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Can onboard credit be used towards tips/gratuities?


kj_connections
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Yes you can. The OBC is applied to your on board account.

So just go to Guest Services and tell them you want to put your gratuities on your account. They will ask how much for each water, head server, assistant server and room host you want to pay. Then ask for the receipt for each. Then on the last night of the cruise you put the receipt in the envelopes (delivered to your room the night before) so you have something to hand to your wait staff and room host the last night like everyone else will be doing.

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I would've thought tips would be handled behind the scenes by now, between ships mgmt and staff, since it's coming out of your room account. Do you really still have to actually hand the staff envelopes with tips?

 

 

 

No but you may feel akward at dinner the last night when the others around you are all handing out tip envelopes and thanking the wait staff.

 

On DCL the wait staff does a parade around the dining room the last night as a fare well to their guests and then its tradition to hand them the envelopes and than them.

 

It's up to you.

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  • 4 years later...
Can I use my onboard credit (that I received from booking with a travel agency) towards paying off tips/gratuities? I've done that before with other cruiselines but I'm not sure if I would be able to do that with Disney.

Since the answer can very by cruise line and may change over the years, in Feb 2015 inquired about using the credit to pay gratuities on a Celebrity vessel using my RCL stock benefit.

 

The answer is YES on Celebrity, Azamara and Royal Caribbean cruises. There is an exclusion for charter operations and sailing on the Celebrity Expedition Galapagos.

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On DCL, you can use any onboard credit to pay off tips (and anything else that is applied to your account). If you do nothing, the standard gratuity of $12 per guest per night of cruise will be applied to your KTTW account. You will receive coupons in your room on the second to last day along with envelopes to put them in. You hand out the envelopes on the last night.

 

If you do not hand out the envelope, the individual named on the coupon will receive their tip--you need to be sure the name is correct. However, it is traditional to hand them the envelope containing the coupon. You are also welcome to add some cash to the coupon if you desire.

 

If you choose to not use the previously described set up, you go to guest services. You can increase or decrease the tip amount or remove the charged tips all together and they will issue new coupons appropriate to what you have changed.

 

DCL charges all tips as a single charge near the end of the cruise. This is different than some other lines--for example, on Celebrity, the tip charge appears each day on the account which contributes to a statement about 9 miles long by the end of the cruise. DCL's is much more concise.

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No but you may feel akward at dinner the last night when the others around you are all handing out tip envelopes and thanking the wait staff.

 

On DCL the wait staff does a parade around the dining room the last night as a fare well to their guests and then its tradition to hand them the envelopes and than them.

 

It's up to you.

 

Is this new? Or on longer sailings? I've done a 3-night and a 4-night and don't recall this parade thing at all. (I do remember it on HAL this past summer, and remember that that made the service that night among the worst because they were so worried on being in place for the parade.)

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On cruises of 7 nights or more, the theme of the last night is "Till We Meet Again." The dining room CMs do a little parade with flags representing the various countries represented by the crew members with the music to "It's a Small World" playing (not endlessly like on the ride). Their costumes that night feature flags also. This little show is not connected to the tips--they are NOT parading to the tables to collect the envelopes. It is a choreographed walk thru the dining room for the flag thing. You can give them the tip envelopes at any time during the evening, but if they haven't collected one from you before the end, they will visit your table afterward to wish you a safe journey home, etc and get their envelope.

 

While an attempt is made for CMs to carry their correct national flag, they do sometimes get busy and whoever is available grabs whatever flag needs a carrier. Two of the head servers will carry the US flag. It's just a nice little farewell event.

 

This does not happen on 3 or 4 night cruises because the last night on those cruises is the signature restaurant. There is no themed dining on the last night on short cruises.

Edited by moki'smommy
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On cruises of 7 nights or more' date=' the theme of the last night is "Till We Meet Again." The dining room CMs do a little parade with flags representing the various countries represented by the crew members with the music to "It's a Small World" playing (not endlessly like on the ride). Their costumes that night feature flags also. This little show is not connected to the tips--they are NOT parading to the tables to collect the envelopes. It is a choreographed walk thru the dining room for the flag thing. You can give them the tip envelopes at any time during the evening, but if they haven't collected one from you before the end, they will visit your table afterward to wish you a safe journey home, etc and get their envelope.

 

While an attempt is made for CMs to carry their correct national flag, they do sometimes get busy and whoever is available grabs whatever flag needs a carrier. Two of the head servers will carry the US flag. It's just a nice little farewell event.

