Tipping by Aussies/Kiwis on cruises out of Aux/Syd?

[Ripeka]

So what's the real story on tipping on P&O cruises out of our ports? Not ever been part of my kiwi culture so the whole thing feels very foreign. I read somewhere that tipping is automatically added to cruise bill but that you can deduct it if you wish (is this still true?)

 

How do Kiwis/Aussies get on with this whole business?:D Do any of you Aussies/Kiwis tip in addition to the auto-tip OR instead of it? If so, how much?, when?, do you feel as though it is expected by the stewards? do you feel pressured at all? or do you go with the whole "they are paid to do their job and my responsibility is to gratefully and genuinely thank them for doing it rather than paying them extra to do what they should be doing anyway" mentality. Its kinda confusing. :o

 

Without wishing to be disrespectful to anyone here, I am interested in the response of Aussies/Kiwis to this situation, not people from other cultures where tipping is virtually mandatory. (I am also not keen on explanations along the lines of "well they get so poorly paid so they rely on the tips to boost their income" - I am sorry but even if they are not that well paid, cruise jobs are highly sought after so it cant be that dire lol)

 

have I thrown the proverbial cat amongst the pidgeons?:eek:

[rockie]

Being poorly paid could be one of the reasons people tip so you might just have to wear that one. I think only some of the crew are poorly paid, i.e the housekeeping, laudry etc and waiting staff. I leave the auto tip on as it is spread around the staff you don't see and also tip the cabin stewards and waiter, if we get the same table each meal. I was sooooooooo against this idea of tipping, but you get so well looked after and I really appreciated them that I tipped, in their hand at the end of the cruise. They always have a smile for you, remember your name and are very helpful. The stewards, waiters, laundry etc work helllishingly long hours.

[Tedirene]

Ripeka,

 

Not wanting to become embroiled in the great tipping debate, we leave our autotips on and depending on the service may slip some extra $ when we leave ship. I believe P&O are removing the autotip around September so we won't have to worry.;)

 

Ted

[sandysu]

So what's the real story on tipping on P&O cruises out of our ports? Not ever been part of my kiwi culture so the whole thing feels very foreign. I read somewhere that tipping is automatically added to cruise bill but that you can deduct it if you wish (is this still true?)

 

We went on a cruise on the Pacific Jewel in March this year. Yes, there was a 'Hotel Charge' of $7.50 per day added to our onboard account automatically - most people equate this with other cruise lines 'auto-tip' style of process. You aren't required to pay it - apparently you simply ask for it to be reduced or removed - but we left it in place. And, as someone else said, P&O are apparently removing this - which probably means 'building it into the cost of the cruise' - from October this year.

 

How do Kiwis/Aussies get on with this whole business?:D Do any of you Aussies/Kiwis tip in addition to the auto-tip OR instead of it? If so, how much?, when?, do you feel as though it is expected by the stewards? do you feel pressured at all? or do you go with the whole "they are paid to do their job and my responsibility is to gratefully and genuinely thank them for doing it rather than paying them extra to do what they should be doing anyway" mentality. Its kinda confusing. :o

 

We didn't tip anyone directly. Partly this is because of the way we cruise - we do it for peace and quiet and a bit of alone-together-time so we don't spend a lot of time on social activities or in places where tips might be required. Our room steward was completely professional and good at his job, but just the same that's his job, not something he needs to be paid extra for. Probably his bad luck to have us as customers - if we'd had any extra things to ask of him (and he'd delivered) we would have tipped him, but nothing like that came up.

 

I certainly never once felt pressured to tip anybody on board either a P&O or a Princess ship.

[Aus Traveller]

Being poorly paid could be one of the reasons people tip so you might just have to wear that one. I think only some of the crew are poorly paid, i.e the housekeeping, laudry etc and waiting staff. I leave the auto tip on as it is spread around the staff you don't see and also tip the cabin stewards and waiter, if we get the same table each meal. I was sooooooooo against this idea of tipping, but you get so well looked after and I really appreciated them that I tipped, in their hand at the end of the cruise. They always have a smile for you, remember your name and are very helpful. The stewards, waiters, laundry etc work helllishingly long hours.

The argument of the "behind the scenes" staff is often used, however, they do not get money from the tipping pool. On one Pacific Dawn cruise the Cruise Director printed in the Pacific daily exactly where the tips go. Out of the $7.50 per day, $2.50 goes to the cabin steward/s, $2.50 to the table waiters, and the balance is divided up between the bar staff, the head waiters and the Maitre D' (who gets 25c). None goes to the laundry or kitchen staff and presumably their contract is for a fixed wage.

 

I don't like the "cry poor" stories from staff that I have read about, particularly on the American section of this forum. I believe the staff are paid reasonably. Apparently P & O and Princess top up the tips pool to bring their remuneration up to an agreed level.

