All the more reason to not follow our custom of underpaying service workers.
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But thatâs why cruising is so popular, they can keep prices lower by not employing US citizens. NCL has a ship registered in the US, pride of America, with American staff. Prices are higher and I have heard staff isnât as good.
When I worked on a cruise ship in the mid-seventies, the room stewards and waiters were paid $50 per month (about $350 in todays dollars). They depended on tips, and this was before prepaid tips were common like they are today.
When I was hired in 1973 to work at the front desk, my salary was only $250 a month but I had no expenses to speak of. No tips, though 
.
I was on a Silversea cruise. No tips. Very liberating.
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Just spent two weeks in French Polynesia. I instructed DH to NOT tip. Period. None of the French or Germans did so. It is not part of the culture. The only place a tip line appeared was at the hotel bar and restaurant. Simply put a line thru that part. It felt odd at first. But practice makes perfect. Itâs easier to do the same now that Iâm back home.
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I, for one, have gotten so tired of tipping in places that should not need tipping (self-serve eateries, for example).
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So, âWe upped our menu prices and now weâre increasing those by another 18%. And by the way, you still need to tip!â Good grief.
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By adding 18%, and by saying âadditional tips are welcomeâ they are trying to mask this as a tip. It is not.
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Its like a hotel - itâs $150 and then they tack on a $40 resort fee. Why not just charge $195?
If a meal is $20 and you want to add 18%, then why not make it $23.60.
I know the government has gotten involved with cable bill transparency or maybe itâs airline - give you the real price - not a base price that will have tons of add ons.
All products should have this rule - here is the price, all in.
In my industry, weâll advertise a lease for $349 a month for 36 months and then we had, oh and $6,000 down.
Hmmmm - thatâs not $349 a month.
The slight of hand runs rampant and while Iâm not for government overreach, itâd be welcome so as consumers we know exactly what we are paying without having to read disclaimers.
Thatâs how it is in every other country Iâve traveled to. The listed price is the actual out of pocket cost. No additional tax or fees you didnât know about.
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Reverse story: went to dinner with a friend last week. She had a second glass of wine so when we split the bill she said she wanted to pay the tip. Figured out later, after we left, that what she left wasnât enough. So I called the restaurant and the next day went back with an envelope with cash and the waiterâs name in it, and gave it to the owner who put it in the safe for him. Sure it would be great if all establishments paid their employees well so a tip wasnât necessary, but in this case the waiter was darling and I wanted to make it right and let him know he was appreciated. Tips should be to acknowledge excellent service. Not to make up for being underpaid.
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100%
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That post should be engraved on stone tablets and mounted in very business in the country, by law.
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This is something new to me. My 25 year old was here in town at a couple of bars. Drinks are expensive at nicer places ($15 vodka sodas). My son noticed his friend wasnât tipping. Turns out tip was added to each drink (18/20%). My daughter bartends at a popular bar in Boston, they donât add a tip at the bar.
I came across this on Facebook! 
Sneed County Sheriff Department
A p r i l 5 a t 2 : 2 2 P M ·
Starting today, when citizens are pulled over by our Officers, you will be presented with an optional tipping screen.
If youâve enjoyed the service you received during your traffic stop, youâll have the option of using a credit card to tip that Officer up to 25 percent of the cost of your traffic citation.
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I saw the same thing, very funny.
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We didnât tip in Europe either. But we DO tip here in the states. Are you saying you no longer tip here? Your choiceâŠbut thatâs not the culture in the U.S.
Time for a culture shift.
Our restaurant servers now get $20/hr. So my tip is much less than the ârecommendedâ absolute minimum of 20%, That only made sense when servers were making MUCH less than the prevailing wage. Donât tip for food when I call in the order, drive over to the location, stand in line at the register and then grab the bag. I tip $1.00 a drinkâŠI drink wine, nothing fancy. Again, grab. bottle and pour.
I tipped my masseuse today for an excellent job.
Donât tip for having someone pour a cup of coffee into a cup I brought any more than I tip the Target check out clerk for ringing up the stuff I gathered, put on the conveyor belt and then put into the bag I brought.
Iâve tipped furniture delivery people when they show up on time and do a true white glove service.
Gave a huge tip to a group who recently replace a large number of window panes in our house. They worked their bottoms off to make sure everything was right, including catching an order error and ensuring it would be fixed in a timely fashion.
I do tip, but only when warranted because service ws above the requirements of the job.
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