Why do the changing tip policies . . .

[disneywonderfun]

by some of the "haters" out there. I have read this whole thread, which was a little redundant at times, here is what I would like to say... I think tipping stinks as a whole. Why is it, and who started it, that because you are in the "service" field you are entitled to a tip. I have worked since I was 17 years old, so-called "servicing" whichever employer I happened to be working for at the time. I was hired at a certain wage and I either said yes I will take that job at that salary or, no, I cannot make ends meet on that salary. I did my job, to the best of my ability every day, servicing my employer by completing every task I was asked to do, even it if was to go a get a cup of coffee or a lunch or to pick up dry cleaning and was never given a "tip", was never offered one, never asked for one, never even thought I deserved it, I was doing my job. The job that I had agreed to do at the salary I had agreed to do it at. I guess I am done with being TOLD to tip and how much and when and who and blah blah blah. Who decided that it was my responsibility to make up for the employer not wanting to pay a wage. Tipping, my definiition of it, is to give you a token of appreciation because I feel you have gone ABOVE AND BEYOND what you have been hired to do. No tip should be given for just doing your job. Tipping used to be a personal preference and now it has become mandatory. Kind of takes all the "personal" out of it. As for waiting in line, not waiting in line, I am on vacation, I do not want to be having a tipping discussion. Did I say, I AM ON VACATION. I don't want to do lines on vacation. I first started crusing back in 1991 and have been on over 20 cruises. In 1991, they gave you envelopes in your room on the last night of your cruise, you put cash in it (might I add, whatever you wanted not what someone told you and then charged you) gave it to the staff member, said thank you and were on your way. No waiting in lines, no adjusting, no saying I didn't like my, fill in the blank, because...

I tip because I have to not because I want to. Tipping has become an obligation and I do not like it. I am an extremely generous giver, I give to my chuch, first and foremost, I give to my family and friends, I give to all sorts of charities and if I happen to find out you are in need from an acquaintance, I may give to a friend of a friend. But it is my choice, I am not being told I have to. This isn't just about cruise ship tipping, I feel this way about all tipping. Why doesn't the cashier in the grocery store demand a tip, she has serviced me as a customer by checking out my groceries and asking me if I have found everything and if I haven't, getting someone to help me find it. I could go on and on but, I will put my soapbox away.

I await the tar and feathering......

No tar and feather, but you could have easily been in that scene from the movie Reservoir Dogs!

DWF

 

[mikesz]

DCL is just trying to make it more convenient for guests to give tips (no more long lines at guest services to get the tip vouchers ).

SueMouse always sends the spouse to wait in the guest services line...

 

[TDC Nala]

I would bet dollars to donuts that when someone removes their tips on DCL they are asked "why".

If they do ask, the guest is not required to answer. On the other hand, if there is a problem, then DCL should be told about the problem or how else can they try to fix it?

I can't see it as a major deal. If you don't want the tips charged at embarcation, then go to Guest Services and remove them. If they ask why you are removing them, say you prefer not to discuss it; if it's just that you don't like the idea of having them charged at embarcation, here's your chance to say so. If the tips were bundled into the price of the cruise there wouldn't even be any option to remove them.

 

[justmestace]

As for waiting in line, not waiting in line, I am on vacation, I do not want to be having a tipping discussion. Did I say, I AM ON VACATION. I don't want to do lines on vacation.

You don't "DO" lines, but you'll do DISNEY????


DISNEY=LINES

 

[momof2minnies]

