Added Gratuities

I'm sailing on Celebrity for the first time in about a week (!). We booked through the 123 promotion so have the classic beverage plan and daily gratuities included in our fare.

Reading some threads here, I see that gratuities are automatically added to gift shop purchases and room service. Are there other transactions that result in automatic gratuities being charged to your shipboard account?

Thanks!

If you buy an beverages that are over the classic package allowance, you would have to pay for the beverage plus 18%.

I believe spa/salon treatments/services have gratuities added also.

We've never had gratuities added to gift shop purchases or room service. We *do* give a couple dollars to the person who brings our breakfast to the room when we order it. But it's not added automatically. And it's not mandatory.

We also give some extra cash along the way to people who give us excellent service above and beyond, but that's another thread for another day.

Perhaps it is better to be clear about what your daily gratuities cover.

They only cover cabin and food staff.

We've never had gratuities added to gift shop purchases or room service. We *do* give a couple dollars to the person who brings our breakfast to the room when we order it. But it's not added automatically. And it's not mandatory.

 

We also give some extra cash along the way to people who give us excellent service above and beyond, but that's another thread for another day.

AGree, you do not pay gratuities on gift shop purchases.....

I'm sailing on Celebrity for the first time in about a week (!). We booked through the 123 promotion so have the classic beverage plan and daily gratuities included in our fare.

 

Reading some threads here, I see that gratuities are automatically added to gift shop purchases and room service. Are there other transactions that result in automatic gratuities being charged to your shipboard account?

Thanks!

No gratuities are added to gift shop purchases and none added to room service

Room service is free except if you order extra charge items or beverages which are noted on the room service menu.

I give a few dollars cash to whoever delivers room service depending on how much I order but it is not mandatory

Happy sailing

If you take a class for which there is a charge (like yoga) gratuities are added to the cost.

But not added to gift shop items.

As to room service, there are some items that are "premium items" and come with a charge, such as steaks at night, and crab benedict in the morning. Those items, when added to the room service bill, will incur an 18% gratuity to the cost of the items as on the menu (They are listed in the binder in the cabin, not well advertised, and I found they didn't appear on the TV ordering system, but I could phone in and get them).

But any of the complimentary room service items, will also come with an 18% gratuity, which of course equals zero :p (18% of FREE = $0)

I think I'm clear on now what will have automatic gratuities! I just wanted to avoid any unpleasant surprises.Good to know that yoga classes may have them added- I had assumed that spa and salon services would but didn't think about the classes.

And I thought it was strange that someone had gratuities added for shop purchases- maybe it was a discussion about another cruise line ? I think the issue was that the person had incurred the charge when they purchased a bottled water in the gift shop (to take off the ship or to drink while they were waiting to disembark). Consensus on the thread was that (if they had a beverage plan) they should have just gotten a bottle of water at a bar and asked that it be left unopened. But again- this must have been another cruise line!

Thanks everyone for the info!

Consensus on the thread was that (if they had a beverage plan) they should have just gotten a bottle of water at a bar and asked that it be left unopened. But again- this must have been another cruise line!

Just an FYI: any bottle of water you get with your beverage package will molst likely be given to you unopened. We would each get a bottle before leaving the ship for excursions or sightseeing on our own. We were always handed an unopened bottle, regardless of where we got it.