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

[compozer]

Chamima,    I try not to reply to a question if someone else has answered it but I checked and your post was not there when I wrote mine.

[SmilesYourWay]

2 minutes ago, compozer said:

Room stewards and waiters only have to turn the money in if that passenger has taken their tips off.   That is why they ask you to put your name and cabin number on the envelope.

I'm not talking about the last day. I'm talking about throughout the cruise. 

[compozer]

They still can not keep the extra tips.  Does not matter when they receive them.

[GUT2407]

1 hour ago, chamima said:

 

 

If you leave your automatic gratuities on then the person gets to keep the cash.

If you remove them then they have to put the cash in the pool.

At least that's what has been widely reported on here.

But not what the actual crew contract says, so I guess its up to the individual to believe what people say on an anonymous chat site or what the actual contract says

[GUT2407]

I guess because I sail in Australia where they did away with all this rainess, ive never been asked to put my room number or name on any additional money I've handed out, come to think of it I wasn't when auto grats still existed down here.

[4cats4me]

Big deal, an extra $2 per day after we’ve spent thousands on a cruise.  

I think a lot of us will be waiting for promotions which include the paid gratuities.  For long cruises this adds up. However, what’s another $4 per day? 

To offset it, I will purchase one less cocktail, hence, saving $8. 

 

 

Edited April 27, 2019 by 4cats4me

[SmilesYourWay]

Normally I would not like the idea of giving an extra gratuity to someone if they were only going to get a very small percentage of it. I will be going on the Grand in August. I have read great things about the service on that ship. And if I experience what I have read, I'd have no problem of it being shared. 

[Steelers36]

An earlier post listed tips from some other cruise lines.  I sent the Princess memo PDF on the new tips from this thread to my TA in case she didn't have it yet.  She says all the lines are putting in increases.  She is hearing complaints.  

 

When I consider the percentage that the gratuities represent on our total cruise fare, I don't really have a problem with this.  I recall similar threads when the previous increase went through.  Some will jump to save the $2/day and some will let it go for far-off future cruises.  We are on a cruise just after the new ones take effect, but have grats covered in our perks, so I have no decision to make.  For our distant cruises, I am not going to try and prepay. 

 

My only complaint is when they take away level of service or reduce food quality.  I do see Princess (Carnival Corp) actually working to make things better on the service side by improving internet into modern day and including lots of onboard options.  I just want them to keep up the food quality and charge a fair price for that.

Edited April 27, 2019 by steelers36

[Steelers36]

On the gratuity pool and giving extra to your steward or waiters, I wish we could get an authoritative word from Princess on this.  To this day, we still read conflicting opinions here on CC.  In the "old days" there were suggested breakouts of tips for each staff member.  I don't care how Princess divides it up.  It would be useful to know that when participating in the auto-tips, just exactly what happens to the extra dollars.  

 

If such a passenger tips individuals and then joins the line on the last night to remove them, was there a track of individual tips so they are recovered and returned to the pool?  Or are they held until post-cruise and then given back if the auto-tip stays?

 

I guess I don't care about the above part, but it was a question came to my mind based on other posts above about people who remove auto-tips.  

 

I believe when a staff member is doing an outstanding job - "above-expected" in terms of a HR Performance Review - then I like to submit one of the staff recognition cards to the PSD so that the employee can be recognized.  

 

I would like to know if I do tip some extra cash to Stewart, does (s)he get to keep it?

Has anyone ever asked the Hotel Manager on board a ship or asked HQ Customer Relations? 

 

One time I did write name/cabin number and use an envelope to give to table waiters.  But I have handed cabin steward cash before for some extra service (no envelope).  IDK what happens after that - I guess I have never asked a staff member directly myself.  It would be a way to find out.  I am assuming they get to keep it. 

 

Also, I do trust that Princess pays the tips when we have the perk, etc.  I do not believe that Princess would be stiffing staff members.  That would soon be public knowledge in the cruise industry grapevine and then who would work for them? 

 

If I recall correctly, the last time there was an increase, Princess was going to be paying the staff the new rates, even if passengers pre-paid at the old rate.  Please correct me if wrong.  If I am wrong, I would not want to stiff the crew members by not paying the new rate. 

Edited April 27, 2019 by steelers36

[Thrak]

I may go ahead and pre-pay. We have 3 cruises booked at the moment. One has free gratuities but the other two don't. On one of them we have zero promotions. I'd rebook for perks but the price was high to begin with and has gone up a lot. On the day the Sip and Sail came out the cabin went up by $1,000 per person. GAK! We don't even have enough OBC to cover the gratuities and it's only a 12 day cruise.

 

I've seen the long lines of people removing gratuities at the end of the cruise. I wouldn't know if they were folks who post here on CC or not. We just consider them part of the cost of cruising.

[Steelers36]

I am not trying to be argumentative, but has anyone actually hung around the PSD long enough, or interrogated those in line, on the final night of the cruise to determine of the vast majority are there to remove gratuities?  Perhaps they have other billing issues?  I am just thinking that if I was going to request removal of grats (I would not consider this), I would not wait until final night to do it. 

 

The diabolical me is wondering if indeed so many are doing it at the last minute as they fear staff members will find out if they removed it early in the cruise and impact their service level negatively.  Perhaps Princess ought to implement a new policy -  passengers have 24 hours after sail-away to remove gratuities or else they stay. 

