Is auto tipping hurting service????

[LounVal]

I have noticed lately more people commenting that they are not receiving the service they once had from either their cabin stewards or dining room waiters or sometimes both. We just got off the Glory and our dining room waiter was pretty bad. I'm wondering if because the staff knows they are getting automatic tips their service is not what it was when they had people giving tips voluntarily.

This observation comes from various cruise company boards who use auto tipping, not just CCL.

Maybe something the cruise lines who use auto tipping may want to examine.

[redlef]

I have noticed lately more people commenting that they are not receiving the service they once had from either their cabin stewards or dining room waiters or sometimes both. We just got off the Glory and our dining room waiter was pretty bad. I'm wondering if because the staff knows they are getting automatic tips their service is not what it was when they had people giving tips voluntarily.

This observation comes from various cruise company boards who use auto tipping, not just CCL.

Maybe something the cruise lines who use auto tipping may want to examine.

 

I consider the auto-tip part of my cruise fare. As far as I'm concerned, it's not a tip that I expect acknowldedged in any way from the staff.

 

I always cash tip in the dining room, bars, cocktail waiters/waitresses and room stewards/asst. stewards, and I cash tip on the first night, and usually a smaller tip every other night. A dollar a drink for bar & cocktail staff. Never felt like I had a problem with service.

[momofzeke]

Hasn't auto-tipping been in place for quite a while on Carnival? I know it was in place in 2004, because that was our first cruise and the auto-tips were added.

 

We had fantastic service on our cruise in 2004 and in 2006. We had very good service in 2008. I think it depends more on the "luck of the draw" than anything else. Sometimes you get a wait staff and cabin steward that are exceptionally personable, fun and efficient. Other times, you may get a person that is more reserved ~ still very efficient but not as fun. That was the case on our last cruise.....the service was very good but we didn't interact much with our servers because they were more quiet.

 

I know there are staff that are less than satisfactory, but lucky for us, we have not had that happen.

 

So, I don't believe auto-tips have anything to do with the quality of service you get......I think it's just a matter of which type of staff you happen to be assigned. Some are better, some worse.

[PaulMedik]

I have noticed lately more people commenting that they are not receiving the service they once had from either their cabin stewards or dining room waiters or sometimes both. We just got off the Glory and our dining room waiter was pretty bad. I'm wondering if because the staff knows they are getting automatic tips their service is not what it was when they had people giving tips voluntarily.

This observation comes from various cruise company boards who use auto tipping, not just CCL.

Maybe something the cruise lines who use auto tipping may want to examine.

 

 

LounVal,

 

Overall service was better prior to auto tips. The difference I see, and don't see people talk about, is the apparent health of the staff now compared to years ago. Given the fact that most people wouldn't tip if simply given the option, I'd prefer the auto tips remain as they are now. If auto tips have improved the health of the overall staff, I'd like to see them stay for that reason as well.

 

I have also recently had stewards and wait staff who were comparable to staff from the 'envelope' days of tipping.

 

If I experience bad service on board today, I will and have adjusted the auto tips for that person. I've only had to do it once and hope I never feel the need to do so again. On that particular cruise we also noticed a Lido deck staff person who was far superior to any of her coworkers, and we also saw her boss chewing her out for no reason. We filled out comment cards mentioning her by name and her boss as well. We also very generously tipped her directly via envelope; she deserved it.

[beach410]

I have never been disatisfied with our service. I have never had to tip my cabin steward in the beginning of the cruise to keep ice in our cooler, I of course add extra tips to those I feel gave exceptional service, the wait staff and the cabin stewards.

[BullDogChief]

Not sure what all the complaining is about, we have never experienced bad service...in fact on Victory in '06 and Liberty last year the service was just as impeccable as it was on Inspiration before auto-tipping came about (and we have never tipped extra on the first day...we do however, tip extra at the end of the cruise and still have not experienced bad service from anyone)...going on Glory this October and I expect the service will be just as good as it was on prior ships...

 

...this is merely an opinion here so flaming will be unnecessary and silly but, maybe poor service could be related to the attitude of the cruiser??? Just an opinion...

