Princess gratuities increase

[Elorac123]

Got a email this morning to say that as from May the following will apply

 

The new daily gratuity amounts are $14.50 per guest for interior, oceanview and balcony staterooms; $15.50 per guest for mini-suites and Club Class, and $16.50 per guest for suites. 
This encompasses all guests in a stateroom, including children.

 

This sure is a lot on top of the cruise price for families or long cruises , your thoughts

 Cheers  Carole

 

[Ru2on]

Got the same email, not sure why as my cruise is local Australian, it doesn’t apply.  Felt cranky with it though.  Have booked a lovely holiday would like good news emails thanks.  Glad it doesn’t apply or I would have been crankier!.

[Elorac123]

5 minutes ago, Ru2on said:

Got the same email, not sure why as my cruise is local Australian, it doesn’t apply.  Felt cranky with it though.  Have booked a lovely holiday would like good news emails thanks.  Glad it doesn’t apply or I would have been crankier!.

Don’t know what your thoughts are but I believe the gratuities are built in to the fare that we pay in Australia so prices of cruises booked after May will incur a increase.

Cheers Carole

[Ru2on]

Actually, just got a new email sent stating apologies and this:

Tipping is not required or charged to your onboard account for cruises on Sun Princess®, Sea Princess®, Majestic Princess®, Ruby Princess® or Golden Princess® sailing roundtrip from Australia. You are, however, welcome to reward our crew for exceptional service.

 

(We always leave a tip for our cabin guys and anyone else who has gone above and beyond)

Edited April 30, 2019 by Ru2on

[Elorac123]

20 minutes ago, Ru2on said:

Actually, just got a new email sent stating apologies and this:

Tipping is not required or charged to your onboard account for cruises on Sun Princess®, Sea Princess®, Majestic Princess®, Ruby Princess® or Golden Princess® sailing roundtrip from Australia. You are, however, welcome to reward our crew for exceptional service.

 

(We always leave a tip for our cabin guys and anyone else who has gone above and beyond)

Ditto,but I still think the nicest thing you can do for your attendant is to tell them to forget the evening turndowns,,,it’s worth the smile on the face

Cheers Carole

[SinbadThePorter]

2 hours ago, Elorac123 said:

Don’t know what your thoughts are but I believe the gratuities are built in to the fare that we pay in Australia so prices of cruises booked after May will incur a increase.

Cheers Carole

 

It will be interesting seeing when and by how much prices increase.

 

I second the no evening turndowns and would add no towel animals, no chocolates, and a nice commendation note into Guest Services. Which will do even more individual good than a couple of bucks that goes into the tipping pool anyway.

Edited April 30, 2019 by SinbadThePorter

[Aus Traveller]

3 hours ago, Elorac123 said:

Don’t know what your thoughts are but I believe the gratuities are built in to the fare that we pay in Australia so prices of cruises booked after May will incur a increase.

Cheers Carole

I don't believe prices will increase. Prices have been quoted for cruises well in advance.

[Aus Traveller]

42 minutes ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

It will be interesting seeing when and by how much prices increase.

 

I second the no evening turndowns and would add no towel animals, no chocolates, and a nice commendation note into Guest Services. Which will do even more individual good than a couple of bucks that goes into the tipping pool anyway.

I don't want to miss my chocolates! If we know our steward is going ashore in a port stop, we tell him/her not to bother with our cabin that day. They always decline to do that. The commendation cards are very important for the stewards, waiters and bartenders.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

2 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

I don't believe prices will increase. Prices have been quoted for cruises well in advance.

 

They can increase them for new bookings , if demand dictates.

[Aus Traveller]

10 minutes ago, Kiwi Kruzer said:

 

They can increase them for new bookings , if demand dictates.

I have heard of price fluctuations, but do they increase the price beyond the initial brochure price?

 

Anyway, I don't believe prices in this part of the world will increase just because the auto gratuity went up by $1 per day. Would this be a rise of about 7% in the auto gratuity (sorry if my maths isn't correct). Then taken as a percentage of the cruise fare plus gratuity that applies in other parts of the world, it would be a very small increase.

[sewgood]

1 hour ago, Aus Traveller said:

I have heard of price fluctuations, but do they increase the price beyond the initial brochure price?

On the first day of bookings for the Majestic we booked the first return from Sydney out to the Islands in September.

An inside was from $1900 three days later it went up to $2200. In this case it did go above the initial brochure price due to high demand.

[MMDown Under]

52 minutes ago, sewgood said:

On the first day of bookings for the Majestic we booked the first return from Sydney out to the Islands in September.

An inside was from $1900 three days later it went up to $2200. In this case it did go above the initial brochure price due to high demand.

That is interesting.  Whilst I knew prices could go up, I didn't realise prices could go up beyond the brochure price, due to demand. 

