33% increase in grats for uk

[GEORGET]

Pre paid tips increase in Uk ?

 

Just looked for a cruise in December 2009 and 2010 12 days TWO People

 

2009.... Suite Cost £144.76.......Balcony/rest cost.......£117.62...............

2010.... Suite Cost £192.60.......Balcony/rest cost.......£156.48...............

 

Feel sorry for a family of 4 in 2010 as this is now £312 for a 12 day or £365 for 14 days to add to the cruise price.

IMHO....There will be a lot out there who wont pay this. Time it was transparent and added to the cost at time of booking.

Is this the same % increase in the USA?

[alexkrn46]

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do;jsessionid=0000J4kbQtVXDpSTod2-eMc4r8B:12hbiocus?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqSubjectName=Life+Onboard&faqId=263&faqSubjectId=334&faqType=faq

 

Yes, the suite attendant gets paid more, but in my opinion worth it, instead of paying $7.00 a day in our last cruise we Paid $11.50 a day for the two of us.

We of course paid extra for wonderful service

[GEORGET]

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do;jsessionid=0000J4kbQtVXDpSTod2-eMc4r8B:12hbiocus?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqSubjectName=Life+Onboard&faqId=263&faqSubjectId=334&faqType=faq

 

Yes, the suite attendant gets paid more, but in my opinion worth it, instead of paying $7.00 a day in our last cruise we Paid $11.50 a day for the two of us.

We of course paid extra for wonderful service

 

On the Navigator August we paid $12 each ($24) a day for a suite what i am saying have RCCL increased this next year in the USA?

Prepayment of Grats in pound sterling in the UK will increase by 33%

[negc]

On the Navigator August we paid $12 each ($24) a day for a suite what i am saying have RCCL increased this next year in the USA?

Prepayment of Grats in pound sterling in the UK will increase by 33%

 

There has been no indication that RCI is planning to increase the suggested tip amounts in the US. However, in the past year NCL did increase their required tip amount to $12 pp per day so anything is possible. Given the current economic situation, however, I doubt that the line will follow NCL's lead. Could the increases in the UK that you cite be explained, at least in part, by the decline in value of the pound sterling over the past year or so?

[sidari]

The increase to UK cruisers is probably because they know they will get away with it again and also will have one hell of a time trying to get it passed their US cruise base like they tried with the charges for changing bookings etc that they hastily withdrew on the opening day due to the many complaints ! .... yet still charge UK cruisers £35pp for any changes after the First one including price drops!!!

 

Yet another Tilt of the ever unlevel playing field between UK and USA cruisers..... :mad:

[MAZANDSTEVE]

Shocking!!!

 

 

And on my 1000th post too!

[Elizanessie]

Could the increases in the UK that you cite be explained, at least in part, by the decline in value of the pound sterling over the past year or so?

 

Hi Bill :)

 

It is more likely due to the amount of Brits who dont tip especially on Indy sailing from Southampton. The pound has declined but is up quite a bit in recent months to what it was earlier in the year I believe.

 

Sadly the UK office doesnt look at the whole picture when making its decisions on charges/changes...it just appears to look at one ship sailing from UK...and punishes all UK Cruisers due to any issues which arise on the one ship.

 

They need to wake up and smell the sea or they will lose a heck of a lot of their UK Cruisers in the next year or so...of course they dont actually care about those who are experienced cruisers...the new cruisers who dont know how things were in the past are who they are focused on....which is really duh as many of the new cruisers wont return to the cruiseline....so they will lose out big time very very soon.

 

They need a big shake up here in Europe before Miami pulls the plug and takes their ships back across the pond.

[ChipLondon]

Shocking!!!

 

 

And on my 1000th post too!

 

 

Congratualtions on your 1000th post, you must be really addicted to Cruise Critic, as I believe you have only recently been on your first cruise.

[kernow]

We nearly always pre pay tips in pounds when we book but if RCL are charging us in the UK more perhaps we should wait until we are on the ship.

How much is the daily charge per person onboard in dollars?

 

 

Julie

[MAZANDSTEVE]

Congratualtions on your 1000th post, you must be really addicted to Cruise Critic, as I believe you have only recently been on your first cruise.

 

 

Thanks,Yeah, asked a lot beforehand I think, not so many posts recently. But it gets me through boring days at work.;)

[Big Kev]

we nearly always pre pay tips in pounds when we book but if rcl are charging us in the uk more perhaps we should wait until we are on the ship.

How much is the daily charge per person onboard in dollars?

 

 

Julie

 

 

 

usd $9.75

 

.

.

[kernow]

Thanks, just did a currency conversion and $9.75 comes out at £6.02. Allowing for small fluctuations the rate RCL are charging doesn't seem too bad to me. They were just giving us a really good rate for this year.

 

Julie

[Mydnite]

it is most likey to do with the change in the exchange rate, and the expected changes, the dollar has been getting a little stronger over the last year or so, so it takes more £ to buy $

[happydaysmanchester]

Thanks, just did a currency conversion and $9.75 comes out at £6.02. Allowing for small fluctuations the rate RCL are charging doesn't seem too bad to me. They were just giving us a really good rate for this year.

 

Julie

 

 

We have booked My time dining so had no choice but to pay gratuties up front, its £34.30pp over 7 nights thats £4.85 per day, working on exchange rate of $1.55 it would be $7.51 approx....lthats looks quite good to me!

[kernow]

We have booked My time dining so had no choice but to pay gratuties up front, its £34.30pp over 7 nights thats £4.85 per day, working on exchange rate of $1.55 it would be $7.51 approx....lthats looks quite good to me!

 

 

You're lucky you still got the old price, for cruises from May the price is £45.64 pp for a 7 night cruise.

 

Julie

[Oxymoron]

Our Rhapsody cruise is AUD$15 p.p per day for pre-paid gratuities

which is around £7.50 pp per day

[6MonthsHere6MonthsThere]

We have booked My time dining so had no choice but to pay gratuties up front, its £34.30pp over 7 nights thats £4.85 per day, working on exchange rate of $1.55 it would be $7.51 approx....lthats looks quite good to me!

 

 

One way round this is what our son did, he wanted MTD but when he went to pre-pay the gratuities they had gone up, so he didn't go ahead but as soon as he boarded the ship he went and changed to MTD, had to pre-pay but it went onto his Sea Pass card in $$$'s, that way at least he gained as he had his account charged in $$$ and had his bank convert it back which was a much better rate than RCCL give when they convert it.

For info, the increases in the gratuities according to RCCL UK are that RCCL in the US have reassesed and adjusted the exchange rate which they only do periodically and with the GBP losing ground to the $$US it will make it worse for the UK. Found this out as I made a change a few weeks ago on a booking I made earlier this year where I had pre-paid 137.22GBP but they tried to charge me the new adjusted price of 182.58GBP as I had made an adjustment, as you can imagine, I said go and take a running jump;), that is when they explained that the exchange rate was the reasoning for the increase in the UK.