No need to rush to add Gratuities

[Ourusualbeach]

There is no need to add gratuities or pay for them prior to Nov 11 to avoid the price increase.

 

As long as gratuities are added to the booking prior to sailing and the booking was created prior to Nov 11, 2024 then you will get the gratuities added at the old rate.

 

I just added gratuities to a booking for a client yesterday for a booking that was created prior to Sept  of 2023 and their gratuities were added at the rate of $14.50 per person per day.

 

Yes the email that Royal sent out was very poorly written.

[marci22]

20 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

I just added gratuities to a booking for a client yesterday for a booking that was created prior to Sept  of 2023 and their gratuities were added at the rate of $14.50 per person per day.

Do you mean $16 pppd?

[neverbeenhere]

September 2022?

[c-leg5]

25 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

There is no need to add gratuities or pay for them prior to Nov 11 to avoid the price increase.

 

As long as gratuities are added to the booking prior to sailing and the booking was created prior to Nov 11, 2024 then you will get the gratuities added at the old rate.

 

I just added gratuities to a booking for a client yesterday for a booking that was created prior to Sept  of 2023 and their gratuities were added at the rate of $14.50 per person per day.

 

Yes the email that Royal sent out was very poorly written.

 

I am not sure why there is so much confusion.

 

The website further clarifies

Guests who have already prepaid their gratuities will not be impacted by this change. Guests who plan to pay onboard, will be charged the new rate starting November 11, 2023.

**Pre-paid gratuities can be added to an individual reservation up to 48 hours before the sail date.

[marci22]

5 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

 

I am not sure why there is so much confusion.

 

The website further clarifies

Guests who have already prepaid their gratuities will not be impacted by this change. Guests who plan to pay onboard, will be charged the new rate starting November 11, 2023.

**Pre-paid gratuities can be added to an individual reservation up to 48 hours before the sail date.

That's pretty clear but the mass email they sent out does not have as much detail.

[firefly333]

26 minutes ago, marci22 said:

Do you mean $16 pppd?

 

48 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

There is no need to add gratuities or pay for them prior to Nov 11 to avoid the price increase.

 

As long as gratuities are added to the booking prior to sailing and the booking was created prior to Nov 11, 2024 then you will get the gratuities added at the old rate.

 

I just added gratuities to a booking for a client yesterday for a booking that was created prior to Sept  of 2023 and their gratuities were added at the rate of $14.50 per person per day.

 

Yes the email that Royal sent out was very poorly written.

I suspect you mean the booking was booked prior to sept 2022 ..sept last year before rates went up last year. .. typo. I understood.

[smokeybandit]

56 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

prior to Nov 11, 2024

You mean Nov 11, 2023?

[Ourusualbeach]

10 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

You mean Nov 11, 2023?

Wow. Doing a lot of time travelling.  What's sad is I'm having my first drink after that post. 

[smokeybandit]

Just now, Ourusualbeach said:

Wow. Doing a lot of time travelling.  What's sad is I'm having my first drink after that post. 

Have two then!

[taznremmy]

2 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Wow. Doing a lot of time travelling.  What's sad is I'm having my first drink after that post. 

@Ourusualbeach Ken, maybe that was the problem. 😂  Thanks for this information.

[LuCruise]

Ken, thank for letting us all know.

 

To confirm I understand...we have two cruises that we booked Nov and Dec of last year.

 

I haven't added gratuities yet (but always add then when I do final payment if not done yet).

 

I tried calling yesterday morning but it was a long wait and didn't have the time so hung up after waiting 20 minutes.  From what you are saying, I can wait until final payment , add them then (then pay off the cruise) and will still get the current rate before the raise?

[LuCruise]

Ken, thank for letting us all know.

 

To confirm I understand...we have two cruises that we booked Nov and Dec of last year for 2024 and 2025.

 

I haven't added gratuities yet (but always add then when I do final payment if not done yet).

 

I tried calling yesterday morning but it was a long wait and didn't have the time so hung up after waiting 20 minutes.  From what you are saying, I can wait until final payment , add then add them to the invoice (then pay off the cruise) and will still get the current rate before the raise?

