Gratuities Going Up $1 Per Day Effective May 21, 2019

[Relaxing Robbies]

53 minutes ago, Cruise Junky said:

 

and on the original subject, gratuities across the board are making land trips more appealing. We’re now approaching $40 cdn a day for a couple. 

 

Same for us Australians. I rang Princess this morning with the intention of booking a repositioning cruise that I thought was not a bargain, but a reasonable price. Lucky I thought to check what the onboard currency would be and whether auto grats would apply. The answer was yes, USD and auto grats, even though the ship was departing Australia. That was going to effectively increase the price of the cruise by 14%, and onboard costs would be higher. 

 

When I told the Princess employee to forget it, that I would not be booking the cruise, he told me that lots of people just get the gratuities taken off and don’t pay them. I let him know that I had not done that on previous overseas cruises and was not about to start now. I did not book the cruise and will look around for something else.

 

I really think the Australian system of including the gratuities in the cruise price is much fairer. Then everyone pays their fair share of staffing costs. Those who remove them are increasing the costs of cruising for everyone else.

[Lindaru]

While gratuities are one of our perks on our cruise, I would gladly pay them if they were not.  Seven day cruise $108 per person works out to $15.43 per person per day.  Land trips often cost more than that with hotels, three meals a day, at the suggested rate of 18% to 22%.  I personally find the cruise gratuities to be reasonable.  We will give some extra with our room number and name at the end and be assured that if not the intended person getting it solely, that someone (the pool) will get it as well as filling out the performance recommendation card.

 

🙂

[truffles68]

I am a bit confused with the on board currency on an Australia cruise. I was told  it would be in AUD however in the cruise contract it said I have to pay USD $13.50 each day. So will gratuity be charged US $13.50 or AUD$19.18 ( today's exchange rate) or AUD $13.50 each day ? 

 

I paid for the cruise in CAD because I am a Canadian . If I prepay the gratuity In CAD the exchange rate is 30%.

 

Thanks.

[Aus Traveller]

22 minutes ago, truffles68 said:

I am a bit confused with the on board currency on an Australia cruise. I was told  it would be in AUD however in the cruise contract it said I have to pay USD $13.50 each day. So will gratuity be charged US $13.50 or AUD$19.18 ( today's exchange rate) or AUD $13.50 each day ? 

 

I paid for the cruise in CAD because I am a Canadian . If I prepay the gratuity In CAD the exchange rate is 30%.

 

Thanks.

The auto gratuity is converted to AUD. The new rate of $14.50US comes to close to AUD$20 per day.

[truffles68]

2 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

The auto gratuity is converted to AUD. The new rate of $14.50US comes to close to AUD$20 per day.

 

Thanks Aus Traveller for the clarification .

[Lindaru]

7 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Can you get a seven day cruise for $108pp ($15.43 pp per day)? In Australia, if we are lucky, we can sometimes get an inside cabin for $108 pp per day.

We actually upgraded to a vista suite and that was what it showed for the gratuities included in our package.

 

[caribill]

7 hours ago, SmilesYourWay said:

 But I don't think it is right that all the tips must be split.

 

Without the auto-gratuities, how many people do you think would tip the servers at the hamburger stand and the ice cream stand and those at the International Cafe? How many would tip the different waitstaff they have each evening in the Anytime dining room?

 

Remember that those shared tips go to more than your traditional seating dining room staff and your cabin steward.

[caribill]

5 hours ago, steelers36 said:

I am not trying to be argumentative, but has anyone actually hung around the PSD long enough, or interrogated those in line, on the final night of the cruise to determine of the vast majority are there to remove gratuities?  Perhaps they have other billing issues?  I am just thinking that if I was going to request removal of grats (I would not consider this), I would not wait until final night to do it.

 

 

Some are there to settle their accounts in cash.

[caribill]

4 hours ago, SmilesYourWay said:

  Hmmm.....The more I think about it, the more it doesn't look right. (I guess I shouldn't think about it anymore)

I'm not used to this new way of paying gratuities on your bill. My last cruise was over 5 years ago. 2012 before then. Which I believe was the first time I saw it this way.  When did they start auto gratuities anyway?

 

 

Princess started them when they started having Anytime Dining and passengers could end up with different waitstaff each evening.

 

From my viewpoint, this is much more convenient than taking enough cash (in the proper currency) on the trip to distribute properly in envelopes at the end of the cruise.

[Aus Traveller]

1 hour ago, caribill said:

 

Some are there to settle their accounts in cash.

