Spoke to P&O regarding their 40% increase in automatic gratuities.

[grapau27]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but have you not said in the past that are you in favour of including tips in the cruise fare. By continuing to auto tip you are not helping to get the present tipping regime altered as seems to be the option of most on these boards.

 

DAVID

I have emailed P&O twice and had a phone call back off them in regards to making tips inclusive in the cruise price but until they do i will continue to pay autogratuities too.

[daiB]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but have you not said in the past that are you in favour of including tips in the cruise fare. By continuing to auto tip you are not helping to get the present tipping regime altered as seems to be the option of most on these boards.

 

 

 

DAVID

 

 

 

No not wrong at all but my motive if you remember was to get rid of this type of thread which like all the others on tipping goes round and round allowing certain people who do not want to tip to muddy the waters. No one has come up with any facts we have had supposition and hair brained theories about the tipping structure. For that reason I would like to see tipping included in the price and then those who hate the idea would have to pay up. Until then I will continue as I am doing.

 

 

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[grapau27]

No not wrong at all but my motive if you remember was to get rid of this type of thread which like all the others on tipping goes round and round allowing certain people who do not want to tip to muddy the waters. No one has come up with any facts we have had supposition and hair brained theories about the tipping structure. For that reason I would like to see tipping included in the price and then those who hate the idea would have to pay up. Until then I will continue as I am doing.

 

 

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Agreed.

[mary heyworth]

I read occasionally the threads re tipping on cruise ships with some interest and remain baffled as to why we have to put up with this situation over and over again.

Who decided that we would pay a tip (gratuity, service charge) or whatever new title is invented !

I always thought this was an extra payment made at the customers discretion if it was decided that the service received was way beyond what was expected? Am I right or am I wrong?

Perhaps our good old English Oxford Dictionary has got it wrong ?

We always tip and more recently have paid the tips up front long before our cruise. So there you are we too have been drawn in and I thought we were mature sensible adults !

I am a nurse and work in a Nursing Home. Our dedicated, caring excellent Care Staff are paid the minimum wage no more. They do not expect to get a tip from anyone on top of that wage. They are not allowed to get a tip on top of that wage. It is illegal for them to receive a tip from anyone on top of that minimum wage.!! They would indeed be insulted and hurt if someone thought they needed to give them a tip for a job well done.

So there you are. Why then oh why are we expected to pay this to staff on a cruise and made to feel guilty and mean if we dont ?

I ask you fellow cruisers do you get a tip on top of your wage ? I certainly dont and never had and never expected to.

Where did this rubbish idea come from ?

[jeanlyon]

Oh I couldn't agree more.

[grapau27]

I read occasionally the threads re tipping on cruise ships with some interest and remain baffled as to why we have to put up with this situation over and over again.

Who decided that we would pay a tip (gratuity, service charge) or whatever new title is invented !

I always thought this was an extra payment made at the customers discretion if it was decided that the service received was way beyond what was expected? Am I right or am I wrong?

Perhaps our good old English Oxford Dictionary has got it wrong ?

We always tip and more recently have paid the tips up front long before our cruise. So there you are we too have been drawn in and I thought we were mature sensible adults !

I am a nurse and work in a Nursing Home. Our dedicated, caring excellent Care Staff are paid the minimum wage no more. They do not expect to get a tip from anyone on top of that wage. They are not allowed to get a tip on top of that wage. It is illegal for them to receive a tip from anyone on top of that minimum wage.!! They would indeed be insulted and hurt if someone thought they needed to give them a tip for a job well done.

So there you are. Why then oh why are we expected to pay this to staff on a cruise and made to feel guilty and mean if we dont ?

I ask you fellow cruisers do you get a tip on top of your wage ? I certainly dont and never had and never expected to.

Where did this rubbish idea come from ?

TBH you do make a lot of sense when explained like that.

[Millers]

Excellent, what I have said all along.Wait for the do-Gooders

 

 

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[Eglesbrech]

“Where did this rubbish idea come from ?”

 

 

The USA!

[Selbourne]

I read occasionally the threads re tipping on cruise ships with some interest and remain baffled as to why we have to put up with this situation over and over again.

Who decided that we would pay a tip (gratuity, service charge) or whatever new title is invented !

