"Crew Appreciation" charge on Australia & NZ cruises?

[Mary loves to travel]

2 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Most likely because there is no software smarts to remove it in the situation where not required.  Also, this change sounds new to me.  Or is PCL thinking/hoping a lot of guests from N.A. won't think about it and are used to paying the CA?

I think with many people buying one of the packages, some started asking for a price break on the package, since CA is already included (albeit not very clearly spelled out).

Here it is spelled out in the detailed Terms & Conditions of the Plus Package (same wording in the details of the Premier Package):

 Crew Appreciation paid on behalf of the guest varies based on stateroom type (up to 4 guests per stateroom). Princess Premier does not include other service charges. Although Crew Appreciation is listed as part of the Princess Premier package, on Australia and New Zealand voyages Crew Appreciation is already included in the cruise fare and therefore all guests, regardless of whether they book the Princess Plus package, will receive Crew Appreciation and no substitution or refund will be provided for such part of the package.

[Mary loves to travel]

6 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Or is PCL thinking/hoping a lot of guests from N.A. won't think about it and are used to paying the CA?

 

Maybe so.   BUT, think about how Princess does their onboard accounting.   For example, if I reserve and pre-pay for several Princess excursions, once onboard, the first day my account will show all the excursion money I prepaid as a Credit.   Then, as I take each excursion, they'll charge my account for the excursion.

 

In this case, let's say a N.A. cruiser prepays their Crew Appreciation.   Once onboard, that cruiser will see the prepay as a credit t their account.   BUT, there won't be a daily CA charge against it, to spend it down day by day.    One could end up with quite a bit of credit to spend.    Either way, Princess doesn't just quietly pocket the money & chuckle about it.

 

Mary

 

 

[Mary loves to travel]

1 hour ago, coo359a2 said:

Then we must have paid for something we didn't have too.  I'm sure it won't be refunded but whatever as we have no plans to go back to AU/NZ.  

Hi Tina & Ken,

 

you might be able to call and get it refunded to your credit card.   Just say you realize you'll have some other OBC you need to spend, yada yada.    Shouldn't hurt to ask.

 

If not, you'll have a slug of credit on your accounts once onboard.    

[Mary loves to travel]

Here's a link to the Terms & Conditions I've been quoting from:

Princess Plus & Princess Premier - Princess Cruises

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, Mary loves to travel said:

I think with many people buying one of the packages, some started asking for a price break on the package, since CA is already included (albeit not very clearly spelled out).

Here it is spelled out in the detailed Terms & Conditions of the Plus Package (same wording in the details of the Premier Package):

 Crew Appreciation paid on behalf of the guest varies based on stateroom type (up to 4 guests per stateroom). Princess Premier does not include other service charges. Although Crew Appreciation is listed as part of the Princess Premier package, on Australia and New Zealand voyages Crew Appreciation is already included in the cruise fare and therefore all guests, regardless of whether they book the Princess Plus package, will receive Crew Appreciation and no substitution or refund will be provided for such part of the package.

I understand, but does the price in AUD for Plus/Premier reflect the absence of CA?  IDK the AUD pricing.

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, Mary loves to travel said:

Here's a link to the Terms & Conditions I've been quoting from:

Princess Plus & Princess Premier - Princess Cruises

It might be instructional if we could see the T&C for Oz.  (I do not have a VPN at this time).

[Mary loves to travel]

7 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I understand, but does the price in AUD for Plus/Premier reflect the absence of CA?  IDK the AUD pricing.

NOPE!    That’s what they’re trying to convey, that there’s no discount or rebate, even though in one sense the package is less valuable.    

OTOH, it translates to one more drink/glass of wine per day needed to “break even” with a package.   For many who buy the package, they’re still coming out ahead.   

[Mary loves to travel]

9 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

It might be instructional if we could see the T&C for Oz.  (I do not have a VPN at this time).

The T&C explicitly talks about Oz cruises.   I highlighted that in post #76.   

[Steelers36]

14 minutes ago, Mary loves to travel said:

The T&C explicitly talks about Oz cruises.   I highlighted that in post #76.   

I know but I wonder what the wording is on the Australian site.  PCL has different wording in different parts if world to suit policies.

[Steelers36]

44 minutes ago, Mary loves to travel said:

NOPE!    That’s what they’re trying to convey, that there’s no discount or rebate, even though in one sense the package is less valuable.    

OTOH, it translates to one more drink/glass of wine per day needed to “break even” with a package.   For many who buy the package, they’re still coming out ahead.   

I hear you but what does PCL charge an Australian citizen for Plus when booking a cruise based in Australia?

[Mary loves to travel]

2 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I know but I wonder what the wording is on the Australian site.  PCL has different wording in different parts if world to suit policies.

Oh, I see what you’re saying.    
 

Another good question is what one would be charged for the package onboard?

[PurpleTraveller]

47 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I hear you but what does PCL charge an Australian citizen for Plus when booking a cruise based in Australia?

These are the prices in Australia in AUD for the packages which do not include crew appreciation. AUD65.00 converts to about USD44.00 and AUD95.00 converts to about USD65.00 to account for not having crew appreciation.

 

 

 

[PurpleTraveller]

 

4 hours ago, Mary loves to travel said:

Here's a link to the Terms & Conditions I've been quoting from:

Princess Plus & Princess Premier - Princess Cruises

 

This is the information relating to Crew Information on the Australian site. 

 

 

I always thought that the reason we (in Australia) pay more for cruises out of Australia was because crew appreciation is included in our fare and that anyone else, from outside of Australia, still had to pay crew appreciation unless they have a package. However from the link you have posted, which is the same as I get in Australia, that does not seem to be the case.

