Tips

Just back from a nice cruise. Just to let you know that tips are posted to your account at $12pp/per day. You cannot use onboard credit toward paying them. Also, use your OBC or loose it.

O.K.I presume you're referring to an obc from the cruise line. Presumably an obc that a friend purchased for you COULD be used to pay the daily gratuity.

Thanks for this valuable data point. A green cruiser like me thanks you.

At the bottom of our statement it states that On Board credit cannot be applied to the daily service charge of $12/day. No exceptions. Our friends thought that they could use the OBC toward the gatuities. Their final bill was $264 for an 11 night cruise. They ended up forfeiting their unused OBC and having to pay the $264. They were not pleased. I respect Windstar's policy. Just make guests aware of the policy before they sail.

Were you 're friends tempted to take advantage of Windstar's policy allowing passengers to adjust the gratuity downwards if dissatisfied with the service?

Why would anyone adjust the tips downwards? These wonderful people on the WS work so hard for you at all times. If anything you would want to adjust the tips upwards or give individual people tips. I say, If you can not afford to tip don't go and that refers to everything where people garner their wages by tipping. Happy Sailing.

Paying the expected gratuity was not the issue. The staff on WindStar certainly works hard. Don't wait until the end of the cruise to let people know that they cannot use OBC toward the gratuity. Give them a chance to spend it during the cruise. I heard one man asking guest relations on the last morning if he could use his unspent OBC to buy a hat or shirt. The answer was " yes...however, the store is closed now since we are in port." He then asked if they could send him a hat purchased using his unspent OBC. I don't know what happened after that.

Oh my! We just recieved OBC because of a price drop and were planning on using it for gratuities as all our shore excursions are set. Has this policy been in place long?

I have been cruising on WS since 1999, first cruise, regular since 2005 18 cruises since, as long as I have been cruising with WS and aware since 2005 that has been the policy. Last year I had a lot of OBC, I treated friends to drinks, bought wine to share at dinner and lots of Christmas gifts. There was no time for spa treatment. It was fun. I always budget generous tips, the crew is that fabulous. Happy Sailing.

If you're going to loose your OBC, head to the casino on the last night and hope for the best :)

Windstar's policy is that OBC's can be used for anything except the casino and gratuities. By definition, OBC's must be used while on board the ship. How do I know this? I made a phone call to Windstar and asked them.

So: laundry package, gift shop, wine can all be paid with the OBC? Sounds good to me!

Thanks all

We were busy before the cruise and neglected to prebook excursions. We did not prebook anything before we embarked. We used our OBC for excursions and laundry service. Our friends are great planners and prebooked all of their excursions. They actually took more excursions than us. By the time they became aware that they could not use oBC for tips, it was too late to buy anything. In our case, it was doubt luck that we spent our OBC. If I hadn't been so busy, I may have lost my OBC too.

Windstar should notify guests when they book the cruise that OBC cannot be used for tips. And, again, when guests embark. This was not my first Windstar cruise. I do not remember this policy on previous cruises.i don't have a problem with the policy. I just want guests to be aware before the end of their cruise.

We were busy before the cruise and neglected to prebook excursions. We did not prebook anything before we embarked. We used our OBC for excursions and laundry service. Our friends are great planners and prebooked all of their excursions. They actually took more excursions than us. By the time they became aware that they could not use oBC for tips, it was too late to buy anything. In our case, it was doubt luck that we spent our OBC. If I hadn't been so busy, I may have lost my OBC too.

Windstar should notify guests when they book the cruise that OBC cannot be used for tips. And, again, when guests embark. This was not my first Windstar cruise. I do not remember this policy on previous cruises.i don't have a problem with the policy. I just want guests to be aware before the end of their cruise.

Once on board, your friends could have actually had the OBC applied towards their excursions and received the money back as a reimbursement to their credit card. How do I know this? I picked up the phone and called Windstar.

I am a big believer in being proactive rather than reactive. Proactive people are more likely to get what they want. Reactive people are more likely to end up on Cruise Critic and blame the cruise lines for everything that they feel went wrong during their cruise.

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Once on board, your friends could have actually had the OBC applied towards their excursions and received the money back as a reimbursement to their credit card. How do I know this? I picked up the phone and called Windstar.

 

I am a big believer in being proactive rather than reactive. Proactive people are more likely to get what they want. Reactive people are more likely to end up on Cruise Critic and blame the cruise lines for everything that they feel went wrong during their cruise.

 

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I feel the need to clarify the process for having the OBC applied to your previously booked excursions. You technically have to cancel the excursion and rebook it with the OBC. This means that you must cancel the excursion before the cancellation period is over. I believe the cancellation period ends 48 hours prior to the beginning of the excursion; however, I'm not sure on that. It might be 24 hours prior to the excursion. Maybe somebody else might be able shed more light on this matter.

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Redtravel, I agree with you. We have been on many "mainstream" cruises and OBC had been able to be applied to gratuity. I would never have even thought to call about this. That is why these forums are so wonderful!

Forewarned is forearmed! I will make sure to "zero out" before the last day. And for sure the staff will never be stiffed by us!

Were you 're friends tempted to take advantage of Windstar's policy allowing passengers to adjust the gratuity downwards if dissatisfied with the service?

Why would anyone with morals do something like that?