Chocolates on pillows?

[Little Nell]

I'm absolutely horrified! Dreadful, dreadful, dreadful. I will tell them not to leave me any in future! So depressed reading that.

 

I will tell them too since we don't eat them. I am glad this has been mentioned.

 

It isn't that we don't like chocolate. I take Cadburys with me :o and I have it with coffee during the day :)

[geomagot]

you can buy cadburys from the mini bar....the steward will make some extra cash from the sale (but of course so will thomsons)

[okavango]

Exactly what our cabin stewardess told us.

 

Despite Thomsons including tips in the price, we wouldn' t dream of not tipping for good cabin service - similar in the restaurant.

 

there is no such thing as tips included, its purely a marketing ploy, there is no such things as tips shown on staff pay statements, even more annoying is the bit now emblazoned on your blue card "remember tips are included" ,why not change things to "remember we have no service charges" ,which is an honest statement but does not imply that tips should be given or are expected (still leaves a get out for the tight arses)

[kruzseeka]

there is no such thing as tips included, its purely a marketing ploy, there is no such things as tips shown on staff pay statements, even more annoying is the bit now emblazoned on your blue card "remember tips are included" ,why not change things to "remember we have no service charges" ,which is an honest statement but does not imply that tips should be given or are expected (still leaves a get out for the tight arses)

 

Have you got any idea of what their renumeration is like? When we first cruised with Thomson one of the asst. waiters did tell us and described how 50% of his pay went directly to his family in the Philippines (probably his choice) - and he was pretty satisfied with what he was getting. He was earning about 4x what he might get at home. Of course that could have changed significantly and we know that there have been cuts so they are probably having to work harder now for equivalent pay.

 

One of the classical musicians also told us he was getting paid about double what he'd been getting on Holland America and given the tax free status and included accommodation he thought Thomson was a good company to work for. But whether that applied across the board in different departments, I wouldn't know.

 

I've always fondly wanted to believe this is the case. And it may be, but I'm describing conversations of 7/8 years ago so who knows the current situation?

 

Having heard some horror stories about crew pay on some (American) ships - they are virtually working for nothing, just tips. I hope Thomson still have a more acceptable employment package. Like many others on here we too tip our cabin steward, waiters and wine waiters but I would like to know they are getting a fair rate without the uncertainty of how much they get in the way of tips. I'd like to think any tips are a welcome bonus, not a necessity to make a reasonable income.

 

Anyone know any specifics?

Edited April 12, 2014 by kruzseeka

[okavango]

Have you got any idea of what their renumeration is like? When we first cruised with Thomson one of the asst. waiters did tell us and described how 50% of his pay went directly to his family in the Philippines (probably his choice) - and he was pretty satisfied with what he was getting. He was earning about 4x what he might get at home. Of course that could have changed significantly and we know that there have been cuts so they are probably having to work harder now for equivalent pay.

 

 

Anyone know any specifics?

 

i know some of the figures for the louis managed ships,im not saying what they are publicly but be assured a good wage can be earned, very few bother or need to work when home for a few months break, in real terms they tend to be better off than many of us, what may suprise many is that wages are paid cash (euro) but you are partly correct about the philippines, a legal requirement that a percentage is paid direct back to there. tips are a very welcome bonus (helps pay the bar bill LOL) but not depended on.

i dont know any details for the staff of the management company currently?????????? running the celebration and dream

[Little Nell]

you can buy cadburys from the mini bar....the steward will make some extra cash from the sale (but of course so will thomsons)

 

We prefer to tip the steward well.

[happy v]

yes...quite shocking....but from what i have gleaned, this has always been the situation in the cruise industry for cabin stewards

 

they leave chocolates, little decorations at christmas/easter etc and towel animals because it encourages tipping and they are v much reliant on tips

 

so my question would be.....tips are included on thoms....how does that work re the stewards?

 

If it's common pratice for cabin stewards in the industry I can't see a problem as it must be factored in to their pay.

 

What is upsetting is the fact they think they have to leave a chocolate or a towel animal for a tip. We always leave it for the good, no excellent, service not frivolities. Perhaps this isn't the case on all lines.:confused:

[kruzseeka]

i know some of the figures for the louis managed ships,im not saying what they are publicly but be assured a good wage can be earned, very few bother or need to work when home for a few months break, in real terms they tend to be better off than many of us, what may suprise many is that wages are paid cash (euro) but you are partly correct about the philippines, a legal requirement that a percentage is paid direct back to there. tips are a very welcome bonus (helps pay the bar bill LOL) but not depended on.

i dont know any details for the staff of the management company currently?????????? running the celebration and dream

 

Thanks for that okavango :)- I feel better knowing that they aren't doing too badly - at least on Maj and Spirit. We can only hope the crew on C & D fare as well although with recent reports about differences between the ships (dependent on which management company is involved), I wouldn't like to pre-judge that one!

