FL Tours 20% Gratuity?

[Goof]

i read in another thread that FL Tours adds a 20% Gratuity fee. I must have missed this when making our ressies for July. Nowhere on their site or my confirmation do i find that there is a 20% fee added.

Can anyone confirm this

 

[inkkognito]

Just give them a call. They have an ad here on the DIS, and there will be a toll-free number somewhere in their information. Look for a "contact us" option.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[palmtreegirl]

http://www.fltours.com/faq.htm

From the above link-

8) What is appropriate gratuity to the driver?
Most of our drives tell us they earn $10.00 from airport to resort transfers and $15.00 to cruise transfers.

 

[DebbieB]

They may add the tip when you book a full size limo. I've heard of that before.

 

[AndyN]

Hello Goof,
DebbieB is correct.
When booking your reservation for town or luxury van with FL TOURS, gratuities are left to your discretions. However, when booking for stretch limousine we’ll add a 20% gratuity. You can verify this from our online reservation page by completing the first of two pages reservation form that can also be used to get a quote. As you will find out the 20% will be added only when you select limousine.
Andy

 

[Goof]

Andy, tks for the clarification The post i saw this in did not go into detail as to whether it was a stretch or towncar. I didn't think i had seen it listed when making our ressies.

Nice to see you around the forums for a while! Stay with us as much as you can and i know that alot of posts can be responded to with the current and correct information by you.

Looking forward to seeing you in July

 

[DebbieB]

Originally posted by AndyN
Hello Goof,
DebbieB is correct.
When booking your reservation for town or luxury van with FL TOURS, gratuities are left to your discretions. However, when booking for stretch limousine we’ll add a 20% gratuity. You can verify this from our online reservation page by completing the first of two pages reservation form that can also be used to get a quote. As you will find out the 20% will be added only when you select limousine.
Andy

Andy,

Thanks for the clarification. I was wondering, when the gratuity is included do people usually tip more on top of it? I used a towncar service from my home to and from the Pittsburgh airport in December and they added a 20% gratuity automatically. When the driver who picked us up from the airport to home at the end of the trip left us off, he kind of stood around like he was expecting an additional tip. He did a good job but nothing beyond the call of duty (no extra stops or anything). The included tip was about $10.50 each way (it was broken out on the receipt), we only live about 30 min from the airport. Made me a little uncomfortable but I didn't think more on top of 20% was warranted. The driver who took us to the airport did not act this way when he dropped us off. I just wondered what you thought of it.

 

[DebbieB]

bump

 

[AndyN]

Sorry Debbie, didn’t realize till I got this reminder. The short answer is yes. It’s really up to you. Was the level of service you receive from your driver warrants to give him more gratuity than the industry standard? Has she/he gone above and beyond the call of duty?
Andy

 

[dthogue]

I just booked FL Tours for our upcoming cruise. When I went through the reservation screen I selected limo. I did not see anywhere on that screen or on my reservation that a 20% gratuity would be added. How would I have known this if the company does not tell me? If you are going to add a 20% tip or another $32.00, why doesn't it indicate that on my reservation?

Thanks,
Tammy

 

[thebets57]

I just booked a WDW trip and thought the Disney transfers were very expensive! After searching the options, I thought I'd book with Happy Limo and save $$. As it turned out, the cost posted on their website does not include tax and tip (which is automatically included). Final savings = $1!!!! It seems decieving. I think we are going to stick to the limo anyway, as at least it allows us to control exact pick-up times (we're doing land/sea), and we will have our own car vs. being shuffled into a bus with many other people. Hopefully it will be a more efficient way to go.

Does anyone know of a reputable limo company that provides a true savings after tax/tip?

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by dthogue
I just booked FL Tours for our upcoming cruise. When I went through the reservation screen I selected limo. I did not see anywhere on that screen or on my reservation that a 20% gratuity would be added. How would I have known this if the company does not tell me? If you are going to add a 20% tip or another $32.00, why doesn't it indicate that on my reservation?

