Price increase on Gratuities

[doklea]

Anyone heard that prices are increasing on gratuities at end of August? Haven’t been able to confirm if true. Wanted to pay gratuities with gift cards but customer service doesn’t seem to know how to handle multiple cards. Trying to confirm or will wait till onboard on September 7 and go to guest services.

[memoak]

20 minutes ago, doklea said:

Anyone heard that prices are increasing on gratuities at end of August? Haven’t been able to confirm if true. Wanted to pay gratuities with gift cards but customer service doesn’t seem to know how to handle multiple cards. Trying to confirm or will wait till onboard on September 7 and go to guest services.

There appears to be a $1 increase per day. Not any amount to concern anyone 

[kywildcatfanone]

29 minutes ago, doklea said:

Anyone heard that prices are increasing on gratuities at end of August? Haven’t been able to confirm if true. Wanted to pay gratuities with gift cards but customer service doesn’t seem to know how to handle multiple cards. Trying to confirm or will wait till onboard on September 7 and go to guest services.

Everything goes up regularly now

[wallyj]

1 hour ago, doklea said:

Anyone heard that prices are increasing on gratuities at end of August? Haven’t been able to confirm if true. Wanted to pay gratuities with gift cards but customer service doesn’t seem to know how to handle multiple cards. Trying to confirm or will wait till onboard on September 7 and go to guest services.

Call again to get another agent. I have not had issues using multiple Princess gift cards over the phone. I recently upgraded/added Premier package to my sailing that was paid in full. Used multiple gift cards and some had leftover balances from not being used fully on previous transactions and agent had no issues.

 

My understanding is rate is going up effective 8/31, so if you want to pre pay to save $1/day per person, you need to do BEFORE 8/31.

[MacMadame]

19 hours ago, doklea said:

Anyone heard that prices are increasing on gratuities at end of August? Haven’t been able to confirm if true. Wanted to pay gratuities with gift cards but customer service doesn’t seem to know how to handle multiple cards. Trying to confirm or will wait till onboard on September 7 and go to guest services.

You can pay with gift cards on the website. No need to call customer service and be frustrated.

[Cruzbw]

Are the $1 CE increases covered by the Premier and Plus packages? We have the Plus 60 packages. Maybe the answer is stay tuned and wait for Princess to answer in a news release!

[Cruzbw]

Sorry it's Crew Appreciation, not CE.

[Cruise Raider]

30 minutes ago, Cruzbw said:

Are the $1 CE increases covered by the Premier and Plus packages? We have the Plus 60 packages. Maybe the answer is stay tuned and wait for Princess to answer in a news release!

From what we’ve been told onboard, the plus package will handle the increase without increasing the price of the package, at least for now.  
The premier package will go up by $10 a day pp but will include unlimited specialty dining and cocktails.  
 

[sunsetme]

one more reason to get the plus package as you never know when gratuities will increase

[cruzsnooze]

On 8/20/2024 at 4:25 PM, doklea said:

Anyone heard that prices are increasing on gratuities at end of August? Haven’t been able to confirm if true. Wanted to pay gratuities with gift cards but customer service doesn’t seem to know how to handle multiple cards. Trying to confirm or will wait till onboard on September 7 and go to guest services.

The suggestion might increase but it is still at the passengers discretion to adjust or eliminate them. I personally reduce mine to $10 PP PD which is what I believe actually goes to crew after Princess takes their admin fee and does employee of the month and employee incentives and employee party. Many report removing them and using cash to the crew that actually serves them. It is entirely up to you to do as YOU see fit.

   Now the cheerleaders will start posting.........................................................

[Teechur]

12 minutes ago, cruzsnooze said:

The suggestion might increase but it is still at the passengers discretion to adjust or eliminate them. I personally reduce mine to $10 PP PD which is what I believe actually goes to crew after Princess takes their admin fee and does employee of the month and employee incentives and employee party.

   Now the cheerleaders will start posting.........................................................

Got my popcorn in the microwave...cracking open a beer!

Edited August 22 by Teechur
punctuation repair

[TRLD]

38 minutes ago, cruzsnooze said:

The suggestion might increase but it is still at the passengers discretion to adjust or eliminate them. I personally reduce mine to $10 PP PD which is what I believe actually goes to crew after Princess takes their admin fee and does employee of the month and employee incentives and employee party. Many report removing them and using cash to the crew that actually serves them. It is entirely up to you to do as YOU see fit.

   Now the cheerleaders will start posting.........................................................

Not cheerleading only stating the facts. The only subtracted fee is for credit card charges which run about 3% at most for a company the size of Princess. So for an example if CA is $17 then the most going to credit card fees, if your account is paid by credit card, would be 51 cents.  If you cut the amount you still pay credit card fees on the amount you do pay.

 

Because it is under US accounting regulations all money received except for the actual credit card fees must go to the crew that are members of the pool. The law that requires that also requires that it must be optional. So one can do what they want. Though it is rather amazing how some feel like they have to attack the program to justify what their choices are.

Edited August 22 by TRLD

[STLCARDS82]

1 hour ago, TRLD said:

Not cheerleading only stating the facts. The only subtracted fee is for credit card charges which run about 3% at most for a company the size of Princess. So for an example if CA is $17 then the most going to credit card fees, if your account is paid by credit card, would be 51 cents.  If you cut the amount you still pay credit card fees on the amount you do pay.

