Pay gratuities after final payment?

[bar1068]

Anyone done this, paid tips after making final payment, but before getting onboard?

Edited June 12, 2014 by bar1068

[jordanaire]

Yep, not a problem. Just call your travel agent or Carnival PVP and they should be able to take care of it for you. Worked for me several times.

 

:cool: Bill

[Purvis1231]

Yes, this is the way I do it. A week or so before the cruise I call and prepay the tips and purchase some cruise cash (obc).

[Jana60]

Anyone done this, paid tips after making final payment, but before getting onboard?

 

No, I never give anyone my money until I must. I figure why should I give anyone a free loan? My money is better off in MY bank account earning interest as long as possible. In fact I do the opposite. I will often pay with credit card even if I have the money sitting in my bank account just so that my money can stay in the bank earning interest for another month and so I get rewards points on my credit cards. I have my credit cards set up to pay off in full on the day due so I never pay interest.

[aqua blue me]

I would wait till the absolute last minutes if there is a possibility you might end up with obc to cover it.

 

 

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[092306]

We always do this. Would rather pre-pay and not have it on the S&S. We call Carnival and do it, easy process.

[cruizinisthebest]

Yes, this is the way I do it. A week or so before the cruise I call and prepay the tips and purchase some cruise cash (obc).

 

Thank you for giving this time frame. I want to pay ours the week before we leave. I'm very specific about exactly how and when I pay for things when it comes to vacation spending. Now I know a week before isn't too late.

[bar1068]

Thanks for the replies, though I realize I worded my question somewhat poorly..we've pre-paid our tips several times on past cruises, but pretty much always when we made final payment. Just for simplicity, I'm going to pay off a cruise balance with a gift card, then after that final payment is made, contact Carnival and pre-pay our tips....Carnival has also told me this is do-able...So I think we're good.

[sparks1093]

Thanks for the replies, though I realize I worded my question somewhat poorly..we've pre-paid our tips several times on past cruises, but pretty much always when we made final payment. Just for simplicity, I'm going to pay off a cruise balance with a gift card, then after that final payment is made, contact Carnival and pre-pay our tips....Carnival has also told me this is do-able...So I think we're good.

 

I've done this on both NCL and CCL. The amount of interest I would earn if I held on to it is something like half a penny.

[golfadj]

I've done this on both NCL and CCL. The amount of interest I would earn if I held on to it is something like half a penny.

 

Interest now would be very small given current interest rates but never saw the point of paying bills early unless we get some sort of discount.

 

OP they will be happy to take your money at anytime.

[Need-a-vacation]

I just did this a couple weeks ago. Called carnival about a week before sailing and paid the gratuities with the credit card. We booked after final payment date, so the total fare was durr at time of booking. I waited for a couple reasons - we weren't sure if we wanted to Pre pay and to spread the costs over a couple billing cycles

 

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[golfadj]

I just did this a couple weeks ago. Called carnival about a week before sailing and paid the gratuities with the credit card. We booked after final payment date, so the total fare was durr at time of booking. I waited for a couple reasons - we weren't sure if we wanted to Pre pay and to spread the costs over a couple billing cycles

 

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An observation though. If you waited and left it on your account the several billing cycles would start later.

 

Wouldnt that be better?

[bar1068]

Interest now would be very small given current interest rates but never saw the point of paying bills early unless we get some sort of discount.

 

OP they will be happy to take your money at anytime.

 

Yea...do let us know when the gratuities are discounted...though I suppose it'll be easy to spot when that happens...CC will have a major meltdown

[cruzinlisa]

Yep, just call them and tell them you want to pay them. I usually do it about 2-4 weeks before sailing. I am not sure what their cut off is. I have done it on my last 3 Carnival cruises, so I know it can be done.

[cruzinlisa]

Yea...do let us know when the gratuities are discounted...though I suppose it'll be easy to spot when that happens...CC will have a major meltdown

 

It would actually be a decent promo for them to offer. It would sure make more people pre-pay grats, they would get the money sooner and it would generate some publicity. Of course what they would be more likely to do, is "raise" the amounts for grats, then say if you prepay before your sail, you get it for a lower rate (which is the current rate). That sounds more like them.

[tbbtravels]

We added it to our upcoming cruise. I had to go through booking on the carnival website to book this trip. So I added it on myself.

 

This will be our first time pre-paying tip fees.

[Need-a-vacation]

An observation though. If you waited and left it on your account the several billing cycles would start later.

 

Wouldnt that be better?

I think you are saying that just letting them default at the end of the cruise would allow the latest hit to the cc? That is true, but I just wanted it done. With the timing of our bill cycle, we could also have the tips on a different cycle than our other on board expenses. doesn't really matter - more of a mind game with myself than any true need.

 

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[oldvato]

We paid in advance on our first cruise, and then we also tipped extra, the Cabin crew, and the server and assistant server in the main dinning room. We were really impressed with the service.

 

On other cruises, we pay it when they add it to the cabin and we settle the account at the end. Usually we just pay off what's been added to the account with cash. This time, we have an OBC, so we will take care of it with that.

Edited June 13, 2014 by oldvato

[Not_Done_Living]

we pay i advance, but being Canadian -- we have to chart the flux of the ever changing exchange rate --

[jandb6266]

I just called my PVP at carnival and we are sailing on the pride on sept. 14 2014. He told me I could wait until September, 01 2014 to pay. My final payment is due on July, 1 and they will get it on june, 30. Better in my bank then theirs.

[Disconnections]

It would actually be a decent promo for them to offer. It would sure make more people pre-pay grats, they would get the money sooner and it would generate some publicity. Of course what they would be more likely to do, is "raise" the amounts for grats, then say if you prepay before your sail, you get it for a lower rate (which is the current rate). That sounds more like them.

 

It wouldn't be the first time they raised the automatic gratuity and grandfathered those who prepaid at the old rate. The reasoning was Carnival "felt" the crew deserved a raise. Instead of raising their salary (yes - all crew members, including those in tipped positions, earn a salary,) Carnival increased the recommended automatic gratuity.

[sjcruiser]

We do is as we get closer to our cruise. We have obc for this cruise, and it will cover the gratuities for one, so we'll go on and pay the gratuities for both, along with adding some funds/gift cards/carnival cash to the account in the weeks before the cruise. You can do it online at the booking information site, or through a representative.

[ibcnusoon]

Thank you for giving this time frame. I want to pay ours the week before we leave. I'm very specific about exactly how and when I pay for things when it comes to vacation spending. Now I know a week before isn't too late.

 

I just called yesterday to prepaid our tips and we are cruising in 5 days , you probably could do it even the day before since as soon as the payment was approved over the phone the prepaid tips showed up on my invoice. I like going on the ship with a $0 balance and not see those pesky $11.50 charges every day. :) We don't have any OBC because it was a free cruise.

Edited June 13, 2014 by ibcnusoon

[Badfinger]

A penny is about it. And of course you have to pay taxes on that (in theory) next year!