Prepaying Gratuities on-line?

With the price of gratuities increasing tomorrow, I was trying to pay them on-line but have been unable to find out how. Our cruise is paid for since it is a March sailing. Can anyone tell me how I can prepay them?

Just call RCI and have a credit card ready..........

There is no place to do it online (even though the letter we got says to do so). Just call RCI or your travel agent and they will put gratuities on your credit card.

If booked with a travel agent, you must contact them.

Dang, I tried calling them but because it is a holiday, the recording said they are closed. Maybe I should try a different number.

Dang, I tried calling them but because it is a holiday, the recording said they are closed. Maybe I should try a different number.

I tried to call them yesterday and they were closed.

I am in Australia 12 plus plus hours ahead of the states so I presume they will still be closed for you until US trading hours 2nd Jan?

Dang, I tried calling them but because it is a holiday, the recording said they are closed. Maybe I should try a different number.

Did you choose the option to book a new cruise?

I booked the cruise myself and was calling the number on the email Royal Caribbean sent about the increase in gratuities. I will find a different number to call, hopefully, and request a new booking in order to talk to an agent. Thank you.

I booked the cruise myself and was calling the number on the email Royal Caribbean sent about the increase in gratuities. I will find a different number to call, hopefully, and request a new booking in order to talk to an agent. Thank you.

Try 866-562-7625.

Thank you for the number to call. I appreciate it.

To do it online, try this after logging in:

-Click on your reservation number under "Purchased & Held Cruises"

-Click "View" next to a guest's name

-At the bottom, you should see an option for "Prepaid Gratuities".

Perhaps that's the area to add them. Please let us know as that is the only area I can see that I have prepaid gratuities.

_______________________

Carnival Paradise - August 2015 - 5 nights

Carnival Splendor - August 2016 - 6 nights

Carnival Magic - August 2017 - 8 nights

Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas - August 2018 - 7 nights (booked)

Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas - August 2019 - 9 nights (booked)

Thank you for the number to call. I appreciate it.

Please let me know if that works.

HI all, just called and they are closed ( holiday)

When is the deadline for this to avoid the increase? I will call my TA tomorrow.

On the website could not find where I could do this online. Maybe because I am using my iPad?

Am such a procrastinator and then the holidays hit.

HI all, just called and they are closed ( holiday)

When is the deadline for this to avoid the increase? I will call my TA tomorrow.

On the website could not find where I could do this online. Maybe because I am using my iPad?

Am such a procrastinator and then the holidays hit.

I believe that if you used a TA, that you cannot make any changes to your booking, other than adding shore excursions, drink packages, or items from the gift department.

If my steps for the online portal above do not work, you should be fine as long as the prepaid gratuities are added before your cruise.

_______________________

Carnival Paradise - August 2015 - 5 nights

Carnival Splendor - August 2016 - 6 nights

Carnival Magic - August 2017 - 8 nights

Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas - August 2018 - 7 nights (booked)

Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas - August 2019 - 9 nights (booked)

... When is the deadline for this to avoid the increase? ...

I think the tips have to be added before tomorrow to be at the old rate.

I think the tips have to be added before tomorrow to be at the old rate.

Per the email:

We’d like to extend the opportunity to pre-pay your gratuities before your sail date at the current rate. If you’d like to pay onboard, your gratuity charge applied will be at the new rate.

Only deadline is "before your sail date". This is only for cruises booked before 2018.

_______________________

Carnival Paradise - August 2015 - 5 nights

Carnival Splendor - August 2016 - 6 nights

Carnival Magic - August 2017 - 8 nights

Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas - August 2018 - 7 nights (booked)

Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas - August 2019 - 9 nights (booked)

I think the tips have to be added before tomorrow to be at the old rate.

I believe that if one wants to add gratuities at the old rate, they can still do it tomorrow, January 2nd. After tomorrow it will be to late at the old rate, if what Royal Caribbean sent to me is true.

Rick

Per the email:

We’d like to extend the opportunity to pre-pay your gratuities before your sail date at the current rate. If you’d like to pay onboard, your gratuity charge applied will be at the new rate.

 

Only deadline is "before your sail date". This is only for cruises booked before 2018.

 

_______________________

Carnival Paradise - August 2015 - 5 nights

Carnival Splendor - August 2016 - 6 nights

Carnival Magic - August 2017 - 8 nights

Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas - August 2018 - 7 nights (booked)

Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas - August 2019 - 9 nights (booked)

Thats how I read it,as long as you prepay online before you sail you will be grandfathered and new bookings will show the new cost online.

By the way just been on the phone to them here in Australia so they will be open early 2nd Jan.

Thats how I read it,as long as you prepay online before you sail you will be grandfathered and new bookings will show the new cost online.

 

 

 

By the way just been on the phone to them here in Australia so they will be open early 2nd Jan.

My email did not read that way. It says you can add them before you sail (meaning, instead of waiting until you board and having them add them each day), but on June 2nd, the price will increase.