 

Because it is under US accounting regulations all money received except for the actual credit card fees must go to the crew that are members of the pool. The law that requires that also requires that it must be optional. So one can do what they want. Though it is rather amazing how some feel like they have to attack the program to justify what their choices are.

So basically, it's wrong to question the system?

[BlerkOne]

1 hour ago, cruzsnooze said:

The suggestion might increase but it is still at the passengers discretion to adjust or eliminate them. I personally reduce mine to $10 PP PD which is what I believe actually goes to crew after Princess takes their admin fee and does employee of the month and employee incentives and employee party. Many report removing them and using cash to the crew that actually serves them. It is entirely up to you to do as YOU see fit.

   Now the cheerleaders will start posting.........................................................

Hence the move to all inclusive where gratuities can't be pulled 

[TRLD]

13 minutes ago, STLCARDS82 said:

So basically, it's wrong to question the system?

One can question the system.

 

Attacking the system to justify ones decision to cut the CA is not questioning the system.  

 

Have no issue with discussing the pros, cons, the features, how it ties into crew contracts, how it evolved to where it is todays. The benefits of it for crew, cruiseline and passengers vs doong away with it and  it all getting rolled into fares. 

 

On the other hand comments that someone cut/eliminate the CA because  Y reason when the reason is trying to undercut the vslidity of the program with little or no info that supports that the reason is valid is not questioning.

 

 

[cruzsnooze]

Princess is foreign flagged and does not follow US labor laws. The policy of who gets into the pool has way too many people like "revenue generating" crew. I don't care to tip the Bingo callers or , or the entertainment crew, the cruise director and his staff? 

   My opinion is validated by Princess hence the ability to reduce the amount I wish to donate to their overhead. My opinion is just as valid as anyone else's. 

[Jadn13]

The price is currently $16 and it’s increasing  to $17, 

Is this correct? 
 

[TRLD]

1 hour ago, cruzsnooze said:

Princess is foreign flagged and does not follow US labor laws. The policy of who gets into the pool has way too many people like "revenue generating" crew. I don't care to tip the Bingo callers or , or the entertainment crew, the cruise director and his staff? 

   My opinion is validated by Princess hence the ability to reduce the amount I wish to donate to their overhead. My opinion is just as valid as anyone else's. 

Actually since all of the cruise holding companies are on the US stock exchange they must follow US accounting regulations. One of those regulations deals with gratuity pools such as the CA system. The system provides several benefits, but also requires that all funds except for actual credit card fees must go to the members of the pool, another requirement is that the payments must be optional. 

 

Because it is optional that is your choice. Still is funny that you feel you have to attack the program to justify your choice.  So now you are changing from the money doesn't go to the crew to there are too many people in it  What no data to support your opinion that the crew really only gets moderate percentage of the CA.

 

The Cruise Director and other officer level personnel are not part of the pool. The pool contracts are non officer personnel all on the hotel side. 

 

I certainly enjoy the work done by many of the people you mentioned when i am onboard ship. I guess you must not go to any of activities put on by the lower level CD staff, or ever get helped by anyone at the excursion desk. I consider their work contributing to the enjoyment of my cruise. I even appreciate those that make sure the sheets and towels that i use are clean.

 

 

[julia]

That poor dead horse...   🐎😢

Now, who wants to debate dress codes? 😅

[trbarton]

This posting has gone in so many different directions that it’s challenging to track it from the original posting/question. 

[voljeep]

2 hours ago, TRLD said:

Actually since all of the cruise holding companies are on the US stock exchange they must follow US accounting regulations. One of those regulations deals with gratuity pools such as the CA system. The system provides several benefits, but also requires that all funds except for actual credit card fees must go to the members of the pool, another requirement is that the payments must be optional. 

 

Because it is optional that is your choice. Still is funny that you feel you have to attack the program to justify your choice.  So now you are changing from the money doesn't go to the crew to there are too many people in it  What no data to support your opinion that the crew really only gets moderate percentage of the CA.

 

The Cruise Director and other officer level personnel are not part of the pool. The pool contracts are non officer personnel all on the hotel side. 

 

I certainly enjoy the work done by many of the people you mentioned when i am onboard ship. I guess you must not go to any of activities put on by the lower level CD staff, or ever get helped by anyone at the excursion desk. I consider their work contributing to the enjoyment of my cruise. I even appreciate those that make sure the sheets and towels that i use are clean.

 

 

Excellent - now post exactly who is covered under the CA and what % goes to that department

 

This will be the defintive and final answer needed to determine future threads

[that]

On 8/20/2024 at 4:46 PM, memoak said:

There appears to be a $1 increase per day. Not any amount to concern anyone 

[that]

@memoak

can I ask the source of increase info? 

[Need-a-vacation]

4 minutes ago, that said:

On 8/20/2024 at 4:46 PM, memoak said:

There appears to be a $1 increase per day. Not any amount to concern anyone 

 So will they increase the price of the plus or premium package to accommodate the  CA increase, and by how much?

[that]

Just now, Need-a-vacation said:

 So will they increase the price of the plus or premium package to accommodate the  CA increase, and by how much?

Do Not know source of info on any Crew Appreciation increase.