Celebrity asking to prepay gratuities

[BMT]

Why on earth would you assume that questioning why gratuities for one dining option are charged differently than for other dining options has anything to do with "stiffing the waitstaff........ Indeed why would gratuities be handled differently with select dining than with traditional? I am quite happy with the auto tip.......... prepaid gratuities mean that my OBC cannot be used against the gratuities and some people may count on their OBC to help cover these gratuities. Actually when OBC are used to cover gratuities, passengers might be even more generous with extra gratuities. That is my opinion and questionning is how we improve things.

 

Just draw out the OBC through the Casino - have to pay 5% though!!!!

[junetraveler2014]

How much is billed and for whom? It sounds confusing to us. What if the service is poor? We will be in a suite...don't we give everyone an envelope.

[dkjretired]

How much is billed and for whom? It sounds confusing to us. What if the service is poor? We will be in a suite...don't we give everyone an envelope.

 

You will not get envelopes, below is from the Celebrity web site and pretty much explains everything.

 

A: For your convenience, we automatically add gratuities for your restaurant and stateroom services to your onboard SeaPass® account on a daily basis in the following amounts, which may be adjusted at your discretion: • $12 per person per day in staterooms

• $12.50 per person per day in Concierge Class and AquaClass® staterooms

• $15.50 per person per day in suites

 

This gratuity is shared by your stateroom attendant, dining services staff, and housekeeping staff members who help enhance your vacation experience.

 

At your discretion, the gratuity payments may be adjusted onboard at Guest Relations, in which case they will not automatically be added to your onboard SeaPass® account.

 

A 15% gratuity will be automatically added to all beverages, mini bar purchases, spa and salon services. Additional gratuities may be added at your discretion.

[terrierjohn]

I have not read every post on this thread so this point might have been made earlier.

IMO the reason Celebrity brought in pre-payment of gratuities for Select dining was to ensure that wait staff were not disadvantaged by the decision to implement select dining.

However now that the automatic charging of all gratuities is operating there really appears no reason for X to continue to require select diners to prepay them.

If this was done then the perceived disadvantage that Select diners cannot use their OBC to pay for gratuities would cease.

I know there will be those that cannot envisage anyone not being able to make full use of their OBC, but I guess any non drinking non gambling or non shore excursion taking cruiser could fall into that category.

[Dunelm]

I find it hard to understand why some people are so opposed to paying gratuities up front or at the end of a cruise. I suspect that were it not for the daily gratuities all cruises would be more expensive. I sometimes have to remind folk who are from the UK that waiters in restaurants in the USA and on ships get nowhere near the pay of those in the UK, and so tips are badly needed.

[Presto2]

We've been with Celebrity twice before and we are due to sail again in 5 days. We have always had to pay gratuities before we've sailed as we have done Select Dining. (We just took it that this was part and parcel of Celebrity charges).

 

Having said that we have still given staff in the speciality restaurants we have used tips as appropriate as we would at home on any pub / restaurant for good service. The same goes for the Cabin Steward and some bar staff / those in the MDR IF they are that extra bit special. It isn't huge amounts (we're not made of money) but we like to think that we have said 'thank you' to those who have made our cruise special as well as those 'unseen' members of the crew that have had a 'thank you' via the initial payment.

 

We now take dollar bills with us for the extra tips such as cabin service at breakfast etc etc.

 

I suppose we see the initial gratuities as a general 'thank you' and the extra ones we give as more personal 'thanks'.

 

We are from the UK and not naturally a 'tipping' nation. Having said that, to us it is a case of 'When in Rome..'

[terrierjohn]

I find it hard to understand why some people are so opposed to paying gratuities up front or at the end of a cruise. I suspect that were it not for the daily gratuities all cruises would be more expensive. I sometimes have to remind folk who are from the UK that waiters in restaurants in the USA and on ships get nowhere near the pay of those in the UK, and so tips are badly needed.

I didn't think this thread was about whether gratuities should be levied, but about when they should be levied, which are two totally different things.

