Cruise News: Guest Pushes Back on Automatic Gratuities

Editorial Summary

Doug Parker reports on several developments within the cruise industry, beginning with a debate regarding automatic gratuities on Carnival Cruise Line. A social media exchange between a passenger and Carnival brand ambassador John Heeld highlighted guest dissatisfaction with mandatory tipping policies. The passenger argued that travelers should maintain control over how much they tip, while Heeld noted that while some passengers choose to tip, others avoid it entirely. Currently, Carnival maintains its policy with suggested daily gratuities ranging from 16 to 18 dollars per person. The report also covers schedule changes for Princess Cruises, which has canceled several voyages on the Crown Princess between September and December due to extended ship maintenance. In financial news, Viking Cruises reported a 9.1 percent revenue increase for the second quarter, reaching 1.59 billion dollars. The company noted high demand, having already sold 95 percent of its capacity for the current year. Finally, the segment touches on recent fluctuations in cruise line stocks, noting declines for Carnival Corporation, Norwegian, and Viking, while Royal Caribbean remained relatively flat.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.