Is this a new Gratuities policy?

[SCX22]

10 minutes ago, Mary loves to travel said:

Princess could drop the price by say $100 per person and call it a Sale.  Or, they can keep the price the same and offer $100 OBC - basically giving you back $100 of your fare to spend *with them* any way you like.    
By dropping the price, you might spend that savings in port on a private excursion, souvenirs, or food.   Or simply keep it in your pocket.  
By giving you OBC Princess guarantees that $100 gets spent with them. 

 

Right but shareholder's and military OBC have no bearing on the cruise fare.  Doesn't matter what the cruise fare was, it appears on the folio as long as the award criteria is met.  

 

Also for the type of OBC you speak of, passengers have been known to cash out at the casino.

Edited June 5 by SCX22

[Mary loves to travel]

49 minutes ago, SCX22 said:

 

Right but shareholder's and military OBC have no bearing on the cruise fare.  Doesn't matter what the cruise fare was, it appears on the folio as long as the award criteria is met.  

 

Also for the type of OBC you speak of, passengers have been known to cash out at the casino.

Think of all OBC as a form of "sale".    When one applies for and receives those OBC, it is accounted for.    Whether it's out of the advertising budget or what have you, the money is accounted for.    There are strict accounting rules governing this.   

[voljeep]

1 hour ago, SCX22 said:

 

Right but shareholder's and military OBC have no bearing on the cruise fare.  Doesn't matter what the cruise fare was, it appears on the folio as long as the award criteria is met.  

 

Also for the type of OBC you speak of, passengers have been known to cash out at the casino.

and there used to be coffee cards ...

[MacMadame]

2 hours ago, Mary loves to travel said:

Think of all OBC as a form of "sale".    When one applies for and receives those OBC, it is accounted for.    Whether it's out of the advertising budget or what have you, the money is accounted for.    There are strict accounting rules governing this.   

Yes. It's real money even though it's mostly moving entries around in the accounting system. 😄But the accounting rules say it has to be treated as real money.

[ldubs]

On 6/3/2024 at 3:48 PM, SCX22 said:

 

Never do the round up for charity thing.  It's how companies donate to charity to seem charitable using your money, but they take the credit.

 

15 hours ago, Torfamm said:

To be fair, organizations are incredibly grateful when companies do this kind of thing. It can have a huge impact, but can take a fair amount of effort on the company’s part to collect donations.
 

Encouraging and accepting donations doesn’t make companies “seem charitable” anymore than the individual who participates in a pledge-based activity like a walkathon does it to “seem charitable”.

 

I'm not concerned with who gets credit so much as the charity gets a donation.  Rounding up is an easy thing to do that over a year's time can be meaningful to the charity.  

[Torfamm]

1 minute ago, ldubs said:

 

 

I'm not concerned with who gets credit so much as the charity gets a donation.  Rounding up is an easy thing to do that over a year's time can be meaningful to the charity.  

Thank you for making a difference.

[memoak]

8 hours ago, voljeep said:

and there used to be coffee cards ...

Stop ruminating on the past and wake up to to today

[mikjr]

I don't mind paying a TIP to someone who DIRECTLY interacts with me...  Cabin Steward, MDR Server... but WHY should my "Crew Appreciation" go to the plumber or electrician?? 

[Retired-N-Happy]

10 minutes ago, mikjr said:

I don't mind paying a TIP to someone who DIRECTLY interacts with me...  Cabin Steward, MDR Server... but WHY should my "Crew Appreciation" go to the plumber or electrician?? 

Indirect people involved would be the service people in the buffet or the behind the scenes people that make your cruise run smoothly.  It's only a small percentage of what you pay, the overwhelming majority goes to your room steward and MDR servers.

[mikjr]

58 minutes ago, Retired-N-Happy said:

Indirect people involved would be the service people in the buffet or the behind the scenes people that make your cruise run smoothly.  It's only a small percentage of what you pay, the overwhelming majority goes to your room steward and MDR servers.

