Live from the Emerald: Many pissed off passengers

[scousecruiser]

We have been told that our account for our 10th January Ruby cruise is showing obc of $66 per adult for the fuel rebate but I am not counting my chickens until I am actually on the cruise and can see it in black and white. I know that the fuel only has to go over $70 for even one day and it will be wiped off the account.

 

Dorset Cruiser. Who has told you this?

SC

[cacy6893076]

Unfortunately, I believe it can be true. We were recently on a two week cruise and found out that over 500 passengers (out of 2200) removed their auto-tips! We've had nearly 20 Princess Cruises and found NO reasons why so many were unhappy.

I have my suspicions, though, due to the breakdown in passenger nationalities. No flames, just my observations.

 

I have to ask where statistics like this come from, not that i don't believe you i am just curious ........from the passenger services desk or what and why would that information be revealed to a passenger?

[oysterfiend]

I have to ask where statistics like this come from, not that i don't believe you i am just curious ........from the passenger services desk or what and why would that information be revealed to a passenger?

 

Observations?

Heresay?

Which Nationalities are You implying?

I'm a kiwi and My husband and I leave our auto tips on

[newmexicoNita]

I have to ask where statistics like this come from, not that i don't believe you i am just curious ........from the passenger services desk or what and why would that information be revealed to a passenger?

I was about to ask the same thing? I really don't know how anyone could get this information and I am not certain I would believe the person who gave it to me.

 

Nita

[Newway1392]

We are crusing Jan. 31 on the Spirit. I will not take the tips away from the hard working people, although I might tip personally incase the line decides to "share" the tips with the staff. I am however doing my homework now to find things to do on our own without booking through Carnival.

[Kineticoh20]

Here is a thought... people complain about this or that, then remove auto-tips. Next cruise people complain about poor service or this or that and remove auto-tip for whatever reason. The next cruise service is poor! Can you blame them? If I was in the service industry and relied on tips to feed my children, trying to give the best service I can only to find out I have been stiffed, I would be upset to say the least. In my oppinion it would have an affect on my service to others (just human nature) Imagine if on every cruise each hard working employee earned a full share and then some from some overly kind cruisers! Just imagine how much better the morale of the staff would be? To remove the auto-tip because you didn't recieve a smile or a towell animal is so wrong on so many levels. So the next time you remove the tips, you are only making things worse for you and the rest of us in the future!!! jmho:D

[meemeec]

Observations?

Heresay?

Which Nationalities are You implying?

I'm a kiwi and My husband and I leave our auto tips on

 

The information came to us from three separate sources.

All sources had the same information.

The Captain gave the nationality breakdown in his welcoming speech.

I found the numbers "interesting" so made the observation.

[T Tail]

These people don't deserve a cruise. They are mad at Princess so they want to stiff the crew? That makes no sense. There are a lot of things in life that are not fair but to turn around and "not be fair" to others is so wrong. I would tell them "to go home and grow up".

 

The fuel surcharge has become stealing from your customers. This is what is upsetting to most cruisers. When fuel was $90 a barrel in Nov 07 Princess instituted a $5 a day surcharge....no problem. When fuel went to $110 a barrel in April 2008 princess raised the surcharge to $7 a day....no problem. When fuel went to $135 a barrel in June of 2008 Princess raised the surcharge to $9 a barrel.

 

Now they take these surcharges AWAY ONLY if fuel is less than $70 a barrel for 25 consecutive days......BIG PROBLEM. What's good on the upside should be good on the downside (if indeed it's a 'surcharge' and not a new profit center).

 

Princess is a wonderful cruise line for service at the ship. Princess Corporate (Carnival) is deaf to handling service issues with their customers. And this is a prime example. BECAUSE Princess Corporate has NO corporate conscience with regard to customer service (and most passengers understand this) passengers strike back the only way they feel they have power, and that is by stiffing the crew. I'm not in favor of stiffing them, BUT maybe over time if Princess corporate continues this they will run out of crewmembers. They will refuse to work without tips and go somewhere else. At least that's the reasoning I can see.

