Princess Australian Tipping

[Westaussie]

You should double check about bookings made outside Australia for Dawn Princess, Sea Princess and Sun Princess. This is a real grey area I find. Its perfectly clear when you book in Australia on these ships that its included in the price but whether that applies to bookings made outside of Australia I am unsure.

Booked Sun Princess 8 January 2016 with a TA in Perth that I have used several times. She asked me if I wanted to pre-pay gratuities and I said I thought they were included and would check. Sure enough on my cruise personaliser it comes up with pre-pay or add to on board account. It's a large amount and I don't like not paying gratuities, TA had indicated that things have changed ... is this so?

[rkmw]

Booked Sun Princess 8 January 2016 with a TA in Perth that I have used several times. She asked me if I wanted to pre-pay gratuities and I said I thought they were included and would check. Sure enough on my cruise personaliser it comes up with pre-pay or add to on board account. It's a large amount and I don't like not paying gratuities, TA had indicated that things have changed ... is this so?

 

things havent changed for us aussie and with the Golden & Diamond coming here from october 2015 thru to april 2016 they will be in AUD and no tips booking with a local agent

 

maybe your TA has seen the princess personalizer where it says we can pre pay our tips but its included in the fare for aussies and kiwis

Edited January 29, 2015 by rkmw

[Aus Traveller]

Booked Sun Princess 8 January 2016 with a TA in Perth that I have used several times. She asked me if I wanted to pre-pay gratuities and I said I thought they were included and would check. Sure enough on my cruise personaliser it comes up with pre-pay or add to on board account. It's a large amount and I don't like not paying gratuities, TA had indicated that things have changed ... is this so?

Things haven't changed, but, if I was in your position, I would change Travel Agents. They should know that Princess Australia doesn't have auto-tips. :)

[Westaussie]

Things haven't changed, but, if I was in your position, I would change Travel Agents. They should know that Princess Australia doesn't have auto-tips. :)

What I am querying is why when I log into my booking on Princess website it comes up large as life with "pay now" or add to on board account? I don't think that has anything to do with any TA.

[Aus Traveller]

What I am querying is why when I log into my booking on Princess website it comes up large as life with "pay now" or add to on board account? I don't think that has anything to do with any TA.

There is definitely no tipping expected on the Australian-based Princess ships. I just disembarked two days ago. One of our dinner companions discussed this issue because they had encountered it. I can only assume that Princess has it on its website because the Australian part of their business is only a minor part (currently three fairly small ships out of 18).

 

Just ignore the request to pre-pay the tips. I feel your TA should know this and have advised you not to pay.

Edited January 29, 2015 by Aus Traveller

[Westaussie]

There is definitely no tipping expected on the Australian-based Princess ships. I just disembarked two days ago. One of our dinner companions discussed this issue because they had encountered it. I can only assume that Princess has it on its website because the Australian part of their business is only a minor part (currently three fairly small ships out of 18).

 

Just ignore the request to pre-pay the tips. I feel your TA should know this and have advised you not to pay.

Thanks - will take your advice!

[hazand]

Booked Sun Princess 8 January 2016 with a TA in Perth that I have used several times. She asked me if I wanted to pre-pay gratuities and I said I thought they were included and would check. Sure enough on my cruise personaliser it comes up with pre-pay or add to on board account. It's a large amount and I don't like not paying gratuities, TA had indicated that things have changed ... is this so?

 

After seeing same thing on my personaliser, I questioned our TA. Was told we would have to pay. Not satisfied emailed Princesas and recieved following message.

 

"Princess Cruises guests frequently request that we enable online gratuity pre payment. Other brands report that gratuities are the most commonly prepaid onboard expense. Effective December 18, 2014, this feature is available on the Cruise Personalizer to optionally pay pre cruise.

During your cruise, regardless of which Princess ship you choose, you will meet staff who provide you with excellent service. A gratuity payment is sometimes enforced depending on the ship you sail. This gratuity is shared among those staff who help provide and support your cruise experience, including all waitstaff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards, and housekeeping staff across the fleet. I do however, understand that this gratuity may be high at some points. Gratuities onboard the Sea Princess are not compulsory and are payable at your own discretion. Therefore, if you choose not pay this you just need to decline this option or ignore completeley."