 

I would like to believe that is the case, my steward and direct servers would get the bulk of my tip.  But from what I am reading from others, the tips are pooled FLEET WIDE and distributed.  Not sure what that means and I haven't seen anything in print that says one way or another.  If you have something, I'd love to read it

[2 cruises a year]

2 hours ago, mikjr said:

 

I would like to believe that is the case, my steward and direct servers would get the bulk of my tip.  But from what I am reading from others, the tips are pooled FLEET WIDE and distributed.  Not sure what that means and I haven't seen anything in print that says one way or another.  If you have something, I'd love to read it

It took some doing.  Under FAQ and Onboard Experience

 

It really is pretty fair in my opinion.  For example, It keeps the poor bartender at the least popular bar from feeling bitter (somewhat).  It balances between popular busy cruises and less busy (profitable) cruises.  Everyone can't work the busy cruises and bars.  This spreads the pain and keeps crew from moving on.  Spread this thought to all other "TIP" dependent jobs.

The crew know what they signed up for and how it works.  They keep coming back, so it can't be all bad.

 

All of the Crew Appreciation and Service Charge payments made by all guests on all ships in our fleet are pooled, net of credit card transaction fees. The pooled funds are distributed throughout the year in the form of compensation, including bonuses, to crewmembers fleetwide who interact directly with guests and/or behind the scenes throughout every cruise, including those in the Bar, Dining, Entertainment, Housekeeping, Guest Services, Galley and Onboard Revenue areas.

[Retired-N-Happy]

3 hours ago, mikjr said:

 

I would like to believe that is the case, my steward and direct servers would get the bulk of my tip.  But from what I am reading from others, the tips are pooled FLEET WIDE and distributed.  Not sure what that means and I haven't seen anything in print that says one way or another.  If you have something, I'd love to read it

I was just going off of how it was back in the day.  More than likely, since Princess is worldwide, they may do a fleet wide distribution because the employees that rely on tips for the bulk of their compensation would always want to be on a ship sailing in the Caribbean versus Europe since there would be more of a chance that tips could be pulled in areas that don't have a tipping culture.

[Incognito1]

On 6/4/2024 at 7:21 AM, jimlouisesophie said:

Very interesting posts.  So if we decide to remove the automatic tips and instead obtain envelopes to give to the staff that we feel give us personal attention, do we do this on the first day of our cruise, or later on?

We do it at the end, or leave a cash tip in the dining room (like, for breakfast or ultimate balcony dining or other times when we don't have the same waiter every night).  We give the room steward his tip in the room at the end.  We've also tipped out in town when running across great staff members on excursions.  We rarely do automatic tips, preferring to reward those who go above and beyond.  But you do you, and don't let anyone tell you that you MUST do it their way.

Edited June 23 by Incognito1

[TRLD]

On 6/15/2024 at 10:37 AM, mikjr said:

I don't mind paying a TIP to someone who DIRECTLY interacts with me...  Cabin Steward, MDR Server... but WHY should my "Crew Appreciation" go to the plumber or electrician?? 

Actually it does not go to a plumber or electrician, though you might be directly interacting with them if they access to your Cabin to fix your toilet.

 

Those positions are on the ship side, not the hotel side, they are not part of the gratuity pool.

 

on the other hand the Galley workers who cook your meals for example are hotel.side and are included.

Edited June 23 by TRLD

[TRLD]

On 6/15/2024 at 3:19 PM, Retired-N-Happy said:

I was just going off of how it was back in the day.  More than likely, since Princess is worldwide, they may do a fleet wide distribution because the employees that rely on tips for the bulk of their compensation would always want to be on a ship sailing in the Caribbean versus Europe since there would be more of a chance that tips could be pulled in areas that don't have a tipping culture.

Not bulk of compensation. More like 40 to 50% comes from gratuity pool.