Or querying an entry on their account.

[chamima]

9 hours ago, GUT2407 said:

No I actually mean the one I’ve read that was about a year old, but had the exact same wording.

 

9 hours ago, GUT2407 said:

It was for a crew member who served with Princess all over the world it was produced by Princess in response to a subpoena in a Court case, it contained the same wording as previously referred to as 8 year old garbage, it calls for all cash tips to be handed in to the pool.

 

8 hours ago, Thrak said:

On a recent cruise we had a fantastic bar server. At the end of the cruise I specifically asked her, "If I tip you extra do you have to turn it in or do you get to keep it?"  Her answer was, "Keep it!"

 

 

We've also asked.

We were told they have to turn the extra cash tips in, then accounts are checked and , if the automatic tips (or whatever you want to call them) have been left on the account the cash is returned to the employee. If the automatic tips have been removed the cash goes into the pool.

I'm not talking about the odd dollar or two you give an employee (like the room service delivery person) - I'm referring to the sometimes substantial tips you may give a certain person because of exemplary service.

[kywildcatfanone]

Since tips are already added for bar service, you are paying way more than the advertised gratuities $ already anyway.  As others have said, I would rather they just up the cost of the cruise by the tip value, and do away with the nonsense, but they won't because that would require a higher cruise fare, which they don't want to do.

 

I look at it this way, a $1000 cruise fare is really $1100 or so because of the auto tip.  We do typically give our room steward extra when the service is good, which we have always been told they get to keep. 

 

But if they way they can increase their revenue is to increase the gratuity instead of the cruise fare, it just makes folks more frustrated because the actual cost of the cruise is attempted to be hidden at some level.

[famski740]

After reading all the post in this thread, I started to do some math.

 

I've already answered once stating that we have started using the Special Performance Cards at the end of the cruise instead of additional tips.

 

I took a look at our next booked cruise and after removing taxes and port fees and additional insurance, the new gratuities come out to 10.16% of the cost of the cabin for 14 days.  That's a pretty reasonable tip percentage if you ask me.

[mcrcruiser]

Holland america has had the tips at this $14.50 per pax per day level for some time  . Princess is just catching up 

 

 The only problem  we see for the future  is that Carnival's management can &  does keep increasing the tips on a fairly regular basis . What they should do is to include every thing in the price of the cruise  ;because many people will think that  by adding these tips to their cost , they can do other vacations other than cruising ,at better rates . It is a matter of which type  marketing Carnival decides  .when it comes to a total cruise price then Inflation will take care of the rest ,imo

[MissP22]

22 hours ago, RMMariner said:

 

Agreed. Just make them a hotel charge. Do not know what percentage actually pull their tips, but just make it a mandatory charge. Tired of subsidizing the people who sneak down and pull their tips on the last day.

I hope they never go in that direction. 

#1. It's not competitive for business unless the other cruise line do the same.

#2. It's probably one of the last resort we have just in case something does justify some action. We've never had the cause to do it but what if the occasion did arrive? What recourse would you have otherwise?

[c-boy]

13 hours ago, steelers36 said:

I am not trying to be argumentative, but has anyone actually hung around the PSD long enough, or interrogated those in line, on the final night of the cruise to determine of the vast majority are there to remove gratuities?  Perhaps they have other billing issues?  I am just thinking that if I was going to request removal of grats (I would not consider this), I would not wait until final night to do it. 

 

The diabolical me is wondering if indeed so many are doing it at the last minute as they fear staff members will find out if they removed it early in the cruise and impact their service level negatively.  Perhaps Princess ought to implement a new policy -  passengers have 24 hours after sail-away to remove gratuities or else they stay. 

 

  "Sticker Shock " !   I have spent some amusing moments (coffee in hand) eve's dropping. ( as a source of amusement)

Edited April 27, 2019 by c-boy

[majortom10]

I am prepared to be slaughtered by anyone but there is no way I am going to pay £280 in gratuities for a 12 nt cruise so I will be removing them. I am fed up of being ripped off by Princess with high cruise prices for UK cruisers and we never get Sip n Sail offers or free gratuities. On our last Princess cruise siting at dinner talking to a US couple who were moaning about people that removed tips at reception it transpired that they had free gratuities and a free drinks package. Laughable.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 27, 2019 by majortom10

[MissP22]

52 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

I am prepared to be slaughtered by anyone but there is no way I am going to pay £280 in gratuities for a 12 nt cruise so I will be removing them. I am fed up of being ripped off by Princess with high cruise prices for UK cruisers and we never get Sip n Sail offers or free gratuities. On our last Princess cruise siting at dinner talking to a US couple who were moaning about people that removed tips at reception it transpired that they had free gratuities and a free drinks package. Laughable.

