Star Princess - Exceptional apart from....

[srpilo]

Hi There

 

To be fair to the OP as he cruises a lot with P&O he was not to understand the Princess rules regarding the auto tip

 

many who cruise often with Princess do not understand them.

 

just shows Princess needs to reduce the auto tip, increase the cruise fare

and start offering the product they build there name on.

 

 

yours Shogun

 

Or Shogun perhaps first time clients who are told/notified in advance of their cruise about the Princess auto-tip policy should either adhere to it, or simply choose another cruiseline that reflects their personal reluctance to tipping.

 

 

I think you'll find the vast majority of current Princess cruisers support the tipping policy as it is, and are quite happy in rewarding the hard working service staff through the current auto-tip daily levels, & certainly see NO reason to reduce them ..IMO

Srpilo

[ONT-CA]

We do not understand why so many passengers insist on calling the Hotel Charge a tip. It is a Hotel Charge. When Princess suggests that your table waiter will get X number of dollars per day from this charge it is but a point of reference, as is that suggested amount shown for the steward. What your waiter will get is a percentage of the overall pot or the total of all the Hotel Charges collected from all the passengers. This including those that withhold an amount as well as those that cancel the charge and give individually. One pot, one percentage. If you do not want to pay the charge or pay only a portion of the charge or give individually, whatever, it all reflects in the size of the pot. The end result of all monies collected is divided and shared in accordance with a pre-determined percentage factor that includes your waiter, your steward and even the person that cleans the public toilets.

Exception: If you pay your Hotel Charge, any additional monies given to any person aboard may be kept by that person for this is over and above that percentage he/she is entitled to.

[katisdale]

We leave the auto-tip in place and usually tip in addition at the end of the cruise. I like the idea of calling it a hotel charge or another name that does not imply "tip". I challenge anyone to clean a toilet, make a bed, vacuum, dust, tidy up, deliver a different meal to you at breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as keeping the open areas around your home clean for $11.50 per day. And even better they do it with a smile and warm greeting.

[Liz54]

We leave the auto-tip in place and usually tip in addition at the end of the cruise. I like the idea of calling it a hotel charge or another name that does not imply "tip". I challenge anyone to clean a toilet, make a bed, vacuum, dust, tidy up, deliver a different meal to you at breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as keeping the open areas around your home clean for $11.50 per day. And even better they do it with a smile and warm greeting.

 

Good Point.....Send them to my house! lol:D

[Dodger Blue]

Although I've never made an adjustment to an "auto-tip" (and I really hate that phrase...it is not a "tip" it is a surcharge!) I respect everyone's right to change that as they see fit. Again, the problem is the system. There is no way to reduce that tip/surcharge without penalizing everyone! That simply isn't right. There ought to be a methodology for someone to be able to reward an individual for exceptional service and to not reward someone who has given poor service. Unfortunately the Princess system does not make those acts mutually exclusive. To do one, you must do the other. Bad system.

 

One more comment. I'm always chagrinned by those who differ with someone's opinion that feel it necessary to use the "love it or leave it" response. Why can't someone express an opinion about a singular item without being told to "go to another cruiseline"?

[Pam in CA]

Although you said nothing verbally, when you reduce the recommended amount, the message that is sent loud and clear is that you were unhappy with the service.

Exactly.

 

And, I don't understand the obtuseness to adhere to one's local norms. There should be no expectation that what's true on P&O should be the same as on Princess any more than they would be on Carnival or Seaborne. Completely different cruiselines. Once you board a Princess ship, US currency and economic norms are standard. No surprise as it's made very clear that your shipboard account is in US$.

 

Before the auto-tip, tipping was optional which made it very, very easy for cheapos and those without a conscience to stiff the wait- and cabin staff. Many wouldn't show up the last night, even after a world cruise and 107 days of non-stop service.

 

I would have no problem if the cruiseline added the hotel service charge automatically to the cruise price.

