OBC for tips? Yay or nay?

[KeithsKelly]

We're currently booked on the Magic March 13-21 (just switched from the Breeze last week) and we have so much OBC that I was thinking about removing the tips from our account FOR NOW for a couple reasons...  I've never done this before, so any advice is welcome!

 

First, as I mentioned, we have $1150 in OBC for this cruise and I wouldn't mind using some of it for tips.  Second, our final payment is due the first week of December, while we will be in Disney with our kids and grandkids (insert we pay for most of the stuff).  And third, if they do cancel the March cruise it would be less $$$ that I have tied up until refunds come through.

 

So, with all this info, is removing the tips a good idea?  We never do the tipping ourselves, but rather use the tipping on our account as well as giving our room steward and waiter a healthy bit extra, and I would definitely add it back on as soon as we're aboard the ship.  Thanks for any input!

[Runaway Parent]

We never prepay our tips for this reason--use the OBC, if possible. 

 

If I'm understanding correctly, you added the tips to your original reservation and want to remove that prepayment? If so--yes! Remove them. Use your OBC. 

[klfrodo]

You have no choice what the OBC is used for.

You start your on board account with a negative balance (however much your OBC is for) and then as charges come thru on the account, your negative balance soon goes to positive and you owe money.

[JeanieTheMom]

1 hour ago, klfrodo said:

You have no choice what the OBC is used for.

You start your on board account with a negative balance (however much your OBC is for) and then as charges come thru on the account, your negative balance soon goes to positive and you owe money.

This was an extremely clear explanation. Thanks!

[bury me at sea]

Simply remove the pre-paid tips from your account.  Don't include them in your final payment.

 

When you board the ship you don't have to take any action.  They will be automatically added to your S&S account, generally around the next to last day of your cruise.  At that point your OBC will automatically cover them.

 

Just don't spend all of your OBC in the meantime!

 

Happy sailing.

[firefly333]

I had this argument on another board than cc. 90% told newbie cruiser to prepay tips. No one else agreed with me, might have been a rcl board though.

 

My argument is why give the cruiselines a interest free loan because you cant manage money or afraid of  big bill at the end. I get stockholders credit at the very least  though I do a lot of shopping. Sometimes shopping in ports or private excursions. As a solo my tips are covered by my obc. 

 

I always make sure I leave owing money so I feel I'm wanted back by carnival or whomever. 

 

I spend 1k to 2k as a solo, so it's not like I'm not spending, I just feel I like to leave with a amt charged to my credit card. I lost that argument. No one saw it my way. I think was bad advice to a new cruiser to prepay tips. Unless you are so broke you live paycheck to paycheck how is getting a bill on your credit card such a big surprise. 

 

And I'm not just talking about this time where you have so much obc. I honestly cant understand preparing tips unless you cant manage money. Makes no sense to me. But then i dont budget my spending at home either. I watch sales and buy smart, but I never have budgeted. I manage my spending. Managing your money is different than budgeting.

 

 

Edited July 18, 2020 by firefly333
Spellcheck grrrrrr

[KeithsKelly]

14 hours ago, Runaway Parent said:

We never prepay our tips for this reason--use the OBC, if possible. 

 

If I'm understanding correctly, you added the tips to your original reservation and want to remove that prepayment? If so--yes! Remove them. Use your OBC. 

Thanks!  Yes, hubs took it upon himself to book the previous cancelled cruise (first time he's booked ANYTHING) and was trying to cover the bases so he just added everything in.  When it was cancelled and I moved the reservation, it just carried through that the tips were still prepaid.  I'll be removing them for sure!

 

 

 

14 hours ago, klfrodo said:

You have no choice what the OBC is used for.

You start your on board account with a negative balance (however much your OBC is for) and then as charges come thru on the account, your negative balance soon goes to positive and you owe money.

Great explanation!  THANKS!

 

 

5 hours ago, bury me at sea said:

Simply remove the pre-paid tips from your account.  Don't include them in your final payment.

 

When you board the ship you don't have to take any action.  They will be automatically added to your S&S account, generally around the next to last day of your cruise.  At that point your OBC will automatically cover them.

 

Just don't spend all of your OBC in the meantime!

 

Happy sailing.

Not sure why I was thinking I needed to add them back in once on board!  Good to know it's automatic and I don't need to remember to do anything other than soak up some sun and rum!

 

 

2 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I had this argument on another board than cc. 90% told newbie cruiser to prepay tips. No one else agreed with me, might have been a rcl board though.