 

People react in the only way they know how: where they feel like they have some power to get wrongs changed. Most will change cruise lines, others will strike in the emotion of the moment.

 

GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER PRINCESS CORPORATE! This whole fuel surcharge thing has turned into a scam and we know it!

 

Regards,

Bob

[Doug R.]

There are so many passengers mad at being ripped off out of their fuel charge rebate because one day after being low for weeks, Nov 4th oil spiked for one day only at 70.54 a barrel, to then drop to current levels and thus disqualified from the convoluted rebate system. Expressed is the concern that the rebate was not objectively assessed as promised and just a marketing ploy.

 

Folks are doing all sorts of things to deliberately getting back at princess. I've heard of many examples

* Removal of auto tipping totally - "management is to pay the service charge from my un-refunded fuel surcharge."

* self organising shore tours - canceling out anything originally booked through the company.

 

Local taxis have said that there are few people coming in off the ships - it seems more folks than usual are staying aboard and "eating up".

 

We are having a wonderful time - but have notice that service and food quality has declined significantly.

 

Sounds like a pack of immature spoiled brats to me. They took it out on the staff, you wonder why service and quality has declined?

[hubofhockey]

The fuel surcharge has become stealing from your customers. This is what is upsetting to most cruisers. When fuel was $90 a barrel in Nov 07 Princess instituted a $5 a day surcharge....no problem. When fuel went to $110 a barrel in April 2008 princess raised the surcharge to $7 a day....no problem. When fuel went to $135 a barrel in June of 2008 Princess raised the surcharge to $9 a barrel.

 

Now they take these surcharges AWAY ONLY if fuel is less than $70 a barrel for 25 consecutive days......BIG PROBLEM. What's good on the upside should be good on the downside (if indeed it's a 'surcharge' and not a new profit center).

 

Princess is a wonderful cruise line for service at the ship. Princess Corporate (Carnival) is deaf to handling service issues with their customers. And this is a prime example. BECAUSE Princess Corporate has NO corporate conscience with regard to customer service (and most passengers understand this) passengers strike back the only way they feel they have power, and that is by stiffing the crew. I'm not in favor of stiffing them, BUT maybe over time if Princess corporate continues this they will run out of crewmembers. They will refuse to work without tips and go somewhere else. At least that's the reasoning I can see.

 

People react in the only way they know how: where they feel like they have some power to get wrongs changed. Most will change cruise lines, others will strike in the emotion of the moment.

 

GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER PRINCESS CORPORATE! This whole fuel surcharge thing is a scam and we know it!

 

Regards,

Bob

 

They didn't get it on the upside. When they originally tried to retroactively charge passengers who had already made their deposits, the Florida AG came down on them and they reversed the surcharges. I got OBC on my April, 2008 cruise. So, it only impacted new passengers after the surcharge was announced. They all knew about the surcharge. Carnival/Princess could have (and probably should have) just increased prices and none of this nonsense would be going on. The issue of passengers "striking back" is a joke. To me, this is no different than buying airline tickets. I bought mine early for my cruise because I didn't think I would get a lower price (oil was really high in the summer when I booked my flights). I chose to lock in my price, knowing full well what it was. Had Princess not called part of my price for my April 2009 cruise a fuel surcharge, I wouldn't even be giving this a second thought. My balance is going to be decreased by close to $180. It's a windfall. I see it as "found money". These days, when my 401(K) is taking a beating, I'll take all of the found money I find and I love filling up my car on $25. I don't disagree that Princess should have acted sooner on removing the surcharge. I just don't understand the hostility to the crewmembers. I'm sure these same people don't stiff a waiter who provides excellent service just because they don't like their entree.

[newmexicoNita]

The fuel surcharge has become stealing from your customers. This is what is upsetting to most cruisers. When fuel was $90 a barrel in Nov 07 Princess instituted a $5 a day surcharge....no problem. When fuel went to $110 a barrel in April 2008 princess raised the surcharge to $7 a day....no problem. When fuel went to $135 a barrel in June of 2008 Princess raised the surcharge to $9 a barrel.