 

[PurpleTraveller]

21 minutes ago, PurpleTraveller said:

 

 

This is the information relating to Crew Information on the Australian site.

 

 

Oops, I meant the information relating to Crew Appreciation on the Australian site. 😊

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, PurpleTraveller said:

These are the prices in Australia in AUD for the packages which do not include crew appreciation. AUD65.00 converts to about USD44.00 and AUD95.00 converts to about USD65.00 to account for not having crew appreciation.

Thanks and seems to be quite fair - a level playing field IOW.

[jamesmatt]

Hello if paying basic fare from outside Australia does that mean you can delete or amend the crew appreciation charge as are gratuities on other cruise lines

[cruisevac4]

I am just off 2 cruises in Australia and New Zealand.  Both were R/T from Australia cities.  After the second day of each cruise, I noticed that Crew Appreciation was added for the first 2 days for both of us.  I went to Passenger Services and told them that I saw on the web site that "Crew Appreciation" in included in the fare.  Both times, the representative said "I can remove that for you" and did remove the charges plus told me no further charges would be added to my account.  There was not an issue with stopping the charges.  I only asked them to remove the crew appreciation because I read that they were included in the fare for "...all passengers...".    During my second cruise I was able to login to the US site and found that the same phrase was no longer on the site for Australian cruises.  But on the Australian site, Crew Appreciation is not included as part of the Plus or Premium packages,

[skents]

On 7/16/2023 at 5:31 PM, skents said:

I had this issue come up in Feb 2023 when I rebooked  our upcoming Australian cruises that were originally booked in March 2022.  I had originally booked the plus package and one of the sale packages came out in February with the details of the sale showing tips were included, which is the same language the original post included, whether I took the plus package or not.  I rebooked without the plus package. 

 

After everything was updated in my online account, it showed I still had to pay tips. I had my travel agent send the link of the details from the Princess website to his Princess contact.

 

About two days later, he was notified that my tips would be covered. 

 

My online account shows my tips have been paid.  I printed the travel summary for each of the three cruises showing tips are covered in case something comes up later.

I finished my b2b2b from Sydney a couple of weeks ago. Crew Appreciation never showed up on my onboard account. 

[Astro Flyer]

Thanks to both of you for sharing your experiences about tips when booking Australia cruises from the US. In just over a year we’ll be sailing around Australia roundtrip Brisbane & have this thread bookmarked for any additional information.
 

With Princess already reducing the value of complimentary OBCs by a third due to giving the same amount in AUD, our $750 AUD is worth only $500 USD. And onboard AUD prices are equal to USD prices so our buying power is reduced by a third. We sail a second cruise from Auckland to LA which has USD OBC & onboard pricing…and we only have one long flight to Brisbane & a drive home at the end. 😊

cruisevac4 & skents…did you book a standard fare or with Plus or Premier?

 

Edited February 26 by Astro Flyer

[skents]

9 hours ago, Astro Flyer said:

Thanks to both of you for sharing your experiences about tips when booking Australia cruises from the US. In just over a year we’ll be sailing around Australia roundtrip Brisbane & have this thread bookmarked for any additional information.
 

With Princess already reducing the value of complimentary OBCs by a third due to giving the same amount in AUD, our $750 AUD is worth only $500 USD. And onboard AUD prices are equal to USD prices so our buying power is reduced by a third. We sail a second cruise from Auckland to LA which has USD OBC & onboard pricing…and we only have one long flight to Brisbane & a drive home at the end. 😊

cruisevac4 & skents…did you book a standard fare or with Plus or Premier?

 

We booked standard fare and after buying internet,  a few drinks, and a couple of casual dining we saved a lot. 

[Mary loves to travel]

Just now, skents said:

We booked standard fare and after buying internet,  a few drinks, and a couple of casual dining we saved a lot. 

That’s our experience, too.    
I know “break even” is two glasses of wine a day, but we just don’t drink that much.   
Good to have options.  

[Thrak]

Please note that, if you are booking from the US and have the Plus or Premier fares the daily gratuity is still part of it and there is no mechanism to allow you to remove that part of the fare.

 

[Mary loves to travel]

32 minutes ago, Thrak said:

Please note that, if you are booking from the US and have the Plus or Premier fares the daily gratuity is still part of it and there is no mechanism to allow you to remove that part of the fare.

 

so that makes a big difference in the "break even" calculation!!

[Astro Flyer]

34 minutes ago, skents said:

We booked standard fare and after buying internet,  a few drinks, and a couple of casual dining we saved a lot. 

 

32 minutes ago, Mary loves to travel said:

That’s our experience, too.    
I know “break even” is two glasses of wine a day, but we just don’t drink that much.   
Good to have options.  

Thanks…with our elite level benefits it’s not cost effective for our style of cruising to get a package. Neither of us drink a lot of anything including alcohol due to health issues. It is good to have options & for some the packages are the better option.

 

[cruisevac4]

I booked the Standard fare.  I didn't purchase the internet pkg even though as Elite, I am entitled to a discount.  At most of the ports, I was able to find free internet.   Our second cruise had 4 days at sea to finish the cruise, so I purchased 1 day at the end because I just needed to see local news 😀.

I must admit that I felt a little guilty about removing the tips on both cruises (just not enough to pay them, though).  On the second cruise we had 3 other couples cruising with us.  I had told them about what I found about the cruise about the tips being included (I also send them a cut and paste of the notice about Crew Appreciation being included in the fare).  I never asked them if the Crew appreciation was added to their account like my account.  However, one of the group told me they went to Passenger Services like I did and they told him that included Crew Appreciation was only for Australian and New Zealand passengers.