Different type of tipping question

[can786]

This question is for anyone from North America who has sailed on the Sun, Dawn or Sea Princess while she is homeported in Australia.

 

I understand there is no autotipping on these cruises as perhaps tipping is not part of the Australian culture. Being an American, I fully expect to tip. When I called Princess to ask whether we could have autotips added to our shipboard account the rep told me that they automatically do that for any North American passengers and that the autotip is only eliminated for those from Australia or New Zealand. Considering the unreliability of information given by Princess reps I would like to double check this. Can anyone from the US or Canada either confirm or debunk this? I would prefer autotipping to having to carry envelopes of cash.

 

I do not want to start a debate about whether to tip or not, I am simply trying to determine how to handle it.

[Toto2Kansas]

From what I have read, the tips are included in the price of the Aussie's who book the cruise (as I remember reading the complaints posted after this change took place as their cruise prices went up afterwards), where as they are not added to your cruise price if you booked in North America. Therefore they are paying more for their cruise to begin with. That is why your tips are still added to your shipboard account, from what I have been reading. Almost sounds like an accounting nitemare to me, but they must have found a way to handle it.

[louden]

From what I have read, the tips are included in the price of the Aussie's who book the cruise (as I remember reading the complaints posted after this change took place as their cruise prices went up afterwards), where as they are not added to your cruise price if you booked in North America. Therefore they are paying more for their cruise to begin with. That is why your tips are still added to your shipboard account, from what I have been reading. Almost sounds like an accounting nitemare to me, but they must have found a way to handle it.

 

Thank you for helping to clarify this as we were wondering the same thing with a trip on the Sun around the corner. Do you have any information regarding whether 15% is automatically added to bar purchases? We really appreciate all the assistance you offer on the boards.

 

Once again thank you.

 

Louden

[Toto2Kansas]

Thank you for helping to clarify this as we were wondering the same thing with a trip on the Sun around the corner. Do you have any information regarding whether 15% is automatically added to bar purchases? We really appreciate all the assistance you offer on the boards.

 

Once again thank you.

 

Louden

Sorry, I can't help there. And even the previous info is just what I have read. So, it isn't first hand experience.

If I am not mistaken, Paul is either on one of the ships out of AU right now, or has a cruise coming up shortly. Hopefully, he can answer those questions from a first hand perspective soon.

Knowing Princess as I do though, I would guess if the 15% is not added to drink prices, you will see higher drink prices to cover that extra that isn't being added.

Those in AU did not want to tip, or have it added to their account seperately. So, my understanding is that Princess upped the prices to cover it. Six of one, half dozen of another. It's still being paid, just worded different. lol

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

The 15% gratuity is added automatically on the bar tab.

 

The auto tip is no longer added to our shipboard account. The strange thing is that the prices do not seem to have gone up at all due to this, if anything with all the competition now coming to Australia, ie... Celebrity, Carnival, HAL, RCCL. Princess Australia and P & O Australia no longer have the monopoly and have had to adjust their pricing accordingly.

 

Bear in mind that the pricing that has been in Australia in the past has been, at times, double what you paid over in the US. They could include the daily gratuities and still make one heck of a profit. We and all Aussies and NZ'ers are happy this has happened because even if you don't tip extra the staff are paid a decent wage and are not reliant on tips to make up their wages. Of course we still tip extra as I know many of the more experienced cruisers do so they benefit both ways.

[Te Aroha]

When I sailed on the Sun and the 3rd of May this year the auto tips were taken off for all Australian and New Zealand passengers.

 

Americans and any other nationality on board had the auto tips put on there accounts. They could ask for them to be removed, as is usual practice on Princess, but by default they were on their accounts.

[can786]

When I sailed on the Sun and the 3rd of May this year the auto tips were taken off for all Australian and New Zealand passengers.

 

Americans and any other nationality on board had the auto tips put on there accounts. They could ask for them to be removed, as is usual practice on Princess, but by default they were on their accounts.

 

Thank you for the confirmation. That is the information I was looking for, from someone who has sailed on a Princess ship that is based in Australia.