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Spoke to P&O regarding their 40% increase in automatic gratuities.


Barnum42
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Wonder how many in UK works 300- 390 hours a month without a day off for 9 months

 

Things can only be shared anonymously

 

Actually more than you would know and many of them pay a fortune for accommodation and food which cruise staff have included in their deal.

 

Many people in the UK work several jobs just to make ends meet so please don’t make assumptions.

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Looks like a RESULT!

 

Had this from PO regarding that infamous letter

 

 

or is it the left hand not knowing what the right is doing?

Hope not.

 

Anyone had one since that first fatal batch?

 

Left hand and right hand would be my vote 😀

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Wonder how many in UK works 300- 390 hours a month

 

Probably far more than you might expect.

 

In the distant past in one job I had I did over 450 hours a month for quite a while (working from 06:30 to 23:00 7 days a week - a 06:30 to 14:45 shift followed by overtime or 14:45 to 23:00 shift preceded by overtime with a couple of hours of unpaid meal breaks in there) - I was young and the money was good and it quadrupled the pay check due to the overtime rates.

 

Lots of my colleagues doing it for exactly the same reason - money.

 

Sure it wasn't away for 9 months without going home; I did actually have to drive home after the shift, although for the time it lasted I didn't exactly see a lot of my house apart from the bed.

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The World is not equal and never will be. But it is not my job or requirement as a cruise ship guest to save the World. I have no interest in doing so. Everyone needs to look at the definitions again as long as the line calls them gratuities, they can and will be removed by some people and nothing others can do to stop this.

 

Definition of Gratuity by Merriam-Webster

gratuity plural gratuities

: something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service; especially : tip added a gratuity for the server

 

Gratuity | Define Gratuity at Dictionary.com

1. a gift of money, over and above payment due for service, as to a waiter or bellhop; tip.

2. something given without claim or demand.

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You ain't no nothing about cruise life. Some people don't have another option. This is why cruise lines exploit people from Asian Countries.

 

Why don't you see British waiters on british cruise lines? Because they would have to pay minimum wage to them around £2350 per month. That would raise the cruise price for people like you.

 

You can cruise only because you get to pay a cheap cruise price because cruise lines pay the crew low wages.

 

I only know about cruise life from what I have seen and heard on all of the cruises I have been on. I have spoken to many of the staff who have worked on the ships for several years. They tell me they enjoy their job and the secruity that goes with it. They look forward to time off after severa months but some prefer to continue for a longer stint in order to be able to have a comfortable life along with their families later on.

In my Nursing Home we employ several care assistants from abroad who work under the same conditions. Sometimes they do not go home to visit for 2 to 3 years. They tell me that this is what they expect when being accepted to work in the UK whilst receiving although our minimum wage is far more than they would be able to earn at home. They are very happy to live well in the UK and send a decent amount of money back for their family. Many tell me they feel proud that they were chosen in their family to be able to do this. They are excellent employees with exception. Caring, efficient and hard working. Nothing is too much trouble. Of course they are paid exactly the same as all the other staff. Minimum Wage. They ask regularly to work extra shifts if there are any available. They never, ever complain about anything whatsoever and are a pleasure to work with and to know. Our Residents know and love them. They are a credit to the country they came from.

 

I too in the past have worked very long hours as my husband has in order to make ends meet and have been employed now for many, many years and still working for my family and to enjoy holidays. We dont get them cheap and dont expect them to be cheap. I just prefer to pay a tip when it is deserved.

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I only know about cruise life from what I have seen and heard on all of the cruises I have been on. I have spoken to many of the staff who have worked on the ships for several years. They tell me they enjoy their job and the secruity that goes with it. They look forward to time off after severa months but some prefer to continue for a longer stint in order to be able to have a comfortable life along with their families later on.

In my Nursing Home we employ several care assistants from abroad who work under the same conditions. Sometimes they do not go home to visit for 2 to 3 years. They tell me that this is what they expect when being accepted to work in the UK whilst receiving although our minimum wage is far more than they would be able to earn at home. They are very happy to live well in the UK and send a decent amount of money back for their family. Many tell me they feel proud that they were chosen in their family to be able to do this. They are excellent employees with exception. Caring, efficient and hard working. Nothing is too much trouble. Of course they are paid exactly the same as all the other staff. Minimum Wage. They ask regularly to work extra shifts if there are any available. They never, ever complain about anything whatsoever and are a pleasure to work with and to know. Our Residents know and love them. They are a credit to the country they came from.

