Prepaying gratuities

[Mitchita]

Is there a way to prepay gratuities before our cruise? We did not choose prepaid gratuities as one of our perks. We chose the beverage package and $300 OBC. We prefer not to have any charges at the end of our cruise. We used a good part of our OBC on Specialty restaurants.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Fouremco]

One choice would be to advise your TA that you'd like to prepay and they'll make the necessary arrangements. If you booked directly with Celebrity, give them a call. Another simple option is to buy some additional OBC to cover the cost of the gratuities, easily done on the website. You might be able to pay the gratuities directly on the website, but I've not tried to do so nor do I recall seeing that as an option.

[Luvcrusn]

You didn't mention the length of your cruise or your selected cabin type both of which make a difference in the total gratuity amount due. Many times the choice of prepaid gratuities is worth more than the $300 OBC. In those instances we choose the gratuities. You can then use Fouremco's suggestion and still purchase additional OBC which will make that refundable OBC that will be credited back to your credit card or handed to you in cash the last day of the cruise if any of it remains unused. Celebrity's OBC is nonrefundable. They will always use any nonrefundable credit first before using any refundable credit.

[upwarduk]

I added pre paid gratuities at the end of 2017, as they were going up by $1 p.p.p.n on January 2nd 2018. The agent added them at the old rate, but said I wouldn’t actually have to pay them until I paid for the cruise.

[Mitchita]

I booked the cruise with a Celebrity Cruise Planner. It’s a 9-day cruise to the Southern Caribbean in March 2019 on Celebrity Silhouette, balcony. I don’t see the option to pay on their website. I asked my Cruise Planner if I could prepay through him and he said I had to wait until it was charged to my room at the end of our cruise. I found that strange so thought I would ask the question on here.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[gerelmx]

Call your TA or Celebrity to add to your booking, you will pay them with the final payment

[Fouremco]

I booked the cruise with a Celebrity Cruise Planner. It’s a 9-day cruise to the Southern Caribbean in March 2019 on Celebrity Silhouette, balcony. I don’t see the option to pay on their website. I asked my Cruise Planner if I could prepay through him and he said I had to wait until it was charged to my room at the end of our cruise. I found that strange so thought I would ask the question on here.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I'd say call again and ask to speak to a supervisor if that's what you are being told. I prepaid my gratuities a couple of months ago with no problem.

 

If you opt to go the OBC route, consider the exchange rate. The Loonie has taken a bit of a dive this week, so I wouldn't be in a rush to get it now. Unless, of course, you fear that NAFTA negotiations and steel tariffs are going to sink it lower!

[Tottwo]

I just logged into my Celebrity account and looked at the reservations I have for two upcoming cruises. One is for a cruise in 60 days and one is for a cruise in 2019. In both reservations there is a link I can click to add gratuities. You might want to take a look under 'Manager Your Reservation,' in your Celebrity account.

 

Hope this helps!

[Mitchita]

What do you know! I called my Celebrity Planner again (3 weeks after being denied the option), and he was able to add it onto my invoice.

Anyway, thanks everyone for your input. I would have taken what he initially said before at face value otherwise.

Who knows what the Loonie will do by final payment. There are so many unknowns and changes in the world. It won’t deter me from enjoying my cruise though.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Fouremco]

Another victory for Cruise Critic! :halo:

[gerelmx]

Unless, of course, you fear that NAFTA negotiations and steel tariffs are going to sink it lower!

The best scenario is to make reservations in our local currency, we are protected in case the NAFTA does not prosper.

[Tiggertastic]

People who work for celebrity ought to read cruise critic, it’s a great learning tool

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[cdn_tbird]

Is there a way to prepay gratuities before our cruise? We did not choose prepaid gratuities as one of our perks. We chose the beverage package and $300 OBC. We prefer not to have any charges at the end of our cruise. We used a good part of our OBC on Specialty restaurants.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Hi Mitchita,

I see you're a fellow Canuck. As another poster mentioned, consider buying extra OBC. I recently purchased OBC to cover the gratuities @ $1.25 CAD. I just checked and unfortunately X just raised their exchange rate to $1.284 CAD. The nice thing about buying the extra OBC from X is that if the exchange rate goes down with a phone call to X, they will adjust to the new exchange rate.

