FAO British clients

[WeeCountyMan]

Friends have recently completed a Princess cruise from Australia to New Zealand and back.

 

Their onboard account was charged in Australian Dollars and there was no 15% bar service charge on drinks ordered.

 

That begs the obvious question........why can't cruises from the UK be treated in a similar fashion using local currency, GBP Sterling, for charges to onboard accounts - and the obligatory 15% service charge dropped ? :confused:

 

It'll be interesting to hear Southampton's reply to these questions.

[Shogun]

Hi weecountyman

 

What about the daily auto tip

 

yours Shogun

[Pink-belle]

What was the price of their drinks? I remember reading on here some time ago that the prices were higher on Australian sailings as the 15% was already added to the printed price of beverages.

 

ships that sail from the UK and other European ports do so for a short time each year, there isn't a year long sailing schedule. The logistics of working in different currencies, would be a nightmare and probably costly. American company, American currency, I think that works fine.

 

 

I see you like to sail on Thomson Cruises, I assume from foreign ports, is their onboard pricing in Euros or Sterling?

Edited March 5, 2016 by Pink-belle
To add question.

[newport dave]

What was the price of their drinks? I remember reading on here some time ago that the prices were higher on Australian sailings as the 15% was already added to the printed price of beverages.

 

ships that sail from the UK and other European ports do so for a short time each year, there isn't a year long sailing schedule. The logistics of working in different currencies, would be a nightmare and probably costly. American company, American currency, I think that works fine.

 

 

I see you like to sail on Thomson Cruises, I assume from foreign ports, is their onboard pricing in Euros or Sterling?

 

Thomson's is all in GBP.

[WeeCountyMan]

Hi weecountyman

 

What about the daily auto tip

 

yours Shogun

 

I'd need to ask them - presumably charged in Aus Dollars, otherwise it would be a right dog's dinner of a mess using different currencies onboard.

[WeeCountyMan]

What was the price of their drinks? I remember reading on here some time ago that the prices were higher on Australian sailings as the 15% was already added to the printed price of beverages.

 

ships that sail from the UK and other European ports do so for a short time each year, there isn't a year long sailing schedule. The logistics of working in different currencies, would be a nightmare and probably costly. American company, American currency, I think that works fine.

 

 

I see you like to sail on Thomson Cruises, I assume from foreign ports, is their onboard pricing in Euros or Sterling?

 

They said it was cheaper on the Aus to NZ sailing, the example given was based on GBP £2.50 per bottle of beer, in a 5 bottle bucket deal.

 

I'm not sure it's legal to include a 15% service charge with drinks prices as compulsory.

 

Thomsons are always GBP Sterling - gratuities are included in the upfront cruise price, and there is no service charge added to drinks.

Edited March 5, 2016 by WeeCountyMan

[dbeckett]

Another example of Princess scamming non-North Americans

[coo359a2]

We just got off the Sea Princess (Australia to New Zealand) a few weeks ago and the on board account was in Australian dollars. Princess must have used a conversion rate $1.00US = $1.25AU since my $100US casino credit was listed on our on board account as Casino credit $125AU.

 

On the Sea Princess, a Margarita was $14.95 AU and since we didn't sign a slip for the drinks, don't know if this included a service charge or not. Our daily auto tip on our on-board account was $16.20 AU per person.

 

On the Caribbean Princess last Dec, a Margarita was $11.44US which did include the 15% "tip". The daily auto tip for US ships now is $12.95US per person.

[NSWP]

Don't forget the AUD is only worth around 70 cents US, so that is why drinks seem more more expensive on the Australian Princess ships, Sea/Dawn/Sun etc. Add around 30% onto the AUD price, a US$10 cocktail becomes AUD$13.

 

No tipping is required, included in cruise fare no doubt, but not disclosed.

 

 

Likewise on P&O UK, we were on Aurora/Oriana last year, £5 drink is really AUD$10 on conversion. Makes it tough for us.

Edited March 6, 2016 by NSWP

[coo359a2]

Don't forget the AUD is only worth around 70 cents US, so that is why drinks seem more more expensive on the Australian Princess ships, Sea/Dawn/Sun etc. Add around 30% onto the AUD price, a US$10 cocktail becomes AUD$13.