I always thought this was an extra payment made at the customers discretion if it was decided that the service received was way beyond what was expected? Am I right or am I wrong?

Perhaps our good old English Oxford Dictionary has got it wrong ?

We always tip and more recently have paid the tips up front long before our cruise. So there you are we too have been drawn in and I thought we were mature sensible adults !

I am a nurse and work in a Nursing Home. Our dedicated, caring excellent Care Staff are paid the minimum wage no more. They do not expect to get a tip from anyone on top of that wage. They are not allowed to get a tip on top of that wage. It is illegal for them to receive a tip from anyone on top of that minimum wage.!! They would indeed be insulted and hurt if someone thought they needed to give them a tip for a job well done.

So there you are. Why then oh why are we expected to pay this to staff on a cruise and made to feel guilty and mean if we dont ?

I ask you fellow cruisers do you get a tip on top of your wage ? I certainly dont and never had and never expected to.

Where did this rubbish idea come from ?

 

Yes, all makes a lot of sense. Just one fundamental flaw to the logic. P&O stewards and waiters have a basic wage that works out a lot less per hour than those on the minimum wage in the U.K. The service charge (which, by the way, I don’t agree with and should be abolished in favour of higher fares for all) helps get them up to a wage that feels a lot less like exploitation. Do I agree with it? No. Would I work as hard as they do for what they get paid? No way, nor would I suggest would any of us.

[staygulf]

I read occasionally the threads re tipping on cruise ships with some interest and remain baffled as to why we have to put up with this situation over and over again.

Who decided that we would pay a tip (gratuity, service charge) or whatever new title is invented !

I always thought this was an extra payment made at the customers discretion if it was decided that the service received was way beyond what was expected? Am I right or am I wrong?

Perhaps our good old English Oxford Dictionary has got it wrong ?

We always tip and more recently have paid the tips up front long before our cruise. So there you are we too have been drawn in and I thought we were mature sensible adults !

I am a nurse and work in a Nursing Home. Our dedicated, caring excellent Care Staff are paid the minimum wage no more. They do not expect to get a tip from anyone on top of that wage. They are not allowed to get a tip on top of that wage. It is illegal for them to receive a tip from anyone on top of that minimum wage.!! They would indeed be insulted and hurt if someone thought they needed to give them a tip for a job well done.

So there you are. Why then oh why are we expected to pay this to staff on a cruise and made to feel guilty and mean if we dont ?

I ask you fellow cruisers do you get a tip on top of your wage ? I certainly dont and never had and never expected to.

Where did this rubbish idea come from ?

 

This"rubbish idea" as you put it, is part of the American service industry. Yo try ugoing to the USA and not leaving a 20% tip in a restaurant. You'll be run out of town.

 

I sympathise with your views and, as I recently paid the autogratuity on my disastrous Azura cruise without receiving what I would call exceptional service, I wish that I hadn't. I was certainly made to feel uncomfortable when those handing out envelopes on the last day got all the thanks.

 

Nevertheless, you can always decide to remove the autogratuity or, if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen. In other words if you don't accept the cruise line's terms, don't cruise.

[pisces14]

I'm sorry I disagree with you all. Perhaps I'm a lot older but I was brought up to tip people. My parents always tipped. Yes I am old enough to remember when a young boy would deliver our groceries on his bike ( just like Granville in 'Open all hours) He and the boy who delivered our fruit and veg would get a tip from my mother every week. My husband and I always tip in restaurants, hairdressers etc. It's not just an American thing but obviously young people today seem bewildered by it, just as I'm bewildered by the non-tipping generation.

[Presto2]

Hi Mary ... about the best post ever re this subject. .... it made me sit up and think.

 

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[grapau27]

I'm sorry I disagree with you all. Perhaps I'm a lot older but I was brought up to tip people. My parents always tipped. Yes I am old enough to remember when a young boy would deliver our groceries on his bike ( just like Granville in 'Open all hours) He and the boy who delivered our fruit and veg would get a tip from my mother every week. My husband and I always tip in restaurants, hairdressers etc. It's not just an American thing but obviously young people today seem bewildered by it, just as I'm bewildered by the non-tipping generation.

I'm with you.

I remember being in Spain with my mam and dad when i was 14 and leaving tips when i bought drinks.They never questioned my age.

