we need advice on river tour boats in europe
Nov 20th 2006, 11:08 pm
#31
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Re: we need advice on river tour boats in europe
Alan S <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 10:02:20 +0000,
> [email protected] (David Horne, _the_
> chancellor of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate)
> wrote:
>
> >Keith Anderson <[email protected]> wrote:
[]
> >> Personally, I'd prefer a better basic rate of pay than being tipped.
> >
> >I think most peope would too. In this case though, I think that the
> >people working on the ships got the same basic rate whether they had US
> >tours on board or not. There was a Danish group on our boat IIRC.
>
> Surely this is leading to a marked preference among the
> staff for big-tipping Americans? It is starting to sound
> like non-Americans should seek out tour boats dealing
> exclusively with non-Americans or they may receive inferior
> service.
I can't say that I noticed anything like that, but that's the only
cruise we've taken.
--
David Horne- http://www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk
http://www.davidhorne.net/pictures.html http://soundjunction.org
> On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 10:02:20 +0000,
> [email protected] (David Horne, _the_
> chancellor of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate)
> wrote:
>
> >Keith Anderson <[email protected]> wrote:
[]
> >> Personally, I'd prefer a better basic rate of pay than being tipped.
> >
> >I think most peope would too. In this case though, I think that the
> >people working on the ships got the same basic rate whether they had US
> >tours on board or not. There was a Danish group on our boat IIRC.
>
> Surely this is leading to a marked preference among the
> staff for big-tipping Americans? It is starting to sound
> like non-Americans should seek out tour boats dealing
> exclusively with non-Americans or they may receive inferior
> service.
I can't say that I noticed anything like that, but that's the only
cruise we've taken.
--
David Horne- http://www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk
http://www.davidhorne.net/pictures.html http://soundjunction.org
Nov 20th 2006, 11:16 pm
#32
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Posts: n/a
Re: we need advice on river tour boats in europe
On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 23:01:05 +1100, Alan S <[email protected]> wrote:
>Surely this is leading to a marked preference among the
>staff for big-tipping Americans? It is starting to sound
>like non-Americans should seek out tour boats dealing
>exclusively with non-Americans or they may receive inferior
>service.
In my experience on European river cruises, that pretty much seems to
be the case anyway. The last time I did a cruise with US groups mixed
with Brits was 1998!
Speaking personally, my preference lies not in how much I'd
potentially earn in tips, but whether or not the tour-operator knows
what it's doing! There have been lots of takeovers and mergers in the
travel industry recently, with the rise of "managerialism", i.e. "I've
got an MBA so I'm an expert, and all you people who've been doing the
job for years can be ignored."
This has led to tours that don't work as well as they could - i.e.
sailing all night along scenic sections of the river system and
cramming in as many shore excursions as possible.
As one senior crew member once said to me: "This isn't a bloody river
cruise, it's a bus tour where people sleep on the ship"!
Keith, Bristol, UK
Email: usenet[dot]20[dot]keefy[at]spamgourmet[dot]com
A spamtrap - but I'll get your mail
>Surely this is leading to a marked preference among the
>staff for big-tipping Americans? It is starting to sound
>like non-Americans should seek out tour boats dealing
>exclusively with non-Americans or they may receive inferior
>service.
In my experience on European river cruises, that pretty much seems to
be the case anyway. The last time I did a cruise with US groups mixed
with Brits was 1998!
Speaking personally, my preference lies not in how much I'd
potentially earn in tips, but whether or not the tour-operator knows
what it's doing! There have been lots of takeovers and mergers in the
travel industry recently, with the rise of "managerialism", i.e. "I've
got an MBA so I'm an expert, and all you people who've been doing the
job for years can be ignored."
This has led to tours that don't work as well as they could - i.e.
sailing all night along scenic sections of the river system and
cramming in as many shore excursions as possible.
As one senior crew member once said to me: "This isn't a bloody river
cruise, it's a bus tour where people sleep on the ship"!