[UpstateCruizer]

I have noticed lately more people commenting that they are not receiving the service they once had from either their cabin stewards or dining room waiters or sometimes both. We just got off the Glory and our dining room waiter was pretty bad. I'm wondering if because the staff knows they are getting automatic tips their service is not what it was when they had people giving tips voluntarily.

This observation comes from various cruise company boards who use auto tipping, not just CCL.

Maybe something the cruise lines who use auto tipping may want to examine.

 

When you say that your waiter was pretty bad can you give some examples? How did you handle the situation?

When we traveled on the Valor this past summer we had our first negative experience with the head waiter. My dh is a pretty tolerant easy going man but when he had to ask 3 times for coffee and the head waiter blew him off he had enough. On our way out of the dining room that night my dh approached the Maitre'D and explained to him that our head waiter was less than satisfactory and why. He thanked my dh and said he would take care of it. He was also going to follow up with us the next night to make sure everything improved. We sat down to dinner the next night and our wait team both apologized and offered us a bottle of wine or champagne. We declined both as the point of my dh's complaint wasn't to get something but to fix something. Our service was significantly improved from that point forward. Vinnie our head waiter had no problem bringing my dh coffee instead of delegating that to his assistant who was busy running to the galley. The only disappointment was that the Maitre'D never followed up as he stated he would. Perhaps he figured my dh would approach him again if the problem persisted.

There are times you really need to speak up and address the situation if you want improvement :)

[caribbean dreams]

I don't think the auto tip has to do with the service, they don't even know if you have auto tipped or are depending on your cash tip at the end of the cruise.

[morganboys]

I'll probably stir the pot on my comment but here goes. Personally I don't like the auto tipping. I like to give the tip my self. If my people take good care of my then I take care of them. It is because all the cheap people who don't leave a tip or leave very little tip. If everyone would give a sufficient tip when deserved then the cruise lines would never have went this direction. There is always one in every crowd that has to ruin it for the rest of us. However I would agree that service will most likelygo down to do this. If one is only going to get the minimum then they will most likely only give the mininum.

[ccartman2]

I don't mind the auto tip. Plus I think you have the option of pulling those tips back (but I wouldn't dream of doing that). Maybe what has hurt more is people see the auto tip and don't bother taking extra care of those who do an outstanding job. My last two room stewards I have given extra too because they just did that good of a job. I've also done the same for dining staff and bartenders. Still, I don't recall ever having bad service at the time of the cruise. Looking back, I would say my steward on the Imagination was terrible now, but then I didn't know any better. :) Maybe my last two have me spoiled.

[G'ma]

I have noticed lately more people commenting that they are not receiving the service they once had from either their cabin stewards or dining room waiters or sometimes both. We just got off the Glory and our dining room waiter was pretty bad. I'm wondering if because the staff knows they are getting automatic tips their service is not what it was when they had people giving tips voluntarily.

This observation comes from various cruise company boards who use auto tipping, not just CCL.

Maybe something the cruise lines who use auto tipping may want to examine.

 

That's not been my experience.

 

I think if service is suffering at all (and I've not seen it), it's due to cutbacks in staffing on many ships. Wait staff have more tables, cabin stewards have more cabins.

 

In addition, I find that usually you get what you give. A smile, a "hi" or good evening, a pleasant voice can melt the most stressed person......

[pe4all]

We tip extra (cash) when deserved - which is often when we vacation/cruise. Any time I don't have to cook, serve, clean up dishes, make beds, keep the house clean , etc. is more time for me to relax and enjoy my vacation. I have never adjusted an auto-tip yet. On our last cruise, the assistant server at our dining room table was overwhelmed. The head waiter (hi Vitor!) went above and beyond to try to make up for the other's shortcomings. I didn't remove tips from the "new guy" - but I did give Vitor an extra tip at the end, as he was really killing himself on that floor. I hope Carnival doesn't remove the auto-tips, as I really think most people will not tip at all. And I don't think it affects service. All workers are not created equal - sometimes you just get those that coast, and sometimes you get top-notch!

[Kurbanfan]

Sure the auto tips can make or break service......

[Cruise Organizer]

I do not mind the auto tips - they are low. I had always given more and I still give extra at the end of the cruise. I have always had excellent service and that was the case last month.

Now the servers have a chance to exceed the auto tip and for me, they have always achieved it. Maybe since they can count on a certain amount and not worry about being stiffed, they work harder. The auto tip is a minimum - much less than any restaurant would get.

