New to cruising

Hi everyone, I’m going on my first cruise very soon and I’ve been told not to pay the expensive trips booked on board but to hire a local taxi as a guide is this right and how safe is it to do it this way and secondly I’ve heard a rumour you can opt out off this tipping everyday bill that gets added to your account.

The answers to both questions depend on 1) the ports you're visiting, and 2) the cruise line you're cruising on. Give us that key information and we'll be able to give you much more accurate information.

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

To me the answer is not black and white.

In some places we take ship tours.

In others we do them privately.

In some places we take taxi or Uber.

In some places we walk around or even take public transportation.

If you can share the ports we can give you some advice.

Also on Cruise Critic there is an entire section devoted to information on ports of call.

Welcome to Cruising and welcome to Cruise Critic.

Keith

Following up on my post this link will take you to the ports of call boards on Cruise Critic that have lots of information on most ports around the world.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=-1&f=5

Keith

Following up on my post this link will take you to the ports of call boards on Cruise Critic that have lots of information on most ports around the world.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=-1&f=5

 

Keith

Thanks Keith

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Hi, and welcome... my detective nose sniffs out that you might be from Ireland or the UK, because of the spelling of rumour? In that case, tipping is a very worrisome problem for many, and you must do what you think best... it does depend on the line eg if you're on Thomson/Marella, then there's no tipping at all.

It also depends where you're going as far as excursions- for instance, if you're going to Spain, to Cartagena, then you can ask for a taxi with a CD which will play in English as you stop at each site, such as the Roman theatre... that's worth asking about... but most taxi drivers at ports will have a good idea what you want to see, and will point out the sights.

If you have any more questions, say which ship or line, and where you're going. :)

You really need to know SOMETHING about your ports, if you'll be doing stuff on your own...and that's totally doable..and much cheaper! BUT...read up on your ports! If you know NOTHING, then you won't have a clue, and will be at the mercy of whoever offers you some sort of "fun". Know what's there....learn about transportation, points of interest, beaches, shopping, food/drink, rentals, etc....and safety! A guidebook is a must, IMO! The more you know, the better time you'll have.

On most lines you can opt out of daily tipping (service charges) but why would you? These tips are given to those who are working to make sure you have a great holiday. On some lines, if you opt out and give tips to a few people you see face to face, they have to turn those tips in so that they can be put into the pool that you opted out of.

If your cruiseline adds daily tips (service charges), consider that part of the payment you make to have a great vacation. Yes, you can opt out but, unless the service is dreadful, don't do it.

Following

Thank you all for your replies and yes Jocap I’m from the UK. We are sailing with P&O cruise on the ship Brittania I don’t have a problem with tipping where deserved but the way they do it I don’t agree with ( everyone over the age of twelve). This would mean by the end of out holiday we would be billed and extra £340. As for places to see we are travelling around the Caribbean so if anyone has some must see places please let me know. We don’t just want to be beach lobsters lol

I'm always hesitant to get involved in a tipping thread, and as others have said, it is totally up to you, but know that the crew that receive the DSC (daily service charge, I refuse to call it a gratuity or tip, since it's not), receive a base salary of about $5 US/day, and the remainder of their "salary" comes from the DSC. The use of a "auto charged" DSC allows the cruise line to advertise a low base fare, while covering the wages of much of the crew with the DSC, and it also creates a "carrot and stick" team building atmosphere within the crew. If you reduce or remove your DSC, not only does your cabin steward and wait staff suffer, but the reduction in DSC is apportioned across the entire pool of crew who receive the DSC as wage. The cruise line hopes that this will generate peer pressure within the crew to force poor performers to adjust their service level. There is a minimum wage for seafarers, and the cruise line does not have to step in and make good any shortage of wage for the DSC pool crew until the wages drop below the minimum of $645/month.

It is an unfortunate condition of the cruise industry that they do things this way, but most have learned to consider the DSC a fixed part of the cost of a cruise. Having said that, and I know that the UK has a totally different tip culture than the US, if you leave the DSC in place, no further gratuity is expected.

Following

I am not trying to be annoying, but what does this "Following" mean? I notice you use it fairly often and I have never seen it before. Thanks. :)

I am not trying to be annoying, but what does this "Following" mean? I notice you use it fairly often and I have never seen it before. Thanks. :)

It's one way to subscribe to the thread. They don't know about the "thread tools" drop down, where they can subscribe without posting to the thread.

I am not trying to be annoying, but what does this "Following" mean? I notice you use it fairly often and I have never seen it before. Thanks. :)

It just means I''m interested in this thread and where it's going. I didn't have anything to say about it ... at least that time. So I'm following along.

It's one way to subscribe to the thread. They don't know about the "thread tools" drop down, where they can subscribe without posting to the thread.