[rdsqrl]

Hi There

 

To be fair to the OP as he cruises a lot with P&O he was not to understand the Princess rules regarding the auto tip

 

many who cruise often with Princess do not understand them.

 

just shows Princess needs to reduce the auto tip, increase the cruise fare

and start offering the product they build there name on.

 

 

yours Shogun

No, what it shows is that people need to take responsibility for understanding the product they've just purchased -- if I were to buy a vacation on P&O or another unfamiliar line, I would take a minute to look up and read their information on policies and procedures. And seems to me I've read a considerable number of posts from those in the UK complaining fares are already higher over there -- now you want them increased to make up not only for the missing passenger tips but also to include the extra payroll taxes that come with increased compensation paid to their employees? Okay . . .

 

Although I've never made an adjustment to an "auto-tip" (and I really hate that phrase...it is not a "tip" it is a surcharge!) I respect everyone's right to change that as they see fit. Again, the problem is the system. There is no way to reduce that tip/surcharge without penalizing everyone! That simply isn't right. There ought to be a methodology for someone to be able to reward an individual for exceptional service and to not reward someone who has given poor service. Unfortunately the Princess system does not make those acts mutually exclusive. To do one, you must do the other. Bad system.

 

One more comment. I'm always chagrinned by those who differ with someone's opinion that feel it necessary to use the "love it or leave it" response. Why can't someone express an opinion about a singular item without being told to "go to another cruiseline"?

I think your premise is flawed: you say that it's a bad system but that's because you think it's meant to be used to punish, when it isn't at all. As anyone who's ever worked for tips would know, shorting the tip because you're unhappy with the service is counterproductive. Reducing the autotip amount at the end of the cruise doesn't do anything to educate the mal-performing staff as to what your complaint is. If you have bad service, I'm sure that everyone at Princess would far prefer you to speak up onboard, when they still have a chance to rectify the situation -- that way, you're happy because service has improved and the crewmember who's presumably been corrected will be happy because you will, naturally, be so pleased with the turnaround in service that you will leave your autotips in place.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Princess drink prices we have found very reasonable compared to other cruise lines, although besides P&O I am not sure which others you have sailed with. But don't be shocked if you try another line and the drink prices are much higher. ...

 

I totally agree with you on this! The majority of other cruise lines' drink prices are MUCH higher than Princess'.

[lovevacadays]

The point is you were not on P&O, you were on Princess. They are separate lines owned by the same corporation and have separate fees and charges. This is like going to Harrods and saying you want to pay WalMart prices.

 

I so agree. People need to educate themselves on the specific product (cruise) they are purchasing. Plus, the OP seems to be saying that he didn't like one response given by a buffet worker so he punished the rest.

 

Also, one of the first times I've heard people complain about Princess drink prices. I get primarily mixed drinks and martini's. Total $7.75 or so with tip. I certainly can't get those prices on land in Southern California (at least in any place as nice as the bars on the ship)

[homeinboca]

We recently sailed on the Star in August, perhaps the trip before the OP's. We found the service on the Star, exceptional in all cases, from our wonderful room steward Annie, to the bar staff, wait staff, Cruise Directors, etc. Everyone was so nice & friendly.

 

I wasn't aware you could reduce the auto tip amount on my bill, but would never consider that. The staff work exceptionally hard to ensure everyone has a wonderful time. Just because you found the drinks to be expensive, (which they are not - $3.99 happy hour anyone!), and the buffet food not hot enough to your liking, it's unfortunate you felt it reasonable to punish all the workers who share in the tip pool.

 

You reducing the tip pool by $150 didn't make a huge difference to the overall amount, but was that really the most important thing you took away from this amazing ship and itinerary?

[pablo222]

but if Princess wants to use the auto tip as their way to pay the staff appropriately, they ought to simply reflect that in the price of the cruise and let people tip accordingly!

 

Why don't you start with most restuarants in the United States,

and when you get that changed to your system, move on to cruise lines?

