What other cruiseline offers Freestyle cruising?

[MMastell]

Here's what Celebrity charges for tipping, from their web site. It's only higher for suites because of the butler service:

 

Gratuities

For your convenience, we will 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: $11.50 per person per day for guests in staterooms ($12.00 per person per day for guests in Concierge Class and AquaClass staterooms and $15.00 per person per day for guests in Suites). These service gratuities are based on the following recommended amounts:

 

Restaurant Service* Per Person Per Day

Waiter $3.65

Assistant Waiter $2.10

Dining Room Management $1.00

Stateroom Service* Per Person Per Day

Butler (Suites Only) $3.50

Stateroom Service $3.50 ($4.00 for Concierge Class and AquaClass staterooms)

Alternative Service*

Other Service Personnel $1.25

 

Beverage Service personnel are acknowledged with a 15% service charge which will be automatically added to the bill.

 

 

*Please note that gratuities may be shared with other crew members depending on the particular service requirement.

 

In other words: $15.50 if you are in a suite. $12 for CC and $11.50 for all other cabins.

 

If you choose Celebrity Select Dining you prepay all gratuities. There is no add "surcharge". I've sailed Celebrity twice in the last year and did Celebrity Select Dining on my last cruise and enjoyed it. I really don't enjoy the formal nights but I'll live with it if the itinerary is right.

 

Take care,

Mike

[petesweet]

Kathy,

Start here and keep clicking http://www.celebritycruises.com/whyceleb/heroSingleTxtSub.do;jsessionid=00005AIRF5a_I4wjoSLtMgfM1II:12h3rnd1c?pagename=main_dining_arrangements

 

Well, if there is such a charge, it certainly is well hidden. I see nothing about an extra charge, but then I didn't "register" for further information.

Others say there is no such charge, so this must be some kind of example regarding prepaid gratuities.

Thanks for responding.

Kathy

[MMastell]

Well, if there is such a charge, it certainly is well hidden. I see nothing about an extra charge, but then I didn't "register" for further information.

 

Others say there is no such charge, so this must be some kind of example regarding prepaid gratuities.

 

Thanks for responding.

 

Kathy

 

People are confusing the "additional charge" with pre-paid gratuities. You pay your gratuities when making final payment. You are not required to pay any more after that point.

 

If people are still paying regular gratuities after they've pre-paid they aren't paying much attention but the staff must love them. :D

 

I've done Celebrity Select on my last two Celebrity cruises.

 

Take care,

Mike

[jst4fun715]

...freestyle dining' date=' yes. But, Freestyle onboard NCL is more than just dining.[/color']

 

PE

 

What else does it include? We will be on our first NCL cruise in Nov!:D

[plazamom]

I only know about RCCL, having booked a cruise for next year on the Oasis, but if you choose my time dining, your gratuities (or service charge or whatever you want to call it) are added to your cruise fare and must be paid by final payment. With NCL, these are added to your onboard account. Just a different time line. But what makes NCL unique is the option to not dress formally and still be able to eat in the dining rooms or specialty restaurants as opposed to the buffet only on other lines if you choose not to dress up.