Royal Caribbean

[Keri's Cruisin']

If you have tips added daily to your onboard account, can you use any OBC you have to pay these or not?  

Also, does the staff know that you are prepaying/autopaying your tips when you board so they aren't looking for tips at the end?

[Clarea]

56 minutes ago, Keri's Cruisin' said:

If you have tips added daily to your onboard account, can you use any OBC you have to pay these or not?  

Also, does the staff know that you are prepaying/autopaying your tips when you board so they aren't looking for tips at the end?

Royal allows OBC to be used for gratuities.   The staff know if someone has removed gratuities.

[Keri's Cruisin']

Just now, Host Clarea said:

Royal allows OBC to be used for gratuities.   The staff know if someone has removed gratuities.

I plan to prepay my gratuities. I know they know if you don't pay, but are they notified early on/start of cruise, that you did already pay them?  I would like for my room steward to know I paid him/her for their work...

[Clarea]

2 hours ago, Keri's Cruisin' said:

I plan to prepay my gratuities. I know they know if you don't pay, but are they notified early on/start of cruise, that you did already pay them?  I would like for my room steward to know I paid him/her for their work...

 

I only know for sure that the staff are notified if gratuities are removed.   I don't know if they know if tips have been prepaid or if tips are being paid automatically daily.  It may not matter to them because they don't get those tips immediately. 

 

However, if it's important to you, nothing stops you from mentioning to the crew that you have prepaid your tips.

[Underwatr]

If you haven't removed them it doesn't matter from the steward's perspective whether you've paid the gratuities in advance or they're added to your account on a daily basis.

[sunnydays456]

It can be so confusing. You want to make sure everybody's covered. Glad to hear what other people are doing. Thx!

[J&RLOVESTOCRUISE]

I thought on RCCL you could opt out of having the tips added to your bill and pay the people yourself?  This is what my travel agent told us.   True or not?  

[lajbec]

Just prepay or charge your account automatically daily. Easy no brainer. Everybody gets tipped. Zero stress. Zero need to get cash or change. Yes. You can opt out but why stress about it and mess with it? Seriously. Not worth it!

[OCruisers]

20 minutes ago, lajbec said:

Just prepay or charge your account automatically daily. Easy no brainer. Everybody gets tipped. Zero stress. Zero need to get cash or change.

 

Using the auto daily works for us -- makes sure everyone who should be tipped is.

We give additional tips in cash to those we wish.    

[SRF]

10 hours ago, J&RLOVESTOCRUISE said:

I thought on RCCL you could opt out of having the tips added to your bill and pay the people yourself?  This is what my travel agent told us.   True or not?  

 

Yes, but you cannot actually tip all the people who get the auto gratuities.

 

Like the laundry.  The bus boys and waiters in the buffet.  Etc.

 

Leave the auto gratuities in place, and supplement with cash for those who really go above and beyond.