Prepaying gratuities

[voljeep]

so, basically, my wife and I "have" to pay 13.50 x 2 = $ 27 per day for the privilege of tipping "extra" to our cabin steward and knowing that he will get to keep all of it, and not have to turn it in to the tip pool that covers other ships in the fleet...

 

that seems reasonable..:rolleyes:

[floridalover5623]

Read the rules and regulations regarding the customer purchase of the Coffee Card. When you purchase the card it states it is assumed that you agree to all the terms. If you call Princess they will tell you that they offer no refunds or compensation such as OBC, Specialty Dining, etc.. You have to either book another cruise to use them or you will loose your investment. I would be happy if they put the money from all those unusable cards into the tip pool!

 

 

You're not covering the service for anyone. You pay for the cruise. Gratuities are an added bonus to the crew for going beyond what is expected. They get a wage for their job. Gratuities are an added incentive and extra. Gratuities are discretionary. It is each persons decision if they choose to pay them, how much they choose to pay them, and how they choose to pay them. Auto payment or cash at the end of the cruise in the amount you choose to pay.

 

It's too bad that corporate can't come up with better ways to make changes that effect their customers. I don't think that they always think things through. How hard would it be to offer Specialty Dining or OBC of some kind for such issues. They've wasted time and money on Ocean Medallion! Go figure.... What ever happened to customer satisfaction. As we can see it creates a lot of bad feelings for some people.

 

In the end, I'll always reward the crew for great service.

I enjoy my cruises and the wonderful crew and people I've met.

I hope you enjoy your land travels.

 

Tai

Most of the people who are not upset with the loss of coffee card money have no extra coffee cards & therefore have nothing to lose.

 

For the rest of us who have older cards, the dollar loss is very real.

 

In the future I can accept the fact that the cards will be only good for 1 cruise only & then cancelled but after they promised everyone that they would be good forever on any ship, that just irks to me as a downright lie. :mad:

It certainly wasn't thought out very well by the Princess execs.

[MTNestr]

Thank you for demonstrating why this should be a mandatory service charge for all passengers.

 

Your 'reason' has absolutely nothing to do with the service provided by people in the tip pool.

 

It would be courteous if you could advise the people serving you, your cabin steward, etc. that you would not be

tipping them because princess cheated you on coffee cards.

 

Well said and I agree with you 1000%

 

Has any of the loyal tippers ever done non-cash tips? I’ve read where people gave calling cards or when they saw crew members on their day off at a restaurant at a port would pay for their meal. Anyone done this or have other suggestions? We normally leave leftover cans of pop and the rest of our laundry detergent in our room on the last day for our room stewart.

[onboard2005]

Most of the people who are not upset with the loss of coffee card money have no extra coffee cards & therefore have nothing to lose.

 

For the rest of us who have older cards, the dollar loss is very real.

 

In the future I can accept the fact that the cards will be only good for 1 cruise only & then cancelled but after they promised everyone that they would be good forever on any ship, that just irks to me as a downright lie. :mad:

It certainly wasn't thought out very well by the Princess execs.

 

Thank you, I agree.

This thread has a hint of hostility over a "discretionary" subject.

WOW!!!

 

Tai

[onboard2005]

Well said and I agree with you 1000%

 

Has any of the loyal tippers ever done non-cash tips? I’ve read where people gave calling cards or when they saw crew members on their day off at a restaurant at a port would pay for their meal. Anyone done this or have other suggestions? We normally leave leftover cans of pop and the rest of our laundry detergent in our room on the last day for our room stewart.

 

Those are great suggestions for tipping and we've done some of those things before.

Thanks for reminding us all of those. :)

 

Tai

[Pierlesscruisers]

[quote name=floridalover5623;56500863In the future I can accept the fact that the cards will be only good for 1 cruise only & then cancelled but after they promised everyone that they would be good forever on any ship' date=' that just irks to me as a downright lie. :mad:

It certainly wasn't thought out very well by the Princess execs.[/quote]

 

That is true. You shouldn't be able to change the rules after giving/, exchanging, or selling something. Change the format for whatever it is from that point on so that you can tell when the item was obtained and continue to use the "old" format item according to the "old" rules and use the "new" format item according to the "new" rules. That is fair to all involved, both company and customer.

