Does FREE gratuities offer screw the staff?

[calvindoth]

Does anybody know if the FREE gratuities offers means that the staff does not get the standard tip? Or does princess make up the difference?

[Colo Cruiser]

4 minutes ago, calvindoth said:

Does anybody know if the FREE gratuities offers means that the staff does not get the standard tip? Or does princess make up the difference?

They get the same.

Where did you hear that?

[Pam in CA]

Doesn’t matter whether you pre-pay gratuities, get “free” gratuities via a promotion, or leave the “auto-tip” on your onboard folio. Your cabin steward and waitstaff still get their share. 

[2 cruises a year]

47 minutes ago, calvindoth said:

Does anybody know if the FREE gratuities offers means that the staff does not get the standard tip? Or does princess make up the difference?

If you book a cruise with gratuities included (just semantics I know, but nothing is free) it actually shows up in your Cruise Personalizer as paid.  So at least on paper, the gratuities are actually paid.

[paradiselivin1]

They ARE paid. Just not by you. Think of it as folded into the price of your cruise.

[voljeep]

4 minutes ago, 2 cruises a year said:

If you book a cruise with gratuities included (just semantics I know, but nothing is free) it actually shows up in your Cruise Personalizer as paid.  So at least on paper, the gratuities are actually paid.

and it can't be cancelled, and refunded ... or taken off once on board... can it ?

[2 cruises a year]

1 minute ago, paradiselivin1 said:

They ARE paid. Just not by you. Think of it as folded into the price of your cruise.

 

I agree, that is why I never say free, I say included. 😉

[2 cruises a year]

2 minutes ago, voljeep said:

and it can't be cancelled, and refunded ... or taken off once on board... can it ?

 

My guess is that it can be refunded, to whoever paid it.  For example if you cancel the cruise.

 

[Daniel A]

I usually do anytime dining and eat in the buffet.  When I prepay gratuities am I tipping the wait staff in the MDRs when they have never waited on me?

[riffatsea]

Whether you pre pay or pay at the end of the cruise on your account, the money goes to the people you use for anytime dining + the other staff you don't see like  buffet people your cabin steward etc.

 

[katisdale]

Anytime dining is eating in the MDR. Also waiters in the MDR also work shifts in the buffet.

[Potstech]

22 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

I usually do anytime dining and eat in the buffet.  When I prepay gratuities am I tipping the wait staff in the MDRs when they have never waited on me?

Yes.

[weedpindle]

28 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

I usually do anytime dining and eat in the buffet.  When I prepay gratuities am I tipping the wait staff in the MDRs when they have never waited on me?

You are paying grats for ALL the food service staff anytime you pay grats.. The person who picks up your dirty dishes in the Horizon court, the person who gets your drinks,  and when you tip the waiter in MDR, he turns that extra into the pool for all the food service staff.

[antsp]

39 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

I usually do anytime dining and eat in the buffet.  When I prepay gratuities am I tipping the wait staff in the MDRs when they have never waited on me?

Your tip may go to to another member of staff on another ship. All tips are pooled fleet wide. If someone stops there tip it doesn’t effect there room steward or waitstaff it effects every member of crew under the gratuities system. 

Edited October 11, 2019 by antsp

[Coffeeluvr05]

This is not meant to come off as sarcastic or questioning anyone’s knowledge. Just a genuine question.  Can you all qualify your answers as to how you know for fact that A. Free grats are included and always passed on to the staff and B. All tips given directly are always pooled and shared with staff?

[pms4104]

2 hours ago, voljeep said:

and it can't be cancelled, and refunded ... or taken off once on board... can it ?

Even if removed, the grats are refunded to he/she who paid them ... why would you ask?

[voljeep]

ok, i'll post this, then ...frozen ..

 

we have NEVER removed the auto-grats, and if anything over-tip while on board...

 

the OP asked if the staff got screwed ... I 'think' just the opposite ... but also realize that some _________

would try to go to the passenger service desk and ask for a refund as it had to be built into their fare, so in essence,

they are the ones who 'paid' the grats, and now want that taken off their account

 

j/s

[antsp]

29 minutes ago, Coffeeluvr05 said:

This is not meant to come off as sarcastic or questioning anyone’s knowledge. Just a genuine question.  Can you all qualify your answers as to how you know for fact that A. Free grats are included and always passed on to the staff and B. All tips given directly are always pooled and shared with staff?

