Titanfan22

You are also paying the doctor, nurse, ac service tech, mechanic, lawyer, and airplane pilot (thanks TRLD for the back up) that also provide a service, why not tip them? Let’s tip everyone. Provide a service “a piece of work done for a client or customer that does not involve manufacturing goods” All employees referenced in this thread get paid or should get paid to provide a “service” (their specific job). - make a bed -deliver the food -put a cast on a broken leg -take your blood pressure -change your oil -clean your ac condenser and etc. I won’t post the definition of gratuity again.

Hotels have started playing the same games with resort fees. While not a gratuity, just another shell game to manipulate the consumers mind. And, you can’t decline the resort fee.

So they are expected to take a lesser wage because tips are expected and considered part of their compensation. So if the value of the steward position is $30,000 and the cruise line has all of this great data to know each steward averages $10,000 annually in gratuity, they can pay him $20,000 and feel they are being fair. And maybe they will knock in a $2000 bonus, yeah! In my world, the employee earns $30,000 because that is what the job is worth, and the $10,000 is extra and makes a difference in his life so he nets $40,000 which makes all of the going above and beyond well worth it. (Just throwing these numbers out for simplicity) Thanks all for the weekend entertainment. And no, I did not tip the chipotle cashier when she took my order. That is soon to be the next expected practice.

Tipping is not an expected practice for those folding sheets, those cooking, those washing dishes and etc. In the case of the restaurant, the server receives the tip for their service and they agree to share or not, that’s their decision. I’m sure these other trades will gladly allow tipping as an accepted practice, let’s start doing it?

Their payment for doing their job. Pretty simple overall, do your job and get paid for it. Go above / beyond and get an extra thank you (gratuity) What is so difficult about this concept? FYI, I gladly tip my massage therapist at home because she constantly rearranges her schedule to accommodate me when I’m in pain. She provides exercises and stretches to do to help me. She does not say “your 50 minutes are up Bud, get out”

So, the recommended amount (by someone else) on how I am to spend my money? I don’t think so. Provide good service and I will tip because I decide to. Don’t get me started on massage. I spend $150 on a massage then I am required to tip another thirty dollars? What did $150 pay for?

It would then be our choice as to whether we wanted to pay that fare or not. However, we would then be able to directly tip those that we feel have provided service without playing this shell game.

Do you tip your doctor or the nurse that takes your blood pressure? Do you tip the person that fixes or replaces your air conditioner at home? Do you tip your financial advisor or banker? Why not? Because they are getting paid to do their job as is the person that washes the sheets and others should be also. It’s not the passengers job to ensure wages are paid, if it is raise fares or call it a service fee. There are several articles out there that address this subject and how the businesses (Cruise Lines) are posturing and taking advantage of this business model. Again gratuity: pay “: something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service” Nor am I’m not confident the cruise lines are distributing this money as above and beyond wages. I would bet they are using these dollars to help meet payroll while providing discretionary bonuses however they chose. And I would guess 10-15% stays with the house. This is big business, don’t be naive and think they are all about being fair and ensuring their employees have a great quality of life. It is about profit and margins.

Exactly, as bolded above, is Princess concerned about service or their self-created revenue stream? What if the steward gets great comments and a great review (maybe passenger lavished them directly with cash) will they be disciplined / terminated for disrupting the revenue stream? This all started with an individual posting “Don't cruise if you cannot afford it.” If someone feels I should have to do something, that is voluntary, (because they chose to voluntarily do it) and it won’t be fair to them if I don’t, maybe they should worry about themselves or NOT cruise if it bugs them. Thank you all for the comments. I’m sure we are all more alike than it appears, but it is ok if we have our differences. And I guess you’re not interested in the revenue sharing I proposed? lol. Take care

No disrespect, however, I would like to step back and say I don’t care how much the employees make nor am I interested in compensating every member of the crew. That is between the employee and the employer. I would just like to insure the gratuity I pay “: something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service” goes directly to those who have provided a service. No, it is you and those like you that are creating a tip crazy culture.

I don’t disagree with anything you are saying, however, I feel the cruise lines business model should have nothing to do with providing cash incentives (tips) to customer facing employees. It’s a shell game that only gives a portion of the gratuity to those providing the service. With 3000 passengers on a ship with average gratuity of $16 per person, that is $336,000 for a 7-day cruise. Princess has noted this money will be used as follows: “The pooled funds are distributed throughout the year in the form of compensation, including bonuses, to crewmembers fleetwide who interact directly with guests and/or behind the scenes throughout every cruise, including those in the Bar, Dining, Entertainment, Housekeeping, Guest Services, Galley and Onboard Revenue ... https://www.princess.com > global Crew Appreciation and Service Charge Policy - Princess Cruises” They are using this money to supplement their business expenses and for them to determine who gets what. For a two person cabin, with a gratuity of $224, I can’t even be assured that my room cabin is going to get $20 of it! But the entertainers, who do earn more, might get compensation or bonuses from it? This is creating a revenue stream, not collecting tips and passing them on to those who earned it. Call it a service fee for the cruise and encourage people to still tip the forward facing employees that go above and beyond and we can clear all of this up. By the time you pay all of the behind the scenes people, how much is left for the stewards, waiters, and bartenders? And don’t forget the exorbitant administrative fees that will be charged against this pot of gold for handling and managing this money before distributing any of it out. Also, please keep in mind the cruise lines can publicly post / say anything, there is no regulation or proof as to what they do with it.