 

Personally I think it is insulting to the staff member to tip at the start of the cruise, because this implies that you think they won't do their job properly unless you pay them extra. The other funny comment was that to get your bags carried by a porter and not damaged you physically "wave some dollars around".

 

By the way, we have always left the auto tips on and then given some extra to our table waiters on the last night. We choose to do this but don't want to feel pressured to do so. From what I have heard, Aussies will be delighted when the auto tips is removed.

 

In the last week I have occasionally been reading (and occasionally posting) the threads on tipping on the Princess section of this forum and I am astounded at the rude comments by some people.

[Sandielle]

Hi Ripeka - to put it simply.........;) We felt no pressure whatsoever to tip anyone. We took off the $7.50 tipping. We had the same table at dinner every night - had two wonderful waiters, so tipped them both on the last night. Our cabin steward was also wonderful and we tipped him also on the last night.

 

By the way, we booked the same cruise again next year and we are actually paying a bit less for the same category cabin, so I don't think the prices have gone up yet.

[cazz0069]

Hi Ripeka - to put it simply.........;) We felt no pressure whatsoever to tip anyone. We took off the $7.50 tipping. We had the same table at dinner every night - had two wonderful waiters, so tipped them both on the last night. Our cabin steward was also wonderful and we tipped him also on the last night.

 

By the way, we booked the same cruise again next year and we are actually paying a bit less for the same category cabin, so I don't think the prices have gone up yet.

 

Well put Sandy...my sentiments exactly (accept booking the same cruise next year) :)

[mummsie]

Hi Ripeka - to put it simply.........;) We felt no pressure whatsoever to tip anyone. We took off the $7.50 tipping. We had the same table at dinner every night - had two wonderful waiters, so tipped them both on the last night. Our cabin steward was also wonderful and we tipped him also on the last night.

 

By the way, we booked the same cruise again next year and we are actually paying a bit less for the same category cabin, so I don't think the prices have gone up yet.

 

That is all very well - but if you take off the daily charge and you tip the waiters and the cabin steward - they have to put it back into the pool so they are no better off. We always leave the service charge on and if we get good service we give them a little extra - usually $20 which they get to keep. - mummsie

[sherri3802]

I am not sure the aussie culture towards tipping would be all that different to that in NZ.

In other words, we don't normally tip here except at special restaurants or up market hotels where your luggage might be carried and so on.

We (or I) certainly don't normally tip at cafes, which I believe would be the norm in eg USA.

 

So.. I find the idea of face to face tipping a little confronting. It is just not what i am used to. For that reason, we left the auto tipping on during our cruise on Sun Princess.

For those who wished to increase/decrease the tips, I believe all you had to do was go to the purser's desk and arrange that.

 

I am like Aus traveller in that I have sometimes read that people should tip porters who whisk away bags when you arrive, otherwise the bags may be damaged.

That is not what i found at all. We arrived at Melbourne, lifted up the boot and one of the people working there was helping us lift the bags on a trolley then they ran-literally ran away with those bags before we could even turn around, let alone tip. I think what was happening is they wanted my son to get out of the parking space pronto so the line up of other people could drive in-ease the congestion.

 

My own feeling is some of the service was excellent and I was happy to leave our tips on. I find the idea or even suggestion that anyone would eg deliberately damage our bags if we didn't tip, as bordering close on criminal. Sorry, but that is my view.

 

The cruise fare should have paid for basic and adequate services. The brochure lists meals, it lists room service. At a basic minimum in any cheap hotel or motel here in Aust, you would get your room cleaned without tipping expected, so i expect that on board too.

I expect people to do the job they are employed to do and to do it with reasonable competence, tipped or not.

Reasonable wages should be paid to all workers and if that puts up the price of cruises, so be it.

Having said that, I had no problem leaving on automatic tipping as i thought the service warranted it.

I did meet one woman on my cruise, who was placed in the other restaurant to the one we were in (there were two). She said to me her cruise was being ruined by the rudeness of one of the waiters, who was sarcastic and just horrid to her as she had special needs.

She dreaded meal time.

Our experience was the opposite. My friend had coeliac and the head waiter could not have been friendlier, our waiters were all outstanding.

So we left our tipping on, no worries.

But if I had been that woman and received rude and intimidating service, I would have taken some off, I suspect.

The tips (to me) are for that little extra, not for basic service or rude service.

[Sandielle]

That is all very well - but if you take off the daily charge and you tip the waiters and the cabin steward - they have to put it back into the pool so they are no better off. We always leave the service charge on and if we get good service we give them a little extra - usually $20 which they get to keep. - mummsie

 

No, Mummsie, they don't get it taken off them! (On P&O, anyway.) We asked about that, especially. You can get envelopes from the Purser's desk and put their names on it and give it to them personally. We also brought them a chocolate or similar, sometimes, if they weren't going ashore.

