Pre-paying gratuities and Select Dining?

[Highlander1]

Why do selected cruise lines require pre-paying gratuities for "Select Dining" type packages? I have no issue, I think everyone should pay them upfront and then add extra (cash) to the staff that deserve it. But, other than the cash float that they have from your money for 90 days, what other reasons are there for them to require it?

 

Just a discussion we had at work today, and we all came up with how the grats are split, its a different pool, "Select" is more labor intensive for the ship to coordinate and serve, however nothing that should be different from folks gratuities that choose "Set Dining" times.

[Azulann]

in select dining you could have a different wait staff each night. They probably have a different way of dividing the gratuties.

You pre pay not only gratuties, but if you do a ship excusion they must be paid for when they are booked online, also with the beveage package.

i have no problem with pre paying these things. Once I am on board I have already paid for some of my on board expenses.

As for the float with your money, I get aomost nothing from my savings account so maybe I lose about $3.00. LOL

[MicCanberra]

Why do selected cruise lines require pre-paying gratuities for "Select Dining" type packages? I have no issue, I think everyone should pay them upfront and then add extra (cash) to the staff that deserve it. But, other than the cash float that they have from your money for 90 days, what other reasons are there for them to require it?

 

Just a discussion we had at work today, and we all came up with how the grats are split, its a different pool, "Select" is more labor intensive for the ship to coordinate and serve, however nothing that should be different from folks gratuities that choose "Set Dining" times.

 

Don't think of it as a 'Gratuity' but as a 'Dining' or 'Service' charge. And yes it probably makes it easier for them to make sure that total staff are recompensed and if a lot of people prepay they can gain some interest for the six months or more that people have pre-paid. Mic:D

[Bobocasey]

We did Holland America last winter and did their select dining and didn't have to prepay the gratuities.

[Highlander1]

We did Holland America last winter and did their select dining and didn't have to prepay the gratuities.

 

Some cruise lines do not, the question is for the ones that do.

[NukeIT]

It's an interest free loan for celebrity.... Plain and simple

[kayehall]

No...it's to ensure the wait staff for the select dining section receive the correct amount of tips for their hard work.

[biker1972]

If you have the same wait staff for an entire cruise and you have a problem, it would be more believable and you might be able to reduce the gratuity for that person. But with any time dining you would perhaps have several different staff members serving you, so it might be harder to stiff the staff. You are going to pay and by paying ahead you don't have to think about how to avoid a tip. :eek:

[dkjretired]

If you have the same wait staff for an entire cruise and you have a problem, it would be more believable and you might be able to reduce the gratuity for that person. But with any time dining you would perhaps have several different staff members serving you, so it might be harder to stiff the staff. You are going to pay and by paying ahead you don't have to think about how to avoid a tip. :eek:

 

You cannot lower the tips for one person, they will allow you to raise it but you can't lower it. You can also remove all tips and handle a problem by only tipping those you feel deserve it. If you prepaid tips, you can't lower them or remove them.

[WINEMANVISALIA]

so that will solve your concerns...we did this on century...they have wonderful window seats for 2!