prepaid gratuities amount

[Ricky Chan]

7 night cruise in November.

 

 

Wow, you prepaid CAD$ 131.00 for 7 days, that works out to 1.628 exchange rate, something isn't right here. You may want to ask Celebrity.

 

US$ 11.50 x 7 x 1.628 = CAD$ 131.00

 

That is like highway robbery!!!!!

 

Ricky

[Ricky Chan]

Relax, man. You. Guys won the gold in hockey!

 

 

It is not an issue of extra money that I have to pay. I always pay TIPS WAY MORE THAN SUGGESTED (TO THE CREW DIRECTLY), IT IS PRINCIPLE.

 

In my opinion, it is not a very good business practice (and bad customer relationship), charging exchange rate way more than it should be.

 

Don't get me wrong, I am a loyal Celebrity customer, it is our favourite cruiseline. But I like to call it a spade a spade. :mad: :mad:

 

Ricky

[Hibiscus13]

Does it not have something to do with the type of room booked as well?

[Ricky Chan]

Perhaps I lucked out. I booked my upcoming cruise in CAD. The prepaid gratuities were $11.50 CAD per day. The same as the USD price.:)

 

When did you book the cruise?

 

Ricky

[dmk]

When did you book the cruise?

 

Ricky

 

I booked this last October:)

[i guide the sky]

It is not an issue of extra money that I have to pay. I always pay TIPS WAY MORE THAN SUGGESTED (TO THE CREW DIRECTLY), IT IS PRINCIPLE.

 

In my opinion, it is not a very good business practice (and bad customer relationship), charging exchange rate way more than it should be.

 

Don't get me wrong, I am a loyal Celebrity customer, it is our favourite cruiseline. But I like to call it a spade a spade. :mad: :mad:

 

Ricky

 

I was only joking! Geez...:eek:

[Ricky Chan]

I booked this last October:)

 

My TA told me that cruiseship companies set the exchange rate few times a year. She said Priness set the rate twice a year.

 

The exchange rate in October of 2009 should be even higher than now.

 

I reiterate my point, it is not the extra money I paid that upet me, I just feel it is not a good business practice at best, and unscrupulous at worst. :mad: :mad:

 

Ricky

[Ricky Chan]

I was only joking! Geez...:eek:

 

 

I know you were joking. :D :D

 

Anxious to see our sledge hockey team beat you guys in the final and threepeat Olympic hockey gold medals. :) :)

 

Ricky

[Ricky Chan]

Does it not have something to do with the type of room booked as well?

 

Don't think so. Charging exchange rate should have nothing to do with type of cabin booked.

 

Ricky

[Jimsgirl]

Personally, I do not like any cruise line, adding money to my account supposedly to pay gratuities to people I never seen (and therefore have no means of judging their worth)

 

Yes I know there are people "behind the scenes" but isn't that what "promotion " is supposed to be about, you work well and get promoted to "front of the ship"

 

I go to the buffet only on embarkation day when nothing else is open for lunch, (I dislike serving myself from food picked over before I get there) but I have to pay the people there gratuities for every day of the cruise just because the cruise line has decided that is how they wish it to be done?

 

What happened to clients rights? Yes in theory you can remove the charge , but believe me you are often made to feel "a tight wad" at the pursers desk should you try to do this.

 

I have asked the dining room wait staff what happens if I decide not to do the "pay a set sum" and give them money direct. They tell me that when a passenger removes the charge, the powers that be know and then make the wait staff share the money given to them by that passenger, same with the cabin staff.

[Hibiscus13]

Don't think so. Charging exchange rate should have nothing to do with type of cabin booked.

 

Ricky

 

No, I'm not referring to the exchange rate. I'm referring to the amount of gratuities paid - are the amounts different depending on what type of room you book?

[Wine-O]

No, I'm not referring to the exchange rate. I'm referring to the amount of gratuities paid - are the amounts different depending on what type of room you book?

 

Yes. Here's a calculator. Tips vary from cruise line to cruise line and what service category you are in. Concierge class is a tad more than a regular cabin. Play with this to see for yourself. http://cruisetip.tpkeller.com/

[dmk]

When did you book the cruise?

 

Ricky

 

When did you book yours? Why would it make a difference?

[Can'tstopcruising]

When did you book yours? Why would it make a difference?

Our most recent cruise was booked ages ago, in Cad $$, and the prepaid tips were at par. When we booked a future cruise onboard, if we chose Cad$$, the tips had a healthy exchange rate (healthy for Celebrity!). So we decided to book in US$$ and now I am happy we did. They must have

changed their policy in the interim.

[pyrogy]

I guess this is off-topic, but can anyone tell me the rationale behind pre-paid gratuities for anytime dining? I am not complaining. It does not matter to me if I pay it now, or have it on my onboard account. I was just curious why they do it that way. What difference does it make what time I dine? Since they put the gratuity on the onboard account anyway, I can't figure out the difference.