[Mitchita]

Another victory for Cruise Critic! :halo:

 

 

Yes, I swear by this site. Went on my 1st cruise in January and felt very knowledgeable about the ship etc... you guys are great!

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Mitchita]

The best scenario is to make reservations in our local currency, we are protected in case the NAFTA does not prosper.

 

 

My reservation was converted into CDN at time of booking. When I prepaid my gratuities 1/2-hour ago, they were converted into CDN and added to my invoice.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Mitchita]

Hi Mitchita,

 

I see you're a fellow Canuck. As another poster mentioned, consider buying extra OBC. I recently purchased OBC to cover the gratuities @ $1.25 CAD. I just checked and unfortunately X just raised their exchange rate to $1.284 CAD. The nice thing about buying the extra OBC from X is that if the exchange rate goes down with a phone call to X, they will adjust to the new exchange rate.

 

 

Yes, from Ontario also, Ottawa.

I will keep the OBC purchase in mind in the future now that I know the exchange rate can be adjusted downwards. Thank you

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Mitchita]

I just logged into my Celebrity account and looked at the reservations I have for two upcoming cruises. One is for a cruise in 60 days and one is for a cruise in 2019. In both reservations there is a link I can click to add gratuities. You might want to take a look under 'Manager Your Reservation,' in your Celebrity account.

 

 

 

Hope this helps!

 

 

That’s interesting. I don’t know if it’s because I’m on the CDN site, but I didn’t have that option.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[cdn_tbird]

Yes, from Ontario also, Ottawa.

I will keep the OBC purchase in mind in the future now that I know the exchange rate can be adjusted downwards. Thank you

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

It's not a huge savings, by doing it this way works out to a little over $30 for 2 cabins doing it this way. Just means we'll have even more in our pockets to tip extra to the staff directly.

 

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[Fouremco]

The best scenario is to make reservations in our local currency, we are protected in case the NAFTA does not prosper.

Yes, we always book in Canadian funds. With OBC, we'll do a bit of currency speculation, buying lots of OBC early if we think that the Loonie will drop and buying late when it's headed in the other direction.

[cdn_tbird]

Yes, we always book in Canadian funds. With OBC, we'll do a bit of currency speculation, buying lots of OBC early if we think that the Loonie will drop and buying late when it's headed in the other direction.

If it goes the other way, just have them refund the original and repurchase at the new lower rate.

 

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[Fouremco]

If it goes the other way, just have them refund the original and repurchase at the new lower rate.

 

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Definitely! So far we've done quite well though and haven't had to reprice them.:D

[NantahalaCruiser]

For those that wish to prepay gratuities when booking on line, there is a small check box on the screen (right after you choose your perks) that you can use to select either prepay or not prepay of gratuities. It's on the same screen where you select whether or not to purchase travel insurance from Celebrity.

[TomMMD]

One choice would be to advise your TA that you'd like to prepay and they'll make the necessary arrangements. If you booked directly with Celebrity, give them a call. Another simple option is to buy some additional OBC to cover the cost of the gratuities, easily done on the website. You might be able to pay the gratuities directly on the website, but I've not tried to do so nor do I recall seeing that as an option.

 

 

 

We have friends with OBC and were unable to use it to pay gratuities ahead of time.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Fouremco]

We have friends with OBC and were unable to use it to pay gratuities ahead of time.

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I wasn't suggesting that the OBC be used to pay the gratuities in advance. We simply buy the OBC in advance, and the cost of the gratuities is taken from the OBC at the end of the cruise. Or, more precisely, the cost of the gratuities is added to our onboard account as a debit and our OBC is added as a credit.

 

If your friends had OBC, I don't know what the advantage would have been in trying to pay the gratuities off in advance using the OBC.

[Mitchita]

For those that wish to prepay gratuities when booking on line, there is a small check box on the screen (right after you choose your perks) that you can use to select either prepay or not prepay of gratuities. It's on the same screen where you select whether or not to purchase travel insurance from Celebrity.

 

 

I see. Maybe the reservation would have had to be made online in order for that option to be available. If the reservation was made through a Celebrity rep, then the option is not available through the “Manage Reservation” area, at least not on the CDN site I am viewing.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums