Tipping

Cruisers,

A fellow cruiser emailed me this article, interesting reading. Worked out we will be paying $448 in automatic tipping for our 28 day cruise:eek:

I don't think so, interesting to know that staff know if you have removed your automatic tipping, no wonder we weren't spoiled as much as our other cruises! I really thought it was just me and I was comparing too much, or just got unlucky and didn't have efficient stewards like other times:rolleyes:

Pretty sad if you can only afford to cruise cause you get a great special, take the kids on a once in a lifetime holiday, then have to pay an extra $8 a day each to be treated "nice"..........................

Chez

xx

http://www.e-cruiseworld.com/automated-tipping.htm

I also think the stewards , waiters etc know as we had amazing service the last night of our cruise with lots of grovelling after we had finished our meal. The under /drinks waiter who we hardly saw except the last night even came as we we were having breakfast the last day. we did tip him then as we felt sorry for him.we did take the automatic tips off but tipped at the end of the cruise.

DO NOT put anything about tipping on the american threads, they are very pro tipping and will bite the head off anyone who dares to suggest they take the tips off.

Our tips are 10usd a day times 5(people) times 12(days), a whopping 600usd plus 15% on all drinks. Australians are so not into tipping

karon(who realises this being an american cruise will leave automatic tips on)

I also think the stewards , waiters etc know as we had amazing service the last night of our cruise with lots of grovelling after we had finished our meal. The under /drinks waiter who we hardly saw except the last night even came as we we were having breakfast the last day. we did tip him then as we felt sorry for him.we did take the automatic tips off but tipped at the end of the cruise.

 

DO NOT put anything about tipping on the american threads, they are very pro tipping and will bite the head off anyone who dares to suggest they take the tips off.

Our tips are 10usd a day times 5(people) times 12(days), a whopping 600usd plus 15% on all drinks. Australians are so not into tipping

 

 

karon(who realises this being an american cruise will leave automatic tips on)

Oh Karon, wouldnt' dare do that!

I guess thats why our ships are classed as 3 star not 5 star, Aussies arent big on tips, it's not part of our culture, as they say when in Rome.........

However, at the end of the day, it is personal choice, and it should be confidential. If I pay $2000 for my cruise fare and you pay $895 for the same category on "special" we still get the same food, cabin, service, you may even get an upgrade with that low fare price!! but we still get treated the same and no one knows that I paid double your fare..........so why should anyone know if we choose not to automatic tip??

Chez

Cruisers,

 

A fellow cruiser emailed me this article, interesting reading. Worked out we will be paying $448 in automatic tipping for our 28 day cruise:eek:

 

I don't think so, interesting to know that staff know if you have removed your automatic tipping, no wonder we weren't spoiled as much as our other cruises! I really thought it was just me and I was comparing too much, or just got unlucky and didn't have efficient stewards like other times:rolleyes:

 

Pretty sad if you can only afford to cruise cause you get a great special, take the kids on a once in a lifetime holiday, then have to pay an extra $8 a day each to be treated "nice"..........................

 

Chez

xx

 

http://www.e-cruiseworld.com/automated-tipping.htm

Hi Chez,

I couldnt agree more with you.If the cruise companies need to have automatic tipping then i can only assume they are not paying their staff correctly.

If there is a need to have automatic tipping factor it into the cruise price and make known up front.

While I agree that only the most visible staff receive the tips( table waiters & cabin stewards) i beleive that the chefs and potato peelers etc should receive some recognition but do it up front ...dont hide it in the small print.For Di and I to have auto tipping for 10 days costs 200.00 exactly the onboard cabin credit.

Your rite about people having to save to go on the cruises then to be unexpectly slugged with the tipping is unacceptable.

I have always tipped staff on my cruises but im not gunna be told how much i will tip each day....get it right cruise lines ..pay your staff a decent wage and abolish auto tipping.

cheers

Colxxxxx( **** im wound up today);)

We always leave the auto tipping in place. Those guys and gals work bloody hard and the ship companies pay them a pittance. They work something like 12 hours a day 7 days a week for 8 months of the year. Its the tips that makes it up to a reasonable wage. We also give extra if we receive good service. The only ship we have been on so far with no tipping is the Star Gemini. They factor it into the price and you are not allowed to tip extra. The Princess Ships its $10 USD a day - P&O its up to about $8AU a day so it works our a pretty good deal for travellers on P&O. Mummsie

Hi All

Can someone please clear up my confusion - in the latest brochure and on the website it shows that automatic tipping went up to $5.50 from $4.50 in November 2006 - However everyone is now talking $8 or $10 per day per person over the age of 13. Can someone please tell me the latest amount - I don't mind paying it but I have a question as to whether my children should (13 and 15 when we go on the cruise cause that 2.50 extra per day each equates to an extra $10 per day in total).

