Gratuities Going Up $1 Per Day Effective May 21, 2019

[Princess Cruises Fann]

Princess Cruises will increase its daily gratuities charge on all voyages departing on or after May 21, 2019. 
 

The daily gratuity amount will increase by $1, and will be as follows: 

Interior/Oceanview/Balcony -- $14.50 USD per guest, per day  

Mini suites (including Club Class) -- $15.50 USD per guest, per day 

Full Suites -- $16.50 USD per guest, per day 
 

PC_GratuityincreaseletterDraftV2.pdf

[fishywood]

More irksome than the increase is that the window for those with existing bookings to pre-pay at the rate effective at the time is under three weeks short. Will fly under the radar of even astute passengers, never mind those relying on the online reseller or big box store they booked with to pass on the message of this crucial change. 

[Scottygirl1]

I just prepaid and it came through at the old rate - we sail on 25th May.  Hopefully they won't then charge the additional amount when we sail!

[fishywood]

25 minutes ago, Scottygirl1 said:

I just prepaid and it came through at the old rate - we sail on 25th May.  Hopefully they won't then charge the additional amount when we sail!

Memo clearly states:  booked passengers have the opportunity to prepay their daily gratuities at the current gratuity amount through May 14, 2019 at 11:59PM PST. As long as you pre-pay before that hour your cruise personalizer should show a balance due of zero under gratuities even after the increase becomes effective May 21.

 

As I stated in my previous response this is a ridiculously short amount of time to do so; the last increase came with the better part of a year's warning, with nearly the entire time open to lock in the existing amount by pre-paying. 

 

The omission of this critical information in the opening post gives me pause. As does contemplating the source of this obviously hacked/leaked memo: surely a Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Princess would make certain the file name did not include "DraftV2" when the memo was made official for publication and distribution...

Edited April 26, 2019 by fishywood

[Scottygirl1]

53 minutes ago, fishywood said:

Memo clearly states:  booked passengers have the opportunity to prepay their daily gratuities at the current gratuity amount through May 14, 2019 at 11:59PM PST. As long as you pre-pay before that hour your cruise personalizer should show a balance due of zero under gratuities even after the increase becomes effective May 21.

 

As I stated in my previous response this is a ridiculously short amount of time to do so; the last increase came with the better part of a year's warning, with nearly the entire time open to lock in the existing amount by pre-paying. 

 

The omission of this critical information in the opening post gives me pause. As does contemplating the source of this obviously hacked/leaked memo: surely a Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Princess would make certain the file name did not include "DraftV2" when the memo was made official for publication and distribution...

 

I can't see the original pdf file so couldn't read this.  Great though that we can get the old rate

 

Edit - I couldn't see the pdf but now I can.  Yes, clear on that but glad I've now prepaid. 🙂

Edited April 26, 2019 by Scottygirl1

[Reina del Mar]

Just waiting for the backlash .............

 

about 'stiffing the hard working crew', but if you feel that strongly about the increase and find it impossible to prepay by 14th May, you could always adjust/ remove gratuities at Guest Services!!!

 

Just a thought.

 

Takes cover!

[SinbadThePorter]

59 minutes ago, Reina del Mar said:

about 'stiffing the hard working crew', but if you feel that strongly about the increase and find it impossible to prepay by 14th May, you could always adjust/ remove gratuities at Guest Services!!!

 

I only cruise local so I haven't had to worry about gratuities. Does adjusting the gratuities mean that you can go to Guest Services and just tell them you would prefer to pay the old rate?

[Reina del Mar]

15 minutes ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

Does adjusting the gratuities mean that you can go to Guest Services and just tell them you would prefer to pay the old rate?

 

Yes. You can remove, adjust upwards or downwards at Guest Services. Daily Service Charge is not mandatory.

 

However..if you admit to removal of charges, expect to be slaughtered on these boards!

 

 

[Scottygirl1]

I'm totally happy to pay the gratuities but just don't expect me to then pay extra 🙂   I'm not saying I won't tip for room service or similar but quite frankly the auto gratuity seems pretty fair for all the rest!

[joybook]

I would also question paying for the gratuities in advance. As I see it all you are doing is increasing the massive financial float Princess has - why let them invest your money and increase their profits when you can do it yourself? Pay them later only when you have to.

