Couple more questions... HAL's new tipping policy.

In article , Jean O'Boyle
wrote:

Jon, where are you getting the *new drink policy*? The 15% tip is
automatically added on to your bar slip each time you order a drink
as it has always been done on all ships...The rest is $10. pp per
day...

What his complaint seems to be is that with the new policy he can't
stiff the drink waiter. Also he indicates that he was not tipping $10
pp per day but only $5 pp. It is no wonder that HAL has put in place a
new tipping policy.

--
Charles

In article , Jean O'Boyle
wrote:

Jon, where are you getting the *new drink policy*? The 15% tip is
automatically added on to your bar slip each time you order a drink
as it has always been done on all ships...The rest is $10. pp per
day...

What his complaint seems to be is that with the new policy he can't
stiff the drink waiter. Also he indicates that he was not tipping $10
pp per day but only $5 pp. It is no wonder that HAL has put in place a
new tipping policy.

--
Charles

No Charles... I'm apparently dealing with individuals like yourself who
are thick as a plank. ...Jon

No Charles... I'm apparently dealing with individuals like yourself who
are thick as a plank. ...Jon

It was changed from optional to automatic!
BILL

It was changed from optional to automatic!
BILL

Johnny: I've never been on a 10 dayer, only 7 day cruises. We always
tipped the recommended amount, plus a little more if we felt someone
deserved more. If memory serves me correctly, recommended tips we $3.50
pp per day for our waiter, $1.75 pp per day for the waiter's assistant,
$3.50 pp per day for our cabin steward ( I could be wrong, bad memory -
point is we tipped the recommended and maybe a little more, sometimes).
That added up to $8.75 pp per day, and whatever little else we chose to add.
Plus, every cruise I've been on has had a 15% tip added to drinks. I don't
see why you think we tipped $400 or $500 (I guess that translated to $280 -
$350 for a 7 day cruises) - didn't even come close.

So, the $10 per day automatic charge now being used by the industry is just
about what we used to give. Considering inflation (we've been cruising for
a few years), I don't think $10 is out of line. HAL told us, in fact, that
the old recommended amounts were still being given to the same crew, with
the extra buck or so divided between the rest of the crew who are never
seen. The little extra we gave this last cruise certainly didn't add up to
the amount you've described, but it did allow us to shake the hand of some
real nice crew members and thank them for taking good care of us. I enjoyed
that.

Al



wrote in message
...
Al... Every previous post that I have read from 7-10 day HAL cruisers
has implied they basically tipped about the same amount: 50 bucks
Steward; 50 bucks Waiter; plus a few 20s here and there.
...So someone jumps from this rate (for 2) to 200 bucks per couple --
10 day cruise; plus perhaps 100 bucks (bare minimum) for the new drink
tip policy.

...So you're telling me that for a ten day cruise you've "previously"
tipped 4 or 5 hundred bucks (including the extras you now give)??
...I think not. ---But unless my math is incorrect, that's what
you'll be tipping from now on. ...Jon

Al... I have a feeling that your waiter/steward etc. will still be
expecting his 3.50 pp per day, in spite of your being docked the 10
bucks per day on your bill. ...This was the point I was trying to make.
....Unless the tip is "personally" given, it doesn't mean crap. If you
go up to your steward or waiter on the last day and say: you sure did a
nice job, and give him nothing in compensation, not only will you feel
uncomfortable, but he will feel like you just short-changed him.
...Being required to pay this 10 buck per day "service" charge is not
the same as personally giving money to the individual via your own free
will. ...The cruise lines is well aware of this psychological tactic;
hence, you'll ultimately end up paying more -- that is if you're the
happy, generous cruiser that HAL is "expecting" ..Errr, banking on,
you'll be. ...Jon

Al... I have a feeling that your waiter/steward etc. will still be
expecting his 3.50 pp per day, in spite of your being docked the 10
bucks per day on your bill. ...This was the point I was trying to make.
....Unless the tip is "personally" given, it doesn't mean crap. If you
go up to your steward or waiter on the last day and say: you sure did a
nice job, and give him nothing in compensation, not only will you feel
uncomfortable, but he will feel like you just short-changed him.
...Being required to pay this 10 buck per day "service" charge is not
the same as personally giving money to the individual via your own free
will. ...The cruise lines is well aware of this psychological tactic;
hence, you'll ultimately end up paying more -- that is if you're the
happy, generous cruiser that HAL is "expecting" ..Errr, banking on,
you'll be. ...Jon

Perhaps we can all present empty gift envelopes telling the person just what
we gave the cruise line to distribute to them ;o)
As with all "taxes", once it goes into the pot & gets distributed, someone
is going to get shortchanged. (cabin steward, waiter, assis. waiter) I'll
bet the head waiters, chief housekeepers have a big smile on their faces
these days.

wrote in message
...
Al... I have a feeling that your waiter/steward etc. will still be
expecting his 3.50 pp per day, in spite of your being docked the 10
bucks per day on your bill. ...This was the point I was trying to make.
...Unless the tip is "personally" given, it doesn't mean crap. If you
go up to your steward or waiter on the last day and say: you sure did a
nice job, and give him nothing in compensation, not only will you feel
uncomfortable, but he will feel like you just short-changed him.
..Being required to pay this 10 buck per day "service" charge is not
the same as personally giving money to the individual via your own free
will. ...The cruise lines is well aware of this psychological tactic;
hence, you'll ultimately end up paying more -- that is if you're the
happy, generous cruiser that HAL is "expecting" ..Errr, banking on,
you'll be. ...Jon