Auto Tipping is Rearing its Head Again

[david63]

He agreed but said the problem was a lot of people were opposed to it being included in the price because then they'd be forced to pay it.

That is probably one of the best "cop out" lines I have ever heard.

Surely even the most ardent opposer of tipping/auto gratuities/service charge (or whatever it is called this week) accepts that one way or another that the passengers have to pay the crew's wages. So if they do not want to pay their full share of the wage bill then perhaps they would be willing to make their own beds, wash the plates after they have had a meal, move their own luggage around the ship etc.

If the facts are correct that 70% of passengers are removing the Auto tip then that means that those who are still paying are paying three times as much as they need to. Now P&O are missing a trick here. With "fluid pricing" they could increase the cost of a cruise by £2 pppd and nobody would notice. Do that now and then announce in, say, January that from March that tips are included but not increase the prices. Job done, simples and everyone is happy (apart from some who will still find something to moan about!)

Now where do I apply for the job of P&O MD?

[Manoverboard]

…. Now where do I apply for the job of P&O MD?

Nah, your just a one trick pony

[david63]

…. Now where do I apply for the job of P&O MD?

Nah, your just a one trick pony

But surely having one trick is better that what they have now

[towny44]

…. Now where do I apply for the job of P&O MD?

Nah, your just a one trick pony

But surely having one trick is better that what they have now

David, I doubt even an expert like you could sort out P&O.

[Ranchi]

Mervin & Trish wrote:And that I was also angry that a tip I paid in good faith could be witheld if someone else down the corridor failed to tick the "excellent" box.

I’m sorry if I’m a bit slow on this but what happens to the withheld cash? Is it shared at a correspondingly higher rate with the other staff who gained a full complement of excellent ratings or...?

[david63]

I’m sorry if I’m a bit slow on this but what happens to the withheld cash? Is it shared at a correspondingly higher rate with the other staff who gained a full complement of excellent ratings or...?

That is the Holy Grail of P&O's tipping policy

[Stephen]

Surely even the most ardent opposer of tipping/auto gratuities/service charge (or whatever it is called this week) accepts that one way or another that the passengers have to pay the crew's wages. So if they do not want to pay their full share of the wage bill then perhaps they would be willing to make their own beds, wash the plates after they have had a meal, move their own luggage around the ship etc.

Are you for real David.

If you've got more money than sense then crack on and pay.

If P&O can't pay a proper wage why should the passenger make it up. They seem to be earning enough to buy new ships. And they can put the price up and send they're 'gratuities program' letters all they want. I'll just holiday elsewhere.

Getting bored now.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Surely even the most ardent opposer of tipping/auto gratuities/service charge (or whatever it is called this week) accepts that one way or another that the passengers have to pay the crew's wages. So if they do not want to pay their full share of the wage bill then perhaps they would be willing to make their own beds, wash the plates after they have had a meal, move their own luggage around the ship etc.

Are you for real David.

If you've got more money than sense then crack on and pay.

If P&O can't pay a proper wage why should the passenger make it up. They seem to be earning enough to buy new ships. And they can put the price up and send they're 'gratuities program' letters all they want. I'll just holiday elsewhere.

Getting bored now.

Unless I'm missing something the only money P&O have comes from the passengers one way or the other. Fares or autotips. My question is why should some passengers make it up because others take the option not to pay? But sort it out they'll have to because if they don't I'll be joining you Stephen in not paying, as in due course will be the rest of those who've not yet done so.

I wonder if Sainbubs might consider a business model where paying for goods is optional?

[Mervyn and Trish]

He agreed but said the problem was a lot of people were opposed to it being included in the price because then they'd be forced to pay it.

That is probably one of the best "cop out" lines I have ever heard.

Surely even the most ardent opposer of tipping/auto gratuities/service charge (or whatever it is called this week) accepts that one way or another that the passengers have to pay the crew's wages. So if they do not want to pay their full share of the wage bill then perhaps they would be willing to make their own beds, wash the plates after they have had a meal, move their own luggage around the ship etc.

