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Re: Charter gratuity question?
[Re: jimmyb]
#39511
02/11/2015 11:31 AM
02/11/2015 11:31 AM
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 62 TN USA
IslandGator
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JimmyB, I've seen wide-ranging amounts from 5-20% per weekly/charter net rate. But to answer your question - typically charter cost, not the total cost+expenses. What I found online... "At the conclusion of the charter, it's customary for guests to leave the crew a gratuity of between five and 15 percent of the charter fee, based on your satisfaction with the service rendered. Good crews will not make it obvious how hard they're working to take care of your every need, but they do work very hard, often from sunrise to the wee hours. Keep that in mind when determining how much to tip..." http://www.yachtworldcharters.com/articles/luxury-yacht-charter-how-to-leave-a-crew-gratuity
~Eric
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Re: Charter gratuity question?
[Re: IslandGator]
#39512
02/11/2015 11:45 AM
02/11/2015 11:45 AM
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 17 CA
jimmyb
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CA
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Re: Charter gratuity question?
[Re: jimmyb]
#39513
02/11/2015 10:52 PM
02/11/2015 10:52 PM
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 39
kunphuzn
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My question is what is the protocol when you charter and the captain and chef are the owners? It has been made very clear in the contracting process that 15-20% is expected. When spending $14K, $2,100-2,800 is one hell of a tip when the crew is already getting any net profit from the charter. Why not just bake this into the charter cost instead of making it clear that this amount is expected? I already have fundamental issues with any gratuity being expected rather than appreciated but that is not my point here.
Should owners get 15-20% as would hired crew?
Last edited by kunphuzn; 02/11/2015 10:54 PM.
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Re: Charter gratuity question?
[Re: kunphuzn]
#39515
02/11/2015 11:34 PM
02/11/2015 11:34 PM
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 761 Redmond, WA
MrEZgoin
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In Germany, at least, business owners do not get tips like employees do, for that very reason.
M4000 "Lio Kai"
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Re: Charter gratuity question?
[Re: kunphuzn]
#39516
02/11/2015 11:59 PM
02/11/2015 11:59 PM
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 3,228 Somewhere out there
kneafseym
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I have been out of the charter business for a while so I will chime in and probably get flamed for this. I was an owner operator and ran skipper only or capt and cook. I priced my charters turnkey where I knew the profit I needed to make. Sure buy my a few beers or a dinner or 2 and that is awesome. I didn't ask or expect the 10 to 15% gratuity on the charter rate. I turned town tips where it was "your envelope is on the chart table".
Working charter work is absolutely hard work, but very fun profitable work. But if you hire a skipper on a day rate they are $125-200/day, on a one week charter 10% would be $100-200. The turnkey cost of a crewed charter includes the , food, booze, boat, fuel, water, insurance, moorings. Why are you tipping 10-15% of the fixed cost? Shouldn't you just be tipping the amount of the labor cost?
This has been my industry pet peeve for a long time. Then again, I understand tipping a waitress for effort they do, but not a bartender to walk 2 feet open and give me a beer at a bar. Why don't I tip my dermotologist that removed a bunch of stuff last week that might help me live longer.
OK let's start the discussion.
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Re: Charter gratuity question?
[Re: DanS]
#39519
02/12/2015 10:47 AM
02/12/2015 10:47 AM
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 39
kunphuzn
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DanS said: Owners are entitled to make a profit because they invest their dollars, take a risk, and manage the business. Crews are entitled to salary and tips because they invest their time and effort to serve their customers.
Why shouldn't people who play both roles be compensated for both roles (assuming they perform them well)?
Dan <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" /> I get what you are saying however the "owners" are also getting the cost relief of not having to pay a crew and typically gratuities are meant to offset the otherwise low wages received by folks in a service industry. In this case, the owners make whatever net profit is pulled from the week in charter, which is actually higher than most due to, as mentioned above, the lack of staff expenses in addition to the lack of any brokerage fees. It just feels like a big double dip to me. For the record, I am generally an over tipper when gratuity is for hired service personnel (of any industry) however this tipping the owner(s) an additional 2.5-3K has me in a bit of a quandary.
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Re: Charter gratuity question?
