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

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

On Mon, 2 Aug 2004 17:23:29 -0700, wrote:

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

Your math sucks. Where do you get "4 or 5 hundred bucks"?

I get $200 for staff tips and about $1 per drink.


Mason Barge

"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
-- Abraham Lincoln

On Mon, 2 Aug 2004 17:23:29 -0700, wrote:

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

Your math sucks. Where do you get "4 or 5 hundred bucks"?

I get $200 for staff tips and about $1 per drink.


Mason Barge

"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
-- Abraham Lincoln

Johnny: I'm sorry, but I still don't understand your point. I did
personally tip some crew the last day when I said thanks, I didn't
short-changed them by giving them only a "thank you." And, I did leave the
$10 per day untouched on my account. I was not "required" to pay the $10
service charge, I chose to pay it. I did not tip any more than I've done on
past cruises, it was just a bit more convenient.

Bottom line for me is I tipped no more than on past cruises. And , within
that tipping structure I was able to personally thank the crew I wanted to
thank by handing them a little cash. I guess I don't see your point.
Sorry.

Al

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

Johnny: I'm sorry, but I still don't understand your point. I did
personally tip some crew the last day when I said thanks, I didn't
short-changed them by giving them only a "thank you." And, I did leave the
$10 per day untouched on my account. I was not "required" to pay the $10
service charge, I chose to pay it. I did not tip any more than I've done on
past cruises, it was just a bit more convenient.

Bottom line for me is I tipped no more than on past cruises. And , within
that tipping structure I was able to personally thank the crew I wanted to
thank by handing them a little cash. I guess I don't see your point.
Sorry.

Al

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

Johnny: I'm sorry, but I still don't understand your point. I did
personally tip some crew the last day when I said thanks, I didn't
short-changed them by giving them only a "thank you." And, I did leave the
$10 per day untouched on my account. I was not "required" to pay the $10
service charge, I chose to pay it. I did not tip any more than I've done on
past cruises, it was just a bit more convenient.

Bottom line for me is I tipped no more than on past cruises. And , within
that tipping structure I was able to personally thank the crew I wanted to
thank by handing them a little cash. I guess I don't see your point.
Sorry.

Al

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

Al, I'm not trying to single you out. ...The whole process has been
designed by the cruise lines to maximize their intake from "everybody".
....Sure you're not required to pay the 10 bucks pp service charge, but
rest assured they'll make it so inconvenient for one to have it removed
that no one will even bother. Doesn't it strike you as odd in that you
can't have it taken off at the same time as when you register your
charge card at the beginning?
...And incidentally, may I be so bold as to ask you what sort of a tip
you gave to some of the crew at the end of the cruise? ...I'm just
thinking, if one passes an extra 5 or 10 to the room Steward, it's
almost worse than not giving anything at all. ...Jon

Al, I'm not trying to single you out. ...The whole process has been
designed by the cruise lines to maximize their intake from "everybody".
....Sure you're not required to pay the 10 bucks pp service charge, but
rest assured they'll make it so inconvenient for one to have it removed
that no one will even bother. Doesn't it strike you as odd in that you
can't have it taken off at the same time as when you register your
charge card at the beginning?
...And incidentally, may I be so bold as to ask you what sort of a tip
you gave to some of the crew at the end of the cruise? ...I'm just
thinking, if one passes an extra 5 or 10 to the room Steward, it's
almost worse than not giving anything at all. ...Jon

Jean... I was just looking at one of my HAL bar receipts from last
March. ...There is no tip added to the bill -- hidden or otherwise.
...Jon

Jean... I was just looking at one of my HAL bar receipts from last
March. ...There is no tip added to the bill -- hidden or otherwise.
...Jon