 

My argument is why give the cruiselines a interest free loan because you cant manage money or afraid of  big bill at the end. I get stockholders credit at the very least  though I do a lot of shopping. Sometimes shopping in ports or private excursions. As a solo my tips are covered by my obc. 

 

I always make sure I leave owing money so I feel I'm wanted back by carnival or whomever. 

 

I spend 1k to 2k as a solo, so it's not like I'm not spending, I just feel I like to leave with a amt charged to my credit card. I lost that argument. No one saw it my way. I think was bad advice to a new cruiser to prepay tips. Unless you are so broke you live paycheck to paycheck how is getting a bill on your credit card such a big surprise. 

 

And I'm not just talking about this time where you have so much obc. I honestly cant understand preparing tips unless you cant manage money. Makes no sense to me. But then i dont budget my spending at home either. I watch sales and buy smart, but I never have budgeted. I manage my spending. Managing your money is different than budgeting.

 

 

We always owe money when we leave, and I'm cool with that!  Hubs normally leaves details to me and is just along for the ride.  I commend him, however, for TRYING to be on top of it! 🙂

Edited July 18, 2020 by KeithsKelly
Adding some blank lines so it's easier to read!

[drsel]

Encash OBC in the casino and give cash tips to the waiters and your room steward.
they will really love you for it.
Also pay the automatic gratuities at the end, not earlier

[xDisconnections]

Most onboard credit promotions are **technically** not valid towards gratuities, casino charges or gift card purchases. As of now, that policy is currently not being enforced.

 

Keep in mind that Carnival can decide to enforce its onboard credit terms and conditions at any time with or without notice.

[auburn77]

3 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I had this argument on another board than cc. 90% told newbie cruiser to prepay tips. No one else agreed with me, might have been a rcl board though.

 

My argument is why give the cruiselines a interest free loan because you cant manage money or afraid of  big bill at the end. I get stockholders credit at the very least  though I do a lot of shopping. Sometimes shopping in ports or private excursions. As a solo my tips are covered by my obc. 

 

I always make sure I leave owing money so I feel I'm wanted back by carnival or whomever. 

 

I spend 1k to 2k as a solo, so it's not like I'm not spending, I just feel I like to leave with a amt charged to my credit card. I lost that argument. No one saw it my way. I think was bad advice to a new cruiser to prepay tips. Unless you are so broke you live paycheck to paycheck how is getting a bill on your credit card such a big surprise. 

 

And I'm not just talking about this time where you have so much obc. I honestly cant understand preparing tips unless you cant manage money. Makes no sense to me. But then i dont budget my spending at home either. I watch sales and buy smart, but I never have budgeted. I manage my spending. Managing your money is different than budgeting.

 

 

I prepay gratuities every cruise and I don't live paycheck to paycheck. I also manage money very well. I just like to get it out of the way. And, who cares about giving it to them interest free? If I received a ridiculously high interest rate of 10% on my cash, the interest for the 3 months they have the money is, based on $200 tips, about $3. And way less than 2% interest is about the norm. 2% would be $4 a year, or less than a dollar for the three months. So what if 5000 passengers do it and the cruise line gets $5000 in interest. It still makes no difference to me.

[xDisconnections]

5 minutes ago, auburn77 said:

I prepay gratuities every cruise and I don't live paycheck to paycheck. I also manage money very well. I just like to get it out of the way. And, who cares about giving it to them interest free? If I received a ridiculously high interest rate of 10% on my cash, the interest for the 3 months they have the money is, based on $200 tips, about $3. And way less than 2% interest is about the norm. 2% would be $4 a year, or less than a dollar for the three months. So what if 5000 passengers do it and the cruise line gets $5000 in interest. It still makes no difference to me.

The more you pay them ahead of time is the more you’re waiting 90+ days for them to refund 😉 

[auburn77]

34 minutes ago, xDisconnections said:

The more you pay them ahead of time is the more you’re waiting 90+ days for them to refund 😉 

Oh no! Another dollar in interest!

[drsel]

To the op, I recommend that

1. you allow your auto gratuities to be automatically deducted daily from your onboard credit.

2. Do not prepay automatic gratuities.

3. Give the room boy and waiters tips in cash.

They will appreciate even a small amount of cash tips.

 

 

 

 

[xDisconnections]

25 minutes ago, auburn77 said:

Oh no! Another dollar in interest!

You think it's acceptable to wait 90+ days for a refund? 

