No Automatic Tipping - Dawn World Cruise 2011

[wynkys]

Princess have removed the automatic tipping from the 2011 WC in deference to their Australian customers.

We Australians are not used to the idea of tipping as a way of life, however, I wonder if Princess intend to compensate their staff on Dawn as a result.

Because Australians are not necessarily used to the idea, I would expect that a lot of them will see no reason to acknowledge the staffs' efforts monetarially and that would be a great shame.

Overall, an intriguing move on Princess's part and I await the outcome with interest.

I hope to see the impact personally as I have requested a cabin for the cruise.

 

Wayne

[dforeigner]

Princess have removed the automatic tipping from the 2011 WC in deference to their Australian customers.

We Australians are not used to the idea of tipping as a way of life, however, I wonder if Princess intend to compensate their staff on Dawn as a result.

Because Australians are not necessarily used to the idea, I would expect that a lot of them will see no reason to acknowledge the staffs' efforts monetarially and that would be a great shame.

Overall, an intriguing move on Princess's part and I await the outcome with interest.

I hope to see the impact personally as I have requested a cabin for the cruise.

 

Wayne

 

If that is the case, maybe they will raise the rate of the cruise in order to compensate the staff accondingly. Just like it is done in Australia and GB.

 

Either way, the crew will get paid and those choosing to sail with Princess will end up having to pay for the wages.

[paul929207]

I think on the world cruises the tip has been included.

[Katie333]

Agreed Paul, I have seen that gratuities and/or large amounts of OBC are common on these 15K+ trips.

[chrysalis]

I think on the world cruises the tip has been included.

 

Yes, that is correct....it takes away the temptation of removing $2300 worth of tips on night 106:eek:

[Kiwi Kruzer]

I think on the world cruises the tip has been included.

 

 

I am sure it has been.

Keeps everyone happy that way.

Staff and passengers.

[NSWP]

What a great idea. This world cruise and sectors is being heavily marketed to Australians, one reason why the automatic wage subsidy being dispensed with, to fill up the cabins with Aussies !

 

I am sure Princess will make up the deficiency by huge alcohol sales, plenty of beers and cocktails will be consumed on that voyage for sure. The 15% drinks gratuity on this cruise should be shared by all service staff not just given to the waiter who serves you. No doubt the cabin/dining room stewards will be nervous though as to whether or not they get anything at all in 'the hand' from pax so to speak.

[Rockymountainsparky]

Yes, that is correct....it takes away the temptation of removing $2300 worth of tips on night 106:eek:

 

Nobody would be that low, would they?:confused:

[NSWP]

Nobody would be that low, would they?:confused:

You had better believe it.

[Deb_in_Aussie]

Princess have removed the automatic tipping from the 2011 WC in deference to their Australian customers.

We Australians are not used to the idea of tipping as a way of life, however, I wonder if Princess intend to compensate their staff on Dawn as a result.

Because Australians are not necessarily used to the idea, I would expect that a lot of them will see no reason to acknowledge the staffs' efforts monetarially and that would be a great shame.

Overall, an intriguing move on Princess's part and I await the outcome with interest.

I hope to see the impact personally as I have requested a cabin for the cruise.

 

Wayne

 

As a TA that is a Princess Elite Partnership agent I was recently onboard the launch of Pacific Jewel and was chatting with the Princess people from head office and apparently this is to be a new policy on all Princess Australia and I believe P&O Australia ships although I am not exactly sure when this new policy will start. They assure me the staff will be compensated for the lack of included tips. How they are doing that I am unsure.

 

For those of you thinking of booking world cruise make sure you quote your past passenger numbers as savings are $1,000 pp for the full and half world voyages.

 

Cheers,

Debra

[wynkys]

To NSWP,

It is also of interest that the drinks gratuity on Dawn and Sun is 10% rather than the 15% on all other Princess ships.

To the others who have commented,

On this year's Dawn World Cruise and on next year's one, to my knowledge, the standard practice has been in place to add the per day charge to the onboard account. Included gratuities are what the luxury lines offer as a 'perk' or otherwise, a very generous TA.

 

Wayne

[spongerob]

What a great idea. This world cruise and sectors is being heavily marketed to Australians, one reason why the automatic wage subsidy being dispensed with, to fill up the cabins with Aussies !

 

But, it also perhaps explains why Australians are finding increasing difficulty booking their cruises at lower fares with agencies outside Australia. If you want a different system then you have to pay the price associated with your way of doing things.

[AlaskaGolden]

...a new policy on all Princess Australia and I believe P&O Australia ships although I am not exactly sure when this new policy will start...

 

Does this mean if people from other countries book a Princess (not P&O) cruise out of Australia, we'll have the tips automatically added to our accounts, but the Australians will not? Seems a bit confusing for the accounting department!

