removing gratuities/service reward scheme

[jody75]

Tell me why is a cruise any different to a hotel holiday ? Why is an entitlement ?

Don't start labelling people because their views differ from yours. I can suggest quite a few labels for you but chose not to be so offensive.

[artemis10]

If you want P&O to listen then tell them on your feedback form. Not sure they pay much attention to what is said on here.

 

From my experience I'm not sure they pay much attention to the feedback form either:D

[jeanlyon]

Tell me why is a cruise any different to a hotel holiday ? Why is an entitlement ?

Don't start labelling people because their views differ from yours. I can suggest quite a few labels for you but chose not to be so offensive.

 

Well said Jody, couldn't agree more. I shall continue to do things the way I want to and so will many others. That doesn't make us skinflints. We just choose to "tip" rather than pay a surcharge.

[CCFC]

The people who tip off their own back I respect for sticking to tradition and doing it the old way.

 

However there are a lot of people who I have met who remove the auto tips and disappear on the last night. I think that's what gets a lot of peoples backs up.

 

I think P&O Australia include it in the headline price (Princess Australia do) as its not in their culture to tip so nobody did which forced their hand.

[john watson]

I believe the majority of people who remove auto gratuities do so as a cost saving exercise. If you wanted to tip in excess of the auto tip rate (currently at £5.50 a day pp), why not just supplement this with additional cash? If any particular member of staff was below par you can always name them as a slacker on the feedback facility.

 

If people genuinely want to pay extra all round good on them.

 

Regards John

[Millers]

Balaena, your comments are very rude and patronising. You think that because people don't do, or agree, with what you do, they are some sort of low-life. I wonder if you carry on your tipping policy everywhere and tip everyone who is on low or minimum wages.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[CCFC]

Balaena, your comments are very rude and patronising. You think that because people don't do, or agree, with what you do, they are some sort of low-life. I wonder if you carry on your tipping policy everywhere and tip everyone who is on low or minimum wages.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

You are missing the point here, there are a lot of people who remove the tips to avoid paying them at all, I have seen it many times. Minimum wage doesn't come into it, they work on the ship because it suits them.

[Bryn@man]

Given the number of threads on this forum relating to obtaining the lowest priced fare and the maximum OBC it's quite humorous to read some of the comments relating to passengers wishing to opt out of the discretionary gratuities...

[Balaena]

You are missing the point here, there are a lot of people who remove the tips to avoid paying them at all, I have seen it many times. Minimum wage doesn't come into it, they work on the ship because it suits them.

 

My point entirely, most people who remove the auto tips, disappears on the last night and have no intention of handing over a tip directly. I even heard a whole gang of folk in the bar a few months ago, noisily laughing and joking how they had removed their tips and were enjoying the proceeds.

I've had enough of this thread, folk know how I feel !!

Bal

[davecttr]

On a P&O cruise a few years ago a well spoken gentleman told me they had, of course, removed the auto gratuity and tipped the cabin steward 10 euros for a 12 night cruise. He could not understand why the steward looked unhappy.

 

Include the tip in the fare, posh cruise lines and Thomson do and you know what, Thomson crews are happy and efficient so they must be paid the correct amount of money!.

[Millers]

What a load of tosh, how very narrow minded. You imagine that's what people do and then lump everybody into that category who doesn't agree with you. You would be a great judge, guilty until proven innocent.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[artemis10]

And, while I appreciate that P&O make up any deficit in the overall pot, there become pressure on P&O to 'up' the sum to the rest of us who leave the auto tips in place.

 

And therein lies the problem, as the auto tips rise each year to compensate for more people removing them, more people will remove them. It will be an ever increasing spiral until they either become compulsory or they are included in the price of the cruise. I don't know why P&O just don't include them in the price now and just lower some of the on board credit they are giving away to offset it.

[balf]

If we were all Aussies this would have been sorted out ages ago, but we are stupid Brits who follow American customs like sheep, except of course for the numbers who happily sail with true British lines rather than a British, but not really British line. P&O are well aware that the majority of passengers would welcome the tips added to the fare. Why don't they do it? Because at the moment not enough passengers opt out. And this is from a stupid, many times passenger who has followed the sheep like the rest over the years.

 

David.

[davecttr]

I would think marketing has a lot to do with not including tips in the fare. Remember those 'that airline' shenanegans? The headline price has to be kept as low as possible and no cruiseline will change because they fear losing customers. Those cruiselines who have already changed are well past any higher price effect and benefit from the positive advertising.

[john watson]

When people search around to get a cheap cruise they generally look at the price to see which is the cheapest. Travel agents tend to offer a raft of different incentives; free parking, coach to the terminal, on board credit, discounted pre-night hotel included etc. in different permutations, to disguise the actual cost and try to win the customer over. Cruise lines themselves may actively promote a low or slow selling itinerary. More often than not when the overall package is calculated in relation to oneself the price differences between different deals are not that big but I should imagine many people go with whatever is the cheapest overall to their requirements. This saving is often smaller than the amount people should be paying under the auto-tips scheme. So cancelling these may well be very tempting to anyone who is exclusively price focused.

 

Regards John

[john watson]

I would think marketing has a lot to do with not including tips in the fare. Remember those 'that airline' shenanegans? The headline price has to be kept as low as possible and no cruiseline will change because they fear losing customers. Those cruiselines who have already changed are well past any higher price effect and benefit from the positive advertising.

 

I can think of cruise lines that look cheaper on a per night basis and overall headline cost. They typically have expensive drinks, higher service charges etc. First time cruisers often fall into the trap, but you have got their money before they learn for next time.

