Gratuties to On-Board Account??

[misterbuds]

Does anyone know if Celebrity allows you to put your gratuties on your on-board account? We haven't sailed celebrity since 2000. Back then you had to put the cash in the envelopes, etc. We've sailed NCL a couple of times since and they automatically charge to your on-board account. Just wondering if Celebrity allows the same now as we want to bring the right amount of cash in advance if we can't charge to the on-board. For us it's a matter of convenience to have it go on the on-board account.

Also, if they do let you charge gratuities to the on-board, does anyone know if you can adjust up the tips for better service? And how do they distinguish if I wanted to leave my waiter extra but not my steward, for example? Would it be best then to resort to envelopes?

[charlielinda]

You can use your on-board account for tips. You'll find a form in your statement room mid-cruise which you can fill out. As for adding extra I'm not sure how that is done but I'm sure others will let you now.

[socialworker]

Just got off the Mercury and we put on tips on our onboard account. On the Gratituity Form there was a space for adding "extra" for your stateroom attendant, waiter, etc. It was very simple.

[Andy]

Does anyone know if Celebrity allows you to put your gratuties on your on-board account? We haven't sailed celebrity since 2000. Back then you had to put the cash in the envelopes, etc. We've sailed NCL a couple of times since and they automatically charge to your on-board account. Just wondering if Celebrity allows the same now as we want to bring the right amount of cash in advance if we can't charge to the on-board. For us it's a matter of convenience to have it go on the on-board account.

Also, if they do let you charge gratuities to the on-board, does anyone know if you can adjust up the tips for better service? And how do they distinguish if I wanted to leave my waiter extra but not my steward, for example? Would it be best then to resort to envelopes?

 

Hi Misterbuds !

 

Yes, you can charge the tips to your shipboard account. As others have said, you will get a form to do this, and it is VERY easy. You can also add the extra tips on this form, but I do not recommend it.

 

I would suggest asking for tip envelopes, if they are not given to you, and put the extra tips in the envelopes and give them to the respective individuals. This way, you can be assured the right person gets the extra tip.

 

We always use the automatic tipping for the suggested amounts, and tip everyone else the extra tips individually. I feel this is the best way to do it.

 

Enjoy your Cruise !

[beauxdammit]

Host Andy is right on. By adding a little extra, delivered personally, the recipient is assured that the service was appreciated.

[CaroleSP]

We always give more than the standard amount, but I did notice last time that you can't use the envelope if you are tipping under the suggested amount. We received little receipts to enclose in the envelopes to give to the staff members. We have been including the extra on our on board account; are you saying it is uncertain that our staff members may not get it?

[misterbuds]

Thanks for all the quick responses. We definitely like putting the gratuitites on our on-board account. I'm glad Celebrity does that. It makes it easier for us in the long run. (Don't have to keep that money separate from the spending money!):D . I like Host Andy's suggestion with putting the extra in the envelope and personally giving it to the staff. I think we will do that. I would just want to make sure that the appropriate staff person gets the extra if they went above and beyond.

 

CaroleSP- you said celebrity gave you receipts to state that you put your gratuities on the on-board account. I assume if we did this we could put our extra in the envelope with the receipt? This way the staff person would know they received a tip from our on-board plus the extra personally. Or does the receipt have a spot that tells how much tip you are leaving the staff member?

[billscruiser]

Just got off the Infinity (Panama Canal). Very simple to charge to the room and yes you can give extra if you want just write on their form in the spaces designated by each staff person. I only specified the recommended amount. Envelopes came the next to last night I think, with each attendents name on them with a very nice card saying thank you for their services. You fill in your cabin number and table number. We put extra cash in whichever ones we wanted and handed to each person that night or the next day along with any personal thank yous as well. It really was quite well done. The only thing you cannot do is give less than the recommended amounts or eliminate any people completely with this method. Hope this helps. Happy sailing.

[Post Captain]

Just one thing to keep in mind re. tipping via your onboard account: I might be wrong, but I seem to recall that the onboard account tipping form makes you give at least the minimum tip to all the "suggested" personnel. I don't mean to sound niggardly, but I don't like being forced to tip someone who didn't provide exceptional service (or any real service at all, for that matter).

 

On the other hand, so far I have always been happy to give the waiter & assistant waiter as well as the stateroom steward (aka "cabin attendant") & his/her assistant a bit more than the "suggested" minimum, as they in fact have provided outstanding service.

Does the Captain open each envelope as you hand it over;) and what on earth is the punishment!!!!!!:cool:

You Americans pay too little for your cruises if you can afford to be so competitive with tipping:o .

Yes, I'm the first to admit that Americans often do go overboard (pun intended) in tipping, whether on sea or on land. My British friends always remark on this whenever they visit me in the States & we go out for a meal.:) They remind me that tips should be voluntary, not obligatory, and that they should be given for extraordinary, not ordinary, service. I do agree with this in principle; but it's an economic fact that certain service workers, including cruise line waiters and stewards, rely on tips to make up a good portion of their income.

 

That said, I do object to Celebrity's constant "reminders" about tipping. I'm sufficiently aware & savvy to make my own decisions about who, & how much, to tip, & resent having my arm twisted--it's not good form. I'm also a bit dubious about where the money really goes if I add the tips to my onboard account. Handing an envelope directly to those who have served me well seems a much more personal way of rewarding that service, even though it's less convenient (in terms of having to carry a large amount of money in small bills/notes) than charging the amount to one's account.

 

Actually, we Americans do pay "too little" for some of our cruises, in relation to what our British cousins pay for some of theirs. Or rather, they pay too much. (Prices even often vary for the same cruise, depending on whether you book in the U.S. or the U.K.) But that's a subject for another discussion altogether, and one that may well require an advanced degree in international finance.

