Princess Tips -Question and Comment

[MattnTricia]

We are pretty frequent cruisers -  2 X a year plus and are trying to figure out our next future cruise bookings. 

 

We typically have done included gratuity fares on our last several trips with Plus and Premier  but are considering going the standard fare route in the future starting with our Summer 2025 bookings and beyond. Above and beyond the PPD gratuities we typically bring $100-$150 cash that we tip the room steward, bartenders and dining staff above and beyond the PPD gratuities.  My wife drinks very little included with plus or premium as she doesn't drink  alcohol or coffee more than 3-4 total drinks per cruise. With the Platinum / Elite  internet discount Standard fare seems like the way to go although we do love prepaying for everything. I am thinking standard fare with a PPD gift card to bolster OBC to cover the added expenses we would have onboard that we didn't prepay should be how we move forward with next years cruises. 

 

To add ot the above shift In the future we are considering leaving cash gratuities only  of similar amount total   but aren't sure how to do it without causing us extra grief.   As an example our typical week of cruise includes 2-3 specialty dining dinner - 1 Casual dining dinner and 3-4 Main dining room dinners. These are easy as we would just increase our tip at the Main dining room (for breakfast and dinner ) to compensate for lower PPD gratuities and leave the casual / specialty dining tips the same as our normal.  Same thing for the Room steward - instead of just $20 extra we would likely leave $50-$60 for the week. As for drinks I would just continue to tip $1 extra for every drink I order.  The question is how would you specifically tip the following staff:  Staff at slice,  Staff at international cafe,  staff at buffet for the occasional breakfast./ lunch ...............    I like the idea of all cash tips so they go directly to the staff but wonder if its really the right way to reward all the crew that work so hard to deliver us a great cruise experience. 

 

I also would like to know if there is a way to use OBC to leave specific tips.  I know you can use them to pay for gratuities but I don't know of a way to leave them directly to specific staff like our room steward. 

 

 

[JordanF]

My understanding is that the gratuities paid through your account are shared with people who are behind the scenes. Therefore, I would be hesitant to skip this part.  If you want to pay more to certain people, I would do that in addition to the regular gratuities, not instead.  The people behind the scenes are relying on gratuities as part of their expected compensation, and they work just as hard as the front facing workers.  (Indeed, I think gratuities are shared fleetwide as some routes are know for lower tips, and they want workers to still be willing and enthusiastic to work those routes.)

[MattnTricia]

12 minutes ago, JordanF said:

My understanding is that the gratuities paid through your account are shared with people who are behind the scenes. Therefore, I would be hesitant to skip this part.  If you want to pay more to certain people, I would do that in addition to the regular gratuities, not instead.  The people behind the scenes are relying on gratuities as part of their expected compensation, and they work just as hard as the front facing workers.  (Indeed, I think gratuities are shared fleetwide as some routes are know for lower tips, and they want workers to still be willing and enthusiastic to work those routes.)

 

We have no issue paying more to others and currently do every cruise beyond our PPD gratuities. .  However with the current policy on how gratuities are handled as compensation and not necessarily as gratuities  and also no defined policy on how they are distributed it is making me ask if there is a better way to tip to support the staff.  

[Knickearth]

11 minutes ago, JordanF said:

My understanding is that the gratuities paid through your account are shared with people who are behind the scenes. Therefore, I would be hesitant to skip this part.  If you want to pay more to certain people, I would do that in addition to the regular gratuities, not instead.  The people behind the scenes are relying on gratuities as part of their expected compensation, and they work just as hard as the front facing workers.  (Indeed, I think gratuities are shared fleetwide as some routes are know for lower tips, and they want workers to still be willing and enthusiastic to work those routes.)

We did standard fare on our last 15 day cruise.  We don’t even have 1 drink a day, we have regular coffee in dining room, did not sign up for Wi-Fi.  We ended up with a final folio of 600.  My husband on the third day had to get Wi-Fi for the rest of cruise.  We were both paying the daily gratuity amount and we did buy 2 specialty coffees each during the cruise.  Also we went to one specialty restaurant while on ship.  It sounds like your plan is to remove the gratuities.

so what I am saying is sometimes we don’t realize the things we end up wanting while cruising.