[Re: FrenchLaundry]
#39523
02/12/2015 12:57 PM
02/12/2015 12:57 PM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 5,720 Massachusetts
maytrix
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Regardless of where you stand on tipping or how much, I don't think it matters if they are owner/Captain or just crew. Even if they are the owner and saving on the cost of paying a crew, they are the crew and doing the same work a crew would do. So while an owner who hires a crew pays more, they also don't deal with guests for a week.
I like Mike's suggestion though of basing it off of what the labor would cost. I don't know why it should be based off the cost of the charter.
If I leave a tip in a hotel, its not based off the cost of the room - two rooms could differ in price by a couple hundred dollars, yet the effort involved in both would be the same. I'd say its very similar for boats too, only difference is when you increase the number of people.
Matt
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Re: Charter gratuity question?
[Re: jagmansr]
#39525
02/12/2015 03:04 PM
02/12/2015 03:04 PM
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 252
jboothe
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Just my two cents I think that the best tip you can give an owner/operator charter business is a good review/referrals/additional business.
So out of curiosity, if you were to charter with a big name charter company boat (Sunsail, Moorings, etc) for $7000 or 8000 for the week and hire a captain for the week for $2000 or $3000 (just using round numbers here), do you tip the captain based on the total amount spent? In this case the $2000? Or do you tip the captain a few hundred and go find the owner of Sunsail/Mooring and give them the rest?
I will say that most of the all inclusive owner/captained websites give you a total price and then suggest a 15-20% gratuity.
Last edited by jboothe; 02/12/2015 03:06 PM.
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Re: Charter gratuity question?
[Re: kunphuzn]
#39527
02/12/2015 09:23 PM
02/12/2015 09:23 PM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 5,720 Massachusetts
maytrix
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Definitely not a clear cut answer. If you go into a restaurant and the owner waits on you, do you not tip them because they are also making money?
The money an owner makes on the charter shouldn't matter since the tip is for the service provided and paid to the person providing that service. Shouldn't matter if they are the same person or not.
Matt
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Re: Charter gratuity question?
[Re: maytrix]
#39528
02/12/2015 09:32 PM
02/12/2015 09:32 PM
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 8,529 Ya never know...
HillsideView
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When this conversation slows up I have a couple questions on holding tanks,flag etiquette and Obamacare
My foot fits right into my shoe and my shoe will fit right into your...
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Re: Charter gratuity question?
[Re: HillsideView]
#39529
02/12/2015 10:22 PM
02/12/2015 10:22 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,412 New Jersey, USA
DanS
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I've learned something from this discussion. If I were to base my thinking purely on logic and arithmetic, I would argue (in fact I did argue above) that crew members should be tipped the same whether or not they are owners. But given that many potential customers (i.e. many of you) apparently disagree, if I were an owner I think I would do the following: - Clearly state that I am both owner and crew, so no one feels like I'm hiding anything.
- Establish and advertise a strict no-tipping policy.
- Set my rates so they are competitive with the total amount a customer would have to pay elsewhere, when tips are taken into account.
Dan <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />
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Re: Charter gratuity question?
[Re: maytrix]
#39530
02/12/2015 10:39 PM
02/12/2015 10:39 PM
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 39
kunphuzn
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maytrix said: Definitely not a clear cut answer. If you go into a restaurant and the owner waits on you, do you not tip them because they are also making money?
The money an owner makes on the charter shouldn't matter since the tip is for the service provided and paid to the person providing that service. Shouldn't matter if they are the same person or not. Okay, but as someone mentioned above, do you tip the maid at The Ritz $80 pet day based on the room rate or do you tip her based on the service she provides and leave her $10 bucks a day?
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Re: Charter gratuity question?
[Re: DanS]
#39531
02/12/2015 10:53 PM
02/12/2015 10:53 PM
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 288 Kansas
Chriskal
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DanS said:I've learned something from this discussion. If I were to base my thinking purely on logic and arithmetic, I would argue (in fact I did argue above) that crew members should be tipped the same whether or not they are owners. But given that many potential customers (i.e. many of you) apparently disagree, if I were an owner I think I would do the following: - Clearly state that I am both owner and crew, so no one feels like I'm hiding anything.
