Prepaid Gratuities, is there an advantage?

[d9704011]

4 hours ago, WAvoyager said:

Hmmmm….   I think that’s why I started my comment off with “Personally…”

 

not sure why so many people partially read a post and then feel like they need to correct the poster.

 

LOL - first people are mad at me because they think I’m advocating not tipping, then, they’re mad at me for making mandatory increases!   All along I’ve been a proponent for doing what you think is right.   But guess no one’s reading that. 🤪

You weren't being corrected.  You stated that you personally felt gratuities or crew appreciation or tips or whatever you want to call them were way too low, especially compared to land-based vacation experiences and the money you appear to have spread generously among the people working in that environment.  You clearly inferred that ship-based service personnel should enjoy something like what you apparently think is fair and just through your own experience.  OK.... go for it if you like but you ought not expect others to share your enthusiasm for sprinkling the wealth like fairy dust; they can decide what suits them without your 'setting the bar'.

[Glaciers]

The primary advantage for us is not having to put cash in several different envelopes to hand them out.

[WAvoyager]

56 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

but you ought not expect others to share your enthusiasm for sprinkling the wealth like fairy dust; they can decide what suits them without your 'setting the bar'.

Never expected anyone to share my enthusiasm, nor set “the bar.  Just sharing my opinion.

 

oh, and this felt like I was being corrected:

“But you do have the opportunity to increase the tips to what you feel is a fare compensation. Just don't include everyone else in your mandatory calculations.

I'll choose what is appropriate for myself.”

 

when I never once mentioned my thoughts should apply to anyone else.

 

guess it’s just me.  I’ll be quiet now.

[mpdog42]

On 3/5/2022 at 4:39 PM, compozer said:

Yeds, you were clear.   You feel people can reduce their suggested tips.    NOT a nice thing to do.     I keep a list of people who I will not invite to join me on excursions that I plan

Are you Kidding with this post?

[Steelers36]

16 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

 

I would lose out on Holland America because the hotel service charge amounts help increase my mariner rewards points.  No idea how points/rewards works on Princess, yet, because I don’t sail for a few more days.

 

In any event, I truly wish this hadn’t devolved into another tipping thread. 

Why would you lose anything because fares would increase by the amount of the former gratuities?

[*Miss G*]

30 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Why would you lose anything because fares would increase by the amount of the former gratuities?

 

HAL Mariner Rewards are earned by onboard spend and pre-board spend.  The Hotel Service Charge is debited daily, and those payments count towards status.  If the fare is increased then the onboard spend is decreased.  HAL doesn’t credit you for cruise purchase price.

[SargassoPirate]

On 3/5/2022 at 11:23 PM, PrincessLuver said:

Agree….cruise lines just need to pay the crew a living wage and get rid of the phony crew appreciation charge like they do on Australian cruises….if it were truly a tip for service above and beyond then it would be voluntary…..

 

 

I've noticed that those dangerous, fire hazard electric kettles are provided on Australian cruises.  

[skynight]

On 3/6/2022 at 6:55 AM, *Miss G* said:

 

I would lose out on Holland America because the hotel service charge amounts help increase my mariner rewards points.  No idea how points/rewards works on Princess, yet, because I don’t sail for a few more days.

 

In any event, I truly wish this hadn’t devolved into another tipping thread. 

Based on number of cruises or number of days on board. Booking full suites and/or solo in a cabin provides bonus cruise credits. Nothing connected to on board spending.

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

 

 

I've noticed that those dangerous, fire hazard electric kettles are provided on Australian cruises.  

And from the UK.

[GloriaF]

Wasn't the original post about advantages to pre-paid gratuities/crew appreciation?  It has been established that there is no advantage monetarily.  I would like to point out that if you are receiving a large amount of OBC, that the OBC could be applied towards onboard expenses, including gratuities/crew appreciation.

[Potstech]

On 3/5/2022 at 6:22 PM, wowzz said:

Why not opt for Princess Plus - tips included,  plus free  drinks and wifi ?

Nothing is free. Plus is about $40.00 pp per day.  Where is this free stuff at?

[skynight]

1 hour ago, Potstech said:

Nothing is free. Plus is about $40.00 pp per day.  Where is this free stuff at?

In this case free means no additional charge, already paid. It's just like MDR, buffet, Alfredo's, etc. Already paid.

[Potstech]

Then why not say prepaid instead of free?

