P&O Cruises which is one of the largest cruise lines based in the UK is going to be raising the daily automatic gratuity rate this March. This follows the recent trend of other gratuity hikes by Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises which started in the new year. Let’s look at the details of the P&O Cruises Gratuities and what it means for guests and crew members.
P&O Gratuities Are on the Up
Right now the P&O daily gratuity rate is £6.00 per person but from March 23 the rate will increase by £1 to £7.00. The amount is taken from the onboard money account for each passenger and is deducted at the end of the voyage. It is important to note that those guests aged under 12 do not pay cruise line gratuities.
However, guest, if they choose to, can remove or adjust the gratuities at the reception desk on the cruise ship. Guest can do the opposite by informing the British cruise line how good a certain crew member is. This can provide them with an “Outstanding Service Reward” which has its perks. Guests with P&O Cruises are unable to pre-pay gratuities online so must wait until the actual cruise.
With the increased rate crew members including the stateroom steward, dining room waiters and others will share the amount, it might not be much but every little count for the hard-working crew members.
The last time P&O Cruises increased gratuities was in May 2017. The rate changed from £5.00 to the current £6.00. Following on at the end of the 2017 Royal Caribbean and sister cruise line Celebrity Cruises announced a hike in rates both starting from January 2, 2018, a nice welcome for the new year!