by some of the "haters" out there. I have read this whole thread, which was a little redundant at times, here is what i would like to say... I think tipping stinks as a whole. Why is it, and who started it, that because you are in the "service" field you are entitled to a tip. I have worked since i was 17 years old, so-called "servicing" whichever employer i happened to be working for at the time. I was hired at a certain wage and i either said yes i will take that job at that salary or, no, i cannot make ends meet on that salary. I did my job, to the best of my ability every day, servicing my employer by completing every task i was asked to do, even it if was to go a get a cup of coffee or a lunch or to pick up dry cleaning and was never given a "tip", was never offered one, never asked for one, never even thought i deserved it, i was doing my job. The job that i had agreed to do at the salary i had agreed to do it at. I guess i am done with being told to tip and how much and when and who and blah blah blah. Who decided that it was my responsibility to make up for the employer not wanting to pay a wage. Tipping, my definiition of it, is to give you a token of appreciation because i feel you have gone above and beyond what you have been hired to do. No tip should be given for just doing your job. Tipping used to be a personal preference and now it has become mandatory. Kind of takes all the "personal" out of it. As for waiting in line, not waiting in line, i am on vacation, i do not want to be having a tipping discussion. Did i say, i am on vacation. I don't want to do lines on vacation. I first started crusing back in 1991 and have been on over 20 cruises. In 1991, they gave you envelopes in your room on the last night of your cruise, you put cash in it (might i add, whatever you wanted not what someone told you and then charged you) gave it to the staff member, said thank you and were on your way. No waiting in lines, no adjusting, no saying i didn't like my, fill in the blank, because...

I tip because i have to not because i want to. Tipping has become an obligation and i do not like it. I am an extremely generous giver, i give to my chuch, first and foremost, i give to my family and friends, i give to all sorts of charities and if i happen to find out you are in need from an acquaintance, i may give to a friend of a friend. But it is my choice, i am not being told i have to. This isn't just about cruise ship tipping, i feel this way about all tipping. Why doesn't the cashier in the grocery store demand a tip, she has serviced me as a customer by checking out my groceries and asking me if i have found everything and if i haven't, getting someone to help me find it. I could go on and on but, i will put my soapbox away.

I await the tar and feathering......

amen sister!!!!!!!!

 

[htmlkid]

Instead of going to guest services twice during your cruise, you can just go once at the end of cruise to remove the tips if you don't want to give them to the staff.

DCL is just trying to make it more convenient for guests to give tips (no more long lines at guest services to get the tip vouchers ). And probably to "remind" non-U.S. guests that tips are not included in the price of the cruise. The typical bills received in Europe (restaurants, hotels, etc) already include the tips, so the non-U.S. guests may not realize that they should give out separate tips to the cruise staff.

Sorry but I don't buy into the time savings. The envelopes are delivered to your stateroom with the form. You then fill it out and on your way to dinner you drop it in a box located at guest services. Its then delivered back to your room completed and ready to go. No line, no waiting, no inconvenience.

The only reason DCL emphasizes the tips so much is that they don't pay any salary to the room cleaners, and barely any salary to the servers so if they don't make a huge effort to get everyone to give.. they wouldn't have any help to keep the ships running.

Check youtube and watch some of the videos of the cramped quarters that DCL provides their staff.. not to mention 12hrs on 12 hrs off... its a modern day slave ship!!!!

 

[FJS961]

by some of the "haters" out there. I have read this whole thread, which was a little redundant at times, here is what I would like to say... I think tipping stinks as a whole. Why is it, and who started it, that because you are in the "service" field you are entitled to a tip. I have worked since I was 17 years old, so-called "servicing" whichever employer I happened to be working for at the time. I was hired at a certain wage and I either said yes I will take that job at that salary or, no, I cannot make ends meet on that salary. I did my job, to the best of my ability every day, servicing my employer by completing every task I was asked to do, even it if was to go a get a cup of coffee or a lunch or to pick up dry cleaning and was never given a "tip", was never offered one, never asked for one, never even thought I deserved it, I was doing my job. The job that I had agreed to do at the salary I had agreed to do it at. I guess I am done with being TOLD to tip and how much and when and who and blah blah blah. Who decided that it was my responsibility to make up for the employer not wanting to pay a wage. Tipping, my definiition of it, is to give you a token of appreciation because I feel you have gone ABOVE AND BEYOND what you have been hired to do. No tip should be given for just doing your job. Tipping used to be a personal preference and now it has become mandatory. Kind of takes all the "personal" out of it. As for waiting in line, not waiting in line, I am on vacation, I do not want to be having a tipping discussion. Did I say, I AM ON VACATION. I don't want to do lines on vacation. I first started crusing back in 1991 and have been on over 20 cruises. In 1991, they gave you envelopes in your room on the last night of your cruise, you put cash in it (might I add, whatever you wanted not what someone told you and then charged you) gave it to the staff member, said thank you and were on your way. No waiting in lines, no adjusting, no saying I didn't like my, fill in the blank, because...

