Service charge ending!

[FangedRose]

I know the queues don't happen at night!! I have never queued for a form yet. The forms get handed in and perhaps the people at night work through them at take off the tips from the accounts that don't want them. It's not rocket science. Whatever makes you think it costs P&O more money to do admin?

They have to queue to ask for, and get given the form.

[picsa]

They have to queue to ask for, and get given the form.

 

The staff don't get paid more for handing out the forms!

[jeanlyon]

They have to queue to ask for, and get given the form.

 

I just said I have never had to queue. go down to Reception, ask for a form. Simples. No queues on the ships I have sailed on. However, I don't go down there the minute I get on the ship. Having said that, I have never seen queues at Reception to do that.

[grapau27]

Sorry but your logic is faulty. You compared the savings on paper and ink estimated for a single cruise and compared it to the entire expenditure by P&O on tips.

Surely it would be £52,000 {1000 X 52 weeks} do P&O have 10 ships? That would bring the savings to £520,000. Now we are getting somewhere with the savings.

 

Then there are the intangibles. By getting rid of their service charge, they are protecting there market share.

 

Many British, Irish & our antipodean cousins feel that service provided should be included in total cost of cruise. I would think psychologically if you knew the tips were in cluded and the tips were not on say Princess, that there would be a bias towards P&O.

 

You only have to read these boards to see how contentious tipping is. So the cruise line has gotten rid of it.

 

Though I think a lot of people won't give any tips I do think not an inconsiderable minority will still give a small tip {not the ridiculous amount that some US cruisers claim to give}. So I don't think the staff will be worse off.

 

If the staff feel they are not being properly compensated, they are adults and have the ability to negotiate a new contract with another cruise line.

 

Then there is productivity to think of. Maybe the service staff have always wanted to implement new or improved services for their guests, but were unable to due to the time spent dealing with passengers wanting to remove their tips.

 

Then there is crew morale, I can't think of anything more demoralising then busting your ass all week for guests and seeing the self same guests removing the tips on the last night. Why would you bother? At least now their bottom line is guaranteed and anything extra they get is truly a bonus.

 

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Excellent post.

[grapau27]

They have to queue to ask for, and get given the form.

Plus as I remember reading on here they typed letters asking people to reconsider removing their tips and then had people deliver the said letters to the cabins of those who stopped their autogratuities.

[picsa]

Plus as I remember reading on here they typed letters asking people to reconsider removing their tips and then had people deliver the said letters to the cabins of those who stopped their autogratuities.

 

People who were being paid anyway, so no extra cost.

[jeanlyon]

All true, but doesn't cost P&O any more than their normal wage. Just an extra job to do. I wouldn't think the majority would remove the tip on the last evening.

 

 

We received a letter on our last but one evening, it went straight in the bin. LOL

[grapau27]

I just said I have never had to queue. go down to Reception, ask for a form. Simples. No queues on the ships I have sailed on. However, I don't go down there the minute I get on the ship. Having said that, I have never seen queues at Reception to do that.

TBH the main queues at GS have been on RCCL ships.

We passed GS several times on Ventura and rarely saw anyone there.

[dorsetlad]

They have to queue to ask for, and get given the form.

We always picked up the form on the way to breakfast, never needed to queue. It's all about timing. What a storm in a teacup this thread has proved to be.😂

[NSWP]

If P&O just left a 'Remove Automatic Gratuities Form' in every cabin, then pax could fill it in and leave it in the drop box at Reception/Pursers. How efficient would that be? Save all that queuing.

 

On Princess ships, they have a separate line at Guest Services for Suite/Elite pax. Don't you get some stares when you stand in that roped off line.:rolleyes::o

[grapau27]

If P&O just left a 'Remove Automatic Gratuities Form' in every cabin, then pax could fill it in and leave it in the drop box at Reception/Pursers. How efficient would that be? Save all that queuing.

 

On Princess ships, they have a separate line at Guest Services for Suite/Elite pax. Don't you get some stares when you stand in that roped off line.:rolleyes::o

Until the automatic gratuities finish I will still pay them.

If they did what you suggest probably 90%+ would remove them which isn't fair to the crew.

[FangedRose]

Until the automatic gratuities finish I will still pay them.

If they did what you suggest probably 90%+ would remove them which isn't fair to the crew.

I agree.

[Expat Cruise]

I agree.

 

For the 999th time it is not the position or the job of the guest to be paying the crew. Maybe you can make a case to tip the room steward, waitstaff (Direct Contact Staff Only) and a few other people that you directly interact with to make your trip better.

 

But not the behind the scene people involved in your cruise. Most guest fly to cruise ships, do you tip the airline pilot, the people working on the ramp, security, etc? No because it is the job of the airline and the airport to do so. P & O ended these fees because the majority of guest see them for exactly what they are and remove them.

 

The only one that should control tipping is the gust and then tip who and how they want.

[daiB]

For the 999th time it is not the position or the job of the guest to be paying the crew. Maybe you can make a case to tip the room steward, waitstaff (Direct Contact Staff Only) and a few other people that you directly interact with to make your trip better.

 

 

 

But not the behind the scene people involved in your cruise. Most guest fly to cruise ships, do you tip the airline pilot, the people working on the ramp, security, etc? No because it is the job of the airline and the airport to do so. P & O ended these fees because the majority of guest see them for exactly what they are and remove them.

 

 

 

The only one that should control tipping is the gust and then tip who and how they want.

 

 

 

And if someone wants to pay them it has got nothing to do with anyone else.

 

If you want to pay the auto tips then pay them and do not listen to those who try to tell other people what to do.

 

We do not want the whole of the ********** debate starting again.

 

 

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[kalos]

And if someone wants to pay them it has got nothing to do with anyone else.

