Gratuity

[IMDINA1201]

Our first cruise is booked for October 2019.  We're very excited but have so many questions.  I received an email today letting me know that the daily gratuity amount will be higher effective 12-1-2018. I'm being given the option to pay it now vs. when the amount goes up.  Anybody have an opinion about this?  

[kerryincork]

Pay it now.

 

If you don't the daily amount will be added to your account and you pay with whichever card you linked to your cabin.

 

I personally like to have it paid upfront with my cruise fare, I find it easier to track my spending on board this way.

[IMDINA1201]

Thank you Kerry!  That helps!

[paul929207]

Everyone who has booked with your cruise line for cruises after December 1 is being given this option. I agree with Kerry, pay now

[Toofarfromthesea]

2 hours ago, IMDINA1201 said:

Our first cruise is booked for October 2019.  We're very excited but have so many questions.  I received an email today letting me know that the daily gratuity amount will be higher effective 12-1-2018. I'm being given the option to pay it now vs. when the amount goes up.  Anybody have an opinion about this?  

Pay it now if it is convenient, but really, it probably didn't go up enough to really make much of a difference.  On a 7 day cruise for 2 people we are talking about less than $30, assuming it didn't go up more than $2/day.  Personally, that is too small an amount to affect my actions in any way.  YMMV

[Krazy Kruizers]

I don't care how long the cruise is, I would pay them now.

 

If you have to cancel, you will get that money back.

[cb at sea]

Pay it now, and you'll pay less.  You always have the option to add more, if you feel the need.

[leaveitallbehind]

Just an option to consider.  Depending on cruise line (RCI and Celebrity as examples), if you have an on board credit with your booking, that amount is applied to any on board charge made you your account.  If you decide to wait and have the gratuity charged daily to your account, that OBC will be applied to it versus you paying for it in advance out of your pocket.  If that OBC is sponsored by the cruise line or a travel agent then it would not be a direct cost to you.

 

If you have an OBC you should check with your cruise line to see if it can be used towards gratuities or if there are any restrictions on that and then decide if this is attractive to you.  

Edited October 26, 2018 by leaveitallbehind

[IMDINA1201]

Thank you all.  You have all been incredibly helpful.

[lifes-a-beach]

We almost always have some onboard credit that offsets the gratuity.  If not definitely pay it now.  

[GUT2407]

I always have OBC so just leave it.

 

 

[GUT2407]

Anyone know if you are stiffing the crew get if you prepay?

[Schoifmom]

On 10/27/2018 at 6:17 PM, GUT2407 said:

Anyone know if you are stiffing the crew get if you prepay?

 

The crew gets the same whether you prepay or pay on board.  Caveat:  Since Carnival is increasing effective 12/1, the crew would get more if they were paid on board for cruises leaving after this date, but only in this instance.

[Expat Cruise]

On 10/26/2018 at 12:21 AM, IMDINA1201 said:

Our first cruise is booked for October 2019.  We're very excited but have so many questions.  I received an email today letting me know that the daily gratuity amount will be higher effective 12-1-2018. I'm being given the option to pay it now vs. when the amount goes up.  Anybody have an opinion about this?  

 Really you can pay now at the old rate or pay on the ship at the old rate.  The fee quoted is only the recommend daily service fee, guests are free to change or adjust as they see fit.  What you pay is absolutely what you choose to pay, if you pay this fee at all.

 

[GUT2407]

5 hours ago, Schoifmom said:

 

The crew gets the same whether you prepay or pay on board.  Caveat:  Since Carnival is increasing effective 12/1, the crew would get more if they were paid on board for cruises leaving after this date, but only in this instance.

So if you prepay to avoid a price increase you stiff the crew the same as if you reduce the grats by the amount of the increase.

 

interesting.

[paul929207]

2 hours ago, GUT2407 said:

So if you prepay to avoid a price increase you stiff the crew the same as if you reduce the grats by the amount of the increase.

 

interesting.

By prepaying, you are paying the amount that you agreed to pay when you booked. 

[Not Mrs C]

On 10/25/2018 at 5:21 PM, IMDINA1201 said:

Our first cruise is booked for October 2019.  We're very excited but have so many questions.  I received an email today letting me know that the daily gratuity amount will be higher effective 12-1-2018. I'm being given the option to pay it now vs. when the amount goes up.  Anybody have an opinion about this?  

This is one of the reasons I will never go cruising again.  Total rip off.  We went with Holland America, they added a substantial amount to our bills for gratuity. They then proceeded to add 10% to the bill every time we ordered a drink at the bar.  The excursions were over priced.  We were told on a number of occasions by the cruise line if you don't book with them you will not be guaranteed to get back to the ship on time.  Utter rubbish.  On one excursion all the passengers took a rail trip.  Over $100 per head from the cruise line.  If you walked to the station 500yards from the boat, you could get the same train ride for about $25.  Same train same times (only one train ran).  Never book an excursion through the cruise liner every single one we could get cheaper in the local resort. As for gratuity - I would prefer to tip were I have received good service, cruising to me is not exceptional service, its like staying in a floating all inclusive hotel.  I would not except poor service for the price paid.  Everything was added on as extras, wifi! bottled water in the room, over priced drinks packages (with them confiscating or charging corkage if you attempted to bring your own on board, even for consumption in the cabin.