Keith, Bristol, UK
Email: usenet[dot]20[dot]keefy[at]spamgourmet[dot]com
A spamtrap - but I'll get your mail
Nov 20th 2006, 11:58 pm
#33
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Posts: n/a
Re: we need advice on river tour boats in europe
"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 10:15:48 +1100, Alan S <[email protected]> wrote:
>On 20 Nov 2006 16:14:59 GMT, Bert Hyman <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>>On our boat, tipping was voluntary and anonymous. There was a box
>>placed in the lounge at the end of the trip and you could drop an
>>envelope containing whatever you liked into it. They took only cash
>>or travelers checks (which would remove the anonymity, I guess). As
>>I recall, we left about $400 for two people on a 14-day cruise.
>To someone like me, from a non-tipping nation, that seems an
>enormous amount for a tip. We occasionally tipped in Europe
>- but never anything in that vicinity.
>Could you clarify how you came up with that number? Surely
>the staff were all on reasonable salaries and not dependant
>on tips?
I assumed he had left out the decimal point. $4.00 seems more probable :-)
I think that the $400 sume is probably what he meant. This is for all staff
over 14 days. If the cruise cost $4000, as it might, this is abouyt 10%.
Alan Harrison
news:[email protected]...
On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 10:15:48 +1100, Alan S <[email protected]> wrote:
>On 20 Nov 2006 16:14:59 GMT, Bert Hyman <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>>On our boat, tipping was voluntary and anonymous. There was a box
>>placed in the lounge at the end of the trip and you could drop an
>>envelope containing whatever you liked into it. They took only cash
>>or travelers checks (which would remove the anonymity, I guess). As
>>I recall, we left about $400 for two people on a 14-day cruise.
>To someone like me, from a non-tipping nation, that seems an
>enormous amount for a tip. We occasionally tipped in Europe
>- but never anything in that vicinity.
>Could you clarify how you came up with that number? Surely
>the staff were all on reasonable salaries and not dependant
>on tips?
I assumed he had left out the decimal point. $4.00 seems more probable :-)
I think that the $400 sume is probably what he meant. This is for all staff
over 14 days. If the cruise cost $4000, as it might, this is abouyt 10%.
Alan Harrison
Nov 21st 2006, 12:38 am
#34
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Posts: n/a
Re: we need advice on river tour boats in europe
In news:[email protected] Padraig Breathnach
<[email protected]> wrote:
> Bert Hyman <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>It was US$300, which I recall coming in at the low end of the
>>"recommended" figure.
> Who makes recommendations like that?
http://www.uniworld.com/2006/pdf/companion/CC_GRC.pdf
Gratuities are customary expressions of thanks for a job
well done. The amount of the gratuity is entirely subject to
your satisfaction with your travel experience. We recommend the
following as a guideline:
� Ship staff and crew: $13.00 per guest per day
to be shared amongst all staff and crew
� Cruise Manager: $4.00 per guest per day
� Local Host or Hostess for included or optional
extensions: $4.00 per person per day
>
>>We didn't think it unreasonable.
>
> Your money, your choice. I would think tipping on that scale very
> unreasonable indeed.
Your money, your choice.
--
Bert Hyman St. Paul, MN [email protected]
<[email protected]> wrote:
> Bert Hyman <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>It was US$300, which I recall coming in at the low end of the
>>"recommended" figure.
> Who makes recommendations like that?
http://www.uniworld.com/2006/pdf/companion/CC_GRC.pdf
Gratuities are customary expressions of thanks for a job
well done. The amount of the gratuity is entirely subject to
your satisfaction with your travel experience. We recommend the
following as a guideline:
� Ship staff and crew: $13.00 per guest per day
to be shared amongst all staff and crew
� Cruise Manager: $4.00 per guest per day
� Local Host or Hostess for included or optional
extensions: $4.00 per person per day
>
>>We didn't think it unreasonable.
>
> Your money, your choice. I would think tipping on that scale very
> unreasonable indeed.
Your money, your choice.
--
Bert Hyman St. Paul, MN [email protected]
Nov 21st 2006, 1:37 am
#35
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Posts: n/a
Re: we need advice on river tour boats in europe
On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 23:01:05 +1100, Alan S <[email protected]> wrote:
>Surely this is leading to a marked preference among the
>staff for big-tipping Americans? It is starting to sound
>like non-Americans should seek out tour boats dealing
>exclusively with non-Americans or they may receive inferior
>service.
Stick to the ones used by the Dutch :-)
--
Martin
>Surely this is leading to a marked preference among the
>staff for big-tipping Americans? It is starting to sound
>like non-Americans should seek out tour boats dealing
>exclusively with non-Americans or they may receive inferior
>service.
Stick to the ones used by the Dutch :-)
--
Martin
Nov 21st 2006, 1:38 am
#36
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: we need advice on river tour boats in europe
On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 23:06:40 +1100, Alan S <[email protected]> wrote:
>The difficulty with SWMBO would occur if the stewardess was
>in the bed. Do you remember Basil's Sybil, who could kill a
>man with one lash of her tongue at ten paces? She was just a
>trainee:-)
LOL I know the feeling.
--
Martin
>The difficulty with SWMBO would occur if the stewardess was
>in the bed. Do you remember Basil's Sybil, who could kill a
>man with one lash of her tongue at ten paces? She was just a
>trainee:-)
LOL I know the feeling.
--
Martin
Nov 21st 2006, 3:31 am
#37
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: we need advice on river tour boats in europe
On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 15:37:45 +0100, Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
>Stick to the ones used by the Dutch :-)
To illustrate further (or so they tell me in Belgium):
What's the difference between a Belgian ship and a Dutch ship?
There are no seagulls following a Dutch ship.
Keith, Bristol, UK
Email: usenet[dot]20[dot]keefy[at]spamgourmet[dot]com
A spamtrap - but I'll get your mail
>Stick to the ones used by the Dutch :-)
To illustrate further (or so they tell me in Belgium):
What's the difference between a Belgian ship and a Dutch ship?
There are no seagulls following a Dutch ship.
Keith, Bristol, UK
Email: usenet[dot]20[dot]keefy[at]spamgourmet[dot]com
A spamtrap - but I'll get your mail
Nov 21st 2006, 3:43 am
#38
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Posts: n/a
Re: we need advice on river tour boats in europe
On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 16:31:20 +0000, Keith Anderson <[email protected]> wrote:
>On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 15:37:45 +0100, Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
>>Stick to the ones used by the Dutch :-)
>To illustrate further (or so they tell me in Belgium):
>What's the difference between a Belgian ship and a Dutch ship?
>There are no seagulls following a Dutch ship.
:-)
--
Martin
>On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 15:37:45 +0100, Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
>>Stick to the ones used by the Dutch :-)
>To illustrate further (or so they tell me in Belgium):
>What's the difference between a Belgian ship and a Dutch ship?
>There are no seagulls following a Dutch ship.
:-)
--
Martin
Nov 21st 2006, 7:54 am
#39
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: we need advice on river tour boats in europe
Martin wrote:
On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 23:01:05 +1100, Alan S <[email protected]> wrote:
>>Surely this is leading to a marked preference among the
>>staff for big-tipping Americans? It is starting to sound
>>like non-Americans should seek out tour boats dealing
>>exclusively with non-Americans or they may receive inferior
>>service.
>Stick to the ones used by the Dutch :-)
Do they serve krokets...???
--
Best
Greg
On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 23:01:05 +1100, Alan S <[email protected]> wrote:
>>Surely this is leading to a marked preference among the
>>staff for big-tipping Americans? It is starting to sound
>>like non-Americans should seek out tour boats dealing
>>exclusively with non-Americans or they may receive inferior
>>service.
>Stick to the ones used by the Dutch :-)
Do they serve krokets...???
--
Best
Greg
Nov 21st 2006, 8:03 am
#40
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: we need advice on river tour boats in europe
On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 20:54:20 GMT, in rec.travel.europe, "Gregory Morrow"
<[email protected] et> arranged some electrons, so they
looked like this:
...