I agree that tips should be included in the cruise price so crew are paid a proper basic wage and then we can give proper tips in recognition of excellent service we received.

[jeanlyon]

During my flying career over 16 years, I certainly didn't tip anything like 20% in the States, so I assume this has inc reased since I left in 1986. I note that it is now normal in London to pay 15% and up. Personally I might give 10% but no more.

 

We do need to remember that the P&Os staff wages are so much better than they could ever earn in their home country, that's why they are happy to work as they do.

[grapau27]

Hi Mary ... about the best post ever re this subject. .... it made me sit up and think.

 

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I agree it puts things into perspective perfectly.

[Selbourne]

We do need to remember that the P&Os staff wages are so much better than they could ever earn in their home country, that's why they are happy to work as they do.

 

True. But we do need to keep in mind that their basic pay is still a lot less than anyone in the U.K. would be paid, even those on the minimum wage.

[Selbourne]

I agree it puts things into perspective perfectly.

 

Not quite perfectly, as it completely overlooked the fact that the P&O staff who benefit from the service charge are paid a lot less than those on the U.K. minimum wage, with whom they were compared in that post!

[majortom10]

Yes, all makes a lot of sense. Just one fundamental flaw to the logic. P&O stewards and waiters have a basic wage that works out a lot less per hour than those on the minimum wage in the U.K. The service charge (which, by the way, I don’t agree with and should be abolished in favour of higher fares for all) helps get them up to a wage that feels a lot less like exploitation. Do I agree with it? No. Would I work as hard as they do for what they get paid? No way, nor would I suggest would any of us.

 

The difference is that the P&O stewards do not live in the UK and the countries they originate from has a lot less standard of living and wages so therefore there pay they get before Service Reward is added is very good to what they would get at home that is why they leave home for 9 months at a time. They earn enough for one member of staff say on a recent e-mail sent by P&O received by many that she hopes to open her own restaurant. What the minimum wage in the UK has nothing to do with staff has they have no connections or anything to do with the UK except for visiting Southampton on a regular basis to disembark and embark punters sorry meant customers.

[majortom10]

True. But we do need to keep in mind that their basic pay is still a lot less than anyone in the U.K. would be paid, even those on the minimum wage.

 

Why it has nothing to do with it.

[AnOnymously]

Booked for next year and first time for me on PO, so just for my interest, people keep talking about envelopes. Does that really mean envelopes, do people take them with them or do PO still provide them? When I have tipped in cash, I have always just planted it in their palm with my goodbye handshake.

[Selbourne]

The difference is that the P&O stewards do not live in the UK and the countries they originate from has a lot less standard of living and wages so therefore there pay they get before Service Reward is added is very good to what they would get at home that is why they leave home for 9 months at a time. They earn enough for one member of staff say on a recent e-mail sent by P&O received by many that she hopes to open her own restaurant. What the minimum wage in the UK has nothing to do with staff has they have no connections or anything to do with the UK except for visiting Southampton on a regular basis to disembark and embark punters sorry meant customers.

 

I don’t disagree, but it was Mary’s post, which seems to have resonated with many, which drew the direct comparison with U.K. staff on the minimum wage and I was trying to point out that it’s an unfair comparison.

[Selbourne]

Booked for next year and first time for me on PO, so just for my interest, people keep talking about envelopes. Does that really mean envelopes, do people take them with them or do PO still provide them? When I have tipped in cash, I have always just planted it in their palm with my goodbye handshake.

 

P&O no longer provide dedicated tipping envelopes. We just hand them the cash.

[daiB]

P&O no longer provide dedicated tipping envelopes. We just hand them the cash.

 

 

 

Yes they do Selbourne you get them from the reception desk. They have piles on them.

 

 

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[grapau27]

Not quite perfectly, as it completely overlooked the fact that the P&O staff who benefit from the service charge are paid a lot less than those on the U.K. minimum wage, with whom they were compared in that post!

Thats true,it was more about the essential services that we don't tip that she pointed out i was referring too.

[Selbourne]

Yes they do Selbourne you get them from the reception desk. They have piles on them.

 

 

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Well I learn something every day! Didn’t know that. I don’t feel the need for them though. Happy just to hand them cash which they can just slip in their pocket.