Prepaid Gratuities

[lincolnlady69]

Hello all,

 

I have just booked and prepaid our excursions on Sapphire Princess for next year.

 

Now I am curious as to why most travellers can pre-pay their gratuity charges for the entire voyage with the exeption of bookings from UK, Australia and New Zealand.

 

Does anyone know why we are the exception?

 

Love to find out the reason, if anyone knows.

 

Regards,

 

Rose

Edited November 18, 2014 by lincolnlady69

[4realrod]

The only reason I can think of is the exchange rate. That is just a guess otherwise there is no valid reason.

[Pam in CA]

First, the "pre-paid" gratuities are not what it says. You are giving yourself OBC in the amount of the "auto-tip" for your cruise. The gratuities will still be charged nightly but will be offset by the credit on your folio.

 

Cruises out of Australia don't charge gratuities since Australians don't generally tip. Instead, they are included in your fare.

[caribill]

Hello all,

 

 

 

Now I am curious as to why most travellers can pre-pay their gratuity charges for the entire voyage with the exeption of bookings from UK, ........

 

 

If you want to pre-pay the gratuity, just call Princess and gift yourself OBC in the amount of the gratuity.

 

All that is different in the USA, Canada, etc. is that gift is marked as gratuities OBC, but the effect is the same.

[cb at sea]

Those countries do NOT tip as a rule...so they include the price of tips in their fare. Otherwise, those folks (most of them, anyway) would never tip! It is not their custom.

Edited November 19, 2014 by cb at sea

[bhopal21]

Actually our folio from a couple weeks back on the Ruby did state "prepaid gratuity" (and so does our final statement).

 

I went to the purser's desk upon boarding and told the young man that I would like to adjust our gratuities and he asked "For both passengers in the cabin?" to which I replied yes and he produced a form for me to sign changing the amount. He was surprised when he noticed that I was increasing the daily hotel charge and then both folios were charged immediately for the new increased total for the cruise.

 

I liked that it was all handled up front and there were no daily charges which made it much easier to scan all of the charges the last evening of our cruise.

 

Mike:)

[marazad16]

Is there an online option to pre-pay or do you have to call? Thanks!

[Gallivanting Souls]

Another question along the same line...Our cruise fare came prepaid gratuities. It shows up in my paperwork (receipt) from my travel agent but not the paperwork you print out from Princess. I am not sure who the prepaid gratuities are from at this point (travel agent vs Princess). I think it was a sale that was running that I caught when I booked, but I am not understanding why it is not showing in my booking summary. Any clues here?

[bhopal21]

Is there an online option to pre-pay or do you have to call? Thanks!

 

No you must call or fax in a form from the Princess website. I find it easier just to call.

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/onboard/gifts_services/onboard_credit/Index.jsp

 

Mike:)

[bhopal21]

Another question along the same line...Our cruise fare came prepaid gratuities. It shows up in my paperwork (receipt) from my travel agent but not the paperwork you print out from Princess. I am not sure who the prepaid gratuities are from at this point (travel agent vs Princess). I think it was a sale that was running that I caught when I booked, but I am not understanding why it is not showing in my booking summary. Any clues here?

 

Prepaid gratuities, cash and other gifts will not show in your cruise personalizer but will be reflected in your onboard account shortly after boarding. I always make a list of these and then do a print out of my account from the kiosk near the purser's desk on the first evening and compare.

 

Mike:)

[aquilegia]

Those countries do NOT tip as a rule...so they include the price of tips in their fare. Otherwise, those folks (most of them, anyway) would never tip! It is not their custom.

 

Which countries are you talking about? This is not true of bookings in the UK. The gratuities are not included in the fare and are charged daily on board at the same rate as US bookings.

[antsp]

Those countries do NOT tip as a rule...so they include the price of tips in their fare. Otherwise, those folks (most of them, anyway) would never tip! It is not their custom.

 

Wow, that's some sweeping statement. I could almost take offence but I know you are obviously joking.

[lincolnlady69]

Sorry, please don't fall out and thank you all for the replies. It really isn't that important, I was just curious. Below is the link that made me think about it. (I hope it works)

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/onboard/gifts_services/onboard_credit/Index.jsp

 

 

I have just checked with our Travel Agent and they confirmed our (UK) gratuities are definitely not prepaid unless agreed at time of booking.

 

I will take Pam's advice and just 'gift credit' to myself.

 

The only reason I wanted to do this was with excursions booked and paid and gratuities pre-paid, everything esle could be spent on whatever I feel like.

 

Thanks again everyone.

[lincolnlady69]

Should have said thanks for the advice about onboard credit to Caribill and explanation of this from Pam from CA

[Balloon Man]

I know this will annoy my friends in the USA, but the need to tip is your fault. Everywhere else in the world we expect to pay for what we get. And if we get exceptional service we add something. In the USA tipping has become an additional tax.

[joybook]

I take exception to the statement that Aussies don't tip. Aussies do tip but normally it is for service above what should normally be expected from an employee. I (and I am sure there are many others around the world) object to having to tip someone just because they are doing their job (as you have to in USA). The impressions that Aussies don't tip comes from a situation in Australia where we are paid fair wages/salaries therefore we don't have to rely on tips to supplement my wages. My understanding is that if US employers paid appropriate/fair wages then the tipping issue would not be such an impost on people from the rest of the world.

 

There, that will get people (particularly in the US) stirred up.

[Gallivanting Souls]

Prepaid gratuities, cash and other gifts will not show in your cruise personalizer but will be reflected in your onboard account shortly after boarding. I always make a list of these and then do a print out of my account from the kiosk near the purser's desk on the first evening and compare.

 

Mike:)

 

Mike,

Thank you! Another thing to add to my list.

[Jimmys Chippy]

I take exception to the statement that Aussies don't tip. Aussies do tip but normally it is for service above what should normally be expected from an employee. I (and I am sure there are many others around the world) object to having to tip someone just because they are doing their job (as you have to in USA). The impressions that Aussies don't tip comes from a situation in Australia where we are paid fair wages/salaries therefore we don't have to rely on tips to supplement my wages. My understanding is that if US employers paid appropriate/fair wages then the tipping issue would not be such an impost on people from the rest of the world.

 

There, that will get people (particularly in the US) stirred up.

 

There is a lot of truth in what you say.

 

However.

 

When on a cruise ship you are not in the UK/Australia so you abide by the customs of life on board that vessel, and the custom on a cruise ship is to tip certain sections of the crew.

 

Pay the $12 per day and move on.

[Jimmys Chippy]

In the USA tipping has become an additional tax.

 

But on a cruise ship it's a "tax" that people know they will be expected to pay when they book their holiday. British people can use the ethical, cultural or "I like to tip personally" rubbish all they like, the fact is they'd rather keep the £7 per day in their pockets than put it in someone else's.

 

And that's not all British people by the way, but a bloody big chunk of them.

[pablo222]

I take exception to the statement that Aussies don't tip.

 

This post has a contrary opinion:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=44782034&postcount=34

 

I have always respected Bruce's opinion here.