 

This does not happen on 3 or 4 night cruises because the last night on those cruises is the signature restaurant. There is no themed dining on the last night on short cruises.[/quote']

 

Gotcha. Thanks. So I should brace for this on my upcoming cruise. :P I don't see why we can't just say good-bye with a handshake and smile rather than this IMHO outdated "tradition", but I am weird like that. (Although on HAL they added in cabin stewards who carried towel animals...and the way one or two carried their elephant led to some giggles in our group. ) Or... Maybe I'll see if I can score a second Palo dinner once I'm on board for that night and just see my servers on the final morning. Hmm...

Edited by WrittenOnYourHeart
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The coupon system provides a back up for the CM in the event that there has been a schedule change or something else that results in the name on the coupon being different than the name of the person who served you.

 

IF you decide to not give an envelope to the individuals, please be sure that the names on the coupons in your cabin are correct. I guess I don't understand why handing over an envelope with the handshake is "outdated," but that's not the point. I just wouldn't want to see someone unintentionally lose out on a deserved tip.

 

We did have one cruise with an incorrect name on a coupon--the person named had left the ship on the day we boarded due to a family emergency and the ship's computer hadn't caught up with the change. The individual who served us explained the system and told me not to worry or bother getting it changed--he just needed to sign the coupon and give it to his manager in order to have the tip reassigned to him.

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Sorry if this is a stupid question, but do these coupons arrive just for the dining room CM? Or are some issued for the room attendants as well? I, too, am used to the behind the scenes system; I definitely don't want to leave anyone out that deserves their recognition!

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Sorry if this is a stupid question, but do these coupons arrive just for the dining room CM? Or are some issued for the room attendants as well? I, too, am used to the behind the scenes system; I definitely don't want to leave anyone out that deserves their recognition!

 

At the end of the cruise, you will receive a coupon sheet. It is a multi-perforated sheet with each section indicating the name/job and amount of the tip. You separate the sections and place each in the appropriate envelope (also supplied) to hand out.

 

One of the sections is for your records, and shows the names, job titles, and amounts of each tip.

 

There are 4 other sections, Room Host; Dining Room Server; Assistant Server; Head Server.

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Yes you can. The OBC is applied to your on board account.

So just go to Guest Services and tell them you want to put your gratuities on your account. They will ask how much for each water, head server, assistant server and room host you want to pay. Then ask for the receipt for each. Then on the last night of the cruise you put the receipt in the envelopes (delivered to your room the night before) so you have something to hand to your wait staff and room host the last night like everyone else will be doing.

 

On DCL' date=' you can use any onboard credit to pay off tips (and anything else that is applied to your account). If you do nothing, the standard gratuity of $12 per guest per night of cruise will be applied to your KTTW account. You will receive coupons in your room on the second to last day along with envelopes to put them in. You hand out the envelopes on the last night.

[/quote']

 

Combining these two - if I do nothing, $12 per person per day will be charged to my account. Do they automatically use OBC to pay my account first, then charge remaining to a credit card? Or do I HAVE to go to Guest Services to tell them to use OBC to pay tips?

 

Thanks!

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Combining these two - if I do nothing, $12 per person per day will be charged to my account. Do they automatically use OBC to pay my account first, then charge remaining to a credit card? Or do I HAVE to go to Guest Services to tell them to use OBC to pay tips?

 

Thanks!

 

Yes, any OBC on your onboard account will be used up first, before charges are applied to your credit card.

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Combining these two - if I do nothing, $12 per person per day will be charged to my account. Do they automatically use OBC to pay my account first, then charge remaining to a credit card? Or do I HAVE to go to Guest Services to tell them to use OBC to pay tips?

 

Thanks!

 

The way that money is spent out of your account is first, any OBC that you have, secondly any "funny money" like Disney Visa reward dollars, third any cash that you placed on your account (most people don't do this if they place a credit card, but some do), and finally, bill your credit card.

 

SO, whatever you charge first will be using up your OBC. If you buy photos on day 2 or go to the spa or whatever, that will eat some or all of your OBC. It is one account. It doesn't matter whether the OBC pays the tips or the alcoholic beverages you ordered, the OBC will be used before they will touch any of your credit card or other monies.No need to go to GS at all.

Edited by moki'smommy
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The way that money is spent out of your account is first' date=' any OBC that you have, secondly any "funny money" like Disney Visa reward dollars, third any cash that you placed on your account (most people don't do this if they place a credit card, but some do), and finally, bill your credit card.

 

SO, whatever you charge first will be using up your OBC. If you buy photos on day 2 or go to the spa or whatever, that will eat some or all of your OBC. It is one account. It doesn't matter whether the OBC pays the tips or the alcoholic beverages you ordered, the OBC will be used before they will touch any of your credit card or other monies.No need to go to GS at all.[/quote']

 

Just to throw a monkey wrench into this, I believe I read that the Chase Disney Visa card (which often gives OBC for using it to purchase your Disney cruise) has designated their OBC is for "drinks only". I don't know when/if this has been applied yet.

