Tipping with Sign and Sail Account Surcharge

[Cruise Arizona]

I just had someone tell me that they tipped in cash on Monarch of the Seas because they were told in the daily that if they utilized their sign and sail account their would be a surcharge. Surely this person was confused???

[Clarea]

I just had someone tell me that they tipped in cash on Monarch of the Seas because they were told in the daily that if they utilized their sign and sail account their would be a surcharge. Surely this person was confused???

That information is not true. There is no surcharge to have the standard gratuity applied to your on board account, which is called "SeaPass" on Royal.

[oneputt18]

Maybe he confused the surcharge from the casino to get cash from your sea pass (3%)

 

 

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[Cruise Arizona]

I'll bet that is what happened they confused the getting cash surcharge with the auto tipping.

 

It seemed a very strange thing that Royal would be charging for this because they want people to use the auto tipping. It makes sure the crew gets their tips and makes ti easier for passengers.

 

Thanks for the responses.

[Cruise Arizona]

Just go a clarification. The surcharge was to add extra tips to the seapass, which doesn't sound very good either. I usually like to add a little for some of my staff if they have gone out of their way to do something special for me. The person kept their auto tips and then tipped extra in cash.

[kyriecat]

If they are adding a surcharge for extra tips, that is something new. I've added extra tips to drinks & specialty restaurants in the past (most recently was Feb.) and never been charged any additional "fees" for tipping.

 

Do they have proof that they were charged an extra fee for their tipping? Could they have misunderstood something?

[cb at sea]

I''m sure there is some confusion....there is no "surcharge" for any kind of tipping. Whether you pay your tips in advance, add them to your seapass, or decide to tip in cash, there is no surcharge, upcharge or fee.

 

There is a fee if you ask for cash from your seapass account....they are, in effect, giving you a loan, as your credit card isn't charged until the end of the cruise.

[akcruz]

If they are adding a surcharge for extra tips, that is something new. I've added extra tips to drinks & specialty restaurants in the past (most recently was Feb.) and never been charged any additional "fees" for tipping.

 

Do they have proof that they were charged an extra fee for their tipping? Could they have misunderstood something?

 

I think the OP was talking about tipping the waiter, cabin steward, etc, at the end of the cruise not the individual items along the way. At least I hope so as we do tip extra on occasion for things like drinks and specialty restaurants when warranted. I do see the two as somewhat different so hoping my assumptions are accurate.

[kyriecat]

If they are charging a surcharge for extra tipping for the waiters & stewards, that is also something new. I've increased tip amounts in the past and can't remember being charged extra for it. I don't remember if I gave extra on my Seapass or in cash in Feb. It usually depends on how much cash I have left at the end of a cruise.

 

I was on Celebrity last week for a Med sailing. We didn't bring much US cash and I was saving my euro cash since we were staying in Rome for a few days post-cruise. I added extra tips on my Seapass to the daily gratuity amount as well as the bar tabs and specialty restaurants. There weren't any fees added to my Seapass account for the tips.

 

I know X & RC aren't exactly the same, but in many cases if one does something, the other is usually close to follow.

[Cruise Arizona]

I'll bet the person is confused. I've asked her to try to find her news letter so we can read the exact wording. My theory agrees with what many of you have posted. It probably said something to the affect that if you get a cash advance on your Seapass for extra tipping from the casino there is surcharge. She probably misunderstood what it was saying.

 

It would make no sense to charge a surcharge when you can always add an extra tip at any time to your bar waiter or wine steward, and there is no surcharge for that.

 

I wanted to double check with people who are recently off Royal to see if there was a new policy before I started telling her she was confused.

[negc]

I''m sure there is some confusion....there is no "surcharge" for any kind of tipping. Whether you pay your tips in advance, add them to your seapass, or decide to tip in cash, there is no surcharge, upcharge or fee.

 

There is a fee if you ask for cash from your seapass account....they are, in effect, giving you a loan, as your credit card isn't charged until the end of the cruise.

For once I agree with this poster:rolleyes::D

The outrageous and incorrect things that some people claim to have been told on a cruise sometimes boggles the mind and sometimes makes me wonder at either their willingness to believe even the most outlandishly incorrect information or their failure to understand plain English. There is no surcharge to place your gratuities on your onboard account and no fee to increase any of the suggested amounts. Paying your gratuities with cash will not cost any less than charging them to your account.

[Cruise Arizona]

I know some people get confused, but I wanted to double check before I corrected her. Nothing worse than correcting someone else in then finding out the I'm wrong.

[negc]

I know some people get confused, but I wanted to double check before I corrected her. Nothing worse than correcting someone else in then finding out the I'm wrong.

 

Been there, done that.:D

[Cruise Arizona]

Been there, done that.:D

 

Yeah I didn't want to look like a jerk.:p

So I always double check.

 

There is that expression that about what you make when you assume...you make an "A@# of U and Me" :D but in this case if I was wrong it just would have been me.:rolleyes: LOL

[uksimonusa]

I''m sure there is some confusion....there is no "surcharge" for any kind of tipping. Whether you pay your tips in advance, add them to your seapass, or decide to tip in cash, there is no surcharge, upcharge or fee.

 

There is a fee if you ask for cash from your seapass account....they are, in effect, giving you a loan, as your credit card isn't charged until the end of the cruise.

 

It's got nothing to do with RCI giving you a loan, when they charge money to the credit card they are charged a percentage, so it actually costs them money to advance you money, the 3% surcharge is to recoup this expenditure. The same as if you get a cash advance from you credit card at a bank, they charge a cash advance handling fee, as they are not getting paid from a merchant