When pre-paid gratuities don't equate to Select dining

[dobes3kh]

Hoping the helpful people on Cruise Critic can help me here!

 

We have pre-paid gratuities from our TA, (not booked with Celebrity) and even though they are pre-paid, we are still assigned traditional dining. Apparently we are not able to have Select dining.

 

Has anyone encountered a situation like this where they were able to change to Select dining? I'm not sure what the reasoning is for us not being assigned Select----could it be that Celebrity doesn't receive the gratuities until the sailing has commenced and therefore Select is not an option? Just wondering here.....any help/hints are much appreciated.

 

Cheers!

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Did your TA request select dining for you? Or, it could be that select is sold out for your cruise.

 

Mary Lou

[dobes3kh]

Did your TA request select dining for you? Or, it could be that select is sold out for your cruise.

 

Mary Lou

 

Thanks Mary Lou.

 

We were told by the TA that even though they gave us the pre-paid gratuities as a perk for booking, we are not able to get Select but I don't believe it was because of it being sold out.

[blindrid]

Did your TA request select dining for you? Or, it could be that select is sold out for your cruise.

 

Mary Lou

 

Exactly what I was thinking. Either you did not request or full.

 

FWIW, I hate designated dining times. My schedule and theirs does not jive. Cuts into some valuable nap times:cool:.

[cluso]

Usually, if a TA books you with prepaid gratuities, the TA will make you pay them the amount of PPG in advance and then they will reimburse you with on board credit. Then you or the TA can sign you up for Select Dining. Celebrity requires gratuities to be paid in advance before being eligible for Select Dining. At least this is how it worked on several of our sailings.

[gek]

You're not in Aqua class are you?

[dobes3kh]

Usually, if a TA books you with prepaid gratuities, the TA will make you pay them the amount of PPG in advance and then they will reimburse you with on board credit. Then you or the TA can sign you up for Select Dining. Celebrity requires gratuities to be paid in advance before being eligible for Select Dining. At least this is how it worked on several of our sailings.

 

 

That was what I was thinking cluso. Perhaps I should contact the TA and mention that I will pay the gratuities upfront if they will provide the same amount in OBC.

 

I seem to recall a post on here a while back about someone who did something similar though and had a hard time being reimbursed through Celebrity....can't remember the details and of course can't find the post!

[dobes3kh]

You're not in Aqua class are you?

 

No, not Aqua unfortunately!

[dobes3kh]

Exactly what I was thinking. Either you did not request or full.

 

FWIW, I hate designated dining times. My schedule and theirs does not jive. Cuts into some valuable nap times:cool:.

 

LOL.....same here.....and also cuts into the Elite lounge time as well!

[cluso]

That was what I was thinking cluso. Perhaps I should contact the TA and mention that I will pay the gratuities upfront if they will provide the same amount in OBC.

 

I seem to recall a post on here a while back about someone who did something similar though and had a hard time being reimbursed through Celebrity....can't remember the details and of course can't find the post!

 

In fact, I just booked a cruise today and that's what happened. It is OBC from the TA, not Celebrity, and we have never had a problem with that.

[dobes3kh]

In fact, I just booked a cruise today and that's what happened. It is OBC from the TA, not Celebrity, and we have never had a problem with that.

 

Just so I have this right then Kim, (long day!!!) you were able to secure Select Dining even though your pre-pd grats are from your TA and not Celebrity? I'm getting hopeful here. And you've never had a problem with the pre-paid grats being refunded (assuming they are in the form of refundable OBC)? Just want to make sure the pre-paid gratuities are paid twice!!!

 

Thanks!

[cluso]

Just so I have this right then Kim, (long day!!!) you were able to secure Select Dining even though your pre-pd grats are from your TA and not Celebrity? I'm getting hopeful here. And you've never had a problem with the pre-paid grats being refunded (assuming they are in the form of refundable OBC)? Just want to make sure the pre-paid gratuities are paid twice!!!

 

Thanks!

 

Today I reserved our cruise and put down the deposit. The PPG equal $360 (a 15 night cruise), and that was added to our bill. So as of right now, we can sign up for Select Dining as far as Celebrity is concerned. However, it really does not get paid by us until Final Payment. And then, we get reimbursed the $360 as OBC by the TA. Have done this at least 6 or 7 times.

[DinaS]

Hoping the helpful people on Cruise Critic can help me here!

 

We have pre-paid gratuities from our TA, (not booked with Celebrity) and even though they are pre-paid, we are still assigned traditional dining. Apparently we are not able to have Select dining.

 

Has anyone encountered a situation like this where they were able to change to Select dining? I'm not sure what the reasoning is for us not being assigned Select----could it be that Celebrity doesn't receive the gratuities until the sailing has commenced and therefore Select is not an option? Just wondering here.....any help/hints are much appreciated.

 

Cheers!

 

We are getting pre-paid gratuities from our TA and we requested select dining. Our TA's invoice shows the gratuities, and then an offset credit for the whole amount. (We are not getting it back in OBC, we didn't have to pay it to begin with.) We are getting OBC (a lesser amount) from the TA as well.

 

On our Celebrity website reservation, it shows we have select dining. From what I understand, sometimes select dining sells out (they already have their allotment of folks who chose select, and can't allow more folks to choose that option).

 

Not sure if that helps.

