Gratuities, first time with prepay

[Snostar]

We will soon be boarding our first Carnival cruise! This cruise was a gift from my father and gratuities have been prepaid. On my past cruises I gave gratuities in cash and I am rethinking the prepay. I enjoyed handing them out so the staff could immediately be rewarded. Would Carnival credit me with OBC if I request this?

 

If I hadn't done the prepaid would Carnival automatically place the charge on my S & S account?

[sparks1093]

We will soon be boarding our first Carnival cruise! This cruise was a gift from my father and gratuities have been prepaid. On my past cruises I gave gratuities in cash and I am rethinking the prepay. I enjoyed handing them out so the staff could immediately be rewarded. Would Carnival credit me with OBC if I request this?

 

If I hadn't done the prepaid would Carnival automatically place the charge on my S & S account?

 

Yes, if you hadn't done the prepaid CCL would have automatically charged your sail and sign account for the gratuities. It's probably easiest all the way around to leave the prepaid gratuities alone unless you have reason to adjust them because of substandard service.

[MrPete]

We will soon be boarding our first Carnival cruise! This cruise was a gift from my father and gratuities have been prepaid. On my past cruises I gave gratuities in cash and I am rethinking the prepay. I enjoyed handing them out so the staff could immediately be rewarded. Would Carnival credit me with OBC if I request this?

 

If I hadn't done the prepaid would Carnival automatically place the charge on my S & S account?

 

Certainly. You can have them removed, which will credit your S&S account, and then tip them in cash, but it's an unnecessary nuisance which seems to be only gratifying you. Tipping should be about them.

[k2excursion]

I see that you have good intentions with what you want to do, but it is actually easier and better for the staff if you leave it alone the way it is. They send most of their money back home anyway. You don't see all the people that have a part in serving you, so if all your tipping is done face-to-face, some people will not get what they deserve. The standard tip amounts take care of those people as well as the ones you see.

[Cushing985]

You can't possibly tip all of those who are included in the auto-tips so would just leave them and adjust as necessary. Why would you want to complicate this?

[SMSACE6]

I agree that it is better to leave the prepaid gratuities in place. You can always tip a few dollars extra to those who gave you great service.:)

[serene56]

Let me chime in too- its easier to leave them be.

 

At least you know your service people are taken care of-- if someone goes above and beyond your expectations then tip extra at the end of the week.

 

There are a few people behind the scenes that you will not see but will be making your meals enjoyable too.

these people are included in that automatic tips

[MissMeggieMurphy]

i knew someone who tipping was all about a server thinking he was an exceptional human being because he tipped them above and beyond the expected amount and he made sure everybody around him knew just how generous to the help he was. this made him feel like he was the lord and master and was steps above the poor lowly servant because he could afford to be extra generous and he felt that the others were awed by his gesture. stupid man.

[kikikoko]

Yes, if you hadn't done the prepaid CCL would have automatically charged your sail and sign account for the gratuities. It's probably easiest all the way around to leave the prepaid gratuities alone unless you have reason to adjust them because of substandard service.

 

 

Hi, you are going to have a great time on your cruise. We leave the Gratuites on the sing and sail card BUT tip the cabin steward 20.00 first day in cash and allways have a couple of bucks on hand for room service. We don't want for anything. We leave a small tip at the end as a personal Thank you for the speacial care they have given us. :):)

[Rottweiler Puppy]

Hi, you are going to have a great time on your cruise. We leave the Gratuites on the sing and sail card BUT tip the cabin steward 20.00 first day in cash and allways have a couple of bucks on hand for room service. We don't want for anything. We leave a small tip at the end as a personal Thank you for the speacial care they have given us. :):)

 

Why tip him on the first day? They havent provided a service yet. Not sure I understand but if its right with you, I wont argue. Just wondering though.

[kikikoko]

Why tip him on the first day? They havent provided a service yet. Not sure I understand but if its right with you, I wont argue. Just wondering though.

 

Tipping first day makes sure He are She know we care about them and they really care about anything we may need. Try it nice people get nice treatment.:):)

[sparks1093]

Tipping first day makes sure He are She know we care about them and they really care about anything we may need. Try it nice people get nice treatment.:):)

 

I can be nice without greasing somebody's palm;). If the service at the end of the cruise warrants then I will leave more than.

[MrPete]

Tipping first day makes sure He are She know we care about them and they really care about anything we may need. Try it nice people get nice treatment.:):)

 

If you owned a business, would you pay any employee before they did anything? Would that show you cared about them?

[serene56]

Tipping first day makes sure He are She know we care about them and they really care about anything we may need. Try it nice people get nice treatment.:):)

 

 

In my last few cruises I never even saw the cabin steward. I dont need to. If I want something-- I will leave a note. As long as my room is made up and i get clean towels-- im a happy camper

[kikikoko]

If you owned a business, would you pay any employee before they did anything? Would that show you cared about them?

 

Actually We have rent houses and renters do pay rent and deposits before they move in to our houses and we do care about them. The people that take care of us on the cruise are paid by Carinal. The extry money we give them is a Thank you for what they are going to do for us. Try being nice it works a lot better than being a pain to be avoided.

