Booking excursions onboard?

[P&O SUE]

Well said. I would never consider removing the auto gratuities, particularly when seeing how hard the staff work.

 

Almost posted the same thing! Quite agree.

[Essex Racer]

Seem to got off of the original question - we boarded mid week in Venice, and there was a queue of passengers boarding mid fly- cruise wanting to book excursions, Rome in particular with some having to compromise as some sold out. If there is something you definitely want to do consider booking before boarding?

 

On the subject of removing tips - why would you want to?

[kathsmum]

Overall, complaints against the cabin steward and waiting staff are rare.

 

In all likelihood you will receive an excellent service from them.

 

Believe it or not, we were once on a cruise where one of our table companions complained that the cabin steward did not fold a point on the toilet paper after servicing the bathroom. He was actually a great guy and we still keep in touch via his wife.:confused:

[kathsmum]

PS. I should add re tipping - we have always had exemplary service from our waiters and cabin steward - we always gave beyond the recommended rate if warranted and continue to do so now that it is added to our on board charge.

[Elviex]

How did you manage to get so much OBC?!

[Big Stevie]

I've heard that if cabin stewards get any less than 100% in the customer surveys then they don't get any of the automatic tips and instead they go to the cruise company. Hence the desire to give cash tips. Don't know how true that is.

Edited February 22, 2015 by Big Stevie

[Big Stevie]

We have £820 OBC but I'm guessing that will easily get used up on drinks etc for myself, wife and 8yr old son?

 

How did you manage to get so much OBC?!

 

If your referring to myself then we got £410 per adult which I think is because of their current 'double credit' offer.

[Host Sharon]

I've heard that if cabin stewards get any less than 100% in the customer surveys then they don't get any of the automatic tips and instead they go to the cruise company. Hence the desire to give cash tips. Don't know how true that is.

 

They still get some of the tips but not the bonus unless you tick excellent on the survey. I've very rarely had cause to tick other than excellent.

[BrianI]

Back to excursions.

 

P&O have a tendency to increase the price of excursions for booking on board.

The downside of booking in advance is that you cannot use any on board credit and you have to pay when you book.

 

It used to be that if you booked in advance it just got added onto your on board account but they stopped this two or three years ago.

 

Brian

[tring]

Regarding tips, you need to realise that cabin staff and restaurant waiting staff rely on the tips to make up their salary, whilst bar staff for instance, are paid more. We usually give a bit to the bar staff though.

 

I spoke to a new cruiser on a flight home last Dec and they had decided to give their own tips - more than the amount which would have been deducted, but spread over more staff. They had been very freindly with their cabin steward until they removed the tips, but she tended to avoid them after that. I explained the situation and the person concerned was then mortified at what they had done. In my opinion it is the cruise companies who should publicise this properly.

 

I think P&O have some sort of pool system now though - but I am not sure how it works. The cruise we returned from was not P&O.

[Big Stevie]

They had been very freindly with their cabin steward until they removed the tips, but she tended to avoid them after that.

 

So does that mean the staff get to find out who is paying the automatic tips and who isn't?

[dronnygirl]

Regarding Rome trips - so easy to do yourself by train. Station only a few minutes away and was 12 euros return for the hour journey. They give you a timetable at the time or you can download one beforehand. The thing you need to do is be off the ship first thing, before the trips. We walked all round Rome, including Vatican which we hadn't planned, and ended up at the Colloseum. A fantastic day - I can supply detailed information of our day trip if anyone needs it.

[Big Stevie]

I can supply detailed information of our day trip if anyone needs it.

 

Id love to receive any such info please as we are wanting to see Colloseum, Vatican, Spannish Steps etc but didn't realise Id be able to do it in a day. Would this include going inside both the Colosseum and Vatican? Not sure if this forum has a private message facility for sending you my email address?

Edited February 23, 2015 by Big Stevie

[GirlyCruiser]

Ref tipping (sorry I know this is what the thread was not originally about), what did we all do before automatic gratuities? I know when we went our first cruise on Artemis it was all done by cash in envelopes and you tipped those who had helped you and made your holiday all the more special.

[majortom10]

Regarding Rome trips - so easy to do yourself by train. Station only a few minutes away and was 12 euros return for the hour journey. They give you a timetable at the time or you can download one beforehand. The thing you need to do is be off the ship first thing, before the trips. We walked all round Rome, including Vatican which we hadn't planned, and ended up at the Colloseum. A fantastic day - I can supply detailed information of our day trip if anyone needs it.

 

Unless its changed since October there are roadworks at the "old" port gate and the shuttle bus does not drop you off there anymore it takes you further away from the town centre and railway station. Because it makes it a long walk to railway station I do believe there is a bus you catch from where shuttle bus drops you off that takes you to railway station but dont know if its free or payable.

[Essex Racer]

Rome on your own - sure it can be done but remember it is a long way and if something goes wrong / you get delayed the ship won't wait for you.

