A niggling thought about extra tips

[jig]

Hi,

 

I wrote in the roll call that I had not. Looking foward to visiting the whole of the S Pacific. Going to Hawaii in Dec till Feb. I do like those Islands.

 

Jeffrey

[SouthAussie100]

Being first timers on the Star in sept this year we left the AWS turned on because we understood this is a good way to say thanks for all the behind the scenes crew. We found all the staff really helpful and friendly. Our waiters were ok and seemed to get better as the week went on. We tipped the head waiter $20 just because he always looked after us with prompt wine service :D . Our cabin stewardess was Monica who was just fantastic. We were on "snob hill" so maybe they try harder :rolleyes: But nothing was ever too much trouble (not that we went out of way to be over pretentious wankers !) We tipped her $50 because she was just fabulous. I would be dissappointed if she didn't get to spend every cent of it herself and had to put it in a pool to be shared.

 

nessie

[kaseyoz]

My mum was talking to our cabin steward Andy, and she asked him how many cabins he had to service. He said 31!!!:eek: That is a hell of an amount of cabins to service twice a day.

He deserves so much more than the measley $2.00 a day, or whatever amount he receives from us daily.

He remembers my name for some reason??:confused: Always asks my mum where I am etc.

Waiters have been good too. Have yet to catch their names, since we changed dining rooms, and haven't been introduced yet. Perhaps if someone who has sat at Table 3 may be able to help, that is if they are not rotated around the Room/s.

The staff will be definately be receiving extra from us for their wonderful work.:)

Only downside so far, is the flowers we ordered on Saturday haven't turned up yet.:rolleyes: I'll be going down to the Pursers Desk shortly.

 

PS Apologies for the very bad spelling!! Crap keyboard and the motion of the ship. Well that is my excuse anyway!!:p

 

 

 

If everyone left $20 extra per cabin that would $620 per week on top of what they get from the cruiseline plus room and board,plus what they get from the AWS no wonder they are always smiling.

[cheznandy]

If everyone left $20 extra per cabin that would $620 per week on top of what they get from the cruiseline plus room and board,plus what they get from the AWS no wonder they are always smiling.

 

 

Yes Karon, that is true:rolleyes: and after re reading some of these posts, might be the reason some crew have seemd to not be thankful for their envelopes, cos if the AWS was turned off, they have to pool it?? then that $620 dwindles......

 

At least if we all know as, P&O cruisers what the system is, we can all make up our own minds what to do, it is personal choice, and some do a damn fine job:) and deserve that little extra!!

 

Chez

xx

[karmac]

...He remembers my name for some reason??:confused: Always asks my mum where I am etc.

..

 

 

He must be keen on you Jarrod:D :p

 

Karen

[Happiest when on Holidays]

We must have had the best staff ever on our cruise! We did take autotip off on the last night, but only so that we could distribute the tips the way we wanted to! Our assistant cabin steward did such a great a job with us that we actually gave him a bigger tip than our cabin steward. (They all got more than they would have if we had left autotipping on). (Mind you we never got any towel animals ... not that I was as aware of them then as I am now!!!)

 

We also had great wait-staff in the dining room ... they were both fantastic and lots of fun - and I do have to say they were fantastic with the kids!

 

We would have tipped all of the staff that we had interaction with if we had received that level of service anywhere in Australia - it was definately above and beyond what we were expecting.

 

You say here that you turned the auto tipping off on the last night, was that for the entire cruise or just for the last night. If that is the case you could remove it if you service was bad.

 

Also are kids charged at the same rate per day?

[NSWP]

Here is a thought for you..with many cruising couples such ourselves on ONE income, i.e. superannuation..I reckon it would be fair to pay only ONE lot of Autotip (AWS) $10 per day per cabin, not per person. Fair enough I reckon. In a restaurant you pay tip per bill, not per person, cabin should be the same.

 

Says Les as he slides into his Auto tip bombshelter.:cool:

[aussiedisneyfan]

Bad boy Les!

 

Hello Happy.... welcome. On the Australian ships children 12 and under don't pay tips, as in it isn't automatic. You can if you want to. We have travelled on Celebrity a few times and there documentation said kids were 1/2 the rate but the Australian rep said they were the same price.

