Tips,Bribes, and Stuff Like That

[OuiOnboard]

This is not correct – you can remove the auto tip percentage for room steward or wait staff (waiter or assistant). The Purser’s Desk can determine the correct amount to remove.

 

When we tried to alter the amounts of auto-tip given to each person, we were told the program was structured with set percentages and our only recourse would be to drop the program completely and tip with envelopes.

Maybe we were misinformed...perhaps the program has changed.....Oui

[MaryPoppinz]

Funduo, when we've received these items, the waiter has said something along the lines of "So-and-so has had the chef prepare you thus-and-such from the VIP menu" or the Headwaiter said "Do you like x? I'm sending something special from the VIP menu to your table tonight."

 

It has always been salads, appetizers and/or desserts. We weren't offered a paper menu. We just ordered our meals, as usual, and these things just....showed up.

 

I'm not at all surprised by the idea of a VIP menu (in fact, I'd have been very surprised if there wasn't one.)

[bdjam]

When we tried to alter the amounts of auto-tip given to each person, we were told the program was structured with set percentages and our only recourse would be to drop the program completely and tip with envelopes.

Maybe we were misinformed...perhaps the program has changed.....Oui

This is the way the program was explained to me from the start – so maybe it has changed so that you can’t do the specific percentages any longer. I don’t remove the auto tip, so I only know what I was told about the way the program worked.

[BigWheel]

How does one know the “smarmy” ones? I’ve never encountered the like on a Princess cruise.

Actually it was years ago, on a different line - starts with a "C" and rhymes with arnival.

 

The MD visited our table twice: once to pose for pictures for the ship's photographer; once on the final evening. Also, on the final evening, he made himself very prominent at the restaurant entrance.

 

It was the posing that was the worst. He didn't know our young children and we would have preferred that he not go cheek to cheek, even for a picture.

[Joedog]

I don’t think the act of extortion includes a request. Nobody is stealing anything – if one doesn’t want to be in the program a quick trip to the Purser’s Desk will facilitate being removed from it.

 

BDJAM,

 

My post was just a joke. I dont really think that auto-tipping is extortion as there is no implied (or real) threat of bad service if you dont pay it. Although I would say that auto-tipping certainly is closer to extortion than it is to bribery, for the reason stated previously.

[spongerob]

I still think the best solution is to pay the staff in the same ways that the high-end lines do, make continued employment conditional based on job performance, roll the extra costs into the fares, and make tipping entirely optional. If it costs an extra $150 per person across the board, so be it.

[Hondu]

20th cruise coming up and haven't bribed or pre-tip yet. Don't plan to anyway. The service has to be performed first before any compensation.

[bdjam]

I still think the best solution is to pay the staff in the same ways that the high-end lines do, make continued employment conditional based on job performance, roll the extra costs into the fares, and make tipping entirely optional. If it costs an extra $150 per person across the board, so be it.

I agree – that way at least the staff is assured of getting the money.

[Ethel5]

I agree – that way at least the staff is assured of getting the money.

 

Do they do this sort of thing on European cruises as the folks there are notorious non-tippers?

 

I read that on the Sea Princess which is heavily promoted in the UK, the crew is assured a certain amount due to non-tipping.

[Nrknits]

I still think the best solution is to pay the staff in the same ways that the high-end lines do, make continued employment conditional based on job performance, roll the extra costs into the fares, and make tipping entirely optional. If it costs an extra $150 per person across the board, so be it.

 

Yeah Spongrob!! I go to work everyday, give my all (and more), hmmm... no tip before or after my work is done.

Why isn't good service expected and the norm? Why do we have to pay before or after to receive what should be expected behavior? Pay a fair wage and expect a certian level of performance for it. If performace doesn't meet expectations, take care of it the same way it is taken care of for the rest of us.

I'll step down off the soapbox now.

[bdjam]

Yeah Spongrob!! I go to work everyday, give my all (and more), hmmm... no tip before or after my work is done.

Why isn't good service expected and the norm? Why do we have to pay before or after to receive what should be expected behavior? Pay a fair wage and expect a certian level of performance for it. If performace doesn't meet expectations, take care of it the same way it is taken care of for the rest of us.

I'll step down off the soapbox now.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the point of “rob’s post was that the equivalent of the auto tip should be included in the fare, thereby the passenger pays it when they buy their ticket.

The thing about the staff on Princess ships is that they are going to give you excellent service whether or not they get tipped. For that excellent service they should be tipped. Good service can be expected, but it should also be rewarded.

[Nrknits]

bdjam, I didn't disagree that it should be included in the cruise fare. I am not crazy about the idea of tipping and think that food servers and hairdresses and bellman and..... should be paid a fair wage rather than their salary being dependent on gratuitites. Why can't they receive a fair salary for the job they do, just like the rest of and still be expected to do a good job. Sure I'd have to pay a little more for the service or food or whatever. But we do anyway when we add the tip.

I agree about the Princess staff, I've always had excellent service and tipped (not "bribed") accordingly. I just am not crazy about the "tipping system' in gereral and don't understand why companies can't pay people who are "tipped" a fair salary or hourly wage like the rest of us. Good performance is rewarded with a bonus or raise, poor performance.....

[rob.potter]

I've been served, quite a few times, items from the VIP menu;

 

There is a VIP menu?

 

Rob

[OuiOnboard]

.....This is the way the program was explained to me from the start – so maybe it has changed so that you can’t do the specific percentages any longer ......

As far as I know, based on what the pursers desk told us last Dec. on CB, you can't alter the percentages paid to each employee within the auto-tip program...you either take it as is, or leave it.

