Service charge

[Morgsmom]

So it sounds as if it is just a bit of a "name change" from automatically charged gratuitites to "service charge." We all sigh a big collective relief :p

[jones721]

So it sounds as if it is just a bit of a "name change" from automatically charged gratuitites to "service charge." We all sigh a big collective relief :p

 

You're up early! How is the weather today in Orlando? My Management Company said it had been quite cold this week and the electric pool heater wouldn't work so they had to put the gas one on. We were over at the villa for 3 weeks in August and then we went on Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas (8 of us). Do you remember the cave tubing in Belize? My girls still talk about sitting with you for dinner on the last night.

 

Well, this is what I was told by the Costa staff in London and she assured me there was nothing extra to pay. I think it is a good idea to have automatic tips, makes it easier and less awkward on the last night while the staff feel they have to wait for you to hand them an envelope. I know of one instance on Royal Caribbean where a whole table didn't turn up for dinner on the last night and the waiter was in a very bad mood, guess they didn't tip at all.

 

I was concerned because x8 works out at a lot of money and I felt responsible that I had told my sister it was one price, and then with the fuel surcharge and now this, it was working out much dearer than I had quoted her. I will take my brochure with me on the cruise.

 

Tracey

[sugarbabe61]

Didn't the OP have to pay the gratuities and this 15% surcharge as well?

[commonsense2]

Didn't the OP have to pay the gratuities and this 15% surcharge as well?

 

that's the way i read it, too. the OP said there was an additional 15% charge, based on the cost of the cruise.

[jones721]

Didn't the OP have to pay the gratuities and this 15% surcharge as well?

 

Yes, so I hope he gets some of this back.

Has anyone else spoken to Costa or spoken to someone who has recently sailed?

[Brian Raine]

Apologies to everyone to whom I have caused anxiety.

I have had a reply from Costa ref. my account. It appears that someone onboard did not remove a costing for a canceled tour.As we had registered our CC, to save aggro on disembarkation, we did not check our statement on the last night and missed the mistake.The actual cost should have been 340 euros not 428 euros the balance will be refunded.I would be interested to know from any future US passengers if they are allowed to remove this cost, as we had been advised by the Marina Chief Purser, they could do so.

This SC is only applicable to COSTA, how long before the rest of Carnival introduce the charge, even at a fixed rate of 6 euros PPPD it is still an expensive uplift to any holiday.

Again apologies for any anxiety caused.

[jones721]

Apologies to everyone to whom I have caused anxiety.

I have had a reply from Costa ref. my account. It appears that someone onboard did not remove a costing for a canceled tour.As we had registered our CC, to save aggro on disembarkation, we did not check our statement on the last night and missed the mistake.The actual cost should have been 340 euros not 428 euros the balance will be refunded.I would be interested to know from any future US passengers if they are allowed to remove this cost, as we had been advised by the Marina Chief Purser, they could do so.

This SC is only applicable to COSTA, how long before the rest of Carnival introduce the charge, even at a fixed rate of 6 euros PPPD it is still an expensive uplift to any holiday.

Again apologies for any anxiety caused.

 

 

Brian,

 

The girl I spoke to in Costa was extremely helpful and wanted the details of your overpayment and was going to look into it. I suspect that this is why you heard from them today because she was quite concerned.

 

I have always found the staff at Costa UK to be very pleasant and helpful (this will be out fourth Costa cruise).

 

Glad it is all sorted and nobody needs to worry about double service charges / gratuities!!

 

As for the service charge, most cruiselines now do them automatically (although last year we were free to alter them up or down) but maybe the Med cruises are different as the Americans tip more freely than other nations? Other cruiselines actually charge more than Costa does in the Med, most of them are $10 per day and some are the same for children. Our recent one on Royal Caribbean was $10 per person including children, that's $40 per day. This one will be Euros 4.50 per adult, Euros 2.25 for teenager and nothing for 11 year old. That's only 11.25 Euros per day - which leaves me free to tip extra. We are sailing Carnival in the summer and I think it is $10 per adult.

