UK cruises, new gratuities

[RDC1]

I think we Brits already pay a lot more for our Princess cruises than those based in the USA.

 

But your culture says all such costs should be included and not be tips.

 

Just as your travel regulations place additional risk on the cruise lines.

[windsor26]

Just include gratuities in the price of the cruise. That solves all the problems!:rolleyes:

 

As is done with the Australian based ships from the Carnival Princess and P&O Australia lines No tips No adds to a drink prices but all costs appreciably more to start with BUT it means we know where we are from the beginning

 

All staff and crew on these ships get the minimum Australian wage THEY tell us

Edited November 20, 2016 by windsor26

[BritinSoCal]

I don't get why ever one on cc is so hung up on what the ships crew earns, if you own an iPhone do you worry what pitifull amount Apple Inc pay to the Chinese workers and there terrible conditions, same if you buy a pair of Nike made in Vietnam.

 

Not everyone obviously, but some of us here would prefer to see an honest day's work repaid with an honest day's pay - be it the server at my favourite diner in DTLA, the carer who pops in on my mum back home who's on a disgraceful zero-hour contract or the hotel staff on my cruise.

 

So yes, I tip...

[EDF]

Not everyone obviously, but some of us here would prefer to see an honest day's work repaid with an honest day's pay - be it the server at my favourite diner in DTLA, the carer who pops in on my mum back home who's on a disgraceful zero-hour contract or the hotel staff on my cruise.

 

So yes, I tip...

 

Hi,

 

Have you ever asked what the crew consider a fair day's pay. From where they originate from they are getting a fortune on the cruise lines. I feel that the US has a lot to say remembering when i was last in the states and the guy who opened the door to the cab expected a tip or the bus driver taking me to the port saying i will be standing at the door as you get off!. It his job and as another post said to be offered a tip can be an insult. As I said earlier its is the cruise lines responsibility to pay their staff not the customer, in this I am including all cruise lines.

 

David

[BritinSoCal]

Hi,

 

Have you ever asked what the crew consider a fair day's pay. From where they originate from they are getting a fortune on the cruise lines. I feel that the US has a lot to say remembering when i was last in the states and the guy who opened the door to the cab expected a tip or the bus driver taking me to the port saying i will be standing at the door as you get off!. It his job and as another post said to be offered a tip can be an insult. As I said earlier its is the cruise lines responsibility to pay their staff not the customer, in this I am including all cruise lines.

 

David

 

You sort of skirted my original comment, but I'd have no problems if gratuities were just lumped onto the bottom line...

[antsp]

Hi,

 

Have you ever asked what the crew consider a fair day's pay. From where they originate from they are getting a fortune on the cruise lines. I feel that the US has a lot to say remembering when i was last in the states and the guy who opened the door to the cab expected a tip or the bus driver taking me to the port saying i will be standing at the door as you get off!. It his job and as another post said to be offered a tip can be an insult. As I said earlier its is the cruise lines responsibility to pay their staff not the customer, in this I am including all cruise lines.

 

David

 

In some cases it's so aggressive the way some can almost demand tips

[Griller]

In some cases it's so aggressive the way some can almost demand tips

 

Like the baggage guys at Fll or Miami who I am told get a union negotiated $38 an hour yet still aggressively demand a tip for moving your bag several yards to a cage - and if you don't pay them they rip your tags off. Happened to me when I had no cash to tip once.

You know the guys I mean, there is usually one standing around taking it from the others with a huge wad of cash stuffing it into a brown grocery paper bag.

[caribill]

Like the baggage guys at Fll or Miami who I am told get a union negotiated $38 an hour yet still aggressively demand a tip for moving your bag several yards to a cage - and if you don't pay them they rip your tags off. Happened to me when I had no cash to tip once.

You know the guys I mean, there is usually one standing around taking it from the others with a huge wad of cash stuffing it into a brown grocery paper bag.

 

And all of this near a sign that says tipping is not required.

[senior lady]

I would never remove the auto gratuities.

Those tips are shared by all the people that you don't see everyday.

like, laundry, kitchen, cleaners etc.

Try going to Vegas or Hawaii where resort charges are up to $30 a day or more for basically nothing!! Most people in Vegas don't even get paid a minimum wage as Nevada is a "right to work state"

At least on a cruise, your getting great food and entertainment and fun places to visit.