- Establish and advertise a strict no-tipping policy.
- Set my rates so they are competitive with the total amount a customer would have to pay elsewhere, when tips are taken into account.
Dan <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" /> Well, if nothing else I think that would make you a very astute and honest charter boat owner/captain.
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Re: Charter gratuity question?
[Re: kunphuzn]
#39532
02/13/2015 09:02 AM
02/13/2015 09:02 AM
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 198 SW Florida
CptCook
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kunphuzn said: Okay, but as someone mentioned above, do you tip the maid at The Ritz $80 pet day based on the room rate or do you tip her based on the service she provides and leave her $10 bucks a day? Or stated another way, $10000 weekly charter fee times 15% equals $1500 divided by 7 days equals $214 per day. $214 per day is NOT a gratuity, it is a salary. And if it is necessary for those "customarily expecting" it to make a living, then it should be marketed as a fixed cost, not a gratuity.
"Be a Traveler, not a tourist!"
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Re: Charter gratuity question?
[Re: CGB]
#39535
02/13/2015 12:10 PM
02/13/2015 12:10 PM
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 260 Daniel Island
Guineaman
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The last time we did a charter (crewed & provisions), the broker asked if we wanted to include the tip up front so we would not have to deal with the cash at the end. It was a big cat; there were 4 couples.
I didn’t want to do it that way, preferring to have cash set aside (15%-20%) to give to the captain and crew at the end. My wife and I always bring pen and paper to write a personal note to the crew that we include in the envelope. If the crew/service is exceptional, we give the 20%. If it’s sort of perfunctory, we give 15%.
Doing the tip up front is bad, I think, because the crew already knows how they’ll be compensated. On the charter last year, we thanked them, gave ‘em an additional $100, and told them to go out to eat somewhere. They were Ok, but I never felt like they were trying very hard. I felt more like we were in a bed and breakfast. There was not a lot of going the extra mile(knot?).
We usually go with the same group, and I will *not* prepay the tip again unless I’m absolutely forced to. What say you?
Bill on Daniel Island
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Re: Charter gratuity question?
[Re: GeorgeC1]
#39537
02/13/2015 02:44 PM
02/13/2015 02:44 PM
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 198 SW Florida
CptCook
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GeorgeC1 said: It is in essence another charge that reduces the published charter cost. G My point exactly George. At that point it is no longer a "gratuity", it is a salary. And should be marketed as such. Easier for the charter guests, fairer for the crew...the whole concept of making the consumer participate in the wages of a service provider is just wrong in my humble opinion.
"Be a Traveler, not a tourist!"
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Re: Charter gratuity question?
[Re: jimmyb]
#189215
03/31/2019 10:23 AM
03/31/2019 10:23 AM
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Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 2 NJ, USA
drg1966
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ok, I read everything here and other posts too but I am in need of a better example or explanation. Here is the scenario: sailboat charter is 15,000 for one week which includes a skipper who is said to cost $1000 for that week. It says that all other fees are extra like Yacht fuel, water and shore electricity and all of our food/liquor provisions. It also says that we need to feed him 3 meals per day. So we probably would tip him based on his fee of $1000....right? But second part of my question is we want to add on a chef to the mix. So it says this will cost $650 for the week + 3 meals/day and a bed and they will provide breakfasts, lunches and 2 dinners, organize food/liquor purchase and keep kitchen, saloon AND bathrooms clean and tidy. To me this is a no brainer of an add on but how much is the chef tip. Seams to me they would be providing a lot more service to the trip than 20% of 650. So let's say that the trip all goes great....skipper gets us everywhere we need go with us (we are the crew) helping where needed and the chef provides us with great meals and cleans up the public areas....we include them with all of our on land festivities (eating, drinking, dancing) and feed them there 3 squares/day. How much do we tip? Do we tip them separately or one lump that they divide? If it goes well we will want to do it again so we don't want to be cheap but we don't want to be way over tippers either.
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Re: Charter gratuity question?
[Re: HillsideView]
#189279
03/31/2019 07:15 PM
03/31/2019 07:15 PM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,003
sail445
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When this conversation slows up I have a couple questions on holding tanks,flag etiquette and Obamacare Those are 3 subjects that are in name only.
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