A young British couple on P&O for 14 days(Singapore to Bris) in August....good idea?

We have put a hold on the cruise as of 5 minutes ago. :)

To be honest, the only thing stopping us booking is my dislike of flying.

Hopefully that wont stop me this time.

I'm guessing that cruise tickets sold in Australia on Australian based ships would be subject to Australian Consumer Law, where all costs must be presented up front to the passenger. This makes it simpler to just include tips in the the ticket price.

 

Tickets bought overseas wouldn't have that requirement.

That isn't the reason. All the cruise lines based in Australia used to charge tips. Removing them was nothing to do with consumer law. P&O was the first to take them off. Anne Sherry's announcement referred to the fact that Aussies are not accustomed to tipping. I think it's likely that a lot of Aussies removed the tips from their account, leaving the cruise line to make up the difference in the remuneration to the crew. Princess followed a couple of years later (1st May 2011). From what I have read, Royal Caribbean took tips off only a couple of years ago, but I don't know the date.

I agree that it makes it simpler to include tips in the ticket price. When it isn't, a lot of people have had an unpleasant shock on board.:D The problem was that when one cruise line took the tips off and the others didn't it make the first one's cruises look more expensive.

We have put a hold on the cruise as of 5 minutes ago. :)

To be honest, the only thing stopping us booking is my dislike of flying.

Hopefully that wont stop me this time.

Many Aussies, like myself, don't like long haul flying either.

But the end result is well worth it, so enjoy the excitement of booking your cruise.

We have put a hold on the cruise as of 5 minutes ago. :)

To be honest, the only thing stopping us booking is my dislike of flying.

Hopefully that wont stop me this time.

Sounds great..:D Are you planning on a pre cruise stay in Singapore as well?

... All the cruise lines based in Australia used to charge tips. P&O was the first to take them off. ...... Princess followed a couple of years later (1st May 2011). From what I have read, Royal Caribbean took tips off only a couple of years ago, but I don't know the date.

RC changed to tips being included in the cruise-fare from Dec '16, for Australian cruises booked in Australia.

We have put a hold on the cruise as of 5 minutes ago. :)

 

 

 

To be honest, the only thing stopping us booking is my dislike of flying.

 

 

 

Hopefully that wont stop me this time.

We actually booked a P&O Arcadia UK cruise through the P&O Australia office - have you tried booking this cruise through the UK office? Just a thought ...

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That isn't the reason. All the cruise lines based in Australia used to charge tips. Removing them was nothing to do with consumer law.

I'm not so sure about nothing. Australian Consumer Law kicked in on 1st January 2011.

P&O stopped auto-tips in 2010, just before the law kicked in and Princess just after. RCI and Carnival held out until 2016, but their ships are/were less Australia based.

Given the timing I think the new laws may have been the prod that pushed auto-tipping out.

RC changed to tips being included in the cruise-fare from Dec '16, for Australian cruises booked in Australia.

Thanks. I knew it was a fairly recent change. They operated with tips for years prior to that, so it was not Australian consumer law that caused the change. It was to be competitive with the cruise lines that do not charge tips.

Thanks. I knew it was a fairly recent change. They operated with tips for years prior to that, so it was not Australian consumer law that caused the change. It was to be competitive with the cruise lines that do not charge tips.

Things don't only happen for one reason. As I recall Princess initially didn't apply the change to its "visiting" ships that were not considered locally based. RCI and Carnival were considered seasonal ships until recently.

I don't think that it was co-incidence that the change at P&O and Princess, the most "local" of the cruise lines, occurred within months of the law coming into effect.

Things don't only happen for one reason. As I recall Princess initially didn't apply the change to its "visiting" ships that were not considered locally based. RCI and Carnival were considered seasonal ships until recently.

 

I don't think that it was co-incidence that the change at P&O and Princess, the most "local" of the cruise lines, occurred within months of the law coming into effect.

When GST came in on 1st July, 2000, all prices had to include the tax. I am not sure if that is the law you are referring to. The auto tips were removed from P&O Aust cruises on 1st October 2010, and from Princess from 1st May, 2011. As Mr Walker advised, RCI was from December 2016.

I do not think the auto tips could be regarded as a 'tax' because they can be removed.

When GST came in on 1st July, 2000, all prices had to include the tax. I am not sure if that is the law you are referring to. The auto tips were removed from P&O Aust cruises on 1st October 2010, and from Princess from 1st May, 2011. As Mr Walker advised, RCI was from December 2016.

 

I do not think the auto tips could be regarded as a 'tax' because they can be removed.

Australian Consumer Law replaced the old Trade Practices Act on January 1st, 2011.

Among other things, it requires single pricing, in that the advertised pricing represents the pricing of all aspects of the final product or service. So effectively you can't advertise a cruise price unless that price includes all costs associated with that cruise up front.

