Topic: Should British pay what the Americans expect?

QUOTE:

Yes, I do know there are hundreds of people who make my stay comfortable and luxurious, but look at it from the point of view of a standard hotel. Do you tip the people who wash your linen and towels? Do you tip those who clean your room? Do you tip the person who brings your cases? Do you tip the chef? the waiters? the bartender? the receptionist? I bet with many the answer is 'no'. People who 'tip' in the hotel industry only do it the once during their entire stay!

Um, yes I would tip a waiter, the person who cleans my room and the person who brings my cases! Don't we all?

Tipping is not mandatory on RCCL/Celebrity and can asked to b removed.Considering the generous measures served on Drinks and the surroundings they are still highly competitive.It is also worth noting that Cabin prices excluding inflation are the same as they were in 1982.Because we are British it would not be proper to make us a special case when travelling on American owned ships considering the American passengers usually outnumber their British counterparts.But the final choice is yours.

QUOTE:

Um, yes I would tip a waiter, the person who cleans my room and the person who brings my cases! Don't we all?

Maybe not as much as the Americans who seem to tip left right and centre. For example I never dreamt of tipping the men who take our luggages at the dock. Someone wrote that otherwise there is the risk of your case ending up in the Atlantic Ocean instead of on the ship.
The waiter has to tip out to the kitchen staff and the steward to the house keeping as otherwise they'll be paid back somehow.
On many ships if you remove the auto tipping, the crew you tip can't keep the cash but have to put it in the pool.
What amazes me is that so many Americans say that despite paying the auto tipping they still tip individually (in which case the crew keeps the tip)

I've just returned from a cruise on one of the more premium rated lines and although the auto tip would have been $16.50 pp per day they decided that they would give a special offer of it being inclusive.

All the passengers that I spoke to (Americans and Brits included) said that they preferred the 'inclusive' system - although they knew it would be included in the initial price. Most of us still gave a, small, tip to those people that gave good service.

As I always do, I chatted to some of the staff about tips and wages - amongst other things. I used to work on the ships and we tend to talk about the differences between now and then. One of the female waiting staff said that she had been on that ship for five years and had earned enough to buy her a car and house back home in Thailand. Our cabin steward told me that he earns in excess of $40,000 per year with no holiday. Not such a bad job.

They said that they would definitely prefer the tips to be included in the passengers' fares as long as it meant that they still got their usual proportion of it. This was because they got better additional tips on the few occasions that the tips were included.

I don't know how things work on the cheaper fare ships.

[QUOTE=Castle, Sawbridgeworth;27970]..... One of the female waiting staff said that she had been on that ship for five years and had earned enough to buy her a car and house back home in Thailand. Our cabin steward told me that he earns in excess of $40,000 per year with no holiday. Not such a bad job.

They said that they would definitely prefer the tips to be included in the passengers' fares as long as it meant that they still got their usual proportion of it. This was because they got better additional tips on the few occasions that the tips were included./QUOTE]


This is really interesting because it shows that the staff are doing very well out of the current system. I don't begrudge them their financial rewards because they work long hours and spend months away from their families.

I agree with including the gratuities in the total price of a cruise but I am very much against additional tipping once this has been added because I believe that the additional tipping will eventually spiral until there will be an expectation of extra.

I would prefer to see a TOTAL cruise cost advertised with a notation that this price includes £xyz for staff gratuities.

QUOTE:

Um, yes I would tip a waiter, the person who cleans my room and the person who brings my cases! Don't we all?

Um, No.

When having this discussion with friends today and colleagues at my place of work, all said the same! I really do not know anyone who tips when they stay at a hotel. They do when out for a meal though! I recently stayed in London and not one of my party of friends left tips. Some people may leave a small tip for the bell boy (or whatever you call him/her) but I have never known anyone to tip EVERYONE that works within a hotel. I think that would be a very large exageration for anyone to claim.

I have worked in a hotel before and believe me, it happens far less than you think. Tipping just isn't the done thing for many Brits. And I do not understand why we should be 'forced' or 'persuaded' to do it, just because the Americans do!

