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Service Reward Letter


jeanlyon
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Just returned from a very good cruise on Oriana. We removed our autograts as usual and tipped the full amount in cash personally. Our cabin was in a section of 10 cabins. On the last but one night, there were letters in 7 of the cabin slots outside the doors. I cannot see why they would send a letter which asks for your reasons for removing the autograts, which you already gave when you signed the form taking them off. Weird.

 

I binned ours.

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I thought they had stopped sending these letters. Has the wording changed any from that reported previously?

 

7 out of 10 is a high number of removes!

There were no letters on Azura 13th - 27th April.

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Hello Jean

 

My wife and I were on the same Oriana cruise. We removed the autograts at the beginning of the second full week, and we received the letter a few days later. It wasn't left outside though; it had been placed in our cabin by our steward. From the people we spoke to and from what we heard, a lot of passengers removed the autograts. I've kept our letter as I intend to send it to P&O along with a letter of my own, as this is one of a number of issues (not all relating to this particular cruise) that I want to bring to their attention.

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Maybe they only give out letters where over half of the stewards allocated cabins remove their tips in case there is a particular issue with the steward.

 

I wouldn't think in that case they would get the steward to deliver the letters, or would they ?

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Our steward was fantastic. I just got home yesterday and what I can't understand is you fill out a form on which you say why you have removed them. In our case we said "we will not be told by P&O what to tip. A tip is something freely given and not a service charge". So to put these letters outside with 2 nights to go beggars belief. We thought about whether to respond, but decided it was just more of our time taken up and then you have to take it to Reception, so we binned it.

 

By the way, we removed the auto tip on Day 2 of a 18 day cruise, so why wait until Day 16 to send the letter.

 

I think the steward would only put it in the cabin if you hadn't found it first. It was outside with our Horizon, so he hadn't had time to put it inside.

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Hello Jean

 

My wife and I were on the same Oriana cruise. We removed the autograts at the beginning of the second full week, and we received the letter a few days later. It wasn't left outside though; it had been placed in our cabin by our steward. From the people we spoke to and from what we heard, a lot of passengers removed the autograts. I've kept our letter as I intend to send it to P&O along with a letter of my own, as this is one of a number of issues (not all relating to this particular cruise) that I want to bring to their attention.

 

I think by my stats in our corridor a great many people removed tips. By the way, on the last night, the restaurant was quite full and many folk were giving tips.

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I also struggle to understand why they ask you to answer questions that you have already answered. Ask them at reception when you fill in the form or send a form to the cabin - but both is pointless and just winds people up!

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I also struggle to understand why they ask you to answer questions that you have already answered. Ask them at reception when you fill in the form or send a form to the cabin - but both is pointless and just winds people up!

 

I suspect that the answer is actually of of no interest to them. It’s simply a guilt trip (based on the wording posted previously) to try to get people to change their minds and pay the auto tips.

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If other passengers get to know what these letters are and see them in half the cabins mail holders then it could be bad for P and O. If other passengers are cancelling the auto gratuities then it must be acceptable and I should do it also. A bit like election posters in gardens.

 

I wonder if any passengers have been swayed by these letters to add back the auto gratuity.

 

Best wishes, Stephen.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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If other passengers get to know what these letters are and see them in half the cabins mail holders then it could be bad for P and O. If other passengers are cancelling the auto gratuities then it must be acceptable and I should do it also. A bit like election posters in gardens.

 

I wonder if any passengers have been swayed by these letters to add back the auto gratuity.

 

Best wishes, Stephen.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

These letters shout out 'desperation' to me if so many people are taking off the automatic tips.

P&O is going to have to deal with this issue as it is getting ridiculous.

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These letters shout out 'desperation' to me if so many people are taking off the automatic tips.

P&O is going to have to deal with this issue as it is getting ridiculous.

 

Let’s hope. People power may win the day. I also agree that it’s counter productive. It was finding out just how many people were removing the service charge that tipped it for us, as we felt that we were subsidising those who opt out.

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If you are not ashamed about removing you auto tips, why so worried about people knowing. You all seem to be very brave on voicing your option from behind your keypads

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If you are not ashamed about removing you auto tips, why so worried about people knowing. You all seem to be very brave on voicing your option from behind your keypads

 

I’ll start by saying that to date I have never removed auto tips, though I am now considering doing so for a number of reasons. I think these letters are unacceptable, people are entitled to make their own decision until such times as P&O add the cost to the fares. The company should not use emotional blackmail, if it’s that important then add it to the price and we all pay not just those of us who auto tip or pay in cash.

 

Most people who remove the tips, on here anyway, have no need to be “ashamed” as they remove but pay in cash.

 

Those who remove and don’t pay anything, well it’s a choice p&o allow them to make.

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Those who remove and don’t pay anything, well it’s a choice p&o allow them to make.

 

It certainly is.

 

And since whether you pay the autotips or not it makes no difference to the amount of money the staff get, then you would be daft to pay them.

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I also struggle to understand why they ask you to answer questions that you have already answered. Ask them at reception when you fill in the form or send a form to the cabin - but both is pointless and just winds people up!
Emotional blackmail or trying to shame passengers.

Surely now with most cruise lines offering all inclusive and in particular Tips Included it must be close to the time P&O who call themselves the British line came in line and included gratuitys in the price.

 

Sent from my Kestrel using Forums mobile app

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Let’s hope. People power may win the day. I also agree that it’s counter productive. It was finding out just how many people were removing the service charge that tipped it for us, as we felt that we were subsidising those who opt out.
It obviously did on Jeans Oriana cruise too with the high number who cancelled their AG.

I am all for tipping the crew but it doesn't sit well with me how many are cancelling their AG.

 

Sent from my Kestrel using Forums mobile app

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I’ll start by saying that to date I have never removed auto tips, though I am now considering doing so for a number of reasons. I think these letters are unacceptable, people are entitled to make their own decision until such times as P&O add the cost to the fares. The company should not use emotional blackmail, if it’s that important then add it to the price and we all pay not just those of us who auto tip or pay in cash.

 

Most people who remove the tips, on here anyway, have no need to be “ashamed” as they remove but pay in cash.

 

Those who remove and don’t pay anything, well it’s a choice p&o allow them to make.

Great description and i am in total agreement with everything you have posted.

 

Sent from my Kestrel using Forums mobile app

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jay888 - If I decide to remove the auto tips I certainly won't be ashamed and wouldn't worry about others knowing.

 

I, and many others who have posted on this site and other social media sites, would like P&O to include tips in the quoted price for a cruise. Hopefully then the crew would be paid a decent wage and we, as individuals, can tip extra should we see fit for those who go the extra mile.

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It certainly is.

 

And since whether you pay the autotips or not it makes no difference to the amount of money the staff get, then you would be daft to pay them.

Unfortunately a lot of us are now thinking that.

RCCL have massively hiked their prices to pay for their latest Free AI promotion but people will still book so P&O have nothing to fear to include gratuitys and even offering drinks packages with a subsequent price increase.

 

Sent from my Kestrel using Forums mobile app

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jay888 - If I decide to remove the auto tips I certainly won't be ashamed and wouldn't worry about others knowing.

 

I, and many others who have posted on this site and other social media sites, would like P&O to include tips in the quoted price for a cruise. Hopefully then the crew would be paid a decent wage and we, as individuals, can tip extra should we see fit for those who go the extra mile.

+1 totally agree.

 

Sent from my Kestrel using Forums mobile app

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