I am opposed to Princess’s tipping policy.

[iancal]

I mentally include the price of the automatic tip when I am calculating the total cost of our vacation. What does bother me is that I am willing, and want to tip extra for good service. My understanding, from the pursers desk on the Sun, is that if I do tip (even in cash) over and above the automatic tip, that the employee must put it in the tip pool. I resent this.

[Readyto go]

My cousin wouldn't be a waitress if she didnt get tips. Her salary is extremely small, but boy, with the tips she gets, she makes big bucks! The menus only state the cost the restaurant charges, it doesn't include the tax or tips, we all know we have to pay them, so why should a cruiseline be any different, if they added that in their ads, it wouldnt be as appealing.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

[quote name='iancal']I mentally include the price of the automatic tip when I am calculating the total cost of our vacation. What does bother me is that I am willing, and want to tip extra for good service. My understanding, from the pursers desk on the Sun, is that if I do tip (even in cash) over and above the automatic tip, that the employee must put it in the tip pool. I resent this.[/QUOTE]

That doesn't sound right from what others have reported. As long as you leave the aoto tips on and you tip additional monies said monies are supposed to be pocketed by the recipient.
If auto tips are removed then all monies including extra goes into the tip pool. Those facts have consistently been reported here.
It wouldn't be the first time people were given erroneous information.

Bill

[Times Prince]

[quote name='zalusky']I am saying that the cruise industry makes the tip account for 80% or more of their income. Whereas in land based restaurants and other service jobs the percentage is generally much lower.[/QUOTE]Anyone who works in a US chain restaurant as wait staff knows that the pay from the restaurant is much less than minimum wage and that 15%+ tips are expected. In the case of my daughter in college, about 85% of her wages came from tips which she had to really work hard to get.

The restaurant tips are actually about what we would pay at our favorite Australian themed restaurant (certainly not a 5 course meal there).

The auto tip on cruises is probably a fair wage and actually is a little less than the tipping guidelines used to amount to . We always give extra for good service.

If you've booked ahead on a cruise, that cruise credit goes a long way toward paying the tips.

[Globaliser]

[quote name='S.S.Oceanlover']I simply pointed out that is incorrect. It doesn't matter if their parent company has deep pockets, found loopholes to survive or how they did it, the simple fact remains that they are still in business after a year, not bankrupt in a month.
We'll just agree to disagree. :) [/QUOTE]I don't think we disagree at all about that. However, as you say, we could endlessly debate the significance of the fact that NCLA is still operating, given the circumstances.

[mii]

I have no clue how much the wait staff and room stewards make - but I can tell you that no amount of money would get me to work 7 days a week, 12 plus hours per day for 6 months with no days off. I really have no clue how these people do it. They deserve every dime they earn!

 

Coral, well said. Totally agree with you.

 

Marilyn

[bdjam]

I am saying that the cruise industry makes the tip account for 80% or more of their income. Whereas in land based restaurants and other service jobs the percentage is generally much lower.

Although it’s been a while, that certainly wasn’t the case when I worked in the service industry. My “salary” was minimum wage – and my “salary” amounted to about 10% of what I took home. The rest was tips. I don’t necessarily agree with the practice, but in my experience, owners of restaurants and bars know that tips will supplement the low wages – and employees know that working at a specific establishment will mean tips will come their way.

As a result the cruise lines advertise xxx dollars knowing that your onboard expenses are not in that upfront advertised amount. On a week cruise for say princess in the carribean you might pay say $700 - $800 and another $70+ in tips thats roughly 8-10% they dont have to advertise in the fare.

But tips aren’t the only contributor to expenditures over the advertised fare…at least on the mass market lines. A glass of wine, a spin of the roulette wheel, a photo, a shore excursion, a spa treatment, a dinner in the alternative dining venue – all add to the price of the fare. A savvy cruise passenger should realize that and budget accordingly.

I dont generally mind the technique other than that the establishment is burying the true cost of the event. Its like taxes there are so many people taking a cut that you just cant figure the real cost until after the fact.

Again, I have to disagree – maybe it’s because of my cruise experience or the fact that when I started cruising my TA was full of useful information. Anyone with a little knowledge of cruising knows about the additional costs and I don’t think any cruise line is burying the true cost.