PO tips increase

[david63]

There really is no easy solution, especially whilst the option to remove your auto tips remains. As the system stands, it is neither one thing nor the other. I think the answer is to make the auto tips compulsory and to make it clear to everyone (staff and passengers alike) that any additional cash tips are prohibited.

The better solution as we all keep saying is to include tips in the price - simples!

[oldbluefox]

The better solution as we all keep saying is to include tips in the price - simples!

I don't know why they don't just do it. There will always be those who feel they want to give more as is their right but it will also cut down on those who dodge tipping for no good reason. Just include tips in the price and be done with it.

[qbman1]

Making the auto-tips compulsory amounts to the same thing and has the advantage that those of us who like to tip feel we are giving a little "extra" whereas if they were simply included in the overall price, some people may still feel the urge to tip. From the company's point of view, adding tips to the cruise price would simply increase the headline price and may make some cruises appear uncompetitive to the casual browser who would not take the tip element into account at that stage.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Making the auto-tips compulsory amounts to the same thing and has the advantage that those of us who like to tip feel we are giving a little "extra" whereas if they were simply included in the overall price, some people may still feel the urge to tip. From the company's point of view, adding tips to the cruise price would simply increase the headline price and may make some cruises appear uncompetitive to the casual browser who would not take the tip element into account at that stage.

What he said....

[Manoverboard]

Compulsory Tips are just fine ... and they enable us to forget all about the subject.

For those who care to dodge paying them it should be possible to remove them but only on a daily basis and then only after completing a form of complaint to explain the reason for removal ... " I am a tight wad " is not a valid reason.

Just saying ...

[qbman1]

But then if each form requesting removal has to give a valid reason, it stands to reason it would have to be assessed by someone on board and that would see a considerable increase in admin. I am sure there are loads of people who would rather fill in a form and complain daily than just pay the tips and go off and enjoy their holiday !

[Ray Scully]

Compulsory Tips are just fine ... and they enable us to forget all about the subject.

For those who care to dodge paying them it should be possible to remove them but only on a daily basis and then only after completing a form of complaint to explain the reason for removal ... " I am a tight wad " is not a valid reason.

Just saying ...

They never query it when i put that down as my reason for stiffing the crew

[Stephen]

Compulsory Tips are just fine ... and they enable us to forget all about the subject.

For those who care to dodge paying them it should be possible to remove them but only on a daily basis and then only after completing a form of complaint to explain the reason for removal ... " I am a tight wad " is not a valid reason.

Just saying ...

Tipping is discretionary not compulsory

[Lynda and David]

Making the auto-tips compulsory amounts to the same thing and has the advantage that those of us who like to tip feel we are giving a little "extra" whereas if they were simply included in the overall price, some people may still feel the urge to tip. From the company's point of view, adding tips to the cruise price would simply increase the headline price and may make some cruises appear uncompetitive to the casual browser who would not take the tip element into account at that stage.

Alternatively, P&O could do what Celebrity do and ask you when you book your cruise how you would like to pay your gratuities. You are given the choice of either paying them when you pay your balance or paying them from your on-board account. At no time are staff allowed to accept cash from passengers, if you want to tip extra you go down to the front desk, fill in a form with the member of staff’s name and the reason you are tipping extra and this comes off your on-board account. A much better system.

Lynda

[kaymar]

Making the auto-tips compulsory amounts to the same thing and has the advantage that those of us who like to tip feel we are giving a little "extra" whereas if they were simply included in the overall price, some people may still feel the urge to tip. From the company's point of view, adding tips to the cruise price would simply increase the headline price and may make some cruises appear uncompetitive to the casual browser who would not take the tip element into account at that stage.

Another reason for the present structure, and I'm not sure how relevant it is, but I believe that National Insurance is not payable on tips as it would be on wages.

Whatever, just leave the auto-tip on, forget about it and enjoy your cruise. That way, everyone who contributes to your enjoyment gets their rightful share, even if you never see them.

[qbman1]

Making the auto-tips compulsory amounts to the same thing and has the advantage that those of us who like to tip feel we are giving a little "extra" whereas if they were simply included in the overall price, some people may still feel the urge to tip. From the company's point of view, adding tips to the cruise price would simply increase the headline price and may make some cruises appear uncompetitive to the casual browser who would not take the tip element into account at that stage.

Another reason for the present structure, and I'm not sure how relevant it is, but I believe that National Insurance is not payable on tips as it would be on wages.