 

Tracey

[Brian Raine]

jones 721 Alls well that ends well, to quote the bard. I was not aware that other lines are enforcing a SC. Our cruies last year were with different lines, P&O, Thomson,MSC,Orient, Costa (2) on which only 1 had this SC.We are going on AZAMARA next week so I will look out for their "sneaky charge". Todya I was in a TA's in town and when I mentioned this "problem" they knew nothing about the SC. Again the Beloved and I possibly know more about cruising than most TA's do.

[sugarbabe61]

Brian glad you got it sorted. I would be interested to hear how your Azamara cruise goes as we have been looking at this cruiseline. I think after our Costa Europa cruise in a couple of weeks we will definitely try a new cruiseline.

[jones721]

jones 721 Alls well that ends well, to quote the bard. I was not aware that other lines are enforcing a SC. Our cruies last year were with different lines, P&O, Thomson,MSC,Orient, Costa (2) on which only 1 had this SC.We are going on AZAMARA next week so I will look out for their "sneaky charge". Todya I was in a TA's in town and when I mentioned this "problem" they knew nothing about the SC. Again the Beloved and I possibly know more about cruising than most TA's do.

 

I would be interested to know what you thought of MSC line? When we looked at them years ago, the ships were all small (and some old) but they have updated their fleet since then and added some larger ships. How was this cruise? We tried Festival Cruises (marketed as First European in the US) but they went bankrupt a couple of years ago and are no longer. Very old ship and not as good as the big lines.

 

As I live near Southampton, I quite often see the P&O) ships in dock and this is one line that I haven't tried but would like to.

[angelina46]

have just come back off the serena. costa charge 4.50 euros p.p. per day for tips. its debited to your credit card. obligatory. plus 15% on top of any drinks ordered at the bars or restaurant. the srevice charge

angelina46

[commonsense2]

i'm glad it turned out this was just the normal and customary charges for the hard-working staff. the staff spends months at a time away from their familes scrubbing our toliets, making our beds and serving our food so they can provide for their loved ones. to remove those gratuities is heartless. no wonder the cruiselines are making the gratuities mandatory and irrevokable now. good for them.

 

people who do not know about the gratuities can only blame their travel agents and themselves. one only has to do a bit of research.

 

to the OP - on azamara, you will be charged $12.25 per person per day. there is nothing 'sneaky' about it. if that is a huge financial burden, you should stay home. i hardly doubt that is the case since azamara is a very expensive line.

 

from azamara's website:

 

'Gratuities

For your convenience, a suggested gratuity in recognition of outstanding personal service of $12.25 per Guest, per day, will be automatically added to your SeaPass Account. This covers your Butler & Stateroom Attendant as well as all restaurant staff. Since our ships offer multiple open-seating dining venues and you will likely be served by many different staff members during the course of your stay onboard, the restaurant staff allotment is evenly distributed among them.

 

Please note that Bar & Wine personnel are acknowledged with the standard 18% of the beverages and wines billed for the service rendered. "

 

i think that if people are fortunate enough to be able to cruise, the can afford the gratuity. if not, stay home and make your own bed, cleanup after yourself and cook your own food. quit being so cheap for crying out loud. :mad:

[Brian Raine]

jones 721 The MSC cruise was not the best we have done by far. The Rhapsody is an old ship and showed it.We had some 350 Genoa football supporters on board who treated the ship as their own, wearing the teams colours to formal night, generally being more noisy than the Italians usually are( back to the RE again) The food was less than average in the Buffet area, pasta was served everyday only 2 varieties.The restaurant food was slightly better but we have been better fed on Thomson/Airtours.Entertainment was limited to a trio of singers and a group, Los Paraguayos perfromed during the lunch period in the Buffet but we hardly heard them over the noise.Generally I was disappointed, however the itinarary made up for the rest of the shortcomings.On a scale of 1 to 10 I would give them 4, although the bigger ships might be better.

Quote from commonsense 2

I think that if people are fortunate enough to be able to cruise, they can afford the gratuity. if not, stay home and make your own bed, cleanup after yourself and cook your own food. quit being so cheap for crying out loud"

 

Coming from a American that is rich.

