Onboard Revenue creep

[NeonMoon]

Carnival is increasing beverage gratuity to 18%.

At least the servers will see some of it on their checks and benefits.

Carnival Beverage Gratuity Increase

[coevan]

good for them, 18% is more in line. I'm a little surprised the website does not know the difference between a comma and a period, pretty odd for a publication.

[BENHANDEL]

How does this impact prepaid Cheers! programs? 

[naxer]

25 minutes ago, coevan said:

 I'm a little surprised the website does not know the difference between a comma and a period, pretty odd for a publication.

I poked around a bit on the website--it's kind of fun.  In the places I poked in, the comma and the period in their numbers are reversed to our style.  This leads me to believe the website is edited or compiled by someone from a country that uses that style. 

[sanmarcosman]

40 minutes ago, coevan said:

good for them, 18% is more in line. I'm a little surprised the website does not know the difference between a comma and a period, pretty odd for a publication.

 

That publication is from Continental Europe, hence the comma as they do: "  the symbol used to separate the integer part of a decimal number from its fractional part is called the decimal point. In the United States, the decimal point is denoted with a period (e.g., 3.1415), whereas a raised period is used in Britain (e.g., ), and a decimal comma is used in continental Europe (e.g., 3,1415) "

source: Wolfram MathWorld

Edited November 30, 2018 by sanmarcosman

[FlaParrotHead]

So, here is the part of this I do not like, per the letter;

 

 “... From this 3% increase, 1.5% will go to server and remaining 1.5% will go into the ASP pool. As you know the ASP pool funds employee compensation and benefit programs that you receive; including bar level pay, itinerary stipend pay, as well as free uniform and return airline tickets...” 

 

I, and other, have always been under the assumption that 100% of the gratuities go to the staff, apparently, not directly per this letter.

 

if 100% does not go directly to the staff, then maybe it’s time to rethink what, when, and how much to pay.

 

we should not be subsidizing this ASP pool with gratuities.

[jimbo5544]

20 minutes ago, FlaParrotHead said:

So, here is the part of this I do not like, per the letter;

 

 “... From this 3% increase, 1.5% will go to server and remaining 1.5% will go into the ASP pool. As you know the ASP pool funds employee compensation and benefit programs that you receive; including bar level pay, itinerary stipend pay, as well as free uniform and return airline tickets...” 

 

I, and other, have always been under the assumption that 100% of the gratuities go to the staff, apparently, not directly per this letter.

 

if 100% does not go directly to the staff, then maybe it’s time to rethink what, when, and how much to pay.

 

we should not be subsidizing this ASP pool with gratuities.

Says you.... why on earth do you care?  If it were 50% and the crew got it all would you be ok with that?  For the record, a potion of tips has been going to the "fund" for years.....  not sure where you drew your assumptions from.  3% is what....let me do the math on a dollar it is carry the 1 dived by square root of the circumference.....ummm 3 cents.  

[coevan]

I see it as good for everyone. Parrot head, which I am as well, you are over thinking this. 

[BlerkOne]

47 minutes ago, FlaParrotHead said:

So, here is the part of this I do not like, per the letter;

 

 “... From this 3% increase, 1.5% will go to server and remaining 1.5% will go into the ASP pool. As you know the ASP pool funds employee compensation and benefit programs that you receive; including bar level pay, itinerary stipend pay, as well as free uniform and return airline tickets...” 

 

I, and other, have always been under the assumption that 100% of the gratuities go to the staff, apparently, not directly per this letter.

 

if 100% does not go directly to the staff, then maybe it’s time to rethink what, when, and how much to pay.

 

we should not be subsidizing this ASP pool with gratuities.

 

Malarkey. What part of the ASP pool ISN'T going the employees.

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, BENHANDEL said:

How does this impact prepaid Cheers! programs? 

It is a bar service, so it applies.  If you are buying the program after Dec 1 (if reports are accurate) then the gratuities they would charge you for the package would go up 3%....

[ULCajunCruiser]

1 hour ago, BENHANDEL said:

How does this impact prepaid Cheers! programs? 

If you're asking about those who have already bought CHEERS but haven't cruised yet, then I'd think you'd be unaffected.   I think it'll only affect purchases made after Dec 1st

[FlaParrotHead]

32 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

 

Malarkey. What part of the ASP pool ISN'T going the employees.

Here is the point.  Gratuities, Tips, whatever you want to call them have always been for the service we receive on our cruise.  The ASP is different, per this letter, and that is fact.  Having sailed for 25 years and a member here for over 15 years, I do not think anyone was ever made aware of this fund or how it is partially funded by our tips.  Sorry .... but this pool should be funded by our cruise fares (100%) and tips or gratuities be directly given to the employees working on a passengers specific voyage ... 

[KristiK]

17 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

It is a bar service, so it applies.  If you are buying the program after Dec 1 (if reports are accurate) then the gratuities they would charge you for the package would go up 3%....

 Just wondering about the Dec 1st report.....has Carnival announced that?

[BlerkOne]

15 minutes ago, FlaParrotHead said:

Here is the point.  Gratuities, Tips, whatever you want to call them have always been for the service we receive on our cruise.  The ASP is different, per this letter, and that is fact.  Having sailed for 25 years and a member here for over 15 years, I do not think anyone was ever made aware of this fund or how it is partially funded by our tips.  Sorry .... but this pool should be funded by our cruise fares (100%) and tips or gratuities be directly given to the employees working on a passengers specific voyage ... 

 

Tips have always been split and ASP is no different. 

[jimbo5544]

18 minutes ago, KristiK said:

 Just wondering about the Dec 1st report.....has Carnival announced that?

Not as of yet.  It was reported in a fairly well known European crew based website that has been correct before....

