What is crew incentive?

[curlybelle2]

I was looking at the Labor Day sale and noticed with the Princess Plus package, it says crew incentive included. What is that?  

Celebrate Labor Day with $50 onboard spending money per guest¹ plus 50% off deposits². Book your next vacation with Princess Plus – includes drinks, Wi-Fi and crew incentive!

Thanks, Kaye

[Waynetor]

Gratuities

[curlybelle2]

2 minutes ago, Waynetor said:

Gratuities

Ok Thanks, Why didn't they just say that?! 😃

[taxatty]

Because it's 21st century semantic game-playing, like "pre-owned cars" instead of "used cars" or a number of others that I can't repeat on CC.

[NSWP]

2 hours ago, curlybelle2 said:

Ok Thanks, Why didn't they just say that?! 😃

Because it is a nicer term than gratuities, which scares off Australian, New Zealand and British pax, lol

 

Can we have another tipping thread, lol. 

Edited September 4, 2021 by NSWP

[trbarton]

FYI from Princess….“The “ Crew Incentive ” is a daily amount for each guest that will be automatically added to your onboard account for your convenience, to recognize the efforts of a wide variety of crew members who contribute to the experiences of all our guests.”

 

Tom😀

[onlyslightlymad]

1 hour ago, trbarton said:

FYI from Princess….“The “ Crew Incentive ” is a daily amount for each guest that will be automatically added to your onboard account for your convenience, to recognize the efforts of a wide variety of crew members who contribute to the experiences of all our guests.”

 

Tom😀

My employers recognise my efforts by paying me.

[nini]

1 hour ago, onlyslightlymad said:

My employers recognise my efforts by paying me.

Different country, different strokes; especially considering that the Princess ships are not registered in Australia or New Zealand. We NEVER remove the automatic gratuities and always tip extra in cash when deserved. 

[onlyslightlymad]

3 hours ago, nini said:

Different country, different strokes; especially considering that the Princess ships are not registered in Australia or New Zealand. We NEVER remove the automatic gratuities and always tip extra in cash when deserved. 

I also would never remove automatic gratuities.  I wouldn't want the crew to miss out of any of their hard-earned wages.  I just wish it was included in the price upfront instead of presented as an add-on.  Why should anyone be able to remove the service charge?  It's not like the service part of the trip is optional.  i'm not about to start washing my own towels or fetching my own food from the galley.

[KmomChicago]

17 minutes ago, onlyslightlymad said:

I also would never remove automatic gratuities.  I wouldn't want the crew to miss out of any of their hard-earned wages.  I just wish it was included in the price upfront instead of presented as an add-on.  Why should anyone be able to remove the service charge?  It's not like the service part of the trip is optional.  i'm not about to start washing my own towels or fetching my own food from the galley.

 

Agree, it's time to just make tips inclusive of price.  Really tax and port fees as well. A single price would be handy. 

[majortom10]

5 hours ago, onlyslightlymad said:

My employers recognise my efforts by paying me.

Yes a proper wage instead of relying on cruisers to pay extra to cover their wages. I bet one thing is for certain I bet Arnold Donald CEO of Carnival doesnt have to rely on "crew incentive" to pay his $13 million a year wages and the lovely $2 million increase he had in 2020 when Carnival was on its knees  and losing a fortune on a monthly basis and with no income.

[majortom10]

50 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

 

Agree, it's time to just make tips inclusive of price.  Really tax and port fees as well. A single price would be handy. 

Tax and port fees  are already included in cruise fares in the UK, Princess included, and I think the time has come where staff should be paid an acceptable wage without having to rely on "crew incentive" from cruisers. P&O have done it in the UK where gratuities are included in cruise fare without no great increase in prices so I dont see why Princess cannot do it and then everyone on the cruise pays it if it is included. Currently a part of the "crew incentive" added to your account on a daily basis is to cover for those that have these charges removed so that Princess do not lose out.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, onlyslightlymad said:

I also would never remove automatic gratuities.  I wouldn't want the crew to miss out of any of their hard-earned wages.  I just wish it was included in the price upfront instead of presented as an add-on.  Why should anyone be able to remove the service charge?  It's not like the service part of the trip is optional.  i'm not about to start washing my own towels or fetching my own food from the galley.

They are included in the fare on Australian and NZ cruises, and even on some repositioning cruises.

[Steelers36]

I would be fine with a baked-in price.  When I price out a cruise, I always add in the Incentive/Grats as part of the total cost anyway.

[Roberto256]

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

. Currently a part of the "crew incentive" added to your account on a daily basis is to cover for those that have these charges removed so that Princess do not lose out.

Can the crew incentive me removed?

 

I was told that it could not; but I don't view that source as very reliable.

 

Thanks.

[majortom10]

1 minute ago, Roberto256 said:

Can the crew incentive me removed?

 

I was told that it could not; but I don't view that source as very reliable.

 

Thanks.

