Prepaid Gratuities

[grammyprf]

I know there is a way but don't know how? I need the answer to that question also. My dh did it on Celebrity a few years ago...mmmmmm:confused:

[redhat29]

Didn't some cruise lines remove tipping from their Australian cruises because of cultural issues? As a Brit, it doesn't come naturally either. I'd rather the staff got paid a decent wage and the cruise fares were higher to compensate, but that's just me...............

 

Off with RCCL on Oasis on Saturday 12th Nov with the missus. Sadly it seams the cruise lines pay crap wages. I work in a well known 'resort' in Staffordshire, UK as a bus/coach driver... you know the one, with a couple of hotels;-). Know first hand how crap it is for the staff there so have no quibble with paying my grats to those who work hard. It does sometimes pay to tip. Had a weekend run to Bornemouth last year for a stag do, but had a pick up in Harwich the same weekend. Took the stags first on Friday Morning. I asked them NOT to drink booze on the way, They still did and had around 100 bottles to shift at a services after drop off! Loads of promises of 'looking after me on the way back' were made....Yeah right! Overnighted in Essex at a mates house then onto Harwich Saturday, then back up my way to drop off. Dropped off and a nice wedge later and then back to depot for fuel, then off back down M40 to overnight. Bornemouth for 12 noon Sunday. BA****DS were 45 mins late and VERY hung over (though most were still drinking). Could not have driver break as I had no idea how long they were going to be, So ended up having 45 mins on way back. They were NOT impressed, so much so, NO PIGGIN TIP!!! and it was THEIR fault I had to stop for the legal break!!!!

The way I see it, if you bust a gut from the start, the less it is appreciated. I would imagine this would be the case for most cruise staff. A few coins or notes does spur you on to do better and would enhance the service. I ALWAYS try to do my best, though if I get an idea that some 'extra incentive' is forthcoming ALL the stops are pulled. We opted for my time dining to budget better. I don't see why the head waiter should get extra as I have heard they are basicaly on par with higher management anyway on alot better pay! If I see the head waiter doing bug*er all and running the 'lesser man/woman' ragged, then no tip forthcoming to them. I get good service, I see no problem with 'a bit extra'. Look afer me and I look after them!

[floridajen2000]

What country is that? I want to move there. Tipping has gotten out of control in the US. Really, I need to tip Starbucks for pouring a cup of coffee which I have to add my own cream and sugar to? Ridiculous!

[floridajen2000]

Tara Jane,

 

What country is that? I want to move there. Tipping has gotten out of control in the US. Really, I need to tip Starbucks for pouring a cup of coffee which I have to add my own cream and sugar to? Ridiculous!

Edited December 4, 2011 by floridajen2000

[Fenton!]

They're not 'pre-paid gratuities' anymore, according to my latest RCL Cruise Invoice, they're 'Onboard service charges'. Which is altogether more accurate of course but I'm surprised RCL now admit it!

[stahlee]

Well, we paid for prepaid gratuities for our cruise on the Oasis on 11/26, last week, but our travel agent screwed us out of everything. We paid for $50 dinner credit, $150 on board credit, 1 spa visit and prepaid gratuities.

 

We received the spa visit paper in the mail. My wife contacted them a number of times before the cruise to make sure everything was taken care of and they said it would all be available. We got on board to find our $150 credit was only $100, no prepaid gratuities and no $50 dinner credit. My wife ended up having to call from the cruise ship to try and get this straightened out. After a couple calls, we got the dinner comp and extra $50 credit taken care of, but they screwed us out of the prepaid gratuities. We have it all in emails with exactly what we paid for, but they refuse to take care of the gratuities. We paid the extra money upfront to take care of them to, since we didn't want to worry about them at the end.

 

This was our first cruise, which we loved. We are hooked, but the travel agency part of this has been a nightmare. We double paid the gratuities. Do other people have these same issues?

[Iluvcruising2]

What happens if you do not pre-pay your gratuities and refuse to pay any gratuities onboard?

 

I am not advocating this of course, but I'm just wondering what would happen.

[Fenton!]

What happens if you do not pre-pay your gratuities and refuse to pay any gratuities onboard?

 

I am not advocating this of course, but I'm just wondering what would happen.

