No, to be honest I've never tipped - but then, I don't take the punch either. I'm just so happy to be off the plane, on solid ground and looking forward to getting to the beach. I see an awful lot of folks looking very unhappy as they trek from the plane to the terminal - some of them are carrying more than I check! Last time, for a first, I saw someone smoking as they walked along the outside of the terminal off the plane! Think sometimes it's about attitude at that latitude and you get what you give!

Last time we were there, I got scowls when I returned to get a cup for my better half who was having
a meltdown because our lugggage was lost.
When I explained what was happening, the whole attitude
changed! I think it was two ladies and a man and they nearly offered me the whole pitcher, so sorry about
our inconvenience, hoped it wouldn't ruin our stay, etc etc.
If I had to work in that crowded, overheated airport, I'd be a bit cranky
myself.

captainvic

cshell - I think "The Secret" has warped your mind, lol. Seriously, though, I'm a bundle of freakin' joy when I get off that plane. Their moods are not affected by a 3 second appearance from anyone's smiling or frowing face. We're like cattle to them and we all look the same. I can slightly empathize because I would hate my job if it consisted of constantly mixing the same drink over and over and then pouring it into little sippie cups for all of the tourists when they get off their nice, comfy, air conditioned plane as they're headed to their luxurious accomodations...all while I stand in one place pouring and serving, pouring and serving. I get that it can suck to be in their position. BUT, they are hired to be the USVI greeting committee and should always do so with a smiling face. I have no problem with them leaving a tip jar out with a little sign saying whatever they wish to write....but please don't greet me with a frown and yell "take a sip, leave a tip" before I even get within 10 feet of your sipping booth. Like I said, it was only last year that we experienced this...I was just wondering if this is going to be an ongoing thing, or if it was just a one-time thing.

Hell, give them a dollar. You're getting a free sip and I'll bet going to be spending a few more dollars after you exit the airport.

If I had to work in that damn airport slinging drinks to folks off a long ride, I'd be yelling "give tip and I'll give you a sip".

PS. and the last thing I expect at the airport is service. Now at a restaurant after spending a few dollars, sure.

I don't think anyone is understanding my point. It isn't about the tip. It's about them shouting "take a sip, leave a tip" as we entered the airport. Why did they suddenly start shouting that? I don't care if they want a tip, I care that they shout it at people before before anyone has even approached the booth. It's just plain rude. Nobody needs THAT kind of welcome to the islands.

I've always gotten along fine with those folks. Have a cup, give a tip, chat them up a little bit. I'd imagine that most tourists pretty much blow by them while rushing to their baggage so they can get to their destination. Maybe grab a cup without even coming to a full stop. We probably seem quite rude to them. We've all had some coaching in properly greeting local folks before getting around to business. And it's more than just saying "Good whatever" then rushing ahead with what I want. It's not that "Good Whatever" is a secret password that will get me what I want. In West Indian culture things are not to be rushed. Folks take time to engage in formal greetings and to respectfully engage another person. People are quite formal and reserved, especially the older folk. Guy Benjamin writes about how important formal greetings are in West Indian culture. He also points out that just because i say "Good Whatever" to someone, it won't necessarily make them want to be my friend----but it will let them know that I was raised properly.

How we approach the folks at the rum punch stand may have a lot to do with the response we get. Or this might just be a collection of nasty people who hate their jobs and take it out on tourists.

Who cares? So let them shout it out. If it p**ses you off ignore them. You'll still come back the next year and you can ignore them again. Life's real easy.

I guess you had to be there. From the perspective of someone who has always been happily greeted by the rum punch people, it was really interesting last year to see only a couple of tourists approach the stand when they were shouting "take a sip, leave a tip". The anger in their voices visibly left most people cold. Really, it was a little intense and the tourists looked a little bewildered. In all of our visits over the past few years, they never shouted anything like that and the stand was always crowded with visitors. Yet, when they shouted about leaving tips, it scared people away.

