advantage to including gratuities in original booking?

Just wondering if there is an advantage to including gratuities in original booking or should I opt out? Thanks to anyone who has any advice on this.

Just wondering if there is an advantage to including gratuities in original booking or should I opt out? Thanks to anyone who has any advice on this.

The advantage is that when you board the ship they are already paid, and your bill when you leave is less.

No advantage either way.

Just a matter of preference for some folks.

We don't like to pay bills before we need to do it so paying tips ahead of time when it is not necessary is just not something we would do.

Others just like as may bills as possible out of the way as soon as possible.

Take your pick!

Just wondering if there is an advantage to including gratuities in original booking or should I opt out? Thanks to anyone who has any advice on this.

No advantage, I find it convenient to have my full costs upfront and never think of it again.

I like to have my trip paid for in advance so I don't have to think about it on the vacation. I know a lot of people who would rather pay at the end, though... So definitely personal preference.

No advantage, I find it convenient to have my full costs upfront and never think of it again.

i agree. one less thing to worry about and budget for.

No advantage. IMHO it's silly to pay before you have to.

Not saying I've done this, but if you prepay gratuities, you cannot adjust the number down if you receive poor service. Handling gratuities after on board gives you control over the purse strings.

Three reasons not to for me.

I'll keep the money in my pocket for as long as possible. I firmly believe in paying on time; I see no advantage to getting it out of the way.

Second, if you have a good amount of OBC, you would not be able to put it towards gratuities if you pay in advance.

The cruise and taxes must be paid in advance. Paying gratuities with your other final charges actually spreads out the total cost.

No advantage. IMHO it's silly to pay before you have to.

I agree with this. I never understood the "worry" part. Either you have the money to pay or you don't. We bring cash with us and pay it off at customer service, no CC bill no worries.

Three reasons not to for me.

 

I'll keep the money in my pocket for as long as possible. I firmly believe in paying on time; I see no advantage to getting it out of the way.

 

Second, if you have a good amount of OBC, you would not be able to put it towards gratuities if you pay in advance.

 

The cruise and taxes must be paid in advance. Paying gratuities with your other final charges actually spreads out the total cost.

Listen to Natty on this! Especially reason #2. If there is *any* chance - even one in a hundred- that you will not use all your OBC (onboard credit) then you're want the OBC going toward your gratuity. Otherwise your OBC is simply forfeited.

We all have our preferences! I used to never prepay gratuities, and had them added to my on board sail and sign account, but given that i usually book my cruises a year or 10 months away from cruise date, I have started to prepay them, but only at final payment date. I dont see any reason to prepay them a year in advance...and again that is just me and my prefrence, yet I do like to get some charges out of the way before I board the ship, so now, I will prepay the gratuities when I make final payment. again, this just because it is the way I like to do it now, but to each their own, as long as it gets paid!:)

Not saying I've done this, but if you prepay gratuities, you cannot adjust the number down if you receive poor service. Handling gratuities after on board gives you control over the purse strings.

As much as I disagree with adjusting gratuities down, you can still adjust if pre paid.

Not saying I've done this, but if you prepay gratuities, you cannot adjust the number down if you receive poor service. Handling gratuities after on board gives you control over the purse strings.

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

I don't understand why topics like this come up. You have to pay them, so who cares when?

I owe the IRS $500. Who cares if I pay it today or wait until 4/15, I still have to pay it.

I don't understand why topics like this come up. You have to pay them, so who cares when?

 

I owe the IRS $500. Who cares if I pay it today or wait until 4/15, I still have to pay it.

I don't see how caring what others do applies. OP asked for opinions from both sides and that's what has been given.

One less thing to worry about. I also prepay any pre/post cruise hotels. Like as many as possible expenses out of the way.

Being from Canada, I book a year in advance and paid as much off as I could while our $$ was still worth something :).

Gratuities, excursions, pre/post hotels, bottomless bubbles for DH, everything that I could pay in advance got paid for a year ago.

Being from Canada, I book a year in advance and paid as much off as I could while our $$ was still worth something :).

 

Gratuities, excursions, pre/post hotels, bottomless bubbles for DH, everything that I could pay in advance got paid for a year ago.

my thoughts exactly!! so glad I prepaid our gratuities and bought some obc before our $$ really tanked!!!

We always prepay. There is nothing that any team member could really do to have us reduce tips. They all work hard. Service would pretty much have to be totally non existent.

We like having a zero balance when we walk onboard.

Listen to Natty on this! Especially reason #2. If there is *any* chance - even one in a hundred- that you will not use all your OBC (onboard credit) then you're want the OBC going toward your gratuity. Otherwise your OBC is simply forfeited.

Not necessarily. There is OBC that is refundable. There has been a multitude of "discussions" on here of how to get any or all of your S&S balance in cash before cruise end, for refundable and non-refundable OBC. Plus one could have enough OBC and still have a "balance" even after paying the "gratuities".

We like to pre pay as much as possible so we don't have to worry about it during the cruise. I always add gratuities at booking and pay it like it's part of the cruise fare. I honestly don't even notice a difference.

I've never had OBC that wasn't used, lol, but if so you can easily get the cash for it from the casino or kiosk.

Not saying I've done this, but if you prepay gratuities, you cannot adjust the number down if you receive poor service. Handling gratuities after on board gives you control over the purse strings.

The % of prepaid tips to each area is relatively small. The crew on board that services you depends on these for their earnings, much of which is sent back to their families in their home countries. If you have really really poor service at a restaurant, the way to recognize that is to leave a tip that is significantly less than the recommended 15-20%. Leaving 0 tips just labels you as a cheapskate (and from a waitstaff perspective, maybe a demanding cheapskate:eek: ).

Similarly, the way to recognize really poor service on board a cruise ship is to NOT give cabin stewards, MDR waiters, bartenders/waiters, maître d' s et.al. ANY ADDITIONAL TIPS!

If you prepay, be sure your cruise documents indicate you have prepaid. Sometimes that doesn't get into the ship's accounting system and you could be charged tips again, which are more than the prepaid tips. The double billing will be removed or credited to your cc billing later.

Three reasons not to for me.

 

I'll keep the money in my pocket for as long as possible. I firmly believe in paying on time; I see no advantage to getting it out of the way.

 

Second, if you have a good amount of OBC, you would not be able to put it towards gratuities if you pay in advance.

 

The cruise and taxes must be paid in advance. Paying gratuities with your other final charges actually spreads out the total cost.