OBC - Gratuity

[Tedferg]

Can On Board Credit from Go Big promotion be used against automatic Gratuity?

 

On Princess OBC and Automatic Gratuity are applied to your account so one washes away the other.

 

However X is offering $155pp OBC or Prepaid Tips for 2. OBC is a better deal on 7 day cruise if it can be applied against gratuity.

[Grandmaanne7]

Yes it can be applied to gratuities and any other charges incurred onboard other than a future cruise deposit. Enjoy!

 

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[CHEZMARYLOU]

If you have select dining then the OBC can not be used to pay the gratuities because they are billed and due at final payment. If you have traditional dining then the gratuities are charged to your account on a daily basis once you sail so the OBC can be used to offset the gratuities.

[Grandmaanne7]

If you have select dining then the OBC can not be used to pay the gratuities because they are billed and due at final payment. If you have traditional dining then the gratuities are charged to your account on a daily basis once you sail so the OBC can be used to offset the gratuities.

Right. I forgot about that little wrinkle.

 

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[Tedferg]

I spoke to a Celebrity Rep and he said Gratuities are the one thing that the Celebrity OBC cannot be used against.

 

Actually on a 7 day cruise the upgrade perk costs more than Gratuities cost.

 

So it seems Classic Beverage Package is a good choice.

[jelayne]

The Celebrity Rep is correct if you have Select dining but incorrect if you have traditional dining. We have used celebrity OBC many times for gratuities as recently as last month.

[Tedferg]

The Celebrity Rep is correct if you have Select dining but incorrect if you have traditional dining. We have used celebrity OBC many times for gratuities as recently as last month.

 

Please tell me more about the dining options - I am a Celebrity novice. We usually do Anytime dining in MDR on Princess as opposed to Set Time or Specialty Restaurants.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I spoke to a Celebrity Rep and he said Gratuities are the one thing that the Celebrity OBC cannot be used against.

 

Actually on a 7 day cruise the upgrade perk costs more than Gratuities cost.

 

So it seems Classic Beverage Package is a good choice.

 

That Celebrity rep is completely out to lunch. OBC is a credit on your account. If gratuities are charged to your account, OBC can be used to offset the charge (or any other charge). I do it all the time.

 

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Celebrity's version of Anytime Dining is Select Dining. You go to the dining room for dinner at the time you choose, I think between 5:30 & 9:00. You have the option of a table for 2 or a larger table with other cruisers. You can make reservations and request to be seated in the same area each night if you liked the wait staff.

 

Traditional Dining gives you a choice of early dining or late dining, not sure of the 2 times.

 

With Select Dining you pay the gratuities at the time of final payment so your OB credit could not be used. Traditional Dining the gratuities are added to your ship board account on a daily basis and the OB credit can be used to offset the charges.

 

Both types of dining are in the main dining room, select is usually on the balcony & traditional on the main floor.

[Tedferg]

Thanks for the clarification. OBC will not work and the added cost for Included Tips is more than the tips at $12.50 Per Person Per Day. $105 each for upgrade versus 7*$25

[chamima]

I have a related question.

Our next cruise is with the 1, 2, 3 go program.(Gratuities, Classic drink package and $300 OBC)

We also have non refundable OBC from booking while onboard so we'll have a LOT of non-refundable OBC.

We usually tip extra in cash at the end of the cruise (this is in addition to the recommended daily gratuity).

Can we use the non-refundable OBC as extra gratuity (as in going to Guest Relations and asking them to increase our daily amounts) and, if so, do the crew IN ANY WAY get penalized for doing it this way instead of giving them cash?

Edited December 24, 2015 by chamima

[az_tchr]

Cannot use OBCN as an extra gratuity - sorry. The Celebrity system only handles standard gratuities according to guest relations on our last cruise.

[MicCanberra]

Cannot use OBCN as an extra gratuity - sorry. The Celebrity system only handles standard gratuities according to guest relations on our last cruise.

 

Interesting, I wouldn't have though it would matter, looks like Cash is king.

[riclop]

Can On Board Credit from Go Big promotion be used against automatic Gratuity?

 

On Princess OBC and Automatic Gratuity are applied to your account so one washes away the other.

 

However X is offering $155pp OBC or Prepaid Tips for 2. OBC is a better deal on 7 day cruise if it can be applied against gratuity.

 

Yes it can be.

[Gig103]

I spoke to a Celebrity Rep and he said Gratuities are the one thing that the Celebrity OBC cannot be used against.

 

Actually on a 7 day cruise the upgrade perk costs more than Gratuities cost.

 

So it seems Classic Beverage Package is a good choice.

 

I had a big box TA tell me the same thing about RCCL. I ignored that little comment, but it's inexcusable that a Celebrity employee would be misleading. Maybe they're instructed to say that so people choose the gratuities which saves Corporate money.

[MicCanberra]

I had a big box TA tell me the same thing about RCCL. I ignored that little comment, but it's inexcusable that a Celebrity employee would be misleading. Maybe they're instructed to say that so people choose the gratuities which saves Corporate money.

 

The amount of mis-information that is out there just makes it so confusing, and then what happens on one ship may differ to another.:(

[chamima]

Can On Board Credit from Go Big promotion be used against automatic Gratuity?

 

On Princess OBC and Automatic Gratuity are applied to your account so one washes away the other.