 

Tom

[pablo222]

You're not covering the service for anyone.

 

Of course I am. People paying the hotel charge are covering those who do not.

 

A waiter for instance -- they took a contract on a ship to earn money. Not because they enjoy working

12-14 hours a day; not for some romantic reason like seeing the world; they took the job to make money.

 

If everyone cancelled tips, the waiters would go home.

 

If the folks at one table in the dining room cancel tips, and the folks at the next table leave tips in place...

 

The waiter is serving both table, but only being paid by half the folks.

The folks at the table who didn't pay are get service on the backs of the others.

 

I've enjoyed having my eyes opened by the vindictiveness of some people.

 

This will encourage me not to cruise.

[Kimba2]

Certainly a lot of excuses being made for being cheap.

 

Anyone who works for tips can easily recognize who tips and who doesn't.

 

While a good employee would never withold service, they will always go above and beyond for those who aren't stingy.

[floridalover5623]

Well said and I agree with you 1000%

 

Has any of the loyal tippers ever done non-cash tips? I’ve read where people gave calling cards or when they saw crew members on their day off at a restaurant at a port would pay for their meal. Anyone done this or have other suggestions? We normally leave leftover cans of pop and the rest of our laundry detergent in our room on the last day for our room stewart.

I do it all the time & will continue to do so on our next cruise even though I'll remove some of the standard gratuity for my loss of some coffee card punches.

My intent is not to remove all the auto gratuity but just the portion that Princess stole from me what they basically cancelled my old coffee cards.

I always bring "gifts" especially for the crew we have gotten to know over the years & reward them individually. They can't turn it in but only share it with others if they feel the need.

This way they can't be held liable for not turning in cash into the pool so that other crew members benefit also.

[PrincessLuver]

Certainly a lot of excuses being made for being cheap.

 

Anyone who works for tips can easily recognize who tips and who doesn't.

 

While a good employee would never withold service, they will always go above and beyond for those who aren't stingy.

 

Choosing not to tip for mediocre service is not equated with being cheap.......just in control.......:rolleyes:

[Kimba2]

Choosing not to tip for mediocre service is not equated with being cheap.......just in control.......:rolleyes:

So I guess "control" is synonymous with "cheap"

 

Call it what you want if it makes you feel better - but if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.

[Pierlesscruisers]

This will save me money, as I would rather stay on land than cover the service provided to these people.

 

This will encourage me not to cruise.

 

I'm curious why you, after making these 2 statements, are still hanging around here on Cruise Critic since you'd rather be on land than on a ship and have been encouraged not to cruise. If you don't enjoy spending your money and time on cruises, why are you wasting time typing messages here?

 

Tom

[onboard2005]

I'm curious why you, after making these 2 statements, are still hanging around here on Cruise Critic since you'd rather be on land than on a ship and have been encouraged not to cruise. If you don't enjoy spending your money and time on cruises, why are you wasting time typing messages here?

 

Tom

 

 

Well said!!!!!

[onboard2005]

So I guess "control" is synonymous with "cheap"

 

Call it what you want if it makes you feel better - but if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.

 

YIKES!!! The claws have come out!!! :eek::eek::eek:

 

I personally like being in "control" of my finances!

A dictionary might help you. Control and Cheap are 2 different words.

Also Gratuity and Wage are 2 different words.

 

I like having choices. I can pay the auto gratuity, not pay it, adjust the amount, or give tangible things to the crew.

My choice. In a free country I like that! :)

 

Where's the fire department..... ;)

chill out everyone :wine-glass:

 

Tai

[pablo222]

I'm curious why you, after making these 2 statements, are still hanging around here on Cruise Critic since you'd rather be on land than on a ship and have been encouraged not to cruise. If you don't enjoy spending your money and time on cruises, why are you wasting time typing messages here?

 

 

That's not very welcoming, Tom.

 

I'm surprised to see you post something like that.

 

I mentioned recently that I got into an argument with a gent who subsequently admitted he hadn't been on a princess cruise in six years.

 

I'm noticed a huge portion of the medallion posts have been made by a single individual who has never been on a ship with a medallion.

 

There is no requirement that anyone have any cruise experience to back up what they post here.