Yes, life is really easy...and this started as a "real easy" question: are they still shouting that, or did we just come on a bad day?

My husband and I have entered the STT airport more times than I can count at this point and we never heard that phrase. Although I always greet them with a "Good Afternoon" and always get a polite response. I worked the cruise ship dock while we lived there and I can't tell you how many times people would come off the ship and you would greet them nicely and they would shove past you with nothing more than a snarl. Kind of wears you down after a while. I eventually only greeted those who would greet me first. You just don't know til you walk in another's shoes. Many locals that work in the tourism industry work 6 or 7 days a week at two jobs. I have to be honest and say that the polite and happy tourists are few and far between. Majority are not happy until they are on the beach with drink in hand. TRUTH!

Crystal,

I bet you could just say "Good afternoon" and a "How are you?" and get a cup of punch and not even feel the need to tip. It surprises tourists when they learn the 'secret' of the island greeting and how it magically turns a frown upside down! I sound silly, but it is the way of the islands.

Teresa

They did this when we were coming through. We took our cups and ingnored the tip reference. We smiled and said good afternoon.

As far as everyone execusing it in saying that they have a hard job pouring the sippy cups (are you serious?), it's hot, etc....that's why they call it a JOB folks! And, last time I checked, slavery was abolished. They are free to quit and do something else if it makes them that cranky.

Should I wake up tomorrow and abuse my customers because I am feeling cranky about my job? And, yes, if they work for the tourism bureau, we are their customers.

Hopefully, they'll be asked to stop shouting for tips. It can't be good for business -and I'm sure it isn't what the tourism bureau wants to be delivered as the welcoming message to the VI visitors.

Thank you, Blu. I was starting to think I was speaking some foreign language or something.

Gosh golly Blu are you cranky or what? 🙂

Now for my plate of pasta.

Not at all, Promo. I just get tired of the visitors being blamed for every bad attitude or bad experience. It sometimes feels like there's an inch thick "rules of the road" book that visitors have to follow in order not to upset the order. I agree with trying your best to say good mornning, good day, etc...but I, on many occasions, have done that and have been met with a blank stare or a scowl - not from the airport ladies, but from others. So, that is not always appreciated or a cure for rudeness.

There are rude, cranky, arrogant people in the US and some of them travel to the islands - and there are also friendly, polite, kind, relaxed continentals and they also visit.

There are rude, cranky, arrogrant people in the islands - and the nicer visitors sometimes meet them there.

It sometimes (often) seems that whenever a visitor has a bad experience with something or someone, some on this forum infer that it was their fault because they didn't say the right phrase, smile enough, have the right attitude, slow down enough, etc. C'mon...it's a vacation....not a charm school test.

The bottom line is: It can be exhausting to try to do everything "right "while you've visiting- especially when you start to see that it isn't always effective or appreciated.

-and very stressful to fear of the reaction for a small misstep.

I just hate to see visitors always getting blamed for any bad experience. It is unacceptable for the torusim bureau's employees or contractees to be positioned at the entrance to the terminal, "welcoming" visitors, yelling for tips and scowling if they don't get them. You just cannot blame visitos for this one. There's no excuse.

Blu,
I happen to agree with you. My first thoughts when I first ck'd out this thread was.....

The Rum Punch is there to welcome you.....the tourist!
The Rum Punch is there to PROMOTE our local Rum.
Other thoughts...You are walking off a plane, after sitting for hours, your hands are usually full with stuff and carry-ons and now you have to stop to tip for such a little cup of "COMPLIMENTARY" Rum Punch?

I THINK NOT! Geez and bread, you JUST got off the plane!

I doubt highly that anyone here who SHOULD know this is happening, does! This behaviour is NOT acceptable!

We are flying into STT on 8/15 at 3:15 PM so I will let you know when we get back if they are asking for tips. Last time it did not happen but that was 2 years ago. I know the rum was appreciated after getting off the plane. It helped set the mood for the stay.

