gratuities on Princess

[AZbeachboy]

So 15% to 20% seems to be the norm now so are saying you are going to give the breakfast server $1.40 and the steakhouse server $1.40 or the breakfast server $4.00 and the steakhouse server $4.00...:confused:

 

No, I am saying why should the breakfast server get less for the same work. Why does the norm have to be in percentages.

[GUT2407]

No, I am saying why should the breakfast server get less for the same work. Why does the norm have to be in percentages.

 

That's what really puzzles me.

 

Why should you pay more for a plate of lobster than I do for a sandwich, in terms of tips/service fee. If both entail one trip to the table with one plate.

[GUT2407]

Except for the fact that all items in a Princess restaurant are priced the same so the gratuities should be the same regardless of what is ordered.

 

And 20% of zero is .....???

[sweet curise]

I have been on emerald and royal princess and was wondering how the coral compares to them , going to Panama canel in march and have no complaints with princess on last three cruises

[AZbeachboy]

I have been on emerald and royal princess and was wondering how the coral compares to them , going to Panama canel in march and have no complaints with princess on last three cruises

 

I think this is the wrong thread for that question. Sorry.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I do not understand thus 'double tipping' that seems to be common place. If you leave the auto tip in place , why are you tipping again ?

 

 

Actually not "double tipping" unless someone is being pretty generous. You're getting a hotel service charge (AKA auto-gratuities) on your stateroom folio every night. You don't HAVE to give anything $ above that. We don't give any tips on the first day of the cruise (some people will have all sorts of tasks for their cabin steward then, despite the steward needing to get all of his cabins ready). We don't do the greenfisted salute at dinner (we keep on our grats and we have traditional dining which makes it easier to give any extra tip on the last day to the staff). It's your choice. We usually like the service we get so often we do give extra.

 

All comments very interesting. I was not aware of the policy of tips going into a pool if you opt out. We never have opted out but have reduced the amount toward the end of the cruise depending on how the cruise went. So what happens when you reduce the daily tip by say 5% because we didn't stop at a port or we where late to sail or just alot of little things went wrong etc.?

Mark

 

Reduced the amount because of things out of control of the crew members? C'mon. And if a passenger is having problems with service, often a stop at the passenger services desk will help resolve the matter.

[cactusrose]

Why are tips not included in the fare? (Non Australian)

 

There are advantages to line, crew and passengers by doing it this way. For the crew, many of them pay a fee to their agency based on their contracted pay rate. Tips are not included in that rate, any guaranteed income (which is what it would be if included in fare) would be. Thus, the staff keeps a higher percentage of tips.

 

For the line, they pay less on contract, which helps them keep fares appearing lower, plus there are tax advantages. The downside is the effort involved in administering the system.

 

For passengers, the hotel charge is not charged until on board. This means it does not have to appear on a credit card charge 75 days out and does not have to be counted for taxes and trip insurance costs as it would if included in the fare.

[cactusrose]

All comments very interesting. I was not aware of the policy of tips going into a pool if you opt out. We never have opted out but have reduced the amount toward the end of the cruise depending on how the cruise went. So what happens when you reduce the daily tip by say 5% because we didn't stop at a port or we where late to sail or just alot of little things went wrong etc.?

Mark

 

Really? You hold the cabin steward, dinning room staff, laundry people, etc. responsible for missing a port or for a late sailing? :eek:

[Colo Cruiser]

I have been on emerald and royal princess and was wondering how the coral compares to them , going to Panama canel in march and have no complaints with princess on last three cruises

 

 

There is no comparison, the Coral is the best!

Check out the thread you already created. ;)

[shredie]

Really? You hold the cabin steward, dinning room staff, laundry people, etc. responsible for missing a port or for a late sailing? :eek:

 

The people who want to go the cheap route will find any excuse to remove the tips.

[Cuizer2]

As it has evolved in the USA, tipping is expected no matter how poor the service is (restaurants, taxis) or how minimal the service is (hotel porter moving your suitcase 25 feet).

 

It has also expanded to areas it had never been before such as shuttle drivers from a parking lot to the airport terminal.

 

Tipping is based on the quality of the service. I have left no tip in cases where the service was so bad no tip was warranted (restaurants & taxis). If we are truly talking about short distances (25 feet) I will not allow the hotel porter to take my bag. At the airport I'll tip outside the terminal, but not inside.

