Adjusting prepaid gratuities

[sanger727]

4 minutes ago, auburn77 said:

The current 'interest' on, say , $200 , is about half a percent per year ($1). For a few months, it is about a quarter.

agree. The ‘interest’ argument is silly. We typically pre-pay gratuities. I realize we end up paying the same amount either way. But I do typically set an on board spend budget in my head and I prefer not to see the tips on there.

[Illbcruzn4life]

8 hours ago, Computer Nerd said:

Actually they are not charged until the second to last day of the cruise. 

 

Thanks for the clarification. I didn't remember how NCL did their service charge.

[icft]

LOL!

 

This thread has been a hoot to read. The OP asked a simple question. No one seems to know the answer, but this thing is four pages long now!

 

 

[Computer Nerd]

8 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

We have asked for, and received, twice a day service since Carnival made the change. 

On which ship because that definitely was not the case on the Carnival Freedom a month ago. It was asked for an flatly denied hence the modification of the gratuities.

[Computer Nerd]

7 hours ago, sanger727 said:

 

Ok. This is actually not ok. You can't actually think the room stewards are now getting half the work and double the free time. Clearly their hours are still filled with work. Would you be ok if your job duties changed and your boss cut half your pay because he didn't like it? Deducting gratuities due to bad service is arguable. Deducting gratuities because of a cruise line policy decision is not. It's not the employee's fault.

Interesting thing. It doesn't matter whether you think it's okay or not. I know the cabin stewards aren't getting extra free time. They are cleaning double the cabins but doing half the work. So in essence, they are working the same amount of time (double the cabins/half the cleanings per cabin) but making double the gratuities for the same amount of work. If that's okay in your book, then please, leave your gratuities the same. Since I am an adult I will make my own decisions on how I wish to tip.

[Computer Nerd]

6 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

Pride and Glory (and maybe Fascination as well, can't remember when this change was made), but it was made clear that passengers still had this option and could choose twice a day service. Don't know if that will continue but that's the way it was rolled out.

That was true for about 18 months prior to Covid (they tried to get you to accept once a day service but you could still ask for, and receive both) but on the Freedom, this was not the case. I'll see what happens on the Mardi Gras in about a month.

[Computer Nerd]

5 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

Makes sense, the hotels we've stayed in recently haven't offered any maid service during your stay for this reason. I still left the same amount that I would have normally.

My timeshare also has stopped it's cleaning service during and since Covid as well. I never tipped at hotels or my timeshare in the past so it's makes no difference to me.

[Computer Nerd]

2 hours ago, auburn77 said:

The current 'interest' on, say , $200 , is about half a percent per year ($1). For a few months, it is about a quarter.

I book most of my cruises 18 to 24 months out. That being said, it was Benjamin Franklin who said "A penny saved is a penny earned.".

[sanger727]

36 minutes ago, Computer Nerd said:

Interesting thing. It doesn't matter whether you think it's okay or not. I know the cabin stewards aren't getting extra free time. They are cleaning double the cabins but doing half the work. So in essence, they are working the same amount of time (double the cabins/half the cleanings per cabin) but making double the gratuities for the same amount of work. If that's okay in your book, then please, leave your gratuities the same. Since I am an adult I will make my own decisions on how I wish to tip.

Yes, of course they must be cleaning twice as many rooms. Not taking extra time to clean the rooms they do have to ‘sanitize’ them thoroughly, and extra public space sanitizing duties. My guess is they are on ‘norovirus’ type protocols all the time now with Covid. I presume that if you found out they only had 50% more rooms to clean you would only cut your gratuities by 25% instead of 50% under this logic??

 

and of course they couldn’t possibly use the extra tips that they may be getting considering they were out of work for a year and a half. But you do you and don’t get ripped off paying that extra $3 to the person cleaning your toilet and throwing out your trash.

Edited November 5, 2021 by sanger727

[auburn77]

24 minutes ago, Computer Nerd said:

I book most of my cruises 18 to 24 months out. That being said, it was Benjamin Franklin who said "A penny saved is a penny earned.".

 

You can add prepaid gratuities anytime before the cruise. Doesn't affect the booking at all. I would guess you, like most, only pay a deposit 18 to 24 months out. I always add gratuities with the final balance due, which is about 90 days out. 

By the way, I'm doing this all in fun. Benjamin was a pretty bright guy!

[sparks1093]

1 hour ago, Computer Nerd said:

That was true for about 18 months prior to Covid (they tried to get you to accept once a day service but you could still ask for, and receive both) but on the Freedom, this was not the case. I'll see what happens on the Mardi Gras in about a month.

Yes, under COVID they probably are limiting the amount of time staff spends in the cabin. As I've said, I'm not punishing the staff for something outside of their control.