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

From the range of views, its clear its not an easy subject, for us, or for Princess.

 

Anyone got a better way of dealing with this.

 

 

yours Shogun

[arpster]

Why don't you start with most restuarants in the United States,

and when you get that changed to your system, move on to cruise lines?

 

probably easier to start with the cruise lines to be honest.

[jefa]

My first cruise was on the Star for 30 days, and my TA explained to me that there would be a daily hotel charge added to my bill at the end, and what it was for. As a Brit, I did find this confusing, but as others have said, I went off and researched the cruiseline and these boards, to find out exactly how it all worked. Whether or not I agree with the concept, if thems the rules, then, thems the rules, and I would not dream of taking the auto-tip off my bill. As it happens, it made it much easier for me knowing that I didn't have to work out how much to give various members of staff at the end:)

 

We did have several problems with our steward, which never did get resolved, and our solution to this was to fill in the card at the end of the cruise stating why we were unhappy with him.

 

I shall be taking another Princess cruise in January out of FLL, and while I know all about the tipping on board, I am researching tipping the various people I will meet during my pre and post cruise days!!! It is a minefield for me, not least because I'm a Brit, but also one living in Spain, where tipping isn't the norm :D

[David&Heather]

We have recently returned from a wonderful cruise on the Star, we left the hotel charge in place as there was no justifiable reason to remove or reduce it. We also did our research and know the deal even though we are not fans of American style tipping and would prefer to have the hotel charge added to the cruise fare.

The OP just further confirms our view of the P(ompous) & O(bnoxious) regulars:mad:

P&O do have a 'reccommended' daily tip, cannot confirm the exact ammount as the P&O website, unlike the Princess one, does not appear to mention tipping.

Auto tipping would appear to be the best option as opposed to several brown envelopes being handed out to specified crew members at the end of a cruise but for us a better solution would be to do away with all service charges and add them to the cruise fare, any tipping would then be for exceptional service.

As for drinks prices, Princess may be a bit more than British pub prices but who wants to drink in a British pub?

We had a couple of cocktails in the Trafford Centre last weekend nice bar, nice drinks but the ambience and service was nowhere near as good as the Crooners bar on the Star, one thing we did find shocking was they cost more than the Star and did not include any gratuity.

[windsor26]

I always reduce my auto tips. I like to tip the people that I personally come into contact with. I understand that the room steward then has to pool the money, but I m sure they still end up with a good pot of tips at the end of the cruise.

 

Most of my tips go to bar staff, who get to keep the money for themselves. I always freedom dine, so never have the same waiter/ess to tip there.

 

I think that auto tipping is Princess way of paying their staff a very low wage. As the original poster says, P&O do not have auto tipping. Their staff are paid a much better wage.

 

One other point to take in to account is, that here in the UK we are not a tipping culture, where as in the US, everybody seems to expect a tip.

:D:D:D

 

 

This is actually rubbish having lived in UK until I was 65 we always tipped restaurant and cafe staff, hairdressers, porters, taxi drivers and many more so how can you say we were not used to the tipping culture and dont forget the old adadge (sic) when in Rome

 

The cruises which are now based in Australia with Princess do not have auto tips nor are there a gratuity added to the drink prices but of course the drinks are dearer and we have always known the price of our cruises is dearer than USA.:) Its swings and roundabouts

[BosoxI]

DW and I were on the same cruise as the OP. With the exception of poor service in Anytime Dining on certain nights, the service was excellent, especially our room steward. The charge was $12p/p or $144 each for the trip. It might be a bit painful to see that charge on the room statement, but think of this. In a middle of the road restaurant in the United States, about the equivalent of Princess food, I think, the charge for a three course meal for two-appetizer, salad, and main course- would be about $80. The tip at 15% would add another $12. Never mind that on most nights we also had soup and dessert and maybe pasta. So in one meal, we have gotten value at 1/2 of our room fee, and we still will eat twice more in a dining room or the HC, or the pizza/hamburger bar plus the excellent room service we had. I'd say $24 a day for two is not at all outrageous. Yes, it does bother me just a very little bit to know some very bad waiters will share in our room charge, but how much will that amount to? The ship was full of Europeans. I wonder how many took the room fee off their bill.

