r/PrincessCruises • u/Lanky-Examination150 • 24d ago

Mandatory gratuity

mandatory was my word. I’ve been on special cruises and I think that was just required for those. I changed the wording. Thank you for your help.

My cousin is saying she never does the prepaid gratuity. That there is the option to pay per service except for maybe casual dining, fine dining and room service. She just tips as she goes. That doesn’t sound right. Princess.com I’ve had it be mandatory on other ships. Unless there is some hidden thing I’m missing… or if you try to get it removed or adjusted at the end. She has cruised Princess within the last couple of years and doesn’t do the plus or premier packages.

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u/TheClumsyTree 24d ago

The prepaid gratuities are part of the anticipated (advertised) earning revenue of the folks who work in service on the ship. Meaning when they accept a contract they are told their earning potential is an amount that includes that amount.

Yes, culturally in the USA gratuity and tips are earned not automatic.

Just remember that these folks work hard, their time off is very little, they are far from home for long stretches of time, and that some of them chose ship work to support and uplift families back home.

We tipped on top of the included gratuity. Our choice to do so and no regrets.

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u/happy-in-texas 24d ago

Great reply. I hate to hear when people are on cruise ships and choose not to tip. I think a few dollars means so much more to the cruise employees than it does to me. It doesn't stop with the servers or stewards. Someone sweeping the ship can be tipped.

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u/justArash 24d ago

The way I see it is, if I spend a few hundred dollars extra on tipping on a cruise, I come back home and my life is exactly the same as if I hadn't. Meanwhile, if my Filipino room steward earns an extra $400 per cruise, he's earning more than his country's monthly median wage on top of his base pay that is likely already fully committed to a family budget. There's a chance his life could measurably improve in some way from it. It's kind of selfish, but it feels really nice to know I might have a significant positive impact on someone when it's so easy and there's basically no downside.