Service charge ending!

[Slugsta]

I am very glad that the autograts have been removed and tipping is no longer expected. I believe it is right and proper that staff should get a decent basic wage and not depend on 'hand outs' from passengers. I will certainly be very happy to be in the MDR on the last night, irrespective of whether I have chosen to tip the waiters for exceptional service.

[Host Sharon]

Latest from P&O, apparently in reply to questions asked directly, there will be no increase in fares and no need to tip unless pax feel the need.

[Cruising Nomads]

Seems strange to me why people are asking how picsa tips. Having read these threads its quite easy to work out. Leave the autograts on then you can turn up on the last night to the MDR looking smug and smile nicely to your cabin steward on the last morning. Then when you return home you contact your credit card provider and say P&O have taken money out of my account without my authorisation as it was not included in the T&C's of my booking and they never asked or mentioned it too me.

[bee-ess]

Seems strange to me why people are asking how picsa tips. Having read these threads its quite easy to work out. Leave the autograts on then you can turn up on the last night to the MDR looking smug and smile nicely to your cabin steward on the last morning. Then when you return home you contact your credit card provider and say P&O have taken money out of my account without my authorisation as it was not included in the T&C's of my booking and they never asked or mentioned it too me.

Very good:) :)

[FangedRose]

Seems strange to me why people are asking how picsa tips. Having read these threads its quite easy to work out. Leave the autograts on then you can turn up on the last night to the MDR looking smug and smile nicely to your cabin steward on the last morning. Then when you return home you contact your credit card provider and say P&O have taken money out of my account without my authorisation as it was not included in the T&C's of my booking and they never asked or mentioned it too me.

Thanks. I've been scratching my head trying to remember the other thread that s/he was removed from :D

[terrierjohn]

Latest from P&O, apparently in reply to questions asked directly, there will be no increase in fares and no need to tip unless pax feel the need.

That's very interesting Sharon, so why the need to delay its implementation until May next year. If P&O intend to absorb the cost, then why not implement it immediately, and gain an even greater customer service benefit.

[Dinglebert]

Extraordinary though everyone is celebrating the staff suffering.

 

If as expected P&O are now moving away from a service charge and instead building it into the cost of the cruise then surely all staff will benefit. Everyone will now have to pay the charge upfront. No-one will be able as they can now remove it after the cruise.

[Dinglebert]

That's very interesting Sharon, so why the need to delay its implementation until May next year. If P&O intend to absorb the cost, then why not implement it immediately, and gain an even greater customer service benefit.

 

This is from their website

 

We take huge pride in giving you a holiday that's truly memorable and our team on board is committed to providing exceptional service. From May 2019 (cruises A911, B912, E911/A, J903, N910, R907, X907 and all thereafter), the discretionary daily Service Charge on board will be removed so you can relax knowing it’s all taken care of. Changes like this do take a little bit of time to put in place, and so for holidays which depart before May, a discretionary daily Service Charge amount of £7 will continue to be added for guests aged 12 and over.

 

 

I have a degree of difficulty believing that to be the real reason as it takes no time at all to not charge someone something extra.

[picsa]

If as expected P&O are now moving away from a service charge and instead building it into the cost of the cruise then surely all staff will benefit. Everyone will now have to pay the charge upfront. No-one will be able as they can now remove it after the cruise.

 

People not paying the service charge had no impact on the amount of bonus the staff received.

 

People who paid tips in cash instead of paying the service charge meant the staff received both the bonus and kept the cash tip.

 

Going forward, I would not expect people to pay cash tips to the same value as when the service charge was in place.

 

If the amount of bonus remains the same (which P&O will now have to completely fund since there is no service charge) then the staff will suffer a reduction in what they take home.

 

And as an aside, it won't be those who complained about people being able to remove the service charge who changed things. It will have been those people who actually did remove the service charge that caused P&O to make the change.

[Dinglebert]

People not paying the service charge had no impact on the amount of bonus the staff received.

 

People who paid tips in cash instead of paying the service charge meant the staff received both the bonus and kept the cash tip.

 

Going forward, I would not expect people to pay cash tips to the same value as when the service charge was in place.

 

If the amount of bonus remains the same (which P&O will now have to completely fund since there is no service charge) then the staff will suffer a reduction in what they take home.

 

And as an aside, it won't be those who complained about people being able to remove the service charge who changed things. It will have been those people who actually did remove the service charge that caused P&O to make the change.

 

I disagree with your logic. If I know I am paying a service charge I am less likely to also pay a cash tip as I have already in effect tipped. If I am not paying a service charge I am more likely to tip as I wouldn't have already tipped.

[picsa]

I disagree with your logic. If I know I am paying a service charge I am less likely to also pay a cash tip as I have already in effect tipped. If I am not paying a service charge I am more likely to tip as I wouldn't have already tipped.

