Gratuity question

[tedjazz]

When in Rome, as they say.

 

Nope, I'm not from Rome, that's not a country either...try again.

[astropilot]

My answer to them. Never drop gratuities.

 

UNLESS... Bad or substandard service was rendered. I don't mind tipping for good service but I WILL NOT reward service that is not up to my standards.

 

By the same token if I receive service that I consider above and beyond, then I will tip additionally.

[waiting4acruise]

Yes, but you're in the UK where such tipping is not standard. If you do travel to the U.S. on business, I respectfully suggest that you ask your stateside business associates what their sop is.

I live in the US and I don't tip the maid staff either. Their salary should be included in the room rate.

[waiting4acruise]

The General Services Administration (GSA), the agency that sets travel policy for the U.S. Government, has established $3 per day as the amount of per diem that is to be provided for tips to hotel maids.

 

The $3 is for incidentals and not for tips.

[gottacruise@juno.com]

One reason Carnival doesn't pad the prices with tips or fuel supplements is because they pay travel agents a percentage of the price of the cruise (minus port charges and tax). This would increase what they would have to give to TA's.

[calicruise74]

[quote name='gottacruise@juno.com']One reason Carnival doesn't pad the prices with tips or fuel supplements is because they pay travel agents a percentage of the price of the cruise (minus port charges and tax). This would increase what they would have to give to TA's.[/quote]

OK, so how would that logic apply to booking with the PVP's? Not everyone uses a TA.

[sophie_lou]

In response to travelntreats' less than helpful remarks towards me, I was actually trying to be helpful to the OP and explain one of the benefits to tipping, in that it helps ensure better service. And again, I was totally being serious in that there are plenty of vacation options where tipping is never an issue. I was merely making a suggestion and participating in conversation...isn't that what these posts are for? Funny how we forget how tone can be misinterpreted in writing. Well, I hope you're not misinterpreting this tone.

[BullDogChief]

[quote name='reginar']Thanks for the quick answers , this is cruise 2 for me so I have some things to learn. Will figure out how to skimp elsewhere.:)[/quote]

Ahem...I see there has been a lot of unnecessary criticism aimed at the OP so I figured that this post was somehow overlooked by people who are a little too eager to have their say and criticize...if you read this you will see OP has already thanked everyone for their input and has decided against dropping tips...ergo no need to criticize this person any further...thank you.:)

[bigcraig]

[quote name='BullDogChief']Ahem...I see there has been a lot of unnecessary criticism aimed at the OP so I figured that this post was somehow overlooked by people who are a little too eager to have their say and criticize...if you read this you will see OP has already thanked everyone for their input and has decided against dropping tips...[U][B]ergo no need to criticize this person any further...thank you[/B][/U].:)[/quote]

That wouldn't be any fun[IMG]http://johnbridge.com/vbulletin/images/smilies/martinismiley.gif[/IMG]

[MrPete]

[quote name='waiting4acruise']I live in the US and I don't tip the maid staff either. Their salary should be included in the room rate.[/quote]

From the time I was a little kid in the 50's and 60's, whenever we went to a mountain resort where we were served hand and foot, we would get the tip envelopes from our parents and seek out those that we tipped.

That included our servers and housekeeping.

I still tip housekeeping in the hotels.

But I do wonder how many tip in the casino.

[bplazo]

The one poster might be correct that the cruisline could keep some of the tips for administration purposes. Where I currently work as a server they keep 18% of all of my credit card tips. Since so many people use credit and debit cards it is quite a bit of money.

[MadManOfBethesda]

[quote name='waiting4acruise']The $3 is for incidentals and not for tips.[/quote]

Just curious, what do think "incidentals" refers to??

Here's an idea for you: Before attempting to post information on a message board, you might actually want to - - - you know - - - research your answer so you don't post incorrect information. You look especially foolish when you attempt to contradict previously posted information that was correct to begin with!

I hope some of your other 5,989 posts actually contain correct information and not just random ramblings that have no basis in reality.

I'll try to make this simple for you: Under GSA policy incidentals [B][I][U]are[/U][/I][/B] tips. As a matter of fact, the Federal Travel Regulations specifically mention [B][I][U]tips to hotel maids[/U][/I][/B] as one of the specific uses for your $3 day allowance for incidentals.

Here's the link for you. And to make it even easier for you (because I know that is probably necessary), I direct your attention to FAQ #11.

[URL]http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?faq=yes&pageTypeId=8203&contentId=16365&contentType=GSA_OVERVIEW#11[/URL]

[Chigirlcruzin]

[quote name='gottacruise@juno.com']One reason Carnival doesn't pad the prices with tips or fuel supplements is because they pay travel agents a percentage of the price of the cruise (minus port charges and tax). This would increase what they would have to give to TA's.[/quote]

I don't buy this argument. Everybody knows there's non-commissionable fare (port fees and such) and commissionable fare. Why couldn't they just roll this into the non-commissionable fare portion? And I advocate this for the fuel surcharge only - not the tips.