[Ricky Chan]

No, I'm not referring to the exchange rate. I'm referring to the amount of gratuities paid - are the amounts different depending on what type of room you book?

 

Yes, you pay more if you stay at coincerige class cabin or suite. My is just a regular balcony cabin.

 

Ricky

[Ricky Chan]

When did you book yours? Why would it make a difference?

 

I booked the cruise last March and chose "first seating". There was no "select dining" option at that time.

 

I made the final payment last week and changed to "select dining".

 

I knew I have to prepay gratuities, but not at 1.25 exchange rate while DMK paid it almost at par.

 

Ricky

[Hibiscus13]

Yes, you pay more if you stay at coincerige class cabin or suite. My is just a regular balcony cabin.

 

Ricky

 

We booked a Sky Suite - I presume that's why we paid a different amount. I thought $131 CAD per person was pretty reasonable.

[Wine-O]

I guess this is off-topic, but can anyone tell me the rationale behind pre-paid gratuities for anytime dining? I am not complaining. It does not matter to me if I pay it now, or have it on my onboard account. I was just curious why they do it that way. What difference does it make what time I dine? Since they put the gratuity on the onboard account anyway, I can't figure out the difference.

 

Because you will have a different waiter/asst waiter/head waiter every night. This way, they don't get stiffed. If you put the gratuity on your onboard account, you are able to take it off by going down to guest relations.

[44jayjay]

I do not ever do it that way. I give more or less to each one however I choose to. Tipping is a personal thing, and I do not like anyone doing it for me. I take the envelopes and give what and where I want. No matter what cruise lines....:o:o:o I do not think it is right for the cruise lines to do that. I know they are trying to protect the employee, but if they do a good job, it should not be a problem. Being a waiter or waitress is a people business, so they have to treat people right. If they do, they get good tips, if they do not, they get nothing. I never ever, tip a maitre d. they for the most part do nothing, I give that money to the waiters and assitants, who for the most part bust their buns......:(:(:(

[Karynanne]

I do not ever do it that way. I give more or less to each one however I choose to. Tipping is a personal thing, and I do not like anyone doing it for me. I take the envelopes and give what and where I want. No matter what cruise lines....:o:o:o I do not think it is right for the cruise lines to do that. I know they are trying to protect the employee, but if they do a good job, it should not be a problem. Being a waiter or waitress is a people business, so they have to treat people right. If they do, they get good tips, if they do not, they get nothing. I never ever, tip a maitre d. they for the most part do nothing, I give that money to the waiters and assitants, who for the most part bust their buns......:(:(:(

 

I respect your opinion, but I beg to differ with you regarding the Maitre 'D's onboard. Who do think coordinates and oversees all the waiter and asst. wait staff? And when special meal requests are made by passengers, it is the Maitre 'D's that handle all this information. They work hard to make sure that the MDR and Buffet areas are running smoothly.

[FinelyCruising]

I do not ever do it that way. I give more or less to each one however I choose to. Tipping is a personal thing, and I do not like anyone doing it for me. I take the envelopes and give what and where I want. No matter what cruise lines....:o:o:o I do not think it is right for the cruise lines to do that. I know they are trying to protect the employee, but if they do a good job, it should not be a problem. Being a waiter or waitress is a people business, so they have to treat people right. If they do, they get good tips, if they do not, they get nothing. I never ever, tip a maitre d. they for the most part do nothing, I give that money to the waiters and assitants, who for the most part bust their buns......:(:(:(

 

This is a good example why prepaid tips and tips on account are necessary. In many instances people don't understand what is required and make it too personal.

 

While tipping is a personal issue, its more for the extras that are offered it is not an umbrella to hide under for mistreating staff that treated their guests well.

[pyrogy]

Because you will have a different waiter/asst waiter/head waiter every night. This way, they don't get stiffed. If you put the gratuity on your onboard account, you are able to take it off by going down to guest relations.

 

 

Oh. Thanks for the answer. It didn't even occur to me that someone might go down and try to take off the gratuities. It still seems like an odd distinction. If you have the same waitstaff every night there is a method of stiffing them. If you have different waitstaff, you cannot stiff them.

I had no idea stiffing the waitstaff was such a problem.

[Cruise Junky]

I booked the cruise last March and chose "first seating". There was no "select dining" option at that time.

 

I made the final payment last week and changed to "select dining".

 

I knew I have to prepay gratuities, but not at 1.25 exchange rate while DMK paid it almost at par.

 

Ricky

 

I know, that exchange rate is nuts and totally unfair to Canadians as there's no way around it except to book originally in US $. We were getting a quote the other day and noticed their ridiculous exchange rate for the gratuities.

[pyrogy]

If you are going to Cruise regularly or travel to the USA for whatever other reason, I highly recommend going to your bank and asking for a US funds credit card. Its one of the smartest moves I've made. You save not only on lags in exchange rates being updated, you save on conversion fees, etc., when shopping in the US. You can't go wrong.