[luddite]

Since the cruise is gratis. And the 'gratuities' (which they are not, they are the crew's paycheck) are gratis, here's a thought....leave things in place ( remember, it hasn't cost you anything yet) and then tip the people that you are wanting to impress and reward. It still won't cost you very much when compared to the gratis trip that you've been given.

 

This plan would also be a time-saver for you.

[MrPete]

Actually We have rent houses and renters do pay rent and deposits before they move in to our houses and we do care about them. The people that take care of us on the cruise are paid by Carinal. The extry money we give them is a Thank you for what they are going to do for us. Try being nice it works a lot better than being a pain to be avoided.

 

Your anology works for fares, not tips.

[GTO-Girl]

Tipping first day makes sure He are She know we care about them and they really care about anything we may need. Try it nice people get nice treatment.:):)

 

 

We have NEVER tipped anything upfront and have ALWAYS received the same excellent service. We do tip extra on the last day......

[ray98]

Leave them in place if you are really concerned about the servers. If you are trying for the 'hey look at me moment' so someone will gush thanks and admirations to you then do it the hard way.

[Rottweiler Puppy]

Tipping first day makes sure He are She know we care about them and they really care about anything we may need. Try it nice people get nice treatment.:):)

 

Wait, are you saying if I dont tip up front before service that I am not a nice person? I don't get your last sentence and why you said that. Please clarify.

 

I am a nice person. I dont tip up front and I get very nice treatment. In fact, the service could not possibly have been better even if I gave them a $100 up front. I don't see how giving someone money first before service makes them a nicer person than anyone else.

 

If you do it because it make you feel good then thats fine, I just dont see how doing it makes you any nicer than someone who does not.

[Rottweiler Puppy]

Try being nice it works a lot better than being a pain to be avoided.

 

Again. Why do you keep on making it that giving money makes you a nicer person than others? If one does not tip/bribe them up front, staff will avoid you? It seems that you feel that they are incapable and or unwilling to do a good job unless you tip them before hand. Thats kind of insulting to them.

 

I didnt really want to argue it but you are insinuating I and other are not nice people and that the staff are not to be trusted unless you bribe them first. I cannot let that stand of it is indeed true. It may not be your intention but it sure comes off that way a little. Perhaps not intentionally.

 

It can be honorable in some cases or intent, BUT from your reasoning it does seem that you are saying if one does not pre pay, they are not nice people and the staff only work good when tipped good right up front. That kind of turns it into a bribe.

 

I can definitely be taking it wrong though, but your insinuations of money = nice, and no pre tip = lazy service and avoidance from staff comes off pretty strongly. I really don't want to think that of you though, please clarify why you keep saying tipping makes one nicer and why you feel staff will avoid you if you don't pretip cash? Do you honestly think the staff will do a poor job or avoid you if you don't tip them cash up front.

[Snostar]

Thank you to the very first post reply for answering my question!

 

Thank you to those who added that the paid gratuities actually get split among other staff members beside those specified in Carnival documentation. No wonder every staff member I asked which they would prefer reply, "cash in hand" or something of that sort. That would mean more for them individually. I always tip above and beyond, never below.

 

Those of you that made assumptions of grandiose intentions just reassured me this world is still full of judgmental ignorance.

[hank in ohio]

We also like to hand the tips out personally. To be honest it DOES MAKE ME FEEL BETTER to do it personally. I get a warm feeling, the staff get something deserved for their hard work, win-win.

If I have received no service which I thought was extra special, or I just feel lazy, I leave the auto tips on. If those whom have taken care of me during the cruise were extra special, I take my auto tips off, divide up in envelopes for each, add in any extra that I think is deserved and hand to them personally. I give the envelope discretly with a heartfelt handshake or hug, and tell the person how special they have made my cruise, and usually have someone take our picture with the person.

I know many will disagree with this. Some will preach how wrong I am. A few will shout how big an ass I am for doing it this way. This is the way it was done when we started cruiseing, we like, we do it, and will continue to do it. Sorry

[hank in ohio]

:o sorry to not clearly answer the original ?:o, but yes you can have the gratuities removed from your account. Haveing never prepaid for them I'm not sure how the charge back would work, but at the least it should be an onboard credit. Then you would be free to tip personally as you see fit.

[sparks1093]

We also like to hand the tips out personally. To be honest it DOES MAKE ME FEEL BETTER to do it personally. I get a warm feeling, the staff get something deserved for their hard work, win-win.

If I have received no service which I thought was extra special, or I just feel lazy, I leave the auto tips on. If those whom have taken care of me during the cruise were extra special, I take my auto tips off, divide up in envelopes for each, add in any extra that I think is deserved and hand to them personally. I give the envelope discretly with a heartfelt handshake or hug, and tell the person how special they have made my cruise, and usually have someone take our picture with the person.

I know many will disagree with this. Some will preach how wrong I am. A few will shout how big an ass I am for doing it this way. This is the way it was done when we started cruiseing, we like, we do it, and will continue to do it. Sorry

 

Hey, if you want to work that hard to make yourself feel better than go for it;). I don't want to work that hard, so I just leave the autotips in place and tip extra if warranted.