Pre-paid tips?

[abhb]

How do you pre pay tips? Do you do this once you are aboard? Does it go on your sea-pass? It seems that it would be easier than carrying lots of small bills until the end of the cruise?

[ladylawyer]

If you pre-pay your tips, before the cruise, you pay for them now (well, when you request pre-paid tips, anyway). Then, on the last day of the cruise, you'll receive the vouchers and envelopes.

 

If you wait until you are on the ship, you can pre-pay your tips, by submitting a request. There will be a form for this, left in your cabin, with the Cruise Compass (daily info sheet). Then, the tips will be put on your SeaPass bill.

 

I hope that made sense.

[AZDCruiser]

On our last cruise (in December), we chose to prepay tips --figuring it would just be easier and we knew that was one expense taken care of. We paid when we paid for our cruise online. I put down our deposit and paid on the cruise monthly. I checked the box for prepaid gratuities and it added it on for me and my husband. You could probably call RCI customer service and tell them you'd like to do that and they could add it to your total price (or your TA if you are working with one).

 

They put little slips in your room the last night that says "my stateroom attendant", "my waiter" etc. You tear them off on the preforations and put them in the little envelopes. You give them to them that night and they can get their tip money from them. Very very easy.

 

That being said, I might not do that again. We ate in the specialty restaurants twice and in the Windjammer a few nights...we only ate in the DR a couple of times but I paid the waiter, asst waiter, and Head Waiter for all 7 nights. Plus, the nights we were there -- we never saw the head waiter...we couldn't even find him the last night to give him a tip..we had to leave it with our waiter. We tipped our speciality restaurant waiters extra as the service was absolutely stellar...so it was kind of a waste to pay the waiters in the DR for those nights. But -- to each their own! Have fun whichever route you take!! :D

[Sue L]

T

That being said, I might not do that again. We ate in the specialty restaurants twice and in the Windjammer a few nights...we only ate in the DR a couple of times but I paid the waiter, asst waiter, and Head Waiter for all 7 nights. Plus, the nights we were there -- we never saw the head waiter...we couldn't even find him the last night to give him a tip..we had to leave it with our waiter. We tipped our speciality restaurant waiters extra as the service was absolutely stellar...so it was kind of a waste to pay the waiters in the DR for those nights. But -- to each their own! Have fun whichever route you take!! :D

 

 

Keep in mind though that even if you are not eating in the dining room for a night or two it is likely that your waiter and asst waiter took care of you that day somewhere on the ship, at breakfast or lunch, in the Windjammer or dining room. They work at all the different food venues throughout the ship. Also if your waiter and asst waiter were good and you enjoyed your service then thank the head waiter. If they were not good then blame them.

[WinnieinWA]

I chose the "prepay tips" checkbox when I reserved my cruise. I guess it's all about what you want to do.

 

Winnie

[jjm34957]

I use an online agency who prepays the tips from their commission. On our 2 week cruise that adds up.

 

Joe

[vegasjay]

So, if I get the gratuties prepaid as a promotion from the TA, then I don't have to fill up any envelopes that are left for me, correct? If you did get them pre-paid, do they even leave the envelopes on the last night?

 

Thanks

[Sue L]

So, if I get the gratuties prepaid as a promotion from the TA, then I don't have to fill up any envelopes that are left for me, correct? If you did get them pre-paid, do they even leave the envelopes on the last night?

 

Thanks

 

Yes, you will receive vouchers in your cabin the last night and and envelopes and you can just put the vouchers themselves in or you can add additional cash if you would like and you hand those out the last night.

[cb at sea]

If we never see our headwaiter (and that has happened), he doesn't get a tip! Simple! I won't tip for services not received! Just because it's "recommended" doesn't mean you MUST, if they never make themselves known!

We do prefer to tip in cash, as the voucher tips get added to their next paycheck (they don't get the money immediately) and they like to be able to send the $$$ home to family. Plus, by giving them cash, they can keep what they want of it, and it won't go into any "tip pool".