Most regular UK cruise passengers do accept that tips are necessary and maybe do help to keep cruise prices down, but for UK newbies it does come as a bit of a shock, especially gratuity levels on US ships.

[Presto2]

Most regular UK cruise passengers do accept that tips are necessary and maybe do help to keep cruise prices down, but for UK newbies it does come as a bit of a shock, especially gratuity levels on US ships.

 

That's why it is so important to do your research before a new holiday --- and that's why CC is such a brilliant site. Best to ask the questions before you book. :)

[PinkUK]

I didn't think this thread was about whether gratuities should be levied, but about when they should be levied, which are two totally different things.

Most regular UK cruise passengers do accept that tips are necessary and maybe do help to keep cruise prices down, but for UK newbies it does come as a bit of a shock, especially gratuity levels on US ships.

 

I'd agree with that, it is just not the culture in the UK and actually even less so in other parts of Europe; to tip in the same way it is in the USA.

 

If you don't realise that the staff are practically paid by their tips and that you are expected to provide, it's very easy to get the whole thing very wrong. I quite like the pre paid gratuity (now I understand it).

 

Karen

[Presto2]

 

If you don't realise that the staff are practically paid by their tips and that you are expected to provide, it's very easy to get the whole thing very wrong. I quite like the pre paid gratuity (now I understand it).

 

Karen

 

Will make sure you tip well next week ;) See you soon. :D

[PinkUK]

Will make sure you tip well next week ;) See you soon. :D

 

Not sure what you mean?

[KruzPrincess]

I have not read every post on this thread so this point might have been made earlier.

IMO the reason Celebrity brought in pre-payment of gratuities for Select dining was to ensure that wait staff were not disadvantaged by the decision to implement select dining.

However now that the automatic charging of all gratuities is operating there really appears no reason for X to continue to require select diners to prepay them.

If this was done then the perceived disadvantage that Select diners cannot use their OBC to pay for gratuities would cease.I know there will be those that cannot envisage anyone not being able to make full use of their OBC, but I guess any non drinking non gambling or non shore excursion taking cruiser could fall into that category.

 

Bingo! Everyone should be treated the same. I like to use my OBC to pay my gratuities. I don't drink alcohol. I don't go to specialty restaurants much. I don't do a lot of shore excursions at places I've already seen. I like to cruise and I'd like to be able to take advantage of Select Dining while using my OBC to pay my gratuities. That doesn't work on Celebrity. It's annoying. I understand it's how Celebrity does things, but it doesn't make sense to me. Either bill gratuities in advance to everyone or bill them auto-pay.

[Denism]

Just a thought why are the tips not included in the price of the cruise, then no problems or arguments. Its only the US that doesn't pay their workers reasonable rates that has this practice.

[Dunelm]

I didn't think this thread was about whether gratuities should be levied, but about when they should be levied, which are two totally different things.

Most regular UK cruise passengers do accept that tips are necessary and maybe do help to keep cruise prices down, but for UK newbies it does come as a bit of a shock, especially gratuity levels on US ships.

 

Perhaps I was reading more into the original post than was intended. If so, I apologize. On the other hand, I am always amazed by the number of people on cruises who seem to enjoy "bellyaching" about the gratuities. Therefore, when I read posts about gratuities, I tend to think --here we go again-- and read or misread an implication.

[sandancer]

Just a thought why are the tips not included in the price of the cruise, then no problems or arguments. Its only the US that doesn't pay their workers reasonable rates that has this practice.

This has been discussed many, many times on these boards and a variety of reasons given for why this cannot be done - personally I think it is because there is such competition between the mass market cruise lines that they do not want to raise the basic cost of the cruise. I know it sounds strange that when you are paying 1000s dollars (or pounds in our case) that you would care if asked to pay slightly more but that is the way of the world. We have been pre-paying tips since long before Select dining was introduced simply because we consider it to be part of the cruise cost and prefer to have almost everything paid up front. And, yes, we do tip extra for special service.