 

You'd just make a number of very hard-working people, probably from quite low income backgrounds, pretty fed up!

 

Having said that any decent employer would pay their staff a proper living wage for their work without having them depend on the 'tips' of their customers, IMO.

 

The sooner the cruise lines go over to including their service charges within their fares the better, leaving gratuities to become additional expressions of our appreciation when they're deserved.

[40thbdaycruz]

Don't hold your breath waiting for an answer...the post you quoted was made 5 years ago...

I must agree prepaying for tips is weird to me and I am in the service industry.

[debates2]

Is it better to prepay these when booking our cruise, or to wait and pay them on the ship? Also if we prepay, who dont we have to tip, and who do we have to tip.

Thanks!

 

Prepay the gratuities. One less thing to worry about. I too have paid exta for service above and beyond for our room steward and head waiter. On RCCL you can prepay the room steward, head waitor and assistant waitor, but I'm not aware of any others. We've tipped special bar tenders and the concierge on the last evening.

[njhorseman]

I must agree prepaying for tips is weird to me and I am in the service industry.

 

Well...it's not really "tips". The service charge/hotel charge/gratuity (or whatever a particular cruise line calls it) that most cruise lines charge to your on board account is really the crew's salary. They are typically only paid about $50-100 per month by the cruise line so they heavily depend on the service charge for their income. When we want to tip a crew member for better than average service, we do that in addition to and above the service charge.

[Algebralovr]

Well, we paid for prepaid gratuities for our cruise on the Oasis on 11/26, last week, but our travel agent screwed us out of everything. We paid for $50 dinner credit, $150 on board credit, 1 spa visit and prepaid gratuities.

 

We received the spa visit paper in the mail. My wife contacted them a number of times before the cruise to make sure everything was taken care of and they said it would all be available. We got on board to find our $150 credit was only $100, no prepaid gratuities and no $50 dinner credit. My wife ended up having to call from the cruise ship to try and get this straightened out. After a couple calls, we got the dinner comp and extra $50 credit taken care of, but they screwed us out of the prepaid gratuities. We have it all in emails with exactly what we paid for, but they refuse to take care of the gratuities. We paid the extra money upfront to take care of them to, since we didn't want to worry about them at the end.

 

This was our first cruise, which we loved. We are hooked, but the travel agency part of this has been a nightmare. We double paid the gratuities. Do other people have these same issues?

 

if you actually paid the pre-paid grats, I recommend that you take this up with the credit card you used to pay them. If they were part of the ad you used, and you have it in writing that you had grats pre-paid, you should follow up with TA, credit card, and if necessary the BBB.

[ladybug1s]

that is my thought. We will most likely only eat dining 3 x's since we will eat at ports and etc...So why tip if we don't get served?

[thecumbrian]

Why bother paying gratuities of any type?

Why should you have to pay extra for services you have already paid for?

There were passengers in front of me cancelling their auto gratuities at the purser’s desk when I was queuing to cancel mine. Prepay gratuities no way, It’s not being cheap. The cruise lines should pay a living wage to their employees. Lots of people do not pay gratuities, just some are scared to say that they don't, because they will be told they are cheap.

Edited January 15, 2014 by thecumbrian
spelling

[lady_cruiser]

I'm confused :confused: why are you bringing up a post that is over 7 years old :confused:.?

Edited January 15, 2014 by lady_cruiser

[luddite]

Why bother paying gratuities of any type?

Why should you have to pay extra for services you have already paid for?

There were passengers in front of me cancelling their auto gratuities at the purser’s desk when I was queuing to cancel mine. Prepay gratuities no way, It’s not being cheap. The cruise lines should pay a living wage to their employees. Lots of people do not pay gratuities, just some are scared to say that they don't, because they will be told they are cheap.

 

Well, you are wrong. Very,very wrong.

[donaldsc]

Why bother paying gratuities of any type?

Why should you have to pay extra for services you have already paid for?

There were passengers in front of me cancelling their auto gratuities at the purser’s desk when I was queuing to cancel mine. Prepay gratuities no way, It’s not being cheap. The cruise lines should pay a living wage to their employees. Lots of people do not pay gratuities, just some are scared to say that they don't, because they will be told they are cheap.

