busseltoncruisers Posted November 26, 2014 #1 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Can any recent Sea Princess cruisers advise if Princess automatically include the daily gratuity in the cruise fare on a Sea Princess sailing to/from Australia similar to Sun and Dawn Princess or will this be added daily to our account ??? thanks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tickford Posted November 26, 2014 #2 Share Posted November 26, 2014 That's already included in your fare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busseltoncruisers Posted November 26, 2014 Author #3 Share Posted November 26, 2014 That's already included in your fare. Thanks Tickford. I can't find any mention of gratuities anywhere in my booking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Big_M Posted November 26, 2014 #4 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Thanks Tickford. I can't find any mention of gratuities anywhere in my booking. "Gratuities For our Australian guests, when sailing on cruises departing from Australia aboard Sun Princess, Dawn Princess or Sea Princess, a daily gratuity amount will no longer be added to your on board account. You are welcome to reward our on board crew for exceptional service, however, tipping is not required." http://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/onboard/experience.jsp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndon Posted November 26, 2014 #5 Share Posted November 26, 2014 I would have expected the overall cruise fares to have increased with gratuities now being added to the fare but a comparison of NZ cruise fare costs before gratuities were added to the fare show that the fares NOW are cheaper than BEFORE the gratuities were added into the fare I think the increased competition from the many more cruise companies now working the Australian cruise market has forced the fares down all round The dropping of forced gratuities by Australian Princess is an example of people power winning out over Company policies even though it took 2 or 3 years to achieve John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busseltoncruisers Posted November 27, 2014 Author #6 Share Posted November 27, 2014 "GratuitiesFor our Australian guests, when sailing on cruises departing from Australia aboard Sun Princess, Dawn Princess or Sea Princess, a daily gratuity amount will no longer be added to your on board account. You are welcome to reward our on board crew for exceptional service, however, tipping is not required." http://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/onboard/experience.jsp In September the Sea Princess is heading up to Singapore and then will go in dry dock. We are boarding in Singapore returning to Fremantle. Would this apply to us ?? Is there anywhere out there that did the 2nd leg of this years Fremantle to Fremantle cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Big_M Posted November 27, 2014 #7 Share Posted November 27, 2014 In September the Sea Princess is heading up to Singapore and then will go in dry dock. We are boarding in Singapore returning to Fremantle. Would this apply to us ?? Is there anywhere out there that did the 2nd leg of this years Fremantle to Fremantle cruise. As she's still based out of Australia at that time, it would be the same. They wouldn't change remuneration and tipping agreements for a single cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busseltoncruisers Posted November 27, 2014 Author #8 Share Posted November 27, 2014 As she's still based out of Australia at that time, it would be the same. They wouldn't change remuneration and tipping agreements for a single cruise. Now that makes sense. This is such a reasonably priced cruise and sailing into Perth makes it even better. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Big_M Posted November 27, 2014 #9 Share Posted November 27, 2014 This is such a reasonably priced cruise and sailing into Perth makes it even better.Thanks Yes, the homeward ones are the best. You can bring back whatever you want without worrying about luggage, and relax on arrival instead of spoiling it with airport transfers and lengthy flights. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travaustralia Posted November 28, 2014 #10 Share Posted November 28, 2014 We flew to Hong Kong and sailed on Sun Princess, last month, to Sydney. The onboard currency was USD and we were charged $11.50 pp per day grats. Check if the onboard charges are in $A or $US. Think that will be the decider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Big_M Posted November 28, 2014 #11 Share Posted November 28, 2014 We flew to Hong Kong and sailed on Sun Princess, last month, to Sydney. The onboard currency was USD and we were charged $11.50 pp per day grats. Check if the onboard charges are in $A or $US. Think that will be the decider. The past 7 months she's been in Asia though, so the USD has been the currency there. She was still in USD as it was the last cruise of that season. Worthwhile checking with their office to confirm, but I still wouldn't expect them to make a single cruise mid-Australia season in USD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dizzy1948 Posted November 28, 2014 #12 Share Posted November 28, 2014 In September the Sea Princess is heading up to Singapore and then will go in dry dock. We are boarding in Singapore returning to Fremantle. Would this apply to us ?? Is there anywhere out there that did the 2nd leg of this years Fremantle to Fremantle cruise. Are you on the Oct 17th Singapore to Fremantle leg? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sayaguru Posted November 29, 2014 #13 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Did you book through an Australian travel agent? If you booked through an overseas travel agent your gratuities will be added onboard. They are only included from Aussie agents (they don't trust us to pay them). :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busseltoncruisers Posted December 1, 2014 Author #14 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Are you on the Oct 17th Singapore to Fremantle leg? Yes. We are going to Bali with the family for a milestone birthday and will fly to Singapore when the kids and grandkids fly home. Then we will have a nice relaxing cruise home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busseltoncruisers Posted December 1, 2014 Author #15 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Did you book through an Australian travel agent? If you booked through an overseas travel agent your gratuities will be added onboard. They are only included from Aussie agents (they don't trust us to pay them). :D We booked through Princess direct (Aussie website). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aus Traveller Posted December 5, 2014 #16 Share Posted December 5, 2014 Did you book through an Australian travel agent? If you booked through an overseas travel agent your gratuities will be added onboard. They are only included from Aussie agents (they don't trust us to pay them). :D Gratuities are not charged for Australian/NZ guests, whether they book through a TA or direct with Princess. Tips were removed on 1st May 2011, not because Princess didn't trust us to pay them, but (they stated) it was because it wasn't the usual custom in Australia. For some reason, Princess charges American and UK passengers the usual auto-tip. I wonder if it is so they don't get the idea that our system is better. :D:D (I don't want to start a tipping debate.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare lyndarra Posted December 28, 2014 #17 Share Posted December 28, 2014 Gratuities are not charged for Australian/NZ guests, whether they book through a TA or direct with Princess. Tips were removed on 1st May 2011, not because Princess didn't trust us to pay them, but (they stated) it was because it wasn't the usual custom in Australia. For some reason, Princess charges American and UK passengers the usual auto-tip. I wonder if it is so they don't get the idea that our system is better. :D:D (I don't want to start a tipping debate.) Aus Traveller is correct. We aussies cruised Sydney/New Zealand last month and when chatting to a UK cruiser we were surprised, and they were disgusted, that they had to pay the gratuities on top of their fare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUT2407 Posted December 28, 2014 #18 Share Posted December 28, 2014 Aus Traveller is correct. We aussies cruised Sydney/New Zealand last month and when chatting to a UK cruiser we were surprised, and they were disgusted, that they had to pay the gratuities on top of their fare. But remember we Aussies are, in all probability, paying at least the same [probably more] than those booking from the USA and tips on top. Basically those ships based in Australia build tips, taxes and port fees into the fare whereas some others quote a lower fare and then ad all these extras on in one way or another [tips either pre paid or day by day]. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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