 

No tipping is required, included in cruise fare no doubt, but not disclosed.

 

 

Likewise on P&O UK, we were on Aurora/Oriana last year, £5 drink is really AUD$10 on conversion. Makes it tough for us.

 

Auto Tips are not included in the U.S. cruise prices for ships sailing out of Australia so they are added daily to our on board account.

 

Using the conversion rate used by Princess for our sailings, made the drink prices and Auto Tip on the Sea P. comparable to what we paid on the Caribbean Princess.

[OzKiwiJJ]

On the Sea Princess, a Margarita was $14.95 AU and since we didn't sign a slip for the drinks, don't know if this included a service charge or not. Our daily auto tip on our on-board account was $16.20 AU per person.

 

 

There are no extra gratuities on drinks on the Aussie Princess cruises. The price already includes them.

 

Are you sure that Margarita wasn't $13.95? That's the standard price for most cocktails on the Aussie cruises. The AIPB costs AU $59pp per day and covers drinks up to $14.

 

Local fares (Australia and NZ) have the gratuities build into them but fares booked from elsewhere don't, so those people still get charged the daily hotel charges.

 

The Australian region seems to be unique. Carnival Corporation operates an Australian subsidiary here and that covers the Carnival, P&O and Princess brands. Only cruises departing from AND returning to Aus/NZ are in AUD. I'm cruising on Golden next month on her repositioning cruise from Australia to Hong Kong and onboard prices are in USD on that cruise.

Edited March 6, 2016 by OzKiwiJJ

[coo359a2]

There are no extra gratuities on drinks on the Aussie Princess cruises. The price already includes them.

 

Are you sure that Margarita wasn't $13.95? That's the standard price for most cocktails on the Aussie cruises. The AIPB costs AU $59pp per day and covers drinks up to $14.

 

Local fares (Australia and NZ) have the gratuities build into them but fares booked from elsewhere don't, so those people still get charged the daily hotel charges.

 

The Australian region seems to be unique. Carnival Corporation operates an Australian subsidiary here and that covers the Carnival, P&O and Princess brands. Only cruises departing from AND returning to Aus/NZ are in AUD. I'm cruising on Golden next month on her repositioning cruise from Australia to Hong Kong and onboard prices are in USD on that cruise.

 

You are correct. I forgot about the $1.00 added for the happy hour charge.

[avcruz]

You are correct. I forgot about the $1.00 added for the happy hour charge.

 

 

Are you saying that drinks are more expensive during happy hour? Or is that the $1 for the second drink?

[SWORRUB1]

 

 

 

.why can't cruises from the UK be treated in a similar fashion using local currency, GBP Sterling, for charges to onboard accounts

 

_________________________________-

 

For us one of the attractions is paying in Dollars, on holiday as soon as you get on the ship!, just imagine the amount of reprinting pricelists and reprogramming computers it would take. Impractical!

Edited March 6, 2016 by SWORRUB1

[OzKiwiJJ]

Are you saying that drinks are more expensive during happy hour? Or is that the $1 for the second drink?

 

$1 for the second drink, I think.

 

We had the drinks package so happy hour was irrelevant to us.

[SWORRUB1]

$1 for the second drink, I think.

 

We had the drinks package so happy hour was irrelevant to us.

 

 

 

Perhaps it should be renamed the miserable hour hahahahahahaha

[OzKiwiJJ]

$1 for the second drink, I think.

 

We had the drinks package so happy hour was irrelevant to us.

 

Perhaps it should be renamed the miserable hour hahahahahahaha

 

Sorry, but I don't follow that logic.

 

With a drinks package every hour is happy hour :D

[SWORRUB1]

Sorry, but I don't follow that logic.

 

With a drinks package every hour is happy hour :D

 

 

Sorry yes I quoted the wrong post.

Try my reply in response to this post.

Are you saying that drinks are more expensive during happy hour?

 

 

Miserable hour if the drinks are more expensive!

[OzKiwiJJ]

That makes more sense! :D

[coo359a2]

Are you saying that drinks are more expensive during happy hour? Or is that the $1 for the second drink?

 

$1 is for the second drink during happy hour. There were lots of happy people during the afternoon Happy Hour.