 

I too in the past have worked very long hours as my husband has in order to make ends meet and have been employed now for many, many years and still working for my family and to enjoy holidays. We dont get them cheap and dont expect them to be cheap. I just prefer to pay a tip when it is deserved.

 

I appreciate what you've been saying about people in the UK working long hours and not receiving tips. No one ever tipped me in the job I had either. The point I was making was that the British have always tipped those in the service industry and those who work on the ships are in the service industry. The only objection I have to the auto-tips is that people are allowed to remove them. Which is why I am in favour of them being included in the price of the cruise.

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So, all you people clamoring for tips to be included in the price are quite happy to not only pay them up front but pay them 3 months before you even set foot on the ship?

Yes, no problem. That way everyone will be paying the same amount of gratuities, so it will be a level playing field.

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We know from all the comments here that most would prefer tips to be included, yet most still continue to accept the “optional” system. Folks, nothing will change while you do. Remove the tips and make it quite plain why you are doing so in any survey.

 

Let’s think like Aussies for once.

 

DAVID.

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We know from all the comments here that most would prefer tips to be included, yet most still continue to accept the “optional” system. Folks, nothing will change while you do. Remove the tips and make it quite plain why you are doing so in any survey.

 

Let’s think like Aussies for once.

 

DAVID.

I do agree with what you are saying. Nothing will change until we all make a stand. I have been changing my mind back and forth with this one. Whether to just pay the auto-tips or whether to remove them and pay the old way and make a point on the form that they should be included in the cruise price. As my husband is fond of saying I was going to enrol in a decision making class but I couldn't decide whether to or not.:o

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So, all you people clamoring for tips to be included in the price are quite happy to not only pay them up front but pay them 3 months before you even set foot on the ship?

 

Absolutely not as long as they want to represent as a gratuity I will keep doing everything I can to never pay it. But if they want to put a true daily service charge or cruise surcharge and handle as such I will be happy to pay the amount no questions.

 

But do not try to insult guest and claim it is a Gratuity because it does not met the definition of one.

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We know from all the comments here that most would prefer tips to be included, yet most still continue to accept the “optional” system. Folks, nothing will change while you do. Remove the tips and make it quite plain why you are doing so in any survey.

 

Let’s think like Aussies for once.

 

DAVID.

The point is actually, that many people on THIS FORUM are in favour of including tips in the fare price. But I feel that users of this forum are a tiny minority of P&O's cruisers, so don't give an accurate indication. Just saying.

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The point is actually, that many people on THIS FORUM are in favour of including tips in the fare price. But I feel that users of this forum are a tiny minority of P&O's cruisers, so don't give an accurate indication. Just saying.
The number of people in this conversation would be a tiny majority on a single cruise

 

 

Sent from my SM-G930F using Forums mobile app

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The point is actually, that many people on THIS FORUM are in favour of including tips in the fare price. But I feel that users of this forum are a tiny minority of P&O's cruisers, so don't give an accurate indication. Just saying.

I accept that we are only a tiny fraction of P&O's passengers, however I suspect that most Brits would be happier with gratuities included than using the current system.

And as Expat cruiser and others keep pointing out, the current Auto tip is not really a gratuity, it goes only to those staff who are DELIBERATELY underpaid, and it constitutes the bulk of their pay.

This should most definitely be paid by P&O and they should therefore include it in the cruise price, leaving all passengers free to decide if they wish to give a "little" extra to individuals who have provided them with extra special service, that is the true definition of a tip.

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I worked on passenger ships in the 60's as a restaurant steward and tips were not the normal thing in those day's (unless you worked in first class). Very early on in the 70's companies (including P&O) started employing staff from overseas as this reduced the staff salaries total considerably. (Yes we were told this at the time). Subsequently job's for myself and many others became very hard to find. It was then that I decided that the time was up and I left. We received a fair wage, saw the World for free and all in all had a good time.

I do appreciate that all cruise lines are in it to make a profit and if additional income on top of the price of the holiday can be achieved then yes they will do it. On a very recent cruise on the Azura (Easter) we were on Freedom dining and were able to have the same table most evenings and served by the same waiters (Excellent they were). At the end of the cruise I passed an envelope to both of them and this is the reply I received "Thank you sir for recognising the service you have received this cruise, it is much appreciated. Upon asking if they were allowed to keep the reward they quickly replied YES.

I believe that if P&O and other companies were to come out and quash all the rumors about gratuities, and where they actually go passengers would appreciate it and we could all get on with enjoying our holidays.

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I accept that we are only a tiny fraction of P&O's passengers, however I suspect that most Brits would be happier with gratuities included than using the current system.

