Do you prepay your tips....and do they know?

[luv2gonow]

Hi,

Does the crew....waiter, room steward know if you prepaid your tips. I included it with my final payment. Now i'm thinking you might get better service if they are still "working" for their tip.

 

What do you veteran cruisers do????? To pretip or not.....that is the question:D Does it matter?

Thanks

K

[buckirj1]

What do you veteran cruisers do????? To pretip or not.....that is the question:D Does it matter?

Thanks

K

 

I prepay the tips, and have seen absolutely no decline in service. I much prefer prepayment to the old envelope system.

[yogimax]

I also prepay and yes, they are informed of those who do so.

[travelntreats]

I prepay the tips, and have seen absolutely no decline in service. I much prefer prepayment to the old envelope system.

The envelope concept was done away with quite some time ago as CCL now does the auto charge of tips to your S & S.

 

Prepay Gratuities = done before your cruise

Auto Pay Gratuities = charged while on cruise

 

2 different methods.

 

To the OP....YES the staff are aware of those passengers that have "Pre Paid" their gratutities in advance.

[airlink diva]

I also prepay and yes, they are informed of those who do so.

 

I sometimes prepay,but I wasn't aware the staff were told if you do.

I noticed no difference in service on the times when I pre-pay or wait until on board and it's added every day.

 

As for pre-paying, it really depends on what's going on with the cruise. For example, on my cruise in April, due to changing the dates, I overpaid by $52. I just ask the agent to place the $50 as my tip amount. Othertimes, I have it budget in my money that I place on account once on board.

You will both pros and cons on this issue,but it's all on how you like to settle your accounts.

[Kurbanfan]

Pre paying your tips IS tipping.......the cruiselines know you paid I don't believe the crew know anything about the tips until they are actually paid or if you tip in cash.......so it doesn't matter either way.......

Don't worry about how the crew are paid just do your part and have a wonderful time......

[rednose83]

I've done both pre-paid and let the auto tips accrue, I didn't notice any difference in service.

[redlef]

I don't understand the question.

 

They take my credit card number when I get on the ship and when I get my statement the last night, I see I've been charged the auto-tip.

 

Is that what you mean by pre-paying?

[Kurbanfan]

I don't understand the question.

 

They take my credit card number when I get on the ship and when I get my statement the last night, I see I've been charged the auto-tip.

 

Is that what you mean by pre-paying?

 

No........you also have the choice to pay it when you make final payment.........

[Essiesmom]

They know when you pre-pay, and they also know when you remove the auto-pay. EM

[Kurbanfan]

They know when you pre-pay, and they also know when you remove the auto-pay. EM

 

Do you have a source.......

[redlef]

No........you also have the choice to pay it when you make final payment.........

 

Can't recall ever being offered that - unless they're adding it in. Anyhow, to the OP - since it appears I don't pre-pay, I will say I've always had excellent service, although I do give cash tips throughout the cruise.

[ryanpatricksmom]

I don't prepay the tips because final payment is due so far ahead of the cruise. Why should Carnival have my money for an extra couple of months...I seriously doubt that they pass along the prepaid gratuties to the crew prior to the cruise, so what would be the point?

 

I prefer to have them charge my S & S.

[G&TQ]

Regarding if they know or not. This was copied from a previous post:

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1180762/Outrage-cruise-passengers-dont-tip-revealed-staff.html

[Kurbanfan]

Regarding if they know or not. This was copied from a previous post:

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1180762/Outrage-cruise-passengers-dont-tip-revealed-staff.html

 

That was on the swine flu cruise in which 100 people or so got off the ship early..........that means squat.........and has been reported as such...

[klmorg]

I don't prepay the tips because final payment is due so far ahead of the cruise. Why should Carnival have my money for an extra couple of months...I seriously doubt that they pass along the prepaid gratuties to the crew prior to the cruise, so what would be the point?

 

I prefer to have them charge my S & S.

 

You can pre-pay gratuities after final payment, and up to just a couple days days prior to the cruise (can't remember how many though).

[Name Of The Game]

No, we don't prepay because we'd have to argue with Carnival in order to get a refund should we decide to cancel that cruise.

[Kurbanfan]

No, we don't prepay because we'd have to argue with Carnival in order to get a refund should we decide to cancel that cruise.

 

Why? We had no problems getting ours back from RCCL.......

[cmdknw]

Down side of pre-paying tips is if you get on the ship and the service isn't up to par, you cannot be refunded your tips.

 

K

[Essiesmom]

Do you have a source.......

The picture in the Daily Mail article was taken by a CC member and posted here. there was a very long thread about it at the time. And I have seen a passenger/cabin list on the hoskeeping cart with notation about tips. Also on Splendor, by coincidence...EM

[pnjkeith]

I also prepay and yes, they are informed of those who do so.

 

where did you get that info?

[ryanpatricksmom]

You can pre-pay gratuities after final payment, and up to just a couple days days prior to the cruise (can't remember how many though).

 

 

That's true, but I still don't get the advantage to pre-paying as opposed to having them placed on your S & S. I always set up final payment to happen automatically on the date due, so I'd have to remember to call and add the tip closer to the sailing....not likely to happen :D, and even if I did, the tip would probably appear on the same credit card statement that they would have if I'd paid onboard. Basically, I'm writing a check to cover all of the charges at one time anyway.

 

There must be some advantage, since people do it, I just don't see how it would work for me.

[Kurbanfan]

The picture in the Daily Mail article was taken by a CC member and posted here. there was a very long thread about it at the time. And I have seen a passenger/cabin list on the hoskeeping cart with notation about tips. Also on Splendor, by coincidence...EM

 

As I said before that was the swine flu cruise......the reason I don't believe they know is because their tips are not paid to them until after the cruise when we are gone........so what would be the point? None......

[luv2gonow]

Thanks for all the input everyone....I think i will leave the prepay....so i don't have to make another phone call or wait on line at guest services like i did on the last cruise. I think i will do the prepay And throw my steward a 20 on the 1st day to ensure great service....Ice all day...LOL...

K

[toby #1]

Do you have a source.......

I have a very good source but I'd have to kill you if I told you. You will just have to take my word for it or not, I don't care, but they do know who takes the auto tips off. They used to have a list of names in the staffs quarters but they are more discreet now.