How as a result of the latest increase do you intend to tip on their next P&O Cruise?

It is a 'wage subsidy' so we are making up the service crew wage by paying the auto tips.:rolleyes:

Not sure that is true, there are suggestions they get a wage anyway and perhaps they get no more with grats, it just means the cruise line contributes less and as said in previous post that they only really get more than that basic with cash tips. Unless P&O tell us then we have to work on what we believe and add/remove grats and cash tips as we think we want to do based on that assumption which might be right or wrong.

How do we really know how much the crew are paid? Is it our job to pay their wage? Do we ever hear the crew complaining? P and O are the guilty ones here, not the passengers

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Not sure that is true, there are suggestions they get a wage anyway

They get a very low basic wage, far far lower than the wages of the crew who don't benefit from the service charge, for example the kitchen staff.

However the vast bulk of their wage is made up from bonuses paid from the service charge.

If you are in any doubt, simply consider the amount of money collected from the service charge and the number of staff it is divided amongst.

How do we really know how much the crew are paid? Is it our job to pay their wage? Do we ever hear the crew complaining? P and O are the guilty ones here, not the passengers

 

 

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I have no idea what the crew are paid and you can read from a variety of sources that suggest everything from just tips, through next to nothing to fairly generous but it is all just speculation.

It is our job to pay their wages in so far as it is when we buy any other product or service, an element of what you pay at the supermarket or restaurant goes to pay the staff wages so a cruise ship is the same. That why I don't get the way they do it, include that element in the price like every other service provider does.

If the wages element falls short then it is indeed P &Os fault as the employer. People pay what they are asked to pay and if the service charge is voluntary then they can remove it if they wish to - but what would happen if we all did that?

Staff don't complain directly because they no doubt have a gagging clause. Thats not unusual even here in the Uk where an employer can't stop an employee talking to colleagues about wage rates but they can stop them discussing wages with customers and other third parties.

They get a very low basic wage, far far lower than the wages of the crew who don't benefit from the service charge, for example the kitchen staff.

 

However the vast bulk of their wage is made up from bonuses paid from the service charge.

 

If you are in any doubt, simply consider the amount of money collected from the service charge and the number of staff it is divided amongst.

But is that basic low wage made any higher with grats or do they get a basic low wage which is made up of grats and P&O. So when we pay up in auto grats does P&O have to contribute less to that basic?

As I said earlier, who knows? One has to decide from the evidence, scant and confusing as it is, what to do. But I voted on here to pay that which was asking at the time of booking because I think that the rise is too steep when I know not how it is applied. And at this time, that is what I will do, I think!

Well, here’s the relevant part of the alleged answer to my question as to whether staff were negatively impacted if passengers removed the gratuity

If passengers chose to reduce or remove the amount of the service charge then we feel that this is ultimately their choice as we do not wish to be implying that this is compulsory. If you were to choose to remove the service charge from your account then this would not reflect badly on your cabin steward or impact on them. Each staff member is paid a standard wage and the tips are provided as an additional bonus which staff are fully aware of.

Clear as mud, eh?

I specifically asked for a clear reply; unsurprisingly I did not get one.

I will try a follow-up but don’t hold out a lot of hope.

Well, here’s the relevant part of the alleged answer to my question as to whether staff were negatively impacted if passengers removed the gratuity

 

If passengers chose to reduce or remove the amount of the service charge then we feel that this is ultimately their choice as we do not wish to be implying that this is compulsory. If you were to choose to remove the service charge from your account then this would not reflect badly on your cabin steward or impact on them. Each staff member is paid a standard wage and the tips are provided as an additional bonus which staff are fully aware of.

Clear as mud, eh?

I specifically asked for a clear reply; unsurprisingly I did not get one.

I will try a follow-up but don’t hold out a lot of hope.

I have a feeling that the bit which talks about a negative impact on cabin stewards means that P&O do not treat the cabin steward as if they have done something wrong or that they get less share from the pool.

The question is does removal of grats generally affect those people, is there less to share out.