You can add them before June 2nd and pay the lower rate all at once, you can add them on June 2nd or later and pay the higher rate all at once, or you can wait til you board and pay the higher rate a day at a time.

I called and added mine on the phone because they asked me about it when I called for a price drop. I wouldn’t worry about it if you miss it; it’s just $1 more a day per person.

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My email did not read that way. It says you can add them before you sail (meaning, instead of waiting until you board and having them add them each day), but on June 2nd, the price will increase.

 

You can add them before June 2nd and pay the lower rate all at once, you can add them on June 2nd or later and pay the higher rate all at once, or you can wait til you board and pay the higher rate a day at a time.

 

I called and added mine on the phone because they asked me about it when I called for a price drop. I wouldn’t worry about it if you miss it; it’s just $1 more a day per person.

 

 

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Can you paste the contents of your email, please?

_______________________

Carnival Paradise - August 2015 - 5 nights

Carnival Splendor - August 2016 - 6 nights

Carnival Magic - August 2017 - 8 nights

Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas - August 2018 - 7 nights (booked)

Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas - August 2019 - 9 nights (booked)

My email did not read that way. It says you can add them before you sail (meaning, instead of waiting until you board and having them add them each day), but on June 2nd, the price will increase.

 

You can add them before June 2nd and pay the lower rate all at once, you can add them on June 2nd or later and pay the higher rate all at once, or you can wait til you board and pay the higher rate a day at a time.

 

I called and added mine on the phone because they asked me about it when I called for a price drop. I wouldn’t worry about it if you miss it; it’s just $1 more a day per person.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

interested to see if those who do not pay by 2nd Jan still get grandfathered with online pre paid.

Here's what it says on the TA's FAQ- it sure sounds like you can pay them anytime before you board. That said I still don't really trust that to be true

4. If my clients booked prior to the announcement of the gratuity increase, but did not optto prepay gratuities, do the new guidelines apply to my clients?Pre-existing bookings confirmed prior to January 2nd, 2018 will not be subject to the increasedguidelines as long as gratuities are paid in advance of sailing. Should guests opt not to pay gratuitiesuntil onboard, they will be subject to the newly suggested gratuity amounts.

Can you paste the contents of your email, please?

 

_______________________

Carnival Paradise - August 2015 - 5 nights

Carnival Splendor - August 2016 - 6 nights

Carnival Magic - August 2017 - 8 nights

Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas - August 2018 - 7 nights (booked)

Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas - August 2019 - 9 nights (booked)

Here’s the email (pasted below). I see where it says “...we’d like to extend the opportunity to prepay before you sail at the current rate...” but I don’t believe they mean to say that you will be grandfathered at the lower rate.

The fact that they state the daily charges and also state that they go up on Jan 2nd, to me, means they are inviting you to prepay before you board, but warning you that the amount will increase on Jan 2nd. I could be wrong but that’s how I read it.

ROYAL’s EMAIL:

We are excited to welcome you onboard for your upcoming Royal Caribbean vacation!

As you prepare to set sail, we wanted to notify you of an update to our daily gratuity charges. As of January 2, 2018, Royal Caribbean will be increasing the automatic daily gratuity charge from $13.50 to $14.50 per guest, per day for regular staterooms and from $16.50 to $17.50 per guest, per day for suites. The daily gratuity is shared among dining, bar & culinary services staff, stateroom attendants and other hotel services teams.

We’d like to extend the opportunity to pre-pay your gratuities before your sail date at the current rate. If you’d like to pay onboard, your gratuity charge applied will be at the new rate.

Other onboard gratuity policies remain the same: an 18% gratuity is automatically added to bar service beverages, spa services, room service and mini bar items, and will be itemized on your receipt.

To pre-pay your gratuities, please log onto http://www.RoyalCaribbean.com, contact your travel agent, or call 1-866-562-7625. We can’t wait to welcome you onboard.

Sincerely,

Royal Caribbean International

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Here's what it says on the TA's FAQ- it sure sounds like you can pay them anytime before you board. That said I still don't really trust that to be true

 

 

 

4. If my clients booked prior to the announcement of the gratuity increase, but did not optto prepay gratuities, do the new guidelines apply to my clients?Pre-existing bookings confirmed prior to January 2nd, 2018 will not be subject to the increasedguidelines as long as gratuities are paid in advance of sailing. Should guests opt not to pay gratuitiesuntil onboard, they will be subject to the newly suggested gratuity amounts.

Hmmmm... well since your travel agent put that in writing, people will have an easy time making the argument that the agent needs to pay the difference if the lower dollar amount doesn’t populate in the system, but I wouldn’t trust being able to make that argument to Royal Caribbean.

If anyone is really that worried about the $1, I would add it before January 2nd. What’s the point in waiting and then hoping that Royal’s wording means you are grandfathered at the lower rate? I agree with you, I wouldn’t trust Royal on this one and I wouldn’t want to waste the time on the phone trying to make that argument.

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