Will there ever be another DCL Panama Canal sailing?

[Halfbrit]

That doesn't surprise me since Aussie's don't expect tips. Apparently, unlike here, they pay their service folks a decent wage.

I read on another thread that DCL eventually added tips automatically to onboard purchases (Cove Cafe, bars etc) for that reason. I wouldn't be surprised if they start including the server and room attendant tips in the cruise price for the next season.

Cruising is hugely popular in Australia but (DCL aside) the cruise lines that operate here don't do tipping because it's not part of Aussie culture. Aussies cruising DCL for the first time would not have expected to have to tip. The DCL website does clearly state that tips are required but I guess people didn't read it or didn't accept it because tipping is extremely rare here. You'd have go well above the call of duty to earn a tip here.

And yes, hospitality staff here are paid well in comparison to USA.

 

[Kwami]

I read on another thread that DCL eventually added tips automatically to onboard purchases (Cove Cafe, bars etc) for that reason. I wouldn't be surprised if they start including the server and room attendant tips in the cruise price for the next season.

DCL always charges a gratuity for those purchases. It's not something exclusive to the AU/NZ sailings.

 

[auntlynne]

I read on another thread that DCL eventually added tips automatically to onboard purchases (Cove Cafe, bars etc) for that reason. I wouldn't be surprised if they start including the server and room attendant tips in the cruise price for the next season.

Cruising is hugely popular in Australia but (DCL aside) the cruise lines that operate here don't do tipping because it's not part of Aussie culture. Aussies cruising DCL for the first time would not have expected to have to tip. The DCL website does clearly state that tips are required but I guess people didn't read it or didn't accept it because tipping is extremely rare here. You'd have go well above the call of duty to earn a tip here.

And yes, hospitality staff here are paid well in comparison to USA.

And non-tipping cultures are used to VAT (Value Added Tax) of 15% are more or service charges. Our system of calling it a TIP and making it optional (but rather obligatory or social pressure) is something we don’t know how (or am willing) to address / correct.

Aren’t gratuities handled differently for UK guests booking DCL cruises? Maybe gratuities are built in? Anyone here book through the UK website?

For a large company, they dropped the ball on research as to how things (tipping) are done Down Under. It’s not a big secret.

 

[auntlynne]

Exactly! My hope is that Disney has some new surprise itineraries for the Magic. They often cut off booking dates at different times for the ships to line up with summer season and unique itineraries like transatlantic. That way they can charge more.

This is us. We got upgraded to a verandah once from an Inside GTY and it was beautiful. But we didn't really utilize it other than to go out once in awhile and be amazed because it was huge (see profile pic, aft on the Wish). All it did was confirm that we aren't in our room enough for it to be "worth it" to us.

The difference between Interiors v Oceanview is not so little right now. About $600 from entry cabin in each category. I am trying to imagine where the lowest price oceanviews are. And how much $ it would take to get what I call a decent cabin. My decent cabin might be a poor choice to others.

The tiny portholes on Deck 1 do let in light, but don’t have the big view of a standard OV. However, all of the people on my PC that were on that deck, interior or OV, were very happy with our area of the ship. We were all in assigned cabins and 14 of us joined for a large dinner table (this was back when we had pre-cruise chat groups on this forum. *Sigh* that was so much fun.

I was thinking that Cat 7 balcony could be a nice option for this cruise - but the jump to Verandah again becomes cost prohibitive for anyone who is a limited use balcony cruiser.

Since I am not booking a cabin - so you won’t be beating me to it - this is where I would most likely book. Any of the cabins next to the blue bar. I could quickly go from cabin to O’Gill’s Pub on Deck 3 for adult trivia or anywhere in Deck 3. Even to Deck 4 for WDT, access to the Promenade or shopping. (Admitting I often used the elevator for this). Cabanas? Elevator to Deck 9, then walk outside from forward to aft. If staying inside, Deck 5 is a great thoroughfare without cabin hallways midship.

Port or starboard? Depends on whether you want to view sunrise or sunset through the window. If there’s a chance viewing if land, it’s probably once in the Pacific, so starboard for that.

We were in 2022 for our Southern Caribbean. We were thinking of moving forward to catch the curvature of the ship and a bit more floorspace.

A Quick Look at my records - I was in 2030 on a TA. Honestly, my memory is that was an aft cabin. Well, it falls in this run of choices.

There are the Secret Porthole cabins on Deck 5. My very first cabin was 5522, but I have such a memory of the work door across the hall slamming so much that I can’t bring myself to revisit it or recommend it. It was a nice way to have a split bathroom with sunlight for a reduced price. But it contributes to my thinking of cabins all around you - if there is gray space, think again.

