New Gratuity Rate

[lorimay]

I just received this in my email. We have a cruise booked for February with no perks, but I guess I will be prepaying the gratuities now. Not a huge difference in price, but interesting that they are giving you an option to pay at the lower rate.

 

[mac_tlc]

Happy New Year... I just received it too!!

 

mac_tlc

[dogs4fun]

Also received the notification. We have 2 X cruises booked for 2020 and will also be pre-paying our gratuities.

[39august]

If you have a suite with 4 perks, no worries.

[WestLakeGirl]

I don’t understand.  It says it applies to new bookings, but then tells that it will be applied to current bookings?  Typical poor communication on Celebrity’s part?

[wrk2cruise]

I doesn't say you have to pay before January 6, 2020 it just says you have to pre-pay before you get onboard.   I guess that just means their onboard system for applying gratuities is unable to handle the varying rates by booking date.

 

It will be interesting to see what they actually do with regard to prepayment.  Before 1/6 or just before you board.

[Cruiser_1977]

$7 is not a big deal. However, I'm glad when I booked back in February I got the Sail Beyond and Save & the Go Better sale with two promos and I chose Classic Bev and Gratuities.

[wrk2cruise]

The other interesting text in the email is " Other onboard gratuity policies remain the same: a 20% gratuity is automatically added to bar service beverages, specialty dining reservations, and mini-bar items—and will be itemized on your receipt. "

 

I thought the standard gratuity is included in the upcharge.  I've not seen it itemized on the receipt.   Don't get me wrong I don't think this email is saying anything is changing it's just that they don't seem to understand their own policies and do nothing but cause confusion with these announcements.

 

Wonder what next months fee increase will be??

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Got my email as well. I think I prepaid...but I have emailed my TA to ensure that I have. 

[cruisestitch]

"it's just that they don't seem to understand their own policies and do nothing but cause confusion with these announcements."

 

I completely agree -- someone in marketing doesn't communicate with someone in operations and it drives us, the passengers, all crazy.  I also think that many of the people who write these announcements are not native English speakers -- their grammar and sentence structure can be really awkward.  Add in someone from the legal department ad it's mass confusion.

 

 

[hubofhockey]

This entire thing is ridiculous because it now looks more like a service charge than a gratuity.  If you prepay, the room attendants and wait staff get less of a tip,  How does that make sense?  I took it as a perk.  What does that mean?  Does Celebrity deliver the higher amount to their workers or the old amount?  I'd like to know what I'm paying, and I do consider it MY PAYMENT since, one way or another, it comes from my payment to Celebrity.  

[Life Buoy]

I just wonder how much of the tip the cabin attendants and servers are going to receive. 

[The_Big_M]

1 hour ago, WestLakeGirl said:

I don’t understand.  It says it applies to new bookings, but then tells that it will be applied to current bookings?  Typical poor communication on Celebrity’s part?

 

New bookings after 6th Jan have no choice - it applies to all.

 

If you have a current booking, you may prepay now to grandfather the existing rate. If you don't prepay by 6 jan then it will also apply to those bookings as well as new bookings.

[wrk2cruise]

33 minutes ago, The_Big_M said:

If you don't prepay by 6 jan then it will also apply to those bookings as well as new bookings.

 

That's not actually what it says.  It says if you book before Jan 6 and you prepay before you board it will be the existing rates.  If payed onboard it will be the new rates.  

 

Not sure that's what they meant but that's what it says.

[dis2cruise]

How do I prepay My GTY?  Online with celebrity or call them??

Edited December 27, 2019 by dis2cruise

[grandgeezer]

Another reason to stick with MSC, their gratuity rate is $12.50 p.p. per day, no matter what cabin you're in be it the inside or Yacht Club Deluxe Suites.  We give them extra that almost puts them up to Celebrity's rates, not out of pity, but because they actually deserve it. 

[mom says]

8 minutes ago, grandgeezer said:

Another reason to stick with MSC, their gratuity rate is $12.50 p.p. per day, no matter what cabin you're in be it the inside or Yacht Club Deluxe Suites.  We give them extra that almost puts them up to Celebrity's rates, not out of pity, but because they actually deserve it. 

If you are solely an MSC cruiser, why are you concerning yourself with Celebrity issues? Or is your purpose simply to tout for MSC? You surely aren't suggesting that someone eschew Celebrity because another line charges a lower gratuity fee.

[Baron Barracuda]

7% increase is pretty generous in these low inflation times.  Somehow doubt X is increasing base pay 7% as well.

[dadofjessie]

2 hours ago, Life Buoy said:

I just wonder how much of the tip the cabin attendants and servers are going to receive. 

My biggest concern is that it goes to ship staff and not to company coffers.

[mafig]

57 minutes ago, mom says said:

If you are solely an MSC cruiser, why are you concerning yourself with Celebrity issues? Or is your purpose simply to tout for MSC? You surely aren't suggesting that someone eschew Celebrity because another line charges a lower gratuity fee.

 

I cruise a lot of lines, but lately it's been mostly Celebrity.

I have cruised on MSC also twice.

When I read this, I admit I also thought of MSC's $12.50 gratuity rate.  I wouldn't NOT cruise Celebrity because of this, however,  it will probably make me more inclined to tip more when I'm on MSC.

 

 

[nunuc2000]

Just be aware that you CAN NOT use your OBC to pre-pay your gratuities... you can only apply OBC to gratuities once onboard.

 

Celine

[davekathy]

18 minutes ago, nunuc2000 said:

Just be aware that you CAN NOT use your OBC to pre-pay your gratuities... you can only apply OBC to gratuities once onboard.

 

Celine

Agree. To add to that if you booked with a TA you will need to go through the TA to pre pay the gratuities. 

[PTC DAWG]

Of things I would be concerned about, this would be lower than last on the list..

[PTC DAWG]

1 hour ago, grandgeezer said:

Another reason to stick with MSC, their gratuity rate is $12.50 p.p. per day, no matter what cabin you're in be it the inside or Yacht Club Deluxe Suites.  We give them extra that almost puts them up to Celebrity's rates, not out of pity, but because they actually deserve it. 

I was on the Seaside, ONE and done..

[RealBatman]

Perhaps I'm in a testy mood... but bring it on!

 

What a bunch of whiners! Let's see... $1 per day, 2 people in a cabin, is an increase of $2 per day. A 7 day cruise is an increase of $14!

 

We pay in the thousands of dollars for an exceptional experience, and you want to quibble about a $14 increase that goes to the people who make YOUR cruise such a wonderful experience?? REALLY??

And some of you want to make sure you get it paid before the increase so you don't have to pay the extra $14??? 

 

Sheesh.