[cruisingguy007]

1 hour ago, icft said:

 

I have no reason to believe it is a question of "cheapskates." Sometimes you get really bad service and if you actually believe the fantasy that Carnival promotes that you are tipping it is reasonable to want to not tip for bad service.

 

 

I have to say that out of our 28 Carnival cruises we have only had one “bad” steward, and if there had been an easy way to not “tip” that guy I would have. But my time is worth something and these really are not tips, just part of the cruise cost that you can reduce if you want to spend a hundred dollars worth of your time.

 

 

I like Carnival, but they do run some, in my opinion, scams. One is this gratuities thing. Another is turning over your port alcohol purchases to them when you board the ship. I had the wonderful experience of their losing our bottles of Drambuie. “If” you have your purchase receipt they will reimburse you what it cost you. Of course the reason you bought it in Cozumel, or wherever, was it was about half the price at home. But rather than either delivering you replacement bottles or their value at the place they promised to deliver them (as the law requires in most jurisdictions) they use their terms of service language to just reimburse what you can prove you paid.

It becomes a question of just recognizing the true effective cost of a cruise and deciding if it is worth it. In our case the answer has always been that it is more than worth it. In the case of gratuities we just take that as part of the cruise cost and give a little cash to those who have treated us well as tips.

 

I can't imagine service on a cruise ship being so bad that it would make me remove my tips. Nearly every staff member I encounter goes out of their way to be nice and helpful. Even if they have to fake it after working long hours, living in crammed conditions, and getting little sleep and PTO. When folks do this to "punish" a particular person for a shortcoming, it essentially punishes everyone behind the scenes and those who had nothing to do with it. All those towels/sheets don't clean/fold themselves, dishes don't plate themselves or clean themselves etc.

 

Stiffing the unseen army behind the scenes seems wrong to me no matter how you look at it. Yeah, some folks are simply cheapskates, there may be a few exceptions but in general, those standing in line to stiff the staff are cheapskates. Plain and simple.    

Edited November 5, 2021 by cruisingguy007

[Computer Nerd]

2 hours ago, sanger727 said:

I presume that if you found out they only had 50% more rooms to clean you would only cut your gratuities by 25% instead of 50% under this logic??

Nope. My logic as such has nothing to do with how many other cabins they clean since that is not of any consequence to me. My logic, as such, is that I am receiving half of the service I used to receive so I am paying for the service I receive which happens to be half of their specific gratuities. Easy concept to understand....pay for the service provided. All of the other emotional junk such as how long they "may" have been out of work or what other jobs they have to do is immaterial to me.

[Computer Nerd]

2 hours ago, auburn77 said:

 

You can add prepaid gratuities anytime before the cruise. Doesn't affect the booking at all. I would guess you, like most, only pay a deposit 18 to 24 months out. I always add gratuities with the final balance due, which is about 90 days out. 

By the way, I'm doing this all in fun. Benjamin was a pretty bright guy!

You are very correct but since I am paying the money either way I like to keep it for as long as I can. 😄

[Computer Nerd]

2 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

Yes, under COVID they probably are limiting the amount of time staff spends in the cabin. As I've said, I'm not punishing the staff for something outside of their control.

I'm not punishing them either. I'm simply paying for services rendered and I'm surprised that people do otherwise. Similarly, I've never paid double for a drink on board or a Big Mac either.

[Computer Nerd]

1 hour ago, cruisingguy007 said:

Stiffing the unseen army behind the scenes seems wrong to me no matter how you look at it. Yeah, some folks are simply cheapskates, there may be a few exceptions but in general, those standing in line to stiff the staff are cheapskates. Plain and simple.    

It's funny how you continuously use incorrect terminology to attempt to prove your point. Such as your delightful use of "stiffing". Since you don't seem to understand what the word means, Stiffing someone is not paying for a service received (or item). Since the service was not received, no one was "stiffed". Please learn to use the correct terminology. I paid the appropriate amount for the service received. If you are paying the full gratuities for half of the service, you are overpaying. That's your choice to do so but not everyone is as wasteful with their hard earned cash.

[Colorado Beach Bum]

13 minutes ago, Computer Nerd said:

It's funny how you continuously use incorrect terminology to attempt to prove your point. Such as your delightful use of "stiffing". Since you don't seem to understand what the word means, Stiffing someone is not paying for a service received (or item). Since the service was not received, no one was "stiffed". Please learn to use the correct terminology. I paid the appropriate amount for the service received. If you are paying the full gratuities for half of the service, you are overpaying. That's your choice to do so but not everyone is as wasteful with their hard earned cash.