The gray space (empty) across from 2022 was the door for room service. It never slammed. I also have no noise complaints about elevator lobbies.

 

[Halfbrit]

And non-tipping cultures are used to VAT (Value Added Tax) of 15% are more or service charges. Our system of calling it a TIP and making it optional (but rather obligatory or social pressure) is something we don’t know how (or am willing) to address / correct.

Aren’t gratuities handled differently for UK guests booking DCL cruises? Maybe gratuities are built in? Anyone here book through the UK website?

For a large company, they dropped the ball on research as to how things (tipping) are done Down Under. It’s not a big secret.

In Australia we have GST (Goods and Services Tax) that is applied to most purchases other than certain staples like milk, bread, butter etc, however it is a genuine tax that is payable to the federal government and is not paid to employees in the way gratuities are. Gratuities here, if you're lucky enough to get any, are also taxable.

If a cruise from an Australian port stops at an overseas port on it's itinerary then GST does not apply. It does apply to cruises that don't leave Australia.

 

[auntlynne]

In Australia we have GST (Goods and Services Tax) that is applied to most purchases other than certain staples like milk, bread, butter etc, however it is a genuine tax that is payable to the federal government and is not paid to employees in the way gratuities are. Gratuities here, if you're lucky enough to get any, are also taxable.

If a cruise from an Australian port stops at an overseas port on it's itinerary then GST does not apply. It does apply to cruises that don't leave Australia.

Do they just pay a decent wage to server positions, then?

And thanks for that clarification. Seems I have seen Service Charge in England restaurants, possibly?

 

[Halfbrit]

Do they just pay a decent wage to server positions, then?

And thanks for that clarification. Seems I have seen Service Charge in England restaurants, possibly?

Yes, hospitality staff are paid a decent wage here and don't rely on tips to survive. BTW the GST here is only 10% whereas in the UK VAT is 20%.

Many restaurants in Australia now apply service charges on public holidays and Sundays. This is because staff receive penalty rates (eg time and a half or double time rates) and it costs the owners more in wage costs at these times. Again, that's not a gratuity, staff are getting paid more by law, it's proprietors recouping higher costs.

I lived in the UK for quite a while. Whilst tips are not common there either, a few restaurants were applying 'optional' service charges to the bill (check) automatically. They were supposed to be for wait staff and kitchen staff, but it made the news on multiple occasions that management in some places were not passing it on. It's advisable in the UK to ask the server if they're getting paid the service charge, and if not ask for it to be removed. If a staff member warrants a tip in those cases then hand it to them in cash so the management aren't pocketing it.

 

[ironz]

I'm struggling to decide between verandah or Oceanview for this sailing. I'd rather save the money and I feel like we can go to the top deck to get better views, but we haven't tried Oceanview before so I worry about not liking it during such a long cruise.

Besides going through the canal, do you see much coastline during sea days?

We had an oceanview porthole room on the WBPC in 2019. We loved it-- easy enough to get to deck 4 if we wanted to pop outside. Photo of the inside wall of one of the locks from our cabin. We were in 2524, which was under the little shop that is outside of the pub. Very quiet.
We did South Pacific in 2502, further forward. It was fine, but near a crew door that opens and closes often, so a bit of noise. And some extra sound from the theater.

 

[randumb0]

I'm in Panama right now and I'm glad I chose a land trip instead of sea. There is so much to do here that a trip down just isn't enough

 

[AquaDame]

I'm in Panama right now and I'm glad I chose a land trip instead of sea. There is so much to do here that a trip down just isn't enough

Why not both?

I'd love a land tour of the old locks, regardless of whether we book a cabin on a cruise or not, tbh.

 

[randumb0]

Why not both?

I'd love a land tour of the old locks, regardless of whether we book a cabin on a cruise or not, tbh.

Sure

 

[Sakura1017]

It's interesting that you say that they won't do Australia for much longer. DCLs first season here was very successful in terms of filling the ships. The 6 day cruise we did from Sydney in January was fully sold out.

We asked whether the bigger ships would come to Australia whilst on board and whilst they couldn't confirm for certain, the person we asked was of the opinion that the Fantasy or Dream would come here for the 2025-2026 season.

Yes they filled the ships. However, cast members didn’t get tips or they were modified so it wasn’t the full amount. So maybe they might change itineraries in the future

 

[gismo1554]

I read on another thread that DCL eventually added tips automatically to onboard purchases (Cove Cafe, bars etc) for that reason. I wouldn't be surprised if they start including the server and room attendant tips in the cruise price for the next season.

