Cancelling Standard Tips

[majortom10]

We had a cabin steward on Ventura 2 years ago who we had had twice before and we chatted to him one day when he was little upset and he showed us a list that he had been given that showed which cabins on the previous cruise had removed the tips and the score that they had given him on the questionnaire. He said he was not bothered about the tips being stopped so much as he was bothered by less than excellent scores because the scores determine how much bonus ( his word ) he would get. He told us that the bonus is the share of the tips that have been received on that cruise and that if they have less than a certain percentage of excellent scores they get nothing even if all of their cabins have paid the full amount. He told us that they do not know who has changed the tips until after the passengers have left.

We always leave the auto tip on because it is easier than trying to tip individually as we like freedom dining. We usually give a little extra to the cabin steward.

I just wish P&O would include tips in the cruise price.

 

Did he say that if he received less than a certain percentage on his questionnaires and he didnt receive his "bonus" even though all the cabins might have paid full gratuities where that money goes then because it has always been a very grey area that even P&O do not answer. I wouldnt be very happy if I had paid my full gratuity and been happy with the service if my money had been withheld because others had not given high enough scores on questionnaire.

[grapau27]

Did he say that if he received less than a certain percentage on his questionnaires and he didnt receive his "bonus" even though all the cabins might have paid full gratuities where that money goes then because it has always been a very grey area that even P&O do not answer. I wouldnt be very happy if I had paid my full gratuity and been happy with the service if my money had been withheld because others had not given high enough scores on questionnaire.

I think that is a concern for all of us who pay our autogratuities in good faith.

[Josy1953]

Did he say that if he received less than a certain percentage on his questionnaires and he didnt receive his "bonus" even though all the cabins might have paid full gratuities where that money goes then because it has always been a very grey area that even P&O do not answer. I wouldnt be very happy if I had paid my full gratuity and been happy with the service if my money had been withheld because others had not given high enough scores on questionnaire.

He said that the tips are pooled and then the "bonus" is paid using those tips. He has to hand in any extra tips with a list of cabins that have given them to him and extra tips from passengers where the auto gratuities are left on are returned to him.

[bee-ess]

I know what you mean about the envelopes at the end of the cruise.

I'm sure you give plenty but i think the general animosity about tips on P&O mean a lot of people give less or nothing which is unfair on the crew and the passengers who do give autotips plus extra cash on top.

 

I disagree, surely a tip is given for good service. Autotip implies a service charge that you pay whatever the service, which means no incentive to provide good service.We will tip by envelope If we get good service we will tip more than the autotip which equates to your extra cash on top. But will tip less if we get poor service.

[bee-ess]

Did he say that if he received less than a certain percentage on his questionnaires and he didnt receive his "bonus" even though all the cabins might have paid full gratuities where that money goes then because it has always been a very grey area that even P&O do not answer. I wouldnt be very happy if I had paid my full gratuity and been happy with the service if my money had been withheld because others had not given high enough scores on questionnaire.

 

Another reason to be in control of the tips yourself (envelopes), who knows what P&O are doing with the autotip money.

[dgs1956]

We had a cabin steward on Ventura 2 years ago who we had had twice before and we chatted to him one day when he was little upset and he showed us a list that he had been given that showed which cabins on the previous cruise had removed the tips and the score that they had given him on the questionnaire. He said he was not bothered about the tips being stopped so much as he was bothered by less than excellent scores because the scores determine how much bonus ( his word ) he would get. He told us that the bonus is the share of the tips that have been received on that cruise and that if they have less than a certain percentage of excellent scores they get nothing even if all of their cabins have paid the full amount. He told us that they do not know who has changed the tips until after the passengers have left.

We always leave the auto tip on because it is easier than trying to tip individually as we like freedom dining. We usually give a little extra to the cabin steward.

I just wish P&O would include tips in the cruise price.

 

Now that is very interesting.

[dgs1956]

He said that the tips are pooled and then the "bonus" is paid using those tips. He has to hand in any extra tips with a list of cabins that have given them to him and extra tips from passengers where the auto gratuities are left on are returned to him.

 

Again. Very interesting. You can see why P&O keep quiet about what happens. Not sure about paying auto gratuities now.

[grapau27]

I disagree, surely a tip is given for good service. Autotip implies a service charge that you pay whatever the service, which means no incentive to provide good service.We will tip by envelope If we get good service we will tip more than the autotip which equates to your extra cash on top. But will tip less if we get poor service.

But as Josy1953 said they have to hand those tips in to the tipping pool anyway if you have stopped the autotip so it defeats the object.

[grapau27]

Another reason to be in control of the tips yourself (envelopes), who knows what P&O are doing with the autotip money.

I agree if the crew can keep what you give but as previously posted they have to hand them in to the tipping pool.

