Advice Please on Tip Aboard the Sun Princess Aust cruises

[njm39]

Hi We are going on a cruise in Jan 2011 on the Sun Princess & I have Question when you get on Board the ship can you change the amount $$ of money for the gratuities you tip compared to what Princess Recommend ??

As I travelled on the Pacific Sun Jan 2010 & we changed the tipping Amount $$ to what we could afford as a family.

Thanks in advance for any replies

[kuldalai]

Policy up to May 2011 :

 

- Pax over 14 yrs charged approx $ 10 Aus per day to ships account for tipping . You can go to Purser and increase, decrease or delete this amount all together.

- All bar charges incur + 10 % service charge and cannot be changed.

 

Policy from May 2011 :

 

- The tipping charge is said to be removed (but in reality that is just "spin") as from May it will no doubt be included in the total fare.

- All bar charges incur + 10 % service charge and will not be changeable.

 

Under Australian Law it is illegal for a Travel Operator to quote a price and then add additional charges ; as it is misleading advertising . So all cruise lines have been pressured to remove the much detested (by Aussies) automatic tipping charge per person per day .

 

In adjusting your tipping charge with the Purser be mindful that typically cruise lines will pay waiters and cabin stewards like $ 25US per day whereas in Australia they would be paid that per hour on Weekend penalty rates. So the staff rely heavily on the revenue from the tipping charges to top up their salary to anything worthwhile.

 

We have always found the frontline staff deliver service above and beyond the call of duty . So we have no problem with the Princess levy and in fact also throw a few Aussie $ in cash to our waiters and cabin steward at the end of the cruise .

 

However with a family it becomes an expensive excercise, so by all means cut it back by arrangement with the Purser. BUT don't leave it to the last days of your cruise to request any adjustment .

[njm39]

Thanks that was most helpful.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Theres a thread running on tipping over on the HAL board...

 

When it comes to tipping, Aussies are tightwads

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1302625

[slimjimco]

Hi We are going on a cruise in Jan 2011 on the Sun Princess & I have Question when you get on Board the ship can you change the amount $$ of money for the gratuities you tip compared to what Princess Recommend ??

As I travelled on the Pacific Sun Jan 2010 & we changed the tipping Amount $$ to what we could afford as a family.

Thanks in advance for any replies

 

has been that you must (?) be on a "dine anytime" and must approach the purser on the first day. They will not give you static. Many people do this. We tip as appropriate.

[paul929207]

has been that you must (?) be on a "dine anytime" and must approach the purser on the first day. They will not give you static. Many people do this. We tip as appropriate.

I don't believe there is Anytime Dining on the Sun Princess or Dawn Princess for their Austrailian cruiess.