.......Oui

[asctony]

There is a VIP menu?

 

Rob

After 38 Princess cruises, I have never seen a VIP menu. They must reserve or hide it for real VIPs whoever they maybe. LOL

Happy cruising!

[bdjam]

bdjam, I didn't disagree that it should be included in the cruise fare. I am not crazy about the idea of tipping and think that food servers and hairdresses and bellman and..... should be paid a fair wage rather than their salary being dependent on gratuitites. Why can't they receive a fair salary for the job they do, just like the rest of and still be expected to do a good job. Sure I'd have to pay a little more for the service or food or whatever. But we do anyway when we add the tip.

I agree about the Princess staff, I've always had excellent service and tipped (not "bribed") accordingly. I just am not crazy about the "tipping system' in gereral and don't understand why companies can't pay people who are "tipped" a fair salary or hourly wage like the rest of us. Good performance is rewarded with a bonus or raise, poor performance.....

It's the way of doing business for US based companies - and as I used to work a service job, I can tell you that my employer was willing to only pay minimum wage (the wages and the overhead for the place he was running gave him just enough income to make a living - he wasn't getting rich) and I was dependent on tips to make my working there worthwhile. There are other cruise lines for which tipping is not allowed - and their prices are markedly higher than what we're used to paying in the mass market. So it can be done - it just depends on how much one is willing to pay.

[Cruisin' Chick]

We also don't tip prior to service. But then we never really ask for any "special favors." When my hubby brought the wine -- that Princess had given us to the table -- we weren't charged a corkage fee. But I would think that's to be expected. Hubby did pass out some extra tip cash at the end of our cruise.

[idssms]

There is no printed vip menu on princess.

 

They may offer you special dishes not on the menu, ie, pad thai or nasi goreng or a philipino specialty dish but it does not exist on a menu. The sous chef is capable of virtually making any dish on the ship with advanced notice.

 

Don

[OuiOnboard]

There is no printed vip menu on princess.

 

They may offer you special dishes not on the menu, ie, pad thai or nasi goreng or a philipino specialty dish but it does not exist on a menu. The sous chef is capable of virtually making any dish on the ship with advanced notice.

Don

Does anyone know what the criteria are for being chosen to be offered these special dishes?

........Oui :)

[MaryPoppinz]

They have to like you. ;)

 

Seriously, Oui, if there's something you'd like....maybe you could just ask?

[MaryPoppinz]

There is no printed vip menu on princess.

 

All I know is that I've heard the term "VIP menu" used by headwaiters/maitre'd and by a waiter.

 

Again, why not just ask? "Hey, I've heard there are some menu items available that aren't on the scheduled menus. Could I make an arrangement for the chef to prepare something special for dinner next Thursday night?" I haven't ever tried this, but I think the crews on Princess are so accomodating even when you don't ask that they might even be moreso when you do ask. I expect you will be pleasantly surprised. And, absolutely, if you ask, THEN you must tip.

[JohnGaltny]

Okay, I'm a NooB who has read this entire thread, gotten thoroughly confused and decided to do what I would do if I stayed a week in a land resort which is as follows:

 

1) I'll leave the auto-tip on and decide whether to reduce it (but not eliminate it) based on overall service.

 

2) DAY ONE: My cabin steward gets $25.00 and the MD gets $20.00 cash.

 

3) LAST DAY: Whoever has been really good gets additional cash consistent with their service. Whoever has been ordinary gets the auto tip. Whoever has been a pain gets a note to Princess (costing exactly what it's worth -- which from what I've been reading about princess followup, is nothing).

 

I do sincerely thank everyone who has contributed information to this thread.

 

JG

[bdjam]

3) LAST DAY: Whoever has been really good gets additional cash consistent with their service. Whoever has been ordinary gets the auto tip. Whoever has been a pain gets a note to Princess (costing exactly what it's worth -- which from what I've been reading about princess followup, is nothing).

It would be interesting to know how many “pain” notes you send and what follow up you expect from Princess. And what exactly do you get from the $20 you give the Matre'd? Is this a 7-day cruise you're talking about or longer?

[OuiOnboard]

They have to like you. ;)

 

Seriously, Oui, if there's something you'd like....maybe you could just ask?

I don't have body odor :) ...and my wife is quite attractive :) ...but I can't seem to draw flies or head waiters unless it's the last few nites on the cruise, if at all. It's not that I want anything in particular, but it might be nice to be one of those who is offered these niceties. Until reading this thread, I wasn't aware such things happened...and we've completed 10 cruises with Princess.

Perhaps I should have asked my waiter to call the head waiter to our table so that I could ask him for something I didn't know existed until reading this? ;) Gee, am I wrong for wanting to be treated like a VIP like some others who paid for a cruise. In other words, why should some people have to ask, and is it possible to gain promotion to that group that don't?

Just wondering......Oui :confused: .

[MaryPoppinz]

In all truth, yes, I do think it is wrong-headed to want to be treated like a VIP just for having paid for a cruise. That is, in fact, the very problem I have with (what I think is) the smarmy practice of bribing.

 

We have never asked, so, yes...it's "possible to gain promotion to that group" without asking. Frankly, I have no idea why they do these nice little things. In my case, it's been totally random. It happened three times on one cruise -- my husband was starting to wonder if I had developed some sort of relationship with the maitre'd that he didn't know about. It's happened ZERO times on several cruises. So, for me I would have to say they do it when/if/because they feel like it. And, I honestly couldn't tell you how to influence them feeling like doing it for you.

 

Really....just go and have a terrific cruise!