 

As a Canadian I'm already paying 32-25% more because of our low dollar.

[lucksak]

Like the baggage guys at Fll or Miami who I am told get a union negotiated $38 an hour yet still aggressively demand a tip for moving your bag several yards to a cage - and if you don't pay them they rip your tags off. Happened to me when I had no cash to tip once.

You know the guys I mean, there is usually one standing around taking it from the others with a huge wad of cash stuffing it into a brown grocery paper bag.

 

A airport police officer's rate is $21 a hour. A customer service attendant 's rate is $ 8 a hour . I seriously doubt a baggage handler 's rate is $ 38. Where are you getting your information from? They need 3 positions filled right now. I don't think anyone is rushing to do that heavy lifting job for the low wages they pay.. They don't even post what the hourly rate is for that job.

[jrzebird]

There are several statements in this thread that I believe are not really factual, but I shall ignore them for now. I do have one thing to throw out for consideration however. Is it possible that the recent increase in the gratuity amount is because of the number of people who remove the auto-tips? That money has to be made up somehow. IMHO, it is totally unfair to remove the auto-tip because you don't want to pay an extra $2.00 per person a day. The crew works very hard to ensure we have as flawless a cruise as possible. Why penalize them? If, when you are aboard you find a reason to legitimately reduce or remove the tip, then do so. However, to unilaterally do so with no reason other than you want to use the money for yourselves is, in my mind, unconscionable. And, it has been known for many months that the auto-tips were increasing, and by how much. And as for them making a tax-free $46,000.00 salary for a 9 month contract ... well that's just ludicrous (although they certainly deserve that much). And, if they are, I want that job.

 

Maureen

[PrincessLuver]

Most people in Vegas don't even get paid a minimum wage as Nevada is a "right to work state".

 

As a Canadian I'm already paying 32-25% more because of our low dollar.

 

You are totally wrong!!! Las Vegas is a heavy union state and almost every job that keeps hotels and casinos running smoothly in Las Vegas is a member of The Culinary union...and resort workers make very good wages plus they get to split casino tips.....resort charges are charged as a way to create more profit for the hotel. All MGM properties in Las Vegas are now charging for parking which was never done before. They are doing what the airlines did and make you pay for services which used to be for free to increase profit margins. I am sure Princess is doing the same thing!!

[RDC1]

I would never remove the auto gratuities.

Those tips are shared by all the people that you don't see everyday.

like, laundry, kitchen, cleaners etc.

Try going to Vegas or Hawaii where resort charges are up to $30 a day or more for basically nothing!! Most people in Vegas don't even get paid a minimum wage as Nevada is a "right to work state"

At least on a cruise, your getting great food and entertainment and fun places to visit.

 

As a Canadian I'm already paying 32-25% more because of our low dollar.

 

I think that you do not understand what it means to be a "right to work state". It does not negate minimum wage laws. All it means is that employees do not have to join a union and pay union dues for certain jobs, where union representation exists.

Edited November 25, 2016 by RDC1

[nareshtailor]

I think the gratitudes should come out from fares. Why should be subsidy the cruise line when they should be fair wages to their staff in the first place. On principle I always remove it and tip bartender etc and all those who has looked after us while on cruise.

 

 

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[john watson]

Not without a US postal address, basically no we cant.

 

I have booked a Princess Cruise through an on line site US cruise agent in the past and Cunard. I simply phoned them and booked up only problem was having to do any phoning after midnight due to time difference but they have a freephone line for UK people. I did not use a 90-Day Ticker or anything simply booked the cruise I wanted at a discount. The non-US resident regulations have changed but there are still options.

 

Regards John

[Britcruzer15]

Just off Crown Today - we opted out of the 'service charge' along with hundreds of others on our cruise. we did however pay the mandatory 15% on all services.

[pilot]

Just off Crown Today - we opted out of the 'service charge' along with hundreds of others on our cruise. we did however pay the mandatory 15% on all services.

 

Glad you are "bragging" that you didn't pay the service charge. Hope that made your cruise more enjoyable!!!

 

I'm surprised you didn't try to get the 15% taken off also.