Whatever, just leave the auto-tip on, forget about it and enjoy your cruise. That way, everyone who contributes to your enjoyment gets their rightful share, even if you never see them.

That's exactly what we've decided to do this year - although if we have "excellent" service from anyone it may be difficult to resist the temptation.......!!

[david63]

... adding tips to the cruise price would simply increase the headline price and may make some cruises appear uncompetitive to the casual browser who would not take the tip element into account at that stage.

There is also the argument that if you removed the "free" OBC that is offered and replaced it with "Tips included" then the headline price would not change that much - if at all.

[qbman1]

Maybe, but from a marketing point of view the free OBC is much more of a pull to the casual punter - particularly those who are either not used to tipping or averse to it altogether

[Kenmo1]

There is also the argument that if you removed the "free" OBC that is offered and replaced it with "Tips included" then the headline price would not change that much - if at all.

The last 2 cruises we have received enough OBC to pay the auto tips completely and had enough left over for some drinks. So if the free OBC disappeared and just the tips were covered that would be a disadvantage for us.

Maureen.

[poole boy]

As we book very early in the first week we only ever get about £70 obc which we use to pay for are car parking, so would make no difference to us but we do agree with those saying put the tip money in the price seems a much easier way of doing things,
we sail this sunday on Oriana and have still not been informed of the price increase for tipping, the last 5 cruises we have been on we have left the auto tips on and got on with enjoying our holiday none of the staff expected another tip neither did they get one.
graham

[Onelife]

I think P&O have a bl**dy cheek increasing prices (tips) especially when UK wage packets and pension pots have remained pretty much stagnant for the past ten years.
It would be a little more palatable if they were struggling to make ends meet but turning over 1bn yearly profits is just taking the p*ss

If it wasn't for my wife squeak! squeak! I would definitely do as Stephen dose .

[rita17]

We have recently returned from a Princess cruise where the tip was 13.5 dollars (about £10.50 ish). We did leave the tips o but most people we spoke to had eithe reduced them or taken them off altogether. Makes me think. My inclination is to reduce them on our next Princess cruise. We'll see. There will be another Princess cruise as we have paid a future cruise deposit.

[qbman1]

Just illustrates how reasonable P&O's charge is but it does reinforce the view that tips should be either compulsory or included in the price as so many people are clearly paying little or nothing. Compulsory tips could even reduce the amount since, under the present systems, those who are happy to pay are subsidising the tightwads who don't !

[Manoverboard]

Celebrity ' encourage ' one to pay their gratuities by insisting that they are paid before one can opt for Freedom Dining or the advance booking of a restaurant venue ... perhaps P&O will take this route ?

ps ... their ( Calamity's ) tips are even higher than Princess.

[qbman1]

Celebrity ' encourage ' one to pay their gratuities by insisting that they are paid before one can opt for Freedom Dining or the advance booking of a restaurant venue ... perhaps P&O will take this route ?

ps ... their ( Calamity's ) tips are even higher than Princess.

Does Towny know ? He thinks the sun shines out of Calamity's funnel !!

[Manoverboard]

The upside is that Towny books early so the gratuities have already been added ( by Calamity ) to the base price, the downside is that he probably cannot remove them because he didn't pay them in the first place

[Mervyn and Trish]

That sounds like a challenge for Stephen!

[Stephen]

I always give as tip.........do the bl**dy job your paid to do and stop poncing off me.

Onelife made me say it, honest M'lud

[Dancing Queen]

Just illustrates how reasonable P&O's charge is but it does reinforce the view that tips should be either compulsory or included in the price as so many people are clearly paying little or nothing. Compulsory tips could even reduce the amount since, under the present systems, those who are happy to pay are subsidising the tightwads who don't !

Well said Cubie we all have our own opinions about envelopes /auto/not at all and I respect anyone's right to make their own choice however I do object ( as one who leaves the auto grats in place ) to subsidising the tightwads who have no intention of paying anything and from the many tipping threads I have read there are a lot of them about for this reason I would like to see them either made compulsory as a service charge or included in the price.

At the end of the day I think we all know it is 'we' the passenger who contribute the most money to the crew wage bill so however P&O/Cunard/NCL etc choose to tell us they are making it easy for us what they are doing is ensuring it doesn't hit their bottom line and the only people who miss out are the crew because more and more passengers are 'stiffing' them, there needs to be a level playing field and at the moment there isn't one

[david63]

... it is 'we' the passenger who contribute the most money to the crew wage bill

Actually, one way or another, we contribute ALL the money to crew wage bill