[Kurbanfan]

The auto tips are all that is expected........whether people think it is a minimum or not........

Just want to make sure the newbies know this;)

[tedjazz]

In my Opinion, Auto Tipping is no longer the proper terminology, it should be just be called adequate income not otherwise provided by the Cruiseline (money given for just showing up), because I think that is how it is now viewed by passengers and service crew. I think given what I just said the standard expectation is to give more, much more, on top of the Auto Tip (that is now the real Tip), which may or may not be deserved but nonetheless has become the standard.

I have not changed my view of Tipping from the begining and that is, I personally will let the Service received by me and those in my party dictate how much gets Tipped and who gets the Tips.

I learned from my grandmother who was a waitress for more than 40 years that standard services gets little or nothing, going above and beyond is where the money goes. Rewarding good service will get you better service, rewarding mediocre/poor service will get you more mediocre/poor service.

[metman146360]

When you say that your waiter was pretty bad can you give some examples? How did you handle the situation?

When we traveled on the Valor this past summer we had our first negative experience with the head waiter. My dh is a pretty tolerant easy going man but when he had to ask 3 times for coffee and the head waiter blew him off he had enough. On our way out of the dining room that night my dh approached the Maitre'D and explained to him that our head waiter was less than satisfactory and why. He thanked my dh and said he would take care of it. He was also going to follow up with us the next night to make sure everything improved. We sat down to dinner the next night and our wait team both apologized and offered us a bottle of wine or champagne. We declined both as the point of my dh's complaint wasn't to get something but to fix something. Our service was significantly improved from that point forward. Vinnie our head waiter had no problem bringing my dh coffee instead of delegating that to his assistant who was busy running to the galley. The only disappointment was that the Maitre'D never followed up as he stated he would. Perhaps he figured my dh would approach him again if the problem persisted.

There are times you really need to speak up and address the situation if you want improvement :)

 

Sounds like your situation was handled perfectly. Perhaps Vinnie was normally a very good worker. He obviously took more liberty than he should have. Maybe he was just having a bad day or a bad hour. Which one of us has not had a bad day that did not somehow affect our job performance? To Vinnies credit he was correctable. And it sounds like you folks handled it perfectly.

 

Brad

[caribbean dreams]

I have noticed lately more people commenting that they are not receiving the service they once had from either their cabin stewards or dining room waiters or sometimes both. .

 

I have personally never had a bad cabin Steward, they have all been outstanding!

Dining room waiters........My last 4 cruises have been really bad, In some of those cases, i don't think it was the waiters personal fault, a few times they could not find their assistant and had to serve and pick up plates at all the tables, one time our waiter was also given a large wedding party to serve, besides his regular tables, i heard the Maidre'd tell him to give the wedding party priority service, our service was really bad that night, we ended up stopping other waiters for drinks, bread, dessert but i don't think it was our waiters fault that night. I think they need a little extra help in the dinning rooms.

[NCTribeFan]

Well, I think that's horse hockey. Make or break service? :rolleyes:

 

I have seen zero change in the level of service since the auto tips have started.

 

Unless people sail monthly, does anyone really think that their once-a-year (or twice a year, or once every two years) sample size means that whatever service they received can be extrapolated across all those thousands of people who cruise?

 

Seriously?

 

And who cares if someone comes here and complains in their cruise review that the didn't see their steward until <gasp> the 2nd day! OMG! How dare they!

 

As usual, it's all about perception and expectations.

 

I don't care if I never meet my cabin steward as long as my cabin is cleaned, towels and changed and I have ice 2x a day! But then, I don't expect my cabin steward to be my personal servant for the week.

 

And I personally think the dining room service is every bit as good, if not better, than it's ever been.

 

I hate having people grovelling around just to get the tips they have already earned. Many people like that, apparently. Must make then feel important. I just don't get it.

 

To me, truly good service is service that is as unintrusive as possible while getting the job done in a timely manner. That's how I like it and, for the most part, that's what I get on my cruises.

[Kurbanfan]

In my Opinion, Auto Tipping is no longer the proper terminology, it should be just be called adequate income not otherwise provided by the Cruiseline (money given for just showing up), because I think that is how it is now viewed by passengers and service crew. I think given what I just said the standard expectation is to give more, much more, on top of the Auto Tip (that is now the real Tip), which may or may not be deserved but nonetheless has become the standard.