Well, here’s the relevant part of the alleged answer to my question as to whether staff were negatively impacted if passengers removed the gratuity

 

If passengers chose to reduce or remove the amount of the service charge then we feel that this is ultimately their choice as we do not wish to be implying that this is compulsory. If you were to choose to remove the service charge from your account then this would not reflect badly on your cabin steward or impact on them. Each staff member is paid a standard wage and the tips are provided as an additional bonus which staff are fully aware of.

Clear as mud, eh?

I specifically asked for a clear reply; unsurprisingly I did not get one.

I will try a follow-up but don’t hold out a lot of hope.

Seems perfectly clear.

P&O will not think badly of the waiters and stewards if you remove or reduce the service charge and it won't impact their share of the pot from which the bonuses are paid (although obviously the pot will be smaller and so will the bonuses).

 

 

The question is does removal of grats generally affect those people, is there less to share out.

Something I think we will never know, and why I think it's important to not remove the auto tips. A far better system of course is to simply include them in the price of a cruise.

Seems perfectly clear.

 

P&O will not think badly of the waiters and stewards if you remove or reduce the service charge and it won't impact their share of the pot from which the bonuses are paid (although obviously the pot will be smaller and so will the bonuses).

Somehow i think questions will be asked why passengers withheld their autogratuities.

Something I think we will never know, and why I think it's important to not remove the auto tips. A far better system of course is to simply include them in the price of a cruise.

I am now of that opinion too.

Somehow i think questions will be asked why passengers withheld their autogratuities.

If you remove or reduce the service charge then the form that you are asked to fill in asks you why you wish to do this, so you can make it crystal clear that it’s because you have had poor service (and from whom) or that you are removing it for some other reason, such as you wish to tip directly. You could also explicitly say that you have had brilliant service but are removing it to encourage P&O to incorporate it into the Cruise fare so that nobody can avoid it, if that is your desire. I know this because the one occasion that I removed the service charge was on a short cruise on Ventura where we were in a Suite, one of the benefits of which was breakfast in the Epicurean and the service was terrible and the restaurant manager was downright rude and unhelpful, so I wrote out my justification in great detail to make the point.

Somehow i think questions will be asked why passengers withheld their autogratuities.

I am sure that questions will be asked.

I had a phone call today from P&O to discuss the email that I sent to Christopher Edgington. The lady who called me obviously had a copy of my email and we talked for 25 mins, I got the impression that they are taking our concerns seriously. She did say that we could remove the auto-grats and pay what we thought was fair or not pay at all, as we already know. There is apparently a team who continuously review the gratuity situation and our comments and suggestions from our emails along with the comments made in the telephone conversations will be passed to this team.

I am not sure what my OH and I will do on our next cruise because while we feel that we are being taken advantage of for complying with P&O's chose auto-gratuity amount we both feel that it is unfair to possibly impact the waiters and cabin steward.

I am sure that questions will be asked.

 

I had a phone call today from P&O to discuss the email that I sent to Christopher Edgington. The lady who called me obviously had a copy of my email and we talked for 25 mins, I got the impression that they are taking our concerns seriously. She did say that we could remove the auto-grats and pay what we thought was fair or not pay at all, as we already know. There is apparently a team who continuously review the gratuity situation and our comments and suggestions from our emails along with the comments made in the telephone conversations will be passed to this team.

 

I am not sure what my OH and I will do on our next cruise because while we feel that we are being taken advantage of for complying with P&O's chose auto-gratuity amount we both feel that it is unfair to possibly impact the waiters and cabin steward.

Thanks for posting this i empathize totally with you.

I have not received a follow up other than the email saying they are looking into it.

I am sure that questions will be asked.

 

I had a phone call today from P&O to discuss the email that I sent to Christopher Edgington. The lady who called me obviously had a copy of my email and we talked for 25 mins, I got the impression that they are taking our concerns seriously. She did say that we could remove the auto-grats and pay what we thought was fair or not pay at all, as we already know. There is apparently a team who continuously review the gratuity situation and our comments and suggestions from our emails along with the comments made in the telephone conversations will be passed to this team.

 

I am not sure what my OH and I will do on our next cruise because while we feel that we are being taken advantage of for complying with P&O's chose auto-gratuity amount we both feel that it is unfair to possibly impact the waiters and cabin steward.

