Princess increased auto tipping

[Iamcruzin]

The only surprise about this increase is that it didn't come sooner. Look what has happened to the value of the dollar vs. worldwide currencies in the past several years. The crew has had a significant pay cut, and it has affected which nationalities that will even contract to work on ships (this per a musician on the Emerald). To those whose home currency is not US $, chances are you've been coming out ahead on the autotip for several years. Now it's time for a little payback. To those in the US who say their income has dropped, so should the crew's, consider the extra autotip charge just an offset of the ridiculously low cruise fares we're currently paying. Cruising is the best value vacation around. The extra dollar per day doesn't change that.

 

My original comment was not directed to Princess. I was just agreeing with a poster that companies have played the bad economy card far too long as an excuse not to pay their employees. I am not opposed to the increase I actually give the room steward a small tip in the beginning along with a list of what my needs will be for the week (wine glasses, ice, extra shampoo and conditioner for my wife's long hair) I purchase the ultimate drink card and if a server in HC offers to get me a drink I tip him or her a dollar which I understand isn't necessary because I prepaid the 15% gratuity. However even with the ridiculously low cruise price I couldn't afford to cruise this year because of the inflated airline prices and the general cost of living increases. I am sure this is the case for many which is part of the reason for cruise price drops. Oddly enough I don't understand the mentality of some. If they reinstated the fuel surcharge for $9 dollars a day everyone would be willing to pay it without a fuss but for an extra dollar a day which is for service you receive people get upset.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Oddly enough I don't understand the mentality of some. If they reinstated the fuel surcharge for $9 dollars a day everyone would be willing to pay it without a fuss but for an extra dollar a day which is for service you receive people get upset.

I think if the fuel charge is reinstated, people will raise a huge fuss. I'm not certain why Princess hasn't reinstated it, but apparently they believe that demand just won't support it. However, at the same time, we saw the price of some of our cruises last winter drop $30 per person per day before final payment. We cruised in April for $20 per person per day less than that. It really seems like Princess is trying to compete on price alone, and this concerns me as a long term strategy.

 

And still people complain about a $1 per day increase in the autotip charge.

[Iamcruzin]

I think if the fuel charge is reinstated, people will raise a huge fuss. I'm not certain why Princess hasn't reinstated it, but apparently they believe that demand just won't support it. However, at the same time, we saw the price of some of our cruises last winter drop $30 per person per day before final payment. We cruised in April for $20 per person per day less than that. It really seems like Princess is trying to compete on price alone, and this concerns me as a long term strategy.

 

And still people complain about a $1 per day increase in the autotip charge.

Wow that's great for you. It's killing me that I can't take advantage of these great offers.

[isujim]

I

And still people complain about a $1 per day increase in the autotip charge.

 

Well........it's cruise critic:D About 80 posts on a buck a day........It's just turned into another tipping thread.......

 

It could be 25 cents a day.........and I'd bet you get the same response.....(and don't bet me:p)

[caribill]

Auto-tip charge for inside, oceanview and balcony cabins increased Wednesday on the Star Princess from $10.50 to $11.00 a day.

 

No notice was given, but I expect it to be in the small print when the disembarkation information is given near the end of the current cruise.

 

Also increased for mini-suites and suites, but I do not know by how much.

[cruiseron36]

No doubt I will be called cheap and flamed for this, but I will be reducing the amount to the $10.50 it stated when I booked.

 

And just how are you going to do that?

[moondance75]

Can you reduce it? We have a few small children, and last time I cruised with an infant on a different ship I reduced the tip, and then gave the money to our cabin steward who deserved all the extra for things he did for our baby. I didn't feel guilty about not distributing our infants tip money- as she didn't eat, go to kids club, go in pool etc.. but our cabin steward was amazing and i thought he deserved the cash..

 

Not sure I will do that this time, but just wanted to know if the automatic tip was required..

[Toto2Kansas]

Can you reduce it? We have a few small children, and last time I cruised with an infant on a different ship I reduced the tip, and then gave the money to our cabin steward who deserved all the extra for things he did for our baby. I didn't feel guilty about not distributing our infants tip money- as she didn't eat, go to kids club, go in pool etc.. but our cabin steward was amazing and i thought he deserved the cash..

 

Not sure I will do that this time, but just wanted to know if the automatic tip was required..

 

If you reduce your childrens gratuity, any cash you give to your room steward or any of the crew will have to be turned into the tip pool. So, it won't go directly to them anyway.

[Ethel5]

If one can't afford the recommended tips, I am guessing one probably can't afford long cruises. As far as something has to give, my recommendation is to take shorter cruises as opposed to not paying the workers the recommended tip.

 

The cost of tipping is part of the cost of cruising.

 

Great response!:)

[cruzedude]

I have come to the conclusion that people will do what they want to do & use any available excuse to justify their actions. It is not logical that a passenger would penalize the staff because of a supposed "slight" by the cruise line - they were not notified of an increase in the auto gratuity. That leads me to believe that these passengers are looking for any excuse to either remove the gratuity or decrease it. They can perhaps justify, in their minds, their actions, blaming it on Princess. It's really sad that the only people to suffer by their actions will be the people who take such care of all of us onboard.

