No Tipping from May 2011 to / from OZ . So how does every one earn a paycheck

[Toto2Kansas]

By pay for your cruise do you mean book the cruise or make final payment. In the US, when we put down a deposit, we lock in the price.

 

Paul, yes, that was exactly what I was asking. When Australian's make a deposit on the cruise, does that lock in the price they will pay later? I swear I remember our Aussie friends telling us that was not the case for them, but I may be remembering incorrectly.

[rkmw]

By pay for your cruise do you mean book the cruise or make final payment. In the US, when we put down a deposit, we lock in the price.

 

hi paul, i posted this answer before but the next page has disappeared

 

once we pay our deposit the fare is locked in

 

rkmw

[Gaznjo]

Paul, yes, that was exactly what I was asking. When Australian's make a deposit on the cruise, does that lock in the price they will pay later? I swear I remember our Aussie friends telling us that was not the case for them, but I may be remembering incorrectly.

 

I think that was caused by the conversion of the dollar... I am sure before cost of US based cruises were quoted in US$..... if our $ dropped against the US then their final balance was higher than what was originally quoted in AU $.... but I think know companies like RCL now publish everything in aussie dollars so we fixed to that price... no matter what the $ does

[paul929207]

hi paul, i posted this answer before but the next page has disappeared

 

once we pay our deposit the fare is locked in

 

rkmw

Thanks for the info. It is the same in the US. Once your deposit is paid, they cannot raise the fare.

[Toto2Kansas]

I think that was caused by the conversion of the dollar... I am sure before cost of US based cruises were quoted in US$..... if our $ dropped against the US then their final balance was higher than what was originally quoted in AU $.... but I think know companies like RCL now publish everything in aussie dollars so we fixed to that price... no matter what the $ does

Thanks, that might have been it. I just remembered them telling me that their booked price could change back then and it wasn't locked in. The coversion rate was probably what they were talking about. ;)

[mummsie]

Mmm not sure if it falls under Australian IR laws. I have been on all three ships (albeit 1 in Caribbean) but not no many Australians working and I am sure it has nothing to do with IR Laws. As long as it is factored In and staff get their bit I suppose that is OK.

 

It is a bit like Princess contractuals with OZ customers, cancel at any time you lose deposit etc, thought this might be as ugly. That is another topic and why many avoid local bookings

 

The prices have gone up to cover the tips. We got a brochure in the mail and the prices are through the roof - they have gone up by at least $1000 per person. It is now cheaper for us to fly to Europe, cruise on a 5 star ship and fly back to Oz rather than go to on Princess out of Sydney. mummsie

[NSWP]

The prices have gone up to cover the tips. We got a brochure in the mail and the prices are through the roof - they have gone up by at least $1000 per person. It is now cheaper for us to fly to Europe, cruise on a 5 star ship and fly back to Oz rather than go to on Princess out of Sydney. mummsie

Correct, we are cruising on Star Princess in South America 30 days, for AU$3500 each in an outside cabin, including all taxes = $116 per day. I paid more than that per day to cruise around Australia on Sun Princess. I reckon too you would pay considerable dollars per day to cruise on P&O Australia ships. Some great deals overseas and very interesting places.

[joll]

The cost of an inside cabin on Dawn Princess 2011, 104 day world cruise went up by a couple of thousand dollars over 2010, i.e. from around $12500 to $14500.

 

 

We did the Sydney to Southampton sector of the World Cruise in 2009 (via Panama) and are booked on the Sydney to Dover Sector in 2011 (via Suez). I have kept a constant check on prices for the 104 day cruise for comparison and have found that over the 3 year period, Princess have advertised their lowest inside cabins in the range $19,000 to $21,000 plus taxes - earlier this month it was $19,890 plus taxes.

 

In December 2009, when Princess sent their first email to past guests about the 2011 World Cruise they stated "This will be the first Princess Cruises' voyage from Australia to operate without automatic passenger tipping which represents a significant saving for you".

 

Even after past passenger discounts, further significant discounting by our TA and booking a lower category cabin than we had in 2009, we are paying approximately $700 each more, and this may increase proportionately for the more expensive cabins and suites! I know our itinerary is different from what we did previously and the European ports may charge more taxes, but this increase and their current prices certainly equate to paying the autotip for our 53 nights plus more.

[kruisey]

Have the autotip combined in the pre cruise paid fare?

Or pay it on your bill at the end of the trip with the option to remove if one

wishes. ?

[Globaliser]

Have the autotip combined in the pre cruise paid fare?

I prefer this.

[paul929207]

Have the autotip combined in the pre cruise paid fare?

Or pay it on your bill at the end of the trip with the option to remove if one

wishes. ?

Setting a fare that allowed for reasonable compensation of all employees and eliminated tipping would be the simplest way to go. It eliminates the fights over tipping and also the surprise for some new cruisers.

[kruisey]

Setting a fare that allowed for reasonable compensation of all employees and eliminated tipping would be the simplest way to go. It eliminates the fights over tipping and also the surprise for some new cruisers.