... Martin wrote:
...
... On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 23:01:05 +1100, Alan S <[email protected]> wrote:
...
... >>Surely this is leading to a marked preference among the
... >>staff for big-tipping Americans? It is starting to sound
... >>like non-Americans should seek out tour boats dealing
... >>exclusively with non-Americans or they may receive inferior
... >>service.
...
... >Stick to the ones used by the Dutch :-)
...
...
... Do they serve krokets...???
Fresh from the rubbish bin!
<[email protected] et> arranged some electrons, so they
looked like this:
...
... Martin wrote:
...
... On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 23:01:05 +1100, Alan S <[email protected]> wrote:
...
... >>Surely this is leading to a marked preference among the
... >>staff for big-tipping Americans? It is starting to sound
... >>like non-Americans should seek out tour boats dealing
... >>exclusively with non-Americans or they may receive inferior
... >>service.
...
... >Stick to the ones used by the Dutch :-)
...
...
... Do they serve krokets...???
Fresh from the rubbish bin!
Nov 21st 2006, 8:38 am
#41
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: we need advice on river tour boats in europe
On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 16:31:20 +0000, Keith Anderson <[email protected]>
wrote:
>On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 15:37:45 +0100, Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
>>Stick to the ones used by the Dutch :-)
>To illustrate further (or so they tell me in Belgium):
>What's the difference between a Belgian ship and a Dutch ship?
>There are no seagulls following a Dutch ship.
Crummy.
--
---
DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
---
--
wrote:
>On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 15:37:45 +0100, Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
>>Stick to the ones used by the Dutch :-)
>To illustrate further (or so they tell me in Belgium):
>What's the difference between a Belgian ship and a Dutch ship?
>There are no seagulls following a Dutch ship.
Crummy.
--
---
DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
---
--
Nov 21st 2006, 8:50 am
#42
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: we need advice on river tour boats in europe
On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 20:54:20 GMT, "Gregory Morrow"
<[email protected] et> wrote:
>Martin wrote:
>On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 23:01:05 +1100, Alan S <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>Surely this is leading to a marked preference among the
>>>staff for big-tipping Americans? It is starting to sound
>>>like non-Americans should seek out tour boats dealing
>>>exclusively with non-Americans or they may receive inferior
>>>service.
>>Stick to the ones used by the Dutch :-)
>Do they serve krokets...???
They even serve krauts.
--
Martin
<[email protected] et> wrote:
>Martin wrote:
>On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 23:01:05 +1100, Alan S <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>Surely this is leading to a marked preference among the
>>>staff for big-tipping Americans? It is starting to sound
>>>like non-Americans should seek out tour boats dealing
>>>exclusively with non-Americans or they may receive inferior
>>>service.
>>Stick to the ones used by the Dutch :-)
>Do they serve krokets...???
They even serve krauts.
--
Martin
Nov 21st 2006, 8:51 am
#43
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: we need advice on river tour boats in europe
On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 22:03:00 +0100, Magda <[email protected]> wrote:
>On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 20:54:20 GMT, in rec.travel.europe, "Gregory Morrow"
><gregorymorrowTheDayTheLoafyStoodStill@earthlink. net> arranged some electrons, so they
>looked like this:
> ...
> ... Martin wrote:
> ...
> ... On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 23:01:05 +1100, Alan S <[email protected]> wrote:
> ...
> ... >>Surely this is leading to a marked preference among the
> ... >>staff for big-tipping Americans? It is starting to sound
> ... >>like non-Americans should seek out tour boats dealing
> ... >>exclusively with non-Americans or they may receive inferior
> ... >>service.
> ...
> ... >Stick to the ones used by the Dutch :-)
> ...
> ...
> ... Do they serve krokets...???
>Fresh from the rubbish bin!
You have visited Volendam.
--
Martin
>On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 20:54:20 GMT, in rec.travel.europe, "Gregory Morrow"
><gregorymorrowTheDayTheLoafyStoodStill@earthlink. net> arranged some electrons, so they
>looked like this:
> ...
