No More Service Charge

[towny44]

Stephen !!!!!!

They're a touchy lot barney. A bit like mosquitoes, they bite easy

Not really Stephen, we just roll our eyes and say, its that barmy southern softy mouthing off again.

[Stephen]

I rest my case

[Manoverboard]

It wouldn't be such a heavy case if you tipped the poor devils ….. just saying

[Onelife]

It wouldn't be such a heavy case if you tipped the poor devils ….. just saying

You tipped the scales with that one moby

[CaroleF]

There will definitely still be tipping threads - now there is no service charge (when that happens) do you tip anyway - how much do you tip - who do you tip etc. etc. etc.

[Onelife]

Hi Carole,

I've already said in a earlier post what l think about this new announcement....ear yo go....

"I see this is a win, win , may be win for all.....P&O won't have the worry about what was an unworkable tipping structure. They will increase prices but not excessively as it is a very competitive cruise market, the increases will more than likely be seen through increese in drinks, excursions etc.

It may be a win for crew as they will know what their basic salaries are going to be, hopefully fair one's. They will probably end up with better cash in hand tips, but like David say's tips won't be anywhere near the £7pppd....just as a guide....l would be looking at paying no more than £60 per couple for a two week cruise.

As for passenger's no more guilt trips for those who used auto tips ( my wife's choice not mine) but felt guilty for not leaving a cash in hand tip as well. For those who don't normally tip this move may just give them the incentive to do so.

It's been a long time coming but l think it will be the catalyst for more cruise lines to fall into line"

.........

As for who and how l would spread my hard earned pension around .. £30 for cabin Steward, £20 for table waiters, and a tenner to whom l feel deserves it most .....probably me!

Hope that answers some of your questions?

Regards

Keith

[Stephen]

It wouldn't be such a heavy case if you tipped the poor devils ….. just saying

Poor devils my a*se

Anyway, I keep all my dabloons in my money belt

[Onelife]

It wouldn't be such a heavy case if you tipped the poor devils ….. just saying

Poor devils my a*se

Anyway, I keep all my dabloons in my money belt

You've been watching too much ...Pirates of the Caribbean........when was the last time you had your hands on gold coins?

[Stephen]

It wouldn't be such a heavy case if you tipped the poor devils ….. just saying

Poor devils my a*se

Anyway, I keep all my dabloons in my money belt

You've been watching too much ...Pirates of the Caribbean........when was the last time you had your hands on gold coins?

Christmas

[Onelife]

It wouldn't be such a heavy case if you tipped the poor devils ….. just saying

Poor devils my a*se

Anyway, I keep all my dabloons in my money belt

You've been watching too much ...Pirates of the Caribbean........when was the last time you had your hands on gold coins?

Christmas

Ah! Cadbury's chocolate coins

[Gill W]

There will definitely still be tipping threads - now there is no service charge (when that happens) do you tip anyway - how much do you tip - who do you tip etc. etc. etc.

Yes, I think people will still be talking about tipping.

As P & O say 'it's all taken care of', that says to me no tips are needed or expected, so I won't be tipping anybody after the change is made.

[Onelife]

Hi Gill,

We all must make our own decisions as to how we proceed regarding tipping.since the change of policy.
You are absolutely right in that there will be no obligation to tip staff for services rendered, especially if as we are led to believe staff will be paid a basic salary which is intended to compensates for loss of tipping.

I don't however agree with you when you say tips won't be expected...l personally would be happy to endorse a non tipping philosophy but in reality this isn't going to happen because many will tip and therefore it will become "expected"

I along with many have long argued that tipping should be included in the price of the cruise , and whilst l might choke a little when donating an extra £60 to staff wages l can do this in the knowledge that this is a gesture that fits my idea of what a tip should be and not what l am told it should be.

Regards

Keith

[Mervyn and Trish]

There will definitely still be tipping threads - now there is no service charge (when that happens) do you tip anyway - how much do you tip - who do you tip etc. etc. etc.

Yes, I think people will still be talking about tipping.

As P & O say 'it's all taken care of', that says to me no tips are needed or expected, so I won't be tipping anybody after the change is made.

No, nor me. It will be built into the price for everyone and I won't be paying twice. Or the whole merry go round would start again. If somone offered truly exceptional service, over and above that which is reasonably expected, I might slip then a tenner. But that is it.

[Happydays]

There will definitely still be tipping threads - now there is no service charge (when that happens) do you tip anyway - how much do you tip - who do you tip etc. etc. etc.

Yes, I think people will still be talking about tipping.

As P & O say 'it's all taken care of', that says to me no tips are needed or expected, so I won't be tipping anybody after the change is made.

No, nor me. It will be built into the price for everyone and I won't be paying twice. Or the whole merry go round would start again. If somone offered truly exceptional service, over and above that which is reasonably expected, I might slip then a tenner. But that is it.

These are my thoughts as well.

[Manoverboard]

There will definitely still be tipping threads - now there is no service charge (when that happens) do you tip anyway - how much do you tip - who do you tip etc. etc. etc.

