On board spending & graturities?

[Southendweather]

Was just wondering with the Select Price, that gives you on-board spending, whether, if you don't use you full amount, it can go against the graturities on the final balance at the end of your cruise? Another words if you have £200 on board credit, can it be used to offset that charge?:confused:

 

Just weighing up the options.

 

Keith (Southend)

[Florry]

Yes, your account will be credited with the OBC and gratuities will be one of the debits, so essentially they along with other expenses are paid from this.

 

 

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Edited October 9, 2016 by Florry

[PRINCESSTHE BEST]

Was just wondering with the Select Price, that gives you on-board spending, whether, if you don't use you full amount, it can go against the graturities on the final balance at the end of your cruise? Another words if you have £200 on board credit, can it be used to offset that charge?:confused:

 

Just weighing up the options.

 

Keith (Southend)

 

Gratuities normally go on your on board account on the first day, so your OBC is normally swallowed up before you have chance to use it!:(

[Southendweather]

Gratuities normally go on your on board account on the first day, so your OBC is normally swallowed up before you have chance to use it!:(

 

Thank you for your reply.

Although you can use your on-board spending for trips, you can't until you are on the cruise, so there is always the risk of finding the trip you fancy fully booked from bookings done on-line through the personaliser prior to departure. We were lucky when doing the Fjords last June as we had pre-booked and paid for many trip prior to departure, many were disappointed there were no places available.

Of course, until you book, you don't know how much onboard spending you will get and how much the cabin selected will be, as the magic "from" or "Up to" is a bit like quick sand :rolleyes:

 

Keith (Southend)

[Florry]

Thank you for your reply.

Although you can use your on-board spending for trips, you can't until you are on the cruise, so there is always the risk of finding the trip you fancy fully booked from bookings done on-line through the personaliser prior to departure. We were lucky when doing the Fjords last June as we had pre-booked and paid for many trip prior to departure, many were disappointed there were no places available.

Of course, until you book, you don't know how much onboard spending you will get and how much the cabin selected will be, as the magic "from" or "Up to" is a bit like quick sand :rolleyes:

 

Keith (Southend)

 

 

Sums it up [emoji3]

 

 

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[Mrsvemb]

I read on one of the forums recently that gratuities are now taken off at the end of the cruise. This means that on board expenses, trips etc that attract the peninsular discount come out of the OBC, so no discount has to be given.

 

When the gratuities were charged at the beginning of the cruise, they were taken/part taken out of OBC leaving your on board expenses to attract the discount.

 

More penny pinching!!!

 

Val

[P&O SUE]

I've just come back from an Azura cruise and our grats were still taken off first day.

 

 

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[the english lady]

I read on one of the forums recently that gratuities are now taken off at the end of the cruise. This means that on board expenses, trips etc that attract the peninsular discount come out of the OBC, so no discount has to be given.

 

When the gratuities were charged at the beginning of the cruise, they were taken/part taken out of OBC leaving your on board expenses to attract the discount.

 

More penny pinching!!!

 

Val

 

Maybe don't always trust what you read on the forums. As other posters have said the grats are taken from your account on the first day. So no penny pinching.

After the grats are taken out we still have credit left for tours etc. On our last b2b 1st cruise we ended up paying pando £35, from spending on the last but one day ,2nd cruise we were even stevens. So we rarely get our peninsular discount as the OBC covers things.

[Balaena]

Recent cruises on Ventura and Britannia were taken half way through the cruise. While at reception on the embarkation day there was a queue of people who wanted to cancel their gratuities. An officer came along and told them that grats would not be posted to their accounts until later in the cruise in order for them to evaluate the services provided.

Bal

[sapphire4]

just off the Britannia. On our 12 day cruise the gratuities were taken off day 2 and the very last night. Split evenly.

[Millers]

On board spend is reducing year by year

 

 

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[the english lady]

Recent cruises on Ventura and Britannia were taken half way through the cruise. While at reception on the embarkation day there was a queue of people who wanted to cancel their gratuities. An officer came along and told them that grats would not be posted to their accounts until later in the cruise in order for them to evaluate the services provided.

Bal

 

Maybe if a lot of people wanted to cancel, they said what they did so people could decide if they still wanted to take them off after a few days.

Always wonder why people want to take them off. They are only a very small amount.we leave in place and don't have to worry about anything further.

[Millers]

This old chestnut keeps cropping up, I sometimes wonder if it is sometimes instigated by the cruise companies to test the water. (Conspiracy theory-too many TVs drama). But please remember not everybody is in the same wage/income bracket but want to experience cruising, and therefore, need to do it on a tight budget.

 

 

 

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[davecttr]

This old chestnut keeps cropping up, I sometimes wonder if it is sometimes instigated by the cruise companies to test the water. (Conspiracy theory-too many TVs drama). But please remember not everybody is in the same wage/income bracket but want to experience cruising, and therefore, need to do it on a tight budget.

 

 

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That means that those on a tight budget who remove the auto tips are getting subsidised by the rest of us who leave the tips on. I am not a charity!. Roll the tips into the fare like the posh cruise lines and Thomson and then everyone pays.

[Millers]

[emoji26][emoji26][emoji25][emoji26]

 

 

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[the english lady]

This old chestnut keeps cropping up, I sometimes wonder if it is sometimes instigated by the cruise companies to test the water. (Conspiracy theory-too many TVs drama). But please remember not everybody is in the same wage/income bracket but want to experience cruising, and therefore, need to do it on a tight budget.

 

 

 

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Ok not everyone is on the same wage etc.

However if money is that tight..do they also cut down on drinking in the bars or eating in speciality options.