[grapau27]

Again. Very interesting. You can see why P&O keep quiet about what happens. Not sure about paying auto gratuities now.

I was thinking that but then Josy 1953 said the crew have to hand cash tips in to the tipping pool then P&O have control over our tips again.

[dgs1956]

I was thinking that but then Josy 1953 said the crew have to hand cash tips in to the tipping pool then P&O have control over our tips again.

 

I think she said only extra tips from those that already paid auto tips had to be handed in.

[groovechick]

We had a cabin steward on Ventura 2 years ago who we had had twice before and we chatted to him one day when he was little upset and he showed us a list that he had been given that showed which cabins on the previous cruise had removed the tips and the score that they had given him on the questionnaire. He said he was not bothered about the tips being stopped so much as he was bothered by less than excellent scores because the scores determine how much bonus ( his word ) he would get. He told us that the bonus is the share of the tips that have been received on that cruise and that if they have less than a certain percentage of excellent scores they get nothing even if all of their cabins have paid the full amount. He told us that they do not know who has changed the tips until after the passengers have left.

We always leave the auto tip on because it is easier than trying to tip individually as we like freedom dining. We usually give a little extra to the cabin steward.

I just wish P&O would include tips in the cruise price.

 

We were told exactly the same by our steward on our first P&O cruise back in 2012. I'm fairly sure he said it was a new system that had just been introduced by P&O then and that if all of his cabins didn't give him an excellent score he wouldn't get a bonus and if a certain number didn't score him as "excellent", he wouldn't get anything at all. We had no problem scoring him excellent - he was lovely - but thought at the time what a pernicious system it was. I believe I've mentioned this on (a) tipping thread(s) before and was shouted down - pleased Josy1953 has seen hard evidence of this. For the record, we pay auto-gratuities (even though we have an issue with P&O putting them up after we've budgeted for a holiday at a certain price) and tip extra to our steward/waiters/wine waiter as merited.

[grapau27]

I think she said only extra tips from those that already paid auto tips had to be handed in.

She said in post#178 that they had to hand cash tips in and if the passenger had paid autogratuities the extra cash was handed back to them.

[grapau27]

We were told exactly the same by our steward on our first P&O cruise back in 2012. I'm fairly sure he said it was a new system that had just been introduced by P&O then and that if all of his cabins didn't give him an excellent score he wouldn't get a bonus and if a certain number didn't score him as "excellent", he wouldn't get anything at all. We had no problem scoring him excellent - he was lovely - but thought at the time what a pernicious system it was. I believe I've mentioned this on (a) tipping thread(s) before and was shouted down - pleased Josy1953 has seen hard evidence of this. For the record, we pay auto-gratuities (even though we have an issue with P&O putting them up after we've budgeted for a holiday at a certain price) and tip extra to our steward/waiters/wine waiter as merited.

I agree with you.

It seems wrong that we are told what to tip then someone else decides who gets it.

[daiB]

She said in post#178 that they had to hand cash tips in and if the passenger had paid autogratuities the extra cash was handed back to them.

 

 

 

Only this is just speculation and not fact. I have seen the exact opposite posted in one of the previous long drawn out pointless posts.

 

 

Just pay the auto tips and move on.

 

 

 

 

 

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[majortom10]

I have no issues with paying tips either by auto or by hand at end of the cruise the only issue I have is I do not trust P&O that all of my gratuity goes to the stewards/waiters and they keep part of of it or perhaps all for administration and boost profit.

[dgs1956]

Only this is just speculation and not fact. I have seen the exact opposite posted in one of the previous long drawn out pointless posts.

 

Just pay the auto tips and move on.

 

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How can it be speculation when two people have spoken to stewards and they have said the same thing?

The fact is that payment of auto gratuities is optional and it is P&O that have created an unnecessary confusion. There wouldn't be all these long drawn out pointless posts if P&O included them in the overall price. Nobody wants to pay more but that seems to be the general consensus.

[grapau27]

Only this is just speculation and not fact. I have seen the exact opposite posted in one of the previous long drawn out pointless posts.

 

 

Just pay the auto tips and move on.

 

 

 

 

 

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Personally thats what we always do plus extra cash tips when appropriate.

[sparky43]

The more I read about tipping the more I realise that most of us cruisers are being duped by one of the biggest companies in the UK. P&O clearly find it difficult to be open and transparent about their practises in relation to their staff and indeed their customers. I am appalled that P&O allocate tips as a "bonus" based on whether the staff have achieved an "excellent" grading. Individual customers personalities are so diverse that some people will love their cabin steward/waiter and others may not like them as much, so completing questionnaires about the service could be ambiguous. Many years ago this system was used as a reward for staff who were then (on some ships) given an extra day off as a reward for good service but this was at the expense of the cruise line. Not extra from the passengers. I am also appalled that P&O can get away with using money given by passengers, whether auto or cash for bonuses based on THEIR decisions to who is the most deserving. Absolute fraud and mishandling of their passengers money. How do they get away with it?