No No No my advice to you is tip where you feel necessary and ask for it to be removed from your bill.

 

[paul929207]

Clearly cruising is not for you. I hope you find a different vacation that fits your needs.

[mjkacmom]

1 hour ago, paul929207 said:

Clearly cruising is not for you. I hope you find a different vacation that fits your needs.

And will certainly be paying more. It’s cheaper to cruise today vs. decades ago, because mainstream cruising is NOT all inclusive. 

[Heidi13]

5 hours ago, Not Mrs C said:

This is one of the reasons I will never go cruising again.  Total rip off.  We went with Holland America, they added a substantial amount to our bills for gratuity. They then proceeded to add 10% to the bill every time we ordered a drink at the bar.  The excursions were over priced.  We were told on a number of occasions by the cruise line if you don't book with them you will not be guaranteed to get back to the ship on time.  Utter rubbish.  On one excursion all the passengers took a rail trip.  Over $100 per head from the cruise line.  If you walked to the station 500yards from the boat, you could get the same train ride for about $25.  Same train same times (only one train ran).  Never book an excursion through the cruise liner every single one we could get cheaper in the local resort. As for gratuity - I would prefer to tip were I have received good service, cruising to me is not exceptional service, its like staying in a floating all inclusive hotel.  I would not except poor service for the price paid.  Everything was added on as extras, wifi! bottled water in the room, over priced drinks packages (with them confiscating or charging corkage if you attempted to bring your own on board, even for consumption in the cabin.

No No No my advice to you is tip where you feel necessary and ask for it to be removed from your bill.

 

Unfortunately you selected one of the many mainstream lines, where many additional fees apply.

 

However the cruise industry have packages for most people. The luxury/premium lines generally provide an all-inclusive package, but at a higher base fare. Our 2020 World Cruise on Viking Ocean has no tipping, included & unlimited wifi, included self-service laundry, included drinks (up to $15) and a free excursion in each port.

 

It is most unfortunate that you did not enjoy your cruise experience, but your issues are common knowledge that should have been explained to you by a competent and full service travel agent.

[ldubs]

Are there really people who book and show up for a cruise with no idea that there is going to be an additional daily gratuity added?  This has been going on forever.   I don't want to sound cruel, but if someone honestly didn't know about this before seeing their shipboard statement, I would wonder how they even managed to book a cruise and find the port.

 

OK, maybe, just maybe, someone "won" a "free" cruise for listening to a timeshare sale pitch and didn't read the fine print?   

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, fyree39 said:

Not everyone pours over Cruise Critic or the line's website as soon as they book.  It's very, very easy to miss something like this and I've read of several passengers being surprised by this additional charge at the end of the cruise. We're not here to ridicule the new cruiser, but to help them.

 

Well you may be correct but I suspect that a lot of those claiming ignorance are just trying to justify not paying.  I can't speak for all, but for the lines we use it would be pretty strange to go through the booking process and not see something about gratuities.  And, can't imagine a TA skipping the subject.   I don't think it is that easy to miss.  

[dwayneb236]

On 10/31/2018 at 10:27 PM, ldubs said:

Are there really people who book and show up for a cruise with no idea that there is going to be an additional daily gratuity added?  This has been going on forever.   I don't want to sound cruel, but if someone honestly didn't know about this before seeing their shipboard statement, I would wonder how they even managed to book a cruise and find the port.

 

OK, maybe, just maybe, someone "won" a "free" cruise for listening to a timeshare sale pitch and didn't read the fine print?   

I have to say on my first cruise as an adult I did not know. My wife did the booking on that one and I was clueless. I was kind of surprised when she told me about the charge but now I completely understand them and have no problems. I do all the bookings now and everything is prepaid. 

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, dwayneb236 said:

I have to say on my first cruise as an adult I did not know. My wife did the booking on that one and I was clueless. I was kind of surprised when she told me about the charge but now I completely understand them and have no problems. I do all the bookings now and everything is prepaid. 

 

But your wife who did the booking knew. 

 

My wife would say that Im clueless most of the time, and she is usually right. 

[GUT2407]

On 11/1/2018 at 2:27 PM, ldubs said:

Are there really people who book and show up for a cruise with no idea that there is going to be an additional daily gratuity added?  This has been going on forever.   I don't want to sound cruel, but if someone honestly didn't know about this before seeing their shipboard statement, I would wonder how they even managed to book a cruise and find the port.

 

OK, maybe, just maybe, someone "won" a "free" cruise for listening to a timeshare sale pitch and didn't read the fine print?   

My first cruise, before we had internet, had no idea. Booked through an agent, no mention of it at all.

 

but then I also had no idea that some companies indeed some countries don’t pay their staff and make them live on charity.