Planes, Trains, and Automobiles...
Travel can bring a whole host of frustrations: Crowds, delays, late arrivals and departures, inevitable waiting in lines, particular for security checks at airports, traffic jams, "lost" spouses who won't ask for directions, just to name a few. The hardest thing to do is to keep your frustration and anger in check. This may be the most difficult time to apply the Golden Rule. Just remember that having a bad attitude isn't going to change the circumstances or speed up traffic or change airline restrictions. Keeping your patience will allow you to enjoy yourself more once you arrive at your destination.
If you travel, chances are you will be dining out. And chances are, you will have hostesses, servers, or other people who provide a service or take care of your needs. While tipping is a social custom and it is your expression of gratitude for a service provided, it is definitely NOT okay NOT to leave a tip. 
Generally speaking, tipping (leaving a gratuity) in a restaurant will depend on several things: the quality of the restaurant, the amount of the bill, and the quality of service. A standard rule of thumb is to leave 15-20% of the pre-tax amount of your bill. It is also standard practice to tip skycaps at airports and bellboys at hotels $1 to $2 per bag. It's also customary to tip shuttle drivers, taxi cab drivers, and maid services at hotels.There are non-travel situations where tipping is a good practice. Some of these include home delivery of food, flowers, and gifts; help with carrying groceries to your car; movers; and valet attendants.
Clients generally tip for salon and spa services as well. Whether you're getting a shampoo, haircut, hair color, and/or style, your barber or hairsylist will appreciate a 15-20% tip for their quality service. In addition, it is also acceptable to tip after receiving a manicure, pedicure, wax service, or massage.
Last, but not least, tipping on cruises is basically a requirement. The amount you tip will vary depending on your cruise line and the length of your cruise. Cruise lines usually publish a guide to tipping. And new cruisers need to understand that tipping is basically a service charge to make up for low wages that are often paid to the staff. Many of these gratuities are automatically charged to your shipboard account. Click the following links to see published tipping guides for some popular cruise lines: Carnival, Celebrity, Norwegian, Princess, and Royal Caribbean.The two main things to remember:
1. Travelling will be more fun if you relax, stay calm, and smile.
2. It is NOT okay NOT to tip.
D... and I are not tipping on the Amazing Race - there's just no time for that. Normally, however, we're great tippers.
ReplyDeleteOoh...gotta disagree on the tipping. There are DEFINITELY cases (in my book) where you don't need to tip...mostly few and far between (thankfully). I went to a restaurant and asked to have my glass of wine replaced because it tasted more like vinegar than wine. (I should say I also knew the wine--maker and grape). At $11 a glass, I wasn't about to settle for something better suited to salad dressing. The waitress looks at me and says, (I quote): "I really hate when I have to deal with @#$* wine snobs." I said, "Actually, I'm not a wine snob, but I am someone who doesn't deal well with disrespect." I figured her remark (and the terrible service that followed) wasn't worth even 1% gratuity.
ReplyDeleteI know there have been times when we haven't tipped either. The most recent was when we were at a restaurant, and hubby had to get up, go to the wait station, and refill our drinks himself because our waitress dissappeared. 3 other tables did this as well. Not only did we not leave a tip for her, the manager came over when he saw us all going over there and refunded our bills. We've been in there several times since, and have not seen that waitress.
ReplyDeleteHubby and I love to brag about good service. We have, many times, gone to the manager to say how great our servers were.
Hey Diana looks like our brains were in the same frame of mind! LOL Thanks for providing the cruise line links and for playing along!
ReplyDeleteBubba's Sis is exactly right. And, not only is there not enough time to tip, they don't supply us with enough money. But, in our normal lives, on our Ladies' Night Out, we tip great.
ReplyDelete