So if once a day is now the norm then you are getting full expectations of service.  Many things change over time usually to keep prices we pay down.  If you want services/amenities we saw on cruises 5, 10, 20 years ago we would be paying way more. If we were allowed to nickel and dime back all the changes over time Carnival would have to pay us to cruise.  

[sanger727]

1 hour ago, Computer Nerd said:

Nope. My logic as such has nothing to do with how many other cabins they clean since that is not of any consequence to me. My logic, as such, is that I am receiving half of the service I used to receive so I am paying for the service I receive which happens to be half of their specific gratuities. Easy concept to understand....pay for the service provided. All of the other emotional junk such as how long they "may" have been out of work or what other jobs they have to do is immaterial to me.

except that gratuity isn’t payment for services rendered. It’s a customary monetary thank you. It’s not meant to be a 1 for 1 transaction where you deduct from the customary amount for perceived deficiencies. If you were happy with the services rendered you should pay the customary gratuity. If you weren’t, you should take it up with guest services and give them an opportunity to fix it. You are clearly just looking for an opportunity to save a few bucks. 
 

i worked for tips many years ago. And there were plenty of people back then who also thought that if the food wasn’t too their liking or took too long to come out that cutting the tip was a way of showing their displeasure. Even though food taste and cook time is something the server has no control over. This is a bit like that. Your logic is irrational and all you are doing is shorting someone who is working really hard for you.

Edited November 6, 2021 by sanger727

[sanger727]

1 hour ago, Computer Nerd said:

It's interesting that Webster's dictionary disagrees with you as well. Of course, you are free to argue with Webster if you so desire.

 

Definition of gratuity

 

: something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service

webster and I agree. Gratuity isn’t payment for services rendered. Your payment for your room being cleaned is included in the cruise price. Gratuity is beyond that. Which is why it’s not as simple as payment for services rendered. However, what is not included in the definition because it varies from situation to situation is customs. It is customary to pay gratuities on the cruise ship of the suggested amount.  And because of this custom, the employer pays their employees less than they would otherwise. I think most Americans would consider tipping to be a moral obligation as opposed to a financial one. I know I can pay my bill and walk out without tipping; but it would be morally wrong so I don’t.

Edited November 6, 2021 by sanger727

[kirtihk]

On 11/3/2021 at 7:23 AM, thewynn said:

I want to prepay my gratuities for my upcoming cruise but I'm curious what happens if once on the cruise I feel the need to adjust them downward, do they just refund back to the credit card?

 

I really hope this doesn't devolve into a moral discussion of gratuities, listen I always pay them and usually add more but there was one of my cruises that I did feel the need to adjust the cabin steward lower so that has me wondering, how that would work if they were prepaid.

 

Thank you.

With prepaid gratuities you may not to remove or adjust them once you paid the full balance in your cruise. With not prepaid you may adjust them (as a % of total, but it will be proportionally reduced for all people who receive them from your account) or remove completely during cruise at the service desk (then it is up to you how much and who you will give cash).

[cessnabmw]

We usually like to give our tips directly as cash to all. However, the cruise we're booking has a rate that has to have gratuities pre-paid. First time we've seen that.

 

My question is can the pre-paid gratuities be removed when we board so that don't double pay? We'd like to pay in cash so want those removed.

[staceyglow]

I doubt it, but even if you can, but please don't.  There are many crew members who get part of those tips that you may never even see.

 

If you want to give additional cash tips to any crew member you want.

Edited November 17, 2021 by staceyglow

[Schoifmom]

Hoping to avoid a tipping war here, I will answer your question directly and then offer what is my viewpoint (and only that).

 

Yes, you can have the prepaid gratuities removed at guest services.

 

I, personally, don't like to see people do that.  There are some people who work hard to make your cruise great that you will not see or may not realize are included in the tip pool.  If you choose to hand out your tips in cash, they will be missing income.  I would recommend that if someone gives you exceptional service, that you give them additional tips in cash.  

 

You do you.

[cessnabmw]

Thanks!

 

One of the reasons I want to remove pre-paid is that I have OBC that I want to apply for that, but the rate we booked HAD TO have pre-paid.

 

So, If I can remove the pre-paid onboard, then the OBC can be used for it instead.

[Schoifmom]

2 minutes ago, cessnabmw said:

Thanks!

 

One of the reasons I want to remove pre-paid is that I have OBC that I want to apply for that, but the rate we booked HAD TO have pre-paid.

 

So, If I can remove the pre-paid onboard, then the OBC can be used for it instead.

 

That is absolutely true.  You will have to haggle with Guest Services, but IMO, it would be worth it to convert excess OBC.  The refund will go to you S&S account, but you should be able to cash that out.

 

Your initial post made it seem as though you did not want to pay the auto-gratuity at all, but dole out cash instead.

Edited November 17, 2021 by Schoifmom