I tip because I have to not because I want to. Tipping has become an obligation and I do not like it. I am an extremely generous giver, I give to my chuch, first and foremost, I give to my family and friends, I give to all sorts of charities and if I happen to find out you are in need from an acquaintance, I may give to a friend of a friend. But it is my choice, I am not being told I have to. This isn't just about cruise ship tipping, I feel this way about all tipping. Why doesn't the cashier in the grocery store demand a tip, she has serviced me as a customer by checking out my groceries and asking me if I have found everything and if I haven't, getting someone to help me find it. I could go on and on but, I will put my soapbox away.

I await the tar and feathering......

Amen, Amen, Amen!

 

[DynamicDisneyDuo]

The only reason DCL emphasizes the tips so much is that they don't pay any salary to the room cleaners, and barely any salary to the servers so if they don't make a huge effort to get everyone to give.. they wouldn't have any help to keep the ships running.

Check youtube and watch some of the videos of the cramped quarters that DCL provides their staff.. not to mention 12hrs on 12 hrs off... its a modern day slave ship!!!!

I have never seen any evidence they don't pay the stateroom hosts/esses but if you have some...please share. Crew quarters on just about any commercial vessel, and many military vessels, suck...it's part of the job. The hours suck...it's part of the job. Calling it a slave ship is sensationalism at its worst. They chose to take these jobs, usually because the crappy pay is far better than they could get at home. Being paid is not slavery. One of DW's co-workers won a trip on one of the Fantasy preview cruises and actually had an American server in the MDR. That means even in the US things are bad enough in some areas that cruise ship pay is better than what they can get.

 

[htmlkid]

I have never seen any evidence they don't pay the stateroom hosts/esses but if you have some...please share. Crew quarters on just about any commercial vessel, and many military vessels, suck...it's part of the job. The hours suck...it's part of the job. Calling it a slave ship is sensationalism at its worst. They chose to take these jobs, usually because the crappy pay is far better than they could get at home. Being paid is not slavery. One of DW's co-workers won a trip on one of the Fantasy preview cruises and actually had an American server in the MDR. That means even in the US things are bad enough in some areas that cruise ship pay is better than what they can get.

Ive been on multiple DCL cruises and twice asked the room attendants if they get paid or just work for tips. They stated that they just work for tips.

As for the servers... its almost a promotion to become an assistant server, then server then host cause they finally start getting paid at the lowest level (assistant server) and the pay increases accordingly.

And if you look at the suggest tipping for each of these positions you will see that for the non paid positions you are suggested to tip the highest.... as the pay increases you are asked to tip less.

 

[BriarRosie]

by some of the "haters" out there. I have read this whole thread, which was a little redundant at times, here is what I would like to say... I think tipping stinks as a whole. Why is it, and who started it, that because you are in the "service" field you are entitled to a tip. I have worked since I was 17 years old, so-called "servicing" whichever employer I happened to be working for at the time. I was hired at a certain wage and I either said yes I will take that job at that salary or, no, I cannot make ends meet on that salary. I did my job, to the best of my ability every day, servicing my employer by completing every task I was asked to do, even it if was to go a get a cup of coffee or a lunch or to pick up dry cleaning and was never given a "tip", was never offered one, never asked for one, never even thought I deserved it, I was doing my job. The job that I had agreed to do at the salary I had agreed to do it at. I guess I am done with being TOLD to tip and how much and when and who and blah blah blah. Who decided that it was my responsibility to make up for the employer not wanting to pay a wage. Tipping, my definiition of it, is to give you a token of appreciation because I feel you have gone ABOVE AND BEYOND what you have been hired to do. No tip should be given for just doing your job. Tipping used to be a personal preference and now it has become mandatory. Kind of takes all the "personal" out of it. As for waiting in line, not waiting in line, I am on vacation, I do not want to be having a tipping discussion. Did I say, I AM ON VACATION. I don't want to do lines on vacation. I first started crusing back in 1991 and have been on over 20 cruises. In 1991, they gave you envelopes in your room on the last night of your cruise, you put cash in it (might I add, whatever you wanted not what someone told you and then charged you) gave it to the staff member, said thank you and were on your way. No waiting in lines, no adjusting, no saying I didn't like my, fill in the blank, because...

