Crew Incentive?

[mikefang]

Please excuse old guys question but definitions change in the cruise industry and I am old! Does the term crew incentive mean what used be tips/hotel charges or some new definition? Thanks for your patience.

[abqmommyof4]

yes

 

[mikefang]

Thank you.

[matrixman48]

If it's pre-paid, what's the incentive?

[Bgwest]

Just now, matrixman48 said:

If it's pre-paid, what's the incentive?

Astute observation. 
Simple response - there isn’t any. 

Marketing speak to make the pill easier to swallow. 
 

[nini]

The crew gratuities have always been "pre-paid". They are added to your daily charges. You have the opportunity to remove them. Via this system, passengers are able to ask to have them removed from their bill. We have never done so, as the crew works very hard and then we also tip extra in cash for crew members who go above and beyond.

 

[SinbadThePorter]

8 hours ago, matrixman48 said:

If it's pre-paid, what's the incentive?

 

It's marketing speak, it's a service charge that the industry doesn't want to call a service charge.

[Esprit]

I take as much notice of it as I do with port taxes. Zilch !

Edited October 30, 2021 by Esprit

[skynight]

13 hours ago, matrixman48 said:

If it's pre-paid, what's the incentive?

It's a play on words. But the incentive is for the housekeeping staff to do an excellent job. They are rated by their supervisors. Excellent ratings over time = higher distribution from the incentive pot.

[matrixman48]

13 hours ago, skynight said:

It's a play on words. But the incentive is for the housekeeping staff to do an excellent job. They are rated by their supervisors. Excellent ratings over time = higher distribution from the incentive pot.

My question was rhetorical. I contend that a tip that is prepaid removes, or at least lessens the incentive. Do you tip your waiter before dinner or after?

[jkrislc]

Does the "incentive" cover all services (e.g., room service) or are you still expected to tip a few dollars upon delivery? Supposedly on HAL, the prepaid incentive is for all onboard services except for the bars as that's added to the bill and the spa.

[skynight]

45 minutes ago, jkrislc said:

Does the "incentive" cover all services (e.g., room service) or are you still expected to tip a few dollars upon delivery? Supposedly on HAL, the prepaid incentive is for all onboard services except for the bars as that's added to the bill and the spa.

The crew incentive, formally gratuity, covers all housekeeping and dining on board. It does not cover bar/beverages. An 18% service charge is added to all beverage purchases. No additional service charge is added per drink when you purchase the plus fare, which includes the premier beverage package, or if you purchase one of the various beverage packages separately. Prices of the packages include the service charge. Specialty dining charges include the gratuity. 

Additional tipping for any service is up to you. Some give an additional gratuity to their cabin steward at the end of the voyage. Others may provide some cash to drink waiters that have served them throughout the cruise. Some provide additional tips to their specialty dining waiter. Those that have the same DR waiters for the entire cruise may provide them with something additional at the end. Room service does not require any additional tipping, but many do give a tip on delivery. It is also common to throw some chips to the dealers when playing table games in the casino.

An 18% gratuity is added for spa services. This may help. Refer to crew incentives and service charges.

https://www.princess.com/learn/faq/onboard/onboard-experience/ 

[Roberto256]

On 10/30/2021 at 3:20 AM, SinbadThePorter said:

 

It's marketing speak, it's a service charge that the industry doesn't want to call a service charge.

I don't get that...

 

In general, the folks who are so upset by tipping are generally from countries

where adding a service charge to a hotel bill is common.

 

The name should vary, based on one's country of origin...

 

[Mike07]

In terms of whether it removes the incentive to do a good or poor job.... I mean, the service crew has no idea if you are contributing to the incentive pot.  AFAIK, if you're booked under a Saver fare, you can go to Guest Services and tell them you want to contribute 25 cents a day to the crew incentive.  They might look at you funny... but.... (typing on a keyboard).... you suddenly see crew incentives of 25 cents a day.  The reverse is true... I doubt anybody goes and says "I want to give $50 per person in my stateroom, per day".

 

I have no idea what the "old" system was like when everything was envelopes and cash and not auto-billed onto your ship account.

 

Personally, I give the standard $14.50/day or Princess Plus inclusion, and then cash tips to the people that were friendliest or helped me the most.  I talked to some of the crew about their contracts and going rates, and it's the least I can do.  They're on a ship for 2 to 9 months, and I start to get pissy when a wreck adds 10 minutes to my 17 minute commute.

Edited November 1, 2021 by Mike07

[Stokie33]

I’ve only been on Princess once before and had the Princess plus, we are due to travel on Sky again next year and taking the MIL and her boyfriend they didn’t want to do the plus fare, is it possible to pay gratuities before we go or will it be added per day 

[wowzz]

26 minutes ago, Stokie33 said:

I’ve only been on Princess once before and had the Princess plus, we are due to travel on Sky again next year and taking the MIL and her boyfriend they didn’t want to do the plus fare, is it possible to pay gratuities before we go or will it be added per day 

You can 'gift' an amount to an onboard account, but in your case I wouldn't bother. The gratuities will be added to the account of each person, and they will be charged at the end of the cruise.

I'd just say, that even if you only have two drinks a day, the PP package is a no brainer.

[Stokie33]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

You can 'gift' an amount to an onboard account, but in your case I wouldn't bother. The gratuities will be added to the account of each person, and they will be charged at the end of the cruise.

I'd just say, that even if you only have two drinks a day, the PP package is a no brainer.

Thanks Wowzz my hubby and I have the plus but at 78 and 91 they won't drink anything other than tea or coffee, we had already booked the window suite and I've now booked them into a vista suite so if they want a drink hopefully they'll still do the happy hour in the suite lounge. I struggled to convince them to book a suite but was worried a deluxe balcony would be a bit tight on space for them 

[cruiser113]

24 minutes ago, Stokie33 said:

Thanks Wowzz my hubby and I have the plus but at 78 and 91 they won't drink anything other than tea or coffee, we had already booked the window suite and I've now booked them into a vista suite so if they want a drink hopefully they'll still do the happy hour in the suite lounge. I struggled to convince them to book a suite but was worried a deluxe balcony would be a bit tight on space for them 

They will  receive a mini bar  set  up for being in  a  full  suite, as well  as  you for  the window  suite.  You will  both be  able  to  go to  Sabatini's  for  breakfast and  they  can  have mimosas.  You  could  share  your minibar set  up  with  them.  You will both  have club class  dining as  well.  Enjoy your  cruise. 

[waltd]

Just now, Stokie33 said:

I’ve only been on Princess once before and had the Princess plus, we are due to travel on Sky again next year and taking the MIL and her boyfriend they didn’t want to do the plus fare, is it possible to pay gratuities before we go or will it be added per day 

You can also go to the Princess Personalizer , sign in, go to your booking then go to payments then a tab called crew incentives, and it will show you what you will need to pay for the gratuities.  You can pay it there with a credit card.

[matrixman48]

"You can also go to the Princess Personalizer , sign in, go to your booking then go to payments then a tab called crew incentives, and it will show you what you will need to pay for the gratuities.  You can pay it there with a credit card."

 

"Need" implies that the tip is mandatory. By definition, a tip/gratuity is discretionary and voluntary as is the amount, otherwise it is a charge.

[donaldsc]

On 10/29/2021 at 1:38 PM, mikefang said:

Please excuse old guys question but definitions change in the cruise industry and I am old! Does the term crew incentive mean what used be tips/hotel charges or some new definition? Thanks for your patience.

 

To quote Shakespeare's comment on crew incentives - "a rose by any other name is a pure PR change".

 

DON