 

I disagree.......auto tips are tips......

 

Well, I think that's horse hockey. Make or break service? :rolleyes:

 

I have seen zero change in the level of service since the auto tips have started.

 

Unless people sail monthly, does anyone really think that their once-a-year (or twice a year, or once every two years) sample size means that whatever service they received can be extrapolated across all those thousands of people who cruise?

 

Seriously?

 

And who cares if someone comes here and complains in their cruise review that the didn't see their steward until <gasp> the 2nd day! OMG! How dare they!

 

As usual, it's all about perception and expectations.

 

I don't care if I never meet my cabin steward as long as my cabin is cleaned, towels and changed and I have ice 2x a day! But then, I don't expect my cabin steward to be my personal servant for the week.

 

And I personally think the dining room service is every bit as good, if not better, than it's ever been.

 

I hate having people grovelling around just to get the tips they have already earned. Many people like that, apparently. Must make then feel important. I just don't get it.

 

To me, truly good service is service that is as unintrusive as possible while getting the job done in a timely manner. That's how I like it and, for the most part, that's what I get on my cruises.

 

So your opinion is.....no:rolleyes:

[Razorbakfan]

We just debarked from the Imagination this past weekend and our service levels were above average.

 

It is obvious that the wait staff have more tables and the assistant waiter was rarely seen. But, our service was top notch, and our waiter was on the ball as usual.

 

The cabin steward did his introduction and we spoke for a while but I never saw him again after that. However our stateroom was always sparkling.

 

So I guess it is the luck of the draw as someone mentioned. We do tip additionally when we feel the situation calls for it.

 

Bottom line....I see more work on the team, but don't see a difference pre versus post auto tipping.

[metman146360]

In my Opinion, Auto Tipping is no longer the proper terminology, it should be just be called adequate income not otherwise provided by the Cruiseline (money given for just showing up), because I think that is how it is now viewed by passengers and service crew. I think given what I just said the standard expectation is to give more, much more, on top of the Auto Tip (that is now the real Tip), which may or may not be deserved but nonetheless has become the standard.

I have not changed my view of Tipping from the begining and that is, I personally will let the Service received by me and those in my party dictate how much gets Tipped and who gets the Tips.

I learned from my grandmother who was a waitress for more than 40 years that standard services gets little or nothing, going above and beyond is where the money goes. Rewarding good service will get you better service, rewarding mediocre/poor service will get you more mediocre/poor service.

 

Can't believe this but I agree with you. :eek:

 

What really needs to happen is the cruise lines need to pay their employees adequate wages in the first place. If the staff believes these to be good wages as compared to their homeland opportunities then so be it. And tips need to get back to being for "above and beyond" type of service. I for one would still have no problem giving generous tips for the outstanding service I have already experienced. And I know that the price of cruises would go up...

 

...But the cruise lines ARE getting the best deal right now by offering us near FREE cruises on the backs of their third world employees making insultingly low wages.

 

hmmm, :confused:

 

...starting to wonder if I should cancel my next cruise in protest...:eek:

 

 

Brad

[bfkkbc]

To everyone who leaves "a little" extra do you mind me asking what that amount is??? Do you do it daily or at the end of the week? Thanks!!:):o

[metman146360]

To everyone who leaves "a little" extra do you mind me asking what that amount is??? Do you do it daily or at the end of the week? Thanks!!:):o

 

In all honesty and in my humble opinion, you just need to decide for yourself what the service you recieved was worth. $5, $10, $20, $40. How do you decide what to tip in a restaurant? Take a large amount of money and give what you wish to.

 

If you haven't already started the practice at the beginning of your cruise get and write down the names of your Room Steward, his/her assistant, your Waiter and Head Waiter. Then you will know them by name when you want to fill out your comment cards at the end of your cruise.

 

Just a suggestion.

 

Brad

[tedjazz]

Can't believe this but I agree with you. :eek:

Brad

 

Brad,

Gotta be careful on this agreement stuff...I don't want to lose my status as the "Most Hated Poster" for having my own Opinion, even if sometimes it is a dissenting one. ;)