New tipping policy

[Beopthtuh]

surely its got to be simpler for p&o to add £25 on the cost of their cruise for a week per person to cover the costs,

with their constant price increases the average weeks cruise now with them is £800 for an inside cabin sailing from soton .

come on p&o this could be fixed so easy by you rather than having your core passenger group feeling alienated and passengers getting at each other

[jeanlyon]

Absolutely agree. Add it onto the price of the cruise as a service charge or say "gratuities included". Then we are just as we are now, free to give our tips as cash in envelopes to whom we choose.

[hooked cruiser]

In answer to your question, This is what happens at present when people cancel there tips on "Freedom Dining" where you are charged daily. And this is to spill over in April when it commences for normal sittings as well. I will not divulge who told me this but will only say that they have several gold markings!!! If you wish to believe this is rubbish then please ask your waiter next time you cruise.

[terrierjohn]

In answer to your question, This is what happens at present when people cancel there tips on "Freedom Dining" where you are charged daily. And this is to spill over in April when it commences for normal sittings as well. I will not divulge who told me this but will only say that they have several gold markings!!! If you wish to believe this is rubbish then please ask your waiter next time you cruise.

My understanding is that you cannot cancel the gratuities when on Freedom dining, or have I been misinformed.

[Pobman]

So from reading through this thread am I to understand that in its present form if you tip in cash to your waiters it still does not actually go to them? It gets put in a pool of cash and distributed? If so is there actually any way you can tip your waiter and have them actually get it, after all that is what a tip is all about it is not a service charge!

[daiB]

My understanding is that you cannot cancel the gratuities when on Freedom dining, or have I been misinformed.

 

 

Yes you have been. If you could not I feel there would have been much blood letting. Heavens knows why as it is just sensible, for freedom that is.

 

I must say I am coming over to just leaving it and paying a bit extra for good service. However that would be on each cruise if the past is anything to go by. In the end I do not think I could be bothered with the hassle of standing for 30 seconds getting it removed, or in my case sitting:D. Far too much like hard work.

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

[Single Cruiser]

Yes you have been. If you could not I feel there would have been much blood letting. Heavens knows why as it is just sensible, for freedom that is.

 

I must say I am coming over to just leaving it and paying a bit extra for good service. However that would be on each cruise if the past is anything to go by. In the end I do not think I could be bothered with the hassle of standing for 30 seconds getting it removed, or in my case sitting:D. Far too much like hard work.

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

 

You better watch out Dai, they'll be introducing a scooter tax next. Afterall that's extra wear and tear on the carpets from your handbrake turns! :D

 

It's amazing anyone actually enjoys their cruise nowadays, if it's not tips or lack of lobster, it's dress code and cruise ethics...

 

P&O already trialled for many years basic tips included on that line.. Err.. ocean something..

 

Basic tips included in the price, you could tip extra in cash to whoever, bar staff via the tip line on the chitty.. On the last night/morning they had collection boxes at the entrance to the restaurants (ideal for getting rid of euro coins etc). I'd always tip the cabin steward as per there always excellent std. I read someone say they'd be less attentive, not that I've found. And my fave bar staff/waiters would get a cash tip at the end.

 

None of this removing or adding. Basic tips for all inc. in price and then up to you how you tip.

 

Incidentally having done RCL and NCL in the last 12mnths. The bar/waiting staff were more attentative even though no matter what the 15% was included because you would always go back to a good waiter and that 15% is theirs for the winning!

[Sutho]

If anyone is watching forums on P&O's homepage about it, there now looks to be people making phone calls to them directly to complain.

 

One person suggested that P&O are not expecting it to last long with the amound of complaints coming in.

 

Others are suggesting its a breach of booking conditions.

 

I know P&O well and met allot of passengers and think I know what the majority opinions are.

 

 

 

On a seperate not I want to point out that I have booked Celebrity Solctice for March 2013. I booked direct and in their booking summary it itemises how much I will pay for tipping and makes it clear that this is a mandatory cost of the entire cruise fare. I dont have a problem with how they have structured that fare. Also before I join Arcadia next year I am staying at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. They itemised their bill as including rack rate, service charge and GST. That means when I pay the bill it includes all and I do not have to tip.

 

The above systems work for me as it is a clear cost. After I pay a cruise fare I do not expect to be slugged with more charges for service. Lets face it you pay the cruise before you sail, unlike a hotel when you check out/in.

 

Many people who sail with P&O see tips as a thankyou for good service, not a service charge.

 

I will be removing the charge when I sail as when I do the really long voyages I cannot afford what they suggest and will therefore go with what I am used to.