[Aus Traveller]

I am like Aus traveller in that I have sometimes read that people should tip porters who whisk away bags when you arrive, otherwise the bags may be damaged.

That is not what i found at all. We arrived at Melbourne, lifted up the boot and one of the people working there was helping us lift the bags on a trolley then they ran-literally ran away with those bags before we could even turn around, let alone tip. I think what was happening is they wanted my son to get out of the parking space pronto so the line up of other people could drive in-ease the congestion.

 

My own feeling is some of the service was excellent and I was happy to leave our tips on. I find the idea or even suggestion that anyone would eg deliberately damage our bags if we didn't tip, as bordering close on criminal. Sorry, but that is my view.

I agree with you totally. This is what we have found when boarding a cruiseship in Sydney. In Brisbane it is different because cars are parked 20m to 50m from the baggage check-in.

 

The reports of damaging or losing bags if the passenger doesn't tip aren't from Australia or NZ. :D

[Ripeka]

Some great replies thanks and very helpful. Great to know that people haven't felt pressured by it.

 

Just wonderin if we get outstanding service (eg room steward) and decide to tip extra at end of cruise, what would be an appropriate amount (just a ball park figure would be helpful) if someone doesnt mind saying what they think? Ta.

[bazzaw]

I gave our cabin steward $50 AUD for the 11 days of our PD Tas cruise - plus also the automatic gratuity of $7.50 per person per day . So - all up that was around $200.

 

On other cruises, I have not given anything directly to the cabin steward.

 

Barry

[Mothballs]

I leave the auto tipping on and tip the Room Steward according to the amount of towel animals in my room:)

[Ripeka]

sorry one further question - do I need to get some AUD in order to tip or will they accept NZ dollars just as happily? does anyone know for sure OR should it be USD?

[Aus Traveller]

sorry one further question - do I need to get some AUD in order to tip or will they accept NZ dollars just as happily? does anyone know for sure OR should it be USD?

Staff are accustomed to receiving Aussie dollars, and I think they would also accept NZ dollars. Although I am sure they wouldn't risk offending you by making a comment is you gave them USD, this would be more difficult for them to use. The Pacific Sun doesn't carry USD so they can't change them on the ship and they would lose a fair bit changing a small amount of currency. Unless they kept them and took them home eventually.

 

You will need NZ dollars anyway for your trip, so I suggest you tip with this currency (if you choose to tip independently). Absolutely no pressure in this part of the world. :)

[Big Kev]

sorry one further question - do I need to get some AUD in order to tip or will they accept NZ dollars just as happily? does anyone know for sure OR should it be USD?

 

 

Assuming that the question refers to any ships that have been repositiuoned to sail an Australian season..

 

Firstly, auto gratuities are always best, because it goes into thier home country bank accounts with thier wages, most of which the great international crew send home.

 

Any extra that you wish to tip over and above, would be gratefully accepted in any currency. They dont get to regularly go ashore to spend in all ports visited during thier contract.. Remember they could be in Alaska or Europe soon.

 

They finish contracts, and , the ship changes many crew members every week.

 

They go to many other countries apart from Oz, NZ (+ others ex Oz) ..

 

That being the case, $US are preferred if its easy for you..

 

Hope that helps.

 

Phil .

.

[Aus Traveller]

Assuming that the question refers to any ships that have been repositiuoned to sail an Australian season..

Firstly, auto gratuities are always best, because it goes into thier home country bank accounts with thier wages, most of which the great international crew send home.

Any extra that you wish to tip over and above, would be gratefully accepted in any currency. They dont get to regularly go ashore to spend in all ports visited during thier contract.. Remember they could be in Alaska or Europe soon.

 

They finish contracts, and , the ship changes many crew members every week.

They go to many other countries apart from Oz, NZ (+ others ex Oz) ..

That being the case, $US are preferred if its easy for you..

 

Hope that helps.

 

Phil .

.

The question refers to a cruise on the Pacific Sun that works in AUD on board. Staff often go ashore and buy snacks etc. and they also have their on-board account to pay for drinks etc.

 

From my experience, when waiters and stewards finish their contract and sign on for another contract, they nearly always come back to the same ship. Cruise staff are more likely to be shifted around.

 

I still think my suggestion of AUD or NZ$ would probably be best because this will be the currency their other tips will be in.

[Big Kev]

The question refers to a cruise on the Pacific Sun that works in AUD on board. Staff often go ashore and buy snacks etc. and they also have their on-board account to pay for drinks etc.

 

From my experience, when waiters and stewards finish their contract and sign on for another contract, they nearly always come back to the same ship. Cruise staff are more likely to be shifted around.