 

Now they take these surcharges AWAY ONLY if fuel is less than $70 a barrel for 25 consecutive days......BIG PROBLEM. What's good on the upside should be good on the downside (if indeed it's a 'surcharge' and not a new profit center).

 

Princess is a wonderful cruise line for service at the ship. Princess Corporate (Carnival) is deaf to handling service issues with their customers. And this is a prime example. BECAUSE Princess Corporate has NO corporate conscience with regard to customer service (and most passengers understand this) passengers strike back the only way they feel they have power, and that is by stiffing the crew. I'm not in favor of stiffing them, BUT maybe over time if Princess corporate continues this they will run out of crewmembers. They will refuse to work without tips and go somewhere else. At least that's the reasoning I can see.

 

People react in the only way they know how: where they feel like they have some power to get wrongs changed. Most will change cruise lines, others will strike in the emotion of the moment.

 

GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER PRINCESS CORPORATE! This whole fuel surcharge thing has turned into a scam and we know it!

 

Regards,

Bob

My opinion and it is only that: we all forget they didn't even add a fuel sur-charge until oil really skyrocketed. Most of us expected the increase way before we acutally got it. Add to this they contract to pay a certain price in advance, for a certain period of time> they can't just adjust our price overnight. I wish it did work that way, but it doesn't. Heck in New Orleans 2 weeks ago, they were still charging a $2.00 fuel sur charge in some of the taxies. YOu may think it has turned into a scam, not everyone agrees with you. I for one do not.

 

Nita

[T Tail]

They didn't get it on the upside. When they originally tried to retroactively charge passengers who had already made their deposits, the Florida AG came down on them and they reversed the surcharges. I got OBC on my April, 2008 cruise. So, it only impacted new passengers after the surcharge was announced. They all knew about the surcharge. Carnival/Princess could have (and probably should have) just increased prices and none of this nonsense would be going on. The issue of passengers "striking back" is a joke. To me, this is no different than buying airline tickets. I bought mine early for my cruise because I didn't think I would get a lower price (oil was really high in the summer when I booked my flights). I chose to lock in my price, knowing full well what it was. Had Princess not called part of my price for my April 2009 cruise a fuel surcharge, I wouldn't even be giving this a second thought. My balance is going to be decreased by close to $180. It's a windfall. I see it as "found money". These days, when my 401(K) is taking a beating, I'll take all of the found money I find and I love filling up my car on $25. I don't disagree that Princess should have acted sooner on removing the surcharge. I just don't understand the hostility to the crewmembers. I'm sure these same people don't stiff a waiter who provides excellent service just because they don't like their entree.

 

Ljb,

 

You missed my point. IF princess corporate had a better customer relations department, or an honest CFO, then people wouldn't feel compelled to react to issues like this in an emotional manner (one that in the end realistically accomplishes nothing but make them feel better).

 

First problem: The surcharge policy is flawed, capricious, and unfair, and needs to be changed. People intuitively know that, and that's where the passenger angst comes from.

 

Second problem: Passengers intuitively know that any issues they may have are going to be ignored by Princess corporate 'passenger no service'. Because of this defect they feel they have nowhere to go for resolution, so they take things into their own hands.

 

Regards,

Bob

[zqvol]

Pam, my thought exactly; anyone who would stiff the crew probably was looking for an out.

 

Tedjazz, I have been on these boards long enough to be pretty sure the OP would not have started this thread if they were not part of the "many who are pissed" I would also bet those many are a handful.

 

It is always easy to find the negative people if you are one of them. Misery loves company.

 

Nita

 

 

Nita

 

Not meaning to step in to your Princess board to cause issues, but Ted has been raising the fuel charge issue on the Carnival board so long and adamantly that it is to the point of being comical.:)

 

I need to try Princess one day but they never go where I want when I can go:mad:

[T Tail]

My opinion and it is only that: we all forget they didn't even add a fuel sur-charge until oil really skyrocketed. Most of us expected the increase way before we acutally got it. Add to this they contract to pay a certain price in advance, for a certain period of time> they can't just adjust our price overnight. I wish it did work that way, but it doesn't. Heck in New Orleans 2 weeks ago, they were still charging a $2.00 fuel sur charge in some of the taxies. YOu may think it has turned into a scam, not everyone agrees with you. I for one do not.

