Tipping? - prepaid gratuity

[Mura]

You're absolutely right about that, Jim! I only meant that this is just one more aggravation for them. For sure it's the least of their problems.

 

Mura

[Scottygirl1]

In our cabin we received a card stating that all gratuities had been paid - not via on board credit etc. In New Zealand all gratuities are prepaid as part of the fare. I'm actually going to look at trying to book via an overseas agent in future as some of my fellow passengers have done. This is not to avoid pre-paid gratuity but they seem to get better "perks" and value.

 

Off the ship today, it has been a blast!!

[JimandStan]

I'm actually going to look at trying to book via an overseas agent in future as some of my fellow passengers have done. This is not to avoid pre-paid gratuity but they seem to get better "perks" and value.

 

I would not recommend that, although you might get away with it once or twice.

Overseas Agents are NOT PERMITTED to book New Zealand Nationals for a number of reasons that you might want to discuss with your local travel agent.

 

Occasionally, a rogue or uninformed Agent will chance it, but you will always be taking a risk, and the downside can be serious, both for you and the offending Agent.

[LHT28]

In our cabin we received a card stating that all gratuities had been paid - not via on board credit etc. In New Zealand all gratuities are prepaid as part of the fare.

So the amount you paid in your fare were the gratuities included in what YOU paid ? or did your TA contribute to the final payment for the amount of the gratuitites?

 

Good luck in booking offshore ...others have tried before you & have failed

[Scottygirl1]

So the amount you paid in your fare were the gratuities included in what YOU paid ? or did your TA contribute to the final payment for the amount of the gratuitites?

 

Good luck in booking offshore ...others have tried before you & have failed

 

Make no mistake, we prepaid the gratuities. It was made clear in our final billing. Our TA pay nothing that I can see.

 

Also to Jim and Stan - regarding booking offshore, many of the people on the ship had done this and had got much better deals than I could get. Why is this illegal?

[JimandStan]

Make no mistake, we prepaid the gratuities. It was made clear in our final billing. Our TA pay nothing that I can see.

 

Also to Jim and Stan - regarding booking offshore, many of the people on the ship had done this and had got much better deals than I could get. Why is this illegal?

 

I was serious when I suggested that you discuss the reasons why offshore bookings are not permitted with a local Agent, because although I understand in principle why you may not do it, I do not understand why you stand for it.

 

The overview (and this is ultra-simplified) is that your local Agents, through the Consolidator that they use to make bookings, have the license to the business in your part of the World.

 

The odd booking may get through elsewhere, but when and if the Agents who own the rights make an issue of it, all hell can break loose.

 

Capitalism being what it is, there will always be Agents who will offer to help you to buck the system, however, they tend to fold very quickly once they get caught and learn how severe the sanctions can be.

 

An Agent may literally lose their right to trade with the cruise line for flouting these rules, so whereas they began as your champion, which side do you suppose that they will choose when things get tough?

 

Sorry to be such a downer, but I have Cruise Critic buddies from down under (Hi Rhonda!) and we've tried and tried to get around this, without success.

[LHT28]

Make no mistake, we prepaid the gratuities. It was made clear in our final billing. Our TA pay nothing that I can see.

 

Thanks for clearing that up

I thought that is what you meant