Pre-paid Gratuities

[Albert Ross]

This is our first cruise on Celebrity, going out of Miami on the Eclipse. We have cruised many times on RC and am a little confused after reading these posts. Will the gratuity be added to our seapass automatically for stateroom, waiter from MDR etc.....or can we put cash in envelopes and give out on last day as we have in the past RC sailings. I understand about the tipping off buying drinks or going to a specialty place to eat. Thanks!!

On X they automatically add the tip each day to your account. Easier to pay them up front with your cruise cost. Makes budgeting easier. Then as someone else mentions prebuynyour your drinks package if you are a drinker that is, and then your on board account will be pretty low.

[Taxguy77]

I couldn't help but find an oxymoron in "compulsory tips" :D

 

So they are not tips!:(

They are a charge to cover wages so the cruise lines can advertise a lower rate. :rolleyes:

How to stay within the law, barely!

[cruisestitch]

If they were called "service charges" would you feel better?

 

Like the "cover charge" or "coperto" or "service charge" often seen in European restaurants, the gratuity is just the way it is, just as the "18% added to groups of ten or more" is often added to restaurant bills in the States.

[Sloop-JohnB]

It appears this only covers housekeeping and dining. Not happy that we will still be charged 15% on bill when drinks are ordered. Mis-leading information from my TA for sure. Sailing on Silhouette July 17th

 

HI BURANOGAL,

 

Sorry to hear that you were mislead by your Travel Agent (either intentionally or not)... certainly not a good situation to find out what you thought pretty much was an All-Inclusive (pay up front) Holiday has so many other "hidden" costs to it.

 

But it does seem to be a fact of life in the way Cruises are marketed / sold. There is another topic active on this same subject (Financing a Cruise) here on the CC CELEBRITY FORUM now... worth a read.

 

Glad to hear though that you are now on top of it, and still have time to save / budget for the what was otherwise "unexpected"

 

--- --- ---

 

If someone is unsure about something, there is always the FAQ page to enlighten them. A wise shopper of a product will take the time to do a bit of research before purchasing the product. This simple act would eliminate any unexpected, and apparently in this case, irritating surprises.

 

TO BOOGS,

 

Good post.

 

Ya know I think this is where there is a pro and con to using the Internet for making Travel Plans (travel is my retirement hobby now... so I read a lot of Travel Forums on the Internet).

 

The Internet is great for those who want to DIY, or have a bit more control over their vacations... and there is a TON of info out there... but you have to make a concerned effort to read it, and take it in.

 

A yes, a lot of it is "opinion"... especially on Internet Travel Forums... so one has to bear that in mind as well.

 

BUT, Before the Internet if one was planning a vacation, they'd go to the Local Travel Agent, bring home brochures, look thru them, read them... maybe do some other research (Guide Books, Maps, Encyclopedias etc). And for the most part, those resources would be filled with factual info (realizing that sometimes Tourism Guide Books have an element of "propoganda" to them... "visit our country it is great")

 

With the Internet, people just "browse" a bit... and so they are getting a "buffet of info"... bits here and there... and not the whole picture... and amazingly many times not even from the source (in this case... Celebrity Cruises).

 

I've found that Websites are great... but more often than not the REAL info when it comes to vacations are found in those fine-print sections at the back of Brochures... where a company will lay out all their Policies, Legal-ease stuff etc.

 

And yet, if one never orders such a Brochure... then they are no doubt booking something without having a "full picture" of what the company "expects you to know" when you sign on the dotted line.

 

Lol, and don't get me started on how many people sign on the dotted line (or hand over their credit cards on-line) without having read the contract... it is just "click" the ACCEPT BOX and move on !!

 

There is most certainly something to be said for "extensive" Research being done BEFORE going on vacation...

 

As for the OP... I feel for BURANOGAL, in their situation they used a Travel Agent... so in some ways that "relationship" is "supposed to" ensure that she is receiving services that means she can do less research than someone who has chosen the DIY option.

 

Sadly, in this case the Travel Agent let them down... and that sucks !!

 

As someone else said recently, good Travel Agents are now few and far between... and seem to be going the way of the Do-Do Bird... more and more are just Order Takers. Sad in a time when more people are travelling every year (despite the economy)... as the world's population ages, and the baby-boomers move into retirement, the next 20 years or so, should be filled with folks out to see the world, and take on more travel type experiences.

 

Cheers!

[negc]

So they are not tips!:(

They are a charge to cover wages so the cruise lines can advertise a lower rate. :rolleyes:

How to stay within the law, barely!

 

I'm not sure what Texas minimum wage laws require, but the federal minimum wage and minimum wage laws in most states set a lower rate for service industry personnel (hotel, restaurant,bar servers and others who usually are tipped) than for other workers because tips are expected to make up the difference. The cruise industry is no different and certainly no worse in this regard, so if you have a problem with tips being added to your drinks to raise earnings to a livable level, you might want to contact your state and federal lawmakers and suggest that the laws be revised and a standard minimum wage be required for all employees.

