All new policy tipping / auto-gratuity?

[Victoria2]

8 hours ago, North West Newbie said:

 

 

And thanks from me too.

and me

 

Rough conversion of Blue Marble's research £154-Germany to UK£132

Factor in the most expensive autograts and the UK price still wins.

 

I'll stick with my usual autograts. on and reward anyone whom I think has deserved  a little above and beyond, personally. The background staff will benefit and so will I knowing I've done the best I can, covering all bases for when I next have a wonderful holiday on my Cunard. 

[Victoria2]

Forget most expensive, this is a basic price so iy

24 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

and me

 

Rough conversion of Blue Marble's research £154-Germany to UK£132

Factor in the most expensive autograts and the UK price still wins.

 

I'll stick with my usual autograts. on and reward anyone whom I think has deserved  a little above and beyond, personally. The background staff will benefit and so will I knowing I've done the best I can, covering all bases for when I next have a wonderful holiday on my Cunard. 

Forget most expensive, Blue Marble's is a  basic price which makes it even more respectable for those of us booking UK prices.

 

If this is inequality, I like it.

[Windsurfboy]

Thanks very interesting , a lot of work.

 

UK £132

Germany €173 = £153 at 1.13

 

The gap is much bigger than the £9 auto gratuities.  Remember unless prices have jumped in the last few days  these prices were announced well before the change in tipping policy. I think the gap is just about Cunard's policy of extracting out of each market as much as they think it will bear. A quick look shows Australia is dearer than UK but with same tipping policy. USA is dearer but they have more promotions free drinks and tips. I go along with one of the earlier posts that the change in policy is driven by local pressures and norms and  mainly that Aida Germany's largest cruise line being tip free.

 

So let's not confuse three separate issues.

 

1)The recent change to Different tipping policy in Germanic countries

 

2)A long-term policy of different prices in each country 

 

3) Cunard' s long-term policy of putting up barriers to force people to book in their country of residence  (which in EU shoudn't happen)

 

None of which is anything consumer should approve of

 

[exlondoner]

3 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

Thanks very interesting , a lot of work.

 

UK £132

Germany €173 = £153 at 1.13

 

The gap is much bigger than the £9 auto gratuities.  Remember unless prices have jumped in the last few days  these prices were announced well before the change in tipping policy. I think the gap is just about Cunard's policy of extracting out of each market as much as they think it will bear. 

 

 

Cunard is a commercial company, nothing more. Their sole raison d'ëtre is to make as much money for their (or Carnival's) shareholders as they can, while abiding by all laws and regulations. Many products sell for different prices throughout the EU.

 

What else would one expect?

[Windsurfboy]

16 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

 

Cunard is a commercial company, nothing more. Their sole raison d'ëtre is to make as much money for their (or Carnival's) shareholders as they can, while abiding by all laws and regulations. Many products sell for different prices throughout the EU.

 

What else would one expect?

 

 

I completely agree, they want to make money and this is one of the very few areas where UK is cheaper so we should be grateful.  But let's not blame gratuity policy for the difference in priced 

 

However Cunard shouldnt put up barriers to force people to book in country of residence according to the single market rules.

[North West Newbie]

1 minute ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

 

I completely agree, they want to make money and this is one of the very few areas where UK is cheaper so we should be grateful.  But let's not blame gratuity policy for the difference in priced 

 

However Cunard shouldnt put up barriers to force people to book in country of residence according to the single market rules.

 

So why did you send a letter of complaint?

[North West Newbie]

43 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

Thanks very interesting , a lot of work.

 

UK £132

Germany €173 = £153 at 1.13

 

The gap is much bigger than the £9 auto gratuities.  Remember unless prices have jumped in the last few days  these prices were announced well before the change in tipping policy. I think the gap is just about Cunard's policy of extracting out of each market as much as they think it will bear. A quick look shows Australia is dearer than UK but with same tipping policy. USA is dearer but they have more promotions free drinks and tips. I go along with one of the earlier posts that the change in policy is driven by local pressures and norms and  mainly that Aida Germany's largest cruise line being tip free.

 

So let's not confuse three separate issues.

 

1)The recent change to Different tipping policy in Germanic countries

 

2)A long-term policy of different prices in each country 

 

3) Cunard' s long-term policy of putting up barriers to force people to book in their country of residence  (which in EU shoudn't happen)

 

None of which is anything consumer should approve of

 

 

Although only recently announced, Cunard’s decision to change the auto gratuity policy in Germany would not have been taken overnight, plus, Cunard use a live pricing system which sees fluctuation in any event. One way or another, prices are market driven taking numerous factors into consideration.

[davyjones]

And on the USA site V126 for Club Balcony without flights (as far as I can tell) but with taxes is $5229.60 so £4255.69 so it might be wise not to raise the issue of price/benefit differences too much with Cunard in case they decide to bring the UK in line.

 

DJ

[Windsurfboy]

58 minutes ago, North West Newbie said:

 

So why did you send a letter of complaint?

 

Never mentioned prices as it is a completely unrelated issue to that of a uniform tipping policy. 

[North West Newbie]

15 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Never mentioned prices as it is a completely unrelated issue to that of a uniform tipping policy. 

 

From Cunard’s perspective, I imagine the two are intrinsically linked. I wonder if the root cause of your dissatisfaction lies with your disagreement to gratuities and tipping. On another thread in August you stated:-

 

“Might as well just put up fares by requisite amount , and get rid of gratuities.”