Do we have to do everything they do?

QUOTE:

Um, No.

When having this discussion with friends today and colleagues at my place of work, all said the same! I really do not know anyone who tips when they stay at a hotel. They do when out for a meal though! I recently stayed in London and not one of my party of friends left tips. Some people may leave a small tip for the bell boy (or whatever you call him/her) but I have never known anyone to tip EVERYONE that works within a hotel. I think that would be a very large exageration for anyone to claim.

I have worked in a hotel before and believe me, it happens far less than you think. Tipping just isn't the done thing for many Brits. And I do not understand why we should be 'forced' or 'persuaded' to do it, just because the Americans do!

Do we have to do everything they do?

No of course not - I was referring to "when in Rome" etc. And when on American ships that have a tipping culture (and let's not get into a debate about where ships are registered) - they ie RCI, Celebrity are American based and they cater largely for Americans and their way of life.

I do think tipping gets out of hand sometimes though, and I would agree with other posters here that I would prefer tips to be added to the invoice. But only if nothing else was expected. Of course, Americans have that tipping culture instilled into them and would still tip over the top - and we would still end up feeling embarassed!!

[QUOTE=Castle, Sawbridgeworth;27970]..... One of the female waiting staff said that she had been on that ship for five years and had earned enough to buy her a car and house back home in Thailand. Our cabin steward told me that he earns in excess of $40,000 per year with no holiday. Not such a bad job.

They said that they would definitely prefer the tips to be included in the passengers' fares as long as it meant that they still got their usual proportion of it. This was because they got better additional tips on the few occasions that the tips were included./QUOTE]

There was a cruise line (forgot which) which didn't have auto tipping. Many of their best crew found out that they were earning much less than crew on those ships with auto tipping. They forcefully complained ........ result was auto tipping was introduced.

I just accept it, mentally add it on to the total cost of the cruise , forget the principle of it all etc etc.

It's just one thing less to worry about on the ship.

However, while service has always been very good, it was what I expected and never felt I had to tip further.

Mmmm.. Last I remember when we were in London at a hotel the bar bill contained a 15% tip charge , thankfully I noticed before I added more for good service.
When we were in Ireland the tour guide had their hand out every time you moved.

When we boarded the Golden Princess in Southampton though the ATM's issued GBP's the standard tip per person per day was in place but you do have the option of changing / removing at the pursers desk. The automatic method at least removes bringing onboard numerous cash denominations to split between folks who gave good service.
In truth, tips to crew are part of their wages and it a low percentage to what we paid for the holiday.
Even the 5 star cruises around British Isles say that tips are included but you are free to add for good service. If you disagree , do we try to lower the fare?

Curnard itself though recently built in France these days and originally a British company is owned by guess who, Carnival plc, trading as Cunard Line. All rights reserved

It really comes down to where we travel and the expectations of the public in that country. Sure, it is confusing but we are on a large Hotel on the sea. What we would do on Land.

Though I've lived in Canada many years, my roots are British Born.
Cheers

We are going on our second cruise in July, Sea Princess from San Francisco to Alaska for 10 days. Our first was in 1998 on Oriana.
According to the brochure we are looking at $10.50 pd and there are five of us so $525 or £362

I will take off the auto tipping system and pay waiter and cabin steward individually although not as much as they suggest.
As far as I am concerned it is not a service charge or a tip or wages but an extra cost that they expect to coin from the customer.
When I pay for a product I expect good service as a matter of course, if it is not provided I will complain or take my business elsewhere.
I have recently bought a new car, I was not charged a 15% service charge.
Also why is it the so called service charge / tip on P&O is a lot less at £3.10 pd.
Two years ago we had a 2 week holiday which was all-inclusive, why can the cruise industry not do this, after all there marketing pitch is always going on about what is included.
The more I think about and by the time July comes, I may not even pay anything in tips as it is discretionary. I've already paid £9000 for the product