[OhioDogLover]

I think they should just add the charge to the fare and be done with it. Overall, I would think that most of the time, the staff would get more in the end.

Some people remove it because they get bad service. Others don't want to pay anything because they don't think they should have to do it. Still others just don't want to pay any more and if it isn't required, just won't under any circumstances. While I understand that there are differences in cultural approaches to tipping, there are Americans that we know who always remove the auto tips and then either completely avoid tipping or reduce the daily "hotel fee" by much more than 50%. At least some of these people are those who I would put in the "high maintenance" category for the poor staff members serving them.

it is a difficult issue, because cruise lines don't want to have a perception of higher fares.

Ohiodoglover

[ONT-CA]

The whole concept of cruise pricing is evident in (a) fare, (b) taxes, © port fees, (d) fuel surcharge [when applied] and (e) Hotel charges. The total of these are the cost of our cruise. We may not remove the fare charge, we may not remove the taxes, we many not remove the port fees and we may not remove the fuel surcharge. But for some inane reason one may remove the Hotel Charge. What the cruise lines should realize is that the passengers who pay the Hotel Charge, and our numbers must be well over 90%, are very upset and angry. Not upset because of the Hotel Charge is applied; upset by those few who are not required to pay the charge and who just refuse to pay it. By not making the charge mandatory they are creating a very negative marketing situation for the majority of their passengers by placating these few non-conformists.

[luvseadays]

So, let me see if I understand this correctly.

 

If we choose to reduce the auto tip, then any money that we would personally tip someone, would automatically go into the pool. If we leave the auto on, then we can give our room steward and anyone else that we choose a personal tip and they can keep it?

[Shogun]

Hi There Luvseadays,

 

You understand correct.

 

yours Shogun

[arpster]

an insane proposal I know....but why cant the cruiselines pay their staff a half decent wage in the first place...instead of relying on their customers to make up their wages for them with the hotel tax/surcharge?

[englishbird]

This is actually rubbish having lived in UK until I was 65 we always tipped restaurant and cafe staff, hairdressers, porters, taxi drivers and many more so how can you say we were not used to the tipping culture and dont forget the old adadge (sic) when in Rome

 

The cruises which are now based in Australia with Princess do not have auto tips nor are there a gratuity added to the drink prices but of course the drinks are dearer and we have always known the price of our cruises is dearer than USA.:) Its swings and roundabouts

 

 

As far as I am aware, this is a forum to air ones opinions. Therefore what gives you the right to say that my opinion is rubbish.

 

Yes, we tip here in the UK for good service. But after the event and not before.

 

I am a seasoned cruiser with Princess. My partner is a bar steward with Princess and I am also a Travel Agent. So I do have a good idea how the process works on board.

 

I think that "tipping" is a subject that will always cause a difference of opinion and get people "hot" under the collar.

 

I don't think I will have any more to say on the subject.:D:D:D:D

[pris993]

I'm elite with Princess as well, but I don't blame the OP, I blame Princess and all the other cruise lines who have gone to this auto tip approach. Obviously there are culture difference regarding tipping practices.

 

While we participate in the auto tip and tip extra, I really prefer to tip personally like we did for years before auto tip.

 

I would much prefer staff be paid a decent wage and passengers could go about tipping as they feel is appropriate.

[Toto2Kansas]

Yes, we tip here in the UK for good service. But after the event and not before.

 

.:D:D:D:D

That could be one reason why this charge is not deducted at the beginning of your cruise, but the daily rate is charged to your account for each day right around midnight (if you look at your folio). So, each day that amount is deducted from your account AFTER services have been rendered. ;)