tips for sleeping car attendants

[Shanghai]

If you need to change money, the attendant in the dining car will change for you.

 

[TraneMan]

If your budget don't allow you to tip, just do a simple, "Thank You for your service" or other good words.

 

[ScottC4746]

May I ask a controversial question here? I am just curious to know why you think it is necessary to tip the SCA's? According to Amtrak, tipping is optional. You tip because want to, not because you are obligated to tip. Good service shouldn't depend on tips. It is a way of getting people to book another trip on Amtrak. I've read that most Amtrak staff are paid well for what they do, so I don't see why one should feel obligated to tip to expect good service. We do tip the staff in the dining car, however, since we're used to tipping in restaurants.

Let's see, they ensure your beds are converted to/from day/night, they ensure the car is kept clean, they ensure that you have water, juice, coffee, they ensure you are comfortable on your journey. Need I continue?

 

[ScottC4746]

Thanks to all of you for your thoughts....leaving on the 21 to Maricopa this week...soooo we will see...Only had one bad experience in all our travels...and it was a ghost SCA...Ha....take care

So far I have been lucky with staff. Alice Wong on Sunset Limited in the Diner is a hoot and a half. She jokes around and a great attitude. Rene same route and crew in the sleeper was also great. I had a SLC last Jan on SS LTD African-American but do not remember his name, but apparently worked for the trains before Amtrak as he was telling me about life on board then. Very warm and welcoming. Not sure if it was because I was in a bedroom instead of a roomette, but they don't know what we paid for the room so I guess not. Great person. Hope I luck out in 17 days on SWC.

 

[chandj]

This is probably controversial as well, but I believe that gratuities should always be a part of one's budget planning when partaking of a service. Some hotels and restaurants automatically include the gratuity for certain services, but normally all tipping is at-will. However, in many situations, like restaurants and Amtrak dining/sleeper service, it is customary to recognize good service with some level of tip. As PP's have said, if one doesn't get good service, don't tip, but go in with the attitude that the SA WILL be great and the budget to reward that service (at whatever level fits personal finances). I have traveled and dined with people who think nothing of plunking down $5 for a pack of cigarettes or an extra beer but claim they can't afford to tip a wait person or attendant.

 

[abner weego]

sounds like a costly trip!

 

[SP&S]

Tip whatever you think is right. But be careful, if you are tagged as "cheap" on the first meal, and you are ona multi-day train like the EB, or CZ or TE, etc., etc., don't expect the staff to bend over backwards for your every request in a timely matter..........

On a train where you'll be eating a number of meals it's a good idea to overtip for the first one. The staff remembers.

 

[Waterlevelroute]

I was on the CZ Train 5 from Chicago on August 12th 2013. Experienced the worst SCA ever. Can't forget this clown. Starts off in Chicago car number 0531 with his announcement on the PA. "My name is Will not William not Bill I am Will". The train departs late due to an issue in the Dining car. When the passengers in the Sleeper asked him about the lateness his reply would always be. "I'm not the Conductor if you have any problems go ask him" Wait it gets better. At 9pm Will goes back on the PA in the car and announces "I am putting the beds down. You have until 9:30 to get the beds down after that, I don't work until 6AM so, don't call me" He actually got nice about 9:20 and said ok until 9:45. Well, Will true to his word is thankfully not seen or heard of until the morning. I asked him around 8am when your not busy can I have breakfast in my room? Will replies and says" I am busy with the beds". I said whenever you have the chance and your not busy. His reply has to the the best ever. Why don't you go to the Dining car and sit down and eat there? It's only the next car down. At this point I had it with his attitude and said "Because I paid almost $3,000.00 for this trip to be in First Class and I expect First Class service do you understand?" Will promptly took my order and served breakfast. I have spent alot of time on both Cruise Ships and Amtrak Sleepers and maybe Amtrak needs to hire the Cabin Stewards from the Cruise lines as SCA's This behaviour would never be tolerated on a Cruise line. Perhaps this can explain why most long distance Amtrak trains are losing riders.

 

[Acela150]

Don't see what that has to do with tipping. But my suggestion is if you have a big enough problem with him.. Calling Amtrak.

Side note: 2 year old topic.

Edit: Of course I would forget to put the sentence about calling Amtrak in.

 

[Ryan]

You should complain to Customer Relations, where it will actually do some good.

 

[ScottRu]

I want Tall Guy on all my future train trips!

 

[VentureForth]

Hi Waterlevelroute. Be sure to call Amtrak. Let them know. That being said, this community is very familiar with the fact that there are really bad SCAs out there. There are also really good ones.

Anyway, we appreciate your comment and hope you get some resolve from Amtrak. But if nothing else, know this. Amtrak Long Distance ridership continues to grow inspite of higher prices & poor service. Can you imagine if the prices were at a sell out point regularly and the service was always exceptional? Win - win for all. I hope Management gets this message.

With regards to your cruise line example, keep in mind that I've never met a cruise line employee who was an American. Not that they aren't out there, but I haven't met them. Main reason is because of very low wages and 6 month long shifts with almost no time off. For many of the international employees, they are able to send money back to their land based families where their money goes much further.

Amtrak employees are unionized and are very well compensated. It also makes for great difficulty in repremanding, retraining, or even firing the bad apples - though it happens.

 

[Waterlevelroute]

Engineer and everyone else thank you for your replies. Yes, I have had some excellent SCA's on Amtrak. The trip in August involved dealing with 6 different SCA's on various trains 2 were lousy 1 mediocre and 3 excellent. So, I guess that's not too bad. In your comment you do mention ridership being up. But looking at Railpace, it shows a different picture. With the exception of Auto Train, NEC and one other long distance train they were all down. I know this is the wrong subject to post this stuff on since this involves tipping SCA's. If there is a thread that discusses ridership numbers I can resume this subject there. As far as tipping I gave Will what he deserved a big zero. However, the others very good ones I gave 10.00 a night since I always ask for meals upstairs. Also since most SCA's can get very busy I do toss the trash on my own after eating in my Compartment. Yes, there are bad apples everywhere and if possible I always try to help the SCA by tossing my own trash after eating, asking them in the morning if they want me to pull the sheets in my Compartment etc.