That's true ... I didn't know about the drop down tools. Thanks. :)

Hi again. P&O suggest a tip of £7 a day, and will automatically remove it from your account unless you go to reception and cancel it. It's a big problem for UK travellers, who are used to everyone getting a living wage. Unfortunately this isn't so for cabin stewards and waiters on board ships, so part of their wages comes from tips- and P&O promised us that every penny given either from your account or in cash will remain with the person. You must do as you think fit, which is what most people do.

As for excursions, look at the suggested posts- doing your own thing is reasonably simple in the Caribbean, although my husband, who is a snorkeller, prefers to take some excursions with P&O because it's easier if you're going out to different coral reefs. Read the Caribbean pages on here, and look at the P&O UK pages in the index, to see what others have to say.

Have a wonderful cruise- are you going soon? - because Britannia is setting off back to the UK in March.

Enjoy. :)

I'm always hesitant to get involved in a tipping thread, and as others have said, it is totally up to you, but know that the crew that receive the DSC (daily service charge, I refuse to call it a gratuity or tip, since it's not), receive a base salary of about $5 US/day, and the remainder of their "salary" comes from the DSC. The use of a "auto charged" DSC allows the cruise line to advertise a low base fare, while covering the wages of much of the crew with the DSC, and it also creates a "carrot and stick" team building atmosphere within the crew. If you reduce or remove your DSC, not only does your cabin steward and wait staff suffer, but the reduction in DSC is apportioned across the entire pool of crew who receive the DSC as wage. The cruise line hopes that this will generate peer pressure within the crew to force poor performers to adjust their service level. There is a minimum wage for seafarers, and the cruise line does not have to step in and make good any shortage of wage for the DSC pool crew until the wages drop below the minimum of $645/month.

 

 

 

It is an unfortunate condition of the cruise industry that they do things this way, but most have learned to consider the DSC a fixed part of the cost of a cruise. Having said that, and I know that the UK has a totally different tip culture than the US, if you leave the DSC in place, no further gratuity is expected.

Love this explanation of the way gratuities are used! We always pre-pay our gratuity and leave extra for our MDR wait staff and cabin steward (if deserved).

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Hi again. P&O suggest a tip of £7 a day, and will automatically remove it from your account unless you go to reception and cancel it. It's a big problem for UK travellers, who are used to everyone getting a living wage. Unfortunately this isn't so for cabin stewards and waiters on board ships, so part of their wages comes from tips- and P&O promised us that every penny given either from your account or in cash will remain with the person. You must do as you think fit, which is what most people do.

As for excursions, look at the suggested posts- doing your own thing is reasonably simple in the Caribbean, although my husband, who is a snorkeller, prefers to take some excursions with P&O because it's easier if you're going out to different coral reefs. Read the Caribbean pages on here, and look at the P&O UK pages in the index, to see what others have to say.

Have a wonderful cruise- are you going soon? - because Britannia is setting off back to the UK in March.

Enjoy. :)

We are going this Saturday 3 March can’t wait the wife nervous she seen the titanic to many time lol

Thank you Cheng and cruise gal for the info ! :)

We are going this Saturday 3 March can’t wait the wife nervous she seen the titanic to many time lol

She'll soon get used to it...she can hide indoors and forget that there's water all around :D

Have a fabulous time. :)

One thing with the cruise line excursions. If the excursion gets back late to the ship, either the ship will wait, or the cruise line will be responsible for getting you to the next port to join the ship and to cover any expenses until you are back on board (transportation, food, lodging, etc).

If you go off on your own, and get back late, the ship will not wait. And you will be responsible to get yourself to the next port. The port agent will assist you, but all costs and fees will be on you.

So a lot depends on your level of comfort.

As for the "tips," don't think of them as tips, think of them as a "resort fee." A lot of hotels in resort areas now charge a daily resort fee, per room, when staying there. It is mandatory.

But the "tips" are not really tips, they are salary for many of the workers. And many workers you never see or directly interact with, are part of that pool.

Best, leave them in place.

I hope the "Beast from the East", that is, the strange weather from Siberia, isn't too harmful to your travel plans, but at least you'll be on a chartered aeroplane, so PO will get you there! Look out for their emails. They have to get the flights there to pick up those waiting to come home, so all will be well.

I hope the "Beast from the East", that is, the strange weather from Siberia, isn't too harmful to your travel plans, but at least you'll be on a chartered aeroplane, so PO will get you there! Look out for their emails. They have to get the flights there to pick up those waiting to come home, so all will be well.

Thanks jo,

The beast has now been joined by storm Emma so Britain is getting hit on two fronts Lol but thankfully Manchester Airport long haul flight haven’t been affect so tomorrow we will be sun sea and rum lol