 

Regards John

[buddymum]

Princess charge a lot more per night grattuaties and their drink prices are ouch ouch ouch!! My husband paid £7 for draught stella. Can someone answer a couple of questions on pando Britannia, do they put the gratuaties on your room bill on a daily basis? Secondly do they have draught beer/lager or is it bottles/cans? Thirdly how do you check your account? Again on Princess they have print out machines where you can get a statement when you want it

[john watson]

Princess charge a lot more per night gratuities and their drink prices are ouch ouch ouch!! My husband paid £7 for draught stella. Can someone answer a couple of questions on pando Britannia, do they put the gratuities on your room bill on a daily basis? Secondly do they have draught beer/lager or is it bottles/cans? Thirdly how do you check your account? Again on Princess they have print out machines where you can get a statement when you want it

 

American lines always charge higher rates for auto-gratuities, Princess are no exception. Another difference is that P&O have a minimum age to charge, 13. All US lines will charge same rate for all cruisers including babies!

 

P&O charge £5.50 per person, (13 years or older), per night. This is added to each persons account daily. To check how this and all other charges are going, just attend the Pursers Desk (Reception) and request a print out by presenting your cruise card. This may be done as often as you like, daily or every few days whatever.

 

Drink prices are around UK pub prices. No idea of what beers etc. they do. Someone will no doubt advise on here subsequently.

 

Regards John

[Kaziebelle]

It would be interesting to know just many passengers actually just roll with the default gratuities on P&O. Given the service reward is voluntary and is meant to reward those who provide great service then opting out of the auto payment and taking the time to directly tip and thank crew members seems far more benefical...

 

Fully agree with you.we have always removed auto gratuities and rewarded the people who have directly helped us.furthermore in answer to another post,the staff are allowed to keep their gratuities that are given individually and this can only be correct.the tipping business only started because the salaries earned by the cruise staff were traditionally quite low,but,recently the earnings have increased somewhat so therefore they do not suffer so financially as they once did.we have friends who are employed by P&O who have confirmed this so as I said earlier,we always reward those who have helped us.

[pete14]

Princess charge a lot more per night grattuaties and their drink prices are ouch ouch ouch!! My husband paid £7 for draught stella. Can someone answer a couple of questions on pando Britannia, do they put the gratuaties on your room bill on a daily basis? Secondly do they have draught beer/lager or is it bottles/cans? Thirdly how do you check your account? Again on Princess they have print out machines where you can get a statement when you want it

 

Gratuities are added to the onboard account early in the cruise for the whole duration. Britannia has draught beers. Stella was £3:80 last time I was on board. I think Peroni is draught in some bars although not all bars have draught beer. They also do some decent ales in bottles plus all manners of cocktails and spirits. The Glasshouse has a good selection of wines as well as draught beers. Some ships have your account linked to the TV in your cabin. Britannia is not one of these but you can get a print of your account from reception whenever you want one.

[Kaziebelle]

On a P&O cruise a few years ago a well spoken gentleman told me they had, of course, removed the auto gratuity and tipped the cabin steward 10 euros for a 12 night cruise. He could not understand why the steward looked unhappy.

 

Include the tip in the fare, posh cruise lines and Thomson do and you know what, Thomson crews are happy and efficient so they must be paid the correct amount of money!.

 

We have friends who are employed by P&O and they confirmed to us that the salaries are good nowadays and not so poor as they once were but having said that,we still tip the people who serve us,we always have and always will.however,a few years ago we tipped our cabin steward for the work he did during our 2week cruise,giving him the same amount as the others that we rewarded which was £40.

We left money in an envelope with his name on whilst we had breakfast but when we returned to our cabin the opened envelope was left on the table with the money still inside.i went to find him to tell him he had forgotten his money but he said he had left it because the amount was not enough!

On that particular cruise,our cabin steward ended up with no tip but the other staff were very grateful of theirs.

[NauticalMiss]

Fully agree with you.we have always removed auto gratuities and rewarded the people who have directly helped us.furthermore in answer to another post,the staff are allowed to keep their gratuities that are given individually and this can only be correct.the tipping business only started because the salaries earned by the cruise staff were traditionally quite low,but,recently the earnings have increased somewhat so therefore they do not suffer so financially as they once did.we have friends who are employed by P&O who have confirmed this so as I said earlier,we always reward those who have helped us.

 

Well, I'm not sure about that. There is some disparity between cruise line salaries. I'm not sure I would work for little more than £4 per hour, even if it is tax-free. P&O salaries may have increased but £4 per hour?? Really?

[buddymum]

Gratuities are added to the onboard account early in the cruise for the whole duration. Britannia has draught beers. Stella was £3:80 last time I was on board. I think Peroni is draught in some bars although not all bars have draught beer. They also do some decent ales in bottles plus all manners of cocktails and spirits. The Glasshouse has a good selection of wines as well as draught beers. Some ships have your account linked to the TV in your cabin. Britannia is not one of these but you can get a print of your account from reception whenever you want one.

 

Thanks for the information

[insanemagnet]

My view on where the tips go is they are simply used by P&O to subsidise the wage bill, which would be entirely consistent with their statements.

 

I strongly doubt the staff have seen a 40% increase in the tips element of their pay packet over the last two years, despite the gratuity charge increasing by that amount.

 

If someone doesn't pay £150 of service charge there will be an impact on the tip pool, but I strongly doubt that impact is £150.

 

P&O are simply using the gratuity as another profit centre.

[Millers]

A bottle of wine p and o sell for £18.50 can be bought on land for £9 retail, not wholesale. But it is passengers who are expected to contribute to their staff's wages through tips.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums