Reasonable surcharges or nickel & diming?

[footzz]

There seem to be more and more surcharges for activities, events and dining on board that used to be "free" or "included in the price of the fare.

 

Do you think that the cruise lines are keeping the initial booking fees low to entice customers and then levying surcharges to make up for it ? Or, do you think the surcharges are a way to discourage irresponsible and/or wasteful behavior?

[klfrodo]

As with all other companies, they are discovering other revenue stream opportunities. Plus, it keeps the base price low.

 

You can also buy a car for $7,999. After A/C, auto transmission, bigger motor, 6 CD changer, 150 watt sound system, etc,etc you get the picture..

[beachchick]

There seem to be more and more surcharges for activities, events and dining on board that used to be "free" or "included in the price of the fare.

 

Do you think that the cruise lines are keeping the initial booking fees low to entice customers and then levying surcharges to make up for it ? Or, do you think the surcharges are a way to discourage irresponsible and/or wasteful behavior?

 

Any reason that both couldn't be true? The more a la carte cruising does keep the primary fare lower. It also encourages people to think about certain things before they "buy" them. When some of those things are included in the cruise fare, many people have the mentality of "I've paid for these things, so I'm going to get as much as possible out of them." Kind of like food in that some people truly do enjoy large meals, etc., but some seem to feel as if they have to cram as much food in as possible to justify paying for the cruise. I notice that when ice cream is included, we often see half-eaten cones (dripping all over the floor sometimes) and overfilled bowls melting in the sun. When ice cream has a surcharge, we don't see that kind of thing so much.

 

beachchick

[GottaLuvCruising]

I think the cruise lines, like many (if not most) other businesses are desperate to produce revenue just to keep operating. My preference for them to raise the fares to level that covers their overhead rather than offering rock bottom fares plus all kinds of surcharges & fees. But while they struggle to fill ships, the add-ons will probably stay...and get worse.

[paul929207]

The cruise lines are also adding optional services at additional cost.

[cb at sea]

By adding charges, they make the cost appear much lower than it actually will be, in almost ALL cases! (I'm sure there are some who won't drink, spa, etc... who have no additional charges)

[mypleasure]

I have no problem in paying extra for things I want. As far as the cruise cost is concerned I expect my room and food to be covered. I am quite happy to pay for additional items as and when I use them. This includes speciality dining, laundry and drinks/soda.

 

I would not be happy to pay extra to subsidise the usage of others of facilities/services I do not need or require. I think including things in the cost often creates an air of entitlement, greed and waste.

[Philip217]

I manage a large mass market cruise ship.

Last week we had over 300 passengers who spent absolutely nothing onboard. Zero.

It was not the case that someone else covered their onboard charges. They had no onboard charges. They also removed the auto-tips, claiming that they could not afford to tip.

 

None of these people could have afforded to take this cruise if we did not have the "Pay as you go" (otherwise known as nickel and diming) system in place.

 

I don't mind being a charity provider for holiday cruises. But I really miss the good old days when we charged everybody upfront for nearly everything - whether you wanted it or not.

[JanineM]

They also removed the auto-tips, claiming that they could not afford to tip.

 

IMO - if you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to cruise. I suspect other cruiselines are having the same experience, and wonder if that won't lead to forced gratuities?

[cruiserbryce]

one of the ways I look at it is that if the cruise lines are simply just trying to increase revenue I am pretty ok with the way they are doing it...thinking of RC...charging for a 14.95 steak or 3.95 after hours room service. If I want to take advantage of those services then I will pay the fee and I would rather than be the set up than just raise fares across the board

[CruisnGram]

I like it just the way it is. I think that cruise's are still the most economical vacation you can take. I don't want my base price raised to include lots of things that I may not even be interested in.

 

They way the system is now, someone can cruise without spending hardly any extra money, or they can spend a small fortune...their choice.

 

CG

[Karysa]

I also agree that paying for an intimate top notch restaurant is acceptable but somethings would cross the line including, paying for loungers by the pool for example.

Karysa

[sayaguru]

I manage a large mass market cruise ship.

Last week we had over 300 passengers who spent absolutely nothing onboard. Zero.

It was not the case that someone else covered their onboard charges. They had no onboard charges. They also removed the auto-tips, claiming that they could not afford to tip.

 

None of these people could have afforded to take this cruise if we did not have the "Pay as you go" (otherwise known as nickel and diming) system in place.

 

I don't mind being a charity provider for holiday cruises. But I really miss the good old days when we charged everybody upfront for nearly everything - whether you wanted it or not.

 

How are you a charity provider? You charged a price for the cruise- they paid it.

The extra things are extras- they didn't want them.

If you want payment for service- charge it.

 

Why make tips non compulsory if you winge about people not paying them.

"Non compulsory" means you have a choice.

[smeyer418]

all removers of auto tip because they can't afford it should be bared from the cruise line.

[Dukegirl5577]

I have no problem with the extra charges at all. Why should my cruise fare be increased just to subsidize those who will use the extra services that I have no interest in?

[Philip217]

How are you a charity provider? You charged a price for the cruise- they paid it.

The extra things are extras- they didn't want them.

If you want payment for service- charge it.

 

Why make tips non compulsory if you winge about people not paying them.

"Non compulsory" means you have a choice.

 

Sayaguru,

 

My error. My sarcasm was a bit too subtle in this particular case.

 

I must admit that I would like to charge for service if I could. But unfortunately Hotel Managers on cruise ships are not allowed to set or adjust prices or tips.

[sayaguru]

all removers of auto tip because they can't afford it should be bared from the cruise line.

 

The thing is that the people I have met that remove the auto tip CAN afford it but choose not to pay it.