[mcdermott]

I sailed on the Marina last Feb /March 35nights and also on the Victoria in November The 6.5€ per day is added instead of tips I have posted this before it is because a lot of people say they will tip as stated and never do .we had people on the cruise who were complaining bitterly about the tips but as the conversation heated the lady remarked who in there right mind pays the tips if can be avoided

 

I will state again the staff work very hard and should receive the tips I have seen waiters work there butts off for 10 days and the recieve 10 dollars from a table of 10 people (germans) who thought this was very funny I bet that mans poor wife and kids back in the Phillipines didnt when they hadnt enough money to pay their bills

 

For goodness sake payup and shut up or vote with your fet and dont cruise anymore

 

One last point Costa has one of the lowest tipping policies afloat

[jones721]

One last point Costa has one of the lowest tipping policies afloat

 

Yes, compared with the last Royal Caribbean cruise we did, my two children paid $20 per day between but on the forthcoming Costa cruise, the bill will come to Euros 2.25 per day!!! And the waiters and cabin stewards still need to do the same work.

 

At least it gives me the flexibility to tip more, especially for the children.

 

Tracey

[commonsense2]

Coming from a American that is rich.

 

i'm not even close to rich. i go to work every day at a job i HATE. i scrimp and save so I can indulge my passion for travel. i will certainly NEVER be able to afford to cruise on azamara, like you brian.

[jenny wren]

i'm not even close to rich. i go to work every day at a job i HATE. i scrimp and save so I can indulge my passion for travel. i will certainly NEVER be able to afford to cruise on azamara, like you brian.

 

 

I think something got lost in the translation there Brian!!!!!!!!

[commonsense2]

I think something got lost in the translation there Brian!!!!!!!!

 

it certainly did! brian has the misconception that all americans are rich.

[Brian Raine]

commonsense2 NO! I do not have the conception or otherwise that Americans are rich. The phrase used was an attempt at sarcasm, clearly misconstrued.

I am retired and worked my posterior off to have a good retirement , that and a prudent financial adviser, the wife, I can afford to go on the Azamara.I'm prepared to pay "gratuities" for above avaerage service but not because it is the done thing.I have travelled extensively in the US and have been subject to the "in your face attitude " of tipping used in some places.In the UK tipping is regarded as a privelige NOT a right

I know not all Americans are rich neither are all pensioners

[jenny wren]

Tipping is always an emotive subject amongst the cruising world.....I personally (a Brit) think that as I am paying alot of my hard earned money for a cruise I should get a reasonable service from the staff. If I get excellent service I like to reward the staff who give that excellent service...but I like to decide how much that reward should be and if I don't get excellent service then I don't want to reward anyone!

 

Alot of people say that some of the staff depend solely on tips for their wages...I don't actually know if that is true and if it is then shame on the cruise companies who employ staff and do not pay them.

 

My personal view is that all cruise companies should pay all their staff a fair wage and include the 'service charge' in the cruise fare at the outset. (Thomson cruises do this already and I think Island cruises as well.) This would solve all the arguments.

[jenny wren]

Another thought on this matter......one reason why us Brits are reluctant to tip regardless of service....is that we appear to pay quite alot more for our cruises than the American passengers.

 

I got a price for a Grand Princess cruise in May off an American website for 1699 dollars (roughly 850 pounds sterling) whereas the cheapest I could find it in UK was 1101 pounds sterling (both cruise only) which works out approximately 2200 dollars....Why the big difference when no flights were included???????

[commonsense2]

Another thought on this matter......one reason why us Brits are reluctant to tip regardless of service....is that we appear to pay quite alot more for our cruises than the American passengers.

 

I got a price for a Grand Princess cruise in May off an American website for 1699 dollars (roughly 850 pounds sterling) whereas the cheapest I could find it in UK was 1101 pounds sterling (both cruise only) which works out approximately 2200 dollars....Why the big difference when no flights were included???????

 

brits paying more for your cruise vs. others really has nothing to do with tipping. do you think the staff is getting that money?

 

some posters mentioned there is no tipping on olsen and thomson. i did a quick search. prices are a lot higher than costa, so you are paying the service charge, one way or another.

 

tipping is a cultural thing. some countries include it in the price, some have a separate service charge and others have standard tipping. when traveling i always respect the culture of where i am. i'm certain i was expected to tip servers when i was in london last year. a waiter at harrods got nothing, however, when he lied to me about having tap water available - i found out from a manager that the tap was not broken. that was in the main place on the top floor. 70 bucks for lunch! and he tells me i have to buy bottled water. nonsense.