Since the OP is from Australia he may not have been familiar with tipping customs on US cruiselines, but if his TA was also Australian, I would think he should have been forthcoming with this information. Then again, without knowing exactly what and how the TA communicated with the OP it is impossible to know whether or not the TA was at fault. It may be just as likely that the OP heard what he wanted to hear and didn't fully comprehend the information he was given. Nonetheless the websites and brochures are generally complete with details about tipping policies and procedures.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I'm not sure what Texas minimum wage laws require, but the federal minimum wage and minimum wage laws in most states set a lower rate for service industry personnel (hotel, restaurant,bar servers and others who usually are tipped) than for other workers because tips are expected to make up the difference. The cruise industry is no different and certainly no worse in this regard, so if you have a problem with tips being added to your drinks to raise earnings to a livable level, you might want to contact your state and federal lawmakers and suggest that the laws be revised and a standard minimum wage be required for all employees.

 

Celebrity ships are registered in Malta and are not subject to US laws on minimum wage. None of the mainstream cruise lines are registered in the US.

[Buranogal]

Thoroughly thank you all for replies. Please look at Albert Ross post and you will see why I get confused like he says tips at beginning rather than gratuities...I have booked every aspect of vacation on line hotels, tours, car hire etc but being in Australia we are not allowed to book with Celebrity directly for some reason. I tried a few times. Thus not booking directly I do not get OBC at all my TA says.

[The_Big_M]

If you are just trying to keep the balance on your credit card low by using cash for the tips, you might consider changing your whole Xpress pass account to a cash account, which would leave the auto-tips in place. It's one way to handle it.

 

No need to even do that. You can just make a cash deposit to your account at guest services. It's deducted from your balance and only that balance is charged to your credit card.

[Freecall]

Those of us who sail regularly tend to assume that all is clear as we have seen the introduction of compulsory (sorry, automatic) tips and all the other twists and turns develop over the years.

 

The truth is that there is a massive culture clash between tip-driven service in the US and a complete misunderstanding of the system in the rest of the world.

 

We now have the bizarre situation where you can do a B2B transatlantic followed by a sail around Europe where for the first half of the cruise you get 15% added to your drinks bill and second half you do not!

 

Madness.

 

.

[jimzgoldfinch]

We now have the bizarre situation where you can do a B2B transatlantic followed by a sail around Europe where for the first half of the cruise you get 15% added to your drinks bill and second half you do not!

 

Madness.

 

.

 

Hi,

You are wrong. The 15% is added on all ships. However, when ships sail out of Southampton, the charge is included in the price, i.e. not shown on your receipt.

 

For example, a cocktail costing $10 + 15% will be shown on the menu as $11.5.

 

The reason for this was that most Brits strongly objected to 15% being added to each drink. They now complain even more vigourously at the cost of drinks! LOL

 

Jim

[excitedofharpenden]

They now complain even more vigourously at the cost of drinks! LOL

 

LOL. We just like to complain full stop!;)

 

Phil

[Freecall]

I am fully are that the menus change out of Southampton to reflect the change in policy. The OP (and subsequent posts) highlighted the confusion that some find in the policies of operators and what is ‘included’ when it comes to tips. I was merely pointing out that in trying to cater for all cultures X has made things even more complex than they were before.

 

I therefore suggest that my statement…..

 

 

"you can do a B2B transatlantic followed by a sail around Europe where for the first half of the cruise you get 15% added to your drinks bill and second half you do not"

 

……is correct.

 

.

[Freecall]

Hi,

You are wrong.

 

Actually I have just realised, I guess that this is a subtle form of British complaint about my post.

 

;)

 

.

[jimzgoldfinch]

I am fully are that the menus change out of Southampton to reflect the change in policy. The OP (and subsequent posts) highlighted the confusion that some find in the policies of operators and what is ‘included’ when it comes to tips. I was merely pointing out that in trying to cater for all cultures X has made things even more complex than they were before.

 

I therefore suggest that my statement…..

 

 

"you can do a B2B transatlantic followed by a sail around Europe where for the first half of the cruise you get 15% added to your drinks bill and second half you do not"

 

……is correct.

 

.

 

Hi,

I see where you're coming from!! If the TA is to Southampton then a Baltics cruise, I can imagine the staff rushing around trying to replace the international menu with the "Southamton" version. LOL

 

Jim

[ghstudio]

As it is I had to pay 75% of total more or less inc grats so they have my money earning interest for 7 months. :)

 

A little bit of simple math....the prepaid tips aren't due until final payment, so at best, Celebrity has your money for 3 months. If they didn't charge in advance, you would have roughly $150 more in your bank for those 90 days earning lesss than 1% a year...but call it 1% to keep it simple. 1% of $150 is $1.50 and it's only for 90 days, so you have lost the opportunity to earn all of $.37 by paying the gratuities in advance.

 

I realize that some put the prepaid tips on their credit cards and pay significantly higher interest, but for those of us who don't carry balances on our credit cards, paying tips in advance is not exactly a financial disaster.

