Included gratuities

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Well what do you think of this?

[trinitytrees]

Hi

I am disappointed that Foc have gone down this route, this is what some other ships do I know. we sailed for first time with FOC last summer and have booked another cruise. we did like tipping who we wanted to. when we wanted to and not be dictated to in what I consider to be "taken over" way "have to" regardless of service.

[handy andy]

not surprised at f.o.move on tips, just finished a 23day cruise ,as first ever cruise people advising me on what to give, many seemed very reluctant to give suggested amount. I know of one instance , the day after getting his tip the waiter approached a passenger to say they only got a small wage , clearly not happy with the tip he had been given.think this decision on f.o.part will not go down well with passengers. can they realy enforce it?

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Well, we have just been on Independence of the Seas and they give you envelopes to put tips in (if you don't prepay) and "suggest" how much to pay! The trouble is it would have come to about £120 for 10 days. We used what Euros we had left (about £80). Someone told us the staff don't get paid at all and have to rely on tips - I find that hard to believe!

 

On Princess, we asked for tips to be taken off and paid at the end of the cruise to cabin steward and waiting staff.

 

I don't think they can enforce it. I think I didn't get all the notice in. It says at the end "This amount can be varied upon request at Reception", so when we go on the Braemar in February, we shall go to the purser's desk and say we would like to tip at the end.

 

One of the reasons we chose FO was for their tipping policy. I think it is a slippery slope (perhaps started by the paid for teas in the Observatory Lounge) and expect there will be a lot of moaning:mad:

[Sea_bird]

Well what do you think of this?

 

How did you find out about this change of policy? I have looked on the FO website and I found this:

 

TIPS

Although of course tipping is entirely a matter for your own personal discretion, as is the amount you may wish to give as your way of saying ‘thank you’. By way of a helpful guideline – £2.00 per passenger per day for your cabin stewardess and the same amount for your restaurant waiter would take care of your tips.

 

 

No mention here of gratuities being added to onboard accounts.

We are booked on a FO cruise next year and nowhere in our paperwork does it mention that we will be billed for the tips.

We do not find tipping embarrassing, quite the contrary. It is lovely to see the appreciation as we hand our envelopes to the stewardess and waiters. They work so hard it is a pleasure to tip them.

Next cruise, when we are onboard we shall go to Reception and ask for the gratuities to be removed from our onboard account so that we can have the pleasure of giving what we want (sometimes more than the suggested £2) to whoever we want, personally.

[Gelbel]

Next cruise, when we are onboard we shall go to Reception and ask for the gratuities to be removed from our onboard account so that we can have the pleasure of giving what we want (sometimes more than the suggested £2) to whoever we want, personally.

 

I've not long returned from a cruise on Braemar. I charged our tips to my on board account as it was easier than faffing about with cash. I gave our waiter and cabin maid a thank you card - and said I'd tipped them via my account.

 

So I think it's a good idea - I'll still take thank you cards.

[Cruising Nomads]

This information was added to a letter sent with the new Captains Collection brochure. It is also on Fred Olsens webite on the A-Z guide onder gratuities.

 

I think this is a good move as it stops the need for carrying alot of cash although Fred as started you been able to add it to your onboard account.

 

Also it might stop the restaurants been almost empty on the last night.

[Parsman]

I have recently come off the "Black Watch" and I gave tips in the normal way. Most people that I knew did the same. Unlike some other cruise lines the gratuities are not automatically added to your bill. If you do not wish to handle cash you can complete a form indicating how much you wish to give and to whom and this is then added to your on-board bill. A voucher is attached to the form that which can be given to the staff member.

Merely adding gratuities to the bill renders the practice meaningless and does not reward good service over mediocre or poor service. It would be a sad day if this were to be introduced by Fred. Olsen. :mad:

[simonpjd]

It is a sound idea. Especially with current economic situation with cash a bit tight for most people - and it does add up on a longer cruise. This is how it was done on the Van Gogh and Athena and it worked very well and stopped any embarassment.

[Sea_bird]

I have recently come off the "Black Watch" and I gave tips in the normal way. Most people that I knew did the same. Unlike some other cruise lines the gratuities are not automatically added to your bill. If you do not wish to handle cash you can complete a form indicating how much you wish to give and to whom and this is then added to your on-board bill. A voucher is attached to the form that which can be given to the staff member.

Merely adding gratuities to the bill renders the practice meaningless and does not reward good service over mediocre or poor service. It would be a sad day if this were to be introduced by Fred. Olsen. :mad:

 

This idea of being billed for gratuities on your onboard account will begin in December 2010 apparently.

So Parsman, that sad day is almost upon us!

[Bil Baggins]

Seems easy enough to me. those who want to tip in cash can and those who don't can have it put on theire onboard acct. everyone happy.

Whats the problem with that?

[Berkshire Lass]

I am a bit upset about this I must say. Suppose we decide we want to give the tips ourselves to those who served us so well and asked the office to take the auto gratuities off our cabin account - would they know 'downstairs' and think we were not going to tip so would affect our service?

 

I think the real reason is that many people do not tip - I heard a pasenger on a leg of the last world cruise state that as he was on for the whole time (would have cost somewhere in the region of £7,000 in the cheapest cabin) it would all add up to too much. He said he didn't agree with tipping so wasn't going to do it. Nobody could convince him that although it is an archaic way to receive your renumeration that is the tradition on cruise ships.

 

I don't know if this is a deterioration for Fred or keeping up with the times. He is popular because he is different from the run of the mill - viva la diference!

