Tips

Questions from those who are new to cruising
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Stephen
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Re: Tips

#51

Post by Stephen »

And if you suffer with sea sickness try and get a cabin mid-ships as possible.

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qbman1
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Re: Tips

#52

Post by qbman1 »

....and as low in the ship as possible, although that may rule out a balcony

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qbman1
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Re: Tips

#53

Post by qbman1 »

By the way - are we way off topic with this one ? This thread started life about tipping and not hints and advice !

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Stephen
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Re: Tips

#54

Post by Stephen »

I can hear the mod plod siren as we speak


Boris+
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Re: Tips

#55

Post by Boris+ »

I've decided for definite that on our next cruise we are going to try and opt out of paying the auto-tips and will do our own thing. Once or twice in the past I feel I've been caught out getting charged for tips when tips simply weren't earned. Poor service shouldn't automatically achieve tips - I think it is a poor show when workers think they can get away with providing sub-standard service and still get their reward.

So, as soon as we embark we are going to head to the relevant desk and insist that no auto tips are added to our on board account. If we feel however that tips are deserved, either we will do the old-fashioned thing of tipping with nice little thank-you notes at the end of the trip or we will ask the relevant department to add the correct amount to our on board account.

Each to their own - but I'm going to try this out and see how it goes.

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Gill W
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Re: Tips

#56

Post by Gill W »

cruise kitten wrote: 17 Apr 2016, 18:51
Back with another first timer silly question.

Reading P&O's brochure, I noticed that they say that a set amount will be added to your account each night to cover your tips.
Now my question is, how much is added each night and does this include all the staff or are there people you are expected to tip separately?

I would hate to think that I should have tipped our cabin steward, but because the brochure implies that this is covered, we didn't.

I know tipping can be an emotive subject, but we are in the camp that we like to do the norm unless we have received bad service.

Thanks.
I'm not sure if it's the norm, but it's certainly easier to use the tipping system the way it's designed to be used.

That is
A) Tipping amount deducted from on board account.
B) Forget about it and enjoy the holiday.

That's what I do anyway.

In the past, when I had to have a special diet, I gave the Head Waiter a little extra in an envelope, as he was very helpful, but that was at my discretion. Apart from that, I don't tip any more than the auto-tip amount.

There's seems to be a lot of angst on the forums about who gets paid what, but I do my bit by paying the auto tip, and then let them get on with it. I can only assume the staff are happy with the system, otherwise they wouldn't be working there!
Gill

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oldbluefox
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Re: Tips

#57

Post by oldbluefox »

Stephen wrote: 28 Apr 2017, 12:54
I can hear the mod plod siren as we speak
You called?????

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oldbluefox
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Re: Tips

#58

Post by oldbluefox »

Gill W wrote: 28 Apr 2017, 14:18
I'm not sure if it's the norm, but it's certainly easier to use the tipping system the way it's designed to be used.

That is
A) Tipping amount deducted from on board account.
B) Forget about it and enjoy the holiday.

That's what I do anyway.

In the past, when I had to have a special diet, I gave the Head Waiter a little extra in an envelope, as he was very helpful, but that was at my discretion. Apart from that, I don't tip any more than the auto-tip amount.

There's seems to be a lot of angst on the forums about who gets paid what, but I do my bit by paying the auto tip, and then let them get on with it. I can only assume the staff are happy with the system, otherwise they wouldn't be working there!
I tend to agree with you Gill.
In the past we have always tipped a little bit extra over and above the standard rate but we have noticed on several occasions that as soon as they have their 'Excellent' boxes ticked and taken their little bonus they find it difficult to even speak to you. Gone are the smiles and they have then moved on to the next cruise. Happy to reward those who genuinely go the extra mile but sometimes I feel from cabin stewards in particular a little word of thanks might not go amiss.

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Mervyn and Trish
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Re: Tips

#59

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

I like the convenience of the auto tips. However if the stories are correct something immoral is going on. I'm told by the cruise company that the tips I pay will go to the people who looked after me. So if I pay and am satisfied with the service I receive how can it be right that if a couple of grumpy gits down the corridor have a moan my contribution is given to someone other than my steward or worse still trousered by the shareholders?

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towny44
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Re: Tips

#60

Post by towny44 »

Mervyn and Trish wrote: 28 Apr 2017, 17:50
I like the convenience of the auto tips. However if the stories are correct something immoral is going on. I'm told by the cruise company that the tips I pay will go to the people who looked after me. So if I pay and am satisfied with the service I receive how can it be right that if a couple of grumpy gits down the corridor have a moan my contribution is given to someone other than my steward or worse still trousered by the shareholders?
Now I am fairly certain this includes you as well as me.
John

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kaymar
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Re: Tips

#61

Post by kaymar »

qbman1 wrote: 28 Apr 2017, 11:55
By the way - are we way off topic with this one ? This thread started life about tipping and not hints and advice !
The vagaries of the English language, eh? To a new member, tips could very easily mean advice and suggestions as opposed to gratuities.