 

Fairer towards all employees.Also as you mentioned eliminates that suprise for newbies to cruising.:)

[u2cruiser]

I prefer this.

 

Me too OR make it non removable so everyone is paying the same.

[mitejoel]

This is possibly not that related to this topic....but it is about aussies and tipping...

 

I understand about tipping a percentage of the bill ie +20% for good service etc but what do you tip people at airports, hotels and cruise centres for things like baggage (where there is no bill issued)?

 

Is there an accepted tip per bag?

 

Is there any difference between say lifting bags from a car at a hotel 3 metres to the hotel door step as opposed to the peron who lugs the baggage all the way to the room?

 

Do you pay per bag extra for taxis ie over and above the normal 20%?

 

Just curious?

[NSWP]

We did the Sydney to Southampton sector of the World Cruise in 2009 (via Panama) and are booked on the Sydney to Dover Sector in 2011 (via Suez). I have kept a constant check on prices for the 104 day cruise for comparison and have found that over the 3 year period, Princess have advertised their lowest inside cabins in the range $19,000 to $21,000 plus taxes - earlier this month it was $19,890 plus taxes.

 

In December 2009, when Princess sent their first email to past guests about the 2011 World Cruise they stated "This will be the first Princess Cruises' voyage from Australia to operate without automatic passenger tipping which represents a significant saving for you".

 

Even after past passenger discounts, further significant discounting by our TA and booking a lower category cabin than we had in 2009, we are paying approximately $700 each more, and this may increase proportionately for the more expensive cabins and suites! I know our itinerary is different from what we did previously and the European ports may charge more taxes, but this increase and their current prices certainly equate to paying the autotip for our 53 nights plus more.

Spot on, prices have risen steeply in 2011 to cover autotips. As for the 104 day prices you quoted, they would be brochure or Princess website prices. You could get $4000 at least off them by checking the sites of the leading Australian cruise t/a sites.

[NSWP]

This is possibly not that related to this topic....but it is about aussies and tipping...

 

I understand about tipping a percentage of the bill ie +20% for good service etc but what do you tip people at airports, hotels and cruise centres for things like baggage (where there is no bill issued)?

 

Is there an accepted tip per bag?

 

Is there any difference between say lifting bags from a car at a hotel 3 metres to the hotel door step as opposed to the peron who lugs the baggage all the way to the room?

 

Do you pay per bag extra for taxis ie over and above the normal 20%?

 

Just curious?

I understand the US$1 bills are not really the norm now for tipping, i.e. $1 per bag, more like $5. Inflation or greed I guess.

As for cabs, I would think a 20% tip to the driver would include lifting of bags, I would expect it anyway, or they would get no tip. Tips are for good service not ordinary or bad.

[paul929207]

Me too OR make it non removable so everyone is paying the same.

From what I read in the Aussie section, it is illegal there to have a mandatory charge that is not included in the fare. In other words, there cannot be mandatory tips (or whatever you want to call them) put on the on board account.

[Pam in CA]

This whole "tips included or removed" reminds me of the axiom:"Be careful what you wish for."

[Toto2Kansas]

This whole "tips included or removed" reminds me of the axiom:"Be careful what you wish for."

Pam, I said that also the other day before some of the posts poofed. As it was, the hotel charge could be removed if the service didn't warrant keeping it on, but now that it is part of the cruise fare, there is no choice.

And just think if anyone cancels without cruise insurance. They won't only be out the regular cruise fare, but the addition of what was added now for the 'tips included' ;)

[paul929207]

Pam, I said that also the other day before some of the posts poofed. As it was, the hotel charge could be removed if the service didn't warrant keeping it on, but now that it is part of the cruise fare, there is no choice.

And just think if anyone cancels without cruise insurance. They won't only be out the regular cruise fare, but the addition of what was added now for the 'tips included' ;)

If they are foolish enough to book a cruise and not get insurance, then I don't feel sorry for them

[Toto2Kansas]

If they are foolish enough to book a cruise and not get insurance, then I don't feel sorry for them

 

I agree Paul, but we read stories quite often here on CC about those that don't purchase insurance.

[paul929207]

I agree Paul, but we read stories quite often here on CC about those that don't purchase insurance.

So true.

[gingera]

Have the autotip combined in the pre cruise paid fare?

Or pay it on your bill at the end of the trip with the option to remove if one

wishes. ?

 

 

I would like to see cruiseline employees get decent wages....:)

[Pam in CA]

I agree Paul, but we read stories quite often here on CC about those that don't purchase insurance.

True. Which always surprises me.

 

I would like to see cruiseline employees get decent wages....:)

That depends on what you call "decent" and you'd have to do an analysis of wages in their home country and the cost of living. Compared to what they could earn at home, they make many times more. Most are very happy with the current system and how much they make.

 

The same thing is true here in the US. You would make far more working in New York than you would in Louisiana but then living expenses are commensurate. If you could earn a NYC salary and live in Louisiana, you would be extremely well-off. You can buy a huge house in some parts of the US for less than $200,000 but you might pay that for a parking space in NYC. It's all relative. With cruiseline employees, they go back to their home country where the cost of living is very low.