[ghstudio]

As it is I had to pay 75% of total more or less inc grats so they have my money earning interest for 7 months. :)

 

A little bit of simple math....the prepaid tips aren't due until final payment, so at best, Celebrity has your money for 3 months. If they didn't charge in advance, you would have roughly $150 more in your bank for those 90 days earning lesss than 1% a year...but call it 1% to keep it simple. 1% of $150 is $1.50 and it's only for 90 days, so you have lost the opportunity to earn all of $.37 by paying the gratuities in advance.

 

I realize that some put the prepaid tips on their credit cards and pay significantly higher interest, but for those of us who don't carry balances on our credit cards, paying tips in advance is not exactly a financial disaster.

[vermonter16]

I don't look at my bar bill as having an extra charge on it for a tip. I just look at it as the price of a drink. I guess, being an American, I would normally tip on every drink I buy. This time I have purchased the drink package so I guess it doesn't matter. If I can afford to cruise, I can afford to tip what turns out to be a very small amount considering... I guess this is just our culture with the service industry. When folks provide a service (even in Vegas where the drinks are free) consumers give them a gratuity, or at least I do.

[smtcan]

We are just back from our first NCL cruise after many with Celebrity. (I will not go into the positives and negatives here - there were both) However, instead of referring to gratuities NCL uses DSC, which stands for either Daily Service Charge or Discretionary Service Charge according to who you speak to. I think the term Service Charge is more accurate and would lead to better understanding of the system.

Sheila

[Buranogal]

By 75% paid I mean $4,300 so think i would have earnt a lot more tan 37cents interest if the deposit wasnt as much..you agree??

[tunaman2011]

By 75% paid I mean $4,300 so think i would have earnt a lot more tan 37cents interest if the deposit wasnt as much..you agree??

 

Greetings

 

At 1% APR the interest on $4,300 would only be about $10.75 for 90 days. That doesn't seem like a huge amount. How long in advance did you have to pay the airlines for your airfare?

 

Good Sailing

Tom

[ghstudio]

By 75% paid I mean $4,300 so think i would have earnt a lot more tan 37cents interest if the deposit wasnt as much..you agree??

 

I am confused. You started this thread talking about gratuities and somehow it seems to have morphed into an issue you have with paying $4300 in advance. Prepaid gratuities aren't due until final payment, so is the $4300 for deposits or pre-booked excursions or something else?

[testing...123]

A little bit of simple math....the prepaid tips aren't due until final payment, so at best, Celebrity has your money for 3 months. If they didn't charge in advance, you would have roughly $150 more in your bank for those 90 days earning lesss than 1% a year...but call it 1% to keep it simple. 1% of $150 is $1.50 and it's only for 90 days, so you have lost the opportunity to earn all of $.37 by paying the gratuities in advance.

 

I realize that some put the prepaid tips on their credit cards and pay significantly higher interest, but for those of us who don't carry balances on our credit cards, paying tips in advance is not exactly a financial disaster.

 

Technically, pre-paid tips can be added at least 4 days before your cruise. I'm on a Feb 11 cruise and still have the option to add pre-paid tips.

 

Because I can't seem to find a clear answer I'll try asking here. If I pre-pay I understand that it is charged to my CC the day I make the payment (today for example). If I opt out of pre-paid gratuities, then what happens? Do I get a bill at the end of the cruise? Am I just expected to add it to my on-board account or is it automatically added?

 

Again, I pay tips but generally don't like to pay for service before I receive said service. I understand the cruise industry is a bit different so I have no problem pre-paying the tips in this case but am curious what happens if I don't.

[cruisestitch]

The standard procedure is that the gratuity/tip/service charge is added on a daily basis to your SeaPass account, starting on about the third day or so you will begin to see them on the account, which you can check on the tv or go to Guest Relations to get a printout. You need do nothing for this to take place -- no form to fill out or anything.

[Sloop-JohnB]

Technically, pre-paid tips can be added at least 4 days before your cruise. I'm on a Feb 11 cruise and still have the option to add pre-paid tips.

 

Because I can't seem to find a clear answer I'll try asking here. If I pre-pay I understand that it is charged to my CC the day I make the payment (today for example). If I opt out of pre-paid gratuities, then what happens? Do I get a bill at the end of the cruise? Am I just expected to add it to my on-board account or is it automatically added?

 

Again, I pay tips but generally don't like to pay for service before I receive said service. I understand the cruise industry is a bit different so I have no problem pre-paying the tips in this case but am curious what happens if I don't.

 

TO TESTING... 123,

 

If you don't pay in advance, then yes with Celebrity the Gratuities (actually as outlined in other topics, this more of a Service Charge* than anything else)... automatically go onto your Onboard Account, that you must settle up when you leave the cruise... be that by pre-authorize credit card, cash, travellers cheques, etc.

 

*NOTE - Service Charges (Gratuities & Tipping)... for more info check out this recent topic here on the CC CELEBRITY BOARD = http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1564290

 

Cheers!

[vermonter16]

I'm on a Feb. 12 sailing and I can't find anywhere to pre-pay my gratuities. I go to Manage my Reservation and go through the whole thing...nothing....