watchdog for UK forum members

[shoreham01]

Rather short notice, but have just seen that on BBC1 Watchdog tonight at 8pm they will be having a moan about automatic tipping on Princess.

[Toto2Kansas]

They need to add a lot of other cruise lines to their list and not just Princess. As this isn't just a Princess tipping process, it is all of the main stream cruise lines now. ;)

[anniversary cruiser]

Its not just about Princess its MSC, Royal Caribbean, Holland & America, Fred Olsen and Celebrity. British ships haven't in the past done this. It has not been part of British culture to tip quite as much as is done in the USA but it is getting much more popular with restaurants taking 10 to 15% as part of the bill. in some restaurants this doesn't find its way to the staff if you pay by debit/credit card, I didn't know that but I usually ask them to take the gratuity off anyway and pay the tip by cash. Having said that I have no problem with paying the automatic tips on Princess.

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

This is what is posted on there web site

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2011/08/tipping_010911.html

 

 

yours Shogun

[Toto2Kansas]

Hi All

 

This is what is posted on there web site

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2011/08/tipping_010911.html

 

 

yours Shogun

Thanks, I just read it. What they don't seem to understand, or actually don't mention (about resturants or any time a credit card is used for payment) is that when a credit card is used for payment, the restaurant is charged a % fee (the amount of the fee depends on how much credit card business is done by the restaurant and sometimes the amount of the bill) from the credit card company. That would be partly the reason why the server does not get the full gratuity charges left by the customer on the credit card payment, as I am sure the restaurant is not just going to absorb that fee the restaurant is charged. ;)

[anniversary cruiser]

But that wouldn't account for those who pay by debit card, which I do and I imagine a lot of people do the same. What annoys me is that they don't tell you that the staff won't get the gratuities, its a good job I always tip in cash.

[ovccruiser]

watched it, and as usual did not tell the whole story. They showed Cunard, Princess, NCL, P & O and others and mixed the normal daily charge with the anytime dining charge and so on. They did not mention anything regarding the 15% drinks charge:D and only at the end did they tell the viewer that the daily charge can be reduced. Another reason why this type of show, and it is just that, a show, I rarely watch, tonights was of interest because of the cruise connection.

[Ronniewales]

So how do you get Princess to reduce the tipping charges at the end of the cruise?

[jimpod]

So how do you get Princess to reduce the tipping charges at the end of the cruise?

You just visit the Purser's Desk and get them either removed completely or reduced to what you want to pay.

[Pam in CA]

So how do you get Princess to reduce the tipping charges at the end of the cruise?

You can go to the Passenger Services Desk at any time and reduce/remove them. Of course, if you then tip in cash, whatever you tip goes into a tipping pool so that great service you received in the dining room, buffet, cabin, etc. will all receive less or nothing. Plus, they will all know that you've reduced or removed the tip right after you do it.

[moniquet]

I would never dream of removing tips/gratuities unles the service etc. was really terrible. I do get annoyed with the ships, wish they would pay their crews a proper wage and reflect it in the original cruise price rather than dress it up as a tip. I prefered it when we were given envelopes. However, reading how mean some Brits are I can see why some ships make it obligatory.;)