"All Gratuities Included," but still encouraged to Tip?

[Amethyst]

We just returned from a 2-week all-expenses-included guided tour, where the tour director kept reminding us that although the tour company pays liberal gratuities, we were more than welcome to tip pretty much everyone "if you feel they did a great job." I could see saying this once, at the start of the tour; but he said it pretty much every day.

Quite a few other guests were handing out tips like candy to every safari guide, restaurant help, etc. etc. I felt as if I needed to do the same, or people might get the idea I wasn't thrilled with their service (I thought it was pretty good in most cases; then again, we'd never taken this kind of trip before, and had no basis for comparison). Should I have felt this way? I mean, "all gratuities included" means just that, right? Or not?

I'd like to get as many views as possible, as we are scheduled to take an "all expenses included" cruise this winter, and I want to know what to do re: extra tipping.

Thanks!

 

[Bestwifeever]

I wouldn’t tip in that case (and overtipping is my hobby). If you get a survey about the trip be sure to mention the trip leader’s excessive encouragement.

When we cruised we did tip people who took us on excursions that we booked through the cruiseline but I am pretty sure gratuities weren’t included in the pricing.

 

[Aerides]

In your case I would be annoyed, and probably say something to the tour company. The director could have at MOST said it once, but I think you were put in an unfortunate spot. Of course anyone civilized knows that they can overtip when they want to, or tip on top of a tip, but they shouldn't be reminded too, and certainly not daily.

If I've paid in advance for gratuities - yes that means all included you still pay - then I don't expect to do it for each service, that's kinda missing the point. Not just the financial one, but the whole convenience factor of carrying cash around and stuff.

 

[gayl]

I tip those who go above and beyond when all tips are 'included.' That includes the maitre d on a cruise ship that makes sure I get food without black pepper, barristas who remember my blend, ect. I expect a driver to get me there & a guide to speak clearly (accents are also expected). So yeah ... nothing extra and I am a heavy tipper

WARNING: do NOT be the last one at the table final night on a cruise. The waiter will keep talking until you hand him / her the envelope with your tip. Expect it. I'm Elite+ on Princess / Gold on Carnival and I know it's common practice on all other lines

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

While agree it would be kind of annoying hearing it on a daily basis, I would just accept it as them trying to help folks that typically don't make a lot in the service/tourism industry. (My opinion differs for those fully reaping the rewards of tourism.)

I wouldn't feel obligated or guilted for not tipping, even if others were, if my tour was all expenses included, including gratuities, because the staff should be getting compensated at an expected level without additional tipping.

Personally, if I do have some cash, and service was great/person was really nice, I do tend to tip a bit extra. But my experience, expectations, and situation at the time may have been different from others. It's "extra" so I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Amethyst]

The lines were trotted out about the people don't have much, a few dollars mean a lot to them, etc. I don't like to be made to feel that it's my job to redress the world's inequities....not on vacation anyway. That's a pastor's job.

While agree it would be kind of annoying hearing it on a daily basis, I would just accept it as them trying to help folks that typically don't make a lot in the service/tourism industry. (My opinion differs for those fully reaping the rewards of tourism.).

 

[Al in Ohio]

If the brochure or any written sales material for this trip specifically stated all gratuities included then the director should never had suggested tipping anyway. Not even once. Those that still feel the need to tip or add to the included gratuity can still do so without the added suggestion or badgering. I would complain to the tour company.

 

[cathy63]

I agree that the only thing you can do now about the trip you've already taken is mention the constant requests for tips in your survey response or in an online review of the trip. For the upcoming cruise, if you tell us where you're going and with which line, maybe someone will be able to describe the tipping culture you're likely to experience there so you'll know what to expect.

 

[Amethyst]

Regent Seven Seas, Miami to Miami, Caribbean stops.

For the upcoming cruise, if you tell us where you're going and with which line, maybe someone will be able to describe the tipping culture you're likely to experience there so you'll know what to expect.

 

[RonBoyd]

First, let me say that I am not in favor of 'tipping" under any circumstances. (Primarily because wage/performance decisions are a function of management -- and not something I feel qualified to inflict upon a stranger.)