We always pay automatic gratuities when we have to and individually a bit extra when included in cost. I think by putting it in the personaliser, a lot of people will be paying twice. On a 35 night cruise this adds up.

[By The Bay]

If the Pre-Pay Gratuity option started by Princess in December is leaving OZ TA's and cruises confused, think of all the extra payments that will be made in ignorance.

 

If you do click on the Pre-Pay link, the next screen calls it an "Optional Gratuity Pre Payment". Why is it not called that at the first link? Again, is it just to confuse?:confused:

[Westaussie]

After seeing same thing on my personaliser, I questioned our TA. Was told we would have to pay. Not satisfied emailed Princesas and recieved following message.

 

"Princess Cruises guests frequently request that we enable online gratuity pre payment. Other brands report that gratuities are the most commonly prepaid onboard expense. Effective December 18, 2014, this feature is available on the Cruise Personalizer to optionally pay pre cruise.

During your cruise, regardless of which Princess ship you choose, you will meet staff who provide you with excellent service. A gratuity payment is sometimes enforced depending on the ship you sail. This gratuity is shared among those staff who help provide and support your cruise experience, including all waitstaff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards, and housekeeping staff across the fleet. I do however, understand that this gratuity may be high at some points. Gratuities onboard the Sea Princess are not compulsory and are payable at your own discretion. Therefore, if you choose not pay this you just need to decline this option or ignore completeley."

 

We always pay automatic gratuities when we have to and individually a bit extra when included in cost. I think by putting it in the personaliser, a lot of people will be paying twice. On a 35 night cruise this adds up.

I checked a few on-line websites and two came up with "gratuities not included" getting more confused I rang Princess today and this was confirmed - so my TA was correct and things have changed again! On a 46 night cruise it certainly adds up!

[sagittarius]

@westaussie. According to Princess rep I spoke to NO daily charge is added to our onboard bill each day because we are Australian and we prefer to tip individually! (She also said it's not actually included in the fare either). And it's possible to go guest services on board to confirm this. I agree that for 46 days the daily charge would come to a large amount. Does that help or confuse us even more? Think I'll go with the tip specific individuals scenario.

[Westaussie]

@westaussie. According to Princess rep I spoke to NO daily charge is added to our onboard bill each day because we are Australian and we prefer to tip individually! (She also said it's not actually included in the fare either). And it's possible to go guest services on board to confirm this. I agree that for 46 days the daily charge would come to a large amount. Does that help or confuse us even more? Think I'll go with the tip specific individuals scenario.

Thanks for that - I think we're getting there and maybe less confused!!

[Aus Traveller]

After seeing same thing on my personaliser, I questioned our TA. Was told we would have to pay. Not satisfied emailed Princesas and recieved following message.

 

"Princess Cruises guests frequently request that we enable online gratuity pre payment. Other brands report that gratuities are the most commonly prepaid onboard expense. Effective December 18, 2014, this feature is available on the Cruise Personalizer to optionally pay pre cruise.

During your cruise, regardless of which Princess ship you choose, you will meet staff who provide you with excellent service. A gratuity payment is sometimes enforced depending on the ship you sail. This gratuity is shared among those staff who help provide and support your cruise experience, including all waitstaff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards, and housekeeping staff across the fleet. I do however, understand that this gratuity may be high at some points. Gratuities onboard the Sea Princess are not compulsory and are payable at your own discretion. Therefore, if you choose not pay this you just need to decline this option or ignore completeley."

 

We always pay automatic gratuities when we have to and individually a bit extra when included in cost. I think by putting it in the personaliser, a lot of people will be paying twice. On a 35 night cruise this adds up.

This is what I said in an earlier post.

 

I am confident that people won't end up paying the gratuities twice. If someone prepays the gratuity, it will show up as a credit on their on-board account when they board.:) Gratuities (or Hotel Charge) are debited every night.

Edited January 30, 2015 by Aus Traveller

[Aus Traveller]

Colo Cruiser asked where I had the information that staff on the Australian-based ships are paid more than staff on other Princess ships. (The "quote" function seems to be doing funny things so I have re-typed Colo Cruiser's question so my answer makes sense.)