 

In theory you are right - the cruise companies should pay the crew a living wage. However, they do not and the crew members depend upon out tips (or whatever you want to call it) for most of their salary. And yes - the people who opt out are cheap and are cheating the crew members who have served them for the length of the cruise.

 

DON

[dwayneb236]

And I agree... Cheap...

[thecumbrian]

In theory you are right - the cruise companies should pay the crew a living wage. However, they do not and the crew members depend upon out tips (or whatever you want to call it) for most of their salary. And yes - the people who opt out are cheap and are cheating the crew members who have served them for the length of the cruise.

 

DON

Don't agree with the cheap point of view? Cheating the crew? I have paid for their service with their company.

[thecumbrian]

I'm confused :confused: why are you bringing up a post that is over 7 years old :confused:.?

Because the tipping subject is still a problem.

But finally I feel that lots of people (mainly us europeans) are getting a bit tired of subsidising the cruise line workers wages. Cruise lines are starting to realise this is happening. It will probably mean more expensive cruises or they pay better wages, but feel it will be mean more expensive cruises.

[njhorseman]

Because the tipping subject is still a problem.

But finally I feel that lots of people (mainly us europeans) are getting a bit tired of subsidising the cruise line workers wages. Cruise lines are starting to realise this is happening. It will probably mean more expensive cruises or they pay better wages, but feel it will be mean more expensive cruises.

 

It doesn't take a doctorate in mathematics to realize that regardless of whether the crew members derive most of their income from a direct salary paid by the cruise line or from tips they receive from passengers that the passengers are ultimately footing the bill.

 

Does anyone with even the most minute amount of functioning gray matter think that cruise lines wouldn't raise their base fares to offset higher wages paid directly to the crew? Where do you think the money would come from? Do you think the cruise lines owners/stockholders are just going to smile and pay the higher salary from profits?

[luddite]

Don't agree with the cheap point of view? Cheating the crew? I have paid for their service with their company.

 

Well,....no. This isn't correct.

[crochetcruise]

It's customary to tip room service extra since the crew members aren't always members of the "tip pool". $1 to $5 depending on the size of the order. As far as currency is concerned it depends on the cruise line, I think. Usually it's the currency you used to pay for your cruise. We're coming your way in Feb/March on RCCL's Radiance of the Seas and the currency on the ship is American. But I think Princess charges in $AUD.

 

On a side note, I just ordered some $AUD and $NZD from our bank - you have really cool money. The teller at the bank even remarked on it since she had never seen any. Must be not many people from El Paso go to Australia.

 

I just checked my copy of the CRUISING FROM AUSTRALI9A & ASIA 2014-2016 brochure. I will type the info I found on page 75 of the brochure for your information:

 

What is the currency onboard?

All prices on Sun Princess, Dawn Princess, Sea Princess, Diamond Princess and Golden Princess departing from and returning to Australia are in Australian Dollars (Golden Princess and Diamond Princess commencing 29th September, 2015). Prices on all other Princess Cruises departures are in US dollars.

 

I understand this to mean, that on my 2 night cruise, which is sold as part of a 30 night cruise sailing from Melbourne to Sydney, Australia, then new Zealand, American Samoa, French Polynesia, Hawaiian Islands and Los Angeles USA, I must bring USD and quarters for the washers and dryers with me.. I have noted to query that with the Travel Agent, and when I get the info, will post it here, copying this post for everyone's reference. HTH.

 

I've learned such lots from reading different threads. Thanks everyone!

 

Crochetcruise :cool:

[jammen]

Is it better to prepay these when booking our cruise, or to wait and pay them on the ship? Also if we prepay, who dont we have to tip, and who do we have to tip.

Thanks!

 

You might want to pay at the end of a cruise.

[nissach]

In theory you are right - the cruise companies should pay the crew a living wage. However, they do not and the crew members depend upon out tips (or whatever you want to call it) for most of their salary. And yes - the people who opt out are cheap and are cheating the crew members who have served them for the length of the cruise.

 

DON

 

I disagree, I quite often opt out of the prepaid gratuities. Sometimes the whole amount, but most of the time just the select jobs that are paid. We NEVER eat in the MDR so to pay the services there are not going to happen. We usually keep the amount going to the room stewards, but I prefer to tip them in cash daily for a job well done I should be able to tip the amount I choose, not an amount that is chosen for me.