Yes just go to reception

[chengkp75]

2 hours ago, majortom10 said:

Currently a part of the "crew incentive" added to your account on a daily basis is to cover for those that have these charges removed so that Princess do not lose out.

Where did you hear this?  So, if everyone left their DSC intact, then the cruise line would make money on this?  Currently, a cabin steward makes around $1000-1200/month (combination of wage and DSC share).  The only guarantee that the cruise line has to meet is that the seafarer makes a minimum of $614/month, so unless the "crew incentive" or "DSC" is removed to where everyone in the pool receives less than $614/month, the cruise line doesn't "lose out" on anything.

Edited September 4, 2021 by chengkp75

[majortom10]

3 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

Where did you hear this?  So, if everyone left their DSC intact, then the cruise line would make money on this?

It is obvious like prices in shops the genuine customer pays a little bit extra to cover for shoplifting. I am sure when Princess decide charges they put a bit extra on for those that remove theirs so that Princess dont have to pay it. The whole gratuity/crew incentive is outdated now and has lost its true meaning. The meaning of gratuity is an extra payment received for good service, so the customer should decide how much to give and only after receiving good service not like cruise lines seem to think. We all know it is done to give staff a decent wage because what they give is abysmal and they do it to boost their profits and they play on customers to feel guilty for not giving it.

 

[SinbadThePorter]

11 hours ago, curlybelle2 said:

Ok Thanks, Why didn't they just say that?! 😃

 

More honest would be "service charge".

 

Is it just me, or is it a bit ironic to celebrate Labor Day by offering a discount on gratuities?

[ontheweb]

25 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Yes just go to reception

But please don't. For those who do not like the system, it is still how the crew make their money, and they definitely earn it.

[chengkp75]

4 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

It is obvious like prices in shops the genuine customer pays a little bit extra to cover for shoplifting. I am sure when Princess decide charges they put a bit extra on for those that remove theirs so that Princess dont have to pay it. The whole gratuity/crew incentive is outdated now and has lost its true meaning. The meaning of gratuity is an extra payment received for good service, so the customer should decide how much to give and only after receiving good service not like cruise lines seem to think. We all know it is done to give staff a decent wage because what they give is abysmal and they do it to boost their profits and they play on customers to feel guilty for not giving it.

 

And, this is why it is not called "gratuities" in most lines.  It is done for two reasons.  One, to keep the advertised cabin fare as low as possible, since a "daily service charge" is not legally part of the fare in the US.  Second, it provides a "carrot and stick" approach to guest services, in that poor service by anyone on the team affects everyone on the team, and therefore encourages peer pressure.  It also allows the cruise line to deny any part of a reduction in crew pay, saying it is the passenger who is doing it.  I don't agree with the policy, but it is what it is.

[cruzsnooze]

I find it's too high and I always adjust it at the guest services desk to the lowest amount of $14. The higher category cabins pay a disproportionate amount IMHO since the services are the same for all cabins except a few extra sq, ft. in suites. Also entertainment  guest services and the shops are now in the mix. Where does the hand out end?

 

CREW INCENTIVE PAYMENT INFORMATION

To simplify the tipping process for our guests, a discretionary crew incentive of USD 16.50 per guest for suites, USD 15.50 per guest for mini-suites, and USD 14.50 per guest for interior, oceanview, and balcony staterooms, per day (including children) will be automatically added to your shipboard account. This crew incentive will be shared amongst those staff that help provide and support your cruise experience, including those in the Bar, Dining, Entertainment, Housekeeping, Guest Services, Galley and Onboard Revenue areas. For your convenience, the crew incentive can be pre-paid before you sail by calling us or logging in to your Cruise Personalizer online at http://www.princess.com/cruisepersonalizer. Pre-paid crew incentives may be added up to two days prior to your embarkation.
You have complete discretion to adjust the crew incentive while onboard, but the crew incentive may only be adjusted prior to disembarking the ship. If included as part of a promotion or package, it cannot be adjusted or refunded.

[majortom10]

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

But please don't. For those who do not like the system, it is still how the crew make their money, and they definitely earn it.

Yes but surely it is Princess or Carnival to make sure that their staff are adequately paid and not pressurising those that cruise into feeling guilty into giving them "crew incentive" or gratuities whatever they want to be called ot get a decent wage. I agree that they earn  their money but when you get senior management on millions of $$$ a year with bonuses on top then it is hypocritical of them to expect cruisers to pay it. If everyone carries on paying it then Princess/Carnival will let them because it saves them money on wages boosts their profits and then boosts their annual bonus. It stinks of a bit of I am alright jack and the easy and best way is just pay the staff the wage they deserve without having to rely on gratuities.

[JF - retired RRT]

3 hours ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

More honest would be "service charge".

As I read through theses posts, that same though occurred to me.👍

[majortom10]

All cruise lines are guilty of changing the names just to confuse people and to stop them from removing them at reception and the longer people keep paying it they will carry on doing it and charges will increase.