UK cruises, new gratuities

I think UK cruises will seriously have to re think there tipping policies

You're looking for an excuse not to tip.

You're hurting the wrong people. The gratuity staff have NOTHING to do with the fares. Want to hurt Princess, don't book a Princess cruise.

 

Cruise lines have all sorts of promotions. We never seem to qualify. On rare occasions we'll encounter a California resident one. Think I've seen two in 10 years for the cruises we want to book. The other promotions are rarely on cruises we want to sail. Last promotion we booked was about 3 years ago.

You are correct but I'm sure if gratuities went up to $21 a day per person the attitude may change on that side of the Atlantic

Presumably there is nothing to stop people going to reception and adjusting the gratuity to the old rate?

It is getting out of hand, especially as British cruisers have also been hit with a huge drop in £ to $ exchange rates.

The gratuity rate should be honoured at the rate prevalent when the cruise was booked, i.e. when the contract was made.

The drop of the pound is the fault of your government, not Princess. When people from the US visit the UK, things are much more expensive than at home due to your extremely high taxes on everything. But if you can't afford to pay, you can't afford to go. Take a cheaper vacation.

The drop of the pound is the fault of your government, not Princess. When people from the US visit the UK, things are much more expensive than at home due to your extremely high taxes on everything. But if you can't afford to pay, you can't afford to go. Take a cheaper vacation.

The vote to leave the European Union also contributed to the decline.

The drop of the pound is the fault of your government, not Princess. When people from the US visit the UK, things are much more expensive than at home due to your extremely high taxes on everything. But if you can't afford to pay, you can't afford to go. Take a cheaper vacation.

I don't need a lesson in Economics from you, thank you.

Nor do I need advice on whom I should book with.

You are rather quick in making assumptions about my financial position, which is of no concern of yours.

You have made no effective contribution to the debate, so why did you bother posting?

The brochure for my upcoming cruise quoted a gratuity rate of $11.50, this was what I contracted to pay. Is that too difficult to understand?

I don't need a lesson in Economics from you, thank you.

Nor do I need advice on whom I should book with.

You are rather quick in making assumptions about my financial position, which is of no concern of yours.

You have made no effective contribution to the debate, so why did you bother posting?

The brochure for my upcoming cruise quoted a gratuity rate of $11.50, this was what I contracted to pay. Is that too difficult to understand?

Unless you prepaid gratuities, cruise lines reserve the right to increase gratuities. Never seen an immediate increase. When both Princess and Carnival have announced increases, they've given enough time for pax to prepay at the older, lower rate.

Economically speaking, the US has a transparent sales tax.

Blame goes to your fellow countrymen who voted for Brexit. That fiasco is causing panic and the plummeting of the pound.

The drop of the pound is the fault of your government, not Princess. When people from the US visit the UK, things are much more expensive than at home due to your extremely high taxes on everything. But if you can't afford to pay, you can't afford to go. Take a cheaper vacation.

The tip fee has doubled since we booked the cruise, so something may have to give for some passengers who have already booked

The tip fee has doubled since we booked the cruise, so something may have to give for some passengers who have already booked

Isn't there an option to prepay the gratuities?

The tip fee has doubled since we booked the cruise, so something may have to give for some passengers who have already booked

When did you book, 1990?

May, gone from £7 a day to £10.60

May, gone from £7 a day to £10.60

That just over 50% increase, not double.

Weren't you given the option of prepayment?

I don't think anyone should use the exchange rate as a reason to reduce tips. The exchange rate is just a fact of life when you are travelling to other countries. It's not just the poor Brits that have been impacted by a stronger US dollar. I'm Canadian, and when I took a cruise last year the $11.50 daily autotip was converted to Canadian dollars at a rate of 1.10, so it equaled $12.65 Canadian. The new rate of $13.50 US would now cost about $17.96 Canadian at the current exchange rate of about 1.33. That's a 42% increase to the price I pay in Canadian dollars, but I would never think of reducing my tips. The exchange rate is not Princess' fault, and it certainly isn't the crew's fault, and they shouldn't be penalized for it.

That just over 50% increase, not double.

Weren't you given the option of prepayment?

This is something I would never do

With the weak pound and new raise in daily tips how do you feel about paying £21 a day in tips per couple.

I don't think the new rates are reasonable and will adjust them to $10 PP PD on my next cruise. They are only a suggestion and not mandatory so go to guest services and do what is right for you.

The tip fee has doubled since we booked the cruise, so something may have to give for some passengers who have already booked

May, gone from £7 a day to £10.60

I can't even guess if the numbers you quote are correct.

But, 7 ==> 10.60 is not 'doubled', unless english math

is different than american math.

Or, is this a the billion/million thing?

The exchange rate situation is unfortunate. But it did mean I ended up booking with p&o rather than Princess this time.

