Cancelling Standard Tips

And the autotips are not added without prior notification. They are clearly stated in the brochure.

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So what if other companies have higher undisclosed optional service charges.

 

Any amount added to a customer's bill without prior notification is distasteful, and that is compounded by the fact the customer knows that it will not be P&O that will suffer if it is not paid, but the staff (which P&O deliberately underpay).

 

You are trying to defend an unpleasant practice that ought to have disappeared years ago, and has in most civilised countries.

So USA is not a civilised country?

Tipping on cruise ships is what it is unfortunately but that is normal on cruising so you could decide not to cruise if you wanted,i pay mine and have a clear conscience.

You're quite right if the tips aren't paid it is the staff who suffer, which is why I would never remove the tips. So why do people do it? That is what is distasteful. If they feel so strongly about P&O not paying the staff more perhaps they shouldn't cruise. I don't feel guilty about cruising because the staff who work on P&O are probably far better off than the majority of their fellow countrymen and I am helping to keep them in employment. If I removed the tips that would as you say be unfair to them. As Wowzz says we are just going around in circles. The only fair way is for P&O to include them in the price of the cruise.

Total agreement from me.

So USA is not a civilised country?

That is a topic for debate on its own, but I did say "most".

Tipping on cruise ships is what it is unfortunately but that is normal on cruising so you could decide not to cruise if you wanted,i pay mine and have a clear conscience.

Well what is being discussed isn't "tipping" but adding an undisclosed amount to customers bills without their choice, something that is as far from tipping as it is possible to get.

I don't disagree that it is normal for cruise lines to exploit staff by underpaying them and boost profits by adding these hidden charges, but I don't have to like this recently introduced 'tradition'.

That is a topic for debate on its own, but I did say "most".

 

 

 

 

Well what is being discussed isn't "tipping" but adding an undisclosed amount to customers bills without their choice, something that is as far from tipping as it is possible to get.

 

I don't disagree that it is normal for cruise lines to exploit staff by underpaying them and boost profits by adding these hidden charges, but I don't have to like this recently introduced 'tradition'.

But it is not an 'undisclosed amount'.

But it is not an 'undisclosed amount'.

It would be an undisclosed amount if it was included in the base price because they don’t give a breakdown of how much each element costs.

If it is true that those of us who pay the auto gratuities are subsidising those who don’t, including it in the price should reduce the amount because everybody has to pay. This could be a worthwhile reduction especially if some guesstimates of around 50% opting out are accurate.

It would be an undisclosed amount if it was included in the base price because they don’t give a breakdown of how much each element costs.

If it is true that those of us who pay the auto gratuities are subsidising those who don’t, including it in the price should reduce the amount because everybody has to pay. This could be a worthwhile reduction especially if some guesstimates of around 50% opting out are accurate.

Good post.

This is a debate that will run and run until the tips are included in the price of the cruise. Each side of the debate has its merits and I think everyone has to make their own decision whether to cancel them or not. What I do is of no concern to anyone else.

This is a debate that will run and run until the tips are included in the price of the cruise. Each side of the debate has its merits and I think everyone has to make their own decision whether to cancel them or not. What I do is of no concern to anyone else.

Good post !

I think everyone knows this but ...

But it is not an 'undisclosed amount'.

It is undisclosed as there is no mention of the optional service charge in the advertised price, at any point in the booking process, or on the final invoice.

It is only disclosed to the customer once they have boarded and has already been added to their cabin bill.

And if anyone says "it's in the FAQs" I will suggest they make sure to be aware of the leopard (old Douglas Adams joke).

Some other Carnival company brands do have the decency to mention the service charge once you enter the booking process and before final payment, but for some reason P&O does not.

especially if some guesstimates of around 50% opting out are accurate.

I doubt the number is that high as once it reaches that level I suspect it would make more sense to include it in the base fare as NCL did this year.

I would expect the level to be around 25% but that would include those who remove the service charge to leave cash tips. I would expect the number who remove the optional service charge and don't pay the equivalent in cash to be much smaller, perhaps 10%.

It is on their website for all to see so how can that be undisclosed.

It is on their website for all to see so how can that be undisclosed.

I agree.

 

I would expect the level to be around 25% but that would include those who remove the service charge to leave cash tips. I would expect the number who remove the optional service charge and don't pay the equivalent in cash to be much smaller, perhaps 10%.

Its guesswork though, that's why I suggested we did a poll to see what people do. I know its only CC members but it would still give an indication.

