Tipping with Freedom Dining.

[Teddy123]

The arithmetic is simple: on a 14 night-cruise, with breakfast in the dining room and Freedom Dining, one can easily be served by 56 different people (2 per table). That ignores lunches, the buffet, deck eateries, etc. It seems some people are so worried about the details of the system that they wish to cope with the logistics of handing out 60 or more individual tips rather than let the service charge stand. They must also form a judgement on each of the 60 or so people as to whether they deserve a tip.

 

If they are so concerned about how their money is spent that they wish to do this, they are free to do so.

 

I'm sure nobody takes the easy way out and just tips 10 people, say, making the 50 others go without the reward that they would have had from the service charge.

[dgs1956]

The arithmetic is simple: on a 14 night-cruise, with breakfast in the dining room and Freedom Dining, one can easily be served by 56 different people (2 per table). That ignores lunches, the buffet, deck eateries, etc. It seems some people are so worried about the details of the system that they wish to cope with the logistics of handing out 60 or more individual tips rather than let the service charge stand. They must also form a judgement on each of the 60 or so people as to whether they deserve a tip.

 

If they are so concerned about how their money is spent that they wish to do this, they are free to do so.

 

I'm sure nobody takes the easy way out and just tips 10 people, say, making the 50 others go without the reward that they would have had from the service charge.

 

... and that is why its better and also simpler to leave auto-tips on.

However if you don't want to leave them on then its freedom of choice.

To me that's the two options. Trying to tip the massive number of waiters etc you come in contact with is way too complicated.

Surely people can decide for themselves. Its not that complicated. Trying to second guess if P&O pay all the monies to the staff or if some can get more than others is a complete waste of time.

Personally, I leave then on and tip nothing extra. Simple

[wowzz]

Exactly - if you remove the auto tip, but claim you will still pay the same amount in total, you will need an awful lot of envelopes.

 

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[eddie11]

As there are no cash payments onboard, I would think that, apart from specific classes of staff, and apart from last night/last morning, it is not currently 'normal' for staff to handle cash or have GBP about their person. That is a good thing, as there cannot be 'misunderstandings'.

 

I think it is unfair to expect staff to be happy with a number of coins or notes In their pocket at any/every meal service. The tips are low - just keep it simple for everyone and allow the automatic payment.

 

If, like me, you feel the fare should include tips (to be truly British, like Rob Brydon says in the ads), then, like me, be sure to say so on your questionnaire and any other opportunity you get

[Brayman]

What nobody not even P&O have answered in the past over many threads that if the staff do not receive high enough marks on the questionnaire then they do get penalised and don't get their full portion of the service Reward Scheme. So my question is where does this money not held back by P&O is it given to those that have received excellent marks so they are getting "extra" at the expense of those that have not if they do not where does that money go that has been withheld by P&O.

 

My understanding, from reading 1000's of posts on the topic of tipping over several platforms (some of these including replies from P&O) is that it is the BONUS that is affected by the marks on the Satisfaction survey NOT the service charge/tips.

[terrierjohn]

We have always left auto tips on but on our next cruise we are doing 44 nights. This makes the tips over £500 which is a awful lot of money. What would you do as we are on freedom dining?

But the amount levied is still the same per day as on a 7 night cruise, and the service is still the same, so why should you be unhappy to pay.

Whilst the total price of the 44 night cruise may be less per day than a 7 night one, it is P&O that is absorbing that loss, but if you reduce the tips it is the crew members that would suffer the loss, or more likely their families back home.

[insanemagnet]

All cruisers really do need to accept that tips on cruises are NOT a reward for extra service rendered, but an extension of crew wages.

 

That isn't what P&O tell their customers. Perhaps they ought to be honest with people.

 

OK so a lot of people don't like that idea but until they get rolled up into the cruise fare

 

And it is P&O who have the power to do that. But why would they if they make more profit from being dishonest.

 

£12 a day may be 'cheap' in terms of other cruise companies, but charging a hidden amount that can easily be more than 10% of the whole cruise price and calling it a 'tip' is absurd.

[majortom10]

...but it is very common to see a service charge on a restaurant bill.

 

Like you, I would prefer to see a single charge for the cruise with any additional discrretionary tips being down to the customer.

