Pre-paying gratuities question...

[LCTXcruiser]

My husband and I have talked about this alot! It irritates the heck out of me that people don't want to tip people for their services. At the end of every cruise you see a long line of people arguing with the service desk that they shouldn't have to tip for this or that.

 

Personally, I think they should remove the tip all together. Instead, they should raise the price accordingly (11 per day per person) and provide the price increase as a bonus to the employees.

 

This would eliminate the whole "I don't want to tip" situation, and the employees of Carnival wouldn't get stiffed.

[LCTXcruiser]

One more thing... after I read my post I thought that it might have looked like I'm saying you personally don't want to tip. Sorry!:( That wasn't my intention. Just saying that it would eliminate a lot issues.

 

Have a great cruise!

[Pine Bluff]

Here is a photo taken by a cruise critic member to end the "rumor"

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/blog/index.php/2011/07/26/tipping-points-will-i-get-bad-service-if-i-opt-out-of-auto-gratuities/

 

The staff knows who removes tips and I love it !!!!

 

:)

 

As I have read many times over, this is from the Splendor Swine flu cruie, which became a cruise to no where as Mexico would not let the ship dock. Such unrest occured that the ship ended up docking in San Fransisco to let angry passenders off, and a list was created to I'd those that were geTting off and had their tips removed.

[pearose]

We prefer to prepay ours with the cruise fare, just to have it done and out of the way and not have to worry about it on board.

 

My question is, for those that want to pay extra, do you just give them cash on the last night of the cruise? Is it still ok to tip cash or do you have to just add/adjust the tips up on your on board account?

[firemanbobswife]

We prefer to prepay ours with the cruise fare, just to have it done and out of the way and not have to worry about it on board.

 

 

 

My question is, for those that want to pay extra, do you just give them cash on the last night of the cruise? Is it still ok to tip cash or do you have to just add/adjust the tips up on your on board account?

 

 

We give cash on top of prepaid gratuities. Saves me a trip to Guest Services and that way I can make sure it goes directly to them.

[Sparky2]

I was told a year & a half ago while onboard the Miracle at the "Future Cruise" desk where I was booking another cruise that if we pre-paid gratuities then we're guaranteed the "best waitstaff" because it was pre-paid.

 

Again, this was told to me by the Carnival Employee who managed the FCC desk. Whether this is true or not? Couldn't tell you because I've always had fantastic waitstaff whether we pre-paid or not.

 

That's a bunch of BS. The employee at the Future Cruise Desk are not always accurate.

[JustCruiseMe]

Here is a photo taken by a cruise critic member to end the "rumor"

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/blog/index.php/2011/07/26/tipping-points-will-i-get-bad-service-if-i-opt-out-of-auto-gratuities/

 

The staff knows who removes tips and I love it !!!!

 

:)

I love it too and I think it ought to be a requirement that if you remove tips it has to be done the first or second day. Give the cruise line enough time to compile the list and let everyone know. That would make sure that the cash tippers would have to let the crew know up front and pretty fast that they prefer to tip in cash and better start doing it right away.

 

As mentioned there was a long line at the service desk the last nite and I knew that most were removing tips I sooooo wanted to hold up a sign that said something like my signature line says or shout to them not to remove their tips...it's shameful.

 

I haven't read one single solitary person who said they remove tips and tip more than the recommended amt...because it doesn't happen.

[Pine Bluff]

I was told a year & a half ago while onboard the Miracle at the "Future Cruise" desk where I was booking another cruise that if we pre-paid gratuities then we're guaranteed the "best waitstaff" because it was pre-paid.

 

Again, this was told to me by the Carnival Employee who managed the FCC desk. Whether this is true or not? Couldn't tell you because I've always had fantastic waitstaff whether we pre-paid or not.

 

And you "bought" this? Just when you thought you heard everything.

[fergusonvt]

If you do MTD don't you have to pre-pay them? I know I did last year and signed up to do it again in 2016.

[cece9922]

We usually prepay because its just easier to not have it on your sign and sail. As for the staff knowing you didn't prepay or removed your gratuities, yes they do know. The only reason I know this is when we were on the Dream two years ago, our room steward left the list of all the rooms he had in our room (by accident of course) and it showed who prepaid, who didn't, and which were removed. I of course had to look and see because it was pretty interesting to see who would actually remove them.

Edited March 14, 2014 by cece9922

[NavarreCruiser]

We always let it be on our s&s card. We always have more than enough obc to cover tips.

[Dixie24]

I always allow them to go on the S&S account. I would think the stewards/waiters might provide worse service to those who prepaid because they already know that they have those guests' tips. They might try to please those who let it hit their S&S account since those people can go remove them from guest services.

[firemanbobswife]

Do you mean I could've gone to the casino and said "give me the money in my on board credit account? I didn't know this.

 

Yes, they would have gave it to you in cash.

Edited March 14, 2014 by firemanbobswife

[nofishforme]

I like to pre pay just one less thing on the bill at the end of the cruise and I like to have a couple fun ship special while in port and on sail away and it just kills me the rest of the week to see a high bill the first day out I know it's all the same in the end

[mrpayroll]

You pay x amount before you go or x amount after you go. Still the same x amount.

[scooby4048]

I prepay always. And then give additional for my room steward, and others that have provided great service.

And I know that the crew knows because on one of my cruises, my ankle had started to hurt and it was swelling making it difficult for me to walk. My room steward would always have a nice bucket in my room with an ice pack for the swelling. He found an ankle brace for me. I paid him extra every night for that, and gave him extra at the end of the cruise for his caring concern. He did not want to take it and had mentioned that my gratuities were prepaid and I shouldn't give him more money. He did eventually take it because I insisted that he did because he didn't have to go out if his way like he did. He was very thankful!!

So long story short, they know when you prepay!!

Edited March 15, 2014 by scooby4048