CC article about removing auto tips

[ZoneHPH]

When asked about NCLA, I was told that information would not be divulged to me.

 

Gotta love how that works out! :mad:

[njhorseman]

This leads me to the obvious (to me) question that nobody's asked yet:

 

How much of the $12/pp (or whatever, depending on cruiseline) actually makes it to the staff? How much is held out by the cruiseline for "administrative costs?"

 

Sea Hound:D <-- just wondering.

 

SH ~ Hello Dear, BTW.

 

I've called NCL and asked this very question. In speaking to someone in Admin., I was told that 100% of the DSC goes to 3 service areas. 1) The Maitre 'd and they're underlings 2) the cabin stewards, and 3) to the restaurant servers.

 

100%

 

Now this is for NCL.. When asked about NCLA, I was told that information would not be divulged to me.

 

Hope that helps in your quest for an answer. ;)

 

 

Sea Hound...this has been asked and answered long ago on other threads.

 

The answers previously given are the same as AWinkler's on this thread.

[unklez]

ZoneHPH, this is not meant to be a criticism, but just an observation. You mention when a customer is "running" you around more than necessary, you make the decision they are a bad tipper and back off on your service. I admit my DW is a little high maintenance when it comes to knowing what she wants and when she wants it.

 

I generally start tipping at 20% for normal service, and go up from there because I know she can be a bit demanding. You said you can tell when a customer is a poor tipper...well I can tell when a waiter is a poor server, as well. Pre-judging a customer and backing off from giving them that little bit extra may be making your experience a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy. JMHO.

 

It doesn't pay to pre-judge people, because you will often be surprised, and in doing so, you may be cutting off your nose to spite your face. :eek: If you are disappointed sometimes, at least you can have the satisfaction that they received the best service of their lives at your table. :D Bon Appetit!

 

DT

 

I think ZoneHPH is simply saying that a guest that makes them run around a lot may not provide the best tipper value for the amount of service. For example, I'd rather run to the kitchen 2 times to earn $5 than run 20 times to earn $6.

 

You can usually know a person by the way they treat children and wait staff.

[ZoneHPH]

ZoneHPH, this is not meant to be a criticism, but just an observation. You mention when a customer is "running" you around more than necessary, you make the decision they are a bad tipper and back off on your service. I admit my DW is a little high maintenance when it comes to knowing what she wants and when she wants it.

 

I generally start tipping at 20% for normal service, and go up from there because I know she can be a bit demanding. You said you can tell when a customer is a poor tipper...well I can tell when a waiter is a poor server, as well. Pre-judging a customer and backing off from giving them that little bit extra may be making your experience a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy. JMHO.

 

It doesn't pay to pre-judge people, because you will often be surprised, and in doing so, you may be cutting off your nose to spite your face. :eek: If you are disappointed sometimes, at least you can have the satisfaction that they received the best service of their lives at your table. :D Bon Appetit!

 

DT

 

oh absolutely. i totally understand. but again, i'll just chalk it up to those who worked in the F&B industry. very difficult if one has never done so. (not saying you haven't)

 

as for your DW...i understand her type of customer...that is not the type i am talking about. to further describe may just offend many. if you have any friends who waited tables or were bartenders...ask what they say.

 

NOTE: i was waiting tables in a chain restaurant. it wasn't a country club, banquet facility, or hotel.

NOTE2: yes...great practice. start them off at 20% (or 18%)...and the rest is up to them.

[*Wink*]

oh absolutely. i totally understand. but again, i'll just chalk it up to those who worked in the F&B industry. very difficult if one has never done so. (not saying you haven't)

 

as for your DW...i understand her type of customer...that is not the type i am talking about. to further describe may just offend many. if you have any friends who waited tables or were bartenders...ask what they say.

 

NOTE: i was waiting tables in a chain restaurant. it wasn't a country club, banquet facility, or hotel.

Ahhhh... the ol' "chain restaurant" game... turns out to be a chain you want to hang yourself with when working there. lol

 

Been there, done that.

 

unklez, you wrote: "You can usually know a person by the way they treat children and wait staff."

 

That's a good measure for most.. As it so happens, I tend to trip children and laugh when they fall, but strangely enough, I treat wait staff really, really well! Go figure!

 

If anyone takes that seriously, I apologize now. :p

[ZoneHPH]

Ahhhh... the ol' "chain restaurant" game... turns out to be a chain you want to hang yourself with when working there. lol

 

Been there, done that.

 

unklez, you wrote: "You can usually know a person by the way they treat children and wait staff."