[pink845]

Well, I was on the Caribbean Princess recently and I observed and heard a passenger hand USD to one of the waiters in the Horizon Court.  I was sitting very close to the area where the coffee and tea is poured.  She was so grateful and was basically bursting and asked a fellow crew she was working with what to do with the money (he quietly told her to simply pocket the money.) He told her she was being rewarded and to keep it to herself.  I agree wholeheartedly.  She obviously gave great service to that passenger and she deserved it all to herself.   

[Mississippian]

On 5/29/2024 at 4:02 AM, Bgwest said:

There outta be a law. A the saying goes. 

I used to love that comic panel in the newspaper.

[Cruisemeister2002]

The problem with the world we live in is that whilst places like India and China are seen as sweat shops, paying low wages and making their people downtrodden how much better are we as wealthy country's ? Maybe we don't slave for many hours a week to get our pay cheque. But there's still a heck of a difference between what boardrooms deem decent pay and what they pay their employees. Here in the UK while house prices have risen 300% in 20 years pay has only increased 25%. Yes in the main we are better off than those who serve us on our cruises. I myself have never been highly paid. My best years I probably earned £30,000, but that would have been one wage plus two pensions. I respect crew members as I started out in the catering business as a junior waiter. I do see examples of passengers looking down on these people, which is disgraceful. I understand the reasons why cruise lines are currently trying to make money on whatever they can, but also they need to respect their staff and certainly not alienate passengers by giving them a lesser service but expecting them to pay more.

[Incognito1]

You have to remember that what they are earning is FAR more than what they would be earning in their home countries.  Competition for these jobs is fierce precisely because the (what some might consider meager) pay can be lifechanging.  The typical salary in Manila is $7,000/yr (per averagesalarysurvey.com).  Even erring on the conservative side, a room steward can make half that in a month.

 

I completely agree with you that the cruise lines need to not alienate passengers by giving them a lesser service -- we've taken a few cruises where positions that were previously held by Pinoy have been replaced by Indonesians.  Probably for cost savings, but there is a cultural difference and the experience is far less wonderful.

[remydiva]

On 5/29/2024 at 6:42 AM, Interestedcruisefan said:

My daughter is in the hospitality industry. From UK but working in Canada currently on a 3 year visa 

 

She's a chef her boyfriend is a server

 

They've worked several locations

 

Every location they get an hourly wage above minimum wage and then gratuities are all for the staff team on top of that

 

The servers get the most but then contribute a portion to the kitchen team behind them to share

 

But the tips are not used in any way to subsidise wages

 

Similar  in UK hospitality. It's illegal to do what's happening on cruises. 

 

Tips are shown separately on wageslips as well now. There's strict rules about this

 

So staff aren't exploited

 

Yes this is the way it works in Canada.. tips the servers receive are shared usually by a percentage with hostess , runners, kitchen and bar staff but the tips are on top of at least minimum hourly wage which just went up again to $17.40 /hr here in BC. 

Edited 19 hours ago by remydiva

[paddingtonbear]

On 6/16/2024 at 4:49 AM, mikjr said:

 

I would like to believe that is the case, my steward and direct servers would get the bulk of my tip.  But from what I am reading from others, the tips are pooled FLEET WIDE and distributed.  Not sure what that means and I haven't seen anything in print that says one way or another.  If you have something, I'd love to read it

Some have said that the reason they do this is because Australian's, New Zealander's, British and European don't tip or at least tip no where near as much as Americans.  So Princess were having difficulty getting staff for the Ships touring Australia, UK and Europe.  So they've pooled all the tips and shared them fleet wide so the staff are all happy regardless of where they sail. 

[paddingtonbear]

I had heard, on this board, but I don't know if it is true, that cash tips have to be declared and put into the kitty for all tips to be shared.  

 

I'd be interested to hear if this is still (or was ever) the policy.

