Pre-paid Grats vs Select Dining

[Bgwest]

Is this really correct?

• Gratuities must be prepaid in order to participate in Select Dining

 

We never pre-pay grats. Does this mean that we must do fixed time dining?

[bama4cruisin]

19 minutes ago, Bgwest said:

 

Is this really correct?

• Gratuities must be prepaid in order to participate in Select Dining

 

We never pre-pay grats. Does this mean that we must do fixed time dining?

Did you book an Always Included rate, currently the most common booking rate?  If so, that includes prepaid gratuities, the Classic Beverage Package and surf wi-fi.  If you are not booked with AI, then yes, I do believe you must prepay gratuities.  Even if you don’t prepay, they will automatically be charged to you stateroom account on a daily basis.

[Arizona Wildcat]

If you are on a Sail Away rate - no perks - you must prepay gratuities to get select dining.

If on a AI rate the gratuities are already included

[wrk2cruise]

I'm not sure this is correct anymore.  I think it may have changed some time shortly before the pandemic.

 

I recently repriced an AI booking to the new no perks rate and have select dining.   Of course the gratuities will be on my onboard account.

[cruisestitch]

When select dining was introduced, prepaid gratuities were required to choose that option. I am not aware that this has changed.

Edited May 31, 2022 by cruisestitch

[upwarduk]

7 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

When select dining was introduced, prepaid gratuities were required to choose that option. I am not aware that this has changed.

I used to pre pay mine before I got on to the ship.

I haven’t had to do that recently, as gratuities are included in our booking ( AI).

I think this prevents passengers opting out of tipping.

Many used to go to Guest Relations and ask to have daily tips removed from their account ( this was approx $15p.p.per day).

[terrydtx]

Before the AI started and on the many tipping threads in CC, I remember many comments like "If the cruise line charged more and paid the crew more there would be no reason to have gratuities added." Celebrity's AI program is the result of comments like that, they charge more and then the included gratuities go to the crew. Now many complain about the higher costs with AI, but I have to agree AI is more than just included crew gratuities with both the SDP and Wi-Fi.  IMHO, AI is a great value for most and mostly ends the constant nickel and diming of past cruises. We got off our Equinox cruise last year with a zero-balance owed on our sail card account, which was nice.

 

I do not know about the OP question about having prepaid gratuities to have Select dinning.  But I also have heard comments from some that with Select I do not think I should pay gratuities since I do not have the same wait staff every night, or we only eat in the Ocean View buffet so why should we have to pay them. So, if Celebrity requires pre paid gratuities for Select Dinning, it makes sense why they do this.

Edited May 31, 2022 by terrydtx

[cruisestitch]

As I recall, when select dining was introduced, servers were reluctant to be posted to that option because they were worried that if they did not have the same people at their table every night with whom they could establish a relationship that they would not receive gratuities. So the cruise line imposed required gratuities for those who chose select dining, this assuring the servers that they would be tipped.

 

With the advent of the “always included” most passengers’ gratuities were folded into their cruise fare, although there were always a few exceptions, some who booked under “simply sail” or travel agents’ rates, or casino rates, or who had lifted and shifted earlier bookings that didn’t include gratuities.

 

Now that “Cruise only” rates might be becoming more common, the percentage of passengers who do not have their gratuities prepaid, like the OP, might be growing.

 

it is reasonable to expect, then, that Select Dining will once again require pre-paid gratuities, wrk2cruise’s experience notwithstanding, since the original booking with the included gratuities and Select Dining was altered but it is likely that the booking system overlooked the change.

Edited May 31, 2022 by cruisestitch

[Suzanne123]

We had an AI ocean view cabin, and when I called Celebrity to upgrade to a balcony after final payment,I was offered the no perks rate.  We don’t drink so I took that option.  Immediately my reservation was showing an outstanding additional $217 after the I paid for the upgrade. We have Select dining.

[Alakegirl]

Recently re-fared a September Celebrity cruise from “all included” to “no perks”

 

The travel agent asked how to handle the select dining issue, giving the choice to move to traditional dining or to pre-pay the gratuities in order to keep the select dining. 
 

 

[Bgwest]

OP here, seems that the passing of time has answered my question. 

 

Made full payment a couple of days ago. We did not buy the AI package nor pre-pay grats. Nevertheless, we are confirmed in Select/Anytime Dining. 

 

Thanks for everyone's responses. 

[Jim_Iain]

On 5/30/2022 at 12:25 PM, Bgwest said:

 

Is this really correct?

• Gratuities must be prepaid in order to participate in Select Dining

 

We never pre-pay grats. Does this mean that we must do fixed time dining?

Once on board if you don't' have pre-paid gratuities, gratuities will be added to your room account on a daily basis.   This is automatic.  As I understand it you can request for them to be removed but I don't personally thank that is fair to those that are serving you.  

 

Most gratuities whether part of the tipping program or left as additional tips are pooled. 

[terrydtx]

59 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Once on board if you don't' have pre-paid gratuities, gratuities will be added to your room account on a daily basis.   This is automatic.  As I understand it you can request for them to be removed but I don't personally thank that is fair to those that are serving you.  

 

Most gratuities whether part of the tipping program or left as additional tips are pooled. 

Jim, unless someone has just despicable service, I think going to guest services the last day of a cruise is disgraceful, if you can't afford the $16pp per day you shouldn't be cruising. Jim, I know you and Lain, are not any of those people but there are more than you would suspect on CC who do it regularly, some even brag about it when they see threads about tipping. There was one CC member on the HAL threads who would troll the tipping threads and he fortunately got kicked out of CC for his vicious attacks of those who promoted tipping. I remember the old days where the tips were all in cash and in envelopes that would be distributed to the wait staff and room stewards the last night of the cruise. The last night the MDR would be half full because so many just didn't want to tip.

[Bgwest]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

Once on board if you don't' have pre-paid gratuities, gratuities will be added to your room account on a daily basis.   This is automatic.  As I understand it you can request for them to be removed but I don't personally thank that is fair to those that are serving you.  

 

Most gratuities whether part of the tipping program or left as additional tips are pooled. 

Understood. The daily grat add is standard stuff. No quarrel there. 

Notwithstanding, the daily add does not constitute the statement on their website:

• Gratuities must be prepaid in order to participate in Select Dining
  Note their use of the word “prepaid”. 

[Dancing Shoes]

Is the prepaid gratuity based on cabin?  Would an outside be $15.50 per person, per day, or is that an old price I am seeing?