Thanks

Rach

Sorry Rach, not sure whether it has gone up to $8 yet, but the article referred to states $8.

My concern was not whether people pay it or not, that is their business, my concern is that it is not confidential, that all staff know who is tipping and who isnt and are treated accordingly.

Just wondering if the P&O heirachy know this goes on.

Chez

If tipping was as much a part of our culture as it is in Europe for example, we would EXPECT it when booking a trip & budget for as much. Australians aren't used to tipping & therefore for first cruisers it can be a total shock. We for one booked our cruise thinking it was all inclusive, however we did a Globus tour in Europe & were told by the company approx how much we needed to tip (it was a substantial amount) so were totally prepared for it. P&O seem to be doing it on the sly, which is disgusting.

Also, on the Sun, is tipping in US dollars? There's no way we can afford an extra $480 US !!!

Also, if you request that tipping be taken off your account, double and triple check to make sure they have done that. The 2 girls that i cruised with asked the purser on the first day to turn off automatic tipping for them, but when they got their statements on the last night they found it hadnt been turned off.

Hi All

 

 

Can someone please clear up my confusion - in the latest brochure and on the website it shows that automatic tipping went up to $5.50 from $4.50 in November 2006 - However everyone is now talking $8 or $10 per day per person over the age of 13. Can someone please tell me the latest amount - I don't mind paying it but I have a question as to whether my children should (13 and 15 when we go on the cruise cause that 2.50 extra per day each equates to an extra $10 per day in total).

 

Thanks

 

Rach

Hi Rach,

As far as I know, the tipping is as you have quoted, not $8. Your children will have the tip put on as they are P&O 'adults':eek: . We got print outs from the purser regularly to double check that our youngest (12 at time) wasn't being charged...& he wasn't. We did tip extra (sly of hand;) ) to those we thought deserved it. I think tipping will always be a 'tough' topic for Aussies as it's not our custom to tip....that aside, being married to a chef we ALWAYS tip the chef if the food is A1....the service may be lousy, but it's what you're eating that can make the difference after all.

A footnote: We have a Canadian lady at work doing a year's 'exchange' with another worker, who was telling us today of her experience at a local restaurant. She said she wasn't very impressed with how the meal had gone, & kept saying to herself that 'she didn't HAVE to tip'...the Aussie way & all

that. She noted that no-one appeared to be tipping, but in the end she just HAD to...she is so ingrained with the custom of tipping. She didn't leave much but she still did it, even though she knew it was O.K not to.

It's all in the up- bringing!

Cheers

Also, on the Sun, is tipping in US dollars? There's no way we can afford an extra $480 US !!!

Pacific Sun - definetly no - currently A$5.50 per day

Sun Princess - see below from the P&O Cruises website on a Sun Princess Australian cruise page; summary - US$10 a day, plus 15% on all alcohol purchases. And on board currency is US$

Tipping

During your cruise, you will meet many members of our dining and accommodations staff in a variety of locations as they provide you with extraordinary service for all your dining and stateroom needs. It is customary on all Princess ships to pay gratuities for this service, and Princess makes it easier for you to reward excellent service. For your convenience, the recommended standard gratuity of US$10 per passenger, per day for dining and stateroom personnel is automatically added to your shipboard account. A 15% gratuity is also automatically added to your bar and dining room wine account. Princess feels certain you will find the services onboard exemplary and, should you wish to reward a staff member for service “above and beyond,” you may do so by adding to the automatic gratuity at any time during your cruise. Similarly, if you find service levels fall short of your expectations, you may subtract from the automatic gratuity. Please check with the Reception/Purser’s Desk onboard to make any changes. Gratuities for other shipboard staff such as casino dealers and Lotus Spa personnel are at your discretion.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. We paid the automatic 10USD a day for tips. I guess I'm a bit split on the 15% automatic addition on bar bills. We always tip our Cabin steward a little extra, especially Gonzalo our last one.

