Gratuities Query

[Peter D]

Please this is not a ramble and a go at gratuities just want something cleared up.

Discussing gratuities on P&O ships with a fellow cruiser and friend. two things came up. I said that if you are Freedom Dining you cannot remove the tips from your waiters only your cabin steward, he said you can remove both, secondly, he said they had a 15% gratuity added to their spa treatment whilst on Azura, did not know P&O did this. It could have been because they were in Spanish waters, but again I did not think that Spa treatment came under this.

Anyone throw some light on the above for me

[The Tinker]

You can remove all your tips if you are on Freedom Dining. Can't comment on the add on in the Spa as have only used the Hair Salon and always gave a separate tip but maybe they have added this so it is shared between all staff as per the gratuity policy.

[Mervyn and Trish]

When we used the spa there was a 10% gratuity added to the bill.

[Peter D]

Thank you all for your input.

It does say on P&O web site that ‘there is no other gratuities added.’ However, it seems that you can remove all of ypour tips, even those on Freedom dining and the Spa is a franchise of Steiners and the staff are employed by Steiners not PO, it is them that are adding the Gratuities. But, you can ask them to remove the extra if you want to.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I have to say though that for us we have never wished to remove any P&O gratuities. If we received very poor service we would do so, but that has never been our experience and we recognise that for the people receiving the gratuities they are pretty poorly paid and the tips are a vital part of their income.

[Kendhni]

As others have said you can remove all tips, even if you are on freedom ... but then who do you tip at the end considering you could have had a wide selection of waiters. As far as the spa goes, I had to dig out some of my old bills and we were not charged a gratuity.

[Peter D]

Ken, agree about the Freedom dining, very strange. On the Spa, seems it is a new thing. Had replies on Facebook and other forums from passengers who have had a gratuity charge added.

[david63]

I wonder where the spa is concerned if they are not doing as much business and they (management) and/or staff are trying to make up the shortfall