[aggieastrosfan]

Now I know why I stay away from tipping threads...:eek:

[MadManOfBethesda]

[quote name='aggieastrosfan']Now I know why I stay away from tipping threads...:eek:[/quote]


It has been quite a few years since I last took a course in logic, so you'll have to explain to me how reading and posting to a thread on tipping equates to staying away from tipping threads. :D (j/k)

[katiel53]

[quote name='bplazo']The one poster might be correct that the cruisline could keep some of the tips for administration purposes. Where I currently work as a server they keep 18% of all of my credit card tips. Since so many people use credit and debit cards it is quite a bit of money.[/QUOTE]


Why do they take the 18%? Do they use that to pay your income tax? I know servers have to pay tax on money earned and when my son worked in the service industry, the hotel took the percentage to pay the income tax he needed to pay. They didn't know how much cash he made, but the credit cards were easy to figure.

Carnival doesn't keep any of the tip money for administrative purposes. It is distributed using their guidelines.

[G'ma]

[URL]http://people.howstuffworks.com/tipping2.htm[/URL]

[aggieastrosfan]

[quote name='MadManOfBethesda']It has been quite a few years since I last took a course in logic, so you'll have to explain to me how reading and posting to a thread on tipping equates to staying away from tipping threads. :D (j/k)[/QUOTE]

Hmmm, not much, huh? :o

[goodml]

[quote name='bplazo']The one poster might be correct that the cruisline could keep some of the tips for administration purposes. Where I currently work as a server they keep 18% of all of my credit card tips. Since so many people use credit and debit cards it is quite a bit of money.[/QUOTE]

Wow that's shocking. Is that a common practice in restaurants? We routinely use credit cards to pay for restaurant meals but had I known the server was losing 18% of what I intended them to get I'd make sure I had a cash with me. I've never heard this before.

[imnance]

[QUOTE]
Is that a common practice in restaurants?
[/QUOTE]

In some restaurants, yes. Although I've never heard of any taking 18% of the tip.:eek: That's crazy. Most places take 3 or 4%, the amount they're charged by the CC company for using their services. I don't know if it's legal, but I do know that it's done.

There was a time when many places didn't accept Amex or Discover because the service fee they charged was 7 or 8% of the transaction. Either they dropped their rates or places have just decided to suck up the fee.

[MadManOfBethesda]

Quote:
Originally Posted by [B]MadManOfBethesda[/B] [URL="http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=17164203#post17164203"][IMG]http://boards12.cruisecritic.com/images/buttons/viewpost.gif[/IMG][/URL]
[I]It has been quite a few years since I last took a course in logic, so you'll have to explain to me how reading and posting to a thread on tipping equates to staying away from tipping threads. :D (j/k)[/I]


[quote name='aggieastrosfan']Hmmm, not much, huh? :o[/quote]

Hey, I can relate. I want to scream and then bang my head against a wall everytime I see YET ANOTHER fuel surcharge thread. But does that stop me from clicking on the link?


Noooooooooooo.

So no need to feel embarrassed about getting caught on yet another tipping thread. :D

[dan40]

In regard to cruiselines holding back money on credit card tips. I don't see it as a hold back. If the line has a 3% discount rate on credit cards [probably less] and the TIP bill is $100. If they pass $97 to the server, the line held back nothing, because they only receive $97. from the bank. In deference to Steveaaaa, those using cash or travelers checks for their S&S would not have the 3% discount.

The restaurant that holds back 18% is simply robbing its workers. I'll go out on a limb and say there is NO restaurant in the US that has an 18% discount rate from the credit card companies. That discount rate would preclude any profitability with cc use. Remember the cc co. discounts the entire non tax total of the bill, not just the tip portion.

Dan

[MadManOfBethesda]

[quote name='dan40']
The restaurant that holds back 18% is simply robbing its workers.
Dan[/quote]

Many restaurants require that the waitstaff tip out the bartenders and the busboys. That may be where the 18% is going. Another possibility is that part or all of the 18% is merely being withheld for income taxes. I have a hard time believing that the restaurant is in fact just unilaterally keeping the 18% as some sort of administrative overhead charge. Perhaps the restaurant worker who posted that comment will come back to clarify.

[Hebejeebe]

[quote name='bplazo']The one poster might be correct that the cruisline could keep some of the tips for administration purposes. Where I currently work as a server they keep 18% of all of my credit card tips. Since so many people use credit and debit cards it is quite a bit of money.[/quote]


The restaurant should withhold some of your tip money for income tax purposes. Could you be confusing an administrative charge with withholding?

[dan40]

[quote name='MadManOfBethesda']Many restaurants require that the waitstaff tip out the bartenders and the busboys. That may be where the 18% is going. Another possibility is that part or all of the 18% is merely being withheld for income taxes. I have a hard time believing that the restaurant is in fact just unilaterally keeping the 18% as some sort of administrative overhead charge. Perhaps the restaurant worker who posted that comment will come back to clarify.[/quote]

Quote
The one poster might be correct that the cruisline could keep some of the tips for administration purposes. Where I currently work as a server they keep [U][I][B]18% of all of my credit card tips[/B][/I][/U]. Since so many people use credit and debit cards it is quite a bit of money.
__________________
Brenda
end quote

She said credit card tips, if it were for taxes or tip sharing, wouldn't it be 18% of all tips?

Dan