If I don't pay the full balance of the prepaid gratuities, will my OBC cover that?

[tc-cruise]

What will happen if I don't pay the full amount of prepaid gratuities?

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

I think if you eject to prepay gratuities it gets added to your cruise invoice.  You have to pay it by the paid in full date or they could cancel your cruise. 

 

If you want to use obc for grats I would call and have them removed from your invoice. 

[tc-cruise]

So I can use OBC to pay for prepaid gratuities even before onboard technically? Just try to confirm before wasting hours on the phone. 

 

Another question, is the long hold time normal? Or just Carnival? Or just post covid 19?

[maxandmolly]

Grats are not automatically added to your invoice. If you choose not to prepay grats, they will be added to your sail & sign on the last night. At that point yes, they can be paid with OBC. 

Edited June 28, 2023 by maxandmolly

[sanger727]

Prepaid gratuities are something that you ask for and pay for before the cruise. If you were to order them and not pay them, the cruise line could interpret that as an unpaid balance and cancel your cruise. I’ve heard of that happening on one cruise line specifically over transfers.

 

if you want to use OBC, don’t ask for prepay. They will charge daily gratuities to your account onboard and your OBC will go towards it.

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

1 hour ago, tc-cruise said:

So I can use OBC to pay for prepaid gratuities even before onboard technically? Just try to confirm before wasting hours on the phone. 

 

Another question, is the long hold time normal? Or just Carnival? Or just post covid 19?

No, you can't use OBC to prepay grats. You can only use OBC to pay grats when onboard, after they are added to your account.

 

If you want to pay them before boarding, you need to use the same forms of payment that you could use to pay for the cruise, and it is due on the paid in full date (or immediately upon adding them, if you add them on or after that date).

 

Hold times can vary greatly. This was before COVID also. Best time to call is first thing in the morning.

[tc-cruise]

Actually I chose to prepay because the rate was lower than the current rate. Seems like I can't have both. 

 

Thank you everyone to confirm what I thought. 

[Earthworm Jim]

Unless the rate is going to change before you sail, as seems to be the case here, there's no advantage to prepaying gratuities anyway. If you have the money to pay them in advance, just save that money to pay for them after the cruise when the credit card bill comes. Or pay them with cash or your debit card onboard, if you prefer.

[skrufy]

You cannot save your OBC for the end of the cruise unless you do not spend money on board the ship.  The OBC comes off your S&S card first.

[Haljo1935]

On 6/29/2023 at 11:06 AM, tc-cruise said:

Actually I chose to prepay because the rate was lower than the current rate. Seems like I can't have both. 

 

Thank you everyone to confirm what I thought. 

Correct - If you want to get the lower rate you saw when you added them to your cart, you'll have to pay that by time final payment is due and cannot use OBC to pay it. If you remove it and pay w/OBC onboard, the rate will be at the higher current rate. So, no, you cannot have it both ways.

And if you have them removed then decide you do want to pre-pay and add them back, they'll be at the higher rate.

[ninjacat123]

I pay off my cruise fare, including prepay gratuities, with AARP discount Carnival gift cards.  That saves me 10%.  I pay off excursions, CHEERS, specialty dining and pretty much anything I order through my Carnival Cruise Manager.  Saving 10% adds up🤑

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

2 hours ago, ninjacat123 said:

I pay off my cruise fare, including prepay gratuities, with AARP discount Carnival gift cards.  That saves me 10%.  I pay off excursions, CHEERS, specialty dining and pretty much anything I order through my Carnival Cruise Manager.  Saving 10% adds up🤑

Just for clarity, you can use the discounted gift cards to pay the gratuities on board as well, by adding the gift cards to your account while on board.

[1019throw]

Do we just go to the desk to adjust gratuities? We might slightly reduce tips and give cash directly to certain staff. 

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, 1019throw said:

Do we just go to the desk to adjust gratuities? We might slightly reduce tips and give cash directly to certain staff. 

Yes @1019throw just go to Passenger Services desk anytime before the last day and ask for the form to adjust tips. Just know that even if you fill it out on day 1, you will see the charges each day until the afternoon on the final day. At that time, they'll back them all off.

You can adjust down (of even up) by any amount you wish all the way to $0. You only need to complete 1 form per cabin, but do need to list each passenger that you want adjusted. You can adjust 1 passenger and leave the other, for example, if one wants to pay the standard gratuities and the other doesn't.

You only have to complete the form 1 time per booking number.

Safe travels - enjoy your cruise!