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, auburn77 said:

I prepay gratuities every cruise and I don't live paycheck to paycheck. I also manage money very well. I just like to get it out of the way. And, who cares about giving it to them interest free? If I received a ridiculously high interest rate of 10% on my cash, the interest for the 3 months they have the money is, based on $200 tips, about $3. And way less than 2% interest is about the norm. 2% would be $4 a year, or less than a dollar for the three months. So what if 5000 passengers do it and the cruise line gets $5000 in interest. It still makes no difference to me.

I get it. No one agrees with me. I also think it's different because I cruise solo

 

It was like 1 against 15, I'm the only one who doesnt prepay tips. I said that first sentence, obviously no one else agrees with me. I still dont see the pt. They will bill me at the end of the cruise. No arguments will change my way and everyone else disagrees.

 

Btw I never said it was about earning interest. What if it gets cancelled, more complications. If it's something like excursions and discounted I'd pay ahead, but tips are the same, so I'll wait. As I said I get it, no one agrees, but that's ok. And yes I'll take a stack of bills to tip per drink etc. I pay cash, it's just my way pay as I go. 

 

Everyone is different. 

Edited July 18, 2020 by firefly333

[simplelife]

If we have OBC. we  usually do not prepay tips and allow them  to automatically be added to our onboard account and paid with OBC.

[auburn77]

26 minutes ago, xDisconnections said:

You think it's acceptable to wait 90+ days for a refund? 

Never said that. They should give it back asap. Just saying that the gratuities part would make little difference.

[KeithsKelly]

So I cancelled the prepaid tips so that we "may" be able to use OBC for them.  If not, no big deal!  Regardless, we will still continue to tip our room steward and waiters additional cash.  Normally, we give the steward $50 at the beginning, and another $50 at the end.  I don't ask for a lot from them, but I do like having my ice bucket full when we get back to our room! Not to mention, hubs and I both waited tables during our early college years and you never forget what it's like to work for tips!

[bury me at sea]

2 hours ago, KeithsKelly said:

So I cancelled the prepaid tips so that we "may" be able to use OBC for them.  If not, no big deal!  Regardless, we will still continue to tip our room steward and waiters additional cash.  Normally, we give the steward $50 at the beginning, and another $50 at the end.  I don't ask for a lot from them, but I do like having my ice bucket full when we get back to our room! Not to mention, hubs and I both waited tables during our early college years and you never forget what it's like to work for tips!

 

OBC will apply to gratuities, assuming you have enough.

 

It is amazing how your straightforward yes or no question turned into debates on several fronts.

 

I hope you enjoy your cruise and the OBC.

[Banditswife]

We pre pay gratuities, NOT because we cannot handle money or live pay check to pay check.  We pre pay them just to have that out of the way.  We consider it part of the cruise fare.  Even when we have a lot of OBC, we usually have a balance to be paid on our onboard spending account.  Sometimes we try to pay that off before leaving the ship. 

[drsel]

Even when we have a lot of OBC, we usually have a balance to be paid on our onboard spending account.  Sometimes we try to pay that off before leaving the ship. 

You have to pay your dues before leaving the ship.
Is there any other option?

[Banditswife]

22 minutes ago, drsel said:

 

You have to pay your dues before leaving the ship.
Is there any other option?

No you do not HAVE to pay it off before you leave the ship, we choose to.  

[drsel]

No you do not HAVE to pay it off before you leave the ship, we choose to.  

So, can a passenger leave the ship without paying his dues?

 

If so, how and when will the cruise ship recover the dues if the passenger has opted for cash payment at time of boarding?

 

[Banditswife]

5 minutes ago, drsel said:

So, can a passenger leave the ship without paying his dues?

 

If so, how and when will the cruise ship recover the dues if the passenger has opted for cash payment at time of boarding?

 

I guess I am not understanding your question, but with over 4000 posts I am guessing your are being silly.  If you guarantee your sail & sign account with cash, & go over the amount you have pre paid, they will call you to the guest services desk & ask for more cash or put a hold on your onboard spending.  I wasn't saying that we use only cash, I was saying that we pay off our balance prior to leaving the ship when possible, otherwise it is on our credit card.

[drsel]

No you do not HAVE to pay it off before you leave the ship, we choose to.  

This post is misleading.You should specify that they will charge your card if you do not directly pay/settle your bill at final disembarkation.

 

I never give any ship my credit card. I always pay cash at the end of the cruise.

I have read stories of inflated charges on the card after the passenger reaches home.

 

I also give cash tips and a small gift to my room steward, waiters and those in the entertainment team and guest services, who have made our cruise special