Removing Gratuities Onboard at Guest Services

[The Sunset Glow]

3 minutes ago, neverbeenhere said:

Hey, we've still got the One Cent Coin. We'll catch up someday...

 

And you still have $1 bills too - which I'm actually happy about because we use them for tips on board☺️. Can't imagine carrying around a bunch of Loonies and Twoonies for tipping😜

[Charles4515]

49 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

I haven’t read posts since page 1, but I wanted to add that one time we gave our room steward a nice tip ON DAY 1 of the cruise and added that there would be more at the end, and she never came back after that day. We had someone else for the balance of the cruise.
We never have removed gratuities and don’t ever plan to, but we only give extra tips on the last day now.

I don’t tip the servers in advance but I have had 3 or 4 who disappeared before the end of the cruise. 

[Charles4515]

46 minutes ago, The Sunset Glow said:

 

And you still have $1 bills too - which I'm actually happy about because we use them for tips on board☺️. Can't imagine carrying around a bunch of Loonies and Twoonies for tipping😜

I do carry $1 bills to have cash to tip for the complimentary Diamond Plus drinks. 

[sunlover12]

3 hours ago, The Sunset Glow said:

 

In Canada your credit and debit cards never leave your sight - the machine comes to you. I can't remember the last time someone took my card and walked away to a machine to run the payment through - at least 10-15 years. We've had chips in our cards for about 15 years too, where we just tap or put a PIN in the machine. I think the chip & PIN is just becoming popular there over the last few years.

 

We also very rarely use personal checks in Canada (they are never used in a store and mostly used as a void check to get banking info to a company) but they are still popular in the US for everyday purchases. And we us e-transfers through our banks to send people money - I don't think you have that there either and have to use a third party like Venmo to send money?

 

I honestly can't believe how far behind the US is on this banking stuff. I mean it's such a large country with the biggest economy in the world - how are they not keeping up with the rest of the developed world on banking technology?

I rarely write checks anymore.  People here don't use them for everyday purchases.  Target no longer accepts checks.  It's getting more common now to see "cards only" in restaurant windows.  In the last couple of months I've been to two restaurants who have brought hand-held payment terminals to the table. As has been mentioned already, it would be a huge project to change out all the payment systems in every retail establishment in the largest economy in the world. 

For reference, I live in a mid-size state in the U.S. in the Great Lakes Region. 

[not-enough-cruising]

4 hours ago, footzz said:

Speaking of port fees, if you stay on the ship instead of going ashore at any given port, the cruise lines don't refund the port fees. They just keep the money. 

Port fees have nothing to do with going ashore

[not-enough-cruising]

6 minutes ago, sunlover12 said:

I rarely write checks anymore.  People here don't use them for everyday purchases.  Target no longer accepts checks.  It's getting more common now to see "cards only" in restaurant windows.  In the last couple of months I've been to two restaurants who have brought hand-held payment terminals to the table. As has been mentioned already, it would be a huge project to change out all the payment systems in every retail establishment in the largest economy in the world. 

For reference, I live in a mid-size state in the U.S. in the Great Lakes Region. 

A lot of restaurants in our area have been going to the "QR code printed on your bill" type of system.  Just scan the QR code, pay with your preferred method (Apple Pay) and leave.

[footzz]

7 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Port fees have nothing to do with going ashore

Included in port fees that also cover berthing, piloting, security etc. there are per-passenger fees, aka: (head tax). 

[ngrund]

43 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

A lot of restaurants in our area have been going to the "QR code printed on your bill" type of system.  Just scan the QR code, pay with your preferred method (Apple Pay) and leave.

Yep, I like those. In my area we have too many restaurants that add credit card fees, so we end up paying cash.

 

Maybe the gov't will soon figure out that those places are probably cheating on sales tax, etc and after a few audits the restaurants will go back to eating the credit card fee.

[miaandmum]

I removed gratuities for the first time ever on my last cruise.  Why…. because I only went to the windjammer (I didnt want to spend 3 hours in the restaurant having a 3 course meal). I never asked the stateroom attendant to go out of their way to get me anything.  I kept the room very tidy - so she would be in and out quickly (and I left her a cash tip at the end). I mainly used the freestyle machine for drinks but if I wanted an alcoholic drink and used waiter service I would tip the waiter each time.  Removing the tips doesn’t make me a bad person - if you don’t make the most of waiter service or your stateroom assistant, etc, I believe its justified.  If on my next cruise I want to be fully waited on etc I would keep the gratuities on.

[Charles4515]

2 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

A lot of restaurants in our area have been going to the "QR code printed on your bill" type of system.  Just scan the QR code, pay with your preferred method (Apple Pay) and leave.

Hmm. I have not seen that yet.

[2wheelin]

Most restaurants in our area use tablets or devices at the table. Went to a new place last week and she took our card in a folder. We kept seeing her delivering food to other patrons. Then another gal came to our table and sheepishly asked if our card had been returned. She disappeared to the kitchen and after a few minutes we approached the desk and she told us they couldn’t find our card but if we would give them our phone number, they would call IF they found it. I politely told her that would not be happening and we were not leaving until the card was returned to us. 

Owner was called but did not arrive until after we suggested they look under the dirty plates and found it. Free meal.

[mjkacmom]

19 hours ago, ReRe71 said:

Pretty much every restaurant I go to has the terminal that the server brings to you for payment (I'm in the DC/MD/VA area). So I really think it depends on the area.

