Prepaying gratuities

[geoherb]

On our last cruise I would of quite happily removed our room stewards grats, he was absolutely useless

In that case, you need to let him know what your expectations are. Then if he continues to be useless, pass along your complaint to the hotel manager. There's no need to suffer bad service day after day. Although, to be honest, we did on one cruise. But it was just a 3-day cruise we were doing back to back with a 4-day one. We had to switch cabins between cruises. We were happy to have a wonderful cabin steward for the second cruise.

[Pierlesscruisers]

Please show me the policy to prove your point. Where is the info of such a pro-rata pool? There is none and the crew get paid a certain amount per person per day. The crew loves their salary because they stay for years and manage to support their extended families and live better off then working in their home countries. They prey on sympathetic Americans to over pay with extra cash. No where is tipping so obnoxious as in the USA.

 

I'll show you the policy to prove my point when you show me the policy that proves your version. I have a good friend who has worked both on ships as one of the officers and also in the corporate offices. The person was a neighbor of ours as a child so have known them for 30 years or so and trust them implicitly. Conversations with that person as well as with a number of crew members have backed up the version of how the tips are handled that I explained, so I'll trust those sources.

 

 

As to tipping being overboard, especially in the US, I'll certainly agree with you on that!

 

Tom

[caribill]

Just to add we have always paid the full amount of gratuities and have never needed to reduce or have them removed from our account on the many cruises we have done. There may be a first time and I would like the option to be able to do so if our complaints were substantial and were not rectified, however this would not be done lightly.

 

The problem with reducing the amount of the "auto-tip" because one person gave poor service is that when you reduce the amount, everyone that shares in you tips gets a reduced amount, not just the one who gave poor service. So you are also punishing those who may have given you great service.

[caribill]

Please show me the policy to prove your point. Where is the info of such a pro-rata pool? There is none and the crew get paid a certain amount per person per day. The crew loves their salary because they stay for years and manage to support their extended families and live better off then working in their home countries.

 

Somewhere there is a thread that includes the text of a crew contract (possibly a search can locate it for you).

 

That contract text refutes 100% what you are saying about crew pay and other compensation.

[pablo222]

Please show me the policy to prove your point. Where is the info of such a pro-rata pool? There is none and the crew get paid a certain amount per person per day.

 

Right back at ya...

 

Please provide proof of "the crew get paid a certain amount per person per day".

 

I personally know this to be false, so I am interested in being PROVEN wrong.

Please help me out.

[leck57]

I've never removed the automatic grats....at least in part because I've never had bad service. I've had good and great' date=' but never bad.[/quote']

 

Agreed. I think the people in general who remove gratuities are probably the ones that scream for extra OBC, or seek compensation when something goes wrong. I'm yet to meet a cruise passenger who is down to bread and dripping but you would think so sometimes. Remove the gratuities and somewhere, someone pays in the end.

[sammybonny]

Somewhere there is a thread that includes the text of a crew contract (possibly a search can locate it for you).

 

That contract text refutes 100% what you are saying about crew pay and other compensation.

I think the one you are referring to was on the P&O forum a while ago and was very interesting but was removed very quickly, it was also put on other forums I think.

I dont know if P&O have the same procedure as Princess for passing on tips but lots of postings on P&O forum saying they will remove tips in future following this information.

 

Sent from my SM-T580 using Forums mobile app

[floridalover5623]

The problem with reducing the amount of the "auto-tip" because one person gave poor service is that when you reduce the amount, everyone that shares in you tips gets a reduced amount, not just the one who gave poor service. So you are also punishing those who may have given you great service.

That problem was created by Princess because of their distribution process.

Yes, it's unfortunate that some people will be under tipped but not by all that much when you consider the whole picture.

[moki'smommy]

Princess has made my portion of the tipping issue easy--pay the stated gratuity. To get involved in what they do with it is entirely too convoluted. What they do with it is between employer and the crew members...who obviously are not terribly unhappy as they continue to return to their positions, often for many years. I can become frustrated with the lack of transparency in the system or just accept it.

 

As I find the automatic 18% in the spa to be ridiculous on top of the already exaggerated charges, I choose to not use that facility. My absence doesn't seem to have harmed Princess or Steiner in any way.