 

it would be nice if all lines had a standard service charge, but they don't. most cruise staff are paid next to nothing and depend on the generousity of others to make their way.

[genni]

Hotel/service charges are, as some have gathered, applied depending on where, and how many days (means maids/stewards, restuarant EXCLUDING beverages outside packages). The 15% service/tip is applied for ALL and any bar/beverage service outside X-1 packages/water/wine or what ever coupons, either bought before, at the terminal, onboard. It does not apply to the onboard shops, excusions, photographers, doctor...ONLY beverages outside an eventual coupon packet.

Satisfactory or not...this is Costa's policy, the hotel/resturant service charge is divided among the people actually doing the work (from dishwashers to towell laundry...if one only tips the steward, these key people may get nothing - ever thought about that?). It may take some time to adjust, future clients of Costa may pay for the consequences of how such is distribuited fairly to whom. It would be nice if one's suite steward actually did laundry, shine shoes, iron - not usually possible for them , personally...or you all are getting it or not? Tip your cabin/suite person...evidently they were not passing part of it on to who actually did some work? Hence the hotel and beverage charge.

NOTE: EU - European Union...the UK is or is not? - there are so many initials...ok, I know the Euro was a no-no...Reading 'Cruisecritic' "Brits" are not Europeans - Depending on how applied - true/false...Are readers aware that the 'European Union' is different from the Euro /economic monetary system? No/yes...Happy now? May you have a safe and pleasant cruise.

[genni]

Hotel/service charges are, as some have gathered, applied depending on where, and how many days (means maids/stewards, restuarant EXCLUDING beverages outside packages). The 15% service/tip is applied for ALL and any bar/beverage service outside X-1 packages/water/wine or what ever coupons, either bought before, at the terminal, onboard. It does not apply to the onboard shops, excusions, photographers, doctor...ONLY beverages outside an eventual coupon packet.

Satisfactory or not...this is Costa's policy, the hotel/resturant service charge is divided among the people actually doing the work (from dishwashers to towell laundry...if one only tips the steward, these key people may get nothing - ever thought about that?). It may take some time to adjust, future clients of Costa may pay for the consequences of how such is distribuited fairly to whom. It would be nice if one's suite steward actually did laundry, shine shoes, iron - not usually possible for them , personally...or you all are getting it or not? Tip your cabin/suite person...evidently they were not passing part of it on to who actually did some work? Hence the hotel and beverage charge.

NOTE: EU - European Union...the UK is or is not? - there are so many initials...ok, I know the Euro was a no-no...Reading 'Cruisecritic' "Brits" are not Europeans - Depending on how applied - true/false...Are readers aware that the 'European Union' is different from the Euro /economic monetary system? No/yes...Happy now? May you have a safe and pleasant cruise.

[genni]

Hotel/service charges are, as some have gathered, applied depending on where, and how many days (means maids/stewards, restuarant EXCLUDING beverages outside packages). The 15% service/tip is applied for ALL and any bar/beverage service outside X-1 packages/water/wine or what ever coupons, either bought before, at the terminal, onboard. It does not apply to the onboard shops, excusions, photographers, doctor...ONLY beverages outside an eventual coupon packet.

Satisfactory or not...this is Costa's policy, the hotel/resturant service charge is divided among the people actually doing the work (from dishwashers to towell laundry...if one only tips the steward, these key people may get nothing - ever thought about that?). It may take some time to adjust, future clients of Costa may pay for the consequences of how such is distribuited fairly to whom. It would be nice if one's suite steward actually did laundry, shine shoes, iron - not usually possible for them , personally...or you all are getting it or not? Tip your cabin/suite person...evidently they were not passing part of it on to who actually did some work? Hence the hotel and beverage charge.

NOTE: EU - European Union...the UK is or is not? - there are so many initials...ok, I know the Euro was a no-no...Reading 'Cruisecritic' "Brits" are not Europeans - Depending on how applied - true/false...Are readers aware that the 'European Union' is different from the Euro /economic monetary system? No/yes...Happy now? May you have a safe and pleasant cruise.