52 minutes ago, sewgood said:

 

 

[Womble99]

9 hours ago, Ru2on said:

Actually, just got a new email sent stating apologies and this:

Tipping is not required or charged to your onboard account for cruises on Sun Princess®, Sea Princess®, Majestic Princess®, Ruby Princess® or Golden Princess® sailing roundtrip from Australia. You are, however, welcome to reward our crew for exceptional service.

 

(We always leave a tip for our cabin guys and anyone else who has gone above and beyond)

 

We got the same email or should I say emails, wonder if there is a third to see if they can get it right? We are booked on the Sapphire which doesn't appear to be in the list nor does the Regal for that matter, maybe the policy will be different by then?

[MicCanberra]

10 hours ago, Elorac123 said:

Got a email this morning to say that as from May the following will apply

 

The new daily gratuity amounts are $14.50 per guest for interior, oceanview and balcony staterooms; $15.50 per guest for mini-suites and Club Class, and $16.50 per guest for suites. 
This encompasses all guests in a stateroom, including children.

 

This sure is a lot on top of the cruise price for families or long cruises , your thoughts

 Cheers  Carole

 

Luckily they are included for the Aussie cruises.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, Womble99 said:

 

We got the same email or should I say emails, wonder if there is a third to see if they can get it right? We are booked on the Sapphire which doesn't appear to be in the list nor does the Regal for that matter, maybe the policy will be different by then?

I think they've just listed the ships that will be in our region this year.

[SouthLyonCruiser]

Just a way of giving their employees a raise without the advertised price of the cruises showing the big bite.

[MicCanberra]

43 minutes ago, SouthLyonCruiser said:

Just a way of giving their employees a raise without the advertised price of the cruises showing the big bite.

A tax free increase.

[Aus Traveller]

10 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

A tax free increase.

I am not sure whether you mean tax free for the employee or for the cruiseline. Employees get a 'guaranteed remuneration'. That might rise with the increase in moneys going into the tips pool. Whether or not they pay income tax on this would depend on the laws of their home country. If you mean the cruiseline, I can't see how it would be tax free. Companies pay tax on their profit, not on their gross income.

[MicCanberra]

3 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

I am not sure whether you mean tax free for the employee or for the cruiseline. Employees get a 'guaranteed remuneration'. That might rise with the increase in moneys going into the tips pool. Whether or not they pay income tax on this would depend on the laws of their home country. If you mean the cruiseline, I can't see how it would be tax free. Companies pay tax on their profit, not on their gross income.

Seeing as it is a gratuity, it falls outside any company payroll tax and or income tax for the employee. Which is why cruise lines have incorporated the salary system as they have for their crew.

[Aus Traveller]

7 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Seeing as it is a gratuity, it falls outside any company payroll tax and or income tax for the employee. Which is why cruise lines have incorporated the salary system as they have for their crew.

You make a good point.

 

I think the payroll tax issue is complicated in this instance. In USA it is a federal tax but it is "state-based". The cruiselines (take Princess for example) has its ships registered in Bermuda and its cruises (from USA ports) are international, I am not sure if payroll tax would apply.

 

For employees I am not sure if they all pay income tax. I know some Aussies working on the ships circumvent this obligation under Aust law by being employed under a second passport. In one case I know of, the person uses their USA nationality to not pay tax in Aust. Aust citizens are required to self-report income earned overseas, but do they?? There are a lot of Indonesians on the Aust-based ships. they are supposed to pay tax on income earned overseas, but (once again) I wonder if they all report this income. However, you make a good point, that if the bulk of their income is classed as 'gratuities' they would only have to report the company-funded remuneration.

 

Then I wonder what happens for the stewards on the Aussie-based ships who are not part of the tip pool. They receive similar remuneration to staff on the other ships, but it all comes from the company. Do they have to pay income tax on this full payment? These stewards are very happy with their employment on the Aussie ships, so maybe the company splits their remuneration in a similar way to their other staff.

 

 

[GUT2407]

44 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Seeing as it is a gratuity, it falls outside any company payroll tax and or income tax for the employee. Which is why cruise lines have incorporated the salary system as they have for their crew.

Tips will be treated differently depending on the crews place of residence. Some countries won’t tax it at all if it is classified as foreign income.

[NSWP]

We are on Majestic Princess 12 February next year, Sydney to Singapore.  Cruise gratuities are included in base fare, according to my paperwork.  So they ain't getting no more.🤬

Edited May 16, 2019 by NSWP

[MicCanberra]

Included in mine as well.

[Elorac123]

20 hours ago, NSWP said:

We are on Majestic Princess 12 February next year, Sydney to Singapore.  Cruise gratuities are included in base fare, according to my paperwork.  So they ain't getting no more.🤬

Lol ,no more from us either

 here’s Carole