[Popsey Wopsey]

Its an emotive subject ,however perhaps its all to do with this:-

 

Foreign crews being paid as little as £2 an hour on UK run ships.The TUC and Nautilas and the RMT ,maritime unions,want the Government to close the loophole in the law that allows this and to outlaw the ships of shame because its a national scandal.:eek:

[Jammy Bun]

I don't have any problem at all with the new system. We would normally tip more than the suggested amount to our cabin stewardess and waiters, plus tips to those who have served us well in other venues. This means we have to remember to take plenty of cash with us.

 

If you tip your stewardess say £60+ for a 2 week cruise (double cabin), and she services 10 cabins (I have no idea how many she does in reality but guess it may be around that number) then she's carrying £600ish in her pocket on changeover day. Her busiest day of course, and now she has to safely 'bank' the cash. It must be a nightmare for the accounting staff onboard - far easier to deal with it all electronically.

[Dartmoordan]

I don't have a problem with the new policy at all, I will probably tip the cabin steward extra if she is as good as the last one who really was excellent, as far as I understand it you can vary the amount but not opt out altogether. Tipping is a well known fact of cruising and has been since the begining so I don't understand people who say they don't tip the only fair way for everyone is to include tips in the price and that would increase the cost of the cruise and we would't like that either. I do believe it's Fred coming into line with other lines,

[Star-light]

I disagree with Fred Olsen’s new policy of obligatory gratuities being added automatically to onboard accounts. Having in the past cruised with other lines, there was always an option for oneself to tip at the cruise end which is the method preferred by myself. However, I can sympathize with those who may find this a little embarrassing, I do not, but there still should be a choice of how one pays. I firmly believe that good service should be rewarded at one’s own discretion. I have always expressed my thanks in gratuities for the exceptional service provided by most of the cruise staff in my own way, by handing the envelope and thanking them personally. I should not have to be instructed where and how this should be paid. I fear that if gratuities are no longer at the discretion of the client (as it clearly states on Fred Olsen web site) this then could eventually lead to a drop in service standards. I hope that Fred Olsen will see the need to be flexible on this new policy or they may loose loyal long standing clientele if freedom of choice is disregarded.

[sky_lark]

I agree with the posters who say they prefer to give gratuities to the stewardess and waiters personally. That is how I like to say 'thank you' and reward good service. Others might prefer to pay via onboard account. Fair enough!

Passengers should be given a choice as to how they pay whether it be on their onboard account or money in envelopes. Nobody should be forced into tipping by way of a invoice for goodness sake! And how soulless and impersonal is that!!

[Gelbel]

I agree with the posters who say they prefer to give gratuities to the stewardess and waiters personally. That is how I like to say 'thank you' and reward good service. Others might prefer to pay via onboard account. Fair enough!

 

Passengers should be given a choice as to how they pay whether it be on their onboard account or money in envelopes. Nobody should be forced into tipping by way of a invoice for goodness sake! And how soulless and impersonal is that!!

So give a thank you card like I do - that's very personal -and nicer than jsut handing an evelope stuffed with money.

[Cruising Nomads]

In reply to Star-Light regarding the automatic adding of gratuities to the on board account. It states on Fred Olsens website that the amount can be varied or cancelled at Reception at any time during the cruise and envelopes will be supplied for individuals who wish to continue in the old way.

[Star-light]

In reply to Star-Light regarding the automatic adding of gratuities to the on board account. It states on Fred Olsens website that the amount can be varied or cancelled at Reception at any time during the cruise and envelopes will be supplied for individuals who wish to continue in the old way.

 

Thank you for that information. I now see that FO has changed the info on the web site. I shall now feel a lot happier with the new information.

When I checked it yesterday this is what it said : -

Quote: - Our dedicated staff are there to make sure that your cruise is an unforgettable experience. If you would like to reward staff for their services then we have guidlines for tipping. Although of course tipping is entirely a matter for your own personal discrection, as is the amount you may wish to give as a way of saying thank you.

[CRUISIN LINDA]

as far as I understand it you can vary the amount but not opt out altogether.

 

You can reduce or opt out

 

http://www.fredolsencruises.com/About-Cruising/A-Z-Holiday-Cruise-Guide/G

[Dartmoordan]

You can reduce or opt out

 

http://www.fredolsencruises.com/About-Cruising/A-Z-Holiday-Cruise-Guide/G

 

Thanks Linda hadn't realised you could opt out, however I will let it stay, I just hope it all goes to the staff

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Thanks Linda hadn't realised you could opt out, however I will let it stay, I just hope it all goes to the staff

 

My worry is that tips don't go to who they are intended for. I know that tips are generally only given to "frontline" staff, but I have read that kitchen staff, engineers etc get paid more to compensate. Don't know if that is true. I'm sure Fred is honest, but do wonder about the big American lines:rolleyes:

Which itinery Are you doing> Are you going to Cuba and Mexico?

[tring]

We were told on our last FO cruise (Jul 2010) that the cabin stewards and restaurant waiters get an extremely small amount of money from the company, as it is expected that they will get tips. Other staff (including the bar staff) get a wage so do not actually need tips.

 

I do not like the situation and would much prefer to pay more for the cruise and have tips included in the price as some cruises do. However, I would not dream of giving less than the suggested ammount unless there was very good reason (ie extremely bad service). The staff on Fred Olsen are very rushed, so service can be less than perfect, but I do not see this as a good reason to refuse tips if the staff are working hard.

 

I would imagine the new system will at least encourage more people to cough up their dues. It is very poor show to let the staff suffer from the system used by many cruise companies. Perhaps a visit to the countries were the staff live would be a big eye opener to some passengers!!!

[sky_lark]

First of all thank you Cruisin Linda for raising this.

 

So now it's clear. Passengers can opt in or opt out of gratuities being put on their onboard account.

 

Obviously FO has had second thoughts about the new policy and has decided to give passengers choice on how they pay their gratuities.

 

THANK GOODNESS FOR THAT! :)