What difference is $100 going to make to me?? Nothing. But I suppose for some people $100 X 3 or 4 makes all the difference.

Think of it like this... how much do you spend on lunch a day, plus coffee, cigarettes and those naughty nibblies? It is more than $8 for me.:rolleyes:

If you ever do an American cruise, some of the packages INCLUDE the tips (excluding the bars of course!!).

I guess many people here in Australia aren't used to tipping. I guess it is a cruise tradition these days, regardless of location (except those 6* cruises). It is more a payment for the crew, who send it home to their families.:)

I know I've written this before on here but will do again for any newbies. Regarding the no-auto tipping for kids under 13. PLEASE CHECK. We have 3 children of which 2 were under 13 on our cruise. The first morning when we went to put money on the cards the guy at the pursers desk told us that the auto tipping was in place for Sally (11) & asked us if we wanted it removed. We said yes. A few days later, Christopher (10) asked me why his balance was less than it should have been, he hadn't spent that much. I went to the pursers desk to get a printout & sure enough they were charging him. I pointed it out & they stopped it immediately & refunded what had been paid. What I don't understand is why they didn't tell us about Christopher's when they told us about Sally's. Maybe they thought that by pointing one out, it would make them look honest & maybe get away with the other one. I know those peole work hard for very little, but as I've said before, it's P&O that should be paying them, not us. Our cruise is already costing us $8,500 and if the tipping is $8 per day that's an extra $448. I had all intentions of leaving the auto tipping in place but if it has gone up to $8, I will be thinking twice about it.

Karen

I know I've written this before on here but will do again for any newbies. Regarding the no-auto tipping for kids under 13. PLEASE CHECK. We have 3 children of which 2 were under 13 on our cruise. The first morning when we went to put money on the cards the guy at the pursers desk told us that the auto tipping was in place for Sally (11) & asked us if we wanted it removed. We said yes. A few days later, Christopher (10) asked me why his balance was less than it should have been, he hadn't spent that much. I went to the pursers desk to get a printout & sure enough they were charging him. I pointed it out & they stopped it immediately & refunded what had been paid. What I don't understand is why they didn't tell us about Christopher's when they told us about Sally's. Maybe they thought that by pointing one out, it would make them look honest & maybe get away with the other one. I know those peole work hard for very little, but as I've said before, it's P&O that should be paying them, not us. Our cruise is already costing us $8,500 and if the tipping is $8 per day that's an extra $448. I had all intentions of leaving the auto tipping in place but if it has gone up to $8, I will be thinking twice about it.

 

 

 

Karen

Hi Karen,

well expressed i couldnt agree more.I intend to leave the auto tipping on my account and remove it from Dianes on our next cruise.Your rite either the cruise lines pay their staff the correct wage or factor it into the fare not hide it in the fine print .I think i speak for most of us by saying its not so much the tipping its the principle in the cruise lines hiding it.Especially the kids being slugged thats not on.Did you read reuben grossens comments about auto tipping and the fact that the staff are supplied a list of non tippers is a breach of privacy.:)

Fox, thats the link I put in when I started this thread.

http://www.e-cruiseworld.com/automated-tipping.htm

Tipping is a choice, to have your name handed around to crew if you choose not to is breach of privacy for sure!! and to get inferior service because of it is disgusting.

When you go to a restaurant you tip after your meal if you are satisfied with the service. Why is the system set up to tip an amount everyday, why not go to the pursers desk or nominate an amount that you decide, not what P&O decide is a fair amount, at the end of the cruise and have it deducted off you cruise card to be put into the pool??

Surely there is a fairer, more ethical way of doing it, thats suits peoples bugdets.

Chez

Fox, thats the link I put in when I started this thread.

 

http://www.e-cruiseworld.com/automated-tipping.htm

 

Tipping is a choice, to have your name handed around to crew if you choose not to is breach of privacy for sure!! and to get inferior service because of it is disgusting.

 

When you go to a restaurant you tip after your meal if you are satisfied with the service. Why is the system set up to tip an amount everyday, why not go to the pursers desk or nominate an amount that you decide, not what P&O decide is a fair amount, at the end of the cruise and have it deducted off you cruise card to be put into the pool??

 

Surely there is a fairer, more ethical way of doing it, thats suits peoples bugdets.