[okavango]

Thanks for that okavango :)- I feel better knowing that they aren't doing too badly - at least on Maj and Spirit. We can only hope the crew on C & D fare as well although with recent reports about differences between the ships (dependent on which management company is involved), I wouldn't like to pre-judge that one!

 

times are a changing, thoms have finally worked out who makes things tick

[kruzseeka]

times are a changing, thoms have finally worked out who makes things tick

 

I think I read on here very recently that Thomson would be renewing/seeking tenders for contracts on the ships they manage.

As the reviews of Majesty and Spirit (Louis managed) are holding up far better than the two Thomson managed ships at the moment, am I reading too much into your comments and thinking perhaps Louis could take over D&C too? If so I hope the recent issues (reported by several on here) will be addressed. That would make me very happy! ;):)

[happy v]

times are a changing, thoms have finally worked out who makes things tick

 

Do you think they could change them by tomorrow!!:eek::D:D

[kruzseeka]

Do you think they could change them by tomorrow!!:eek::D:D

 

Don't worry happy v - you'll have a great time - it's all comparative and as a package you'll find much to enjoy! ;) If we could have fitted it around commitments, we'd have been coming too. Wish we were! :)

[happy v]

Thank you K, I was on my way to bed when I thought I'd better check the regulations on liquids......lucky I did. :eek: I haven't got too much but I've had to put everything in a see through plastic bag and repack my bag. I'm just going up to re do the trolley case now. If I don't hurry up it won't be worth going to bed.:D

[kruzseeka]

Thank you K, I was on my way to bed when I thought I'd better check the regulations on liquids......lucky I did. :eek: I haven't got too much but I've had to put everything in a see through plastic bag and repack my bag. I'm just going up to re do the trolley case now. If I don't hurry up it won't be worth going to bed:D

 

I am very jealous! :D;) I really wanted to see Bermuda and the Azores. You'll have to let me know what they were like - hopefully we'll go there sometime. I think I'd be too excited to sleep if we were going. :D Lucky you. ;)

[geomagot]

there is a rumour (among the crew) that it will be louis taking over contracts on dream & celebration...if that happens there will be a big turnover of staff aboard the thoms managed ships as they use different agencies

 

heres some other bits & pieces I have found out

 

they virtually all want to work on thomsons ships

 

some crew love it and have been on thoms ships for years....there is a v slow turnover of crew on thoms ships (opposed to other lines) v few leave and go to celebrity/princess etc (despite having offers)

 

its v common for Filipinos to work abroad for a few months of the year and not work the rest of the time, earning enough to provide themselves with a good standard of living when at home

[kruzseeka]

there is a rumour (among the crew) that it will be louis taking over contracts on dream & celebration...if that happens there will be a big turnover of staff aboard the thoms managed ships as they use different agencies

 

heres some other bits & pieces I have found out

 

they virtually all want to work on thomsons ships

 

some crew love it and have been on thoms ships for years....there is a v slow turnover of crew on thoms ships (opposed to other lines) v few leave and go to celebrity/princess etc (despite having offers)

 

its v common for Filipinos to work abroad for a few months of the year and not work the rest of the time, earning enough to provide themselves with a good standard of living when at home

 

 

Oooohhh.............. now I might have said after your first statement that that might not be a bad thing inasmuchas we've detected changes on D&C which have to be down to Thomson management decisions so perhaps a change to Louis could be better as reports of M&S seem to be holding up.

 

However, your further comments do reinforce an impression we've held for years i.e. that Thomson is actually a decent company to work for in comparison to other cruise lines which would explain their crew retention. And I for one would want the crew to have the best possible contracts and wouldn't wish to risk that changing for the worse. As you say they are different agencies involved so unless the crew defected to the 'other' agency, presumably they wouldn't get back on Dream or Celebration. This is all making me very concerned! :(

[skoozie]

we had chocs everynight....no towel animals tho

 

I found out that chocs are supplied by the stewards (not by thomsons) they have to buy them...in fact, the stewards are kind off self employed....they are paid per cabin if they need an assistant (from housekeeping) to help them...then they need to pay that assistant out of their own pockets....they can agree how many cabins they think they can do per day (if they employ an assistant they can do more cabins and possibly make more money)....they also make profits on the mini bar (buy wholesale from thoms and sell at retail)...interesting eh?

 

Geo are you sure this is correct. I put a post on another forum this morning about chocs and tipping etc long story but how I wish I hadn't lol.