I tip because I have to not because I want to. Tipping has become an obligation and I do not like it. I am an extremely generous giver, I give to my chuch, first and foremost, I give to my family and friends, I give to all sorts of charities and if I happen to find out you are in need from an acquaintance, I may give to a friend of a friend. But it is my choice, I am not being told I have to. This isn't just about cruise ship tipping, I feel this way about all tipping. Why doesn't the cashier in the grocery store demand a tip, she has serviced me as a customer by checking out my groceries and asking me if I have found everything and if I haven't, getting someone to help me find it. I could go on and on but, I will put my soapbox away.

I await the tar and feathering......

Like you, I've cruised on my own for 20 years. I can assure you that EVERY pre-boarding set of documents has always included the suggested minimum amounts per day for the cabin steward and the various dining room wait staff. Back then, we did use cash. But I like the system I have been using on DCL with the pay stubs for the envelopes. The crew doesn't have to deal with cash and has the money direct deposited into accounts they can access easier.

As for the tipping guidelines in the United States, I can't imagine how the food service industry handles things before I was born. They are allowed to get less than minimum wage because they are expected to make up the difference in tips. It's a cultural thing here, and there's really no way around it. I noticed when I ate in Europe, the prices on the menus seemed really high until I realized the money I paid in tips in the US was roughly the amount I'm paying via the menu prices. Servers there are paid a wage that includes gratuities.

So I believe Disney started the policy for auto-gratuities to cover the cultural difference of non-tipping cultures sailing with them. Other cruise lines have adopted these practices, as well. Does any of it bother me? Not at all. I believe the staff earns every tip I give them.

 

[lmhall2000]

It's fairly easy and simple..they will never salary servers because honestly....there is much greater potential to make more than any 'standard' salary would offer...they choose these jobs because 'if they're good' they will more than likely make anywhere from 50%-100% more than they would if they were salaried...

My husband and I were both servers...the checks we got from our restaurant may have paid for gas to and from but not much else...but our tips...oh me..we could make $1000 in a week working just 6 hours at night shifts and only 4-5 days a week...some weeks were much better and some were less...you take the no tippers, you take the heavy tippers...but if you're genuine and do well...it pays. I don't feel sorry for the servers, I did not feel sorry for me...I just worked my tail off and served...I was genuinely happy to serve the no tippers as I was the high tippers (now, my dh would not fit that model at all! He would have fits when he was stiffed...I just let it roll off and was thankful for the good ones) I just do not like it when someone tells me what I should tip...if you do a good job..no problems...but don't assign it to my room before I've even had a chance to see what kind of service I've had..I think that is more employee focused than customer focused....just not keen on it.

 

[RedSox68]

I have never seen any evidence they don't pay the stateroom hosts/esses but if you have some...please share. Crew quarters on just about any commercial vessel, and many military vessels, suck...it's part of the job. The hours suck...it's part of the job. Calling it a slave ship is sensationalism at its worst. They chose to take these jobs, usually because the crappy pay is far better than they could get at home. Being paid is not slavery. One of DW's co-workers won a trip on one of the Fantasy preview cruises and actually had an American server in the MDR. That means even in the US things are bad enough in some areas that cruise ship pay is better than what they can get.

This has been a well documented industry fact for YEARS. There have been several Travel Channel and History Channel shows about life aboard cruise ships, the lack of salary, the cramped quarters, the tipping, etc. A few years ago there was a newspaper article stated they get like $5/day (it may have been per week even) as a salary AND THAT IS IT.

Again, the book "Cruise Confidential" goes into that extensively. And while it is about a Carnival ship, the industry standard is pretty much the same. We, too, have had a room steward and a server over the years tell us (when asked) that they depend on the tips for their salary as they get paid pennies.