How do prepaid gratuities work with a TA?

[kwazi07]

Hi everyone!

 

We are about to book an excursion we were just calculating our OBC we are getting from RC and from our TA. I noticed on our invoice from our TA it shows that we have prepaid gratuities for two from the TA. I already emailed her, but she won't be back in the office until Monday. My question is, how do "free" grats from your TA work? We're used to regular OBC where it shows up in your account and tips are just deducted from there, but we've never had it covered by a TA. Does this show up in your onboard account as well?

 

Also, any difference between money towards an "onboard amenity package" and OBC? We like to use OBC to cover tips. I know these may be TA specific questions but maybe someone might know!

[njkruzer]

When we've had prepaid gratuities I think it showed the charge on your account each day and then showed it being paid. I think those were from RCI. I assume, but may be wrong, it works the same from a TA. Obc, whether from RCI or from a TA, show as a credit on your account statement and that charges are billed against.

[Clarea]

Hi everyone!

 

We are about to book an excursion we were just calculating our OBC we are getting from RC and from our TA. I noticed on our invoice from our TA it shows that we have prepaid gratuities for two from the TA. I already emailed her, but she won't be back in the office until Monday. My question is, how do "free" grats from your TA work? We're used to regular OBC where it shows up in your account and tips are just deducted from there, but we've never had it covered by a TA. Does this show up in your onboard account as well?

 

Also, any difference between money towards an "onboard amenity package" and OBC? We like to use OBC to cover tips. I know these may be TA specific questions but maybe someone might know!

I would ask the TA for sure, because each may do it differently. You may have true prepaid grats, which are totally paid before the cruise, or you may have OBC to cover daily automatic gratuities.

[papaflamingo]

If it shows on your booking confirmation that gratuities are prepaid then you won't be charged on board. I would take a copy with you just in case though. We have prepaid ourselves a few times. I can't remember if it showed the gratuity then showed a credit on the daily account. I think that gratuities were simply never charged on the account. The crew, by the way, knows if you've prepaid or not. So no worry there.

[matj2000]

You really shouldn't have to do anything, it basically takes care of itself.

In the past it showed a daily charge & credit for each person in the room which made it very confusing mixed in with all the other charges.

Our last trip it didn't post a daily charge which made it very simple. However that was on their newest ship so many things were different than the rest.

I usually go down to GS early on and confirm the gratuities just to be sure.

We only had issues 1 time were they didn't show up.

So GS had me call the TA while at sea(no charge} and it was fixed...