[Tiggertastic]

This has been discussed many, many times on these boards and a variety of reasons given for why this cannot be done - personally I think it is because there is such competition between the mass market cruise lines that they do not want to raise the basic cost of the cruise. I know it sounds strange that when you are paying 1000s dollars (or pounds in our case) that you would care if asked to pay slightly more but that is the way of the world. We have been pre-paying tips since long before Select dining was introduced simply because we consider it to be part of the cruise cost and prefer to have almost everything paid up front. And, yes, we do tip extra for special service.

 

I am with you on this one - we always pay them up front and go a little further with certain staff and service as we like to have as much as possible paid up front

[kevinyork]

We have shareholder OBC. If we choose to go select, we pay service in front, if we go traditional, its added to our on board account and comes out of our OBC. Im finding it hard to see why select has this differenciation.

 

 

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[Presto2]

Not sure what you mean?

 

It was a joke - hence the wink.

 

:)

[storm0429]

:(We have had the "service charge" added to our final payment by our travel agent. We have the Select Dining option, but the early sitting was not available and we don't like to eat late.

 

We haven't cruised with Celebrity before, but I would think the room stewards will be the ones who suffer, as we have always made sure that we leave them a good tip. Will still look after them, but the amount will be significantly less.

 

Kerry

[sandancer]

Why? You can always tip the room attendant extra, lots of people do.

[lorry like a truck]

We were on Celebrity in April and they did leave envelopes in some peoples cabins. Apparently they cancelled their gratuities and wanted to pay their own. We had select dining and they still took money out daily. When questioned they stopped and gave us our money back. And RCL in Australia are making everyone prepay their gratuities. This started in March. It is added onto the cost of your cruise. P&O and Princess leave it up to the passenger as to whether they pay or how much.

[hcat]

We have used pre-paid ever since it was offered on Celeb & Royal C... now that we eat in BLU we continue with it...and we always tip extra to attendants, waiters etc. throughout the cruise and at the end if warranted...Those who do more, can get a bit more but at least the minimum is covered....

 

They should just impose a daily gratuity fee for all as part of the fare..works great at all inclusive resorts and saves alot of stress on part of cruiser & staff.

 

I was surprised this topic rivals the dress code threads in interest...

[snowyboy]

Direct from Celebrity web site.

 

PAYMENT AND GRATUITIES

PAYMENTS & GRATUITIES

At Celebrity we pride ourselves on delivering exceptional service during your cruise holiday. This is provided by many different members of the ships’ personnel, both directly and indirectly, who strive to ensure you enjoy your cruise to the fullest. For your convenience, we automatically add a discretionary gratuity for your restaurant and stateroom services to your SeaPass account. You’ll find it offers a simple way for you to reward those personnel who’ve made your stay special. It also answers the concern of whom to tip, and when. All gratuities charged are paid in full to your stateroom and restaurant service teams, and may be adjusted if you wish.

 

But why not consider pre-paying all your gratuities before you set sail? Then you can relax knowing that everything has been taken care of, and it qualifies you for our new Celebrity Select Dining (subject to availability). Eat whenever the main restaurant is open, or make reservations for a different time each night before you sail – the ultimate in dining flexibility.

 

These service gratuities are based on the following recommended amounts:

 

An approximate daily total of $11.50 per guest ($12.00 for Concierge Class and Aquaclass guests and $15.00 for suite guests) per cruise day, will cover the stateroom and dining room service for adults and children. 

[terrierjohn]

So Select dining is a perk that has to be paid for by pre-paid gratuities, what then is the extra fee that someone transferring to Select from Club dining has to pay??????

[TenerifeSharon]

So Select dining is a perk that has to be paid for by pre-paid gratuities, what then is the extra fee that someone transferring to Select from Club dining has to pay??????

 

There is no additional fee for dining with the Select (open dining times) option. The only difference from Main Seating or Late Seating is that the gratuities are pre-paid when you reserve Select dining. We often wait until we board to change from Late seating to Select, to avoid paying the gratuities in advance (if we have quite a bit of OBC to use). Sometimes, because of waiting, we are unable to get the Select dining, as it is totally booked in advance.

 

Never heard the term "Club" dining on Celebrity. Is this something your travel agent has mentioned?