Royal to raise gratuities

[nyc12345]

Did anyone hear about the increase in gratuity? It will go up to $12.95 starting on June 1. Guess they are copying NCL. Hope they don't follow NCL on restricting people from bringing food to cabin...

[Ourusualbeach]

There was a release that Celebrity was raising their gratuities by .95 cents. Didn't realize it was for Royal as well.

Edited May 12, 2015 by Ourusualbeach

[molly361]

Did anyone hear about the increase in gratuity? It will go up to $12.95 starting on June 1. Guess they are copying NCL. Hope they don't follow NCL on restricting people from bringing food to cabin...

 

Do you have a link to the announcement? Thanks

[Cruisin'4Us]

... and can we prepay gratuities now to avoid the increase???

[DebJ14]

... and can we prepay gratuities now to avoid the increase???

 

The new policy will take effect June 1 for sailings after July 1. The announcement says that gratuities can be prepaid prior to the effective date at the old rate. So I take it that they must be paid by June 1 even though the increase will be on sailings after July 1. I think the key will be the effective date.

 

Suite gratuities will increase from 14.25 per person per day to $15.95 per person per day.

Edited May 12, 2015 by DebJ14

[Spurschick]

The new policy will take effect June 1 for sailings after July 1. The announcement says that gratuities can be prepaid prior to the effective date at the old rate. So I take it that they must be paid by June 1 even though the increase will be on sailings after July 1. I think the key will be the effective date.

 

Suite gratuities will increase from 14.25 per person per day to $15.95 per person per day.

 

Any links to the announcement?

[critterchick]

http://loyaltoyoualways.com/newsletter/

 

It's the third button.

Edited May 12, 2015 by critterchick

[monkeybone]

Did anyone hear about the increase in gratuity? It will go up to $12.95 starting on June 1. Guess they are copying NCL. Hope they don't follow NCL on restricting people from bringing food to cabin...

 

I hope they don't copy NCL.......I just booked my first Royal cruise today :)

[Ourusualbeach]

[Spurschick]

http://loyaltoyoualways.com/newsletter/

 

It's the third button.

 

Thanks

[richstowe]

Lets see , $12 to 12.95 = 8% or about a $25 increase for a weeks cruise for the 4 of us .

It's not much but it's not nothing . That's the end of my comment otherwise this could turn into .....

[Spurschick]

 

Glad prepaid for next year already:D

[Ashland]

So to save a few $$'s I need to pre-pay (full balance regardless of final payment date) my cruise's I have booked by June 1, 2015 ?

 

Isn't this a bit of a short notice or did some of you know this already ? I've talked to the D+ desk several times in the last few weeks and no one mentioned this.

Edited May 12, 2015 by Ashland

[Philob]

What's next? Room Service service fee? :confused:

[LuCruise]

So to clarify, our cruise is April 2016. If we pre pay our gratuities tomorrow (i.e. before the increase), then we will lock on at the old rate? Or will we owe the difference of the increase?

[Clarea]

What's next? Room Service service fee? :confused:

Already exists for many items on Quantum class.

[Spurschick]

So to clarify, our cruise is April 2016. If we pre pay our gratuities tomorrow (i.e. before the increase), then we will lock on at the old rate? Or will we owe the difference of the increase?

 

Correct. The increase goes into effect for sailings on or after July 1st, and can be avoided if you prepay gratuities by June 1st

[BigB0882]

I am confused. I booked a cruise just two days ago and we have pre-paid gratuities but all we have paid so far is our deposit. Will we be locked into the prepaid gratuity amount that was quoted to me (and confirmed in an email attachment) or will it go up since we haven't paid for our cruise in full yet? It won't be a huge increase but I am not a fan of forcing customers to pay for a raise for the employees. I think 15% is standard and enough, if Royal would like to give their employees a raise then do it out of their own checkbook or slightly increase fares and let all of us be ignorant to it.

 

Can they change the price quoted to me after my deposit has been paid?

 

On another note, if Royal follows NCL's lead further and adds a charge for room service then I will absolutely cancel my booking and find another Baltic cruise.

Edited May 12, 2015 by BigB0882

[Clarea]

Correct. The increase goes into effect for sailings on or after July 1st, and can be avoided if you prepay gratuities by June 1st

I'm curious if simply adding prepaid gratuities to a booking (i.e., only increasing the amount owed) is enough to fix the price, or must we actually pay the gratuities before June 1.