 

That's a good measure for most.. As it so happens, I tend to trip children and laugh when they fall, but strangely enough, I treat wait staff really, really well! Go figure!

 

If anyone takes that seriously, I apologize now. :p

 

ummmm...................nm. c'mon no more cheeky NCL tshirts?

[Sea Hound]

Sea Hound...this has been asked and answered long ago on other threads.

 

The answers previously given are the same as AWinkler's on this thread.

Sorry - I guess I missed those threads! (I don't read all of them)

 

SH:D

[CruisnGram]

The question in my mind is why the crew mut turn in cash tips from anyone on the list?!?!? :confused: It doesn't make sense to me. Eliminate that and you eliminate the need for the list. The crew should only be informed if the DSC is removed because of a problem, then the crew member(s) involved should be informed, of course.

 

Muder, If the DSC is removed, the staff is informed because any cash tip they receive from that person must be turned in to add into the tip pool. Remember that many people benefit from the DSC, and the behind the scenes people and the buffet workers are getting totally shafted by this person. Also, that person had numerous waiters during the week. Were each and every one of them tipped appropriately after every meal? All of those people deserve their share of whatever that person hands to every waiter, steward or food staff person on the ship. That's why the people who say that they remove the DSC because they want to give the money directly to the people who serve them are misleading themselves. It all goes into the tip pool (DSC pool) anyway.

 

So, the staff has to know who has removed the DSC so they know if they have to turn in their cash tips or not to be put into the DSC pool. If the DSC is left in place, what they are given extra is theirs to keep and doesn't need to be shared.

 

CG

[Sea Hound]

Muder, If the DSC is removed, the staff is informed because any cash tip they receive from that person must be turned in to add into the tip pool. Remember that many people benefit from the DSC, and the behind the scenes people and the buffet workers are getting totally shafted by this person. Also, that person had numerous waiters during the week. Were each and every one of them tipped appropriately after every meal? All of those people deserve their share of whatever that person hands to every waiter, steward or food staff person on the ship. That's why the people who say that they remove the DSC because they want to give the money directly to the people who serve them are misleading themselves. It all goes into the tip pool (DSC pool) anyway.

 

So, the staff has to know who has removed the DSC so they know if they have to turn in their cash tips or not to be put into the DSC pool. If the DSC is left in place, what they are given extra is theirs to keep and doesn't need to be shared.

 

CG

 

This begs another question (sorry, njhorseman, if this one has been asked and answered before): What if someone tips waitstaff all through the cruise with cash and then removes the DSC on their last night before leaving the ship? Do they go back and ask everyone who waited on that person if they were given a cash tip and how much it was and to please surrender it to the tip pool? That seems very awkward to me.

 

Sea Hound:D

[Mooder]

Muder, If the DSC is removed, the staff is informed because any cash tip they receive from that person must be turned in to add into the tip pool. Remember that many people benefit from the DSC, and the behind the scenes people and the buffet workers are getting totally shafted by this person. Also, that person had numerous waiters during the week. Were each and every one of them tipped appropriately after every meal? All of those people deserve their share of whatever that person hands to every waiter, steward or food staff person on the ship. That's why the people who say that they remove the DSC because they want to give the money directly to the people who serve them are misleading themselves. It all goes into the tip pool (DSC pool) anyway.

 

So, the staff has to know who has removed the DSC so they know if they have to turn in their cash tips or not to be put into the DSC pool. If the DSC is left in place, what they are given extra is theirs to keep and doesn't need to be shared.

 

CG

 

I understand that that's the way it works. I just don't thin it makes sense. As you point out, it thwarts the intention of the people who want to remove the DSC. It's all very circular in my view. So much easier to leave things as they are and tip anyone who goes above and beyond.

 

This begs another question (sorry, njhorseman, if this one has been asked and answered before): What if someone tips waitstaff all through the cruise with cash and then removes the DSC on their last night before leaving the ship? Do they go back and ask everyone who waited on that person if they were given a cash tip and how much it was and to please surrender it to the tip pool? That seems very awkward to me.

 

Sea Hound:D

 

It is beyond awkward. I don't see anyone's goals being effectively achieved.

Most of the time, my waiter has no idea who I am so his tip is going to stay in his pocket (where I want it).

[*Wink*]

From what I've read here from different threads (help, James) I believe that all cash tips have to be turned in daily anyway.. After the cruise is over and the accounting, they are given the cash tips back as long as the person who gave the cash didn't remove the DSC.

