Choosing not to prepay gratuities.

If we choose not to prepay gratuities when booking our cabin, do we get charged later into the cruise or would we just be able to tip in cash as we go without having to remove the gratuity charges later?

If we choose not to prepay gratuities when booking our cabin, do we get charged later into the cruise or would we just be able to tip in cash as we go without having to remove the gratuity charges later?

Your credit card will be automatically charged the last night of the cruise.

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SLC is correct.

If you don’t prepay, then your account will get charged the anticipated full amount on the first night or maybe 2nd day.

If we choose not to prepay gratuities when booking our cabin, do we get charged later into the cruise or would we just be able to tip in cash as we go without having to remove the gratuity charges later?

You do get charged while on the cruise. I believe you can go to guest services and have the charges removed if you prefer. However, I would encourage you to go look at the tip breakdown on the Carnival website to see who gets a portion of the charges gratuities. It includes those folks you might not necessarily tip but who definitely deserve recognition.

Ultimately, it’s a personal choice. Hubs and I pre-pay and then still tip for good service on board (bar tenders, cabin steward, dinner staff, etc.).

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If we choose not to prepay gratuities when booking our cabin, do we get charged later into the cruise or would we just be able to tip in cash as we go without having to remove the gratuity charges later?

Just make it easy on yourself. Leave your tips on your account in place and if you are just blown away with a couple of people you come in contact with, you can always hands them a few extra dollars, however, by leaving the tips on your account, you have fully fulfilled your need to tip anyone so just enjoy your cruise without having to carry around extra cash.

All drink purchases will have a 15 percent tip added to it. If you purchase cheers or the soda package, you will pay the tip upfront also. Then there would be no added tip to your drink. At that point, you can add a dollar or so if you are extremely happy with your server, but nothing is required or expected past what you already paid.

Also, if your room steward is the pits, you can also go to customer service desk and adjust tips or if you are happy with his work, you can give him a few bucks or just leave them in the room when you leave. Again, if you have left your tips on your account, no other tip is needed.

One last thing, room service should be given a buck or two if you order that. Not mandatory to do so, but they are not included in the tipping scheme otherwise.

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I always hate remembering how much cash I have on my Sail and Sign card...so I prepay ..then it's done!

You can't tip "as you go" on a cruise. It just is not possible. Nobody is going to tip a waiter at each meal, or the room steward each day.

Either prepay, or let them charge your account and pay at the end of the cruise. Both methods cost the same.

I guess you can pay as you go but it would be awkward at best. But, you can only tip the servers or room steward other tipped employees would not get your tips. Leave your tips on or per pay.

tipping as you go does not seem possible to me because you don't come in contact with everyone that gets tipped.

I don't want to start a flame war, but there have been lots of well-meaning people over the years to come on here with ideas like "if I only eat at the buffet, I don't need to tip the waiters, right?"

That's not how it works. The gratuities are divvied up for not just the wait staff that waits on you at the table, but also all the people who serve you at the buffet. From the guy who scoops the food on your plate to the gal who refills the ice cream machine, to the people who wipe down the tables.

I guess in the back of their mind, some folks are trying to "save money" by tipping less but I always say, anyone who truly was interested in saving money first and foremost, would not be spending money on a cruise, since there are lots of less expensive vacations out there.

You can't tip them all, and you don't need to try. Just let Carnival do it for you, the easy way.

If we choose not to prepay gratuities when booking our cabin, do we get charged later into the cruise or would we just be able to tip in cash as we go without having to remove the gratuity charges later?

They put it daily on your card.

I wish they would add the tip to the cruise fare......done!

I found out that if you cruise with 2 people like was my case, each person is charged half the gratuities. That might have been we had different last names. I also gave our cabin steward cash as he was top notch in my book.

I don't want to start a flame war, but there have been lots of well-meaning people over the years to come on here with ideas like "if I only eat at the buffet, I don't need to tip the waiters, right?"

 

That's not how it works. The gratuities are divvied up for not just the wait staff that waits on you at the table, but also all the people who serve you at the buffet. From the guy who scoops the food on your plate to the gal who refills the ice cream machine, to the people who wipe down the tables.

 

I guess in the back of their mind, some folks are trying to "save money" by tipping less but I always say, anyone who truly was interested in saving money first and foremost, would not be spending money on a cruise, since there are lots of less expensive vacations out there.

 

You can't tip them all, and you don't need to try. Just let Carnival do it for you, the easy way.

You are so right....I was thinking about the evolving of tipping over the years.... I remember when Stewards would leave 3/4 envelopes the night before last day...so we could hand out tips. Then over time I'm sure the amount of tips not handed out started to increase... I also remember commenting to my wife on last night of dinner in MDR...it was half empty!! I wonder why??...So they went to auto-tip billing which in a way I'm glad because many of the ship staff work so hard. In the past cruising was more for the wealthy and a very high end vacation. Competition and more ships made it very affordable compared to years ago....so the passenger demographics has changed as well. I'm sure there are passengers that must have that bracelet or watch....and go to guest services to remove the tips....I am reading more and more about people asking whats free and how they can get free beverages all day. If you are going to budget for a vacation you need to take everything into consideration.....just seems there is a growing % of passengers that 1) either do not understand the normal cruise protocol and/or 2) can hardly afford to take a cruise..... Ok Flamers....Let me have it!!! LOL

I wish they would add the tip to the cruise fare......done!

