PS Caledonia Posted September 7, 2012 #1 Share Posted September 7, 2012 Greetings from a sunny London! I saw the issue of a "Crew Welfare Fund" mentioned in a recent thread into which passengers can donate and would be grateful if anyone can let me know if O operate a similar system for their crew. This is NOT a question about tipping... Many thanks in advance. T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted September 7, 2012 #2 Share Posted September 7, 2012 Greetings from a sunny London! I saw the issue of a "Crew Welfare Fund" mentioned in a recent thread into which passengers can donate and would be grateful if anyone can let me know if O operate a similar system for their crew. This is NOT a question about tipping... Many thanks in advance. T. Sorry but we were never made aware of any such fund. Please keep that sunny weather until we arrive for 5 weeks September 29.;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aruba Posted September 7, 2012 #3 Share Posted September 7, 2012 News to me; I never heard of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted September 7, 2012 #4 Share Posted September 7, 2012 You could ask the Purser when onboard I know on our Princess cruise they had a larger globe on the desk where you can donate to their crew fund Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PS Caledonia Posted September 7, 2012 Author #5 Share Posted September 7, 2012 Many thanks for your responses. I will ask at the pursers desk when I get on Board. As for the sunshine, I have my fingers crossed that it will stay like this! October can be warm in London..... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted September 7, 2012 #6 Share Posted September 7, 2012 Greetings from a sunny London! I saw the issue of a "Crew Welfare Fund" mentioned in a recent thread into which passengers can donate and would be grateful if anyone can let me know if O operate a similar system for their crew. This is NOT a question about tipping... Many thanks in advance. T. This is one of those slightly condescending practices that began when wealthy people thought that it was gauche give money directly to the crew. The unsinkable Molly Brown along with other Titanic survivors, famously collected a small fortune to benefit the crew of their rescue ship Carpathia, but to give that kind of money to staff members was unheard of at that time so Cunard was solicited to "administer" the money on their behalf. Steamship companies serving the Far East, on whose ships the tipping of non-British Staff had always been an issue, spread the idea like wildfire. P&O carried on the practice well into the modern era, which is how Princess got involved with it today, but it is more than a little paternalistic, and you'll find that the younger generation of passengers in North America find it slightly distasteful. Older people still love the Welfare Funds, however, so they may be around for a while. Regent apparently makes a big deal of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaCroisiereS'amuse Posted September 7, 2012 #7 Share Posted September 7, 2012 This is one of those slightly condescending practices that began when wealthy people thought that it was gauche give money directly to the crew. The unsinkable Molly Brown along with other Titanic survivors, famously collected a small fortune to benefit the crew of their rescue ship Carpathia, but to give that kind of money to staff members was unheard of at that time so Cunard was solicited to "administer" the money on their behalf. Steamship companies serving the Far East, on whose ships the tipping of non-British Staff had always been an issue, spread the idea like wildfire. P&O carried on the practice well into the modern era, which is how Princess got involved with it today, but it is more than a little paternalistic, and you'll find that the younger generation of passengers in North America find it slightly distasteful. Older people still love the Welfare Funds, however, so they may be around for a while. Regent apparently makes a big deal of them. Different strokes I guess....... This side of the pond they are seen as anything but distasteful..... Fred. Olsen got some great publicity when their crew welfare fund morphed into a full blown charity appeal following devastating floods in the Philippines, from where the vast proportion of their hotel, deck & engineering staff hail from (many of whom have 20+ years of service). http://www.fredolsencruises.com/News/2010/FRED.-OLSEN-PASSENGERS-RAISE-%EF%BF%A142,282-FOR-MANILA-FLOOD-APPEAL Silversea do just the same & one key staff member is designated as the treasurer of the fund, which organises crew events/parties & provides extra internet/phone minutes in case of family emergencies back home etc. & on each occasion our donations were gratefully received, and were told what the next crew event was to be. Maybe this harks back to the Lefebvre family's previous venture, Sitmar. More interesting though is Sea Dream, who also operate a similar scheme...yet they serve a younger, predominantly American clientele. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted September 7, 2012 #8 Share Posted September 7, 2012 I completely disagree that the crew welfare fund is a condescending practice meant to avoid having to give money directly. The true luxury lines where tipping is included all have a crew welfare fund. This is not meant to replace tipping. It is a fund to provide money for crew parties, amenities, sometimes TVs etc and benefits all the crew members who work so hard to make your cruise a success, not just the ones with whom one comes into contact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted September 7, 2012 #9 Share Posted September 7, 2012 More interesting though is Sea Dream, who also operate a similar scheme...yet they serve a younger, predominantly American clientele. Who told you THAT? :eek: Seadream maybe? :confused: We were BIG FANS back in the Sea Goddess days, but those ships are now far too long in the tooth to attract a young clientele from anywhere. :rolleyes: They haven't got a single cabin veranda, for goodness sake.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaCroisiereS'amuse Posted September 7, 2012 #10 Share Posted September 7, 2012 Who told you THAT? :eek:Seadream maybe? :confused: We were BIG FANS back in the Sea Goddess days, but those ships are now far too long in the tooth to attract a young clientele from anywhere. :rolleyes: They haven't got a single cabin veranda, for goodness sake.... Average age was around the 50-54 range on each occasion I've sailed them..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted September 7, 2012 #11 Share Posted September 7, 2012 Average age was around the 50-54 range on each occasion I've sailed them..... Were those cruises some of their 7 day itineraries? On any cruise line, the shorter cruises attract younger people Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaCroisiereS'amuse Posted September 7, 2012 #12 Share Posted September 7, 2012 Were those cruises some of their 7 day itineraries?On any cruise line, the shorter cruises attract younger people One a crossing, the other a 9 day :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted September 7, 2012 #13 Share Posted September 7, 2012 Many thanks for your responses. I will ask at the pursers desk when I get on Board. As for the sunshine, I have my fingers crossed that it will stay like this! October can be warm in London..... :) We were there last October, the warmest on record, with no rain either. London trip # 37 coming up.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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