[GarrenS]

Usually, if a TA books you with prepaid gratuities, the TA will make you pay them the amount of PPG in advance and then they will reimburse you with on board credit. Then you or the TA can sign you up for Select Dining. Celebrity requires gratuities to be paid in advance before being eligible for Select Dining. At least this is how it worked on several of our sailings.

 

 

I had the same issue one time - it had something to do with being part of a group booking from the TA (they will many times place all of their guests on the same sailing in a group booking, helps with the benefits I was told)

 

I did exactly what was suggested above - I paid the gratuities and received an OBC from the TA for the exact same amount. Never had an issue getting it, showed up as expected on day 2 or 3. It took a bit of explaining to get her to understand what I wanted, but then I was able to book Select dining.

 

I have also just waited and booked onboard - haven't ever had it be totally full, but it's something I always hate worrying about.

 

Good luck!

Garren

Edited November 11, 2014 by GarrenS

[Duanerice1]

Just so I have this right then Kim, (long day!!!) you were able to secure Select Dining even though your pre-pd grats are from your TA and not Celebrity? I'm getting hopeful here. And you've never had a problem with the pre-paid grats being refunded (assuming they are in the form of refundable OBC)? Just want to make sure the pre-paid gratuities are paid twice!!!

 

Thanks!

 

I'm not Kim but it just sounds like your TA doesn't want to front the money. Go online and start a booking so you can see if Select is available. If it is call the TA and tell them you'll pay the gratuities up front and they can give you OBC for that amount. Their OBC is 100% refundable.

Duane

[cluso]

I'm not Kim but it just sounds like your TA doesn't want to front the money. Go online and start a booking so you can see if Select is available. If it is call the TA and tell them you'll pay the gratuities up front and they can give you OBC for that amount. Their OBC is 100% refundable.

Duane

 

The booking I did today was for a TransAtlantic in November 2015--no problem with Select Dining. Yes, people do need to pay attention to their dates and when Select Dining gets maxed out--it does happen. :eek:

[blindrid]

Today I reserved our cruise and put down the deposit. The PPG equal $360 (a 15 night cruise), and that was added to our bill. So as of right now, we can sign up for Select Dining as far as Celebrity is concerned. However, it really does not get paid by us until Final

 

Ours was billed with our deposit.

[chefcaw]

You can always pre-day your tips without having Select dining

 

Chris

[mijca]

We booked within the full payment time and paid the entire cruise (including the PPG). The only selection for dining was select seating which was fine with us, hence the PPG. The TA has said they will credit my credit card a week before we sail for the amount of the PPG.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[gimletgal]

It works the same for the new "All Inclusive" promo for Concierge Class and above.

 

The prepaid gratuities get credited to your folio once on board as OBC and then you will see the daily $12.50 charge which will be offset by the OBC. Cost=$0

 

If you want Select Dining (and are getting prepaid gratuities), you just pay that amount up front, but it really costs you nothing, as it will show up as OBC on your shipboard folio - and there will be no daily charge. Cost = $0 again.

 

Select Dining requires up front payment, regardless of whether you have free gratuities or not.

 

Hope this all makes sense! :)

[Sloop-JohnB]

Guessing that your TA gave you a perk of "Prepaid Gratuities"

 

Meaning they have / will front the Daily Grats in one way or another

 

This does not mean / guarantee that when booked with Celebrity that you will get necessarily your preferred Dining Arrangements / Seating (ie Select vs Traditional... And if the latter Early vs Late)

 

That part is up to Celebrity, and what is / was available when the booking came thru

 

(Daily Grats can be prepaid no matter what one books... Not just Select Dining, where one MUST PAY IN ADVANCE )

 

Lol, count yourself lucky... There are plenty of TAs who give little or nothing for a booking reservation ... In reality Daily Grats average about $ 25 per cabin per day... And that is nothing to snuff at

 

Cheers!

Edited November 11, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[jelayne]

I'm not Kim but it just sounds like your TA doesn't want to front the money. Go online and start a booking so you can see if Select is available. If it is call the TA and tell them you'll pay the gratuities up front and they can give you OBC for that amount. Their OBC is 100% refundable.

Duane

 

Not always. The TA we use gives us pre paid gratuities, in the form of OBC equal to the amount of the gratuities- that amount is Non-refundable. We also get an additional amount of OBC that is refundable. The TA indicates when they pay the OBC to the cruise line whether the funds are to be refundable or non-refundable.

[tunaman2011]

Greetings

 

The TA we use does the same as most others here. If you have standard dining you have free grats. If you want select dining you prepay grats and then the TA gives you OBC for the amount of the grats. Our TA gives refundable OBC for the amount of the grats. It just means you are out the amount of the grats for several months until it is refunded when you cruise. For us it not a big concern but for others on tight budgets they may not like tying us those funds.

 

Good Sailing

Tom

[dobes3kh]

Thank you to all for your very helpful replies. Whenever I have a question, I can almost always depend on the cruise critic people to assist!

 

So I contacted the TA today and indicated I wanted to have select dining. It was available (I did a 'fake' booking as someone recommended on here-thanks!) and Select was indeed available.

 

The TA said I would have to pre-pay the gratuities and they would issue an obc once the sailing commenced. The only catch is because this is a 'group booking' (through the travel agency) all but $75 of the obc will be refundable. So we will have to make sure we spend our $75 during the course of the cruise.....shouldn't be difficult I would think!

 

Glad we have that settled....Select Dining really is a good thing to have. Thanks again for your help!