 

However X is offering $155pp OBC or Prepaid Tips for 2. OBC is a better deal on 7 day cruise if it can be applied against gratuity.

 

 

We have used non-refundable OBC towards the automatic gratuity many, many times in the past. (Same as Princess - it's automatically applied)

I personally am never sure what Celebrity will change for the future! :(

 

One thing I can tell you for sure is that if you want the WORST, NOT RELIABLE INFORMATION - call a phone rep!!!

 

But, if you use it, the beverage package is always the most cost effective perk to choose.

Edited December 26, 2015 by chamima

[MicCanberra]

We have used non-refundable OBC towards the automatic gratuity many, many times in the past. (Same as Princess - it's automatically applied)

I personally am never sure what Celebrity will change for the future! :(

 

One thing I can tell you for sure is that if you want the WORST, NOT RELIABLE INFORMATION - call a phone rep!!!

 

But, if you use it, the beverage package is always the most cost effective perk to choose.

 

Agreed, the drink package is such a good perk for me and as it seems like it is free, I don't feel like I have to keep drinking to get value. The convenience is so good as well.

[royalcruz]

On our cruise last week we had OBC from the future cruise program; each day gratuities were deducted from that. However, the OBC is only on one of the 2 people's accounts, so only that person's gratuities are deducted. Maybe guest relations can fix how that is set up if both people go there together to agree to it?

 

We didn't have an issue because OBC was on one account, and one person's prepaid gratuities was on the other. It's a good idea to check on the tv to see which account your credit is on before you start making purchases.

[korpo024]

We have the 123Go offer (300$ OBC, Classic Bev.Peckage, and prepaid gratuities). Now the prepaid gratuities, I have a question on. We're from Holland and we know nothing about gratuities. Normally you tip as you get good service, or you don't. But on cruises it seems they automatically get tips of off you.

Now we have prepaid gratuities, does this mean that we never have to pay tips? So when we use the Classic Bev.Package and drink a beer, we don't have to pay the 18% gratuities?

I think the whole system of gratuities is very strange but it seems to me that we don't have to care about that anymore with prepaid gratuities

[ChucktownSteve]

On our cruise last week we had OBC from the future cruise program; each day gratuities were deducted from that. However, the OBC is only on one of the 2 people's accounts, so only that person's gratuities are deducted. Maybe guest relations can fix how that is set up if both people go there together to agree to it?

 

We didn't have an issue because OBC was on one account, and one person's prepaid gratuities was on the other. It's a good idea to check on the tv to see which account your credit is on before you start making purchases.

 

I thought the charges debited the person responsible for the cruise's financial obligation. Only when the spousal unit charged something did it specifically show up on their side of the ledger but it debited the same OBC for the account.

 

Did you each sign your own financial agreement? I signed for us both which is why what I mentioned above worked for the full account.

[ChucktownSteve]

We have the 123Go offer (300$ OBC, Classic Bev.Peckage, and prepaid gratuities). Now the prepaid gratuities, I have a question on. We're from Holland and we know nothing about gratuities. Normally you tip as you get good service, or you don't. But on cruises it seems they automatically get tips of off you.

Now we have prepaid gratuities, does this mean that we never have to pay tips? So when we use the Classic Bev.Package and drink a beer, we don't have to pay the 18% gratuities?

I think the whole system of gratuities is very strange but it seems to me that we don't have to care about that anymore with prepaid gratuities

 

Your classic drink package promo includes the gratuities so you don't have to add them or pay additionally. The prepaid gratuities are not for the bar but for the cabin stewards and dinning room servers. If you buy a drink over the classic price limit, you'll have to pay for the full drink plus gratuities.

 

If you upgrade your free classic package to premium package, it will cost 10US$ per day plus the 18% gratuity at upgrade. If you go over the premium package limit, you'll only pay the overage above the limit plus 18% gratuity on the overage amount.

Edited December 27, 2015 by ChucktownSteve

[MicCanberra]

As mentioned, unless you stray from your package all your gratuities should be taken care off.:D

[chamima]

I thought the charges debited the person responsible for the cruise's financial obligation. Only when the spousal unit charged something did it specifically show up on their side of the ledger but it debited the same OBC for the account.

 

Did you each sign your own financial agreement? I signed for us both which is why what I mentioned above worked for the full account.

 

 

Last year we did B2B cruises.

On the first one our accounts were linked and all charges and OBCs were linked.

On the second cruise they gave us separate accounts and it took multiple trips to Guest Relations and some pretty strong insisting on my part to get them to somewhat link them. It was never totally straight .(I think they charged me something like $10 at the end while my husband had a $25 credit left, which I'm not sure ever really got credited back to his credit card.):(

So you never know what you'll get.

Another example of Celebrity's wonderful IT. :(

[MicCanberra]

Last year we did B2B cruises.

On the first one our accounts were linked and all charges and OBCs were linked.

On the second cruise they gave us separate accounts and it took multiple trips to Guest Relations and some pretty strong insisting on my part to get them to somewhat link them. It was never totally straight .(I think they charged me something like $10 at the end while my husband had a $25 credit left, which I'm not sure ever really got credited back to his credit card.):(

So you never know what you'll get.

Another example of Celebrity's wonderful IT. :(

 

Yes, it is a good thing they provide good cruises because their off-cruise service and website can be woeful.