[Spurschick]

I'm curious if simply adding prepaid gratuities to a booking (i.e., only increasing the amount owed) is enough to fix the price, or must we actually pay the gratuities before June 1.

 

I would say provided added and then no further changes to booking that would make it a new booking then adding before that date would suffice.

 

If you think about it, When you make a deposit there are no specifications how much goes to port fees, taxes, gratuities etc. (although that is probably why if you cancel it gets refunded in multiple random amounts!) I have seen changes to port fees after booking, they remain locked in at the price when purchased. Technically if you add they you are entering a contract to buy at that rate. Hence why I think entering contract to buy at that rate should lock it in, just like adding after that date would kick in the new rate

 

Forgot to add, thinking back we always book quite far out normally, so when last increases happened I don't recall it changing our amount due.

Edited May 12, 2015 by Spurschick

[reney313]

I am confused. I booked a cruise just two days ago and we have pre-paid gratuities but all we have paid so far is our deposit. Will we be locked into the prepaid gratuity amount that was quoted to me (and confirmed in an email attachment) or will it go up since we haven't paid for our cruise in full yet? It won't be a huge increase but I am not a fan of forcing customers to pay for a raise for the employees. I think 15% is standard and enough, if Royal would like to give their employees a raise then do it out of their own checkbook or slightly increase fares and let all of us be ignorant to it.

 

Can they change the price quoted to me after my deposit has been paid?

 

On another note, if Royal follows NCL's lead further and adds a charge for room service then I will absolutely cancel my booking and find another Baltic cruise.

 

For what it's worth, you're not paying 15% (or 18%) for the standard gratuities. It is currently a set $12/day per person and will increase to $12.95/day per person, it appears.

 

I do agree that I think the gratuity amount should be the amount in affect at the time of booking though.

 

I am curious for those of us with MTD and have the gratuities automatically added to pre-pay if we must pay our cruise in full by June 1 or not? If you have traditional dining, whereby they charge the amount daily onboard, I would assume you have to go into your cruise planner and add to pre-pay tips and do that by June 1. I'm not sure.

 

It's not a whole lot in the scheme of things and the workers certainly deserve it. Unfortunately, it does make it harder to justify providing extra to the standard amount for your room steward, waiter, etc. when the amounts are being raised automatically...at least in my opinion. I'm sure I will continue, but might lessen the amount I provide extra.

 

Fortunately, my final payment is due June 8 for my only booked cruise and I always like to pay 2-3 weeks in advance just to make sure there isn't something crazy like I lose my CC that day, etc.

[Ashland]

I would say provided added and then no further changes to booking that would make it a new booking then adding before that date would suffice.

 

If you think about it, When you make a deposit there are no specifications how much goes to port fees, taxes, gratuities etc. (although that is probably why if you cancel it gets refunded in multiple random amounts!) I have seen changes to port fees after booking, they remain locked in at the price when purchased. Technically if you add they you are entering a contract to buy at that rate. Hence why I think entering contract to buy at that rate should lock it in, just like adding after that date would kick in the new rate

 

Forgot to add, thinking back we always book quite far out normally, so when last increases happened I don't recall it changing our amount due.

Still confused....I have 4 bookings (all sailing after July 2015) and have MTD so gratuities already added...so no increase:confused::confused:

[Clarea]

Still confused....I have 4 bookings (all sailing after July 2015) and have MTD so gratuities already added...so no increase:confused::confused:

Another good question.

 

I know that with regard to Royal's insurance, it is not in effect until you pay for it. You have to contact them and specifically request to pay for the insurance, otherwise it does not start until final payment.

 

Maybe the gratuity policy is different.

[Ashland]

Correct. The increase goes into effect for sailings on or after July 1st, and can be avoided if you prepay gratuities by June 1st

You mean "add" pre-paid gratuities before June 1st to any booking you have.

[2thesea]

I do not have an issue with the tipping policy. We have always given more than what was recommended. Here's what I don't get. No matter what the recommended amount is, not matter how much RCCL automatically adds to your account you can STILL change it once on board and tip what ever you want…….period. Not sure what all the hubbub is about :cool: