Tipping the Crew

Yachtjocky · Jul 6, 2011

Capt J said:

You pick the location, facitilites and the boat prior to starting your Charter or trip. That's already set in stone before the charterer flys to the yacht.

Once there however, a bad crew could make your experience miserable without a doubt. A good crew could go above and beyond and make all of your expectations come true. The owner of the yacht and most likely the charter broker have absolutely no idea what the crew is and isn't doing during that charter. It might take them 6 months to figure out the crew is bad. And since people (and charterers) generally don't go out of their way to give feedback after the charter unless it is really bad, nobody knows. During bad weather the crew can go above and beyond and come up with fun things to do with the charterers, or elect to let them watch movies and do nothing. If a part of the yacht happens to break that is critical, the crew could spend all night fixing the part, or tell the charterers they have to wait for a mechanic to come to the boat the next day or whenever and having the charterers lose a day or two of their vacation. The crew is the biggest variable, and it's commonly known that they are normally tipped at the end of the charter. There is no question about that, it is all over the internet, just as it is known one is expected to tip wait staff in the US. So I feel that either one should honor tipping the crew based upon the industry standard and the level or service they've recieved, or pick a different type of vacation. Just as if you don't want to tip a waitor for dinner, go to Burger King instead or some other self service place.
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Its dark at night

sagharborskip · Jul 6, 2011

This is awesome!

I left this morning (for work) and this thread was only finishing page 2!

What are you guys doing all day? You must be getting by on tips! (Fat ones!)

Anyway,

@Tirekicker - what does it mean you share Mr. Pink's Calvinist mores?

Let's leave the religious aside and just say Calvinism is based on a "pick yourself up by your boot straps" kind of thing...

OK, that's all well and good, but do you realize you're actually exhibiting behavior that is pretty much universally detested in Americans traveling abroad?

That is, to be completely insensitive to local custom. And in your case, not just to be insensitive to it, but to consciously disregard it.

There's a saying, "When in Rome...", which means you follow local custom. If you don't, you're ignorant if you didn't know better and just plain rude if you did and just ignored it.

Tipping is CUSTOMARY. Plain and simple. Not rocket science. You might not agree, but then again, you don't get to spit your gum on the ground in Singapore, either.

Sure, you can go on pushing your rock up that hill, or "shoveling sh*t against the tide", as my father would have said, and see where that gets you.

Working for tips is a GREAT way to get GREAT service. Whoever thinks they're going to get great service "just because", is living in a dream world.

What's the difference b/t tips and commissions, anyway? Would it make you feel better if yacht crews or waiters were paid on commission? They do the same thing: they foster a culture of selling more/better service. For the most part, they work.

Anyway, hi to all and glad to see you've all been hard at work all day!

NYCAP123 · Jul 6, 2011

Hey, come on Dan. It's Wednesday. My Sunday was 0800 to 2300. I deserve a day off (to mow my lawn and pay my bankers).

colintraveller · Jul 6, 2011

NYCAP123 said:

I applaude all those generous employers that pay better than the minimum wage, but it's meaningless. NYS minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. IF one can find F/T employement, that's $290 per week. After deducting 28% tax ($81.20) that leaves $208.80. (x) 4 = $835.20 per month. The cheapest rent I've heard of is about $1,300 for a 1 bedroom. Average is well over $2,000. Now throw in those pesky little items like food, cost of getting to work, health insurance and kids, etc. If an employer says (not shows) that an employee can receive $7.00 an hour in tips that minimum wage goes to $2.10 per hour. So what's the terrific rate you employers pay that makes it so your employee doesn't need gratuities to live well, and could you live on it? Think about those numbers as you drive you $60K car to your million dollar boat and and throw your line to the dock hand or stiff that waitress.
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7.25 dollars isn't any better than here

The minimum wage in place of work is £6.05 ...

Minimum wages are the worst law ever created because it gives employers legal ground to pay wage be it border line just enough for a person to live on when the cost of living has sky rocketed

And some places will say to you that you get a share of the tip's the employer will say a over realistic figure is using to as a ploy to get staff without having to pay there staff a better wage and your not garunteed the same per night / week ..

I believe one should pay there staff accordingly and if an employer can't see who are the hard grafters and who are the layabout's then there is something wrong .

You tip those for the service they have provided because they went above and beyond the call of duty made you feel welcome and not ignore you and not overly harrass you ..

tirekicker11 · Jul 6, 2011

Marmot said:

If a business can't afford to operate without free labor it shouldn't pretend to be in business.
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That's another issue overlooked in this discussion.
Someone with a desire to have a stable position and a stable income (working single parents) is unwillingly made into a business partner when they have to rely on tips. The business owner decided to start his own business and by doing that he agreed to take on certain risks, not the waiting staff. When the waiting staff is heavily relying on tips are they also partly in charge of the business strategies?

K1W1, Scotsmen are scrooges, Dutch are just on the verge of being stingy.
Sagharborskip, Dutch people know that they are on the verge of being stingy and we blaim that to our Calvinistic roots. My post has nothing to do with religion.

NYCAP123 · Jul 6, 2011

Minimum wages are the worst law ever created
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Not the worst law, just crafted poorly. It's only a safety net. Otherwise employers would be offering $o.25 an hour in the name of job creation, an idea that is actually being floated by certain politicians. Of course slavery would create even more jobs.

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Tipping the Crew

Yachtjocky Senior Member

sagharborskip Senior Member

NYCAP123 Senior Member

colintraveller Senior Member

tirekicker11 Senior Member

NYCAP123 Senior Member