What is "Crew appreciation"

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

I always thought that the term "Crew Incentive" was horribly insulting.  Changing from "Incentive" to "Appreciation" flips the script in a good way.  "Incentive" makes it sound like the ONLY reason the crew is providing good/great service is because you are dangling $15 a day in front of their collective noses as if to get them to perform a circus trick, whereas "Appreciation" is payment on the back end as a way of saying "thank you" for a job well done.   Putting it out front and center that you are only getting good/great service because of the $15 incentive is insulting to all the hard working crew members who provide terrific service because they take pride in their work.   How the powers that be did not see this at the outset is rather astounding.    

 

4 hours ago, MissP22 said:

You've go that right.

It's like saying that unless you pay them they'll have no incentive to perform their job. 

 

I agree whole-heartedly with both of you.  What was I thinking???

[Steelers36]

7 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

The ink had hardly dried on the new name for Gratuities - Crew Incentive - before they changed it to Crew Appreciation.  I think they had it better with Crew Incentive, but perhaps they thought that was "too Corporate" sounding.  Whatever they call it, I just hope guests believe it is something earned and deserved and don't opt out.

On further thought, Crew Incentive was not a good idea - must have been a brain-f*rt as I seem to recall I thought it was an odd change when it first came out.

[SC10snut]

I have read through this entire thread and I'm still confused.  If I haven't gone for the Better or Best package, will I be charged the Crew appreciation fee on a daily basis?  If I purchase the beverage package separately does that eliminate the crew appreciation fee?  If not, is it still possible to go to the desk and have it removed?

In the past I have chosen to tip the cabin steward and all other attendants accordingly.

Many thanks..

[MissP22]

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[kywildcatfanone]

Gratuities/Tips

[Steelers36]

48 minutes ago, SC10snut said:

I have read through this entire thread and I'm still confused.  If I haven't gone for the Better or Best package, will I be charged the Crew appreciation fee on a daily basis?  If I purchase the beverage package separately does that eliminate the crew appreciation fee?  If not, is it still possible to go to the desk and have it removed?

In the past I have chosen to tip the cabin steward and all other attendants accordingly.

Many thanks..

You will be charged automatically to stateroom account.  You can read about Princess Crew Appreciation on their website.  I highly suggest you do not remove the auto-charge.  You cannot just pick and choose who to tip if the auto-charge is cancelled.  If you leave it on, the crew receives the augment to their base pay which is important to their compensation and you can then reward extra to anyone you choose.

[JAN2321]

In July we were on Celebrity and they still do the cards - just asked at Customer Services - maybe if you ask they may have them but don't advertise the fact

[cr8tiv1]

2 hours ago, MissP22 said:

.

 

I've noticed many empty posts by @MissP22Just curious why you bother to post empty spaces?

[cr8tiv1]

1 hour ago, Steelers36 said:

You will be charged automatically to stateroom account.  You can read about Princess Crew Appreciation on their website.  I highly suggest you do not remove the auto-charge.  You cannot just pick and choose who to tip if the auto-charge is cancelled.  If you leave it on, the crew receives the augment to their base pay which is important to their compensation and you can then reward extra to anyone you choose.

 

I second this:  Please do not reduce or remove crew appreciation if not buying a Plus or Premier package.

 

6 minutes ago, JAN2321 said:

In July we were on Celebrity and they still do the cards - just asked at Customer Services - maybe if you ask they may have them but don't advertise the fact

 

Princess did away with cards pre-covid.  One of their worst decisions ever (add to list of a ton of others).  Bring your own cards and leave them (flood the officers with comments) at the front desk.  Maybe, someday, Princess will understand that passengers want this option.

[MissP22]

2 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

I've noticed many empty posts by @MissP22Just curious why you bother to post empty spaces?

Simply because I want to continue to read/post to a thread and for some reason their system doesn't register that I've either posted to it or checked off that I'm following. If I enter a period or make another post, it will change.... sometimes. 

It doesn't happen all the time....just certain posts. 

[jimbo1683]

5 hours ago, SC10snut said:

I have read through this entire thread and I'm still confused.  If I haven't gone for the Better or Best package, will I be charged the Crew appreciation fee on a daily basis?  If I purchase the beverage package separately does that eliminate the crew appreciation fee?  If not, is it still possible to go to the desk and have it removed?

In the past I have chosen to tip the cabin steward and all other attendants accordingly.

Many thanks..

Your confusion is really confusing! 

On my confirmation email from Princess it very clearly states: You have booked Princess Plus and will recieve the following...Pre-paid crew appreciation for all guests in the cabin...

Do you not have a confirmation email from Princess that tells you what you have booked or access to their website?

Edited August 29, 2022 by jimbo1683

[Guest ldtr]

3 hours ago, SC10snut said:

I have read through this entire thread and I'm still confused.  If I haven't gone for the Better or Best package, will I be charged the Crew appreciation fee on a daily basis?  If I purchase the beverage package separately does that eliminate the crew appreciation fee?  If not, is it still possible to go to the desk and have it removed?

In the past I have chosen to tip the cabin steward and all other attendants accordingly.

Many thanks..

Yes you will be charged

No beverage package has no impact.

You would need a fare that includes crew appreciation

Yes you can remove it. However the crew appreciation money also goes to Cree behind the scenes that do things that impact the quality of the cruise, that do not interface with you directly. crew members like those that work in the kitchens and other behind the scenes places.

 

Also if you remove crew appreciation that is recorded and pre Covid was reported to the department managers. At that time, and probably still is policy, that any crew members such as cabin stewards, that received money directly from someone that removed crew appreciation had to turn that money into the pool.

[wowzz]

Worth remembering that the gratuities (or whatever the current term is) are pooled throughout the fleet,  and crew payment, incentives etc are then paid out from this central kitty.

[sloopsailor]

I would recommend that people do not remove the gratuities in order to give cash to specific people of their choosing. All cash gratuities must be turned into the the ship's purser for recording. If you remove the gratuities, those cash tips are then shared with the rest of the people who support those you gave cash to. If you do not remove the gratuities, they get to keep that cash. Also, removing the gratuities could raise a red flag that you may be dissatisfied with the service from those people responsible to serve you directly - cabin attendant, dining staff, etc. This may appear to management to be a negative review, which could adversely affect potential promotions, or in extreme cases, continued employment. By giving them cash tips you are creating more work for them and could potentially result in lower performance reviews.

 

Just leave the gratuities in place. These people work very hard to make your vacation a memorable one, and they deserve those gratuities. 

 

All of this has been verified by at least one CC member who has worked on various cruise ships as the purser.