I live in NJ right outside of NYC, hand over my card. I do not frequent chain restaurants at all, some places here don’t even accept credit cards. Since we can’t pump our own gas, I hand over my card immediately.

[Saab4444]

18 hours ago, footzz said:

Included in port fees that also cover berthing, piloting, security etc. there are per-passenger fees, aka: (head tax). 

The ship has to pay this per pax on board and not per people going ashore.

[footzz]

6 minutes ago, Saab4444 said:

The ship has to pay this per pax on board and not per people going ashore.

Yes, if you saw my original quote, that was exactly the point. Even if you don't go ashore, you still pay the fee. 

[Saab4444]

2 minutes ago, footzz said:

Yes, if you saw my original quote, that was exactly the point. Even if you don't go ashore, you still pay the fee. 

You said if you don‘t go ashore the Cruise Line does not refund the tax to you but keeps your money which is not correct. They still have to pay it to the port.

[cruiseboy89130]

On 8/16/2024 at 4:37 PM, Charles4515 said:

You left out that some choose to remove gratuities and pay nothing. If you believe that most who remove gratuities pay anything in cash there is a bridge in Brooklyn for sale. 
 

Also why would someone care if the crew knows they removed gratuities if they are going to pay in cash? Think about it…..

OK and now WHAT is the problem?

[Jetdriver787]

On 8/16/2024 at 3:37 PM, Charles4515 said:

You left out that some choose to remove gratuities and pay nothing. If you believe that most who remove gratuities pay anything in cash there is a bridge in Brooklyn for sale. 
 

Also why would someone care if the crew knows they removed gratuities if they are going to pay in cash? Think about it…..

This “bridge” of which you speak? Will you accept a cheque? (check)

 

Asking for a friend.

[Charles4515]

2 hours ago, cruiseboy89130 said:

OK and now WHAT is the problem?

No problem but why worry if the crew knows you took off the auto gratuities if you will pay gratuities in cash. You are paying one way or another way. No reason to ask if the crew knows. 
 

Really people should do what they feel like doing. I feel like paying gratuities, it is culturally embed in me. I prefer the auto pay method. If people want to pay with cash even if it is zero cash or more cash than suggested that that is their decision. Why worry if the crew knows? They are going to find out. 

Edited August 18 by Charles4515

[swoopy2110]

On 8/16/2024 at 4:16 PM, The Sunset Glow said:

 

In Canada your credit and debit cards never leave your sight - the machine comes to you. I can't remember the last time someone took my card and walked away to a machine to run the payment through - at least 10-15 years. We've had chips in our cards for about 15 years too, where we just tap or put a PIN in the machine. I think the chip & PIN is just becoming popular there over the last few years.

 

We also very rarely use personal checks in Canada (they are never used in a store and mostly used as a void check to get banking info to a company) but they are still popular in the US for everyday purchases. And we us e-transfers through our banks to send people money - I don't think you have that there either and have to use a third party like Venmo to send money?

 

I honestly can't believe how far behind the US is on this banking stuff. I mean it's such a large country with the biggest economy in the world - how are they not keeping up with the rest of the developed world on banking technology?

This is the way the rest of the world works too now. They bring the machine over more often than not, can add a tip on at the machine, then you just tap your card or use apple/google wallet and off you go.

 

It feels like the US system of running your card is much more "trust" based. I'd rather not have the card leave my sight (cloning) and they could charge whatever tip they want to it after I've left.

[cruiseboy89130]

9 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

They are going to find out. 

Doubt it!

[compman9]

On 8/13/2024 at 3:01 PM, TeeRick said:

Ok another tipping thread.  It is not an American custom.  Tipping is practiced world wide in many more places than not.  With some exceptions of course. The amount tipped (%) for certain services varies widely world wide and according to local custom.   In the USA, we have gone tip-wild lately since the pandemic.  And the onset of electronic checkouts everywhere that have built-in software asking you for tips with suggested amounts.  I tip for service- not for simple takeout or purchases.

 

On a cruise, daily gratuities are a baseline cost of cruising.  We do auto gratuities since it is easier.  And then tip with extra cash to those deserving.

 

This isn't true.

None of the Asian, Australasian, or European home ports are in countries where tipping is part of the culture.

 

I always pay the autograts, though.

[Charles4515]

16 minutes ago, compman9 said:

 

This isn't true.

None of the Asian, Australasian, or European home ports are in countries where tipping is part of the culture.

 

I always pay the autograts, though.

Many places don’t have tipping but a service fee is added to the bill. 

[Charles4515]

3 hours ago, cruiseboy89130 said:

Doubt it!

There has been plenty of evidence that the crew gets a  list of those who remove auto gratuities including from crew members who posted lists online. But it should not matter to those who remove them if there are lists if they do as they claim…..tip cash. 

Edited August 18 by Charles4515

[TeeRick]

My suggestion on this thread - in regard to the circulating lists.  If you are going to remove auto-gratuities and tip cash of the recommended amount instead, maybe let the relevant servers know in advance (room stewards, wait staff)?  They will still give you excellent service for your tips.    

[not-enough-cruising]

11 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

My suggestion on this thread - in regard to the circulating lists.  If you are going to remove auto-gratuities and tip cash of the recommended amount instead, maybe let the relevant servers know in advance (room stewards, wait staff)?  They will still give you excellent service for your tips.    

This discussion is part of the “meet and greet” with my room steward every trip. These discussions are where I have learned that the room steward staff MUCH prefer this arrangement.