It this new: An increase in Auto-tips

[schoolmom]

Just received my cruise docs today and it states very clearly that the auto tip is $10.50 per day per person for all cabins and Mini's and suites is $11.00 per day per person.

 

I thought it was $10.00 per per person per day.

[City_Woman]

My guess is yes, if it's in your pre-docs, then it must be true.

 

Judy

[B40 Tha Cruisa]

Looks like they upped it, I hadnt heard anything.

[RubyLee]

I just checked the Cruise Answer Book sent with our documents for our September 29 cruise and it states $10 per passenger per day. Where did you read this new info?

[cdnguy]

I just checked the Cruise Answer Book sent with our documents for our September 29 cruise and it states $10 per passenger per day. Where did you read this new info?

It's on P. 20 of the Cruise Answer Book. For our Nov. 4 cruise on the CB it's $11.00 for minis and suites and $10.50pp for all other staterooms.

[RubyLee]

Pg. 20 in my Cruise Answer Book states $10/pasenger per day. No mention of the type of cabin. I wonder if this increase will be enforced on our cruise on the Golden Princess Sept.29 :confused:

[Lady Librarian]

Pg. 20 in my Cruise Answer Book states $10/pasenger per day. No mention of the type of cabin. I wonder if this increase will be enforced on our cruise on the Golden Princess Sept.29 :confused:

They have a disclaimer at the bottom of the page that says charges are subject to change. So I wouldn't be too surprised if we do.

[pinkbirds02]

Just checked our docs for cruise Nov. 10 on the Grand and thats what it say's $10.50 and $11.00 per person per day.

[seaman54]

no bigy they earn there money, an than some:rolleyes: happy cruising

[PescadoAmarillo]

Something to do with the devaluation of the US$, I wonder? If so, they should have increased it even more.

[Lynda90]

I just downloaded the "Cruise Answer Book" from the website. They haven't changed it there as yet. But, I think I heard a rumor that this was going to happen. Guess it did.

[Arnold Don]

Just received my cruise docs today and it states very clearly that the auto tip is $10.50 per day per person for all cabins and Mini's and suites is $11.00 per day per person.

 

I thought it was $10.00 per per person per day.

 

Same page states $15 to $35(replaces $25 in previous edition)

 

Don

[Pam in CA]

You're right. The Cruise Answer Book says $10.50/pp and $11 for mini-suites and suites. Considering that the $10/day/pp was the recommended tip over ten years ago, this is a reasonable amount.

[ss475]

The Crown Princess has 3,000 passengers and approximately 1,000 crew members. At $10 a day times 3,000 passengers it comes to $30,000 a day! That works out to be about $30 a day per crew member. I don't think that the Captain and Officers, the Entertainers, Casino Workers or Bartenders who get their 15% are even included in the auto-tip. However, even if all of them are, this becomes $30 per day per crew member and that would about $900 a month....This is far more than most of them would earn at home. I believe that this is more than their tip. This is there entire pay and they have agreed to accept this when they sign their contract. That is why if you opt out,they must turn in any envelope they receive because they have agreed to the fixed amount in their contract.

[Pam in CA]

Your math is incorrect. The Captain, Officers and entertainers are not given tips nor are they part of the tipping pool. The same for the maintenance staff and the engine room/mechanical staff. The entertainers are actually paid by a Rep firm, not by Princess, as they are contracted by a 3rd party. Those participating in the tipping pool include the cabin stewards, their helpers and the dining staff (including the Maitre D and table Captains), including the Anytime and the buffet dining (not all buffet dining staff also work in the dining room). This is not their entire pay: they're paid a base plus tips. Also, they do not agree on a fixed amount for their tips in their contract. Not sure where you got that from.

[coffee39]

You're right. The Cruise Answer Book says $10.50/pp and $11 for mini-suites and suites. Considering that the $10/day/pp was the recommended tip over ten years ago, this is a reasonable amount.

 

I think the auto tip is a great thing...saves having to worry about carrying enough small bills all the time. My questions though is Why do they charge more for mini-suite and suites? I thought it was so much per person not depending on what cabin you are in.

[Toto2Kansas]

Why do they charge more for mini-suite and suites? I thought it was so much per person not depending on what cabin you are in.