 

“The sooner the hospitality industry gets rid of tips world wide the better.”

 

I do not seek to challenge or ridicule your view. However, please don’t spoil it for others who have a different opinion.

[exlondoner]

39 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Never mentioned prices as it is a completely unrelated issue to that of a uniform tipping policy. 

 

Surely not.

[Underwatr]

3 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

So let's not confuse three separate issues.

 

1)The recent change to Different tipping policy in Germanic countries

 

2)A long-term policy of different prices in each country 

 

3) Cunard' s long-term policy of putting up barriers to force people to book in their country of residence  (which in EU shoudn't happen)

 

None of which is anything consumer should approve of

But it does deflate the "It's unfair to me that Germany doesn't have to pay gratuities" argument, though.

[Windsurfboy]

My argument has always been about the principle of have different tipping policies for different nationalities.

 

. Yes you are right I  don't like auto gratuities inparticular and am not a fan of tipping in general.  I find it odd that we tip some people who provide a service but not others. 

 

I love visiting those countries were they don't tip, helpfulness is obviously genuine.  You are right to note I have said more than once it would be much better to pay the staff more and abolish tipping.. Yes I do wish cunard would do it for  the UK market as well. 

 

I do tip and follow the when in Rome Principle,  But as you can tell I thoroughly dislike the principle of habitual tipping.  I still love the USA despite this.

 

I don't care about the money, auto gratuities are only a few percent (2.4% to be precise) of the total cost of the cruise for me . But to see one market but not the UK take the step towards where I'd love us to go has annoyed me as you can tell.

[Leesblue]

This subject of tipping is so boring and should be history in this day and age. Why on earth when we've payed thousands of pounds for our cruise are we then expected to cough up even more money for tips? 

I expect the money we've paid to cover EVERTHING we receive, food, accomodation AND service wether on a cruise or a hotel.

And I refuse to feel guilty anymore because I go on holiday to enjoy myself and not to worry about people on low wages.

PS..My husband wants Cunard to increase the cruise prices and stop the auto grats then he can decide if he wants to pay the price of the cruise or not!

[Windsurfboy]

German  vs UK prices

 

It might most probably be simply competion in UK or lack of it in Germany

 

Looking at Hamburg  Germany's number one cruise port , over three quarters of the 197 cruises in 2020 out of Hamburg are Carnival.

 

Southampton more than twice (467) as many cruises and cruise lines with  just over a third of cruises  Carnival.

[North West Newbie]

55 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

German  vs UK prices

 

It might most probably be simply competion in UK or lack of it in Germany

 

Looking at Hamburg  Germany's number one cruise port , over three quarters of the 197 cruises in 2020 out of Hamburg are Carnival.

 

Southampton more than twice (467) as many cruises and cruise lines with  just over a third of cruises  Carnival.

 

That proposition is illogical.

 

If the price differential was solely down to competition it is more likely to be competing cruise lines at the departure port that may influence prices not where the cruise is booked. Hence, V126 which is a Southampton roundtrip to the Canary Islands and Madeira would be the same price in Germany and the UK. Undoubtedly that is what you would like to see but alas it is not.

[Windsurfboy]

The logic being that prices in your home country set expectations, and cruise lines know this

[Germancruiser]

Majortom- whatever you may call it- brive- tip- as long it works... i really do not care! LOL

[Windsurfboy]

French prices are similiar to German and higher than UK, but same tipping policy as UK

[devonport]

I am on the QV at the end of October, I will be removing my auto gratuities, the main reason being Cunard is owned by Carnival,  P&O are also owned by Carnival auto gratuities have been removed by the company on all P&O ships.  

The QV is a vista class ship the same as Arcadia the standard and quality I have found is compatible, P&O charge far less for drinks 15% add on.

Carnival have made healthy profits for the past five years, perhaps some of this profit could be channelled towards a crew bonus.

Question - If P&O staff do not receive auto gratuities have their wages been increased to compensate for the loss?

 

[Host Hattie]

45 minutes ago, devonport said:

Question - If P&O staff do not receive auto gratuities have their wages been increased to compensate for the loss?

I doubt anyone on this board can answer that question.

[PORT ROYAL]

1 hour ago, Host Hattie said:

I doubt anyone on this board can answer that question.

 

Many on CC have cut/copied/pasted the essence of the answer to this question to their computer's memory, as to how the bonus system works, prior to it being removed.

 

Would the CC now allow any of it's members to re-post the lengthy and definitive article same being the essence to an answer?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Underwatr]

3 hours ago, devonport said:

Carnival have made healthy profits for the past five years, perhaps some of this profit could be channelled towards a crew bonus.

But they're predicting a soft 4th quarter and 2020. Brexit, US downturn, etc.

 

The line's minimum guaranteed pay (when the company chips in to support crew pay) is only reached when gratuities run far below expectations. When you cancel autogratuity you're punishing the crew, not Carnival/Cunard.

[mrmarklin]

In Germany tipping in restaurants is not normally done, other than a small check rounding-up.  Germans are not used to tipping, and likely are unwilling to do so on a cruise.  This is probably the reason for the German tip policy.  It's probably built into the German price, just like "back home".

[Yoshikitty]

That is not correct.

 

We and most of other germans are tipping between 5% -10% of the restaurant check on top - though exceptions happen every day.