 

While the system dictates that gratuities are not compulsory some people will choose to exercise their right to not pay. That's their right.

 

I dictate that everyone get paid a decent wage and not have to beg for tips.

[grandmato4]

I manage a large mass market cruise ship.

Last week we had over 300 passengers who spent absolutely nothing onboard. Zero.

It was not the case that someone else covered their onboard charges. They had no onboard charges. They also removed the auto-tips, claiming that they could not afford to tip.

 

None of these people could have afforded to take this cruise if we did not have the "Pay as you go" (otherwise known as nickel and diming) system in place.

 

I don't mind being a charity provider for holiday cruises. But I really miss the good old days when we charged everybody upfront for nearly everything - whether you wanted it or not.

 

Interesting fact. Thanks for sharing.

 

Mind you I've never been a fan of the tipping system as it currently exist in the US but the reality is that it does exist and without recieving their tips workers work very hard for next to nothing. Obviously those 300 pax were all very selfish individuals. Now if they had paid their tips but chose not to indulge in any other pay as you go services then that's entirely up to them if that is their wish.

[Keith1010]

There seem to be more and more surcharges for activities, events and dining on board that used to be "free" or "included in the price of the fare.

 

Do you think that the cruise lines are keeping the initial booking fees low to entice customers and then levying surcharges to make up for it ? Or, do you think the surcharges are a way to discourage irresponsible and/or wasteful behavior?

 

Yes. Many cruise lines are offerieng low prices to get passengers on the ship and then charge for many things to make up the revenue. Carnival mastered this several years ago and others have copied this approach.

 

Keith

[smeyer418]

The thing is that the people I have met that remove the auto tip CAN afford it but choose not to pay it.

 

While the system dictates that gratuities are not compulsory some people will choose to exercise their right to not pay. That's their right.

 

I dictate that everyone get paid a decent wage and not have to beg for tips.

I don't disagree but the current societal convention is to pay through the tips. Those that don't support the convention should be shunned or in this case banned. If you knew that if your remove the auto tip and don't leave cash you would be banned would they remove them?

 

Also remember that for the most employees they in fact get paid more through tips than a base salary would pay them

 

and finally if it was added to the cruise base cruise fare it would cost YOU more as it would have to be marked up to include overhead(10-15%), commissions(15-20%), taxes(not much), cost of charging(5% or so)and finally for public companies profit(10%),,,,so be careful what you ask for....

[kornkob]

Interesting fact. Thanks for sharing.

 

Mind you I've never been a fan of the tipping system as it currently exist in the US but the reality is that it does exist and without recieving their tips workers work very hard for next to nothing. Obviously those 300 pax were all very selfish individuals. Now if they had paid their tips but chose not to indulge in any other pay as you go services then that's entirely up to them if that is their wish.

 

 

 

Of course, this manager is assuming that none of those 300 passengers tipped in cash instead of using the autotip.

[smeyer418]

Of course, this manager is assuming that none of those 300 passengers tipped in cash instead of using the autotip.

 

The accepted industry standard is when people go out of the way to remove the auto tip about 40% will leave less than the recommended amount or nothing at all....

[kornkob]

The accepted industry standard is when people go out of the way to remove the auto tip about 40% will leave less than the recommended amount or nothing at all....

 

 

Which is different than what was previously suggested (that 300 people didn't tip at all and gave the reason that they could not afford it).

[smeyer418]

Which is different than what was previously suggested (that 300 people didn't tip at all and gave the reason that they could not afford it).

It sounds to me that it was a particular group that removed it that way and made it known it wasn't tipping. Philip and I have been known to disagree(he and I are still disagreeing about whether the port charges and other fees in NY makes NY an expensive port as an example) but I would think he knows that this group wasn't leaving cash tips and I suspect the crew reported back being stiffed...

[CruisnGram]

To the person who said that those who cannot afford to tip should not cruise, I agree 100%.

 

Many people have problems with the tipping policies in the US. They believe as a customer in a restaurant, or a guest in a hotel, or a guest on a cruise ship, that they have paid for their fare which includes service. They believe that the cruise line, or the restaurant, or the hotel should be paying their workers to provide that service to their customers. I don't say that I disagree with those feelings, but that's not the way it is. It is not the employee's fault that that is the basic policy in the US. And refusing to tip the employee is not going to change that. There are certain jobs that are "service" jobs and those people depend on tips to survive. So if anyone disagree's with that policy so much that they take a stand by not tipping, they should simply avoid those situations instead of screwing the hard working people over. They didn't invent the tipping policy and it's not their fault.

 

Regarding autotipping, I think that it's a wonderful policy. I always hated the last day of a cruise, running around trying to find people to tip that had given me great service. And, how much to tip? You don't have a bill in front of you like in a restaurant that you can give a percentage of. Was I giving to much? Too little? Did I get everyone or did I forget someone? Autotip takes care of everyone. I can tip extra if I want to, but everyone who helped make my trip enjoyable will get a share of the autotip. No one forgotten, and the corrrect percentage. And very easily done...not taking up any of my valuable time by running around the ship trying to find people.

 

Those who remove autotip can make all the claims they want as to why they remove it. We've heard them all. But they aren't fooling anyone. The majority are cheapo's who want to get away with tipping less then the autotip requires. Or perhaps not tip at all. How many times have we seem people skip the last diinner in the dining room to avoid tipping the waiters? I find it appalling, but we know it happens, and it happens a lot. Autotip has been found as the way to get the majority of those people to pay their fareshare to the hard working employee's. And, when anyone books a cruise, they should consider the daily autotip as simply part of their cruise price, not an "extra".

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

CG