Thanks,
Tammy

Did you book a limo? did you read this? Also, on the last page of the reservation form it says this: The above price quote is based on your transfer detail, vehicle type and number of passengers. If your transfer detail does not match the information you submit on this page, your final price may be different. Please Note: Due to the high cost of maintaining stretch limos we wish to remind our guest a 20% drivers gratuity be added in the above all limo rates. Not sure how you missed this.




Hello Goof,
DebbieB is correct.
When booking your reservation for town or luxury van with FL TOURS, gratuities are left to your discretions. However, when booking for stretch limousine we’ll add a 20% gratuity. You can verify this from our online reservation page by completing the first of two pages reservation form that can also be used to get a quote. As you will find out the 20% will be added only when you select limousine.
Andy

 

[Goof]

I agree with Gail. It is most important that you understand what you are booking. If it is a "LIMO" then you can expect to have the 20% fee added. If it is a "TOWNCAR" then no fee will be added. Understand that this will differ from company to company.

I also was confused at one point when seeing this posted on this site. Andy from FL Tours was quick to respond and clarify this for all.

 

[Aisling]

If it is a "LIMO" then you can expect to have the 20% fee added. If it is a "TOWNCAR" then no fee will be added.

Just curious, why would a gratuity be automatically added? Doesn't gratuity mean "gift" (tip)?

 

[Goof]

Due to the high cost of maintaining stretch limos we wish to remind our guest a 20% drivers gratuity be added in the above all limo rates.

The above quote is taken from FL Tours

 

[Castillo Mom]

Forgive me, but I'm still not clear on the gratuity. My confirmation states my total cost for round trip is $190. Is the 20% included in that $190 or will I have to fork over an additional $38? If it's included, then I'm only paying $5.00 more than I would have with TIffany. Either way, I don't mind, I just want courteous and prompt service and a well maintained vehicle.

 

[DebbieB]

I called around for limo companies in the Pittsburgh area to go to the airport and most added a 15% to 20% gratuity to the bill plus one had a $3 "service charge". The one I chose charged $53 plus 20% gratuity for about a 25 mile trip (each way). That was for towncar service for 2 people. They charged me upfront for both ways when I made the reservation which surprised me. The company I used previously ran the charges on the day of the trips. I only made the reservation about 5 days before so it wasn't a big deal. Our weather had been bad and I decided to do it for peace of mind (early December).

I can understand adding the tip on a big bill so that the driver doesn't get stiffed but he shouldn't expect more on top of the 20% unless there is a special service (like an extra stop or a late flight). I always thought 15% was for average service, 20% above average.

 

[married2grumpy]

Originally posted by GAIL HAYDEN
Please Note: Due to the high cost of maintaining stretch limos we wish to remind our guest a 20% drivers gratuity be added in the above all limo rates.

I don't have a problem tipping a driver 20% but I thought the tip actually went to the driver. Why should part of a drivers tip go towards "maintaining the limos"? Is that why the 20% is charged up front, so the drivers can't pocket their own tip?

 

[dthogue]

Gail Hayden - My error, I did return to the FL tours website and I now see where it states about the tip. Thanking you for helping me clarify my oversight, but I honesty did not appreciate your response "I don't see how you could miss it" - it was really uncalled for. Had it been on my confirmation, I would have picked up on it sooner.

That being said - I still don't understand what "maintaining our limo fleet" and a driver's tip have to do with each other. That statement implies that the 20% goes to the company, not the driver.

Thanks everyone for helping me clarify this. I will continue researching limo companies to get us to the port.

Tammy

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by dthogue
Gail Hayden - My error, I did return to the FL tours website and I now see where it states about the tip. Thanking you for helping me clarify my oversight, but I honesty did not appreciate your response "I don't see how you could miss it" - it was really uncalled for. Had it been on my confirmation, I would have picked up on it sooner.

That being said - I still don't understand what "maintaining our limo fleet" and a driver's tip have to do with each other. That statement implies that the 20% goes to the company, not the driver.

Thanks everyone for helping me clarify this. I will continue researching limo companies to get us to the port.

Tammy

Sorry about that, but, I seriously did not understand how you could have missed that.

As to why the tip goes to the company, I think I will let FL Tours answer that question.

Personally, I would opt for the towncar, it is less expensive.