[KristiK]

8 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Not as of yet.  It was reported in a fairly well known European crew based website that has been correct before....

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=8933

 

It certainly got me to get off my butt and finalize it now before my Jan cruise rather than the procrastinating I had been doing. 🙂

 

 

[jimbo5544]

8 minutes ago, KristiK said:

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=8933

 

It certainly got me to get off my butt and finalize it now before my Jan cruise rather than the procrastinating I had been doing. 🙂

 

 

Not to ruin your day...... but this is different.

[KristiK]

1 minute ago, jimbo5544 said:

Not to ruin your day...... but this is different.

 

Yes, but its probably related. I can't imagine that different gratuities will be increased on different days....so Dec 1st seems like a solid probability for all the increases.

 

Or it's not....but it got me to stop debating and just jump in and pay for it. lol

[jimbo5544]

2 minutes ago, KristiK said:

 

Yes, but its probably related. I can't imagine that different gratuities will be increased on different days....so Dec 1st seems like a solid probability for all the increases.

 

Or it's not....but it got me to stop debating and just jump in and pay for it. lol

I do love your attitude....relax, and enjoy your cruise.  Let us know all about when you return.

[Schoifmom]

13 hours ago, FlaParrotHead said:

 

I, and other, have always been under the assumption that 100% of the gratuities go to the staff, apparently, not directly per this letter.

 

if 100% does not go directly to the staff, then maybe it’s time to rethink what, when, and how much to pay.

 

we should not be subsidizing this ASP pool with gratuities.

 

It seems that your "understanding" has been flawed.  If you pay less, then the employee will receive less.  How is that helpful?  You can't specifically state that "I don't want to pay into the ASP pool."  Also, the only way to not pay the bar gratuities is to not make any bar purchases.

 

100% of additional gratuities do go to the employees.

 

BTW, these employees work under contract and those contracts specifically state what percentage of the gratuities they get to keep and what percentage is placed into the ASP pool (which is for their benefit, so it does go to them).  

 

That ASP pool provides additional payment during times when the employees are not receiving gratuities (think extra days or down days during hurricane season).

Edited November 30, 2018 by Schoifmom

[StolidCruiser]

12 hours ago, FlaParrotHead said:

Here is the point.  Gratuities, Tips, whatever you want to call them have always been for the service we receive on our cruise.  The ASP is different, per this letter, and that is fact.  Having sailed for 25 years and a member here for over 15 years, I do not think anyone was ever made aware of this fund or how it is partially funded by our tips.  Sorry .... but this pool should be funded by our cruise fares (100%) and tips or gratuities be directly given to the employees working on a passengers specific voyage ... 

 

The ASP has been around as

long as the DSC. You might not have been aware of it.

 

Those employees that provide service on any voyage do benefit in ways greater than the parsed 1.5% amount discussed.  

 

Minor consternation amongst a small sector of the cruising community? Yup.

 

However, it works well for the cruiselined and the employees.  Otherwise it would have been changed years ago.

[jimbo5544]

3 minutes ago, StolidCruiser said:

 

The ASP has been around as

long as the DSC. You might not have been aware of it.

 

Those employees that provide service on any voyage do benefit in ways greater than the parsed 1.5% amount discussed.  

 

Minor consternation amongst a small sector of the cruising community? Yup.

 

However, it works well for the cruiselined and the employees.  Otherwise it would have been changed years ago.

Best post in a while.....

[FlaParrotHead]

21 minutes ago, Schoifmom said:

 

It seems that your "understanding" has been flawed.  If you pay less, then the employee will receive less.  How is that helpful?  You can't specifically state that "I don't want to pay into the ASP pool."  Also, the only way to not pay the bar gratuities is to not make any bar purchases.

 

100% of additional gratuities do go to the employees.

 

BTW, these employees work under contract and those contracts specifically state what percentage of the gratuities they get to keep and what percentage is placed into the ASP pool (which is for their benefit, so it does go to them).  

 

That ASP pool provides additional payment during times when the employees are not receiving gratuities (think extra days or down days during hurricane season).

 

I have no problem with there being an ASP pool, but until this letter was released, I do not believe that the general sailing public was 1) aware of it and 2) more importantly that a portion of their gratuities was used to fund it.  

 

Show me ANY Cruise Critic post or thread from the past that has disclosed this, I’m sure I’ve missed many in the 17 years I’ve been on board here.

 

Generally, passengers have assumed that their gratuities, pre-paid, post paid, cash, whatever, went 100% directly to the specific crew members on their sailing that made their vacation so enjoyable.

 

 

[Schoifmom]

1 hour ago, FlaParrotHead said:

 

I have no problem with there being an ASP pool, but until this letter was released, I do not believe that the general sailing public was 1) aware of it and 2) more importantly that a portion of their gratuities was used to fund it.  

 

Show me ANY Cruise Critic post or thread from the past that has disclosed this, I’m sure I’ve missed many in the 17 years I’ve been on board here.

 

Generally, passengers have assumed that their gratuities, pre-paid, post paid, cash, whatever, went 100% directly to the specific crew members on their sailing that made their vacation so enjoyable.

 

 

 

There have been so many threads on tipping, that I'm sure that you have missed it!  That's where I first learned of it and then researched it (as in, I learned about it buried deep in a tipping thread).  

 

At the end of the day, though, 2 things are clear (at least to me):

1. The crew members get what is promised to them in accordance with the contract that they sign, and
2. 100% of those monies go to the crew members, but perhaps not in the way that the public believes.

Edited November 30, 2018 by Schoifmom

[Don Kehote]

Looks to cost me and the bride $12.46 more on my 4 night cruise upcoming.  It officially on the website now.