[JordanF]

Right--and for the reasons I mentioned, I don't think there really is a better way.  I agree with you that while these are technically and legally gratuities (since you can choose not to pay them), they are in reality simply part of the compensation package for employees.  I think this is all about being able to charge a lower cruise fare and then get more money by adding gratuities.  I note that some of the more expensive cruise lines charge a lot more and have a no gratuity policy.  But these mass market lines are in a very competitive space... hence this policy.

[memoak]

8 minutes ago, MattnTricia said:

 

We have no issue paying more to others and currently do every cruise beyond our PPD gratuities. .  However with the current policy on how gratuities are handled as compensation and not necessarily as gratuities  and also no defined policy on how they are distributed it is making me ask if there is a better way to tip to support the staff.  

When you tip a waiter in a restaurant on land you also do not know where that tip is going. Often waiters are tipping out bartenders and bus persons

[JordanF]

By the way, this is an ongoing topic.  Right now, elsewhere on CC, there is an opportunity to ask the President of Celebrity questions, and this was a topic.

 

 

[TXIT4]

1 hour ago, JordanF said:

By the way, this is an ongoing topic.  Right now, elsewhere on CC, there is an opportunity to ask the President of Celebrity questions, and this was a topic.

 

 

Hey, Jordan!  It was so funny to see the link to your post on a Princess RC!  I am the one whose quote you included in your post.  We are long time Celebrity cruisers and our loyalty status tends to keep us there.  (Those 'perks' are very influential. 😉)  -  However, we have found an itinerary that we really like that is only available on Princess, on which we have never sailed. 

 

In a nutshell, can you compare Princess and Celebrity?  We are trying to decide if we would regret trading our perks for an itinerary.  THANKS!!!

 

 

[JordanF]

2 hours ago, TXIT4 said:

In a nutshell, can you compare Princess and Celebrity?

Sooo, it turns out that my last two cruises on Princess were in 2004 and 2006.  Since then I have been mainly on RCCL and ...  Celebrity.  But, my next two cruises are on Princess.  Going to the Caribbean on the Sky in Feb 2025 and going to Hawaii on the Emerald in 2026. I tell you all this since my current first-hand experience on Princess is a bit old.  

 

So, why Princess now?  Our two trips on Princess back in the day were excellent (Baltic and Caribbean).  We also really like RCCL and Celebrity.  We chose Princess for the Hawaii cruise because it had the itinerary we wanted (lots of sea days from LA to Hawaii and back, but also four stops in Hawaii).  We chose the Caribbean cruise on Princess because prices on RCCL and Celebrity were much higher.  (Also, we don't buy the drink packages because we don't drink very much and don't want internet at sea, but the Princess package costs less and includes more).  

 

In my experience, I have found Princess and Celebrity to be similar.  Sure, they have a little different vibe, but not much.  To me, these mass market cruise lines are pretty similar (and I mean that in a very good way). We have better status on RCCL and Celebrity (Emerald from RCCL, with reciprocity on Celebrity), but it's not that great so that I'm willing to pay so much more.  To me, Celebrity bills itself as upscale from RCCL, but it has always seemed more similar than different.  I have a similar expectation from Princess.

 

If you poke around on the Princess Cruise Critic forum, you'll find other comments about this.  Specifically, in the Princess forum, search "Celebrity" and then focus the search by clicking on "Celebrity in content titles only".  You'll have a lot to read. I hope this helps

Edited July 22 by JordanF
Added links

[skynight]

First of all there are thousands and thousands of postings regarding on board tipping.

Basically with the standard fare each person will be charged $16, $17 or $18 per day depending on your cabin category. This amount is posted each day to your folios and nets against any credit (OBC) or debit balance. The funds are placed into a fleet wide account and are distributed to most crew members, those you see and have daily contact with, such as cabin stewards, and those you seldom or never see. With the standard fare you do have the option to remove the daily gratuity at passenger services. This is up to you. 

It's easy to tip the cabin steward. Just provide him/her with a cash amount at the end of the cruise. Specialty dining? Just give the waiter cash. Same with DR waiters. Bartenders and bar waiters you can provide them cash each time you order a drink. I really have never noticed anyone tip the slice pizza, burger grill, International Cafe, buffet waiters and so on. I don't believe this is a wide spread practice. These are the crew that are described as those you never see or have very little personal contact.