[Scrapnana]

The automatic tipping seems to be the way most cruise lines are going. 3 pounds 10 is less than half of what most cruise lines are suggesting. I have always had fabulous service (even though I am not high maintenance) and want to give a good tip to the people who take care of me.

 

I understand that tipping is not the done thing in Australia (when I visited I usually slunk out of the restaurants feeling bad about not leaving a tip). BUT, the pay scale is much different. Most of the people who work on cruise ships get a pittance, are away from family/friends for months on end, and still go out of their way to make your cruise one to remember.

 

I want to reward the people who give me excellent service.

[Marmaduke]

Sorry but as this hasn't even started yet, how on earth do you know that the Maitre Di has been informed of who has cancelled the auto tipping. And what about if you decide to half the auto tip and tip the rest by yourself. I've never heard such rubbish.

 

I believe that this is the system used on Princess (numerous threads on their Cruise Critic page) and most other Lines that use the auto tip system. To me the auto tip seems the fairest system. Do you tip each individual waiter that serves you on open seating breakfast and lunch or clears away your plates in the buffet ?

[u2cruiser]

 

 

 

On a seperate not I want to point out that I have booked Celebrity Solctice for March 2013. I booked direct and in their booking summary it itemises how much I will pay for tipping and makes it clear that this is a mandatory cost of the entire cruise fare. I dont have a problem with how they have structured that fare. Also before I join Arcadia next year I am staying at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. They itemised their bill as including rack rate, service charge and GST. That means when I pay the bill it includes all and I do not have to tip.

 

The above systems work for me as it is a clear cost. After I pay a cruise fare I do not expect to be slugged with more charges for service. Lets face it you pay the cruise before you sail, unlike a hotel when you check out/in.

 

 

The Celebrity gratuities work in exactly the same way as P&O is intending to in the new system, except they are $11.50 per person per day, not £3.10.

The only difference on Celebrity is you have to prepay all of it upfront if having Freedom dining (as we did) and on daily autotips if on Club dining on Celebrity, or this was how it worked in May this year.

 

The majority of Celebrity flyers and offers I've received lately from TAs are cruise prices with gratuities included regardless of dining option so you are still paying it one way or another. It seems less painful if paid upfront.

 

I think P&O should offer the option to pre pay the tips (and the TAs probably will), then you start and finish the cruise with a clear onboard account other than your personal onboard spend, and less will opt out of autotips.

[brfan]

If anyone is watching forums on P&O's homepage about it, there now looks to be people making phone calls to them directly to complain.

 

One person suggested that P&O are not expecting it to last long with the amound of complaints coming in.

 

Others are suggesting its a breach of booking conditions.

 

I know P&O well and met allot of passengers and think I know what the majority opinions are.

 

 

 

On a seperate not I want to point out that I have booked Celebrity Solctice for March 2013. I booked direct and in their booking summary it itemises how much I will pay for tipping and makes it clear that this is a mandatory cost of the entire cruise fare. I dont have a problem with how they have structured that fare. Also before I join Arcadia next year I am staying at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. They itemised their bill as including rack rate, service charge and GST. That means when I pay the bill it includes all and I do not have to tip.

 

The above systems work for me as it is a clear cost. After I pay a cruise fare I do not expect to be slugged with more charges for service. Lets face it you pay the cruise before you sail, unlike a hotel when you check out/in.

 

Many people who sail with P&O see tips as a thankyou for good service, not a service charge.

 

I will be removing the charge when I sail as when I do the really long voyages I cannot afford what they suggest and will therefore go with what I am used to.

 

That sounds scary to me that you are so stretched financially that you cannot afford the basic tip. What would happen if you fell or became ill and had to pay a couple of thousand dollars (or pounds) up front for treatment (even if you have insurance, they often will not pay up front but reimburse you after the fact)? Or missed the ship and had to pay to get to the next port?

[tonyl1956]

It occurs to me that this system might result in smaller tips for the staff. We have generally rounded the numbers up to the next £10 in determining each tip, since it seems a bit ridiculous to put coins in the envelope. Now the cabin bill will have the 'suggested' amount and I wouldn't vary it as a rounding exercise, so the staff will lose out to the tune of a few quid. Repeated across the boat, that would add up to a significant shortfall.

 

We're travelling with Fred Olsen for the first time in a couple of weeks, where the tip is automatically added. We'll see how that goes, then decide what to do on P&O in April.

 

Tony

[marylizcat]

It occurs to me that this system might result in smaller tips for the staff. We have generally rounded the numbers up to the next £10 in determining each tip, since it seems a bit ridiculous to put coins in the envelope. Now the cabin bill will have the 'suggested' amount and I wouldn't vary it as a rounding exercise, so the staff will lose out to the tune of a few quid. Repeated across the boat, that would add up to a significant shortfall.