> ... Martin wrote:
> ...
> ... On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 23:01:05 +1100, Alan S <[email protected]> wrote:
> ...
> ... >>Surely this is leading to a marked preference among the
> ... >>staff for big-tipping Americans? It is starting to sound
> ... >>like non-Americans should seek out tour boats dealing
> ... >>exclusively with non-Americans or they may receive inferior
> ... >>service.
> ...
> ... >Stick to the ones used by the Dutch :-)
> ...
> ...
> ... Do they serve krokets...???
>Fresh from the rubbish bin!
You have visited Volendam.
--
Martin
Nov 21st 2006, 9:01 am
#44
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: we need advice on river tour boats in europe
On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 22:51:52 +0100, in rec.travel.europe, Martin <[email protected]> arranged
some electrons, so they looked like this:
... > ...
... > ... On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 23:01:05 +1100, Alan S <[email protected]> wrote:
... > ...
... > ... >>Surely this is leading to a marked preference among the
... > ... >>staff for big-tipping Americans? It is starting to sound
... > ... >>like non-Americans should seek out tour boats dealing
... > ... >>exclusively with non-Americans or they may receive inferior
... > ... >>service.
... > ...
... > ... >Stick to the ones used by the Dutch :-)
... > ...
... > ... Do they serve krokets...???
... >
... >Fresh from the rubbish bin!
...
... You have visited Volendam.
Nope, and I am not going to.
some electrons, so they looked like this:
... > ...
... > ... On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 23:01:05 +1100, Alan S <[email protected]> wrote:
... > ...
... > ... >>Surely this is leading to a marked preference among the
... > ... >>staff for big-tipping Americans? It is starting to sound
... > ... >>like non-Americans should seek out tour boats dealing
... > ... >>exclusively with non-Americans or they may receive inferior
... > ... >>service.
... > ...
... > ... >Stick to the ones used by the Dutch :-)
... > ...
... > ... Do they serve krokets...???
... >
... >Fresh from the rubbish bin!
...
... You have visited Volendam.
Nope, and I am not going to.
Nov 21st 2006, 9:06 am
#45
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: we need advice on river tour boats in europe
On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 23:01:14 +0100, Magda <[email protected]> wrote:
>On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 22:51:52 +0100, in rec.travel.europe, Martin <[email protected]> arranged
>some electrons, so they looked like this:
> ... > ...
> ... > ... On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 23:01:05 +1100, Alan S <[email protected]> wrote:
> ... > ...
> ... > ... >>Surely this is leading to a marked preference among the
> ... > ... >>staff for big-tipping Americans? It is starting to sound
> ... > ... >>like non-Americans should seek out tour boats dealing
> ... > ... >>exclusively with non-Americans or they may receive inferior
> ... > ... >>service.
> ... > ...
> ... > ... >Stick to the ones used by the Dutch :-)
> ... > ...
> ... > ... Do they serve krokets...???
> ... >
> ... >Fresh from the rubbish bin!
> ...
> ... You have visited Volendam.
>Nope, and I am not going to.
Stale krokets are in season.
--
Martin
>On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 22:51:52 +0100, in rec.travel.europe, Martin <[email protected]> arranged
>some electrons, so they looked like this:
> ... > ...
> ... > ... On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 23:01:05 +1100, Alan S <[email protected]> wrote:
> ... > ...
> ... > ... >>Surely this is leading to a marked preference among the
> ... > ... >>staff for big-tipping Americans? It is starting to sound
> ... > ... >>like non-Americans should seek out tour boats dealing
> ... > ... >>exclusively with non-Americans or they may receive inferior
> ... > ... >>service.
> ... > ...
> ... > ... >Stick to the ones used by the Dutch :-)
> ... > ...
> ... > ... Do they serve krokets...???
> ... >
> ... >Fresh from the rubbish bin!
> ...
> ... You have visited Volendam.
>Nope, and I am not going to.
Stale krokets are in season.
--
Martin