Yes, I think people will still be talking about tipping.

As P & O say 'it's all taken care of', that says to me no tips are needed or expected, so I won't be tipping anybody after the change is made.

No, nor me. It will be built into the price for everyone and I won't be paying twice. Or the whole merry go round would start again. If somone offered truly exceptional service, over and above that which is reasonably expected, I might slip then a tenner. But that is it.

No tenners from me any more but I would make the greater effort to write a commendation for a deserving member of staff so that he/she could potentially win a P&O staff incentive award … should such a scheme continue to exist.

[Stephen]

What we will get instead will be price one upmanship where the boasters will be saying 'I paid x amount less than you for my cruise' so theoretically you have contributed to my inclusive gratuities.

[Onelife]

My bet is that those who used to tip under the old policy will continue to tip (albeit in much smaller amounts) because it's in our nature to do so......therfore don't you lot get telling me a load of porkypies.

[Gill W]

My bet is that those who used to tip under the old policy will continue to tip (albeit in much smaller amounts) because it's in our nature to do so......therfore don't you lot get telling me a load of porkypies.

What are you saying? If I've read it right, you are implying that I don't tip under the current policy, as I have stated that I won't be tipping under the new policy.

Notwithstanding the smiley face, there''s an underlying 'dig' there.

[towny44]

After my last cruise I wrote a long e-mail to Chris Edgington highlighting my concerns about drops in service standards, and also my concerns about the unfairness that the recent increases in auto grats could only be ascribed to a need for P&O to cover shortfalls because increasing numbers were cancelling them. I also indicated that I intended to gradually reduce my auto grats contribution to zero and then tip only if I experienced excellent service.
It looks as though they took head of my comments and I now have 3 cruises in which to reduce the auto grats to zero before it disappears entirely. Maybe I should apply to be a non executive director.

[Manoverboard]

My bet is that those who used to tip under the old policy will continue to tip (albeit in much smaller amounts) because it's in our nature to do so......therfore don't you lot get telling me a load of porkypies.

What are you saying? If I've read it right, you are implying that I don't tip under the current policy, as I have stated that I won't be tipping under the new policy.

Notwithstanding the smiley face, there''s an underlying 'dig' there.

I thought OL was responding to Stephen and not popping at anybody at all … especially not your good self.

[Onelife]

My bet is that those who used to tip under the old policy will continue to tip (albeit in much smaller amounts) because it's in our nature to do so......therfore don't you lot get telling me a load of porkypies.

What are you saying? If I've read it right, you are implying that I don't tip under the current policy, as I have stated that I won't be tipping under the new policy.

Notwithstanding the smiley face, there''s an underlying 'dig' there.

No personal dig implied Gill just my personal opinion as to how "most" people will react to the new inclusive tipping scheme.

What l am saying is that those who used to tip under the old scheme, who now won't be required to tip under the new scheme will more than likely still tip extra because the British are lovely, genorous warmhearted people and it is in our nature to do so.

I haven't a clue whether or not you tipped under the old scheme but if you didn't then above more than likely won't apply to you or Stephen

As always keep .......that was a dig

Regards

Keith

[barney]

I shall not be tipping under the new scheme.

I'll take them at their word, that tips are not expected.

We shall cancel auto tips on our cruise in November and I'll pay the Steward directly, at the end.
We are Freedom dining but don't actually eat in the MDR very much and rarely get what I'd call good service anyway, so won't bother tipping them.

[Onelife]

I haven't a clue whether or not you tipped under the old scheme but if you didn't then above more than likely won't apply to you or Stephen


......or Barney

[barney]

I haven't a clue whether or not you tipped under the old scheme but if you didn't then above more than likely won't apply to you or Stephen


......or Barney

I've always fully complied with the P&O standard of gratuities, but I'm doubly chuffed that they have conceded to public demand.
The straw that broke the camel's back was the rises in very quick succession, in my opinion.

I was looking at an advert for 99 night Arcadia worldie and worked out that the tips would have come to nearly fourteen hundred quid.

If P&O marketing get it right, dropping the tips could give them a major advantage over others.

[Gill W]

What l am saying is that those who used to tip under the old scheme, who now won't be required to tip under the new scheme will more than likely still tip extra because the British are lovely, genorous warmhearted people and it is in our nature to do so.

I haven't a clue whether or not you tipped under the old scheme but if you didn't then above more than likely won't apply to you or Stephen

I've always tipped at the suggested amount. When it was cash tips in the envelopes, I used to round up to the nearest £5 or £10 above, and when auto grats started, I just paid the amount that was debited to the onboard account. I'm going on Aurora in a couple of weeks, and will pay the auto gratuity as usual, but at £336 for the two of us, it's a steep cost in my view. But I'm happy to pay it, as it's currently the way things are done.

However, after May next year, P&O have clearly stated tips are no longer expected or required, so I won't tip. I'm just a bit surprised that some are planning to carry on routinely tipping in a non tipping environment.