Apologies for a tipping query

[indiana123]

but I am a bit confused.

 

I read P and O's information on tipping and that the service charge has been taken away altogether.

 

I presumed this meant that we just tip who, when and what amount personally as we used to but I am almost certain I read on here someone saying "now that tips are included in the cruise fare" (or similar).  I could, of course, be mistaken.

 

Obviously it makes a difference to how much we personally tip if its already included in the fare.... but the way I read it it isn't included.   

 

 

Thanks 

 

[Les_ldh]

1 minute ago, indiana123 said:

but I am a bit confused.

 

I read P and O's information on tipping and that the service charge has been taken away altogether.

 

I presumed this meant that we just tip who, when and what amount personally as we used to but I am almost certain I read on here someone saying "now that tips are included in the cruise fare" (or similar).  I could, of course, be mistaken.

 

Obviously it makes a difference to how much we personally tip if its already included in the fare.... but the way I read it it isn't included.   

 

 

Thanks 

 

Tipping is no longer required or expected on P&O, although some will continue to tip for service over and beyond.

[Harry Peterson]

Oh dear..........🙄

[jeanlyon]

Now that we are on Freedom Dining, I only tip my Cabin Steward.  But it is entirely your own choice what you do.

Edited November 3, 2019 by jeanlyon

[grapau27]

2 hours ago, indiana123 said:

but I am a bit confused.

 

I read P and O's information on tipping and that the service charge has been taken away altogether.

 

I presumed this meant that we just tip who, when and what amount personally as we used to but I am almost certain I read on here someone saying "now that tips are included in the cruise fare" (or similar).  I could, of course, be mistaken.

 

Obviously it makes a difference to how much we personally tip if its already included in the fare.... but the way I read it it isn't included.   

 

 

Thanks 

 

Tips are included.

Travel agents will tell you this to show what a good deal you are getting with P&O.

We still give our cabin steward a cash tip as well as a speciality restaurant waiter/waitress but you have no obligation to do the same.

 

[Presto2]

7 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

Now that we are on Freedom Dining, I only tip my Cabin Steward.  But it is entirely your own choice what you do.

 

I love the last sentence ---- the new policy means that it really is entirely your own choice what you do now and no one should be getting all hot and bothered about what others want to (and have the right to ) do. :-)

 

Now relax ---

 

If this thread turns in to a debate I am going to find a nice wall to bang my head against ;-)

 

 

[rosielom]

I understood tips were now removed but just received Holiday Information Book for our next cruise on Oceania in January giving shore experiences. In the book it states that a simple way to say thank you to the people who look after you on board, they have a Service Reward Programme in place, with this simple fair system they add a discretionary £7 service charge to your on board account each day for each guest aged 12 or above. This is to reward the cabin steward, butler and waiters.

Is this not a tip?

Anyone else had this on recent cruise?

[Presto2]

3 minutes ago, rosielom said:

I understood tips were now removed but just received Holiday Information Book for our next cruise on Oceania in January giving shore experiences. In the book it states that a simple way to say thank you to the people who look after you on board, they have a Service Reward Programme in place, with this simple fair system they add a discretionary £7 service charge to your on board account each day for each guest aged 12 or above. This is to reward the cabin steward, butler and waiters.

Is this not a tip?

Anyone else had this on recent cruise?

Taking it that you mean Oceana and not Oceania (mega money) ;-) I suppose it is by any other name.  I suppose they are putting this in place for those who would like to tip people. There are some folks out there who do and if this helps them to say thank you that is fine. It is not expected though as it used to be so don't worry about it.

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, rosielom said:

I understood tips were now removed but just received Holiday Information Book for our next cruise on Oceania in January giving shore experiences. In the book it states that a simple way to say thank you to the people who look after you on board, they have a Service Reward Programme in place, with this simple fair system they add a discretionary £7 service charge to your on board account each day for each guest aged 12 or above. This is to reward the cabin steward, butler and waiters.

Is this not a tip?

Anyone else had this on recent cruise?

I imagine it is just another minor ***** up with old stationary, or old print applications, if enough passengers point it out to P&O they might get round to changing it sometime this century!!!

[wowzz]

P&O have removed autotips, say that tips are no longer required or expected.  

So, follow P&O recommendations  - simple.

[vitrocmax]

On 11/3/2019 at 7:20 PM, rosielom said:

I understood tips were now removed but just received Holiday Information Book for our next cruise on Oceania in January giving shore experiences. In the book it states that a simple way to say thank you to the people who look after you on board, they have a Service Reward Programme in place, with this simple fair system they add a discretionary £7 service charge to your on board account each day for each guest aged 12 or above. This is to reward the cabin steward, butler and waiters.

Is this not a tip?

Anyone else had this on recent cruise?

 

@rosielom, the text you quote is still in the small print T&C'c at the back of the HIB, and it has been wrongly included since the charge was dropped in May this year, but if you refer to Page 7 of the HIB (might be different page in the latest ones, mine is from June this year) 'Great service comes as standard' - the small print will be removed at some point, I guess P&O don't read their own small print.