Cruising is hugely popular in Australia but (DCL aside) the cruise lines that operate here don't do tipping because it's not part of Aussie culture. Aussies cruising DCL for the first time would not have expected to have to tip. The DCL website does clearly state that tips are required but I guess people didn't read it or didn't accept it because tipping is extremely rare here. You'd have go well above the call of duty to earn a tip here.

And yes, hospitality staff here are paid well in comparison to USA.

They've been doing the European routs for much longer and we too have a similar culture to Australia with tips but they've never added the tips on as standard. I personally think they should

 

[holula]

They've been doing the European routs for much longer and we too have a similar culture to Australia with tips but they've never added the tips on as standard. I personally think they should

The European cruises are mostly Americans though. In 2022 I did the Norway cruise and they said the previous cruise was the first time Americans weren’t the majority on board.

The new short U.K. cruises are unlikely to attract Americans, the same way the short Australian cruises don’t. But the rest of the Europe cruises are majority American passengers.

 

[gismo1554]

The European cruises are mostly Americans though. In 2022 I did the Norway cruise and they said the previous cruise was the first time Americans weren’t the majority on board.

The new short U.K. cruises are unlikely to attract Americans, the same way the short Australian cruises don’t. But the rest of the Europe cruises are majority American passengers.

Any of the ones that sail from the UK are 75% Brits from experience, The short ones are about 99% Brits.

As said though these cruises have been going for years and Disney have never redone the tipping structure so personally I feel they will just keep the same in Australia unfortunately. Its easier for them to not need to change around the onboard systems when they change ports. The automatically adding the tips at the end of each cruise is probably something that they feel they cant easily change around so leave as is.

 

[auntlynne]

Any of the ones that sail from the UK are 75% Brits from experience, The short ones are about 99% Brits.

As said though these cruises have been going for years and Disney have never redone the tipping structure so personally I feel they will just keep the same in Australia unfortunately. It’s easier for them to not need to change around the onboard systems when they change ports. The automatically adding the tips at the end of each cruise is probably something that they feel they cant easily change around so leave as is.

…Because they have a hard time with IT systems. (No shade on what you have said). But honestly, other than trying to make cruises seem less expensive than they are, why can’t cruise lines just include gratuities in their prices? They finally were forced by California to advertise cruise fare + port fees/ taxes upfront.

As an American, I would like to just pay the sticker price. It’s okay to let me know what I need to pay. Excursions and optional expenses are my decision.

 

[holula]

Any of the ones that sail from the UK are 75% Brits from experience, The short ones are about 99% Brits.

That’s definitely not true unless you’ve only sailed since COVID. I did the Norway cruise in 2022 and it was about 50% Americans, 45% Brits, and 5% other. They read out the numbers in the theatre the first evening.

The cruise before was the one with more Brits than Americans for the first time ever.

Short ones I agree, 99% Brits. But again that’s a post COVID thing.

 

[RedHead0186]

…Because they have a hard time with IT systems. (No shade on what you have said). But honestly, other than trying to make cruises seem less expensive than they are, why can’t cruise lines just include gratuities in their prices? They finally were forced by California to advertise cruise fare + port fees/ taxes upfront.

As an American, I would like to just pay the sticker price. It’s okay to let me know what I need to pay. Excursions and optional expenses are my decision.

Because gratuities aren't a fixed/set expense. Those are your decision, too. Yes, there are recommended amounts that DCL suggests, and you can prepay them. But many people choose to adjust gratuities up or down, depending on the service they received during their cruise.

So I don't see how DCL could include gratuities in their prices, because it's not a set cost. Unless you're suggesting that gratuities are essentially just 'rolled into' the overall cost of the cruise and there are no actual gratuities anymore (ala how Virgin Voyages does it). That's a much bigger cultural/operational issue than just IT, then.

 

[auntlynne]

Because gratuities aren't a fixed/set expense. Those are your decision, too. Yes, there are recommended amounts that DCL suggests, and you can prepay them. But many people choose to adjust gratuities up or down, depending on the service they received during their cruise.

So I don't see how DCL could include gratuities in their prices, because it's not a set cost. Unless you're suggesting that gratuities are essentially just 'rolled into' the overall cost of the cruise and there are no actual gratuities anymore (ala how Virgin Voyages does it). That's a much bigger cultural/operational issue than just IT, then.

Actually, that is what I would like. A set cost. The Virgin Voyages system IS what I consider a great idea.