Edited October 19, 2015 by Cuizer2

[Cuizer2]

So 15% to 20% seems to be the norm now so are saying you are going to give the breakfast server $1.40 and the steakhouse server $1.40 or the breakfast server $4.00 and the steakhouse server $4.00...:confused:

 

$2.70 each.

[Cuizer2]

That's what really puzzles me.

 

Why should you pay more for a plate of lobster than I do for a sandwich, in terms of tips/service fee. If both entail one trip to the table with one plate.

 

Because the lobster has a large claw it can pinch you with while the sandwich poses no threat (hazard pay).

[Cuizer2]

And 20% of zero is .....???

 

It depends, are you asking the server or the served?

[Cuizer2]

I have been on emerald and royal princess and was wondering how the coral compares to them , going to Panama canel in march and have no complaints with princess on last three cruises

 

Just tip 17.5% and you will be okay.

[cherylandtk]

Why are tips not included in the fare? (Non Australian).

I think it is all marketing. For a while a year (2?) or so ago Princess advertised fares that included the taxes and touted them as 'no extra charges' or some such. But all the other lines marketed just as they always have, fare plus port taxes. So Princess fares looked about $100 higher than the competition. THAT marketing plan only last a few months. The current system is so ingrained in traveler's minds.

[caribill]

Just tip 17.5% and you will be okay.

 

17.5% of what?

[caribill]

I think it is all marketing. For a while a year (2?) or so ago Princess advertised fares that included the taxes and touted them as 'no extra charges' or some such. But all the other lines marketed just as they always have, fare plus port taxes. So Princess fares looked about $100 higher than the competition. THAT marketing plan only last a few months. The current system is so ingrained in traveler's minds.

 

It was with the theme "what you see is what you pay."

 

People on this board liked it and were sorry to see it ended.

[AZbeachboy]

I think it is all marketing. For a while a year (2?) or so ago Princess advertised fares that included the taxes and touted them as 'no extra charges' or some such. But all the other lines marketed just as they always have, fare plus port taxes. So Princess fares looked about $100 higher than the competition. THAT marketing plan only last a few months. The current system is so ingrained in traveler's minds.

 

J C Penney tried something similar. They did away with sale marketing and used a lowest price always policy. The prices were really great and lower that sale prices had been. But sale mentality psychology was so strong in people that the company almost closed after one year. They fired the CEO, called back the old CEO who had retired and brought back sale promotions.

 

People can be ignorant.

[AZbeachboy]

It was with the theme "what you see is what you pay."

 

People on this board liked it and were sorry to see it ended.

 

 

Until and shortly after HAL was bought by Carnival, they had a no tipping policy. I loved it, then they changed. Most people still tipped some for good service.

[RocketMan275]

It was with the theme "what you see is what you pay."

 

People on this board liked it and were sorry to see it ended.

 

Many people on cruise critic are almost always surprised to learn that the world does not revolve around "People on this board".

[AZbeachboy]

Many people on cruise critic are almost always surprised to learn that the world does not revolve around "People on this board".

 

Can you explain what you meant by this statement. I think caribill was only saying that many people on CC liked the idea of one price in the advertising. So, I don't know what that has to do with a general slamming of those who are members of this board.

 

There my quite well be some egocentric and arrogant people here, but how do you know. Some may just be misinformed about things. Others might have expectations that have way passed from sailing a long time ago.

[RocketMan275]

Can you explain what you meant by this statement. I think caribill was only saying that many people on CC liked the idea of one price in the advertising. So, I don't know what that has to do with a general slamming of those who are members of this board.

 

There my quite well be some egocentric and arrogant people here, but how do you know. Some may just be misinformed about things. Others might have expectations that have way passed from sailing a long time ago.

 

My post: "Many people on cruise critic are almost always surprised to learn that the world does not revolve around "People on this board"." was not a criticism of caribill or of posters on cruise critic in general. It was heavily caveated to limit it's application to those who do think the cruise lines should change their policies to match their preferences. Any thread on gratuities provides sufficient justification of my post.

[AZbeachboy]

My post: "Many people on cruise critic are almost always surprised to learn that the world does not revolve around "People on this board"." was not a criticism of caribill or of posters on cruise critic in general. It was heavily caveated to limit it's application to those who do think the cruise lines should change their policies to match their preferences. Any thread on gratuities provides sufficient justification of my post.

 

Thanks for the clarification.

[Cuizer2]

17.5% of what?

Of what you eat.