[Colo Cruiser]

Just off Crown Today - we opted out of the 'service charge' along with hundreds of others on our cruise. we did however pay the mandatory 15% on all services.

 

 

 

I think the gratitudes should come out from fares. Why should be subsidy the cruise line when they should be fair wages to their staff in the first place. On principle I always remove it and tip bartender etc and all those who has looked after us while on cruise.

 

 

 

Hundreds of others?

How did you get into the DR kitchens and back of house crew that you never see to distribute the 15%, or any tip at all for that matter?

These crew bust their butt's to serve the passengers.

Me thinks the crew on the Crown on your cruise got screwed.

[Britcruzer15]

Glad you are "bragging" that you didn't pay the service charge. Hope that made your cruise more enjoyable!!!

 

I'm surprised you didn't try to get the 15% taken off also.

 

Not bragging, nor getting into the tipping/no tipping argument either, just stating my experience from the past couple of weeks on Crown - the first couple of days the PS desk was always busy with people, and they even had a guy handing out the forms to take away and complete/return later in order to keep the queues down.

 

why take the 15% off? - I understood this when I booked, so happy to pay. and did so (around $400)

 

For my party of 4 - additional 'service charge' would be around $800 for the cruise.

[RocketMan275]

I think the gratitudes should come out from fares. Why should be subsidy the cruise line when they should be fair wages to their staff in the first place. On principle I always remove it and tip bartender etc and all those who has looked after us while on cruise.

 

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So, as a matter of principle, you stiff the crew?

 

Do you agree that the fare would have to be increased by at least the amount of the service charges plus some other amount to offset taxes, etc.?

[pilot]

.

 

 

 

why take the 15% off? - I understood this when I booked, so happy to pay. and did so (around $400)

 

 

 

 

Guess you didn't understand the daily service charge when you booked. So happy you saved some money.

 

 

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[antsp]

.

 

 

 

why take the 15% off? - I understood this when I booked, so happy to pay. and did so (around $400)

 

 

 

 

Guess you didn't understand the daily service charge when you booked. So happy you saved some money.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

It's all Princess cruises fault. One word and one word only " Discretionary"

[AE_Collector]

Princess if you are listening: PLEASE start including gratuities in the cruise fare. I am so tired of paying my auto gratuities in full as well as giving a little extra for the wonderful service we receive while others simply cancel their gratuities.How citizens of first world countries can sleep at night when they have stiffed the third world country crew out of a significant portion of their meagre wage for being away from home and family for long periods of time is just beyond me.

 

On the surface of it, a system of some guaranteed wage plus significant gratuities for doing a good job is a very good system to ensure the crew provide above average service. But, as soon as you make it as easy as saying "Please cancel my auto gratuities" to a person at the Passenger Service desk the system begins to fall apart. That is when some passengers begin taking advantage of not just the crew but also other passengers by cancelling their auto gratuities and those that don't cancel have been seeing the associated increase in gratuities lately.

 

I'm not saying that there shouldn't be an ability to discuss and maybe adjust the auto gratuity if the passenger legitimately feels they have not received the level of service they expected. But to just cancel it entirely without any discussion about what the problem was and just maybe a reduction of the amount is just wrong. Princess is just taking the easy way out by allowing this to happen as it doesn't directly hurt them to lose some gratuity pool money and it avoids them having a passenger who may go elsewhere next time if they were unable to cancel their gratuities.

 

It is time to include all gratuities in the cruise fare and put an end to this.

 

AE_Collector

[Britcruzer15]

.

 

 

 

why take the 15% off? - I understood this when I booked, so happy to pay. and did so (around $400)

 

 

 

 

Guess you didn't understand the daily service charge when you booked. So happy you saved some money.

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

Sure - just include it in the base fare and I will pay it, dont dress it up as something it is not.

 

outstanding service should always be rewarded.

[pilot]

Sure - just include it in the base fare and I will pay it, dont dress it up as something it is not.

 

outstanding service should always be rewarded.

 

 

Sorry that I didn't understand your original post. I thought you were just "stiffing" the crew out of their tip.

 

I didn't realized that you didn't receive "outstanding service" and that is why you and the "hundreds" removed your auto tips.

 

Hope that all of you that removed the tips voiced your displeasure for not receiving the "outstanding service" that you expected.