I really wish they would include in the headline fare..has been posted numerous times why they may not be.

However they don't.

I hope none of the on a tight budget go on an American cruise line....grats on there are at least double pando's per day.

I would like to do 4 cruises a year in a full suite each time....I cant afford to so I don't do it. One should cut ones cloth according to ones means and factor in the grats when you are working out the price of a cruise.It really is not that much.

[Millers]

[emoji81][emoji81][emoji81][emoji81][emoji81]

 

 

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[the english lady]

[emoji81][emoji81][emoji81][emoji81][emoji81]

 

 

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Millers sorry :( but I still stand by what I said. Factor in the cost of the grats when you are working out the cost of the cruise.

We all have somethings in life we cannot afford, but if that is the case we say, cant afford it..not well I can just about afford it, and I should be able to do it.

[terrierjohn]

I read on one of the forums recently that gratuities are now taken off at the end of the cruise. This means that on board expenses, trips etc that attract the peninsular discount come out of the OBC, so no discount has to be given.

 

When the gratuities were charged at the beginning of the cruise, they were taken/part taken out of OBC leaving your on board expenses to attract the discount.

 

More penny pinching!!!

 

Val

It does not matter when items are charged to your account if you are going to spend all your OBC, which most people do, then only the excess bit of spend will be subject to your Peninsular discount.

So whether grats go on day 2 or last day you end up with exactly the same final bill.

About the only things not subject to discount or chargeable against OBC, are future cruise payments or deposits.

[terrierjohn]

I read on one of the forums recently that gratuities are now taken off at the end of the cruise. This means that on board expenses, trips etc that attract the peninsular discount come out of the OBC, so no discount has to be given.

 

When the gratuities were charged at the beginning of the cruise, they were taken/part taken out of OBC leaving your on board expenses to attract the discount.

 

More penny pinching!!!

 

Val

It does not matter when items are charged to your account if you are going to spend all your OBC, which most people do, then only the excess bit of spend will be subject to your Peninsular discount.

So whether grats go on day 2 or last day you end up with exactly the same final bill.

About the only things not subject to discount or chargeable against OBC, are future cruise payments or deposits, and deleting the grats does not influence the nett spend, unless you're a tight wad añd do not pay them in cash.

[Josy1953]

On Azura in July they did not appear until about 2 days before the end of the cruise and they did use up what was left of our OBC. We rather cynically thought that it was another penny pinching act by P&O because they didn't have to give us as much Peninsular Club discount as everything up to that point came out of our OBC. I will look forward with anticipation to see how it is handled when we go next week and then again in December. No matter what they do about gratuities we will still cruise, though I would prefer that the gratuities were rolled into the headline price because as others have said those of us who pay up are subsidising those who remove/reduce their contribution.

[terrierjohn]

On Azura in July they did not appear until about 2 days before the end of the cruise and they did use up what was left of our OBC. We rather cynically thought that it was another penny pinching act by P&O because they didn't have to give us as much Peninsular Club discount as everything up to that point came out of our OBC. I will look forward with anticipation to see how it is handled when we go next week and then again in December. No matter what they do about gratuities we will still cruise, though I would prefer that the gratuities were rolled into the headline price because as others have said those of us who pay up are subsidising those who remove/reduce their contribution.

Josy, I am sure P&O would delete your OBC, if you asked them, and then of course you would get discount on everything.:rolleyes:

[Mrsvemb]

It does not matter when items are charged to your account if you are going to spend all your OBC, which most people do, then only the excess bit of spend will be subject to your Peninsular discount.

So whether grats go on day 2 or last day you end up with exactly the same final bill.

About the only things not subject to discount or chargeable against OBC, are future cruise payments or deposits, and deleting the grats does not influence the nett spend, unless you're a tight wad añd do not pay them in cash.

It does make a difference. Let's say you have £300 OBC. Gratuities are £150. You then build up an on board spend of £500.

If the Gratuities come off of your account at the beginning of the cruise, once you have used the remaining £150 OBC then you will get peninsular discount on £350 of you on board spend. This would be £35 if you are in top tier

If the grats are taken off of your account at the end of the cruise, then the first £300 spent will just use your OBC. You will then get peninsular discount on just £200. This would be £20.

I agree with others who would prefer the grats to be included in the cruise price so that everyone has to pay. Since the grats have been charged to the account, we still find ourselves giving extra in envelopes.

 

Val

[terrierjohn]

It does make a difference. Let's say you have £300 OBC. Gratuities are £150. You then build up an on board spend of £500.

If the Gratuities come off of your account at the beginning of the cruise, once you have used the remaining £150 OBC then you will get peninsular discount on £350 of you on board spend. This would be £35 if you are in top tier

If the grats are taken off of your account at the end of the cruise, then the first £300 spent will just use your OBC. You will then get peninsular discount on just £200. This would be £20.

I agree with others who would prefer the grats to be included in the cruise price so that everyone has to pay. Since the grats have been charged to the account, we still find ourselves giving extra in envelopes.

 

Val

Val, not sure how you worked out the above but I don't think it is correct.

Either way you have a total spend of £650, deduct your OBC and you have a nett spend of £350, and regardless of when the grats are charged you will get your peninsular discount on the entire £350.

I suggest you check your final bill more carefully in future.

[Ataraxia]

On Azura in July they did not appear until about 2 days before the end of the cruise and they did use up what was left of our OBC. We rather cynically thought that it was another penny pinching act by P&O because they didn't have to give us as much Peninsular Club discount as everything up to that point came out of our OBC.

 

Glad you are not my accountant

Edited October 10, 2016 by Ataraxia