Just home off Oriana. Bedding was changed every 3 days. We removed the auto tips and tipped personally. On the last night everyone on our table tipped with envelopes, but of course I have no idea if that was extra, less, more or whatever.

Just home off Oriana. Bedding was changed every 3 days. We removed the auto tips and tipped personally. On the last night everyone on our table tipped with envelopes, but of course I have no idea if that was extra, less, more or whatever.

I know you remove auto tips and pay cash tips directly. Can I ask if you have ever felt you had poorer service because you had removed the auto tips?

No, never felt any difference. In fact, I am not sure I believe that they know who has removed tips, but we do it on day 2 or 3, so plenty of time. Our waiters were superb and so was our cabin lady. We also tipped our wine waiter who was super.

No, never felt any difference. In fact, I am not sure I believe that they know who has removed tips, but we do it on day 2 or 3, so plenty of time. Our waiters were superb and so was our cabin lady. We also tipped our wine waiter who was super.

Thanks Jean. I did wonder if they somehow knew who had removed auto tips.

A "tip" or "gratuity" is by definition a "gift", so really the cruise lines should call it a "service charge". I personally get great pleasure out of handing over an envelope to the cabin steward and those who serve you in the restaurant at the end of a cruise. The Americans, Australians and Brits are all different, In America it's a way of life to tip, as I understand it the Australians do not tip and us Brits like to tip for service had not service expected, I guess this is why I like to tip at the end of the cruise and not have it taken on a daily basis. Just for the record, not all people who take the auto tips off give less at the end of the cruise.

Thanks Jean. I did wonder if they somehow knew who had removed auto tips.

Our experience on another cruise line was that our cabin attendant had a print-out on the door of one of the cupboards in his service room showing which cabins had removed their auto gratuity. Of course , this could change every day as the automatic gratuity can be removed at any time - we assumed his list was updated regularly.

Our experience on another cruise line was that our cabin attendant had a print-out on the door of one of the cupboards in his service room showing which cabins had removed their auto gratuity. Of course , this could change every day as the automatic gratuity can be removed at any time - we assumed his list was updated regularly.

Not on P&O though.

A "tip" or "gratuity" is by definition a "gift", so really the cruise lines should call it a "service charge". I personally get great pleasure out of handing over an envelope to the cabin steward and those who serve you in the restaurant at the end of a cruise. The Americans, Australians and Brits are all different, In America it's a way of life to tip, as I understand it the Australians do not tip and us Brits like to tip for service had not service expected, I guess this is why I like to tip at the end of the cruise and not have it taken on a daily basis. Just for the record, not all people who take the auto tips off give less at the end of the cruise.

I know what you mean about the envelopes at the end of the cruise.

I'm sure you give plenty but i think the general animosity about tips on P&O mean a lot of people give less or nothing which is unfair on the crew and the passengers who do give autotips plus extra cash on top.

Not on P&O though.

That we know about.

Not on P&O though.

How can you be so sure?

Not on P&O though.

We had a cabin steward on Ventura 2 years ago who we had had twice before and we chatted to him one day when he was little upset and he showed us a list that he had been given that showed which cabins on the previous cruise had removed the tips and the score that they had given him on the questionnaire. He said he was not bothered about the tips being stopped so much as he was bothered by less than excellent scores because the scores determine how much bonus ( his word ) he would get. He told us that the bonus is the share of the tips that have been received on that cruise and that if they have less than a certain percentage of excellent scores they get nothing even if all of their cabins have paid the full amount. He told us that they do not know who has changed the tips until after the passengers have left.

We always leave the auto tip on because it is easier than trying to tip individually as we like freedom dining. We usually give a little extra to the cabin steward.

I just wish P&O would include tips in the cruise price.

We had a cabin steward on Ventura 2 years ago who we had had twice before and we chatted to him one day when he was little upset and he showed us a list that he had been given that showed which cabins on the previous cruise had removed the tips and the score that they had given him on the questionnaire. He said he was not bothered about the tips being stopped so much as he was bothered by less than excellent scores because the scores determine how much bonus ( his word ) he would get. He told us that the bonus is the share of the tips that have been received on that cruise and that if they have less than a certain percentage of excellent scores they get nothing even if all of their cabins have paid the full amount. He told us that they do not know who has changed the tips until after the passengers have left.

We always leave the auto tip on because it is easier than trying to tip individually as we like freedom dining. We usually give a little extra to the cabin steward.

I just wish P&O would include tips in the cruise price.

That is shocking if people have given autogratuitys for his cabins and he doesn't get it.

Did he say if he could keep cash tips given privately?.