Welcome to the forum, Angela

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Manoverboard
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Re: Tips

#62

Post by Manoverboard »

I understand that the auto-tips are deffo paid to the staff but that an additional bonus is paid to those crew who get the higher assessments on the questionnaires. I do not know if this bonus is funded by P&O or courtesy of a small percentage deducted from the auto-tips .... either way I do NOT believe for a single moment that P&O get a penny of it as doing so would be blatant theft and would doubtless result in a mutiny and / or a lot of bad press / lost business.
Keep smiling, it's good for your well being

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Mervyn and Trish
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Re: Tips

#63

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

towny44 wrote: 28 Apr 2017, 22:25
Mervyn and Trish wrote: 28 Apr 2017, 17:50
I like the convenience of the auto tips. However if the stories are correct something immoral is going on. I'm told by the cruise company that the tips I pay will go to the people who looked after me. So if I pay and am satisfied with the service I receive how can it be right that if a couple of grumpy gits down the corridor have a moan my contribution is given to someone other than my steward or worse still trousered by the shareholders?
Now I am fairly certain this includes you as well as me.
Not me Towny. Wish I had but I don't.
Last edited by Mervyn and Trish on 29 Apr 2017, 14:49, edited 2 times in total.

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qbman1
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Re: Tips

#64

Post by qbman1 »

Sadly, neither do I - missed the boat when they were reasonably priced and for the past few years I have been mulling over whether it is worthwhile !

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Mervyn and Trish
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Re: Tips

#65

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

If Towny has P&O shares maybe I should get a few in Calamity


Boris+
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Re: Tips

#66

Post by Boris+ »

I'm going to stick by my guns with this one. I did (for a while) go along with the auto-tips, but then on some cruises I felt I was being forced to pay for service which just wasn't much good. I certainly don't like the thought that some people are 'free-loading' and not tipping at all - most certainly when we get service (as opposed to no service, which obviously as stated I won't pay for) it's nice to say thankyou - quietly and unobtrusively.

On the other hand, I just don't know where I stand when it comes to people of other nationalities on the same cruise as us refusing to pay any tips at all no matter what - simply because 'it's not the norm in the country where they originated from'.

Oh well, time to look on the bright side and look forward to paying tips again later this year.

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qbman1
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Re: Tips

#67

Post by qbman1 »

Here's a bit more light reading for you....

http://www.worldofcruising.co.uk/to-tip-or-not-to-tip/

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Mervyn and Trish
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Re: Tips

#68

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Thanks Cubie. Your tip is in the post.

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qbman1
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Re: Tips

#69

Post by qbman1 »

Auto-tipping will be fine, thanks !

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Mervyn and Trish
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Re: Tips

#70

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

That's okay then. I can get it removed.

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barney
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Re: Tips

#71

Post by barney »

I'm by nature pretty lazy, so anything done by others means I don't have to bother.
Auto tips is fine by me
As Gill said earlier, you don't need to give it a thought as it's taken care of.
For us, it's a bit of a saving as well, as we used to tip quite a bit higher than the current rate.
Empty vessels .. and all that

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Manoverboard
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Re: Tips

#72

Post by Manoverboard »

Isn't it strange that everybody, bar Stephen of course, claims to tip ' higher ' than is required .... do these people put an extra fiver n the pot when they go to Sainsbugs :lol:
Keep smiling, it's good for your well being

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Mervyn and Trish
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Re: Tips

#73

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Manoverboard wrote: 03 May 2017, 18:04
Isn't it strange that everybody, bar Stephen of course, claims to tip ' higher ' than is required .... do these people put an extra fiver n the pot when they go to Sainsbugs :lol:
From Sainsbug's latest profit figures I reckon more try to get a bit knocked off for compo! :sarcasm:

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towny44
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Re: Tips

#74

Post by towny44 »

Mervyn and Trish wrote: 03 May 2017, 07:58
If Towny has P&O shares maybe I should get a few in Calamity
Maybe, but you won't because you dislike Calamity.
2 - Because you rarely can have both special booking offer OBC and shareholder OBC at the same time, which is why we decided not to bother with any RCI shares.
John

Trainee Pensioner since 2000

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Mervyn and Trish
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Re: Tips

#75

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

So P&O are better after all! :thumbup:

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