Or just raise every fare $13/day. But it won’t happen unless all of the lines do it. The way it is now they get all the blue cards on thinking they have a cheap vacation. Then they get on and it’s grats, drink packages, excursions, casino, aracde, theater, specialty dining.

Thanks for all the information guys!

I think we will just prepay for the tips as that seems the fairest and keep cash on hand for anyone who really blows us away!

They put it daily on your card.

It does not reflect on your sign and sail account on a daily basis. It is accrued on a daily basis, but shows up as a one-time gratuity charge of $12.95/day (more in suites) midway through the cruise on your S&S account. And one more thing about tipping above and beyond for great service. If you believe the postings here and on Facebook, everybody tips many $ extra so the staff is all making tons of money LOL.

You can't tip "as you go" on a cruise. It just is not possible. Nobody is going to tip a waiter at each meal, or the room steward each day.

 

Either prepay, or let them charge your account and pay at the end of the cruise. Both methods cost the same.

Sure you can. We tip as we go. It is really very easy and we get great service! The only difference is we tip the steward at the end not everyday.

Sure you can. We tip as we go. It is really very easy and we get great service! The only difference is we tip the steward at the end not everyday.

Sure, you do. You tip all three servers at each meal in the dining room based on what? You estimate what the cost of your meal is and leave 20%? You leave 20% of the buffet cost on the table in Lido? You find both room stewards and tip them twice a day after am and pm service? You wait in your room for FunShop purchases and tip them? You wait in your room for luggage delivery and tip?

Sure you can. We tip as we go. It is really very easy and we get great service! The only difference is we tip the steward at the end not everyday.

"We"???

Thanks,

Fred

"We"???

 

 

Thanks,

Fred

Yeah. Me and my party.

Sure, you do. You tip all three servers at each meal in the dining room based on what? You estimate what the cost of your meal is and leave 20%? You leave 20% of the buffet cost on the table in Lido? You find both room stewards and tip them twice a day after am and pm service? You wait in your room for FunShop purchases and tip them? You wait in your room for luggage delivery and tip?

First of all what business is it if yours? But if you must know, we leave the appropriate amount in the table when we leave the restaurant and leave an envelope for the steward in the cabin. What they do with it as far as splitting it is their business.

We feel it’s much better to give it to the people who serve us rather than give it to their employer in the hopes it trickles down.

Have a great trip!

I found out that if you cruise with 2 people like was my case, each person is charged half the gratuities. That might have been we had different last names. I also gave our cabin steward cash as he was top notch in my book.

This happens if each person has a separate account, no matter what the last names are. And, gratuities are charged per person, not per cabin. If everyone is on the same account then it will all be charged to that account. If each person has a seperate account , it will be charged to the individual accounts.

First of all what business is it if yours? But if you must know, we leave the appropriate amount in the table when we leave the restaurant and leave an envelope for the steward in the cabin. What they do with it as far as splitting it is their business.

 

We feel it’s much better to give it to the people who serve us rather than give it to their employer in the hopes it trickles down.

 

Have a great trip!

I've been cruising for a while and remember well the outstanding service and tipping in envelopes at the end of the cruise. Dinner each night was an event not to be missed and the service around the ship was stellar. Since the implementation of auto-tipping, they have reduced staff and the service has suffered.

I've gone along with the auto tipping - Have tipped above and beyond, but have been seriously considering going back to tipping for superb service again.

Why do the per day tipping fees continue to go up and the rate of service continue to go down? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out. And now several lines have failed inspections, and Carnival has been caught stowing restaurant food and supplies in employee cabins during inspections! I love Carnival, but am not so hot about this new culture of "service".

I've worked for tips in my earlier years and have busted my butt to get good ones. I've been stiffed many times, as well. It is not MY fault that Carnival, among other lines, have decided to cut staff and degrade service and food safety. The cabin cleanliness on my last few Carnival cruises was not up to par, either. Dust on shelves, very little vacuuming done, etc. I've had to clean the bathroom myself a time or two due to sub par work being done.

My next cruise is on Pride and I am really looking forward to it, but I am no longer feeling good about auto-tipping and am certainly not going to pre-pay them before I step foot in my cabin to see if it is clean.

I've been cruising for a while and remember well the outstanding service and tipping in envelopes at the end of the cruise. Dinner each night was an event not to be missed and the service around the ship was stellar. Since the implementation of auto-tipping, they have reduced staff and the service has suffered.

 

I've gone along with the auto tipping - Have tipped above and beyond, but have been seriously considering going back to tipping for superb service again.

 

Why do the per day tipping fees continue to go up and the rate of service continue to go down? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out. And now several lines have failed inspections, and Carnival has been caught stowing restaurant food and supplies in employee cabins during inspections! I love Carnival, but am not so hot about this new culture of "service".

 

I've worked for tips in my earlier years and have busted my butt to get good ones. I've been stiffed many times, as well. It is not MY fault that Carnival, among other lines, have decided to cut staff and degrade service and food safety. The cabin cleanliness on my last few Carnival cruises was not up to par, either. Dust on shelves, very little vacuuming done, etc. I've had to clean the bathroom myself a time or two due to sub par work being done.

 

My next cruise is on Pride and I am really looking forward to it, but I am no longer feeling good about auto-tipping and am certainly not going to pre-pay them before I step foot in my cabin to see if it is clean.

I can't disagree with any of the points you make. Still, I have pre-paid gratuities for the 2 cruises already booked.

It remains to be seen how much extra I will tip. And my "tipping point" for not reducing pre-paid gratuities will be reached the day a cabin steward pushes once a day service, or no clean towels at turn down.