Dropping a dime on tipping policies

Cruise Travel, May-June, 2005 by Charles Wheeler

As longtime Cruise Travel subscribers and longtime cruise travelers, we feel the necessity to put in our 10 cents worth on the tipping issue. We have been reading the letters and articles on the subject in your magazine--"Gratuity Guidelines" article and the two letters in the February 2005 issue in particular--and we come away shaking our heads

First, I copied these two definitions from the Merriam Webster dictionary: gratuity--A favor or gift, usually in the form of money, given in return for service; tip--A small sum of money given to someone for performing a service; a gratuity. Our point is, tips and gratuities are gifts, or favors, given to an individual in return for service. They are not referred to anywhere as salary substitutions or subsidies. They are never defined as payments to corporate entities for distribution to their workers as a substitute for inadequate salaries. Nor are they at the discretion of the recipient.

If the cruise line thinks their staff is underpaid, raise their wages. And of course, the customers will have to pay for it; but I would much rather have it done up front and honestly. Don't try to cover up inadequate pay for the workers by messing with our prerogatives concerning tipping. By adding it to our account without our permission, and telling us we have no choice but to pay it, is not tipping, folks. Again, from Merriam Webster: extortion--in law, unlawful demanding or receiving by an officer, in his official capacity, of any property or money not legally due to him.

Mr. & Mrs. Charles Wheeler, Lakewood, WA