RCI does the same with suites, the pp gratuity is increased. The size of the cabin and gratuity to the cabin steward plays a big roll in this one.

[Pam in CA]

I think the auto tip is a great thing...saves having to worry about carrying enough small bills all the time. My questions though is Why do they charge more for mini-suite and suites? I thought it was so much per person not depending on what cabin you are in.

I have no problem with mini-suites and suites having a higher auto-tip. After all, the space is larger to clean and take care of. If you had a small single cabin, should you tip the same as for a full suite? I wouldn't think so. (And yes, the Regal Princess had single cabins.)

[Logie]

As long as the tip goes to the employees I am all for it. I sure hope Princess/Carnival have also increased the base wage too so that not just the customers are paying the raise of the employees.

[Pam in CA]

As long as the tip goes to the employees I am all for it. I sure hope Princess/Carnival have also increased the base wage too so that not just the customers are paying the raise of the employees.

Their pay is based on their contract which can be six or nine months. They would not get an increased base wage in the middle of a contract unless they were promoted to a new position during the contract (which I've seen happen where a buffet trainee was promoted to the dining room in the middle of the cruise.)

[Times Prince]

Your math is incorrect. The Captain, Officers and entertainers are not given tips nor are they part of the tipping pool. The same for the maintenance staff and the engine room/mechanical staff. The entertainers are actually paid by a Rep firm, not by Princess, as they are contracted by a 3rd party. Those participating in the tipping pool include the cabin stewards, their helpers and the dining staff (including the Maitre D and table Captains), including the Anytime and the buffet dining (not all buffet dining staff also work in the dining room). This is not their entire pay: they're paid a base plus tips. Also, they do not agree on a fixed amount for their tips in their contract. Not sure where you got that from.

The tip also includes the services of all the behind the scenes "hotel" personnel - this includes the room service stewards, laundry, etc.

 

The services given by all these people are worth what we give in the auto-tip and then some.

 

If someone wants to do math, then next time they go to a restaurant and pay an 18% tip (standard in the mid USA) - they should calculate out what that comes to in terms of the minutes spent actually serving you. Then consider the time spent serving you by the entire hotel staff on the cruise.

[mikjr]

Just received my cruise docs today and it states very clearly that the auto tip is $10.50 per day per person for all cabins and Mini's and suites is $11.00 per day per person.

 

UP 50 cents a day ? :eek: :eek: What are they trying to do... break me??

 

That's it... no more auto tipping!! :D

[SandDragon]

This raises an interesting point that I have been tempted to make in the many previous threads on tipping/auto-tipping. The usual point made is that if you remove the auto-tip and tip less than the auto-tip then you are "stiffing the crew". This suggests, doesn't it, that the correct base amount to tip is (now was) $10 per person per day irrespective of their age, size, accommodations, use of services, personal hygiene etc.

 

Now that amount is $10.50 (or $11) per person per day and I am sure all auto-tippers feel the same way about it - it's only another 50c so sure, that's about right.

 

So what is so magic about the amount that Princess says you should tip to make it the right amount to tip and anything less is stiffing? What if Princess keeps increasing it - $20 per person per day and $50 if you're in a suite?

 

(And if the USD exchange rate fluctuation is grounds for upping the tip, why hasn't it fallen during spikes in the dollar over the last decade.)

[Globaliser]

So what is so magic about the amount that Princess says you should tip to make it the right amount to tip and anything less is stiffing? What if Princess keeps increasing it - $20 per person per day and $50 if you're in a suite?

$10 per person a day is in line with general cruise industry practice and recommendations, and also in line with the guidelines that have been in place for years, subject to increases for inflation.

 

If Princess were to increase the auto-tip to $20 per day, it would jump out of line with that historical guidance.

 

That's why it's possible to say that $10 per person per day is the right amount.

[dforeigner]

Something to do with the devaluation of the US$, I wonder? If so, they should have increased it even more.

 

 

You are correct. Many of the employees that come from European countries are complaining that they are getting paid in US dollars rather than Euros. This minimal increase is not really going to show much of a wage increase once they convert their wages from US dollars to Euros.