 

We're travelling with Fred Olsen for the first time in a couple of weeks, where the tip is automatically added. We'll see how that goes, then decide what to do on P&O in April.

 

Tony

Yes, I was thinking 'Well, that will save us a little bit of money', as we usually round it up.

[Sutho]

That sounds scary to me that you are so stretched financially that you cannot afford the basic tip. What would happen if you fell or became ill and had to pay a couple of thousand dollars (or pounds) up front for treatment (even if you have insurance, they often will not pay up front but reimburse you after the fact)? Or missed the ship and had to pay to get to the next port?

 

Its called a credit card. The trick is to make sure it is paid off first.

 

Believe it or not but some people do not have a spare few hundred in cash to throw around like that. I just drive trucks for a living so there is nothing fancy about my financial situation.

 

As the T&C's said its a thankyou gesture. I am not crazy enough to give them a few hundred dollars because I did a World Cruise. So I normally settle for no more than 10 pounds per person for any given voyage no matter how long it is. You got to remember here that we are not their employers, the cruise lines are.

[FLUFFY01]

.

 

As the T&C's said its a thankyou gesture. I am not crazy enough to give them a few hundred dollars because I did a World Cruise. So I normally settle for no more than 10 pounds per person for any given voyage no matter how long it is.

 

Unbelievable, even for a part world cruise.:o

[Sutho]

Unbelievable, even for a part world cruise.:o

 

Theres nothing wrong with that. Its the thought that counts. I cant afford to solve the worlds populations financial troubles by giving away cash.

 

Besides its better than what I did on my first cruise. 49 nights from Sydney to Southampton the cabin steward got 5 pounds and so did the two dining room waiters.

 

I think 10 pounds per cruise is very fair. Like I have said I am low maintenance, do not need to be waited on hand and foot.

[FLUFFY01]

Sutho

Unfortunately, the more you justifiy yourself the more I find it unbelievable.

We will just have to agree to disagree.

[dorsetlad]

I'm rather surprised by the amount of angst this topic has created. You either agree to tipping or you don't, and you still have the choice as you always did. Nothing has really changed. If you want to give less than the recommended amount, you change it, or cancel it. If you wish to give individuals more, you can do that as well. Simples

 

Brian

[RJChatsworth]

A point of interest. The proposed amount for the daily auto-tip on P&O is less than half that it is on Cunard ships. Do the wait staff and cabin staff on P&O earn less than half that of their counterparts on Cunard ships? Don't they all work for Carnival?!!

[FLUFFY01]

Hello

As I understand it, the majority of crew come through an agency and are not directly employed by P&O. If that is the case they will be paid by the agency and it is up to them what the crew are paid and whether they accept it.

Please let me know if I am wrong.

Regards

JO

[Denarius]

A point of interest. The proposed amount for the daily auto-tip on P&O is less than half that it is on Cunard ships. Do the wait staff and cabin staff on P&O earn less than half that of their counterparts on Cunard ships? Don't they all work for Carnival?!!

...and of most (all?) of the US lines. I suspect that this may be because Cunard nowadays caters mainly for passengers from the USA where the golden rule is if it moves tip it - generously. Whilst we Brits think that 10% is OK in the USA this would be considered downright miserly - 15% to 20% is the norm. I suspect that the reality may be that P&O tips have been set at a lower level because of this cultural difference.

[bazzaw]

USA -- where the golden rule is, if it moves tip it

 

 

:D:D:D:D:D:D

[boo214]

Theres nothing wrong with that. Its the thought that counts. I cant afford to solve the worlds populations financial troubles by giving away cash.

 

Besides its better than what I did on my first cruise. 49 nights from Sydney to Southampton the cabin steward got 5 pounds and so did the two dining room waiters.

 

I think 10 pounds per cruise is very fair. Like I have said I am low maintenance, do not need to be waited on hand and foot.

please, 10 pounds per cruise is an insult. especially when the cruise is 49 nights. may as well not even tip. i think 5 pounds is more of an insult than nothing.

[Sutho]

Well what do these cruise lines expect when they sell cruises to ordinary folk with ordinary jobs. I have got camera lenses that are worth more money than some of the cruises I have been on - that is how cheap cruises are.

 

When I sailed Princess it was very easy to have the system removed and no one said a think or laid on the guilt trip when I went to reception to do it.

 

I imagine it would be just as easy with P&O.

 

I dont see it as my job to pay the staff wages or make up the difference for poor pay - a tip is supposed to be a thankyou and that is all it has been to me which is why I dont tip for trivial things, and if I tip on a cruise it is only a small amount.