I expect to be served by a competent person without having to submit a "performance review." I believe a business should price its product at a level that provides a competitive wage to the employee based upon management's evaluation of each individual (that's their job, after all). It should not high pressure the customer to dig deeper than expected at the beginning of the transaction. So my opinion is that a business which includes "all gratuities included" in its written (or spoken) policy has fulfilled my requirements and would feel I had fulfilled my obligation by paying the bill as presented.

FWIW, I do have a slightly negative feeling about just exactly what is meant by "gratuities"... is that 15% or 50%, some flat amount, or decided upon with each individual customer?

 

[Sojourner]

If the brochure or any written sales material for this trip specifically stated all gratuities included then the director should never had suggested tipping anyway. Not even once. Those that still feel the need to tip or add to the included gratuity can still do so without the added suggestion or badgering. I would complain to the tour company.

+1

I remember once many years ago, some friends and I rented a stretch limo for New Year's Eve, and the service we paid for very prominently and explicitly said "all gratuities included". But at the end of the night as the limo driver was dropping us back at our starting point, he was doing everything he could — other than holding his hand out and pleading "Please tip me!" — to make us feel that a tip was very much expected and customary. I found it to be incredibly annoying and unprofessional. I remember even saying to him "But we paid for a night-on-the-town package that said all tips were included." His response was "Well, yeah, but it really isn't. They give us like $10 over our regular pay and keep the rest." I called the limo company the next day, complained about the bait and switch tactics, and said I would likely never use their service again. And I never did!

 

[RonBoyd]

FWIW, I do have a slightly negative feeling about just exactly what is meant by "gratuities"... is that 15% or 50%, some flat amount, or decided upon with each individual customer?

His response was "Well, yeah, but it really isn't. They give us like $10 over our regular pay and keep the rest."

Yeah, and that too.

 

[gauss]

If the tour company was serious about the "all gratuities are prepaid policy" then the tour employees/sub-contractors should be banned from soliciting tips -- period.


If the tour company cannot effectively control this then they should eliminate stating that policy in their marketing material.


I guess if the tour company will not disclose to you what their tip rates are, I would assume the pre-paid ones are say in the 0-5% range and cash tip on any difference.


-gauss

 

[Bestwifeever]

The lines were trotted out about the people don't have much, a few dollars mean a lot to them, etc. I don't like to be made to feel that it's my job to redress the world's inequities....not on vacation anyway. That's a pastor's job.

Plus the tour is promising its customers that it is compensating them—so they will get double gratuities if the customers also tip them.

 

[World Traveler]

We just returned from a 2-week all-expenses-included guided tour, where the tour director kept reminding us that although the tour company pays liberal gratuities, we were more than welcome to tip pretty much everyone "if you feel they did a great job." I could see saying this once, at the start of the tour; but he said it pretty much every day.

Quite a few other guests were handing out tips like candy to every safari guide, restaurant help, etc. etc. I felt as if I needed to do the same, or people might get the idea I wasn't thrilled with their service (I thought it was pretty good in most cases; then again, we'd never taken this kind of trip before, and had no basis for comparison). Should I have felt this way? I mean, "all gratuities included" means just that, right? Or not?

I'd like to get as many views as possible, as we are scheduled to take an "all expenses included" cruise this winter, and I want to know what to do re: extra tipping.

Thanks!

That would annoy me . If all is included then there should be no mention of gratuities and none expected. If you want to give more, well that is a private issue. You should enjoy your experience and not have the pressure to tip extra.

That said if the service was great I tip extra which goes directly to the individual.

 

[marko]

I hate that. You end up tipping 30% if you're not careful. But you feel like a heel if you just walk away and say 'thanks', right?

I'd rather they not include tipping in the price and just let you tip at the end.

In France it's illegal to ask for a tip but some (touristy) restaurants use the US format of adding a gratuity line and blank total to your credit card receipt. We'd see tourists fall for it every time. Even having lived there for years, we always felt a little bad (but not that bad) when we'd leave it blank.

 

[brett]

We ignore their pleas. Just as we do any tout on the street selling trinkets and trash etc.

Besides, we do not believe in paying for the same real estate twice. Nor do we get our egos stroked by giving out excessive tips.

 

[ivinsfan]

Bad form IMO, if you are wondering you shoud ask the tour company if they support the employees asking for more money. And basically they are asking for money.