 

Nita

 

So because some taxi's in New Orleans still charge a fuel surcharge that makes it acceptable to you??? Think about that for a moment.

 

How can you look at the data and not come to the conclusion that this whole thing is a scam in favor of the cruise line. Just look at the increases versus the decreases. And yes I understand that Princess contracts out their fuel ahead of time. I also understand that they may also participate in the futures market with hedges on that same fuel.

 

Regards,

Bob

[snowman]

If you hand your room "steward" a $20 and you've left the auto tip on, he won't have to turn this in. So, this would be a moot point. It's only when the auto tip has been removed that the cash tips have to be turned in. If they don't do it and are caught they can lose their job.

Lynda et.al. are you sure about this? I have always left the auto-tips on and have always left a little something extra for people giving us excellent service. It is my understanding from this thread that they have to turn it in.

[coiran]

Lynda et.al. are you sure about this? I have always left the auto-tips on and have always left a little something extra for people giving us excellent service. It is my understanding from this thread that they have to turn it in.

 

No, they do not have to turn in the "extra tip" if you participate in the autotip. Only if you remove the autotip do they have to turn cash tips in.

Ron

[hubofhockey]

Ljb,

 

You missed my point. IF princess corporate had a better customer relations department, or an honest CFO, then people wouldn't feel compelled to react to issues like this in an emotional manner (one that in the end realistically accomplishes nothing but make them feel better).

 

First problem: The surcharge policy is flawed, capricious, and unfair, and needs to be changed. People intuitively know that, and that's where the passenger angst comes from.

 

Second problem: Passengers intuitively know that any issues they may have are going to be ignored by Princess corporate 'passenger no service'. Because of this defect they feel they have nowhere to go for resolution, so they take things into their own hands.

 

Regards,

Bob

 

I don't disagree with anything you are saying here. However, passengers know the fuel surcharge policy going in. I think that those on this Emerald cruise are more upset that others are getting their money back and they are not. The whole 25 continuous business day of a certain price was stupid. Either do it or don't. But to suggest that taking it out on lowly paid crewmembers is any kind of resolution is more ridiculous than any capricious Carnival policy. It's dehumanizing and just plain mean and I don't buy into any effort on your part to justify it or explain it. Nobody was "compelled" to do anything. If you don't like it, take your business elsewhere. But act like a human being along the way.

[snowman]

No, they do not have to turn in the "extra tip" if you participate in the autotip. Only if you remove the autotip do they have to turn cash tips in.

Ron

Thanks I appreciate it.

[T Tail]

I don't disagree with anything you are saying here. However, passengers know the fuel surcharge policy going in. I think that those on this Emerald cruise are more upset that others are getting their money back and they are not. The whole 25 continuous business day of a certain price was stupid. Either do it or don't. But to suggest that taking it out on lowly paid crewmembers is any kind of resolution is more ridiculous than any capricious Carnival policy. It's dehumanizing and just plain mean and I don't buy into any effort on your part to justify it or explain it. Nobody was "compelled" to do anything. If you don't like it, take your business elsewhere. But act like a human being along the way.

 

End of thread. You do not have to be nasty.

 

I was not trying to justify anything. I was trying to explain why some people (many people according to the original poster) acted the way they did. I also stated that I did not condone such behavior.

 

How can you have the audacity to accuse me of not "act like a human being". I would never be so presumptuous as to accuse someone else on a bulletin board of not being human. And I don't think you should either.

 

Goodby,

Bob

[sackman]

End of thread. You do not have to be nasty.

 

I was not trying to justify anything. I was trying to explain why some people (many people according to the original poster) acted the way they did. I also stated that I did not condone such behavior.

 

How can you have the audacity to accuse me of not "act like a human being". I would never be so presumptuous as to accuse someone else on a bulletin board of not being human. And I don't think you should either.