 

Can't see many couples handing over a couple of hundred pounds in cash tips during their cruise.

[picsa]

P&O have specifically said that tips will not be expected.

 

That won't be the staff view. What they will expect is to receive the same as they do now. All that seems to matter to some here is they will pay less. The next thing will be people complaining about how standards have slipped.

[sandancer]

Thanks. I've been scratching my head trying to remember the other thread that s/he was removed from :D

 

 

 

Credit card fraud. I was one of the foolish people who checked the translation of his/her screen name and wished I hadn’t.

 

 

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[Dinglebert]

Can't see many couples handing over a couple of hundred pounds in cash tips during their cruise.

 

I must be missing something. There is no suggestion that staff will be losing out on money with the removal of the automatic service charge. P&O in the FAQ's section state they will not be.

 

Therefore the question as to whether or not the staff will be better or worse off is dependant on how much they take in in tips. My argument is that people will be more inclined to tip cash given they won't feel they have already paid a service charge.

[bee-ess]

That won't be the staff view. What they will expect is to receive the same as they do now. All that seems to matter to some here is they will pay less. The next thing will be people complaining about how standards have slipped.

 

How much do you pay ?

 

Can't seem to get an answer.

[picsa]

I must be missing something. There is no suggestion that staff will be losing out on money with the removal of the automatic service charge. P&O in the FAQ's section state they will not be.

 

Therefore the question as to whether or not the staff will be better or worse off is dependant on how much they take in in tips. My argument is that people will be more inclined to tip cash given they won't feel they have already paid a service charge.

 

Perhaps I should explain it this way. Reports from people here say they pay cash tips based on the service charge. All things being equal I cannot see people continuing to do that. Therefore the staff will suffer.

[Solent Richard]

Latest from P&O, apparently in reply to questions asked directly, there will be no increase in fares and no need to tip unless pax feel the need.

 

 

Nevertheless, earlier I could not resist checking out what a balcony cabin I have already booked, (for post this new innovation), costs today.

 

Wow, a cool £911.00 per person: an increase of 25.3% on the original.

[grapau27]

Nevertheless, earlier I could not resist checking out what a balcony cabin I have already booked, (for post this new innovation), costs today.

 

Wow, a cool £911.00 per person: an increase of 25.3% on the original.

Very interesting.

[Guest ccpm]

OK but when did you book this. We all know prices on release are the keenest.

[ccc666]

Fact is,

P&O we're exposed by me regarding this service charge.

 

If Guests will not have to pay increased fares who will suffer definitely not the company but the crew. 2 years back crew used to get new uniforms every contract now they have to reuse.

 

Crew will still expect a tip

 

P&O can make up for this in a number of ways without anyone even noticing

All the restaurants are going to be freedom dining very soon

 

Onlytime will tell but with so many crew member leaving P&O...they will have to come with a better pay structure

[SteveH2508]

That's very interesting Sharon, so why the need to delay its implementation until May next year. If P&O intend to absorb the cost, then why not implement it immediately, and gain an even greater customer service benefit.

 

SWAG here - they need the current contracts of the (tipped) crew to expire so the new hires and re-hires are on an amended contract. May 2019 is just over 9 months away: the length of a crew contract apparently.

[terrierjohn]

SWAG here - they need the current contracts of the (tipped) crew to expire so the new hires and re-hires are on an amended contract. May 2019 is just over 9 months away: the length of a crew contract apparently.

That sounds plausible, BUT, since P&O have said that cruise fares will not be increased to cover this, my point was why not bite the bullet now and gain all the kudos. Otherwise it is very likely that a lot more passengers will delete the auto grats anyway, and P&O will then have to make up the difference anyway, but not gain any kudos.

[Expat Cruise]

Fact is,

 

Crew will still expect a tip

 

P&O can make up for this in a number of ways without anyone even noticing

 

All the restaurants are going to be freedom dining very soon

 

Only time will tell but with so many crew member leaving P&O...they will have to come with a better pay structure

 

Not really they will not need to come up with a better pay structure. The simple fact is for every job on the ship they have at least 50 people that will gladly take the job and be happy with the current pay.

 

About 30% of the crew on cruise ships today is from the Philippines. Thousands of people here are trying to get these jobs. Because if they work here in the PI as a maid, housekeeper or waitstaff they make Much less than the basic pay offered on the cruise ships. Added to that they must pay for housing transportation and food, all things covered by the cruise line.

 

Working a single contract on a cruise ship 9 months is more money than they would make here in the Philippines in about 8 years.

[never_cruised]

Can't believe some think prices won't increase due to this.

 

If so many people removed gratuities whilst on the cruise a change was inevitable.

[daiB]

Can't believe some think prices won't increase due to this.

 

If so many people removed gratuities whilst on the cruise a change was inevitable.

Prices are rising because of more people crusing. Simple supply and demand. Demand goes up prices follow. Also called fluid pricing.

 

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