.  To us this is exceeds expectations service. 

Again, we tried different sections of restaurant and aquavit. It was no different.  Same servers were 50/50 if ever came back to refill water, much less any other drinks.One night was so bad we left the Aquafit to get reseated in the restaurant. The Matre De took care of us that evening, and I explained what had been happening. We received no apology, but finally got water refills for dinner. I researched for weeks before the cruise and found none of these discussions you profess to be on these forums. Maybe you read every thread, but if, like thus one, it goes off topic, then it is not searchable beyond the thread title. Or maybe this was long ago and locked from searching. Please provide links to these "talked about forever" posts, because I could not find them. Or don't,  since due to our poor experience on viking's bus tours with a luggage boat, we will never use them again.

[CDNPolar]

5 minutes ago, PlatinumMan said:

Again, we tried different sections of restaurant and aquavit. It was no different.  Same servers were 50/50 if ever came back to refill water, much less any other drinks.One night was so bad we left the Aquafit to get reseated in the restaurant. The Matre De took care of us that evening, and I explained what had been happening. We received no apology, but finally got water refills for dinner. I researched for weeks before the cruise and found none of these discussions you profess to be on these forums. Maybe you read every thread, but if, like thus one, it goes off topic, then it is not searchable beyond the thread title. Or maybe this was long ago and locked from searching. Please provide links to these "talked about forever" posts, because I could not find them. Or don't,  since due to our poor experience on viking's bus tours with a luggage boat, we will never use them again.

The Aquavit Terrace is serviced - generally - by ONE server only.  The dining room is 2 or 3 servers per table.  2 servers + one that does drinks/water/wine.  This is when it is only the inside portion. We have never sat in the Aquavit when the outdoor portion is open.

 

If you are in the Aquavit Terrace, our experience is that the service is slower because you are being looked after by only one crew and they are doing the stairs.

 

I would expect that you were experiencing a new crew or a poorly managed serving crew, which has never been our experience now with 10 Viking Cruises.  I am not making excuses as I would not accept your perceived service level either.

 

Do you want discussion threads on "Tipping" or "Gratuities" or on service levels?

[Kristelle]

I don't think anyone is objecting to your report of poor service.

 

Although it isn't the experience others have reported. 

 

the pushback was more to the expectation that you would receive preferential or superior service than other guests  because you pre paid gratuities.