It just so happens that almost at the same time as the law came into effect, P&O and Princess changed their tipping policies and included it in the fare. RCI and Carnival Australia came much later, but their ships were considered seasonal visitors.

Australian Consumer Law replaced the old Trade Practices Act on January 1st, 2011.

 

Among other things, it requires single pricing, in that the advertised pricing represents the pricing of all aspects of the final product or service. So effectively you can't advertise a cruise price unless that price includes all costs associated with that cruise up front.

 

It just so happens that almost at the same time as the law came into effect, P&O and Princess changed their tipping policies and included it in the fare. RCI and Carnival Australia came much later, but their ships were considered seasonal visitors.

Sorry. I am still not convinced that the removal of auto-tipping was caused by Aust consumer law. I can see that having the American system where fees and taxes are added conpulsorily to the advertised price would not be legal in Australia, but I still believe that the tips that can be removed, would be regarded differently.

P&O beat the law by several months and Princess didn't change until five months later. If it was Australian law that required the change, they (and RCI) would have had to comply immediately. Also, I think the cruiseline's announcement would have referred to the law.

When the law that brought in GST (July 2000) stipulated that all advertised prices had to include that tax, I am doubtful that another law in 2011 would make this mandatory. If the law requiring taxes etc to be included in prices meant the auto-tips were no longer legal, then that would have been the case from 2000.

Also, I think the cruiseline's announcement would have referred to the law.

 

When the law that brought in GST (July 2000) stipulated that all advertised prices had to include that tax, I am doubtful that another law in 2011 would make this mandatory. If the law requiring taxes etc to be included in prices meant the auto-tips were no longer legal, then that would have been the case from 2000.

I can see the argument both ways so not sure myself. In respect of the above for example, corporate announcements don't always tell the whole truth and often try to spin things, so I wouldn't expect them to state the cause as the law, unless it was something negative. Making prices inclusive can and was sold as a positive for the consumer so not the kind of thing they'd like to state it was caused by something else (if it was).

For GST, which came in under "A New Tax System" the legislation was specifically around that. Tips aren't standard here - especially back then, and weren't part of the taxation change being introduced, so I wouldn't expect to have been caught up in that.

Also, as I recall there were cases in the early 00s when fuel and payment surcharges and the rest were introduced by airlines, where the airlines advertised a price, but didn't reveal the final price until the end of the booking due to surcharges added after. That is somewhat similar but also was permitted by ANTS, and carried on for over a year until it was addressed.

We have put a hold on the cruise as of 5 minutes ago. :)

 

To be honest, the only thing stopping us booking is my dislike of flying.

 

Hopefully that wont stop me this time.

I hope you finalise it all and take the flights, plenty of reasonable plane fares at the moment, my brither just booked Singapore Airlines - economy, Brisbane - LHR - Brisbane for next year for $1300, bargain !! Pop a couple of sleeping pills and you are there. LHR - Singapore is only 12 or 13 hours !! Admittedly you have a long haul back, 8 hrs Sydney-Singapore then 13 hrs Singapore - LHR, but have a couple of nights in Singapore to break it up, great place.

Above all enjoy.

Booked the cruise! Staying a few days either side too :)

I can't stand London so we are flying out of Manchester on Singapore Airlines.

Manchester-Singapore then Brisbane-Singapore-manchester flights.

To say its in the UK summer hols flights were a bargain £857 each which is around ($1130)

I don't mind long haul travelling (I train all through Europe usually) but do have a fear of flying.

Booked the cruise! Staying a few days either side too :)

 

I can't stand London so we are flying out of Manchester on Singapore Airlines.

 

Manchester-Singapore then Brisbane-Singapore-manchester flights.

 

To say its in the UK summer hols flights were a bargain £857 each which is around ($1130)

 

I don't mind long haul travelling (I train all through Europe usually) but do have a fear of flying.

Well done, enjoy. Your price of AU$1130 UK - OZ is about the same as Singapore A/L price here currently. My brother paid $1200 (inc taxes) Brisvegas - LHR - Brisvegas in May/June next year.

BTW don't you like Heefrow, love it and the M25, must be something wrong with me.

But I suppose if you reside in the North of England, Manchester is convenient, even from Warwickshire where you are. ;) Does Birmingham A/P just do UK and European flights?

Not a fan of most things in London these days. Seen all the obvious and cultural bits many times now. Its a shame I dislike London as for us its under 2 hours on the train to get there. Our Manchester flights are Singapore Airlines also and Manchester is one the major airports here outside of London.

We are super close to Birmingham as you guessed but although it does intercontinental flights it would involve 2 stops and a bigger expense. To say its our 2nd biggest city its airport is quite limited.

Manchester is amazing though and closer to where I grew up (Peak district in Derbyshire). I am a girl of the countryside I guess.