[spearmint]

Just one thing to keep in mind re. tipping via your onboard account: I might be wrong, but I seem to recall that the onboard account tipping form makes you give at least the minimum tip to all the "suggested" personnel. I don't mean to sound niggardly, but I don't like being forced to tip someone who didn't provide exceptional service (or any real service at all, for that matter).

You are correct and I agree wholeheartedly with you! :mad: We used the onboard tipping on our recent cruise to the Baltics, so that we did not need to take that much cash with us and have to do something with it while we stayed in London for 3 days pre-cruise. I was surprised, disappointed and irritated that we had to tip everyone suggested and the suggested amount in order to avail ourselves of tipping on our seapass account. For example, I do not normally tip the assistant Maitre d' for simply dropping by my table to say hello. Also, it was easy to add extra funds to increase the tips for wonderful people/service. :) Unless we run into a similar situation with many days of cruising and hotel stays, I will go back to the cash-in-the-envelope system.

 

[MrFSS]

Do the envelopes they give you have your name or any type of ID so the person receiving it will know it came from you? I'm sure they won't open it right there on the spot and if it just has cash in it, how will they remember from whom it came?

[CaroleSP]

CaroleSP- you said celebrity gave you receipts to state that you put your gratuities on the on-board account. I assume if we did this we could put our extra in the envelope with the receipt? This way the staff person would know they received a tip from our on-board plus the extra personally. Or does the receipt have a spot that tells how much tip you are leaving the staff member?

I don't recall that an amount was mentioned.

[waunabcruizin]

Hmmmmm. It was my understanding (erroneously??) that all the tips go into a pool which is then parceled out according to some formula, not only to those with whom you have had personal dealings, but also to the many behind-the-scenes support staff who would not ordinarily interact directly with the passengers. Anything over and above the suggested minimum

given directly given to room steward, waiter, ass't waiter, etc. in person does not go into the pool but is kept by that person.

 

So, if the above is true, then standard tips either paid as part of the cruise fare (yes, can be done) or paid by onboard account go into the pool. Extra gratuity for room steward, waiter, etc. handed directly to them by envelope should then be theirs to keep.

 

If gratuities are NOT paid by onboard account or as part of the cruise fare, then envelopes given directly to steward, waiter, etc. are NOT theirs to keep but must go into the pool, though I don't understand how any extra is then parceled out.

 

That was my understanding, but where the heck I got that from I can't remember. Am I completely off base here? :confused:

 

Carol.

[SheilaNC]

Carol,

We tipped more than requested when on the Mercury = the service to our 5 grandchildren and the extras they did for the kids was amazing. Our waiter, asst waiter and asst Maitre D' all got significantly more. We simply asked for envelopes at guest relations, wrote personal notes signed and gave to each individually. They made it quite clear that it was 'theirs'. I never heard of them pooling the extra....am I wrong???

[Andy]

Do the envelopes they give you have your name or any type of ID so the person receiving it will know it came from you? I'm sure they won't open it right there on the spot and if it just has cash in it, how will they remember from whom it came?

 

Hi MrFSS !

 

No they do not have your names on the tip envelopes, but I always write : TO : (Their Name) FROM : (My Name) on the outside of the envelope. I usually put a note inside, thanking them for their wonderful service, and I always personalize the note. This way, they will know it is from you.

[Andy]

Hmmmmm. It was my understanding (erroneously??) that all the tips go into a pool which is then parceled out according to some formula, not only to those with whom you have had personal dealings, but also to the many behind-the-scenes support staff who would not ordinarily interact directly with the passengers. Anything over and above the suggested minimum

given directly given to room steward, waiter, ass't waiter, etc. in person does not go into the pool but is kept by that person.

 

So, if the above is true, then standard tips either paid as part of the cruise fare (yes, can be done) or paid by onboard account go into the pool. Extra gratuity for room steward, waiter, etc. handed directly to them by envelope should then be theirs to keep.

 

If gratuities are NOT paid by onboard account or as part of the cruise fare, then envelopes given directly to steward, waiter, etc. are NOT theirs to keep but must go into the pool, though I don't understand how any extra is then parceled out.

 

That was my understanding, but where the heck I got that from I can't remember. Am I completely off base here? :confused:

 

Carol.

 

Hi Carol !

 

I have asked this question dozens of times, and I have always been told (at least by Waiters and Maitre'd and Cabin Attendants), that the tip money was theirs, and not pooled. I know nothing about any "pooling" for them.

 

What you may have been informed about is tips for bartenders, and other staff members. There may be a possibility of those tips being pooled. I can see that happening, but I am not sure about that.

[spearmint]

Do the envelopes they give you have your name or any type of ID so the person receiving it will know it came from you? I'm sure they won't open it right there on the spot and if it just has cash in it, how will they remember from whom it came?

 

You are given receipts which you can put in the envelopes which have the occupation of the person written on theme.g. your cabin attendant. We put in a note to thank the actual person involved using his/her name and ours. Hope this helps.

[Salty Dawg]

Waunabecruzin---

 

I believe you are correct in your statement about pooling, but this applies to Princess, as they have the 'anytime' dining option.

 

I believe that the other lines waiters, assistant waiters, and cabin stewards do not have to pool their tips, even through auto tipping. Of course, if your steward has an assistant, he shares a portion of his tips with that person.

[jakenashleysmom]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this before, but you could also add the gratuities to your account on-line before the cruise. I did book on-line with Celebrity, and have not made final payment as of yet so the option was available for me. I'm not sure if anyone can do this or not, but possibly if you have your reservation number it can be done, or your ta could probably handle this for you. We do like to add extra, but having the bulk of the tipping pre-paid is nice.