[cruzsnooze]

I also was skeptical until I talked once with the Matradee in one of the dining rooms. He also said that the tip pool is by class of ships. Comment cards have much to do with their portion of the tip pool as does seniority.

That's what I've been told by corp. What we leave is not a factor because corp pools the entire fleet and then distributes it to crew based on class of ship, their seniority, and longevity.

[cruzsnooze]

Somewhere there is a thread that includes the text of a crew contract (possibly a search can locate it for you).

 

That contract text refutes 100% what you are saying about crew pay and other compensation.

I'd love to read that contract please post it. Until something is in writing there is what we have been told by staff or Corp. Everything else is rumor so people are so passionate about this topic eludes me. $10 PP PD seems to be about right to me because I BELIEVE that is what crew gets after corp's admin fees.

[MTNestr]

I'd love to read that contract please post it. Until something is in writing there is what we have been told by staff or Corp. Everything else is rumor so people are so passionate about this topic eludes me. $10 PP PD seems to be about right to me because I BELIEVE that is what crew gets after corp's admin fees.

 

This is from the Princess about Sharing of the Tip Pool:

 

"During your cruise, regardless of which Princess ship you chose, you will meet staff who provide you with excellent service. To simplify the tipping process for our guests, a discretionary gratuity is applied automatically to your shipboard account on a daily basis. This gratuity will be shared amongst those staff who help provide and support your cruise experience, including all waitstaff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards, and housekeeping staff across the fleet."

[moki'smommy]

I'd love to read that contract please post it. Until something is in writing there is what we have been told by staff or Corp. Everything else is rumor so people are so passionate about this topic eludes me. $10 PP PD seems to be about right to me because I BELIEVE that is what crew gets after corp's admin fees.

Do you KNOW that Princess deducts an administrative fee or are you guessing that they do? I don't have a clue whether they do or not.

 

I know that Disney does not deduct any fees from the tips, whether the autogratuity or additional monies. But then, they are far more transparent than Princess as to how they handle tips and everything the cruise line says agrees with what I've been told by various CMs on board.

[onboard2005]

Princess has made my portion of the tipping issue easy--pay the stated gratuity. To get involved in what they do with it is entirely too convoluted. What they do with it is between employer and the crew members...who obviously are not terribly unhappy as they continue to return to their positions' date=' often for many years. I can become frustrated with the lack of transparency in the system or just accept it.

 

As I find the automatic 18% in the spa to be ridiculous on top of the already exaggerated charges, I choose to not use that facility. My absence doesn't seem to have harmed Princess or Steiner in any way.[/quote']

 

I NEVER go to the Spa either because of the ridiculous pricing and auto 18% gratuity! Then they expect more!

Then there's the HARD SELLING TACTICS for the products! Tried it twice and not impressed.

I can relax much better in a quiet place on a lounge chair with a cool drink!

 

Mai

Edited July 4, 2018 by onboard2005

[Brisbane41]

I am considering prepaying our gratuities for our upcoming cruise on Royal Princess in 3 weeks as the exchange rate will make it a bit cheaper.

Although I have no plans to do so (unless the service is particularly bad) is it still possible to amend or remove the tips when onboard?

 

Sent from my SM-T580 using Forums mobile app

 

I always pre pay and get it over and done with and do not have to worry about throwing around cash on the ship or deductions on my account. I could not care less what level of gratuity should go to levels of service. I see it as part of the fare and just get it out of the way and leave it as that.

[pablo222]

That's what I've been told by corp. What we leave is not a factor because corp pools the entire fleet and then distributes it to crew based on class of ship, their seniority, and longevity.

 

I don't get your point about how what you do is not a factor.

 

The hotel charges that princess collects are the pool -- which is then split up and distributed

in some way.

 

If half the people cancel tips, the pool is 1/2 the size, which is then split up and distributed.

With everyone geting 1/2 of what they did in the first example.

 

So, sure, if only you cancel, it will have a very small, but NON ZERO effect on the pool size.

 

Princess has crreated a completely offensive system.

[onboard2005]

We don't mind paying the added auto gratuities. It's something you know will be an added expenditure to figure in when you book along with other travel expenses etc. We would not consider removing gratuities since it would effect more than our cabin steward, it would effect several departments- even though our amount is a fraction in the big picture. In my past work experience before retirement, the comment feedback surveys carry a lot more weight. We book the cabin we want and figure in any other added expenses and choices. Gratuities should always be figured in as part of the cruise expense. Make your complaints at guest services if urgent or in the survey post cruise.

