Pre-Paid Gratuities

[cutiediva]

How does it work when you pre-pay the gratuities? Will it show as a credit on your S&S card?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Linda

[jkbec1]

I can't speak for CCL, but on RCL we received preprinted cards that we stuffed into the envelopes that you pass out at the end of the cruise.

[Tbay-eh]

How does it work when you pre-pay the gratuities? Will it show as a credit on your S&S card?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Linda

 

Only charges against your S&S card will show up on it. If you prepay them it will appear on which ever credit card you use just like your cruise.

[Kitt Grey]

I believe it shows up in your e docs.

[aeneas3]

I set up our credit card ahead of time using the funpass prior to the cruise. we automatically were billed $10 per day per person and this was on our final disembarkation statement they place in your stateroom box the morning you leave. initially I was hesitant paying $10 per day for my 2.5 year old but they I realized he makes more of a mess than us and that the staff went above and beyond for him. they earned more and got it :)

[zqvol]

How does it work when you pre-pay the gratuities? Will it show as a credit on your S&S card?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Linda

 

Since no one else seems to understand or is willing to answer your question, I will. The short answer is yes. We do this every cruise and the prepaid gratuities show as both a debit for the daily amount and as a credit for the payment that was made and it zeros out.

[loveJake]

How does it work when you pre-pay the gratuities? Will it show as a credit on your S&S card?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Linda

 

I always pre pay, everything paid before we leave home.

Yes it does show as a credit and every day the $10 per person is subtracted.

[cutiediva]

Thanks for all your replies. I am definitely going to pre-pay the gratuities.:)

[Sailingstagediva]

Has anyone ever had an experience where the service is bad and little or no tip? I am also considering prepay and don't want to regret it! I cannot imagine it but want to be sure. Thanks!

[gobucks_43228]

Has anyone ever had an experience where the service is bad and little or no tip? I am also considering prepay and don't want to regret it! I cannot imagine it but want to be sure. Thanks!

 

The daily tip is split between the staff. I can't even imagine taking it off on a day at all but especially making others lose out because someone didn't give me the service, I felt I needed. $10 per day is minimal for the work these people do.

We prepaid for our last cruise and it shows as a charge and then a credit each day. We will prepay everytime now!

[loveJake]

Has anyone ever had an experience where the service is bad and little or no tip? I am also considering prepay and don't want to regret it! I cannot imagine it but want to be sure. Thanks!

 

I would never remove the auto tip, split between too many people. I do however give the room steward extra if I feel he has done a good job. When I take the GK's I give him a $20 the first day and tell him to ignore the mess in their room, usually they just laugh (but always take the money).

[Redsfan]

well up here in Canada if we prepay we would have to bill it to our credit card, which means we are paying surcharges. Can we not pay upon check in on the Cruise? Than, if service is horrible claim some back upon disembark?

[giannasage]

How do you prepay your tips when I set up my cruise I didnt see this offered. I would like to have everything paid before we leave.

[loveJake]

How do you prepay your tips when I set up my cruise I didnt see this offered. I would like to have everything paid before we leave.

 

The is a place on your billing page to check-at least used to be. But it does not always work anyway. Just call Carnival and tell them you want to add pre paid gratituties, will be glad to assist. It will be included in your final cruise price and show up in the taxes column. I have done this and never had a problem.

[MrPete]

How does it work when you pre-pay the gratuities? Will it show as a credit on your S&S card?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Linda

 

Never done it, but I've read it shows up as a charge and a credit on your S&S bill, and then others say no. So I have a feeling different ships do different.

 

All you should worry about is they assume you are tipping untill you remove it, for any reason.

[Julia Goolia]

Since no one else seems to understand or is willing to answer your question, I will. The short answer is yes. We do this every cruise and the prepaid gratuities show as both a debit for the daily amount and as a credit for the payment that was made and it zeros out.

 

Not on the Freedom last month. We pre-paid so it was just wrapped up in the one time charge to my credit card for the total amount of the cruise plus gratuities. When we got on the ship, we never saw any charges or credits for gratuities on our S&S account. Maybe, as another poster wrote, it depends on the ship. I can only speak from my own personal experience.

[bright eyes]

Thanks for all your replies. I am definitely going to pre-pay the gratuities.:)

 

I think it is the only way to go and we also give additonal tips in cash to our room steward, and wait staff. They work hard for their money.

[clearwatergirl]

I guess I don't see the advantage of pre paying the gratuity. I won't be walking off the ship with a zero balance on my S & S card. So why not have it on the bill and pay it then? Maybe there are those that don't have a balance at the end of their cruise? :rolleyes:

[Marysunshine]

I always give more than the suggested amount anyway, but someone mentioned on another thread that the staff knows if you've removed the automatic tip. How do they know?

I prefer to tip cash on the last night. Does that mean the waiters and cabin steward think I am not tipping the whole week?

[waykaylincruz]

I booked my cruise through a TA and they never asked if I wanted to prepay gratuities. When I go to complete my docs on Carnival website, it doesn't give me that option.

 

That is okay, I will just pay them (or let them charge my sign and sail card) when I get onboard.

 

Thanks for the info!!

[loveJake]

I guess I don't see the advantage of pre paying the gratuity. I won't be walking off the ship with a zero balance on my S & S card. So why not have it on the bill and pay it then? Maybe there are those that don't have a balance at the end of their cruise? :rolleyes:

 

No balance, or next to none makes leaving the ship easier. Last year when we got off the Dream there actually was a check from Carnival for $77 from OBC we did not spend. I use my debit card each month from booking to final payment. In November we are leaving with everything paid including hotel rooms and with $190 OBC from ES. If the balance is not refundable from Carnival I take it out the last night from the casino. I'm sure Carnival does not like cruises like us who do not spend money on board. We do mostly private excursions.

[Sailor2Cruiser]

We sailed on the Carnival Spirit in August. We did not prepay (I didn't know how to) and we used cash. I noticed on my account on the second night that the gratuities had been assessed. We then gave extra (cash in an envelope), to those we decided to, on the last night.

 

We had a refund check in the mailbox outside our cabin door. I cashed it on our way to breakfast on debarkation morning. There was nobody in line.

[zqvol]

Has anyone ever had an experience where the service is bad and little or no tip? I am also considering prepay and don't want to regret it! I cannot imagine it but want to be sure. Thanks!

 

I cannot imagine the service ever being so bad on any cruise line that the meager tip that is suggested should be removed.

[Sailingstagediva]

I cannot imagine the service ever being so bad on any cruise line that the meager tip that is suggested should be removed.

 

I agree but I was curious! I also usually tip a bit more because our service has always been top notch!

[brfan]

I always give more than the suggested amount anyway, but someone mentioned on another thread that the staff knows if you've removed the automatic tip. How do they know?

I prefer to tip cash on the last night. Does that mean the waiters and cabin steward think I am not tipping the whole week?

 

Supervisors can request a report from Guest Services on who has removed the tip. Depending on their management style (or that of the cruise line) they will speak to the crew as it is often looked at as a service issue and they want to ensure that the crew have not done anything that caused the tips to be removed.