 

 

 

 

OK.

But what do you think is a fair amount? 

Certainly something between £0 and £280. 

[capriccio]

57 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

I am fed up of being ripped off by Princess with high cruise prices for UK cruisers.

 

With all due respect, then why do you continue to sail with Princess?  They are in the business of making a profit for their shareholders (I am not one of them) and if you don't like their business practices find another line that suits you better.  When enough past and potential cruisers do that Princess may change their practices.  When their competitors with similar policies change they will react to that market force too.

[NavyVeteran]

On ‎04‎/‎25‎/‎2019 at 11:50 PM, Princess Cruises Fann said:

Princess Cruises will increase its daily gratuities charge on all voyages departing on or after May 21, 2019. 
 

The daily gratuity amount will increase by $1, and will be as follows: 

Interior/Oceanview/Balcony -- $14.50 USD per guest, per day  

Mini suites (including Club Class) -- $15.50 USD per guest, per day 

Full Suites -- $16.50 USD per guest, per day 
 

PC_GratuityincreaseletterDraftV2.pdf 200.52 kB · 199 downloads

Has anyone been able to confirm this information?

 

All I have seen posted is a draft letter which may or may not have been issued. I have not seen anything on the Princess website or any emails concerning my future cruises. I would expect this information from Princess if they were really making this change in May.

Edited April 27, 2019 by NavyVeteran

[Renmar]

On 4/26/2019 at 9:43 AM, steelers36 said:

You cannot pre-pay grats via Cruise Personalizer using OBC on file.  Only Princess Excursions.

 

Thanks, good to know. Probably will pre-pay grats and give the extra $ 1.00 pppd to some servers on board.

 

Theo

[Scottygirl1]

2 hours ago, NavyVeteran said:

Has anyone been able to confirm this information?

 

All I have seen posted is a draft letter which may or may not have been issued. I have not seen anything on the Princess website or any emails concerning my future cruises. I would expect this information from Princess if they were really making this change in May.

 

It seems an email went out to all travel agents about this.  Well according to this article I just read, not sure of it's validity.

 

https://cruisefever.net/princess-cruises-raising-daily-gratuities-on-may-21-2019/

[compozer]

I have never been able to book a cruise and received free gratuities.    I book them the day the cruise comes out and our cabin category is always sold out.

 

[Travelingfreckles]

11 hours ago, chamima said:

 

 

 

 

We've also asked.

We were told they have to turn the extra cash tips in, then accounts are checked and , if the automatic tips (or whatever you want to call them) have been left on the account the cash is returned to the employee. If the automatic tips have been removed the cash goes into the pool.

I'm not talking about the odd dollar or two you give an employee (like the room service delivery person) - I'm referring to the sometimes substantial tips you may give a certain person because of exemplary service.

I also asked a few crew members on my recent cruise. Each one said they got to keep it and didn't need to turn it in.  I handed them substantial cash, no envelope. How would princess know they received this money? Is it an honor system? I guess I'm just trying to figure out how princess would know someone received the "extra $". And in case you're wondering, no I didn't remove gratuities 🙂  

[4cats4me]

4 hours ago, majortom10 said:

I am prepared to be slaughtered by anyone but there is no way I am going to pay £280 in gratuities for a 12 nt cruise so I will be removing them. I am fed up of being ripped off by Princess with high cruise prices for UK cruisers and we never get Sip n Sail offers or free gratuities. On our last Princess cruise siting at dinner talking to a US couple who were moaning about people that removed tips at reception it transpired that they had free gratuities and a free drinks package. Laughable.

 

 

 

 

 

What difference should it make if someone got free gratuities? How do you know that they didn’t pay more for their cruise than you did? I’ve seen a lot of so called “deals” through the years from Princess offering various things like sip and sail and free gratuities s, et cet, but my experience has been that most of the time the cruise fare has been grossly inflated to adjust for those freebies. Sometimes the promos are actually a very good deal, too.

 

 Sounds to me like you’re just looking for an excuse not to  tip.  

 

I hope that Princess goes to a system of mandatory gratuities in the future to deal with parsimonious people.  

 

Edited April 28, 2019 by 4cats4me