 

I do not know what part of the UK but it is very rare where we live that any restaurant or eating establishment automatically adds a service charge. It might be an acceptable practice in London and big cities but certainly not where I live and where we eat out.

[grapau27]

As there are no cash payments onboard, I would think that, apart from specific classes of staff, and apart from last night/last morning, it is not currently 'normal' for staff to handle cash or have GBP about their person. That is a good thing, as there cannot be 'misunderstandings'.

 

I think it is unfair to expect staff to be happy with a number of coins or notes In their pocket at any/every meal service. The tips are low - just keep it simple for everyone and allow the automatic payment.

 

If, like me, you feel the fare should include tips (to be truly British, like Rob Brydon says in the ads), then, like me, be sure to say so on your questionnaire and any other opportunity you get

Good points.

[davecttr]

That isn't what P&O tell their customers. Perhaps they ought to be honest with people.

 

 

 

And it is P&O who have the power to do that. But why would they if they make more profit from being dishonest.

 

£12 a day may be 'cheap' in terms of other cruise companies, but charging a hidden amount that can easily be more than 10% of the whole cruise price and calling it a 'tip' is absurd.

 

It is not absurd for the high end cruise lines or Thomson/TUI. Obviously they price their cruises at a level which will fill the ships but the behind the scenes minutiae and the mechanism of how they reward the staff is invisible to the passengers who don't need to know the detail. The crew are happy and efficient, the passengers are happy with the price and the company is making a profit, everybody is happy :D

[insanemagnet]

I do not know what part of the UK but it is very rare where we live that any restaurant or eating establishment automatically adds a service charge. It might be an acceptable practice in London and big cities but certainly not where I live and where we eat out.

 

Almost every restaurant in London now adds a 12.5% service charge.

 

Even restaurants which are part of national chains, where the restaurants located outside London do not add a charge, the branches they have in London do charge. Same service, just 12.5% more expensive in London.

[majortom10]

Almost every restaurant in London now adds a 12.5% service charge.

 

Even restaurants which are part of national chains, where the restaurants located outside London do not add a charge, the branches they have in London do charge. Same service, just 12.5% more expensive in London.

 

 

Lucky we don't live in London but don't think that just because it is an acceptable practice in London that is the same all over the UK because it isn't.

[Eglesbrech]

Lucky we don't live in London but don't think that just because it is an acceptable practice in London that is the same all over the UK because it isn't.

 

I agree, no it's not. It is very rare to see a service charge in this neck of the woods.I hope we don't go the way of the US where there are tips for everything.

 

As for P&O if the money is required to pay staff a decent wage then add it to the price so that everyone pays it. Doing that means the staff have no anxiety about the questionnaires which can then be used for the proper purpose of finding out how people have actually enjoyed the cruise, the really good bits and to highlight any areas for improvement. At the moment the false and constant "excellent" which some passengers appear to feel pressurised to give does not always reflect how things really are.

 

Pax can then go back to rewarding genuinely excellent service with an additional tip.

[Tom Baker]

The grill cooks, the pizza guy and the ice cream server don't receive any tips from the auto tips. Next time you're waiting for that pizza or fries with a burger give them a tip too!

[insanemagnet]

As for P&O if the money is required to pay staff a decent wage then add it to the price so that everyone pays it.

 

And as the first step in that direction, I suggest we stop calling them 'tips' or 'gratuities', because if they make up the bulk of the pay on a British ship they are not. I suggest they should be termed a wage surcharge.

[Ronald76]

I live in London and not many restaurants charge the12.5 service charge - maybe only the posh ones !! . Wish p & o would add tipping to the fare so everybody knows where they stand ☺

 

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[Teddy123]

Including the service charge in the fare and leaving people to add an extra tip if they wish would obviously solve problems for crew and passengers alike. However, my perspective is that P&O is trying to minimise its headline prices (hence other moves like charging for room service and going for a new "mega ship") in an attempt to move down market price-wise - and even the £84 for a 14-night cruise is not something they want to add to the price.

[Zombatar]

Well we live in Cornwall and it may come as a surprise to some people but we do not regard London as the centre of the Universe (8 hour drive from here!!!) and in all honesty we have never been subjected to a service charge in any restaurant down here yet. Now admittedly we haven't eaten in one of Rick Steins places in Padstow but we do walk past them fairly often and there is never a mention of a service charge on the display menu. So, lets face it tipping is not a UK thing so I suggest either P&O stop promoting this antiquated practice or admit to being an American cruise line and charge everything in dollars just like Cunard. (Who we understand do not charge tips to passengers on a world cruise. ((Only £46,000 each for Queens grill!!))

 

Peter and Jenny

[annieuk]

We ate in a delightful country pub on Thursday evening on the Hampshire/Surrey borders and at the bottom of the menu it stated that a service charge of 10% would automatically be added to the bill. It was a lovely meal and we had excellent service so we didn't object.

[mercury7289]

I agree, no it's not. It is very rare to see a service charge in this neck of the woods.I hope we don't go the way of the US where there are tips for everything.

 

As for P&O if the money is required to pay staff a decent wage then add it to the price so that everyone pays it. Doing that means the staff have no anxiety about the questionnaires which can then be used for the proper purpose of finding out how people have actually enjoyed the cruise, the really good bits and to highlight any areas for improvement. At the moment the false and constant "excellent" which some passengers appear to feel pressurised to give does not always reflect how things really are.

 

Pax can then go back to rewarding genuinely excellent service with an additional tip.

 

I agree, recently I had an issue with the questionnaire that I was given, the area that concerned me warranted a good at most, but I was feeling pressurised to mark excellent. I overcame the problem in my mind, by not putting it in.

[majortom10]

The grill cooks, the pizza guy and the ice cream server don't receive any tips from the auto tips. Next time you're waiting for that pizza or fries with a burger give them a tip too!

 

So when you go Dominoes/Papa John's for a takeaway pizza do you always leave a tip no and do you tip the ice cream man when you get an ice cream off his van I very much doubt it. You are being brainwashed by the cruise companies that you should pay tips to everybody that smiles at you like Americans or leave auto gratuity in place.....sorry Service Reward Scheme because it is in the interest of P&O that you do then they can get away with paying staff crap wages then you pay tips to get them to a decent level therefore more profit for P&O (Carnival).

[grapau27]

So when you go Dominoes/Papa John's for a takeaway pizza do you always leave a tip no and do you tip the ice cream man when you get an ice cream off his van I very much doubt it. You are being brainwashed by the cruise companies that you should pay tips to everybody that smiles at you like Americans or leave auto gratuity in place.....sorry Service Reward Scheme because it is in the interest of P&O that you do then they can get away with paying staff crap wages then you pay tips to get them to a decent level therefore more profit for P&O (Carnival).

I think both sides of the debate have very valid points.

[insanemagnet]

or leave auto gratuity in place.....sorry Service Reward Scheme

 

Or wage surcharge, as it really is.

[bee-ess]

The grill cooks, the pizza guy and the ice cream server don't receive any tips from the auto tips. Next time you're waiting for that pizza or fries with a burger give them a tip too!

 

Would you go to a land based Resort holiday and tip everyone in sight. Probably not, so why is it so on a cruise.

[dgs1956]

The grill cooks, the pizza guy and the ice cream server don't receive any tips from the auto tips. Next time you're waiting for that pizza or fries with a burger give them a tip too!

 

I'm sure this is a tongue in cheek comment.

I agree with the view that the auto-tips is basically a service charge and consequently it is there to bolster wages. I don't have a problem with that and factor it in to the cost of the cruise.

As far as actual service standards go, I have to say its good but to my mind doesn't warrant any further tipping on top. I pay the "auto-tips" and no more.

Somebody commented that Brits don't tip. I think that is far from the truth and to my mind it has become almost an obsession about tipping people. Hence the number of threads about the subject. I do think people are becoming brain-washed about the need for tipping but I think that is by passengers themselves and not P&O.

The fact is that there are many different views and so the reality is you have to make your own mind up. As I said, mine is pay the auto-tips and no more on top.

Finally, I also agree that the auto-tips should be included in the cruise price if only to ensure that everyone pays and it would also leave anyone who wants to give extra tips free to do so.