If the facts are correct that 70% of passengers are removing the Auto tip then that means that those who are still paying are paying three times as much as they need to. Now P&O are missing a trick here. With "fluid pricing" they could increase the cost of a cruise by £2 pppd and nobody would notice. Do that now and then announce in, say, January that from March that tips are included but not increase the prices. Job done, simples and everyone is happy (apart from some who will still find something to moan about!)

Now where do I apply for the job of _{P&O MD?}

Senior Vice President if you please!

[Ray Scully]

If P&O wish to appeal more to the Millennials and fill the monster Iona, they will need to tailor the product more towards an inclusive holiday, including drinks and tips. Thomson appear to be now offering this facility across their fleet. BTW not applying for the P&O MD couldn't manage the drop in income

[barney]

If P&O wish to appeal more to the Millennials and fill the monster Iona, they will need to tailor the product more towards an inclusive holiday, including drinks and tips. Thomson appear to be now offering this facility across their fleet. BTW not applying for the P&O MD couldn't manage the drop in income

You are spot on there Ray.

I don't think that P&O are too far away from all inclusive (if you want it)
That has almost become the norm on land based holidays, especially for families, which is what these mega ships will be aimed at.

Marella, RCI, Celebrity, MSC, they are all doing it, as of course do the upmarket cruise lines.
P&O could be in danger of getting left behind if they don't react.

[towny44]

If P&O wish to appeal more to the Millennials and fill the monster Iona, they will need to tailor the product more towards an inclusive holiday, including drinks and tips. Thomson appear to be now offering this facility across their fleet. BTW not applying for the P&O MD couldn't manage the drop in income

You are spot on there Ray.

I don't think that P&O are too far away from all inclusive (if you want it)
That has almost become the norm on land based holidays, especially for families, which is what these mega ships will be aimed at.

Marella, RCI, Celebrity, MSC, they are all doing it, as of course do the upmarket cruise lines.
P&O could be in danger of getting left behind if they don't react.

I don't believe that RCI and Celebrity are going fully AI like Marella, at least not yet, they do offer drinks packages but these are at an extra cost to the standard cruise fare. For the low level drinkers the drawback on these lines is that bar prices are regularly hiked to encourage passengers to buy the package, which results in higher costs for everyone, but of course higher profits for the cruise lines. So as a low level drinker I hope P&O resist this pressure.m

[barney]

I've done quite a few AI land holidays and must admit that I probably drink more. I'm sure that eventually po will offer it at a surcharge. For my livers sake I'll probably pass .

[daib GC]

If P&O wish to appeal more to the Millennials and fill the monster Iona, they will need to tailor the product more towards an inclusive holiday, including drinks and tips. Thomson appear to be now offering this facility across their fleet. BTW not applying for the P&O MD couldn't manage the drop in income

You are spot on there Ray.

I don't think that P&O are too far away from all inclusive (if you want it)
That has almost become the norm on land based holidays, especially for families, which is what these mega ships will be aimed at.

Marella, RCI, Celebrity, MSC, they are all doing it, as of course do the upmarket cruise lines.
P&O could be in danger of getting left behind if they don't react.

I don't believe that RCI and Celebrity are going fully AI like Marella, at least not yet, they do offer drinks packages but these are at an extra cost to the standard cruise fare. For the low level drinkers the drawback on these lines is that bar prices are regularly hiked to encourage passengers to buy the package, which results in higher costs for everyone, but of course higher profits for the cruise lines. So as a low level drinker I hope P&O resist this pressure.m

For once I fully agree with you John. After hearing about a recent Celebrity short cruise where most people were offered AI drinks it was total mayhem. Large numbers of people not getting off the ship and only stopping drinking when they had to sleep. Apparently the US cruisers who were on the next cruise as well were horrified. Giving people a free bar for a 2 night Cruise at the weekend is just asking for trouble.

Not saying that a 14 night Cruise would be the same but offering AI would not attract the type of passenger that the cruise line Andy Cruise line would want.

[Stephen]

Sorry but I disagree daib.

We were on a Celebtity cruise for ten nights last October with most people having a drinks package included, and it was a very pleasant cruise. No roudiness or agro. Most people of a certain age know they're limits. Two nighters are renowned for a pi** up whatever cruise line or package.