[HaveDogWillTravel]

6 hours ago, paddingtonbear said:

I had heard, on this board, but I don't know if it is true, that cash tips have to be declared and put into the kitty for all tips to be shared.  

 

I'd be interested to hear if this is still (or was ever) the policy.

Since the restart Princess changed its policy and crew members are allowed to keep all cash tips they receive.  However, there are some teams that CHOOSE to pool their tips. For example, the crew at crooners might choose to pool all their the cash tips and share them by some agreed upon method. This is entirely voluntary on the part of individual teams and crew members.  
 

If anyone doubts that crew now keep cash tips they should get on a ship and ask any crew member. It is not a secret. 
 

One of my problems with CA is that it is also goes towards “Onboard Revenue Services” and “Entertainment” members.  The other is that I have yet to have a single crew member say that they have received a dime of CA in the form of a “bonus” or any type of additional income over their, now, fixed rate salary. Every time I’ve asked a crew member how they like this new CA system I get an eye roll and disgusted look at the very least. Usually I get a comment of some kind about never seeing any of it. 

Edited 10 hours ago by HaveDogWillTravel

[TRLD]

2 hours ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

Since the restart Princess changed its policy and crew members are allowed to keep all cash tips they receive.  However, there are some teams that CHOOSE to pool their tips. For example, the crew at crooners might choose to pool all their the cash tips and share them by some agreed upon method. This is entirely voluntary on the part of individual teams and crew members.  
 

If anyone doubts that crew now keep cash tips they should get on a ship and ask any crew member. It is not a secret. 
 

One of my problems with CA is that it is also goes towards “Onboard Revenue Services” and “Entertainment” members.  The other is that I have yet to have a single crew member say that they have received a dime of CA in the form of a “bonus” or any type of additional income over their, now, fixed rate salary. Every time I’ve asked a crew member how they like this new CA system I get an eye roll and disgusted look at the very least. Usually I get a comment of some kind about never seeing any of it. 

Just for the record the entertainment and revenue positions that are part of the pool are those that are full Princess positions such as CD staff (entertainment) and the excursion (revenue generating) department. It does not include those there that are contractors for other companies such as retail, art, future cruise sales, spa, etc. Those companies such as the spa may have a gratuity system but it is totally outside of the CA system.

 

Guess we must talk with different people. I have been cruising Princess for over 20 years. Know a lot of crew and officers. Those that have experienced the various systems like the current one the best because unlike the original envelop system they nolonger have to deal with the last day when they had to confront the guests to ask for, yet not seem to ask for the tip. An often awkward situation.  They like the pooling better because it is stable, no fluctuations based upon itinerary.

 

Did the people you talked to tell you that the best way to reward an outstanding employee or for that matter the best way to get an underperformed employee corrected or removed from there position is to appropriately respond to cruise survey? Those survey comments go a long way to determine rewards including time off, promotions and yes bonuses.

 

Those some that are exceptional get rewards including promotions and bonuses in addition to their CA pool payout, some get their pool payout but no bonuses or promotions, some at the other end do not get their contract renewed.

[cruising.mark.uk]

4 hours ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

 The other is that I have yet to have a single crew member say that they have received a dime of CA in the form of a “bonus” or any type of additional income over their, now, fixed rate salary. Every time I’ve asked a crew member how they like this new CA system I get an eye roll and disgusted look at the very least. Usually I get a comment of some kind about never seeing any of it. 

Where I come from, it is the height of rudeness to ask someone what they earn.  And I don't think I know anyone who would give the true figure if they were asked the question by a complete stranger.  So, I take comments like this with a huge dose of salt.  Especially where it is very much in the interests of the crew member, amidst a gaggle of passengers who are potentially unaware of the reality of fixed salaries and CA or perhaps just plain naive, to plead poverty and that the system doesn't work for them in the hope that they might receive additional tips over the CA and their fixed salary (which they are clearly happy with because they signed up to the job knowing what they would get paid).