[NSWP]

Nothing is 'free on a cruise ship, believe me you paid for it in your cruise fare. If one does not like having gratuities added to one's shipboard bill, then go to the Purser's counter and get them removed, plenty do.  That is why Princess ships operating from Australia/NZ, P&O Australia, P&O UK and a few other lines have the gratuity rolled into the fare price. Not negotiable. So many Brits and Aussies were having their gratuity charges removed, so the tipping pool was near dry.

 

So to answer the question, to me there is no advantage in having prepaid gratuities, like what if the service from your cabin steward and MDR waiters etc is lousy? Why would you tip them?

Edited March 7, 2022 by NSWP

[cruzin4us]

I did prepay the gratuities once about 1 year before sailing.   By the time the cruise came around the price had gone up like $1.50/day.

[HaveDogWillTravel]

On 3/6/2022 at 1:32 PM, caribill said:

 

That is the way it was pre-Pandemic.

 

There are posts on another thread indicating that cash tips to cabin stewards and dining room staff no longer need to be turned in to the pool if the giver had not paid the full daily gratuity. This information was told to a cruiser by staff that used to have to turn in the cash tips.

 

With more and more people booking with the Plus option which does not allow tips to be lowered or removed, it removes the reason to have the cash tips turned in to check for removed daily tips.

I am responsible for at least one such post. The management and crew are thrilled with this new post pandemic rule. I bring small 2 by 3 thank you cards so I can write a note as to what the crew member did specifically that made my sailing especially wonderful and then include some cash.  I also gave out 10 soft silicone face mask shields. The crew really appreciated those a lot. I’m bringing a few dozen more with me next month. 

[GulfShoresCruiser]

9 hours ago, cruzin4us said:

I did prepay the gratuities once about 1 year before sailing.   By the time the cruise came around the price had gone up like $1.50/day.

 

That's the first pro "pre pay" I've read and makes sense.

[GonzoWCS]

On 3/5/2022 at 6:24 PM, CarelessAndConfused said:

 

Don't forget about us Platinum Peons!

Who..??  🤣

[JF - retired RRT]

1 hour ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

 

double post.

Edited March 8, 2022 by JF - retired RRT

[*Miss G*]

1 hour ago, GulfShoresCruiser said:

 

That's the first pro "pre pay" I've read and makes sense.

 

Those who prepaid prior to the increased exchange rate for non-US credit cards also paid less.

[caribill]

On 3/7/2022 at 6:25 AM, SargassoPirate said:

 

 

I've noticed that those dangerous, fire hazard electric kettles are provided on Australian cruises.  

 

The kettles provided by the cruise line have been designed to avoid the fire possibilities. Ones passengers might bring aboard may or may not have been so designed which is why passenger supplied kettles are banned.

[caribill]

On 3/7/2022 at 8:04 AM, skynight said:

Based on number of cruises or number of days on board. Booking full suites and/or solo in a cabin provides bonus cruise credits. Nothing connected to on board spending.

 

Correct, but on Princess there is no longer any benefit to having more than 15 points or more than 150 days. (Exception: If you have enough days to be invited to the "top 40" lunch/cocktail party on a cruise.)

[caribill]

13 hours ago, cruzin4us said:

I did prepay the gratuities once about 1 year before sailing.   By the time the cruise came around the price had gone up like $1.50/day.

 

When there will be an increase in gratuities, Princess gives notice of the fact and allows several weeks to prepay at the old cost before implementing the higher rate.

 

If Princess does give such notice, that is the time to prepay if you do not have the Plus package.

[caribill]

19 hours ago, NSWP said:

 

So to answer the question, to me there is no advantage in having prepaid gratuities, like what if the service from your cabin steward and MDR waiters etc is lousy? Why would you tip them?

 

You are correct that lousy service should not be rewarded, but by withholding the standard gratuities you are "punishing" those who gave poor service by less than 10 cents/day.

 

This is because the standard gratuities are shared among eligible personnel over the entire cruise line.So you are punishing those who gave good service on your cruise by the same amount.

 

With the new Princess policy of allowing tipped staff to keep cash tips, not paying the standard daily gratuity charge should be followed by handing out cash tips in at least the same total amount of the daily tip charge.

 

But do not limit those who receive these cash payments to just dining room staff and cabin stewards. You may have also received great service from such personnel as those at the International Cafe, the pool deck food stands, buffet staff, etc.

[wowzz]

5 hours ago, caribill said:

The kettles provided by the cruise line have been designed to avoid the fire possibilities

They are standard kettles that can be bought everywhere in the UK or Australia  - not a special design at all.