 

Goodby,

Bob

 

I don't think she's saying you're not human, just that you're not acting like one...

 

 

:eek:

 

That was a joke, please take it as such.

[WWCJR]

If you review the posts by the OP, you will see that the Princess upgrade fairy visisted him as stated in his post on Oct 22nd...upgraded from inside to an outside ubstructed oceanview (between two life boats). Then on Nov 4th he started bemoaning the fact that the price of oil went above $70 and he would not get the fuel surcharge refunded. What ashame, Princess provides him a nice upgrade worth more than the fuel surcharge and all he can do is complain. I doubt that this is more than just him complaining and is not wide spread as he is tring to make it sound.

 

I certainly hope that people do not remove the auto-tips as that will do no good and only hurts those that work so hard for us to have a great time on our cruises.

 

Happy sailing to all

[Pam in CA]

They didn't get it on the upside. When they originally tried to retroactively charge passengers who had already made their deposits, the Florida AG came down on them and they reversed the surcharges. I got OBC on my April, 2008 cruise. So, it only impacted new passengers after the surcharge was announced. They all knew about the surcharge. Carnival/Princess could have (and probably should have) just increased prices and none of this nonsense would be going on.

This is actually incorrect information. Princess (Carnival, Corp.) negotiated for quite a while with the FL AG's office in 2005/06 on what to do in the event that a fuel surcharge or other surcharge were needed to cover their basic costs. It was agreed that they could put a disclaimer in their brochure and Cruise Contract, which they proceeded to do. It's all there in black and white. They had the approval and go-ahead from the FL AG's office to implement a surcharge, if needed, since every passenger receives a brochure and/or cruise contract. Two things happened: passengers didn't read either the brochure or the cruise contract and became incensed when Carnival Corp. brands implemented the fuel surcharge. The other thing that happened is that there was a new FL AG who reneged on the approved wording and passenger communications. ALL passengers had the capability of knowing that a surcharge could be imposed; they either failed to read or ignored that terminology.

 

Because of the new FL AG, the surcharge was re-negotiated but in reality, Carnival Corp. had the legal right to do what they did as they had notified all passengers about the possibility but apparently, they didn't wave a red flag big enough pointing this out to passengers.

 

You can bet that one way or the other, we are all paying for the fuel charges, whether it's through a fuel surcharge or increased cost of cruising.

[newmexicoNita]

Nita

 

Not meaning to step in to your Princess board to cause issues, but Ted has been raising the fuel charge issue on the Carnival board so long and adamantly that it is to the point of being comical.:)

 

I need to try Princess one day but they never go where I want when I can go:mad:

 

thanks and do try them. It isn't my favorite line, but they do a good job and the ships are very pretty..

 

I am sure there are those who just will never be happy. wouldn't you think some people could get over it. As I mentioned, did anyone say anything about no fuel charges when the prices first started going up? The cruise lines were about the last ones to apply fuel charges.

 

Nita

[newmexicoNita]

So because some taxi's in New Orleans still charge a fuel surcharge that makes it acceptable to you??? Think about that for a moment.

 

How can you look at the data and not come to the conclusion that this whole thing is a scam in favor of the cruise line. Just look at the increases versus the decreases. And yes I understand that Princess contracts out their fuel ahead of time. I also understand that they may also participate in the futures market with hedges on that same fuel.

 

Regards,

Bob

 

of course they participate in future markets that may or may not protect them. SoWest made out like crazy as they contracted for a price much lower than other airlines, it is a gamble.

 

did I like the $2 charge? Of course not, no one likes extra charges, but I didn't go into a tail spin and gripe about it all over the place. I don't know if the taxi companies also contract out for certain periods of time. I certainly didn't hold it against the taxi driver..

 

Nita

[sidari]

Colo .....:D

 

On our Nov 29th Ruby Family cruise we had the Auto tipping for All 4 Staterooms (3 Balconies and 1 Suite) which covered 10 people including 1 child of 4 and 1 infant.

 

No once did it cross our minds to have it removed, our Suite Stewardess was rewarded too on our last morning.