[Scottygirl1]

18 minutes ago, joybook said:

I would also question paying for the gratuities in advance. As I see it all you are doing is increasing the massive financial float Princess has - why let them invest your money and increase their profits when you can do it yourself? Pay them later only when you have to.

 

I totally agree but if it saves me money I'm OK with that.  I do have a problem with gratuities in general though but that's part of travelling I suppose.  

[bemis12]

3 hours ago, Scottygirl1 said:

 

Edit - I couldn't see the pdf but now I can.  Yes, clear on that but glad I've now prepaid. 🙂

 

And how much money did that save you?  A drink or two cost? 

 

It's not a meaningful cost increase, and it goes to the people who deserve it.

[kywildcatfanone]

Gratuities are already super high.  This is just more profit taking.

[pms4104]

When Princess increased the grats on pre-buy beverages from 15% to 18% I think most of us saw the grats increase as inevitable.  It was just a matter of time.

 

Next?  Corkage ... again, just a matter of time.

[Scottygirl1]

21 minutes ago, bemis12 said:

 

And how much money did that save you?  A drink or two cost? 

 

It's not a meaningful cost increase, and it goes to the people who deserve it.

 

Actually I saved much more because for some reason the conversion rate was extremely favourable to the NZ dollar!  Also we paid on our credit card so don't actually pay for 60 days anyway. 

[itf]

I wonder what their calculation is here as surely each rise pushes some more people into removing the auto-grat altogether. And each person removing wipes out the gains from several others.

 

This now pushes the price of the gratuities to around 20% of the total price we paid for the cruise (3 people in one cabin) and this is definitely approaching my threshold to decrease or remove.

Edited April 26, 2019 by itf

[bobstheboy]

I don't mind reasonable grats but these increases are crazy. I do not believe the total is given to crew and is an added income for the company. Anyway I will reduce my total.

[pms4104]

Some of the comments here make a good case for Princess to rebrand this fee as a mandated and non-removable Hotel Service Charge.  

[chamima]

7 hours ago, Princess Cruises Fann said:

Princess Cruises will increase its daily gratuities charge on all voyages departing on or after May 21, 2019. 
 

The daily gratuity amount will increase by $1, and will be as follows: 

Interior/Oceanview/Balcony -- $14.50 USD per guest, per day  

Mini suites (including Club Class) -- $15.50 USD per guest, per day 

Full Suites -- $16.50 USD per guest, per day 
 

PC_GratuityincreaseletterDraftV2.pdf 200.52 kB · 44 downloads

 

 

Quick question - We're currently in a balcony cabin. Let's say I prepay now at that rate $13.50/day.

Then Princess sends me an upsell after May 25th to a mini suite and we accept that - do we then pay $1 more or $2 more per day?

 

I know this isn't that big a deal - just curious.

Edited April 26, 2019 by chamima

[richmke]

8 minutes ago, chamima said:

Quick question - We're currently in a balcony cabin. Let's say I prepay now at that rate $13.50/day.

Then Princess sends me an upsell after May 25th to a mini suite and we accept that - do we then pay $1 more or $2 more per day?

 

 

Or, will they still recognize you as pre-paid gratuities without any additional charge???

[Colo Cruiser]

1 hour ago, pms4104 said:

Some of the comments here make a good case for Princess to rebrand this fee as a mandated and non-removable Hotel Service Charge.  

Oh don’t say that!! If they can’t remove the auto gratuity there will be more justification to take more MUTS blankets home, even more silverware. (I’ll show them). 🤔  I agree make them non adjustable. If they do the ones that remove them can come back to the dining room on the last night of the cruise.

[CC Rider 69]

Next will be a "Resort Fee" for vessels with water works. 

[compozer]

I wish they would just add the tip amount to the cruise price.  I hear many people say cruising is such a great deal because they are paying the same price they did five years ago but if you pay the tips, then that is not true.    There is a good percentage of people that already are taking the tips off and I bet there will be a few more after this increase.     I feel bad for the room stewards because I bet this will cause people to stop giving them extra tips.  

[rocklinmom]

Wow thanks for the heads up!  I need to prepay gratuities for our June cruise and had no idea.  I will do it before May 14th to avoid paying more later.  

[voljeep]

how do these new amounts compare to other lines both inside the CCL and out (RCCL, NCL, Disney ...etc.)