If I were already booked I'd probably pre-pay my onboard account if the exchange rate was favourable. The gratuity amount going up at the same time is rather unfortunate timing, but as the Canadian poster says it's not just the UK which is suffering from the strong dollar.

The tempers on this tread have gotten a little out of hand. Remember the people that post on these boards are the new friends you make onboard. If you wouldn't get into a stand up argument with each other outside the Horizon Court, then please try not to do it on here [emoji848]

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I was on Emerald Princess ciuple of weeks ago and auto tip was $12.95 pppd, on top of that everytime you get a drink it was 15% extra added on top of 12.95 suggested amount.

I have booked another cruise for next year, like somone mentioned if I was to book identical cruise, cabin etc we would have got $900 obc plus other incentives but because I booked it in UK we get no incentive at all.

You should not be compelled to tip. I always take ours off Princess and P&O with no problems at all. Before you soot me down we always pay ours to whom we want to.

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The drop of the pound is the fault of your government, not Princess. When people from the US visit the UK, things are much more expensive than at home due to your extremely high taxes on everything. But if you can't afford to pay, you can't afford to go. Take a cheaper vacation.

Wait until the new President is elected and we may see more changes. :eek:

You could of course always contact Passenger Services and have your gratuity adjusted or ask to have it removed, but using the aftermath of the self-inflicted carnage that the Brexit vote is causing is a pretty poor excuse for not paying gratuities.

Living in the States, gratuities (aka tipping) are just a fact of life - doesn't help that here in So Cal the minimum wage won't buy you a shoe-box to live-in - but yes "When in Rome" etc... and Princess are a US company (figuratively speaking just up the road) even if there ships fly under a flag of convenience. Truthfully however, in the grand scheme of things, gratuities are a bit like adding the CDW to your rental car or the cost of travel insurance... the 15% surcharge on a drink is still cheaper than VAT.

You could of course always contact Passenger Services and have your gratuity adjusted or ask to have it removed, but using the aftermath of the self-inflicted carnage that the Brexit vote is causing is a pretty poor excuse for not paying gratuities.

 

Living in the States, gratuities (aka tipping) are just a fact of life - doesn't help that here in So Cal the minimum wage won't buy you a shoe-box to live-in - but yes "When in Rome" etc... and Princess are a US company (figuratively speaking just up the road) even if there ships fly under a flag of convenience. Truthfully however, in the grand scheme of things, gratuities are a bit like adding the CDW to your rental car or the cost of travel insurance... the 15% surcharge on a drink is still cheaper than VAT.

What does living in the united states have to do with anything? Most crew are from countries that are very low income. Crew are very happy with cruise ship jobs which pay significantly more then could earn at home. Princess only offers their suggestion of what they would like to collect from passengers so they don't have to pay any crew related expenses. You are free to accept their suggestion or amend it or abandon it altogether.

What does living in the united states have to do with anything? Most crew are from countries that are very low income. Crew are very happy with cruise ship jobs which pay significantly more then could earn at home. Princess only offers their suggestion of what they would like to collect from passengers so they don't have to pay any crew related expenses. You are free to accept their suggestion or amend it or abandon it altogether.

See the bit where I said "Living in the States, gratuities (aka tipping) are just a fact of life" I'd wager that a the majority of Princess' passengers are from the US and so tips, just like the added sales tax are all part and parcel of living here as you know...

But even if hotel staff are potential paid well compared to "back home" (wherever "home" is), it's still not a huge amount and stiffing the staff just because of a poor exchange rate seems a lame excuse tbh (for the OP's benefit it's just not cricket)

But you're right. There's always the option of not paying gratuities or sail comfortably with P&O, safe in the knowledge that payment is in Sterling and the gratuities are less... all the while glossing over the fact that P&O got called out in the press a few years back for paying their staff 80p (or about $1) a day...

I was on Emerald Princess ciuple of weeks ago and auto tip was $12.95 pppd, on top of that everytime you get a drink it was 15% extra added on top of 12.95 suggested amount.

.........

 

 

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The bar waiters etc who get the 15% DO NOT share in the auto grats.

The bar waiters etc who get the 15% DO NOT share in the auto grats.

I wouldn't be too sure about that, My understanding is that those charges also go into the pool.

One of the major reasons Princess and other cruise lines went to the pool concept is to eliminate issues based upon where one is working in the ship. Someone in the piano bar has a totally different sell rate then someone back in Fusion for example.

I wouldn't be too sure about that, My understanding is that those charges also go into the pool.

 

 

 

One of the major reasons Princess and other cruise lines went to the pool concept is to eliminate issues based upon where one is working in the ship. Someone in the piano bar has a totally different sell rate then someone back in Fusion for example.

It's a pool of bar waiters, NOT the crew getting the auto grats. Different pools, different crew.

Much like it has already been posted by Cruzsnooze, the daily charge added to your on-board account, call it tips, gratuities or whatever you want to call it, is not mandatory.

So please, by all means, feel free to adjust it up or down.

Thanks,

Fred