Edited November 4, 2023 by LuCruise

[orville99]

1 hour ago, LuCruise said:

I tried calling yesterday morning but it was a long wait and didn't have the time so hung up after waiting 20 minutes. 

We had the same issue, so we called the C&A desk and had everything wrapped up in a few minutes. 

[LuCruise]

30 minutes ago, orville99 said:

We had the same issue, so we called the C&A desk and had everything wrapped up in a few minutes. 

Thanks for the tip!  I usually go through the main number but will try that.

[SConnolly]

Took a few minutes with C&A desk to update all ours, some already had them added.

 

Appreciate the Tip. (Pun intended)

[Ourusualbeach]

7 hours ago, LuCruise said:

Ken, thank for letting us all know.

 

To confirm I understand...we have two cruises that we booked Nov and Dec of last year.

 

I haven't added gratuities yet (but always add then when I do final payment if not done yet).

 

I tried calling yesterday morning but it was a long wait and didn't have the time so hung up after waiting 20 minutes.  From what you are saying, I can wait until final payment , add them then (then pay off the cruise) and will still get the current rate before the raise?

Correct.  You can even wait until after you have made final and call, add them and pay at that time and you will still get the old rate.

[Russ Lomas]

21 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

There is no need to add gratuities or pay for them prior to Nov 11 to avoid the price increase.

 

As long as gratuities are added to the booking prior to sailing and the booking was created prior to Nov 11, 2024 then you will get the gratuities added at the old rate.

 

I just added gratuities to a booking for a client yesterday for a booking that was created prior to Sept  of 2023 and their gratuities were added at the rate of $14.50 per person per day.

 

Yes the email that Royal sent out was very poorly written.

The way that I was reading the email, it sounded to me that you could add the gratuities at ANY time prior to your sailing to prepay them.  Many others on this board said it had to be done prior to November 11th.  When I reread the RCCL email, I could see how people would come to potentially think that, but still believed that my thinking was correct.  Wording on RCCL's email could have been done better on their part.  You think if a company is making a billion dollar profit in a quarter, then they could hire a competent person to write a clearer email.  Thanks for clarifying this Ken.  Guess we do not have to prepay for our 2025 March cruise until we do final payment for that one in December 2024 then if we wish too prepay.

[Morecruisesplz]

On 11/3/2023 at 11:31 PM, Ourusualbeach said:

There is no need to add gratuities or pay for them prior to Nov 11 to avoid the price increase.

 

As long as gratuities are added to the booking prior to sailing and the booking was created prior to Nov 11, 2024 then you will get the gratuities added at the old rate.

 

I just added gratuities to a booking for a client yesterday for a booking that was created prior to Sept  of 2023 and their gratuities were added at the rate of $14.50 per person per day.

 

Yes the email that Royal sent out was very poorly written.

So we are ok on 2025 cruises?

[Ourusualbeach]

2 minutes ago, fredmdcruisers said:

So we are ok on 2025 cruises?

Yes, just add them at the old rate anytime prior to sailing

[cruisin'mama]

New to RC… I have OBC from my TA. I assume this cannot be used in advance to prepay the gratuities and can only be used once onboard. Correct?

[Ourusualbeach]

23 minutes ago, cruisin'mama said:

New to RC… I have OBC from my TA. I assume this cannot be used in advance to prepay the gratuities and can only be used once onboard. Correct?

Correct.  If you want to use OBC to pay for gratuities it must be used on board

[Ashland]

7 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Yes, just add them at the old rate anytime prior to sailing

So as long as paid before sailing you get the old rate...even after final is paid right ??

[Ourusualbeach]

4 minutes ago, Ashland said:

So as long as paid before sailing you get the old rate...even after final is paid right ??

Correct

[cruisin'mama]

4 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Correct.  If you want to use OBC to pay for gratuities it must be used on board

Thank you. That what I thought

[thepla]

I have a question..

 

It i already pre-paid gratuities for Amex offer (I needed pre-paid amount to put me over threshold) and get upgrade to a higher cabin do they credit pre-paid gratuities or just charge diff daily?