Somewhat like an AI in Mexico, technically tips are included but you are considered a knob if you don't tip everyone you deal with. It's annoying and the premise is that since you had money for a nice beach vacation while the employees had to work, you need to tip plenty doesn't really make sense does it? If no one patronized the resort people wouldn't have jobs.

I was at a big family birthday in England and the birthday family was so happy we made the trip they rented a van to drive us to the venue. They specifically said this is a family friend's business and we have pre-paid for everything including the tip. Just enjoy the party. As we arrived other family in the van started throwing around bills saying "Oh, we need to tip" I said hey this was a gift from our cousins and they specifically told us it was all taken care of, he's a friend of the family and has been treated well. But of course no one shared my opinion and they tossed him a bunch of money as we left the van. Tipping is a quagmire and just gets worse.

 

[Crewer]

Yay, Sojourner! If management says tips are included then the tips should be a reasonably good amount. The issue should be taken up with management and on the tour should be discussed with the guide you were with. I've taken a couple Odyssey trips and my bone to pick with the first one is that vendors wanted to be paid in American dollars and even the one side trip we wanted to do they much preferred USD. And the tour guide was so spectacular that I wanted to tip. But we didn't take enough USD to do all that. Why didn't they tell us to bring lots of dollars since it was so clearly what they all wanted? (Egypt - black market exchange rate was much better than the bank exchange rate so they all wanted $)

Anyway I usually tip extra on our cruises if service is great as it nearly always is. Could be an ego thing or maybe I have to be a people pleaser. Whatever, I can't help myself. DH even does it now because I started it.

 

[cathy63]

Regent Seven Seas, Miami to Miami, Caribbean stops.

I have not sailed on Regent, but they do have a reputation for being truly all-inclusive while on ship. You do not ever have to tip anyone who works on the ship, and if you are asked for a tip, you should definitely report it to the purser's desk because that is just not acceptable on that line.

However, it seems that even though most shore excursions are included in the price, tipping while on shore is not included, so you will probably be reminded to tip your driver and guide. Tip amounts in the Caribbean are similar to the U.S. Here's a thread from CruiseCritic on that topic: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2373740-tipping-on-regent-shore-excursions/

 

[Amethyst]

To be perfectly clear, the tour guide never asked for tips for himself. The company strictly prohibits that. His remarks were on behalf of the various contracted workers (drivers, guides, restaurant help, performers, etc.) He always framed it in terms of "And again, in case you were wondering if it's OK to tip the workers, since we're all-inclusive..." OK big guy, we heard you the first time...

Bad form IMO, if you are wondering you shoud ask the tour company if they support the employees asking for more money. And basically they are asking for money.

Somewhat like an AI in Mexico, technically tips are included but you are considered a knob if you don't tip everyone you deal with. It's annoying and the premise is that since you had money for a nice beach vacation while the employees had to work, you need to tip plenty doesn't really make sense does it? If no one patronized the resort people wouldn't have jobs.

I was at a big family birthday in England and the birthday family was so happy we made the trip they rented a van to drive us to the venue. They specifically said this is a family friend's business and we have pre-paid for everything including the tip. Just enjoy the party. As we arrived other family in the van started throwing around bills saying "Oh, we need to tip" I said hey this was a gift from our cousins and they specifically told us it was all taken care of, he's a friend of the family and has been treated well. But of course no one shared my opinion and they tossed him a bunch of money as we left the van. Tipping is a quagmire and just gets worse.

 

[Moemg]

I would be annoyed to hear this pitch more than once . We just returned from a cruise with Royal Caribbean . They used to hound people about giving positive reviews but thankfully a lot of negative remarks ended this . I will tip extra for people who do extra for us but it is not necessary if tips are included.

 

[Ready]

I've never liked the idea of "prepaying" for tips in advance. I feel like a tip should reflect my satisfaction with the service I have received. If I'm paying in advance, I'm tipping in anticipation of good service, which seems ridiculous.

 

[Teacher Terry]

RC adds tips to your bill. We still tip the people that go out of their way to give extra service or get extra stuff for us.

 

[Dtail]

I would be annoyed to hear this pitch more than once . We just returned from a cruise with Royal Caribbean . They used to hound people about giving positive reviews but thankfully a lot of negative remarks ended this . I will tip extra for people who do extra for us but it is not necessary if tips are included.

+1 on cruises.