Tips

[kirtihk]

16 minutes ago, RichYak said:

So advertise the highest possible price on the top line? You clearly didn't take Marketing 101.

It appears, you prefer targeting unwise individuals with misleading the lowest number?

 

Also, according to your statement, Regent, Silversea, some other cruise lines, and almost the entire Europe (in their pricing) "clearly didn't take Marketing 101".

 

PS. "Luckily", at least, having master's degree in mathematics (and physics) helps me (a little) to calculate all these on-going nonsense pricing values - ha-ha!  Then add prices for excursions, spa treatment, Thermal Suite fee, specialty restaurants.  Did I forget anything else?  It's fun!

 

PS2.  I know, it's not arguable.  Everyone prefers different aspects in our life.

Edited March 8 by kirtihk

[the penguins]

5 hours ago, d9704011 said:

Hold on a bit here; don't put tips/gratuities in same bin as taxes.  In Canada, federal and provincial sales taxes (or a blended/harmonized sales tax) are added on for pretty much all goods and services sold.  They are predictable and 100% transparent.  In the UK, you typically have prices that include the VAT; about 100% opaque.  We used to have something like that in Canada with the Federal Sales Tax but it was changed about 40 years ago in favour of the Goods and Services Tax, which was calculated and displayed separately.

 

Admittedly, it can get a little more complicated than one tax:  hotel rooms may be advertised at $200 per night but they might be subject to sales tax and other special money grabs by other parties with the authority to do so.  They'll all be clearly listed/identified and the consumer can choose whether to purchase.

 

 

As for tips and the like, they are not shown or payable on any purchase except as an approved add-on or more like a service charge for certain activities (such as 15% for large groups in a restaurant).

I wasn't I was simply illustrating how X adapts to different markets.

In the UK and Europe anything that has to be paid i.e. port fees, taxes etc must be included in the basic price.

In the US/Canada it shows these costs as an extra.

In Australia and New Zealand it chooses to add the tips as well. 

All X's major competitors adopts the almost identical charging patterns.

[d9704011]

4 minutes ago, kirtihk said:

P.S. "Luckily", at least, having master's degree in mathematics (and physics) helps me (a little) to calculate all these on-going nonsense pricing values - ha-ha!  Then add prices for excursions, spa treatment, Thermal Suite fee, specialty restaurants.  Did I forget anything else?  It's fun!

I have a degree in Engineering Physics but must have missed the classes where we learned about pricing out (cruise) vacations.

 

Maybe that's post-graduate level stuff.

Edited March 8 by d9704011

[kirtihk]

4 minutes ago, the penguins said:

I wasn't I was simply illustrating how X adapts to different markets.

In the UK and Europe anything that has to be paid i.e. port fees, taxes etc must be included in the basic price.

In the US/Canada it shows these costs as an extra.

In Australia and New Zealand it chooses to add the tips as well. 

All X's major competitors adopts the almost identical charging patterns.

According to post # 125, the UK and Europe don't do it right (a lack of basic skills).

[Spif Barwunkel]

Is this much ado about nothing, or is this thread actually getting somewhere, different? I personally have no need for protractors, slide rules and spread sheets. Even my abacus cannot determine the ideal solution. You either tip or you don't. You either will or you won't. Go with your personal flow and then give a tidy sum to each of the major players.

Edited March 8 by Spif Barwunkel

[RichYak]

16 minutes ago, kirtihk said:

Also, according to your statement, Regent, Silversea, some other cruise lines, and almost the entire Europe (in their pricing) "clearly didn't take Marketing 101".

Since when does Europe include "drink packages, refundable deposits..." as you wrote? Regent and Silversea are truly all inclusive lux lines, so there's only two prices. With air or without. Try calling Regent and ask them to quote price without drinks, wifi, and excursions and get back to me.

 

19 minutes ago, kirtihk said:

It appears, you prefer targeting unwise individuals with misleading the lowest number?

I never wrote that and it's completely unfair of you to infer that from what I wrote. You're totally out of line. Mandatory charges (taxes, port fees) should be clear. What I find foolish is your suggestion that the main display price should include things like drink packages, etc.

[NutsAboutGolf]

41 minutes ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

Is this much ado about nothing, or is this thread actually getting somewhere, different? I personally have no need for protractors, slide rules and spread sheets. Even my abacus cannot determine the ideal solution. You either tip or you don't. You either will or you won't. Go with your personal flow and then give a tidy sum to each of the major players.

 

Don't worry, there will be a new tipping thread created next week, the week after, etc...

[d9704011]

2 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Don't worry, there will be a new tipping thread created next week, the week after, etc...

That's a relief...