 

[SmilesYourWay]

  Hmmm.....The more I think about it, the more it doesn't look right. (I guess I shouldn't think about it anymore)

I'm not used to this new way of paying gratuities on your bill. My last cruise was over 5 years ago. 2012 before then. Which I believe was the first time I saw it this way.  When did they start auto gratuities anyway?

I didn't think much of it. And believed that they were divided up and paid as specified.

 

  I figured that maybe they started doing this because more and more people were running out of cash and not tipping in their envelopes on the last night.

 

  But when you hear that an extra gratuity you may give for services "above expected" as someone said, and they can't keep it.....not right.   Maybe they don't get any of those automated gratuities.  Maybe it's just a way to get extra $$ for the cruise by calling it something different.  Maybe they had to sign a non-disclosure that they can't keep gratuities but only get pay raises through the staff recognition cards left by cruisers. Maybe....I'm going to stop thinking now.

 

I am going to ask questions when I go on my cruise. And I'm going to make sure to fill out staff recognition cards. Because I have heard that they are taken very seriously (good & bad).

 

Anyone have the email address or mailing address to Princess Headquarters?  Or know who it is that I should ask directly to?

[Colo Cruiser]

1 hour ago, GUT2407 said:

But not what the actual crew contract says, so I guess its up to the individual to believe what people say on an anonymous chat site or what the actual contract says

What actual crew contract?

Do you mean that 8 year old garbage from the internet that people keep posting on CC trying to justify the removal of their auto Gratuity?

Ok gotcha.........

[GUT2407]

9 minutes ago, steelers36 said:

I am not trying to be argumentative, but has anyone actually hung around the PSD long enough, or interrogated those in line, on the final night of the cruise to determine of the vast majority are there to remove gratuities?  Perhaps they have other billing issues?  I am just thinking that if I was going to request removal of grats (I would not consider this), I would not wait until final night to do it. 

 

The diabolical me is wondering if indeed so many are doing it at the last minute as they fear staff members will find out if they removed it early in the cruise and impact their service level negatively.  Perhaps Princess ought to implement a new policy -  passengers have 24 hours after sail-away to remove gratuities or else they stay. 

 

Well according to some anyone at the Pursers desk on the last night is removing tips.

 

so what then are they doing there you may ask????

[GUT2407]

Just now, Colo Cruiser said:

What actual crew contract?

Do you mean that 8 year old garbage from the internet that people keep posting on CC trying to justify the removal of their auto Gratuity?

Ok gotcha.........

No I actually mean the one I’ve read that was about a year old, but had the exact same wording.

[SmilesYourWay]

2 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

so what then are they doing there you may ask????

Isn't it the last night your bill is left in the room?  Maybe there are errors that need to be corrected.

[oskidunker]

Bill is put under your door late the last night. 

Edited April 27, 2019 by oskidunker

[Steelers36]

11 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

What actual crew contract?

Do you mean that 8 year old garbage from the internet that people keep posting on CC trying to justify the removal of their auto Gratuity?

Ok gotcha.........

Gee.  I thought everything posted on the internet was vetted for truthfulness.  Shattering my illusions here.  

 

ROFLMAO.

[Steelers36]

12 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

No I actually mean the one I’ve read that was about a year old, but had the exact same wording.

Since you appear to be from Australia, was it an Australia contract?  Could be totally different than N.A. / Europe market. 

[GUT2407]

Just now, steelers36 said:

Since you appear to be from Australia, was it an Australia contract?  Could be totally different than N.A. / Europe market. 

It was for a crew member who served with Princess all over the world it was produced by Princess in response to a subpoena in a Court case, it contained the same wording as previously referred to as 8 year old garbage, it calls for all cash tips to be handed in to the pool.

[Colo Cruiser]

13 minutes ago, steelers36 said:

Gee.  I thought everything posted on the internet was vetted for truthfulness.  Shattering my illusions here.  

 

ROFLMAO.

I know right.....I had to take short term disability leave when the news was broke to me, or the news broke me.   

[Thrak]

On a recent cruise we had a fantastic bar server. At the end of the cruise I specifically asked her, "If I tip you extra do you have to turn it in or do you get to keep it?"  Her answer was, "Keep it!"

[dweeb]

20 minutes ago, Thrak said:

On a recent cruise we had a fantastic bar server. At the end of the cruise I specifically asked her, "If I tip you extra do you have to turn it in or do you get to keep it?"  Her answer was, "Keep it!"

That is because Bar Servers get the 15%, now 18% gratuity of the cost of the drink you ordered.  Bar Servers do not get anything from the daily gratuities . 

Try and order a drink and have the bar server remove the automatic included gratuity.  I"m sure they will gladly remove the gratuity for you!!

Edited April 27, 2019 by dweeb
missing word

[kruisey]

22 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 · 185 downloads

Thank you so much for this information I have been and paid all gratuities for my cruises.

[Cruise Junky]

18 minutes ago, Thrak said:

On a recent cruise we had a fantastic bar server. At the end of the cruise I specifically asked her, "If I tip you extra do you have to turn it in or do you get to keep it?"  Her answer was, "Keep it!"

I think,the bar tenders have always been able to keep it. You can’t remove drink gratuities 

 

and on the original subject, gratuities across the board are making land trips more appealing. We’re now approaching $40 cdn a day for a couple.