Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Carnival Cruise Lines Raises Gratuities

LauraS

By LauraS,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

 Share

Recommended Posts

Nicoleakamama

Nicoleakamama

Posted
Posted

Does any one know if it means whoever booked before July 7th and had gratuities added to their bill but haven't paid in full yet if I'll be grandfathered in? My final payment date is Aug 4th. So just wondering.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Forums mobile app

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DaytonCruiser

DaytonCruiser

Posted
Posted (edited)

Its based on your sailing date.

From faq

 

What is the tipping policy onboard?

For your convenience, we automatically charge the gratuities for dining and stateroom staff to your onboard Sail & Sign account.

 

Voyages departing December 1, 2011 through October 8, 2014; the total amount is $11.50 per guest, per day and breakdown as follows:

•Stateroom service team $3.70 per day

•Dining room service team $5.80 per day

•Alternative services team* $2.00 per day

(*galley, entertainment, guest services and other hotel staff members)

 

Voyages departing October 9, 2014 onward; the total amount is $12.00 per guest, per day and breakdown as follows:

•Stateroom service team $3.90 per day

•Dining room service team $6.10 per day

•Alternative services team* $2.00 per day

(*galley, entertainment, guest services and other hotel staff members)

 

For Cruises-To-Nowhere; gratuities of $11.50 USD ($12.00 on sailings 10/9/2014 onward), or its equivalent in foreign currency, per guest, per day must be prepaid.

As a convenience gratuities will be automatically posted to your Sail & Sign account on the second day of your cruise. Our Staff is totally committed to exceed your expectations in every way possible. If you are not satisfied with the service you receive, we encourage you to contact the Guest Services desk while onboard. This will allow us to address your concerns in a timely and appropriate fashion. Once gratuities have been posted, you may adjust them at your discretion at any time while onboard. Gratuities will be deemed undisputed unless a request to modify is received prior to disembarking the ship.

For beverage purchases, fifteen percent of the bill is automatically added to the Sail & Sign charge. Room Service staff may be tipped as service is rendered.

Edited by DaytonCruiser
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Nicoleakamama

Nicoleakamama

Posted
Posted

Yes I know. But it also said that customers who prepaid their gratuities before July 7th will be grandfathered in. I booked March for our Oct 18th sailing. Our final payment date is Aug 4th. We had the gratuities added in our balance but my question is....since my balance isn't paid in full yet will they add the .50 pp per day to my balance or no since I'm grandfathered in.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Forums mobile app

Link to comment
Share on other sites
coltsmama

coltsmama

Posted
Posted
Yes I know. But it also said that customers who prepaid their gratuities before July 7th will be grandfathered in. I booked March for our Oct 18th sailing. Our final payment date is Aug 4th. We had the gratuities added in our balance but my question is....since my balance isn't paid in full yet will they add the .50 pp per day to my balance or no since I'm grandfathered in.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Forums mobile app

That what I'm wondering as well. I tried calling today and was on hold for 20 minutes before I gave up. I'll try again tomorrow

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Suzgrif

Suzgrif

Posted
Posted
Yes I know. But it also said that customers who prepaid their gratuities before July 7th will be grandfathered in. I booked March for our Oct 18th sailing. Our final payment date is Aug 4th. We had the gratuities added in our balance but my question is....since my balance isn't paid in full yet will they add the .50 pp per day to my balance or no since I'm grandfathered in.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Forums mobile app

I had prepaid my grats for a dec cruise. We had a price change today. When accepting a price change they raised the grats to the 12 a day. Any changes and you are no longer grandfathered. The price difference was well worth the 3.50 change to our rate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HawksFan74

HawksFan74

Posted
Posted

Too bad I didn't prepay gratuities on mine. Do you have to book directly with Carnival to get that option? I used an online TA, and I don't think it was offered. I suppose one could manually adjust the grats back to $11.50 while onboard, since that's the amount we agreed to when booking...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ontario_Cruiser

Ontario_Cruiser

Posted
Posted

Overall I do not mind this change. 50 cents over three years since the last increase is only about 1% per year so is in line with inflation.

 

While I would rather a no tipping policy (and therefore pay higher fares as the wages for these folks would be in the fare) I know that that is not likely to occur. It would put the line that does so at a competitive disadvantage as all lines currently add the tips to the total.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
KirkNC

KirkNC

Posted
Posted
We will continue to remove our tips one the first day and use envelopes on the last day.

 

Curious when you do that how you tip the guy who brings ice to the bar or the runners who carry the food into the dining room :rolleyes:.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
srlafleur

srlafleur

Posted
Posted
That what I'm wondering as well. I tried calling today and was on hold for 20 minutes before I gave up. I'll try again tomorrow

 

I know this is going to sound snarky, it's not meant to be but...

surely your time is worth more than the $.50 pp/day that you may (or may not) save? An additional $7.00 per week for a couple, and you're going to tie up your time to find out if the cost is grandfathered?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bplazo

bplazo

Posted
Posted
I know this is going to sound snarky, it's not meant to be but...

surely your time is worth more than the $.50 pp/day that you may (or may not) save? An additional $7.00 per week for a couple, and you're going to tie up your time to find out if the cost is grandfathered?

 

Yeah, really not worth it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
coltsmama

coltsmama

Posted
Posted

When I initially read the email carnival sent out , I somehow misread it at first. I'm a klutz at using the I internet on my phone I swear. I thought it said it went up $12 p.p./p.d. so yea, THAT would have been worth it. But after re reading it this morning and realizing what it said, yea no big deal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
loubetti

loubetti

Posted
Posted (edited)

The people who work on these ships for gratuities are paid next to nothing in wages by the cruise line. The cruise lines take advantage of their incorporation in foreign countries where they are not held to any wage/hour laws such as we have in the USA, and thus throw this burden on the passenger. This should, by now, be apparent to any experienced cruiser. Okay, I'll admit that they do get free room and board- granted.

 

Of course, there are staff who are on salary, such as the deck / engine staff, and hotel management / entertainment staff and more. However, a majority of staff are paid a pittance in pay, and gratuities are all they have to rely on to make a decent wage for 12+ hours per day of work.

 

Also, when was the last time an audit was done of these cruise lines to see just how much of these "gratuities" actually got in to the deserving crew member's pockets? :rolleyes:

 

For those with "rose colored" glasses on, take them off when it comes to how much of the crew that you interact with gets paid. Your gratuities are essentially their pay, and it gets split up too.

 

It's all about marketing, and the cruise lines get away with it. They advertise a cheap cruise, then tack on the pay for most of the staff and then their port charges and taxes. I also wonder about those port charges and taxes, and if they are not inflated! ;)

Edited by loubetti
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Barbee524

Barbee524

Posted
Posted

I'm not complaining about the rise in the gratuities. But, I received an e-mail from Carnival with a letter dated July 8th stating that if the gratuities were paid by July 7th they would remain at the former rate.

 

Now I'm just thinking that this letter should have been sent on the 6th or at least on the 7th. I still wouldn't have prepaid our gratuities, but to send the notice after the final date looks pretty bad and not very well thought out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
hlb76

hlb76

Posted
Posted

We never got an email. I just say it on here :rolleyes: Again not a biggie its goning to cost me $3.50 more for our Oct cruise I can re-budget that no problem. I prob would have pre-paid mine knowing I had a choice only becuase I was going to pre-pay them anyway next month.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...