MSC follow the Trend………..

MSC Cruises has just revealed a big announcement…

From June 25th 2019, the line will include the daily service charge as part of the cruise fare!

Gratuities will be at no extra cost to the customer and any bookings made after this date will be subject to the new terms and conditions.

Any bookings made before this date, regardless of departure date, will be subject to the terms and conditions applicable at the time of booking, that state service charge will be included as part of the onboard invoice.

However, it is optional and can be removed on board at the request of the guest.

P&O Cruises also announced the decision to scrap gratuities altogether last year which was valid from May 2019.

How do you feel about gratuities – should they be included?  Or should they scrap them and only tip who you want to? For me, I like to tip those that I have dealings with but on some cruise lines I leave them on, I know they always say it goes to each and every member of the crew, but deep down, I have this niggle that it doesn’t.  I remember when I was about 15/16 and I had my first job in a garden centre washing dishes for the cafe.  I did get a cut of the tips, sometimes, now granted, that is a very small independent organisation, you would like to think a huge company such as P&O and MSC would pay every member of the crew no matter how big or small the job they do it.

Now it is each to their own, but, you’ve got to think of everything behind the scenes such as maintenance, engineers, all the parts of the cruise that you do not see.  It would be interesting to hear all your views on the matter – do you leave them on, or take them off, or maybe you just reduce the amount?