 

If you're genuinly concerned about people needlessly spending time posts, I think you should start

with the folks with 50,000+ posts. I've noticed that most of them have no more chance being right

that some one the more modest posters.

 

 

 

As for me, I'm like a battered spouse who keeps going back for more.

 

I keep thinking if I go back one more time on princess, it will be good the way it used to be.

 

I just need to break the habit.

[pablo222]

Well said!!!!!

 

Thank you for your thoughful reply.

[Kimba2]

So I guess "control" is synonymous with "cheap"

 

Call it what you want if it makes you feel better - but if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.

 

Well said!!!!!

Thank you

[onboard2005]

Thank you for your thoughful reply.

 

You're welcome.

[onboard2005]

Thank you

 

You're welcome.

[moki'smommy]

If you don't like the way the automatic gratuity is portioned out on Princess, there are other cruise lines where tips, whether paid by autogratuity or by handing cash or an envelope to an individual, go directly to that individual and stay there. You can still cruise, but choose to take your business from Princess or from lines that assess an "administrative charge" on auto-grats. Unfortunately, the cost of the cruise fare may be significantly increased from Princess costs. The service may or may not be.

 

While many crew stick to the first line that employed them, there is a significant percentage who have moved to another company. They must see some benefit in the move.

[bahacca]

I've been reading stuff for the last hour on the prepaid tips. So is Princess one that basically takes the gratuities and uses it to "fund" salaries and the crew never sees any of it? If this is the case, what CAN the crew keep? Do they split any cash left? Do they get to keep all cash left? I want to make sure the people giving me service are the ones seeing my money. Not CCL/Princess corporate just adding it to their coffers to pay their people. Thank you!

[UAL_FlyGal]

 

I pay the gratuity if my service is good. If it is not, I have the RIGHT and OPTION to change it.

There's no obligation other than paying for the cruise. That is the fact.

 

They will never make it a mandatory service charge because they want to keep their price down.

It's all business. Business and profit.

Gratuities have been, are, and will always be DISCRETIONARY!

They can't make you pay them- it's your choice. It's your money.

 

Tai

 

BRAVO!!

[TheRabbit]

Been reading these posts and have posted a few weeks ago and still can't get my head around why people want to be in "control" with where their tips go. Do you do this at a restaurant? Do you write on the tip line that all the money should go to the cook as the food was great but in my opinion the waiter could have been a bit better! Probably not.

 

When people are given choices, not all will take the same choice. I found it took to much of our time in the past to get the right change and envelopes to distribute the tips. New method saves all this and and you want to circumvent it because you think one server should get less than one room steward? How much of your time is being spent to adjust the tips by 10 to 20 percent as to where they go? In the end are you tipping as much as the minimum suggested gratuity was?

 

Here is a good question for those wanting to be in "control", do you leave a tip for the maid when you stay at a hotel? If you are in control, then you have either done one or the other, complained to the front desk that the room was not perfect or left a 5 dollar tip per day for the maid. Think to yourself, which one was it?

 

In all our cruises, we have never once had poor service. However, we are very clear with what our expectations are, and we tip extra just for those expectations that are over and above. This is on top of extra tips we always give for just basic service. We are also very nice to all servers and are aware any server could have a bad day and have their mind elsewhere. We have had a server who's child was sick and they had not heard anything for two days. Would your mind be completely on your work in this situation? My DW is very good at seeing this in people and will ask what she can do when she see one of the crew helping us with their mind elsewhere. Where as, a large group of others would call this person incompetent, raise their expectations, complain and then not want to tip them. If you were in the situation with a sick child and no word from home, would your work at your job be at its best? Doubt it. Maybe your boss should dock your pay for the day!:confused:

 

I apologize if I sounded too snarky, but it just bothers me the excuses privileged people as ourselves use for not tipping.

[voljeep]

However, we are very clear with what our expectations are,

 

Exactly what are those 'expectations' over and beyond the 'standard' services ?

 

and how do you communicate those to the Princess personnel?

 

do you tell your waiter you "expect" extra butter, and it should not come out frozen?

 

talk about 'privileged , indeed...:rolleyes:

[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

 

This thread has gotten off topic, a bit hostile, and a disgusting conversation.

I stand by my original post as written above.

I have, and always will, pay my gratuities.

That is my choice.

 

Happy cruising! Chill out! :)

Tai