 

If you do just the P&O transfer at least you have the reassurance of transport back to the ship and if you get delayed the ship will wait for one of their coaches.

[tring]

So does that mean the staff get to find out who is paying the automatic tips and who isn't?

 

 

As I understand it, yes.

 

It would seem fair to the staff as well, because it lets them know who is not satisfied with their work, if personal tips of a decent amount are not given at the end of the cruise to replace the automatic tipping.

[Big Stevie]

As I understand it, yes.

 

It would seem fair to the staff as well, because it lets them know who is not satisfied with their work, if personal tips of a decent amount are not given at the end of the cruise to replace the automatic tipping.

 

Its a difficult subject isn't it.

 

Pay the automatic tips and hope the cabin steward still does a good job in the hope of an extra tip at the end? But the auto tips still might go to P&O instead?

 

Or cancel the automatic tips with the intention of paying a big tip at the end, but the steward might think your tight and not give such good service.

Edited February 23, 2015 by Big Stevie

[Dirky]

Its a difficult subject isn't it.

 

Pay the automatic tips and hope the cabin steward still does a good job in the hope of an extra tip at the end? But the auto tips still might go to P&O instead?

 

Or cancel the automatic tips with the intention of paying a big tip at the end, but the steward might think your tight and not give such good service.

 

So presumably you choose at the beginning of your cruise how you will pay your tips?

 

And by the sound of it the cabin crew get this information in advance too?

[Big Stevie]

So presumably you choose at the beginning of your cruise how you will pay your tips?

 

And by the sound of it the cabin crew get this information in advance too?

 

From my understanding, yes to both. When you board your ship you can ask for the automatic tips (£3.95/person/day I think) to be removed, and then tip during the cruise as you see fit.

 

What I'm trying to establish is whether the auto tips go to P&O if the customer feedback surveys dont give 100% satisfaction received. If true, I dont know if this means that if you only give them say 90% rating then the room steward (and certain other staff) miss out on just your auto tip, or all auto tips?

Edited February 23, 2015 by Big Stevie

[BrianI]

The autotips go direct to your cabin steward and restaurant waiters.

 

Quote from the P&O website.

 

100% of this amount is distributed to your cabin steward, butler, head waiter, assistant waiter or junior waiter that has looked after you whilst you are with us, this is distributed through our tipping pool.

https://ask.pocruises.com/help/PO/fleet/gratuity

 

What may be confusing you is that there is another bonus payment paid by P&O based on the results of the customer feedback survey. This is variable based on what you say in the survey.

 

Bar and wine waiters are not part of the autotip system as they receive a commision based on the volume of drinks sold. This is included in the advertised price in the menus. Other cruiselines elect to add 15% or more to the price of the drinks as a service/gratuity charge which is non negotiable. Effectively, both are the same thing except that P&O bar prices tend to be lower than most and include the service/gratuity charge in the price.

 

Brian

[Big Stevie]

The autotips go direct to your cabin steward and restaurant waiters.

 

Thanks Brian.

 

So the automatic tips dont filter down to other staff working behind the scenes that you dont see?

Edited February 23, 2015 by Big Stevie

[BrianI]

Thanks Brian.

 

So the automatic tips dont filter down to other staff working behind the scenes that you dont see?

No, they only go to cabin stewards and restaurant waiters.

Kitchen staff, laundry, maintenance etc people are on different pay arrangements.

Brian

[Big Stevie]

Thanks Brian

 

That kind of negates the comments such as this one...

 

The problem with tipping those who deserve it is you only tip the people you see - wait staff, room staff and so on. There are many people working very hard who you are unlikely to meet..

 

 

Although seeing as I am on Freedom Dining then this comment makes sense...

 

Also, if you are on freedom dining you can have different waiters every night. How would you propose rewarding them at the end of the cruise?

 

The auto gratuity really is the simplest method.

Edited February 24, 2015 by Big Stevie

[BrianI]

Thanks Brian

 

That kind of negates the comments such as this one...

Yes it does because the comment by themanwithahat is incorrect. See my post #46 which gives links to the correct information on the P&O website.

 

Before autotips and Freedom dining came out, tipping was all done in cash. Envelopes were left in your cabin with guidance on who, and how much, to tip and you just left one tip at the end of the cruise. This was just to the people you came in contact with, I.e. Your restaurant waiters who you had for the whole cruise and your cabin steward. It was not possible to tip those behind the scenes as you never came into contact with them.

 

The introduction of Freedom dining meant that you were likely to have different waiters each night so they introduced an auto tip just for the restaurant waiters for people on Freedom dining leaving the cabin stewards and those on club dining to tip in cash as previous.

 

Then, about three years ago, full autotips came out which just replaced the cash system that existed before. It just covers the restaurant waiters and cabin stewards, the same as the cash system did before.

 

Brian