[daib GC]

Sorry but I disagree daib.

We were on a Celebtity cruise for ten nights last October with most people having a drinks package included, and it was a very pleasant cruise. No roudiness or agro. Most people of a certain age know they're limits. Two nighters are renowned for a pi** up whatever cruise line or package.

It is the short cruises which should not have AI not long ones. Although I do not like the idea of AI packages at all

[towny44]

Sorry but I disagree daib.

We were on a Celebtity cruise for ten nights last October with most people having a drinks package included, and it was a very pleasant cruise. No roudiness or agro. Most people of a certain age know they're limits. Two nighters are renowned for a pi** up whatever cruise line or package.

I don't believe that drinks packages increase bad behaviour, but it can contribute to passengers drinking far more than is good for them. My major reason for not wanting P&O to follow this path is purely selfish, I firmly believe that it leads to increased bar prices, and so far I have never seen a drinks package that would not be 3 or 4 times more expensive than my normal drinks bill, and I have certainly witnessed massive increases in Celebrities bar prices since drinks packages were first introduced by them; and you can be assured than unless they added to cruise line profits they would not have been introduced.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Spot on John. As a moderate drinker I'm not an AI fan because there's no doubt I'd be subsidising those who consume more.

[Ray Scully]

Difficult one this, if you consider all the activities provided i.e lectures shoes, bands,dancing, gym, one could say I don't use these so why do I have to pay for them, I am subsidising those who use them.

[david63]

if you consider all the activities provided i.e lectures shoes,

How long have shoes been provided?

Sorry Ray - could not resist

[Manoverboard]

AI is ok but the inclusive drinks tend to be on a par with the ' Supermarket's own Brand ' quality levels. One can pay extra to utilise the benefits of drinking the Premium products of course … like wot we would deffo prefer to do … which means that AI is not a good idea for us folk who like a drink rather than go for a skin-full.

[oldbluefox]

If people want drinks included what's wrong with purchasing a drinks package. AI doesn't appeal to me at all so I never understand why so many cruise lines advertise it in their prices.

[Gill W]

On our recent Fred Olsen cruise we went AI for the first time, mostly because the price was very reasonable at £10pppn.

We found we did drink more than usual. On typical day we'd have a glass of wine at lunch time, a couple of glasses of wine with dinner, and a glass of wine or beer while watching the show in the show lounge.

Beers were all named brands such as Stella Artois or Spitfire. For wine, the brands were Klippenkop, Terres Cortal and Casa Silva. For each brand you had a a choice of a red, a while or a rose, so there were nine different wines to choose from, plus a cava. I tried most of the wines, and they were far superior to 'supermarket own brand'. My husband likes gin and tonic, and he did comment that the house gin wasn't as nice as Bombay Sapphire or Gordons. However, overall it was very good value and a good choice of drinks.

We had one alcohol free day half way through the cruise, and I didn't have any alcohol on the last two days as I had a bad cold and was feeling under the weather, and we still managed to drink more than we paid.

We liked the experience so much, we've booked AI free for our next Fred and CMV cruises, even though the cost is £15pppn and £17pppn. We enjoyed the freedom of knowing that everything was paid for.

I don't think you have to drink a skinful of cheap booze to get the most from AI, and its a shame that 'some of us' dismiss the experience.

[oldbluefox]

I don't think you have to drink a skinful of cheap booze to get the most from AI, and its a shame that 'some of us' dismiss the experience.

Fine if you like a drink with your lunch, dinner and in the theatre or bars afterwards but not all of us do. Not dismissing it, just saying it's not for us.

[Manoverboard]

We have experienced AI in the guise of wine packages on Fred Olsen and Celebrity in recent times.

Neither did a reasonable Sauvignon Blanc, nor Merlot nor Rioja within their vin ordinaire listings. Their Premium choices were however more suitable … to us.

The Merlot / Pigio Grigios etc compare, imo, to Sainsbug's mini bottle House Wines that we often use for cooking.

The Brancott Marlborough product, for example, can be bought everywhere for less than £6 a bottle when on offer so what are the cruise lines paying for wines that are clearly inferior to that one.

Our choices and taste …. no more, no less.