On The Rewards Of An Effective Complaint

Here’s a fare you won’t see advertised anywhere: Hartford-to-Detroit, round-trip with fees and taxes, just $82 – and three hours.

Cruise Passenger Tip List Causes A Stir

A cruise passenger on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Carnival Splendor photographed a posting on a staff bulletin board that listed passengers who had opted out of automated, prepaid tips,  Britain’s Daily Mail reports.

“List of cruise passengers who don’t tip is made public to staff,” says the headline. This isn’t precisely so. Passengers who opt out of the automated tip charge on their credit cards may simply prefer to tip in cash, which was once customary. These passengers may even tip more than the standard amount.

It is totally not OK to stiff the hard-working waiters and cabin attendants, who depend on tips. But it also seems odd to charge a standard amount in advance, before service is rendered and without regard to how well it is rendered. You might as well just add the amount to the cruise fare and pay the staff more.

The husband and I never tip below the standard, suggested amounts, but we often tip above them for superior service. We used to opt out of automated tips and pay in cash. Now we just add a supplemental tip where warranted.

The Daily Mail suggests that the list was posted so that staff could treat the supposed non-tippers badly. I’m willing to bet the staff knows there’s a likelihood that at least some of the people on such a list might actually tip well.

Collecting Supermarket Discount Cards

Is the Foodland store in Princeville, Kauai, the most expensive supermarket in the United States? Maybe not, but it has to be close.

All the more reason to take two minutes to fill out a form to get a Foodland discount card. So I did.

I’ve done this before when staying in accommodations with a kitchen, where I do my own cooking and end up shopping in an unfamiliar supermarket chain. It doesn’t take long to fill out the form, and it can save a few bucks.

Today, it saved me $5. On Kauai, that’ll get you a whole cookie!