Beverage Package Gratuities Update: 15% to 18%

[Celebrity Cruises]

Hi all,

 

Effective February 1, 2015 for all sailings beginning on or after February 1, 2015, our beverage gratuity rate will increase from 15% to 18%. This includes all individual drinks and beverage packages (purchased pre-cruise and onboard). Any packages that were purchased prior to February 1, 2015 will still be eligible for the 15% gratuity rate, and no additional gratuities will be assessed.

[marieps]

If you're monitoring, Mr. or Ms. X, can you please claritfy how, if at all, this policy affects those who acquired the package via the 123 GO promotion?

Thanks.

[Orator]

Hi all,

 

Effective February 1, 2015 for all sailings beginning on or after February 1, 2015, our beverage gratuity rate will increase from 15% to 18%. This includes all individual drinks and beverage packages (purchased pre-cruise and onboard). Any packages that were purchased prior to February 1, 2015 will still be eligible for the 15% gratuity rate, and no additional gratuities will be assessed.

 

Wine prices up at least 10% last year, but package limits remained the same ($8 for Classic, $13 for Premium). I most certainly can understand an increase in gratuties, but appears to be less for more. I believe that Celebrity should consider rasing the per drink price by $1 or $2 to restore some of the choices that were eliminated due to increases.

[patty1955]

Wine prices up at least 10% last year, but package limits remained the same ($8 for Classic, $13 for Premium). I most certainly can understand an increase in gratuties, but appears to be less for more. I believe that Celebrity should consider rasing the per drink price by $1 or $2 to restore some of the choices that were eliminated due to increases.

I was under the impression that they raised the prices to remove the drinks from the packages.

[macandlucy]

I got a classic Bev package via the pick your perk promo for our march cruise. How will this work, will we be required to sign for an additional three percent per drink? Or, if prepurchased Bev packs are excluded from the increase, how will our servers know that? Will we have to explain that we got our package long before this increase came into effect? Looking forward to hearing the answers, thanks in advance.

[Cruise Junky]

Thanks for the heads up Celebrity. Appreciate hearing it from the horses mouth.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[lakelivin2]

Hi all,

 

Effective February 1, 2015 for all sailings beginning on or after February 1, 2015, our beverage gratuity rate will increase from 15% to 18%. This includes all individual drinks and beverage packages (purchased pre-cruise and onboard). Any packages that were purchased prior to February 1, 2015 will still be eligible for the 15% gratuity rate, and no additional gratuities will be assessed.

 

How do you justify 18% gratuity on a beverage??! Particularly, in light of the fact that your oil/fuel costs have dropped about 40% in the last few months?

[Smurfette76]

Thank you for the info, Celebrity!

 

FYI, I just upgraded our included Classic Beverage Package to Premium and the "new" rates were imposed even though I called in before February 1st. I was told it was because we are sailing in March. It's not a huge deal but thought I'd give a heads up to any Canadians looking for future upgrade pricing: The daily upgrade price is now $12.88 CAD (inclusive of gratuities). So for a 7 night cruise to upgrade, it cost us $103.04 CAD per person. Last year we only paid $83.72 per person for the week to upgrade.

 

Still totally worth it in my opinion! Can't wait to enjoy our cruise without having to worry about paying extra for (most) bevies! :)

[Smurfette76]

Hmm... Now that I think about it, I think the rep charged us for 8 nights instead of 7 this year. I'm so confused. Oh well. Still worth the extra investment! :)

[MR_T]

If you're monitoring, Mr. or Ms. X, can you please claritfy how, if at all, this policy affects those who acquired the package via the 123 GO promotion?

Thanks.

 

Surely the fact it states in the original post that any package got before the 1st feb will remain at 15% rate and no additional fee/charge is required... So I guess anyone that signed up before the 1st of feb it will be the same as before this announcement!

[B1G]

Bar staff deserved it, they work there butt out

[Smurfette76]

Surely the fact it states in the original post that any package got before the 1st feb will remain at 15% rate and no additional fee/charge is required... So I guess anyone that signed up before the 1st of feb it will be the same as before this announcement!

 

Yes, kind Celebrity representative, please clarify as my experience just a half an hour ago was different. I was specifically told by the telephone rep (who was very polite and friendly by the way) that drinks package price gratuities had gone up, thus I was charged the "new" pricing post February 1st because I was cruising in March. Thank you!

[MR_T]

Yes, kind Celebrity representative, please clarify as my experience just a half an hour ago was different. I was specifically told by the telephone rep (who was very polite and friendly by the way) that drinks package price gratuities had gone up, thus I was charged the "new" pricing post February 1st because I was cruising in March. Thank you!

 

That does sound like a classic case of celebrity call centre staff... Speak to 5 different people and get 5 different responses...!! :D

 

I'd maybe send an email to celebrity with a link to this post/page and see what happens? :)

[Celebrity Cruises]

Yes, kind Celebrity representative, please clarify as my experience just a half an hour ago was different. I was specifically told by the telephone rep (who was very polite and friendly by the way) that drinks package price gratuities had gone up, thus I was charged the "new" pricing post February 1st because I was cruising in March. Thank you!