 

Chez

Hi Chez,

that seems a fairer way of doin it.I think the employees have become the victims of the cruise card.I can remember when you paid cash for everything ....everybody got tips especially the bar staff.I know in those days on several occassions on cruises i would sling the cabin steward 5 or 10 bucks here and there depending what loose change i had......and trust me the bar staff did very well outa me.Tipping should be discrectionary and your suggestion to have an amount of your chosing deducted from your account is a great idea.tipping should be exactly that and never made mandatory......end of whinge;)

take care

Col & di

Hi all

Just received my cruise tickets and documents today.... and according to the p & o brochure included, the tipping charge is A$5.50 per day. (We are booked on the Star.

hope that helps

cheers!!

Karen;)

What I find common and not surprising is a liitle line that says 'Additional tip' $___.

Do they add a 15% gratuity on to bar bills on P&O? When it comes to signing the receipt that 'Additional tip' always catches my eye.

On the Diamond, we ordered room service, signed the receipt, and put $3USD down for the tip, and then gave an additional $2USD that I specifically got out for him!!:o

So the $8 (or whatever it is)per day, is the only tips for the cruise?

Sorry, but am a bit confused.:o :confused:

I dont think they add the 15% on drinks from the bar. From memory, the bar staff tips come out of the daily rate you pay.

No. There is no 15% added to drinks bill.

Karen

Regarding the no-auto tipping for kids under 13. PLEASE CHECK.

Karen

Karen is right. Please do check all childrens accounts. We were on the same cruise and we have 3 boys who were under 13 (then aged 10, 6 and 5).

When we went to the pursers desk we found all three boys were being charged a tipping fee. The purser refunded the money and stopped the auto tipping fee.

Karen

What I find common and not surprising is a liitle line that says 'Additional tip' $___.

Do they add a 15% gratuity on to bar bills on P&O? When it comes to signing the receipt that 'Additional tip' always catches my eye.

On the Diamond, we ordered room service, signed the receipt, and put $3USD down for the tip, and then gave an additional $2USD that I specifically got out for him!!:o

So the $8 (or whatever it is)per day, is the only tips for the cruise?

Sorry, but am a bit confused.:o :confused:

On the P&O ships you pay the $5.50 a day (or $8 which, if that is what it's goig to be, I think is getting a bit steep, that's a big jump from $4.50) and that's all you "have" to pay. Tipping over and above this is entirely at your own discretion, and is not expected, in line with Australian custom (as opposed the American custom of tipping everyone).

At the moment there's no 15% alochol gratuity on P&O Ships... but we probably shouldn't talk too loudly about that or they might get ideas, particularly as they've stopped the practice of paying bar staff comissions on alcohol sales in the wake of the publicity surrounding the Brimble case.

http://www.e-cruiseworld.com/automated-tipping.htm

Despite appearances, I don't think this article is talking about a P&O Australia cruise, because in addtion to the $8 per day automatic tipping they are also talking about 10% alcohol tipping, which we don't yet have on P&O Australia ships.

So I don't think that it's P&O Australia that has the $8 per day tipping. I had a look on the website for the cruise we are looking at doing in September, and it says the recommended amount is AU$5.50.

After reading the post and article by Chez I understand that the cruise the author was referring to was an American one not an Australian one. The tipping on the Star is still $5.50 and I always have the auto tipping removed when I cruise. The reason I do this is that I feel you tip for service which is over and above. I think it is rather odd to pre-pay them before you experience the service:( . My hubby and I decide on the last couple of days who to tip and how much. Like everyone else I don't feel it's my job to compensate for poor wages, that is the obligation of the employer (in the case P&O). Like everyone else, I feel that if wages are slim then perhaps they should stop selling the cabins so cheaply expecting passengers to wear the shortfall of wages.

I think in all of this the real reason for tipping is being shoved to the background. I have no problem with tipping as I have travelled Europe and the USA extensively- I just hate being told how much and to whom....it then no longer becomes my choice of how much and to whom:eek: :eek: .

Just my two cents worth (tips included!!):rolleyes:

Maria

It is interesting reading everyones opinions about tipping. It is a new experience for Aussies as we are not used to it in our everyday lives. I have said this numerous times that we were told that all staff have to hand over any extra tips they get and it all goes into a pool and is shared by everyone. Otherwise risk of dismissal. I think that is actually fairer as you are getting service from people you don't see. I would rather they got a better wage and not have to have automatic tipping but as that is the way it is I am leaving it in place.