[donna5]

But, it also perhaps explains why Australians are finding increasing difficulty booking their cruises at lower fares with agencies outside Australia. If you want a different system then you have to pay the price associated with your way of doing things.

 

Good Point!

[jajohnson]

Somehow I would not be surprised to find out that the total cost of the cruise with tips and without would be very close to the same amount. Guess it is all how you charge for your target market.

 

I wonder if they also threw in "free" air?

[Pam in CA]

Nobody would be that low, would they?:confused:

Of course they would. I was on the (old) Royal Princess in 2001 right after their 102-day world cruise, and quite a few passengers had not gone to the dining room the night before disembarkation and didn't tip a thing. Nothing. Nada. For over three months' worth of service. This was before the "auto-tip", which was implemented just a few months later. Unfortunately, this happened pretty regularly before the auto-tip whether it was a 7- or 102-day cruise. :(

[kenexx]

But, it also perhaps explains why Australians are finding increasing difficulty booking their cruises at lower fares with agencies outside Australia. If you want a different system then you have to pay the price associated with your way of doing things.

 

Totally disagree. My next cruise is costing only about USD6100.00 to book with an agent in the US. The Princess price in AUD for the same cabin is $10198.

 

Thats way more than tips!

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

Totally disagree. My next cruise is costing only about USD6100.00 to book with an agent in the US. The Princess price in AUD for the same cabin is $10198.

 

Thats way more than tips!

 

Totally concur! Our 2011 trip booked with a US TA is $3200 each. Quote from Aus TA is $7990 each. Thats an awful big amount of tips!

[spongerob]

That is a huge difference. Ouch. It just tells me that you guys are also paying a higher cost because of TCC regulations.

[danacline]

I saw a different thread on another board here that mentioned something interesting...that US-based travel agents could not book non-US customers without a US address. Specifically, Europeans and Australians who normally book via US agents are finding this out. Not all, yet, but the larger volume agents, with smaller volume agents to follow next year. Apparently this is a new trend and all lines will do it to some extent.

 

So, this new scenario is: if you're US, you get lower rates but tips added on to your shipboard account. If you're a non-tipping culture, you have to book locally at the higher rates but no tips are taken from your shipboard account. I assume it evens out but I'd agree it's going to be an accounting nightmare.

[steponboard]

Of course they would. I was on the (old) Royal Princess in 2001 right after their 102-day world cruise, and quite a few passengers had not gone to the dining room the night before disembarkation and didn't tip a thing. Nothing. Nada. For over three months' worth of service. This was before the "auto-tip", which was implemented just a few months later. Unfortunately, this happened pretty regularly before the auto-tip whether it was a 7- or 102-day cruise. :(

After a world cruise I would be packing the night before disembarkation because of how much stuff I'd have to pack. Missing dinner that last night does not mean staff was stiffed. Nobody knows what's in other peoples heads or pockets and I would think the best of people and that they met their obligations. Staff probably gives that sob story to extract money from naive passengers that believe that bologna.

[Pam in CA]

After a world cruise I would be packing the night before disembarkation because of how much stuff I'd have to pack. Missing dinner that last night does not mean staff was stiffed. Nobody knows what's in other peoples heads or pockets and I would think the best of people and that they met their obligations. Staff probably gives that sob story to extract money from naive passengers that believe that bologna.

I may be naive about some things, but not this specific incident. In this case, I happen to KNOW that this is what happened. And no, people don't always fulfill their obligations. Many avoid them like the plague. I happen to know quite a few like that. :(

[donna5]

Yes it does happen and often. But it isn't anything new. On my second cruise (we did a back to back and had great service) the service from the waiter and asst. were terrible (they were paying more attention to what other waiters were doing than to their own passengers). Well our table was the only table that turned up for dinner and gave envelopes to them and the next morning the other tables also didn't turn up for breakfast. This was when you had early or late seating both for breakfast and dinner. The normally happy waiters were really surly that morning.

 

If this wasn't a common occurance now, they wouldn't have started putting the tips on your ship account.

[NSWP]

I saw a different thread on another board here that mentioned something interesting...that US-based travel agents could not book non-US customers without a US address. Specifically, Europeans and Australians who normally book via US agents are finding this out. Not all, yet, but the larger volume agents, with smaller volume agents to follow next year. Apparently this is a new trend and all lines will do it to some extent.

 

So, this new scenario is: if you're US, you get lower rates but tips added on to your shipboard account. If you're a non-tipping culture, you have to book locally at the higher rates but no tips are taken from your shipboard account. I assume it evens out but I'd agree it's going to be an accounting nightmare.

Some lines WILL still permit Aussies to book with US T/A's at low prices, therefore people will turn away from lines like Princess who insist on Aussies booking with Aussie T/A's or Princess Australia only at inflated prices, well brochure prices anyway. Human nature, I guess.