 

To answer - This information was part of the announcement from Princess Cruises when tips were removed (rolled into the fare) on the Australian-based ships.

 

It is only logical that the wages would have to be much higher than on the other ships. Experienced cruisers know that on the rest of the fleet, stewards/bar staff etc. are paid a fairly nominal wage as part of their contract and that they rely on tips from the tips pool and tips handed to them personally to make a 'living wage'. If the contracted wage for the staff on the Aussie ships wasn't increased, no-one would work on these ships.

 

We cruise fairly frequently and constantly run into staff who have been on these ships for years. We have been told a few times that they like working on the Australian ships and I believe these comments to be genuine, and not just to please us. :)

Edited January 30, 2015 by Aus Traveller

[Colo Cruiser]

Colo Cruiser asked where I had the information that staff on the Australian-based ships are paid more than staff on other Princess ships. (The "quote" function seems to be doing funny things so I have re-typed Colo Cruiser's question so my answer makes sense.)

 

To answer - This information was part of the announcement from Princess Cruises when tips were removed (rolled into the fare) on the Australian-based ships.

 

It is only logical that the wages would have to be much higher than on the other ships. Experienced cruisers know that on the rest of the fleet, stewards/bar staff etc. are paid a fairly nominal wage as part of their contract and that they rely on tips from the tips pool and tips handed to them personally to make a 'living wage'. If the contracted wage for the staff on the Aussie ships wasn't increased, no-one would work on these ships.

 

We cruise fairly frequently and constantly run into staff who have been on these ships for years. We have been told a few times that they like working on the Australian ships and I believe these comments to be genuine, and not just to please us. :)

 

Thanks for the answer. It has been said for a long time by many Aussies how the fares are so much higher then the US. Is this still the case? If so why do you think that is?

[Aus Traveller]

Thanks for the answer. It has been said for a long time by many Aussies how the fares are so much higher then the US. Is this still the case? If so why do you think that is?

I think they are higher on some cruises but not all. From what I have seen, you can great deals, particularly in the Caribbean. This is probably because of competition between the cruiselines. I have also seen that people from USA pay more than we do for some Australian cruises. Just as we can access sale prices close to sailing date when there are unsold cabins, so can you in the US.

 

Where prices are higher, I think it is simply 'business'. Princess (and other cruiselines) charge what they can. I saw this when we considered taking a cruise around the Japanese islands. It was very expensive. Another example are the world cruises where Princess can sell them all at a fairly high price. These cruises sell anyway. Cruises in holiday season are always more expensive than out of season. They sell anyway.:)

 

I feel that some people make the mistake of comparing the 'full' price with last minute specials that are available in a particularly area.

 

The same applies to the higher prices for drinks on Australian-based cruises.

 

By the way, I don't winge about our higher prices. I just think it would be fair if we could book through American travel agents, but we cannot. :(

Edited January 30, 2015 by Aus Traveller

[Aussie One]

Ok so no tipping no gratuities how do you book into MTD as i thought the only way to enter here was with paid up gratuities or a suite booking

thank you Aussie

[caribill]

Ok so no tipping no gratuities how do you book into MTD as i thought the only way to enter here was with paid up gratuities or a suite booking

thank you Aussie

 

Royal Caribbean has that requirement, not Princess.

[Aus Traveller]

Ok so no tipping no gratuities how do you book into MTD as i thought the only way to enter here was with paid up gratuities or a suite booking

thank you Aussie

Caribill is correct.

 

On Australian-based Princess ships there is only traditional dining (plus buffet & speciality restaurants). There is no Anytime Dining. You will have a choice of early or late dining and you can nominate a preference for table size. If you are not happy with your allocation, you can see the Maitre 'd on the first afternoon just after boarding. The time will be printed in the Princess Patter. If you can't do that, just front up on the first night at 5.30 and wait to see him. As there will be plenty of others wanting to change their allocation there could be a wait of 15-20 minutes. In my experience, the Maitre 'd s are like one-armed jugglers trying to please everyone and they do a great job. :)