Attitude is everything. If the rum punch people act rude to me even if I say a polite greeting (which they never have to me) than I would be sure to not leave a tip and be on my way. No big deal. The punch is free so why care so much about the 'service' you get? It seems kind of silly to me.

Blu,

You are wrong about the people working on island. Many really do work long hours and almost everyday during high season and get some time off in the slower season. There are not jobs aplenty on island and they can't just quit one job and find another so easily. However, you are right that there are a lot of bad manners towards tourists that shouldn't happen. I understand the why of it, but it doesn't justify it. You shouldn't feel the need to 'walk on eggshells' or always have your face and manners in check. What I was trying to say is that is just the way it is on the islands. You have some who are friendly and many who are not. I guess I adopted the island greetings as a way to get along and not have any worries. I have more times than not had the attitude of a local change to friendly after greeting them, so I don't remember the rudeness so much. I guess it just doesn't bother me anymore.

After working with tourists 7 days a week on island, I have to tell you that the attitude that the majority of tourists have is that you need to go way out of your way to make them happy and they do not have to treat you with respect. I personally do not think that those tourists do much research nor come to message boards like this and can tell that they have no idea how to behave on vacation. People like you who research their vacation themselves and know a lot about local customs and such are usually the wonderful vacationers who are respectful and deserve better, but unfortunately you are not the majority of the people I would run across while working. I do feel bad that vacationers are not treated nicer by some since you are putting money into the islands, but my whole point is that you can't control how others act and can only try to better the situation by 'killing them with kindness' or just letting the whole situation fade away.

My husband just returned from STT and said that he did not hear the 'tips' phrase when he entered the airport so maybe that situation has already been remedied. I am still shocked that they would say that and I imagine it must have been bad day or something as I swear it is not the 'norm'. I hope this helps you all. Happy vacationing and no worries!

Teresa

Cross the Georgia border and into Florida the FL Visitors / Tourism is handing out OJ at the Welcome Center. My family and I stopped at that Welcome Center every year since I was a kid. Now, my sister & brother bring their kids down and stop in for their 'lil OJ. I'm just using this as an example. This is a tourism board thing and it's supposed to "welcome" guests to the area. I think tipping, in this case, is inappropriate. ........IMHO.

Teresa,

I get what you are saying. But, I don't see where i am wrong about the people working in the islands. Am I wrong because I said they could go work elsewhere if this job was too troublesome for them to do it properly? If jobs are that hard to come by, then I guess the people working should try hard to do what they are supposed to.

Either way.....first impressions are lasting impressions. It would be nice if the first impression could be positive, that's all. If the visitors don't know how to behave, as you've stated, then show them. Lead by example.

People have lived their entire lives in places where they are surrounded by hyperactivity, intensity, etc. it isn't considered "rude" where they are. I'm guessing that a great number of VI visitors are from the East Coast - lots of NY and Philly area visitors. Here, the culture is different. Reading a guide book will not prepare a visitor for the culture shift in the VI. They must experience it. If they step off of the plane and are met with a level of hostility, they really won't understand why and they'll just assume that's how it is on the island...and their city attitude is appropriate and they'll just keep going since that's nothing new to them. But, demonstrating a different culture right off the plane might make them take notice - and adjust their attitude.

Why is it that the visitors have to set the mood of the island. Shouldn't it be the other way around?

Lead by example.

I agree with you Crystal & completely understand what you are saying. I would normally leave a tip, but probably wouldn't even approach them if they were shouting that. It is kind of rude. 🙂

well we are supposed to land at STT airport Wednesday afternoon but I just looked and saw a storm brewing in the Atlantic and they are forcasting it to affect the USVI. We are supposed to be there from this Wednesday to Sunday afternoon but doesn't look to promising. Would sure miss not getting the rum punch.