 

I still think my suggestion of AUD or NZ$ would probably be best because this will be the currency their other tips will be in.

 

 

Sorry, dont mean to offend or mislead anyone, I only responded due to the title of this thread.

 

I dont doubt you, that is why I added the "Assumption" line at the top after belatedly seeing your reply.

 

I have never sailed on an "Australian" ship in AUD, so I corrected myself when felt maybe I was speaking out of place. I just dont know about protocol on P and O ships ..

 

I was commenting on International ships only, so Ripeka and everyone else on P & O please disregard my comments .. For newbys, its bad enough getting the correct info on international lines.

 

 

P.

 

.

[sherri3802]

I can't remember exactly, but I have a feeling the auto tipping on the Sun Princess was about $12 a day per person?

I am reading here that it is $7.50 a day on P&O. I have a cruise coming up with them in Sept so must check what it will be then as I haven't really looked at that yet.

I wonder why the two cruise lines would have such differing amounts.

or maybe I have got it all wrong with the amounts. With me, that is always possible.:rolleyes:

[rkmw]

I can't remember exactly, but I have a feeling the auto tipping on the Sun Princess was about $12 a day per person?

I am reading here that it is $7.50 a day on P&O. I have a cruise coming up with them in Sept so must check what it will be then as I haven't really looked at that yet.

I wonder why the two cruise lines would have such differing amounts.

or maybe I have got it all wrong with the amounts. With me, that is always possible.:rolleyes:

 

sherri, Sun & Dawn Princess charges $10.50-$11 AUD per day depending on the stateroom as they come under the american rule....p&o charges $7.50 per day but thats cuts out in Oct and Princess tips cut out next April 2011

 

rkmw

[Skyrules]

I agree with you totally. This is what we have found when boarding a cruiseship in Sydney. In Brisbane it is different because cars are parked 20m to 50m from the baggage check-in.

 

The reports of damaging or losing bags if the passenger doesn't tip aren't from Australia or NZ. :D

 

In the disembarkation paper work on P&O ships it specifically states not to tip staff in the terminal that assist with baggage reclaim etc.

[Bec84]

I took the auto tips off when we went on our cruise.

 

I was going to tip the cabin steward, but I didn't think we got anything other than basic housekeeping. There were times when we were short towels because they were taken for cleaning and not replaced, and we had to ask him for more tissues in the bathroom because it was left empty. We barely saw him other than in passing a few times. I get the impression that it would have been very different had we had a Filipino.

 

I did tip the bar staff though. Wilson (on the Dawn) was awesome. I ordered a drink once, and from then on he remembered it every time, down to my garnish which I was picky about, even on Island night when there were a million people at the bar. The other guy whose name I can't remember I tipped purely because when I asked him for cherries in my drink instead of pineapple he threw 11(!) in it for me.

 

We had different waiters every time we dined (about 4 times in the 7 days) and the first time was the only time that I thought we got really good service. There was nothing wrong the other nights, but I didn't think it warranted any extra tipping there.

 

I wanted to tip Norman because of his awesome piano skills, but I didn't know how that would work...

 

I personally think if you feel that someone deserves extra, then give it to them. Otherwise don't.

[livingstone]

So what's the real story on tipping on P&O cruises out of our ports? Not ever been part of my kiwi culture so the whole thing feels very foreign. I read somewhere that tipping is automatically added to cruise bill but that you can deduct it if you wish (is this still true?)

 

How do Kiwis/Aussies get on with this whole business?:D Do any of you Aussies/Kiwis tip in addition to the auto-tip OR instead of it? If so, how much?, when?, do you feel as though it is expected by the stewards? do you feel pressured at all? or do you go with the whole "they are paid to do their job and my responsibility is to gratefully and genuinely thank them for doing it rather than paying them extra to do what they should be doing anyway" mentality. Its kinda confusing. :o

 

Without wishing to be disrespectful to anyone here, I am interested in the response of Aussies/Kiwis to this situation, not people from other cultures where tipping is virtually mandatory. (I am also not keen on explanations along the lines of "well they get so poorly paid so they rely on the tips to boost their income" - I am sorry but even if they are not that well paid, cruise jobs are highly sought after so it cant be that dire lol)

 

have I thrown the proverbial cat amongst the pidgeons?:eek:

 

 

There has been many threads started about tipping, I have post the latest on that discusses tipping on Royal Carabbean International. I am sure that it is relevent for Australia and New Zealand Cruises

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1166390&highlight=

[livingstone]

 

By the way, we booked the same cruise again next year and we are actually paying a bit less for the same category cabin, so I don't think the prices have gone up yet.

 

you have proberly have been given a past passenger discount thats why it is cheaper. if you have not recieved a past pasenger discount then call up P&O and they will give you a past passenger number , and should also give you a discount, but knowing P&O they most likely won't. worth a try though.