Free gratuities

[antsp]

Hypothetical question. Can you withdraw the free gratuities credit by cashing back out at the casino

[magandy]

What a good hypothetical question!

[paul929207]

I sure hope not.

 

Unless you could also cancel the gratuities, you would be charged the normal amount and not have the credit to offset them.

Edited June 16, 2016 by paul929207

[mmckm]

Why would you do that?

[antsp]

Why would you do that?

 

Do what

[skf]

A hypothetical someone wants to book a cruise with gratuities provided by Princess and then hypothetically cancel the gratuities and keep them. I expect the fine print in the contract would prevent this perversion of a well-intentioned promotion.

[mmckm]

Do what

 

You would be taking money that was for the staff. Its just wrong.

[myfuzzy]

Princess is GIVING you something you are NOT paying for. No the gratuities are not added to your account to withdraw. They are added each day and with the promotion, immediately credited off. Reason why you asked?

Edited June 16, 2016 by myfuzzy

[whatcruiseisnext]

It has been my experience over the last year that if you have pre-paid gratuities from Princess OR if you pre-pay them yourself.....they do not show up on your account any longer. There is NO credit to withdraw. They don't even show on your account. This happened with a cruise in April that had pre-paid gratuities from Princess and on a cruise in January where we took all our adult children along and we paid the pre-paid gratuities. We were concerned on the first cruise where they didn't show on the accounts as prepaid and checked at the pursers desk. We were told that pre-paid gratuities don't show up as a credit any longer but the staff receives them. They showed up as being pre-paid on all the accounts. Checked again in April on that cruise and was told the same thing. The reason wasn't given but I BET the reason is that unscrupulous people tried to withdraw the free gratuities credit, stiffing the staff and walking away with cash.

Edited June 16, 2016 by whatcruiseisnext

[myfuzzy]

It has been my experience over the last year that if you have pre-paid gratuities from Princess OR if you pre-pay them yourself.....they do not show up on your account any longer. There is NO credit to withdraw. They don't even show on your account. This happened with a cruise in April that had pre-paid gratuities from Princess and on a cruise in January where we took all our adult children along and we paid the pre-paid gratuities. We were concerned on the first cruise where they didn't show on the accounts as prepaid and checked at the pursers desk. We were told that pre-paid gratuities don't show up as a credit any longer but the staff receives them. They showed up as being pre-paid on all the accounts. Checked again in April on that cruise and was told the same thing. The reason wasn't given but I BET the reason is that unscrupulous people tried to withdraw the free gratuities credit, stiffing the staff and walking away with cash.

 

I am positive last year, the daily gratuity was added, then the (-) was right under it, but I wonder if "pre-pay", you pay ahead of time before sailing, or the promotional are considered a different "pot"

Edited June 16, 2016 by myfuzzy

[anthonyy7]

That sounds cheap and tacky. Clearly anyone who would want to do this doesn't pay gratuities and trying to keep the pre-paid tips provided by the cruise line for themselves is just not right at all

[RetiredNTraveling]

That sounds cheap and tacky. Clearly anyone who would want to do this doesn't pay gratuities and trying to keep the pre-paid tips provided by the cruise line for themselves is just not right at all

 

You really are spot on! That type of scoundrel could ruin a good deal for everyone else.

Sorry, but I just don't understand "cheapskates"!

 

Just Mike

[myfuzzy]

You really are spot on! That type of scoundrel could ruin a good deal for everyone else.

Sorry, but I just don't understand "cheapskates"!

 

Just Mike

 

I don't even know if the word "cheapskate" fits. The only word I can think of I can't even write here. It pertains to someone who takes something that doesn't belong to them.

[srlafleur]

I can't even imagine THINKING of doing such a thing! :confused:

 

That's kind of like going to a wedding with an open bar and asking for the money instead of the drinks.

[cruzsnooze]

Anyone who thinks there is such a thing as free anything is fooling themselves. The gratuity is folded into the price. The answer to the OP's question is Since you booked with the promotion it is not possible to remove it.

Why all the snarky answers? Maybe the OP wants to use cash instead of the prepaid. They never said they were stiffing the crew. In all fairness I'd ask the OP to come back and state the purpose of their question before I pass judgement on them.