[Mooder]

From what I've read here from different threads (help, James) I believe that all cash tips have to be turned in daily anyway.. After the cruise is over and the accounting, they are given the cash tips back as long as the person who gave the cash didn't remove the DSC.

 

That makes some sense. But I have never been asked by anyone I was tipping who I was or what is my cabin number. :confused: It seems to me they are only going to get a percentage, but I guess they think it's worth it - and it is for the sake of those being cheated out by the removal of the DSC.

[G-Funk]

This begs another question (sorry, njhorseman, if this one has been asked and answered before): What if someone tips waitstaff all through the cruise with cash and then removes the DSC on their last night before leaving the ship? Do they go back and ask everyone who waited on that person if they were given a cash tip and how much it was and to please surrender it to the tip pool? That seems very awkward to me.

 

Sea Hound:D

 

You are exactly right and that is why the oft-stated theory of removed auto-tips meaning that all incorrect tips get added to the pool is probably incorrect. That is why a combination of some pooled tipping combined with tips for individuals who provide excellent service is much better in the long run.

[terrymtex01]

hardly a "scumbag" move.

 

They need to advise the staff which rooms have removed the SC, so that any "cash" tips can be turned in to the tip pool.

 

To me this is a good point, sjbdtz...I don't understand why it would be considered scumbag if you are strong in your conviction of not paying the DSC. If you feel it is so right to remove them, why be ashamed or frightened by having your name known to the people you are removing the money from?

We have not felt compelled to add additional tips, and to newbie cruisers would say you do not have ANY ANY ANY obligation or expectation to do so.

 

The $12/day is all you need to tip, for basic food/shelter. I understand that the cover charge at the surcharge restaurants is used partially to tip the extra staff there.

 

If you use services which don't apply to everyone (kid's club, bar, spa, casino, concierge, butler), please realize that these people are not covered by the tip pool, but in the case of the bar & spa....a gratuity is automatically added to your bill....so if you fill in the "tip" line with more, you're double-tipping them!!!!

 

The latter is an EXCELLENT point... I asked an NCL employee about adding extra to the DSC and he told me that it would only add a fraction of a penny to every ones share of the DSC for every dollar you add. He suggested that if you feel like giving extra to give it to those who specifically gave you that service which made you want to give extra.

[*Wink*]

That makes some sense....

 

LOL

 

I'm flattered. ;)

[sjbdtz]

Most of the time, my waiter has no idea who I am so his tip is going to stay in his pocket (where I want it).

 

On Princess, and I thought I heard it was starting on NCL.... they have a computer system at the entrance to the main dining rooms, where they swipe your card.

 

If you order drinks... they swipe your card.

 

If you're at a surcharge restaurant...they swipe your card.

 

 

I think there's a lot more passenger management stuff going on, than we know about too.... every time we're onboard, EVERYONE seems to know who we are....and one time we had an issue which required Klaus' attention and in his office was a bulletin board

with a list of names on it...including ours....

 

So they may well know who you are! :)

[CC Help Michell]

On Princess, and I thought I heard it was starting on NCL.... they have a computer system at the entrance to the main dining rooms, where they swipe your card.

 

If you order drinks... they swipe your card.

 

If you're at a surcharge restaurant...they swipe your card.

 

 

I think there's a lot more passenger management stuff going on, than we know about too.... every time we're onboard, EVERYONE seems to know who we are....and one time we had an issue which required Klaus' attention and in his office was a bulletin board

with a list of names on it...including ours....

 

So they may well know who you are! :)

 

On the Dawn last month they always asked for (or confirmed, if we had a reservation) our cabin number when we arrived at the restaurants. They know who you are (or at least your cabin).

[BIG_Steve]

I can't imagine why anyone would remove the automatic tip when cruising a line where this is the standard practice. Perhaps the only exception I could see is the case where someone leaves the ship early, as was the case in the cruise cited in the piece quoted above, and that is the only way to reduce the amount to account for the days missed. Other than that, if you don't want to auto-tip, then cruise a line that doesn't have that practice. Sorry...when in Rome, etc.

 

If service was bad enough, as in the cruise from Hades, I could certainly imagine it. But until then, I'll just pay the service charge.

 

We just went on our first cruise. I knew enough when we were looking at cruises to factor in a tip. That's just the way it goes with service workers. Then I found that NCL (and others) had the charge. I was happy to figure it into the total cost, and just forget it. Besides, while I'm not Diamond Jim Brady, the service charge is less than I would have tipped out of pocket. I saved money and the crew got a service fee from me. Win/Win. And when it was all said and done, I couldn't think of a single instance where any crew member made me feel less than genuinely apprecited. And I can be crabby at times!

[CruisnGram]

On Princess, and I thought I heard it was starting on NCL.... they have a computer system at the entrance to the main dining rooms, where they swipe your card.

 

If you order drinks... they swipe your card.

 

If you're at a surcharge restaurant...they swipe your card.

 

 

I think there's a lot more passenger management stuff going on, than we know about too.... every time we're onboard, EVERYONE seems to know who we are....and one time we had an issue which required Klaus' attention and in his office was a bulletin board

with a list of names on it...including ours....

 

So they may well know who you are! :)

 

You are right. On my last 2 NCL cruises (Oct. 2008 & Jan 2009) every time we went into a dining room, they asked to see our room card and they swiped it. So they definitely know who you are (or at least what cabin you are in).

 

I hope that James stops by this thread and confirms, but I was under the opinion that stewards & waiters turned in all cash tips whenever they received them. It was recorded and if the DSC remained in tact, the tips were returned in full to the person who received them.

 

CG

[CruisnGram]

This begs another question (sorry, njhorseman, if this one has been asked and answered before): What if someone tips waitstaff all through the cruise with cash and then removes the DSC on their last night before leaving the ship? Do they go back and ask everyone who waited on that person if they were given a cash tip and how much it was and to please surrender it to the tip pool? That seems very awkward to me.

 

Sea Hound:D

 

All tips are supposedly turned in throughout the cruise and recorded. If the DSC is not altered, the tips are returned.

 

CG

[CruisnGram]

That makes some sense. But I have never been asked by anyone I was tipping who I was or what is my cabin number. :confused: It seems to me they are only going to get a percentage, but I guess they think it's worth it - and it is for the sake of those being cheated out by the removal of the DSC.

 

You have to remember Muder that you are only talking about the stewards and the waiters. Of course the stewards know who you are and what cabin you are in and when you go into the dining rooms, they are now swiping your room key, so they know who you are when in the dining room too.

 

CG

 

PS: I'd love to meet up at the Swizzle Inn in Bermuda...hope we can work it out.

[sottovoce]

If service was bad enough, as in the cruise from Hades, I could certainly imagine it.

Having spent between 100 and 150 nights on four different cruise lines, one river cruise line, and one adventure travel cruise line, I simply can't imagine service ever being "bad enough." Nothing has even come remotely close in our experience.

 

And before anyone goes to the trouble of removing the automatic tip, I feel he or she should first take steps to bring whatever the alleged service problem was to the appropriate officer's attention in order to have it corrected. And the problem had better have been endemic across a wide spectrum of the ship's crew, not just an isolated incident or involving one crew member, else the person is just being spiteful.

[SaySumthing]

I find the whole debate about the DSC a little funny. To me it is SO much nicer to have it added to the account automatically, rather than having to stuff cash into envelopes like you used to do "back in the day". Even back then they knew who tipped and who didn't, just now you have to go out of your way to short the staff.

 

I also think that by adding the DSC charge also saves a lot of confusion that non-US customers may have about what is expected.

 

Although, that being said, I don't think that I would remove a DSC, even for cause. I'm a compulsive over-tipper. I still tip bad service with a fair base amount, BUT, I also don't hesitate to make liberal use of comment cards for both good and bad experiences or speak with a manager if necessary.

[hat776]

I like the idea.

I've only cruised on NCL - but if there was no DSC I refuse to believe that anyone spends their last day going round the Buffet, MDR's, Great Outdoors, Blue Lagoon then their deck to find the stewards etc etc just to tip them.

When YOU tip, I'm sure you just tip a few people and the vast majority get left out.

As I said, I've only cruised on NCL. If I had to tip myself I haven't a clue how much would be reasonable. So how much would you tip ?

I've heard of people putting $10 in the envelope on the last night.

[Medicmom]

We removed 1/2 our auto-tip on our cruise. We then took that money (plus more) and gave it to specific people who went above and beyond during our trip. We understood that in all likelyhood they wouldn't be able to keep the personal tip.... but we did it this way for 2 reasons.

1-- to let certain staff know that we had noticed how great they were.

2-- When we signed those little slips, with a tip for a specific person (their names are on the top, as they swipe their cards too) it goes on record that that person recieved a tip. (We heard from a staff person that this is kept track of).

And when we filled in the form to remove part of the auto tip, we specified we were removing it so we could tip some exceptional staff personally.