 

Exactly. Justification pure and simple.

 

If they faced the reality they are cheap and stiffing people at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder they might actually feel bad for their actions (maybe for a few minutes). On the other hand if they make up some utter BS about reducing tips for the crew to punish Princess (I mean honestly how is princess hurt) then they can enjoy their cruise guilt free.

 

The reality. Say average cruise far is $150 per day, if airfare is $350 that works out to $50 per day on 7 day cruise. Throw in another $50 onboard spending and $50 on excursions and finally $11 per day for tips. We are talking roughly $311 per day for average cruiser (excluding any major purchases, ground transportation, and pre/post cruise hotel).

 

Tips makes up 3.5% of total vacation cost. The $1 increase is more like 0.3% of total cost. Anyone taking money from people on the bottom over 0.3% increase in the total cruise cost is CHEAP. Pure and simple. Any excuse is just a justification. They would stiff people at the bottom regardless of what "reason" they make up.

[Toto2Kansas]

This is a huge fuss over 50 cents or a dollar per person per day IMHO!

[isujim]

This is a huge fuss over 50 cents or a dollar per person per day IMHO!

 

Well it IS a Tipping Thread on cruise critic............after how many years and posts.........we should all know better LOL!:) Heck i put more change in the change dish every day than what we are talking about here.;)

[Ethel5]

I'd like to point out that we haven't been informed that the size of a bar of soap is smaller, but the price is the same.

 

I'd like to point out that a bag of potato chips is only half full and we weren't informed!

 

I could go on, but you get the drift.

 

My cruises give me too much enjoyment for me to worry about a dollar a day increase.

[cruiseron36]

I'd like to point out that we haven't been informed that the size of a bar of soap is smaller, but the price is the same.

 

I'd like to point out that a bag of potato chips is only half full and we weren't informed!

 

I could go on, but you get the drift.

 

My cruises give me too much enjoyment for me to worry about a dollar a day increase.

 

A bag of chips used to be 16 oz for $2 - Now it is the same price but only 11 oz - no notification

 

Ice cream used to be 64 oz for $3 - now it is 46 oz - box looks the same - $3 - no notification

 

I could go ona and on, Donna!

 

50 cents a day more - No big deal!

[PescadoAmarillo]

I'd like to point out that we haven't been informed that the size of a bar of soap is smaller, but the price is the same.

 

I'd like to point out that a bag of potato chips is only half full and we weren't informed!

 

I could go on, but you get the drift.

 

My cruises give me too much enjoyment for me to worry about a dollar a day increase.

Although I fully support the autotip increase, it's not quite the same thing. The packaging clearly states the weight/volume of the contents therein. We don't first buy the items and only later find out we're getting less.

[cruiseron36]

Although I fully support the autotip increase, it's not quite the same thing. The packaging clearly states the weight/volume of the contents therein. We don't first buy the items and only later find out we're getting less.

 

True, but the packaging looks the same as it used to be - you don't realize they have reduced tjhe amount till you read the contents weight. It is very decieving.

[Coral]

I'd like to point out that we haven't been informed that the size of a bar of soap is smaller, but the price is the same.

 

I'd like to point out that a bag of potato chips is only half full and we weren't informed!

 

I could go on, but you get the drift.

 

My cruises give me too much enjoyment for me to worry about a dollar a day increase.

 

IMO - it is like gas going up. I can look at all the stations in the area but when one goes up, the other goes up. If I want to drive, I still have to buy gas and pay the high charges. I don't know what the charges are until I get there but I still pay because I want to have a car.

[6pack]

At the end of the day, Princess will determine their tipping policy. Like today, we all have choices; the few who disagree with their policy will remove the auto tipping and provide what they feel is justified. IMO this is a quick way to split out the tips without going through the envelope ritual. The Princess team works extremely hard to make our vacations memorable and are well worth this small increase. :)

[Loonbeam]

As said above, the issue is not the increase, which I would say the majority on here support, but the lack of notification on a pretty big policy shift. Sure, in the grand scheme of things its not much, but it does speak to a general communications issue Princess has on updates and people are right to call them on that.

 

At the very least, people with cruises already booked should have gotten a notification or something in the personalizer.

[Coral]

 

At the very least, people with cruises already booked should have gotten a notification or something in the personalizer.

 

I am guessing it will be included in the emails sent to people before the cruise. The first couple of sailings were probably missed in this.

[Pia1913]

Sorry if there's already a thread on this, but I just heard that gratuities have been increased to $11.50 (regular cabins) and $12.00 for minis and suites.

[Coral]

Yep - it has been discussed at great length (as most tipping threads are).

[Shogun]

Hi Pia1913

 

We were lucky and just missed the increase on our TA, others have already noticed wish Princess just told us, its not like we would not spot the increase.

 

 

yours Shogun

[Rockymountainsparky]

It's about time.

[cruzedude]

We were lucky and just missed the increase on our TA

 

"Lucky"? Lucky enough to have the opportunity to pay the extremely hardworking crew slightly less? To each his own I guess.