P&O would, realistically, charge more and have to pay higher wages to retain employees that could earn more on other cruise lines that encourage gratuity. This, although wages are most likely similar, does not encourage great service and hence what you have stated. Slide a P&O server $20 and the smile magically comes back. Hence, my opinion, by paying gratuities directly to Princess, you are encouraging the same type of less than ideal behavior. The service employee has a guaranteed gratuity, but they have to share it, why try any harder to provide above and beyond service? But, if you desire that exceptional service, you can still tip those you have already paid tips to in advance, via Princess? As others have been told by those who provide direct customer service, (cabin stewards and waiters) the shared gratuity system is not best for them and they would much rather have cash given directly to them. If you feel they should have to share the dollars they earn for above and beyond effort, things are kind of tough for me this month, please let me message my contact info so you can help a guy out? This thread has inspired me to google the history of tipping, it’s quite interesting, I would suggest others due the same if they have time. Ironically, it is suggested tipping began with the Aristocats of Europe as a show of status, I guess some have had a change of heart, lol.

Great info. Tku

Perfect, thank you for the clarification.

Thank you for the information. Will it also add $$ if I book excursions or spa services before the cruise? Tks

I appreciate your opinion and understand where you are coming from. Thirty years ago, when I first started cruising, you voluntarily tipped if you felt compelled to recognize a crew member for going above and beyond. It was not required. The bottom line is the cruise lines could very easily end this debate by adding another line in the fee schedule, above the taxes and port fees that are broken out, that says SERVICE FEE $16 per day = xxx. Discussion closed / debate over. My final point is, with automatic gratuities, you do not get the type of service that you received when you were handing out cash envelopes in the “old days”. For that level of service nowadays, in addition to automatic gratuities you still need to slide cash. Jmo. Take care, gratuity noun gra·tu·i·ty grə-ˈtü-ə-tē -ˈtyü- plural gratuities Synonyms of gratuity : something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service especially : TIP added a gratuity for the server

It’s not my business nor yours if they can afford it or not. If they feel that their cruise fare covers everything that these pretty brochures tout then it should be their decision whether they want to recognize someone that provides service above and beyond what the brochure states should be expected. Would I consider someone that is wearing a Rolex cheap if they were whining about tipping, probably so. The question is, in general, why gratuity is offered and how is it earned?

Thanks for your response. The worthy people that do the behind the scenes work should be getting paid appropriately for the value of their work as determined by the cruise line. They were offered the position for that pay and they accepted it. They do not have a direct contact service industry position. Any additional monies paid would be considered a bonus and bonuses are paid from company revenues. Cruise lines, in fact, have duped the consumer into now feeling obligated to share gratuities with these back of the house people which, in effect, now saves them from sharing their revenues. The consumer pays the “bonus” while also providing the revenue that should provide the “bonus” Genius! I consider myself a good tipper and when I receive above and beyond service I am more generous. Only because I have the means to. But I don’t tip my doctor, dentist, mechanic, builder, landscaper, plumber, banker, etc. Are we headed that direction? I apologize, this isn’t the forum for this debate, however, my ultimate point is you be you and let other people be them. Tku

It is disappointing that you would demean those that might not be as fortunate as you are and for inferring that they should not have the pleasure of cruisiing. They have saved and paid the price required for the cruise. Included in that price is the expectation of good service. If someone feels they cannot afford another $112 per person they should not be shamed into it. Gratuities are always optional. It is the cruise company’s responsibility to compensate their employees fairly to retain them.

I thought I read somewhere, after selecting Princess insurance, anything booked pre-cruise will be inflated. I just tried to select Princess plus for a 12-day cruise and it popped up at $784 vs $720. Can anyone please confirm or deny. If true will it add to excursions and other pre-cruise purchases? Thanks for the help

Sorry, Fort Lauderdale. Flying out of Fort Lauderdale. Tku

I have a late flight post cruise and don’t want to sit around and airport for 12 hours. Any suggestions on what to do? Any ideas how to temporarily offload luggage? I would appreciate any input. Tku

It smoke and mirrors marketing. I look at it the same way you do, I was just making a point the by collecting the gratuities, the service employees are penalized.

Thank you for the clarification. That being said, they are collecting and determining how to distribute or if to distribute gratuities. Then those who provide the great service share with many that don’t? No wonder service levels have seemed to diminished over the years unless you throw the extra cash out. Does the Captain share his bonus with anyone?

Gratuity is up to each individual, but the definition of gratuity is: a gift of money, over and above payment due for service, as to a waiter or bellhop; tip. something given without claim or demand Does anyone truly believe all of the prepaid gratuities go to the staff? Just say 3,000 people on a 7-day cruise at an average of $15 per day per person. That’s $315,000 for a week. I feel the cruise lines are most likely supplementing their payroll and giving “some” back with the gratuities. After all, there are admin costs, wink-wink. But I think it’s more of, one for you, one for me. One for you, one for me. Etc. I believe wages should be paid for the service rendered and the gratuity added if it was above and beyond. Jmo