And as Expat cruiser and others keep pointing out, the current Auto tip is not really a gratuity, it goes only to those staff who are DELIBERATELY underpaid, and it constitutes the bulk of their pay.

This should most definitely be paid by P&O and they should therefore include it in the cruise price, leaving all passengers free to decide if they wish to give a "little" extra to individuals who have provided them with extra special service, that is the true definition of a tip.

 

Nice post very clear and with logically stated facts. I also wish the cruise lines would stop under paying crew and play the game of transferring those costs guest as gratuities. It is not about being cheap or not paying, it is about wanting to see the right thing done here. If anyone just wanted to be cheap remove the fees and tell no one, in fact even post in support of the fees.

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I worked on passenger ships in the 60's as a restaurant steward and tips were not the normal thing in those day's (unless you worked in first class). Very early on in the 70's companies (including P&O) started employing staff from overseas as this reduced the staff salaries total considerably. (Yes we were told this at the time). Subsequently job's for myself and many others became very hard to find. It was then that I decided that the time was up and I left. We received a fair wage, saw the World for free and all in all had a good time.

I do appreciate that all cruise lines are in it to make a profit and if additional income on top of the price of the holiday can be achieved then yes they will do it. On a very recent cruise on the Azura (Easter) we were on Freedom dining and were able to have the same table most evenings and served by the same waiters (Excellent they were). At the end of the cruise I passed an envelope to both of them and this is the reply I received "Thank you sir for recognising the service you have received this cruise, it is much appreciated. Upon asking if they were allowed to keep the reward they quickly replied YES.

I believe that if P&O and other companies were to come out and quash all the rumors about gratuities, and where they actually go passengers would appreciate it and we could all get on with enjoying our holidays.

If it was the med cruise I was on the same one as you. Worst cruise in over 30 and a 3 page complaint letter has been sent to pando. It's interesting to note the reaction you received when handing over cash. Those on our table (fixed dining) who did the same and who had removed the auto gratuity got the same reaction, hugs and kisses, whilst we who had left it in place got no recognition at all. I think this just goes to show that the staff have come to expect that anything they get from the autogratuity is part of their wages and they still look for tips on top.

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The point is actually, that many people on THIS FORUM are in favour of including tips in the fare price. But I feel that users of this forum are a tiny minority of P&O's cruisers, so don't give an accurate indication. Just saying.

 

Yes, but your point would only be valid if people who post on this forum are in some way different from those who don’t. I can’t think of any reason why this would be so.

 

DAVID.

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In reply to Staygulf, I agree completely. It was certainly the worst P&O cruise in our time and we have cancelled the next 2 previously booked and booked with Princess instead.

Albeit they are under the same umbrella, Princess have the edge in our opinion.

We are booked on the Oriana for Christmas and would also cancel that if there were other cruises available for the dates we have. Will we return to P&O ?? Things will have to improve dramatically for us to return.

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In reply to Staygulf, I agree completely. It was certainly the worst P&O cruise in our time and we have cancelled the next 2 previously booked and booked with Princess instead.

Albeit they are under the same umbrella, Princess have the edge in our opinion.

We are booked on the Oriana for Christmas and would also cancel that if there were other cruises available for the dates we have. Will we return to P&O ?? Things will have to improve dramatically for us to return.

 

Must have been bad if you have cancelled cruises. What was the problem?

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In reply to Eglebrech, The overall service was poor, certain areas of the ship were dirty and the staff morale was very low. Maybe it was because the ship had only returned to the UK that morning from the Caribbean and also because of an emergency they spent 8 days at sea instead of 3?

However having spoken to a couple of staff who we have known for many years (British), even they stated that things had changed for the worst and that the management would not listen to the front of house staff.

We were in the Horizon restaurant one morning in port and a well dressed gentleman walked past and went to the outside area and was inspecting something. We counted 7 officers following him at speed with clipboards. (Talk about 2 people needed to change a light bulb).

 

With larger ships joining the fleet since 2008 (Ventura) and another to join soon the company will be providing for the many and forgetting the loyal customers. They are reducing prices and attracting the younger generation of traveler who can now afford a cruise (and good luck to them as I wish everybody could do so) but standards are dropping.

 

The staff are so scared about their jobs they are constantly looking over their shoulders. They are now having to wait until the very end of their contract to establish if they are to return, and this puts even more pressure on them. It is such a shame that things don't run as smooth as they used too. Sorry P&O but it's time to listen to your staff & passengers. Maybe the CEO should appear on the American programme "Undercover Boss" and find out the real truth?

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