Regarding your question of charging specific tips to your onboard folio to net against any credit (OBC) balance. This isn't possible. If you ask passenger services to charge say $100 for gratuities to your on board folio that amount will go into the fleet wide pool and not to a specific crew member.

I'm not going to get into the whole tipping thing. There are wide spread opinions. I will say that for me it's just easier to leave the auto gratuity in place and provide extra cash to the few, such as the cabin steward, that provide you personal; service throughout the voyage. I don't try to analyze it any further.  

Edited July 22 by skynight

[TXIT4]

14 hours ago, JordanF said:

In my experience, I have found Princess and Celebrity to be similar.  Sure, they have a little different vibe, but not much.  To me, these mass market cruise lines are pretty similar (and I mean that in a very good way). We have better status on RCCL and Celebrity (Emerald from RCCL, with reciprocity on Celebrity), but it's not that great so that I'm willing to pay so much more.  To me, Celebrity bills itself as upscale from RCCL, but it has always seemed more similar than different.  I have a similar expectation from Princess.

Thank you for the input, Jordan, I appreciate it.  From what I am seeing on the Princess website, it appears that we would have to get a mini suite in order to have the same room/space that we have in a balcony cabin on Celebrity.  (Trying for more of an apples to apples comparison.)  Perhaps that is only true on the Emerald Princess, which is the ship sailing the itinerary in which we are interested.  🤔 Lots to think about!

 

When I have some time, I will check the forum as you suggested.  Thanks again!

[MattnTricia]

12 hours ago, skynight said:

First of all there are thousands and thousands of postings regarding on board tipping.

Basically with the standard fare each person will be charged $16, $17 or $18 per day depending on your cabin category. This amount is posted each day to your folios and nets against any credit (OBC) or debit balance. The funds are placed into a fleet wide account and are distributed to most crew members, those you see and have daily contact with, such as cabin stewards, and those you seldom or never see. With the standard fare you do have the option to remove the daily gratuity at passenger services. This is up to you. 

It's easy to tip the cabin steward. Just provide him/her with a cash amount at the end of the cruise. Specialty dining? Just give the waiter cash. Same with DR waiters. Bartenders and bar waiters you can provide them cash each time you order a drink. I really have never noticed anyone tip the slice pizza, burger grill, International Cafe, buffet waiters and so on. I don't believe this is a wide spread practice. These are the crew that are described as those you never see or have very little personal contact.

Regarding your question of charging specific tips to your onboard folio to net against any credit (OBC) balance. This isn't possible. If you ask passenger services to charge say $100 for gratuities to your on board folio that amount will go into the fleet wide pool and not to a specific crew member.

I'm not going to get into the whole tipping thing. There are wide spread opinions. I will say that for me it's just easier to leave the auto gratuity in place and provide extra cash to the few, such as the cabin steward, that provide you personal; service throughout the voyage. I don't try to analyze it any further.  

 

This is what we currently do and I guess its probably the best way.  Thanks for answering my actual question.  

[ldubs]

On 7/21/2024 at 2:18 PM, MattnTricia said:

 

We have no issue paying more to others and currently do every cruise beyond our PPD gratuities. .  However with the current policy on how gratuities are handled as compensation and not necessarily as gratuities  and also no defined policy on how they are distributed it is making me ask if there is a better way to tip to support the staff.  

 

I think those who end up with more in the pocket will think your's is a better way.  Those that tend up with less, not so much.   I sure don't have the answer.  

 

Edited July 23 by ldubs

[ldubs]

On 7/21/2024 at 1:08 PM, MattnTricia said:

 

 

 With the Platinum / Elite  internet discount Standard fare seems like the way to go although we do love prepaying for everything. I am thinking standard fare with a PPD gift card to bolster OBC to cover the added expenses we would have onboard that we didn't prepay should be how we move forward with next years cruises. 

 

 

 

 

I understand you prefer pre-paying.  But unless you know the amount of purchases beforehand, it seems it would be difficult. A credit card on file would conveniently cover any charges over and above whatever OBC you have.