Everyone's advice so far is correct, no need but you can if you want.

[awombat]

I am also on Oceana in January and can confirm page 7 of my holiday information still says £7 a day service charge will be added. I also had an email from P & O this afternoon, apologising for their error about the service charge in my holiday information. So they are obviously now aware of their ***** up!

[tartanexile81]

We will continue to tip staff as we have always done, but probably not as much. On our last few cruises we have removed the auto gratuity and distributed our own equivalent £12 per day to people from whom we got personal service. We will still tip the same people. 

[BrianI]

6 minutes ago, tartanexile81 said:

We will continue to tip staff as we have always done, but probably not as much. On our last few cruises we have removed the auto gratuity and distributed our own equivalent £12 per day to people from whom we got personal service. We will still tip the same people. 

So in effect you are paying tips twice as you have already paid once included in your fare.

Brian

[Denarius]

On 11/3/2019 at 9:00 PM, terrierjohn said:

I imagine it is just another minor ***** up with old stationary, or old print applications, if enough passengers point it out to P&O they might get round to changing it sometime this century!!!

It is. I am sailing on Azura in January and recieved a tours brochure with the old wording yesterday. Today I received an email from P&O which stated

Oops...we made a mistake

Mr*******, we wanted to get in touch to say sorry and to set the record straight; a communication you may have received contained some incorrect information regarding tipping on your holiday. It included our old tipping policy (a discretionary service charge of £7 a day for guests aged 12 and over). In fact, great service is now included as standard on all P&O Cruises holidays and we'd like to reassure you it's all very much part and parcel of your experience. No tips are required or expected. We're sorry for any confusion this may have caused and look forward to welcoming you on board for a relaxing and carefree holiday.

[tartanexile81]

2 minutes ago, BrianI said:

So in effect you are paying tips twice as you have already paid once included in your fare.

Brian

 

I don't need to justify myself to you or anybody, and I've read what P&O said, thank you. Tipping is a personal decision,  I've made mine and I'm happy with it. 

[jeanlyon]

Exactly.  Do what you want.  That's what we do.  In fact that's why we hated auto tips, because it's our decision, not theirs.

Edited November 6, 2019 by jeanlyon

[picsa]

On 11/3/2019 at 11:41 AM, jeanlyon said:

Now that we are on Freedom Dining, I only tip my Cabin Steward.  But it is entirely your own choice what you do.

 

So you choose to tip your cabin steward who is paid to do a job and you choose not to tip your waiters who are paid to do a job.

 

I am sure there is some logic to justify that, but I struggle to see it.

Edited November 7, 2019 by picsa

[terrierjohn]

3 minutes ago, picsa said:

 

So you choose to tip your cabin steward who is paid to do a job and you choose not to tip your waiters who are paid to do a job.

 

I am sure there is some logic to justify that, but I struggle to see it.

With freedom dining this problem will continue, if like us you dine in several different waiter stations how you fairly reward all the waiters without racking up a larger amount than you wish to give, especially now that "tipping is not required", would be a problem.

Maybe some sort of general tip box to be shared among the waiters would be the answer for those passengers who would stil like to give a little extra reward. That would suit me but I know some passengers prefer to hand over their tips personally.

 

[picsa]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

With freedom dining this problem will continue, if like us you dine in several different waiter stations how you fairly reward all the waiters without racking up a larger amount than you wish to give, especially now that "tipping is not required", would be a problem.

 

Umm, how about just handing over some money at the end of the meal? Or is that too complicated.

[jeanlyon]

2 hours ago, picsa said:

 

So you choose to tip your cabin steward who is paid to do a job and you choose not to tip your waiters who are paid to do a job.

 

I am sure there is some logic to justify that, but I struggle to see it.

I always tipped the waiters and still would if I was on Club, but on Freedom you are on a different table with different waiters every night, so it's not possible.  I am certainly not walking around with cash every night.

Edited November 7, 2019 by jeanlyon

[terrierjohn]

49 minutes ago, picsa said:

 

Umm, how about just handing over some money at the end of the meal? Or is that too complicated.

Why when I am on a cruise where cash is not required when on board, would I want the bother of carrying my wallet around every night? Even if I was intending to tip at the same level as used to apply before P&O removed tips!

[picsa]

17 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

I always tipped the waiters and still would if I was on Club, but on Freedom you are on a different table with different waiters every night, so it's not possible.  I am certainly not walking around with cash every night.

 

So your logic for tipping one person and not the other is you can't be bothered to. Nice.

[jeanlyon]

Oh for goodness sake.  I have always tipped my waiters and cabin steward personally.  Now that tips are included, I tip by cabin steward only.  You do what you want to do and I will do what I want.

[grapau27]

10 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Oh for goodness sake.  I have always tipped my waiters and cabin steward personally.  Now that tips are included, I tip by cabin steward only.  You do what you want to do and I will do what I want.

At least with tips included now there should be no crew expectations of extra tips.

We always give our Cabin Steward extra cash tips on every ship we sail on.

When we do Speciality Restaurants I always give a cash tip to our waiter's usually £10.