 

If you want to pay the auto tips then pay them and do not listen to those who try to tell other people what to do.

 

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A very good TIP .

[Expat Cruise]

And if someone wants to pay them it has got nothing to do with anyone else.

 

If you want to pay the auto tips then pay them and do not listen to those who try to tell other people what to do.

 

We do not want the whole of the ********** debate starting again.

 

 

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But P & O no longer has a daily fee for you to pay so if anyone wants to pay it will be directly to the crew member. As of next year no daily service fee will be in place. Game Over and Done.

[miniyorkie]

For the 999th time it is not the position or the job of the guest to be paying the crew. Maybe you can make a case to tip the room steward, waitstaff (Direct Contact Staff Only) and a few other people that you directly interact with to make your trip better.

But not the behind the scene people involved in your cruise. Most guest fly to cruise ships, do you tip the airline pilot, the people working on the ramp, security, etc? No because it is the job of the airline and the airport to do so.

 

Very well said. I hadn't actually thought of it in that light but perfectly true.

[Solent Richard]

But P & O no longer has a daily fee for you to pay so if anyone wants to pay it will be directly to the crew member. As of next year no daily service fee will be in place. Game Over and Done.

 

 

Correct.

 

And I for one am so pleased that we now have a level playing field. I can now sail with P&O in the full knowledge that those who would have the gratuities removed now have no recourse to that and are effectively paying the same price, including staff wages, as I am.

 

Meanwhile I can still feel better in myself by offering up a personal tip to those who have served me so well.

[kalos]

Correct.

 

And I for one am so pleased that we now have a level playing field. I can now sail with P&O in the full knowledge that those who would have the gratuities removed now have no recourse to that and are effectively paying the same price, including staff wages, as I am.

 

Meanwhile I can still feel better in myself by offering up a personal tip to those who have served me so well.[/quote]

 

Agreed and the way it should be.

[FangedRose]

I sincerely hope that the removal of auto gratuities does not lead to the gradual reintroduction of cash tipping.

I hate playing "Lady Bountiful" bestowing gifts to the lower orders who, to my mind, deserve it. I feel it is patronising and highly embarrasing.

[grapau27]

Correct.

 

And I for one am so pleased that we now have a level playing field. I can now sail with P&O in the full knowledge that those who would have the gratuities removed now have no recourse to that and are effectively paying the same price, including staff wages, as I am.

 

Meanwhile I can still feel better in myself by offering up a personal tip to those who have served me so well.

This does not start till next May or 9 months time so until then I will do the right thing for the crew and leave autogratuities in place.

[Selbourne]

I sincerely hope that the removal of auto gratuities does not lead to the gradual reintroduction of cash tipping.

I hate playing "Lady Bountiful" bestowing gifts to the lower orders who, to my mind, deserve it. I feel it is patronising and highly embarrasing.

 

Have to say that I take completely the opposite view. I believe that this new approach will encourage more staff to go over and above to enhance the passenger experience. As nobody will be paying an auto service charge, more passengers will be likely to offer a cash gratuity to a staff member who makes their cruise extra special than happens at present and this will be a great incentive for the staff.

 

We have always offered some staff members cash tips, even when paying the service charge, and will continue to do so. I have to say that this has never been met with a poor reaction (in fact, the complete opposite) and I would bet a good chunk of money that staff members appreciate it very much indeed and would never consider it to be patronising or embarrassing, unless it is presented in a patronising manner.

 

Under the new system, no-one should feel compelled to tip and therefore need not make excuses for not doing so. However, if passengers genuinely feel that some staff members have earned some extra recognition then I don't believe that we should hold back from acknowledging it financially. Of course, if a crew member genuinely has a problem accepting a gratuity then they can decline it, but I somehow don't think that is going to happen!

[Expat Cruise]

I sincerely hope that the removal of auto gratuities does not lead to the gradual reintroduction of cash tipping.

I hate playing "Lady Bountiful" bestowing gifts to the lower orders who, to my mind, deserve it. I feel it is patronising and highly embarrasing.

 

Sorry but you will not have a choice here the daily service fee will be done. Therefore if you want to tip you will need to do so in cash. Which is patronizing or embarrassing it is just the way tips should be handle by the guest as they see fit to do.

[FangedRose]

Have to say that I take completely the opposite view. I believe that this new approach will encourage more staff to go over and above to enhance the passenger experience. As nobody will be paying an auto service charge, more passengers will be likely to offer a cash gratuity to a staff member who makes their cruise extra special than happens at present and this will be a great incentive for the staff.

 

We have always offered some staff members cash tips, even when paying the service charge, and will continue to do so. I have to say that this has never been met with a poor reaction (in fact, the complete opposite) and I would bet a good chunk of money that staff members appreciate it very much indeed and would never consider it to be patronising or embarrassing, unless it is presented in a patronising manner.

 

Under the new system, no-one should feel compelled to tip and therefore need not make excuses for not doing so. However, if passengers genuinely feel that some staff members have earned some extra recognition then I don't believe that we should hold back from acknowledging it financially. Of course, if a crew member genuinely has a problem accepting a gratuity then they can decline it, but I somehow don't think that is going to happen!

I don't know how a staff member feels about receiving tips (but can imagine) I only know how it makes me feel - uncomfortable.

After auto grats are stopped I do know that I will wonder if every little service (unlocking my door cos I've left my key card behind), every cheery greeting and little chat about whether or not I will be going ashore, will be in expectation of a tip at the end of the cruise.

[grapau27]

I sincerely hope that the removal of auto gratuities does not lead to the gradual reintroduction of cash tipping.

I hate playing "Lady Bountiful" bestowing gifts to the lower orders who, to my mind, deserve it. I feel it is patronising and highly embarrasing.

That is what will happen again.