From Princess.com

 

To simplify the tipping process for our guests, a discretionary gratuity of $16.50 per guest for suites, $15.50 per guest for mini-suites and club class, and $14.50 per guest for interior, oceanview, and balcony staterooms. This gratuity will be shared amongst those staff who help provide and support your cruise experience, including all waitstaff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards, and housekeeping staff across the fleet.

[pablo222]

2 hours ago, paradiselivin1 said:

They ARE paid. Just not by you. Think of it as folded into the price of your cruise.

 

How are you in a position to know this?

 

Thanks.

[2 cruises a year]

21 minutes ago, Coffeeluvr05 said:

This is not meant to come off as sarcastic or questioning anyone’s knowledge. Just a genuine question.  Can you all qualify your answers as to how you know for fact that A. Free grats are included and always passed on to the staff and B. All tips given directly are always pooled and shared with staff?

 

As I mentioned earlier, "Free" gratuities are actually marked as paid in your Cruise Personalizer, so at least on paper they are shown as paid. So, yes gratuities are paid to the staff, fleetwide.  See the FAQ below.

How direct tips are a handled, I agree is all hearsay. As far as I can tell, it is a pretty well kept secret officially.  One thing that I am pretty well sure of based on a few direct experiences is that "Cash is King".  Cash is always appreciated, and I have detected some disappointment when adding the tip to the bill, particularly in the Crown Grill.  So now, my extra tips are always in cash.  They can do whatever they need to do, or want to do with the money.  I have shown my appreciation.

 

From the Princess website onboard FAQ.

 

During your cruise, regardless of which Princess ship you choose, you will meet staff who provide you with excellent service. Crew members often rotate to different vessels within the Princess fleet which helps to maintain our high standards on every ship. These dedicated workers reflect our philosophy that all crew on all ships are but one family who share in our success.

To simplify the tipping process for our guests, a discretionary gratuity of $16.50 per guest for suites, $15.50 per guest for mini-suites and club class, and $14.50 per guest for interior, oceanview, and balcony staterooms. This gratuity will be shared amongst those staff who help provide and support your cruise experience, including all waitstaff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards, and housekeeping staff across the fleet.

 

 

[antsp]

.

Edited October 11, 2019 by antsp

[Daniel A]

1 hour ago, Daniel A said:

I usually do anytime dining and eat in the buffet.  When I prepay gratuities am I tipping the wait staff in the MDRs when they have never waited on me?

For the record:  When I asked the above question, the thought of cancelling my prepaid gratuities never came to my mind.  I was looking to ascertain where my money is going.  When I tip for services I never put the tip on my credit card as I want the full tip to go to the waiter/waitress who served me, not to be 'laundered' through the owner's account.  Who the wait staff share the tips with is their business once I gave them the cash.

[kywildcatfanone]

They get the same they get, it just a promotional stunt. 

[greenie082756]

Basically what everyone (well almost) is saying is that in an accounting aspect there is a tip fund. These monies

are pooled from every customer and from every ship that is Princess. 

Do I think that a worker does not get the "tip pool" money in their pay? Nope.

I do not think it really matters whether we pay the gratuities or have it "gifted from Princess". Do I know this as fact?

Nope. What I do know is the line that Princess stated is that the tip money is pooled fleet wide and paid fleet wide.

OBTW, here's to ANOTHER tip thread 😁🍷

[frugaltravel]

2 hours ago, Daniel A said:

When I tip for services I never put the tip on my credit card as I want the full tip to go to the waiter/waitress who served me, not to be 'laundered' through the owner's account.  Who the wait staff share the tips with is their business once I gave them the cash.

 

Not so much on the ship, but in general on land, I always tip on my credit card.  99% of the time, the servers get 100% of that tip (the restaurant covers the credit card charge).  Plus, this means the server must report his/her tips.  I myself am in a service industry.  I report all my tips.  Most in the service industry don't.  That is unfortunate.