I also received a phone call the day after I sent my email. I was assured my email would be passed to the relevant department and my opinion was important to P&O. Although I had a long conversation with the young lady who phoned, I'm not confident that my opinion will count for much but hopefully if others have also put in their 2 cents worth and with the poll too, perhaps P&O will begin to think about including the gratuities. With the gratuities going up to £7pp, I think a lot more people will be removing auto -tips if nothing else that should make them think.

I also received a phone call the day after I sent my email. I was assured my email would be passed to the relevant department and my opinion was important to P&O. Although I had a long conversation with the young lady who phoned, I'm not confident that my opinion will count for much but hopefully if others have also put in their 2 cents worth and with the poll too, perhaps P&O will begin to think about including the gratuities. With the gratuities going up to £7pp, I think a lot more people will be removing auto -tips if nothing else that should make them think.

The call I had today was the second one, I had one the day after I sent my email and then today it was a much more in depth call, so I would imagine that the email senders will all be contacted again.

The call I had today was the second one, I had one the day after I sent my email and then today it was a much more in depth call, so I would imagine that the email senders will all be contacted again.

But did they do anything other than pat you on the head whilst nodding and making sympathetic noises?

I also received a phone call the day after I sent my email. I was assured my email would be passed to the relevant department and my opinion was important to P&O. Although I had a long conversation with the young lady who phoned, I'm not confident that my opinion will count for much but hopefully if others have also put in their 2 cents worth and with the poll too, perhaps P&O will begin to think about including the gratuities. With the gratuities going up to £7pp, I think a lot more people will be removing auto -tips if nothing else that should make them think.

That is a steep rise and I cannot justify that and will pay what I accepted at time of booking

But did they do anything other than pat you on the head whilst nodding and making sympathetic noises?

Well considering I emailed before Josy53 I definitely think I've simply been placated, because I've heard nothing from the relevant department. Time for another email I think.:mad:

Well considering I emailed before Josy53 I definitely think I've simply been placated, because I've heard nothing from the relevant department. Time for another email I think.:mad:

I'm the same,an acknowledgement email with a promise to get back in due course.

Time for another email.

But did they do anything other than pat you on the head whilst nodding and making sympathetic noises?

I felt more confident that they really wanted my point of view after this call than I was previously.

I don't know whether this has any bearing on why she call but she was also interested about the fact that we have currently only one cruise booked even though we usually cruise 3 or 4 times a year, so she was aware of our usual pattern of booking. I told her that we are currently looking at other lines because we are becoming disillusioned with P&O.

I felt more confident that they really wanted my point of view after this call than I was previously.

 

I don't know whether this has any bearing on why she call but she was also interested about the fact that we have currently only one cruise booked even though we usually cruise 3 or 4 times a year, so she was aware of our usual pattern of booking. I told her that we are currently looking at other lines because we are becoming disillusioned with P&O.

We have 5 future P&O Cruises booked. Perhaps that’s why I’ve heard nothing since the acknowledgement email! That said, I know not to hold my breath when it comes to a response from P&O!

We have 5 future P&O Cruises booked. Perhaps that’s why I’ve heard nothing since the acknowledgement email! That said, I know not to hold my breath when it comes to a response from P&O!

We have 2 cruises booked and only had the acknowledgement email back from Nicky McIntosh so i have sent another email.

We have 2 cruises booked and only had the acknowledgement email back from Nicky McIntosh so i have sent another email.

Just received a phone call from P&O and had a nice conversation with guest relations who assured me P&O are listening to guests concerns regarding gratuitys.

As a matter of interest has anyone increased the daily auto tip amount over and above the set level? Also, is the adjustment to the daily amount for all occupants of one cabin or do you have to amend individually? On one previous P&O cruise my better half and I disagreed enormously on the level of cabin stwarding received. Our account is paid using my credit card!! Finally, the amount of auto tips should remain the same through the entire booking period for each cruise. We prefer Marella's system of including tips in the original price, giving discretionary tips if we feel it appropriate and nominating individual staff on an end of questionnaire for which they appear to appreciate. At the end of the day we want a cruise holiday not an admin fest.