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Just to throw a monkey wrench into this, I believe I read that the Chase Disney Visa card (which often gives OBC for using it to purchase your Disney cruise) has designated their OBC is for "drinks only". I don't know when/if this has been applied yet.

 

If they have, this is new. The OBC for using a Disney visa is different than Disney Visa rewards dollars (just to be sure readers know the difference). In the past, the OBC from Disney Visa was just like any other OBC.

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If they have' date=' this is new. The OBC for using a Disney visa is different than Disney Visa rewards dollars (just to be sure readers know the difference). In the past, the OBC from Disney Visa was just like any other OBC.[/quote']

 

Yes, it's fairly recent. If you booked your cruise prior to 1/1/15 the OBC is still a general OBC. If you booked after 1/1/15 it's applicable only to drinks purchased. Not applicable to Food and Wine packages, but it can be used for Mixology.

 

That's the no-fee Disney VISA.

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Yes, it's fairly recent. If you booked your cruise prior to 1/1/15 the OBC is still a general OBC. If you booked after 1/1/15 it's applicable only to drinks purchased. Not applicable to Food and Wine packages, but it can be used for Mixology.

 

That's the no-fee Disney VISA.

 

So it becomes worthless if you don't drink. That's delightful.

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The Disney change to "bar tab only" onboard credit seems harsh to me.. :mad:

One option is to vote with your wallet and not book on Disney.

 

Based on the Disney OBC change to using it only for bar tabs, Disney will not get our cruise business.

 

We use it for gratuity so it represents real money for us, not some Monopoly money that we will lose if we don't drink enough piña coladas.

Edited by Rblum100
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The Disney change to "bar tab only" onboard credit seems harsh to me.. :mad:

One option is to vote with your wallet and not book on Disney.

 

We use it for gratuity so it represents real money for us, not some Monopoly money that we will lose if we don't drink enough piña coladas.

 

I totally agree. We typically don't have a Disney Visa OBC because we have an onboard rebooking OBC. Yes, I understand that this is a perk, not something we were ever promised. But it looks to me like Disney is changing this perk to make it apply to the items that have the highest profit margin for them. This is their right. However, for some guests, it represents a lesser value for the "perk."

 

Restricted OBC is not the benefit of unlimited OBC.

 

We see the same thing on other lines. One example is the 123 package currently available on Celebrity, which includes a "free" alcohol package valued at "up to $72 per day." True, but again if one doesn't drink alcohol, it will provide them with "unlimited" (and that is a loose term) sodas, bottled water, and smoothies at a significantly lesser value.

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The Disney change to "bar tab only" onboard credit seems harsh to me.. :mad:

One option is to vote with your wallet and not book on Disney.

 

Based on the Disney OBC change to using it only for bar tabs, Disney will not get our cruise business.

 

We use it for gratuity so it represents real money for us, not some Monopoly money that we will lose if we don't drink enough piña coladas.

 

In reality it's not "Disney" that's made the change - it the Chase bank people. Yes, it's the "'Disney Visa card", but the bank sets the rules for it's use. In order to encourage people to use it, they used to offer a small OBC if you used their card to purchase your cruise. Now, they specify that it can only be used for beverage (all beverages, not just alcoholic) purchases.

 

Many TAs also offer such limited type perks also. I know that if I used a TA that offered me a bottle of wine, or a photo package for using them, it wouldn't push me to use them.

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In reality it's not "Disney" that's made the change - it the Chase bank people. Yes, it's the "'Disney Visa card", but the bank sets the rules for it's use. In order to encourage people to use it, they used to offer a small OBC if you used their card to purchase your cruise. Now, they specify that it can only be used for beverage (all beverages, not just alcoholic) purchases.

 

Many TAs also offer such limited type perks also. I know that if I used a TA that offered me a bottle of wine, or a photo package for using them, it wouldn't push me to use them.

 

Do you know that, Shmoo, or are you guessing. My thinking is that it is a deal between Disney and Chase with benefits to both companies in attracting customers, etc. I know that there is a totally separate group of customer service people handling the Disney cards than the other Chase cards.

 

Frankly, I long ago changed from using my Disney Visa for everything to using a different Chase card that pays me the same amount in real cash, not "Disney Reward Dollars." It was just easier and got the same "deals." But I kept the Disney card for Disney vacations--made it easy to keep track of those expenses and picked up any extra perks being offered.

 

As you noted, I wouldn't be attracted to a TA who gave coupons for a photo or an adult beverage. I much prefer my situation of a TA who gives an "open" onboard credit that can be used for anything.

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