[Guest012]

Says Les as he slides into his Auto tip bombshelter.:cool:

 

Agree wholeheartedly....she says whilst donning her tin helmet and running

....................wait for meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee:Dbadgerbill

[qld cruiser]

Someone will end up in the naughty chair...

bringing up the controversial auto tip .:eek: :eek:

 

 

regards, Lorraine:) :)

[fishtaco]

When we handed in the card at the pursers desk with the names of staff that we ticked for exceptional service,they had envelopes for extra tips,that you put the crews name on that you wish to tip extra,these envelopes are still pooled and the staff member just gets recognition of merit,we were also told at the desk that all tips collected by staff must be handed into the pool or if caught not doing so they would be reprimanded.

This was done after I could not find my waiter to tip him,I thought I already have auto tips in place so I wont bother to tip extra as it was just increasing my auto tips.So who do you believe? Why would the pursers desk give us this false info if individual crew were allowed to keep any money over and above their auto tips? How would they police it? I tend to believe all tips must be pooled,if not the poor laundry workers or the painters would only ever get the bare minimum in tips.

 

Den.

[aussiedisneyfan]

:D Since you suggest only one tip, I suggest only one towel and 1/2 a bed!!! :D

[Guest012]

:D Since you suggest only one tip, I suggest only one towel and 1/2 a bed!!! :D

 

 

the half bed is no problem.......:D:D:D

[oysterfiend]

You say since Carnival has taken over things are not as Good?

Why then are cruises on P and O so much more expensive than Carnival cruises?

Almost twice the price

We are sailing on Pacific Dawn Aug 10 2008 and then Carnival 26 April 2009 and our 7 day cruise on Carnival is less than half the cost of our cruise on Dawn.

It works out $615 per day on Dawn and $383.42 per day on Carnival---SAME Category-BALCONY CABIN!

I am waiting to see which I like best before I passed judgement but given the price difference- there is a great big world out there and there are only so many cruises from Aussie that I want to go on.

As to tipping-

i think you just have to think of human nature

If you are working your butt off 14-15 hour days and it apears to go unnoticed then it becomes a struggle.

Greet staff pleasantly and kindly and that always goes a long way.

[oysterfiend]

No I didn't book on line -I have booked with a local travel agent

and that price is with the extra taxes included-

yes we have $140 US($5 each per night) in fuel charges to pay and tips $10 each but its still way more less expensive.

 

I am only trying to show cruise critic members that there is a huge variance in price and even with airfares on top -

sailing on carnival cruises from the States is not that much dearer than from aussie(as the cruises themselves work out way cheaper) on P&O and

 

if more people opted to do that the prices down under could come down.

Remember for kiwis wanting to sail on the Dawn we have to fly to Sydney first.

We get relegated with all the older ships and much of the sailing time is rough water from Auckland.

It is not meant as a criticism of Pand O -

just a fact that if you won't to go somewhere different look up the prices online (carnival website) take them into travel agent and you could well be pleasantly surprised.

[fishtaco]

When booking the 'american' cruises...especially online...there are hidden taxes and charges that are added on top. You will find you have to pay an extra fuel levy per day for your trip to Mexico. The AWS is higher too. They charge a 15% drinks tax which is not on the P&O boats. It balances out in the end. In the small print, sometimes you have to pay a port charge as well. Make sure you go through a reputable TA and read the small print.

 

I agree though...treat the crew with a smile and respect...certainly helps to boost their day.

 

Just a fortnight today and I will be stepping onto the Golden Princess and starting my cruise to Mexico...as you said...it's a big world out there...so many places, so many more cruises to choose from!!

 

Kaz

 

I paid a service charge on my drinks on P&O, is there a sevice charge and 15% tax on drinks on American cruises?

[aussiedisneyfan]

The 15% is the service charge. Which P&O cruise were you on, there hasn't been a charge that I am aware of.

[Skyrules]

I paid a service charge on my drinks on P&O, is there a sevice charge and 15% tax on drinks on American cruises?

 

 

Was this P&O UK?? There certainly isn't a surcharge or 15% tax on alcohol on P&O Australia. Well, at least there wasn't on our last cruise in September.

[karmac]

Was this P&O UK?? There certainly isn't a surcharge or 15% tax on alcohol on P&O Australia. Well, at least there wasn't on our last cruise in September.

 

And there wasn't on ours a month ago either.

 

Karen

[fishtaco]

Perhaps I am wrong again:o The old memory isnt what it used to be:o I was looking for an old receipt but looks like they have been thrown out.

Tracey said I must have dreamt it :D

 

Den