 

Hi there,

 

You should still receive the old rate. If you continue to have an issue, please let us know and we will try to assist.

[Sunset329]

With the increased gratuity to 18%, how much will it cost to upgrade the classic drink package to the premium drink package?

[chamima]

Bar staff deserved it, they work there butt out

 

I REALLY hope that's where it will go.

(Guess I'm just too cynical for my own good. )

[MR_T]

with the increased gratuity to 18%, how much will it cost to upgrade the classic drink package to the premium drink package?

 

 

$11.80 per day!! 😱

Edited January 28, 2015 by MR_T

[chamima]

With the increased gratuity to 18%, how much will it cost to upgrade the classic drink package to the premium drink package?

 

$11.80/pp/day

[burrma]

5 different people... 5 different responses!

Isn't that the truth! Happens every time I call. Hang up; call back and get a different answer!

Pretty unhappy we are paying for drink pkg, tips and meals (Large buffet lunch) the first day but now can't board till mid afternoon but they raise the tips!

[cruisestitch]

You can certainly board before mid afternoon. If you received an email about staggered boarding times, notice that this was a request not a requirement. If you show up earlier than your suggested time you won't be turned away. You can go immediately to the buffet and begin ordering drinks from your package if you wish.

[Smurfette76]

Thank you Celebrity representative for your clarification!

 

The $0.30 daily increase in grats is peanuts and well earned! We like to tip hard working bartenders a little extra here and there anyway, in the hopes it will go directly into their much-deserving hands! However, pricing HAS changed for Canadians since our cruise last year according to my experience today...

 

Update for Canadians: I just called to re-clarify the upgrade price for us Canucks and was initially told the weekly cost is $82.60CAD for the week. Then I got transferred and was told we do not pay par with US, which is fair enough, but different than when we cruised in 2014. After I got transferred to the other person, the price I was then quoted per day for the upgrade was $14.72CAD vs $11.80USD or $103.04CAD per week. Still worth it even at a $20 per person per week increase over last year. No biggie but I thought I would communicate my experience on the board for anyone "north of the border". Sure our dollar has slipped a bit but it was irritating to receive two totally different quotes only a few minutes apart. I'm learning this is typical! :o So for those wondering, we Canadians do NOT pay at par for the upgrade anymore. So I was told. ;)

Edited January 28, 2015 by Smurfette76

[Iamcruzin]

How do you justify 18% gratuity on a beverage??! Particularly, in light of the fact that your oil/fuel costs have dropped about 40% in the last few months?

Fuel contracts are negotiated ahead of time. They are probably still locked in at a higher rate than the low rate now. It happened to me with my home oil company. I caped a rate back in May an I am still paying more per gallon than a new customer who would purchase at today's rate. Also they never enforced the fuel surcharge all of these years so count your blessings.

[Balloon Man]

I know this is a very old theme but why do we have to "tip" extra for being served? I suggest 95% of the people reading this do not expect a gratuity for doing their job. Do you, yes you reader, expect to receive a gratuity?

 

I'm not trying to deny the cruise staff a decent wage. I'm simply suggesting that's what they should get in the first place and then "tips" for extra special service are just that. Some cruise lines understand this. Sadly most of those also include free booze as well as a living wage so it gets complicated.

 

Put-up the prices and pay the crew properly so they aren't reliant on charity - even if it is added automatically.

 

Maybe this is a subject for the United Nation's committee on ... sorry, I forgot UN stands for Usually Not-interested.

[burrma]

You can certainly board before mid afternoon. If you received an email about staggered boarding times, notice that this was a request not a requirement. If you show up earlier than your suggested time you won't be turned away. You can go immediately to the buffet and begin ordering drinks from your package if you wish.

Thanks

 

That's exactly what my travel agent said. She had a group last week; all were Concierge so they have priority but the representative at Celebrity still said: they prefer they arrive when they’re asking. Unreal. Called back and got a different answer!!!

[Kleasie]

Hi

 

I have to admit as an Australian tipping is just an alien concept for me anyway. Here we generally only tip people if the service was absolutely outstanding.

 

I understand that tipping substitutes the income for the worker due to low wages. Because I'm not used to it tipping actually impacts negatively on my vacation because I'm constantly stressing about 'do I tip, how much etc'. For me it also takes away from the feeling of genuine hospitality - for example locally in Australia if you make requests when on holiday you would not expect to pay people extra - people do it because of the pride in their job and they genuinely want to make your experience positive. When I'm overseas I sometimes feel like people are only doing 'nice' things to receive something in return (tip).

 

I also get though that Aussie wages are very good and people don't need tips to survive financially...

 

 

I would honestly prefer to pay a higher cost for my cruise and have the staff paid appropriate wages so these ridiculously high automatic gratuities are not added to the tab. 18% for drinks service - to me that is highway robbery.