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Gratuities going up..

Bruin Steve

By Bruin Steve,
in Princess Cruises

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Bruin Steve

Bruin Steve

Posted
Posted

Just received:

 

Important Update Regarding Your Cruise

 

 

Dear Princess Guest:

 

To ensure our guest service on board remains among the best in the cruise industry, Princess Cruises has increased the daily gratuity charge for all voyages departing on or after December 15, 2016.

 

The new daily gratuity amounts are $13.50 USD per guest for interior, oceanview, and balcony staterooms (including children), $14.50 USD per guest for mini-suites (including Club Class), and $15.50 USD per guest for suites.

 

The gratuity rate increase is comparable to cruise industry standards and underlines our commitment toward our crew for the excellent service they provide our guests.

 

You have the opportunity to prepay your daily gratuities at the current rate through November 15, 2016 at 11:59PM PST. You may prepay through your Cruise Personalizer or contact us at 1-800-PRINCESS. Guests booked with promotions that include paid gratuities will not be affected by this rate increase.

 

Thank you and we look forward to welcoming you aboard.

 

Sincerely,

Princess Cruises

 

 

 

Princess Cruises, 24305 Town Center Drive, Santa Clarita, CA 91355

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Bababooey Land

Bababooey Land

Posted
Posted

Hi all..I don't think this subject has been posted here yet.

 

I just received an email from Princess regarding Gratuities.

 

Dear Princess Guest:

 

To ensure our guest service on board remains among the best in the cruise industry, Princess Cruises has increased the daily gratuity charge for all voyages departing on or after December 15, 2016.

 

The new daily gratuity amounts are $13.50 USD per guest for interior, oceanview, and balcony staterooms (including children), $14.50 USD per guest for mini-suites (including Club Class), and $15.50 USD per guest for suites.

 

The gratuity rate increase is comparable to cruise industry standards and underlines our commitment toward our crew for the excellent service they provide our guests.

 

You have the opportunity to prepay your daily gratuities at the current rate through November 15, 2016 at 11:59PM PST. You may prepay through your Cruise Personalizer or contact us at 1-800-PRINCESS . Guests booked with promotions that include paid gratuities will not be affected by this rate increase.

 

Thank you and we look forward to welcoming you aboard.

 

 

 

Sincerely,

Princess Cruises

 

If you go to their website now, they have updated it as well.

 

To simplify the tipping process for our guests, a discretionary gratuity of $13.95 per person for mini-suites and suites, and $12.95 per guest in all other staterooms per day (including children) will be automatically added to your shipboard account on a daily basis. Effective on voyages departing on or after December 15, 2016, the gratuity charge will be $15.50 per guest for suites, $14.50 per guest for mini-suites and club class, and $13.50 per guest for interior, oceanview, and balcony staterooms. This gratuity will be shared amongst those staff who help provide and support your cruise experience, including all waitstaff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards, and housekeeping staff across the fleet.

 

For a comparison, this is what Celebrity charges:

 

$12.95 per person, per day in standard accommodations ($13.50 for cruises departing on or after July 1, 2016)

$13.45 per person, per day in Concierge Class and AquaClass® staterooms ($14.00 for cruises departing on or after July 1, 2016)

$16.45 per person, per day in suites ($17.00 for cruises departing on or after July 1, 2016)

 

Seems like the tipping is comparable to Celebrity.

 

Even though I don't like having to spend more money, I think the workers on cruises deserve it...as they work their tail off!! Hopefully the increase will go directly to the employees.

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MsSoCalCruiser

MsSoCalCruiser

Posted
Posted

I understand that everybody needs a raise. I understand that it's not a huge difference. What I don't understand is how can Princess raise the price of your purchase after you have made your Deposit or paid in full? When we put the deposit on our 12 night Alaska cruise we did so because we agreed with the price and everything else that went along with it. I don't get it.

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iceleven

iceleven

Posted
Posted

The timing of this announcement seems to go right along with their new 3 for Free sale. Perhaps they are trying to motivate people to book early, to get this sale as all are cruises for late in 2017 and into 2018. And I'm sure they want the gratuities paid with real cash and not the on-board credit many of us use.

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moki'smommy

moki'smommy

Posted
Posted

My first thoughts were twofold. First, it's only $1 per day. Secondly, didn't they just raise them?

 

THen....they were already more than some other lines.

 

For the first time, I has an issue where I really didn't like the way that Princess does the tip pool. Our steward was somewhat lacking. It was one of the few times I would have reduced a tip. However, there was no way I could do that without impacting our dining team, etc. Oh well, each line has things I like a lot and things I like less.

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JudithLynne

JudithLynne

Posted
Posted

Here is my question:

 

Our next cruise is April 2017, we will have $1100 OBC. If we prepay gratuities is there a way that we can use our OBC for that? If not, we would be better off waiting to pay on board with OBC.

 

Does anyone have the answer to this, would sure appreciate the input.

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RetiredNTraveling

RetiredNTraveling

Posted
Posted (edited)

We too just received the notice!

 

We agree that for a 7 day cruise it's not that big of thing! However, we are booked on the Oct. 8, 2017 ~ 28 Day Cruise. For that number of days, well I guess that I am tight on some things :eek: and not on others! ;) Even though when we are on board the ship, we usually tip $8 to $10 a day extra for special services that we simply enjoy and feel like rewarding the crew member for.

 

I believe that we will pre-pay the Gratuities just because! :D

 

Just Mike

Edited by RetiredNTraveling
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moki'smommy

moki'smommy

Posted
Posted
Here is my question:

 

Our next cruise is April 2017, we will have $1100 OBC. If we prepay gratuities is there a way that we can use our OBC for that? If not, we would be better off waiting to pay on board with OBC.

 

Does anyone have the answer to this, would sure appreciate the input.

 

When we have pre-paid anything, it required a credit card at that time. No way to use some of that OBC because we were on onboard at the time we paid. They don't apply the OBC to your account till you are actually on board.

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greenie082756

greenie082756

Posted
Posted
The timing of this announcement seems to go right along with their new 3 for Free sale. Perhaps they are trying to motivate people to book early, to get this sale as all are cruises for late in 2017 and into 2018. And I'm sure they want the gratuities paid with real cash and not the on-board credit many of us use.

 

Bingo! I agree.

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