 

Tai

[MTNestr]

We don't mind paying the added auto gratuities. It's something you know will be an added expenditure to figure in when you book along with other travel expenses etc. We would not consider removing gratuities since it would effect more than our cabin steward, it would effect several departments- even though our amount is a fraction in the big picture. In my past work experience before retirement, the comment feedback surveys carry a lot more weight. We book the cabin we want and figure in any other added expenses and choices. Gratuities should always be figured in as part of the cruise expense. Make your complaints at guest services if urgent or in the survey post cruise.

 

Tai

 

Well said - I agree!

[cruzsnooze]

Everyone thinks they know how gratuity is distributed second hand which Is how I got my information too. I was told by someone I know at Corporate the pool is used for employee incentives, employee parties and things of a nature I do not care to contribute too. I'm told they are pooled fleet wide (NOT ship wide) and distributed based on seniority, length of service, class of ship and quality of work. Based on what I BELIEVE I reduce my daily gratuity to $10 PP PD. That's my prerogative per the policy which states it's all discretionary and I use my discretion. If Princess would be more transparent I will re-evaluate my position.

[MTNestr]

. Based on what I BELIEVE I reduce my daily gratuity to $10 PP PD. That's my prerogative per the policy which states it's all discretionary and I use my discretion. If Princess would be more transparent I will re-evaluate my position.

 

I can understand your position. I also wish Princess would be more transparent with everything we pay for.

 

As for me, unless the service is below par I will continue the recommended tip and tip additional for outstanding service.

 

The only position I disagree with is those who remove their entire tips before they even begin the cruise because I see how hard the staff works.

[pablo222]

That's my prerogative per the policy which states it's all discretionary

 

Unfortunately, that is the truth.

 

It is unfortunate that princess has created a situation where some folks pay for others.

 

Princess should make the hotel charge a non-removeable service charge.

That would be fair to everyone.

 

This nauseating policy is a good reason to stay on land.

 

I guess you won't be providing any proof of your claim that:

"the crew get paid a certain amount per person per day"....

[mellon1]

You're joking of course.

But if not, they all do since it's become part of what most people are doing lately.

 

Just curious how much extra people tip their room steward on a 1 week and 10 day cruise, in addition to the normal onboard tips of course. Just wanting to make sure we are in line and not under or over tipping too much. Room steward does the most in our opinion as he is cleaning room, even though we keep ours clean, but sheets, towels, etc. Same with dining room staff, we normally give them extra in addition to the normal tips.

[DFWGUYZ]

Just curious how much extra people tip their room steward on a 1 week and 10 day cruise, in addition to the normal onboard tips of course. Just wanting to make sure we are in line and not under or over tipping too much. Room steward does the most in our opinion as he is cleaning room, even though we keep ours clean, but sheets, towels, etc. Same with dining room staff, we normally give them extra in addition to the normal tips.

 

In addition to the auto grats, we are of the same school as you. We keep our cabin neat so they can do their job without much fuss. For us it's $10.(US) per day for steward. $5.(US) per day for assistant, no matter the length of days. Same for dining steward and assistant. If we are participating in wine, the sommelier receives $5 (US) per day. Room service is always met with $5. (US):):)

 

This is just what we do...others do what they feel, no worries...we don't have a lot but when planning cruise vacations we budget these expenses.

 

To each their own...

[CruiseGal999]

Just curious how much extra people tip their room steward on a 1 week and 10 day cruise, in addition to the normal onboard tips of course. Just wanting to make sure we are in line and not under or over tipping too much. Room steward does the most in our opinion as he is cleaning room, even though we keep ours clean, but sheets, towels, etc. Same with dining room staff, we normally give them extra in addition to the normal tips.

 

I travel solo and I don't tip extra. I prepay my gratuities and I'm covered.

[CruiseGal999]

I've never removed the automatic grats....at least in part because I've never had bad service. I've had good and great' date=' but never bad.[/quote']

 

 

I've had a really bad cabin steward last year on NCL Sky ... and I never even considered removing the gratuities. Or reducing them. I just figured it was his last cruise before going home to MIA for a bit and he was tired & overworked.