Edited June 16, 2016 by cruzsnooze

[freshair8]

I had the free grats on the Star this past April/May and they did not show up on my folio... I have had it where it would show up and then a "minus" right below it, but I think they have changed that now fleetwide.

[myfuzzy]

Anyone who thinks there is such a thing as free anything is fooling themselves. The gratuity is folded into the price. The answer to the OP's question is Since you booked with the promotion it is not possible to remove it.

Why all the snarky answers? Maybe the OP wants to use cash instead of the prepaid. They never said they were stiffing the crew. In all fairness I'd ask the OP to come back and state the purpose of their question before I pass judgement on them.

 

I asked for the reason too, in my post #8. I am still trying to figure out....take prepaid back, then pay it again. Hmmm.

[RetiredNTraveling]

I had the free grats on the Star this past April/May and they did not show up on my folio... I have had it where it would show up and then a "minus" right below it, but I think they have changed that now fleetwide.

 

Congrats! I believe that we were on the same Star Cruise out of Vancouver! We had a great time and enjoyed the Free Grats!

By the way were you at the M&G? I really thought that it was handled in a unique way!

Just Mike

[caber]

I would love to have free gratuities. We have pre-paid our gratuities for our next cruise in GB pounds which suits us very well.

[neverbeenhere]

The OP appears to be a member of a society that doesn't normally tip in large amounts within their country. Now for wanting to cash out the prepaid gratuity and then pay cash... Come On.

[waltd]

I had the free grats on the Star this past April/May and they did not show up on my folio... I have had it where it would show up and then a "minus" right below it, but I think they have changed that now fleetwide.

Last cruise we were on the prepaid gratuities along with the daily charge did not show up on our bill so there will not be anything to deduct.

[Thrak]

I would love to have free gratuities. We have pre-paid our gratuities for our next cruise in GB pounds which suits us very well.

 

I'm with you. Free gratuities would be great. We have also pre-paid the gratuities for our next cruise. If they show up as a debit and credit that's fine. If they don't show up at all that's also fine.

 

I have a printout showing that we have pre-paid as well as showing the extra $300 in OBC I paid in advance. I doubt I'll need the paperwork but it doesn't hurt to have it along.

[swedish weave]

That sounds cheap and tacky. Clearly anyone who would want to do this doesn't pay gratuities and trying to keep the pre-paid tips provided by the cruise line for themselves is just not right at all

 

Why disparage people who choose to use another method of tipping.

 

You don't know if or how much they tip, so starting a name calling session is rather silly.

[Ron the Rev]

It has been my experience over the last year that if you have pre-paid gratuities from Princess OR if you pre-pay them yourself.....they do not show up on your account any longer. There is NO credit to withdraw. They don't even show on your account. This happened with a cruise in April that had pre-paid gratuities from Princess and on a cruise in January where we took all our adult children along and we paid the pre-paid gratuities. We were concerned on the first cruise where they didn't show on the accounts as prepaid and checked at the pursers desk. We were told that pre-paid gratuities don't show up as a credit any longer but the staff receives them. They showed up as being pre-paid on all the accounts. Checked again in April on that cruise and was told the same thing. The reason wasn't given but I BET the reason is that unscrupulous people tried to withdraw the free gratuities credit, stiffing the staff and walking away with cash.

 

Absolutely ! On our last 2 cruises we had the opportunity to pre pay at the old rate which we did. Our account had no mention of that and as you normally get loaded with gratuities as a night manager charge day by day this had a "no entry". Now rest assured in this world nothing is for free, on our 3 future cruises for 2017 we have been "given" free gratuities, I expect the base line price has an upcharge to cover this. Now on our cruise personaliser whereas if you actually prepay yourself you get the opportunity to unpay but when they are paid by Princess there is no such opportunity of course. This is a good thing as unlike the USA practice of tipping, Europeans so often go to reception and remove the tips:mad:sad:mad:Princess ships are USA orientated and our policy is when in Rome do as the Romans. Pay up and shut up. There I've said my piece:)

[Pam in CA]

The answer is, "No." It's automatic on your booking. If it were a promotion where you received a card for say a bottle of wine or dinner in a specialty restaurant, you could take that card and get the credit on your folio. With the free gratuities, no card. It's in the system and cannot be reversed.

 

Whether or not it's one's culture to tip or not to tip, when you're in another culture, the saying "When in Rome, do as the Roman's do" applies.