[wowzz]

The more I read about tipping the more I realise that most of us cruisers are being duped by one of the biggest companies in the UK. P&O clearly find it difficult to be open and transparent about their practises in relation to their staff and indeed their customers. I am appalled that P&O allocate tips as a "bonus" based on whether the staff have achieved an "excellent" grading. Individual customers personalities are so diverse that some people will love their cabin steward/waiter and others may not like them as much, so completing questionnaires about the service could be ambiguous. Many years ago this system was used as a reward for staff who were then (on some ships) given an extra day off as a reward for good service but this was at the expense of the cruise line. Not extra from the passengers. I am also appalled that P&O can get away with using money given by passengers, whether auto or cash for bonuses based on THEIR decisions to who is the most deserving. Absolute fraud and mishandling of their passengers money. How do they get away with it?

I think it is more Celebrity than P&O that you should be angry with. The tipping policy is company wide, apart from P&O Australia, and corporately they would not want one of their major brands to step out of line. Unless over 75% of P&O cruisers stop paying the autotips, I cannot see Carnival allowing P&O to deviate from corporate procedure.

[smj777]

What if P&O gave an option on autotips on booking?

 

After the questions on beds and dining preferences they could include something along the lines of '£6 a day pp autotips will be added to your onboard account. If you do not want to pay autotips please tick this box.'

 

This would save the queues at reception and P&O would know straight away how much the autotips would be.

[daiB]

How can it be speculation when two people have spoken to stewards and they have said the same thing?

 

The fact is that payment of auto gratuities is optional and it is P&O that have created an unnecessary confusion. There wouldn't be all these long drawn out pointless posts if P&O included them in the overall price. Nobody wants to pay more but that seems to be the general consensus.

 

 

 

It is speculation as other stewards have said the opposite. Which one was telling the truth.

 

The auto tip was brought in to deal with the freedom dining situation.

 

 

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[daiB]

The more I read about tipping the more I realise that most of us cruisers are being duped by one of the biggest companies in the UK. P&O clearly find it difficult to be open and transparent about their practises in relation to their staff and indeed their customers. I am appalled that P&O allocate tips as a "bonus" based on whether the staff have achieved an "excellent" grading. Individual customers personalities are so diverse that some people will love their cabin steward/waiter and others may not like them as much, so completing questionnaires about the service could be ambiguous. Many years ago this system was used as a reward for staff who were then (on some ships) given an extra day off as a reward for good service but this was at the expense of the cruise line. Not extra from the passengers. I am also appalled that P&O can get away with using money given by passengers, whether auto or cash for bonuses based on THEIR decisions to who is the most deserving. Absolute fraud and mishandling of their passengers money. How do they get away with it?

 

 

 

But we do not know exactly how the money is shared. So all of this is speculation.

 

 

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[grapau27]

The more I read about tipping the more I realise that most of us cruisers are being duped by one of the biggest companies in the UK. P&O clearly find it difficult to be open and transparent about their practises in relation to their staff and indeed their customers. I am appalled that P&O allocate tips as a "bonus" based on whether the staff have achieved an "excellent" grading. Individual customers personalities are so diverse that some people will love their cabin steward/waiter and others may not like them as much, so completing questionnaires about the service could be ambiguous. Many years ago this system was used as a reward for staff who were then (on some ships) given an extra day off as a reward for good service but this was at the expense of the cruise line. Not extra from the passengers. I am also appalled that P&O can get away with using money given by passengers, whether auto or cash for bonuses based on THEIR decisions to who is the most deserving. Absolute fraud and mishandling of their passengers money. How do they get away with it?

100% agree with you.

[pete14]

I have always paid the auto gratuity but am beginning to have doubts about whether this is the right thing to do. I strongly object to paying more to cover for those who remove them and I strongly object to them being based on performance questionnaires. The problem is, I am not sure whether they are charged and allocated in this way. Some say they are and some say they aren’t - who knows?

 

As I see it, the only way this can be sorted out is for Carnival / P&O to be completely transparent about the systems they use and make it public to all those who are paying what amounts to a huge sum of money every cruise. If they are not prepared to do that, including gratuities in with the basic price as a standard charge regardless of select, early saver and saver fares, appears to be their only fair option.

 

Many of us who use this board are shareholders in the company. Maybe this can be used as some sort of leverage to persuade the company to be more honest and open with us. However, I guess that on this issue they would treat both shareholders and passengers with equal contempt by maintaining a deafening silence as at present.