Prepaid Gratuities

[antsp]

If you don’t want to pre pay your gratuities, just pre pay yourself obc. All come out the same pot of money. As for pre paying, when I book a cruise I pay it off in bits and over time, usually have a small amount left just before final payment. Has to be paid one way or another, seams easier out of monthly incomings.

[hllwdcruiser]

Some will say to have a lower bill at the end. That just means they do not understand how to budget. Put the money aside and pay when it is due. If you believe in paying this optional fee.

 

We will have to agree to disagree on your assumption about personal finance budgeting. As many on this thread have stated, it appears to be more psychological than financial. Unlike land holidays where the bills come in post vacation we enjoy the fact that we don't come home to a huge cc bill post cruise. To whit, we consider the gratuities part of the cruise fare now and always pay them upfront. Either way we clearly have the finances to pay and it has nothing to do with our personal budgeting skills. And yes, we really do hope to come out at the end of the cruise with little to no additional expenses.

 

In addition, we like to have all the OBC onboard that is gifted to us to use for us - it seems more like a gift that way. Again, it's all purely psychological and it adds to the pleasure of our experience.

 

To each his own.

[bobbismith]

As the above post says, it is mainly to avoid a large bill to be paid after the end of the cruise.

 

 

But you should know that the cruise lines have learned that people who do prepay, knowing that there would not be a large charge at the end of the cruise, tend to spend more on board than those who know they will have a big bill to pay after the cruise ends.

Do you see a trend, in that the cruise line treats those customers differently that prepay? Just curious, if anyone noticed a difference?

 

Thanks, Bobbi

 

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[molole]

When we signed up for the cruise that you will be on, Princess was offering a 3 for free incentive. Our gratuities were free, free on board credit, etc. Since I am vet, I get OBC, too. Along with stock ownership, more OBC. More than $1000 OBC for a 22-day itinerary. No too shabby. Especially with no gratuities at the end.

Jim

 

Jim or anyone who knows the answer,

 

Do you know how these free gratuities work? Does it mean my final bill won’t include gratuities at the end of the sailing? If so how does the ship know I booked under 3 for free?

[thefirstnoel]

I need info. also. We have pre-paid gratuities for a drink package and I've heard 2 different answers regarding the taxes. Do we have to pay the taxes

on total amount? More people said we didnt have to pay any other fees or taxes on any amenities they give you. Who knows (for sure) if we have to pay taxes or a "fee" on any amenities we are given? Thanks so much for your help.

 

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[thefirstnoel]

I care! We're not rich or poor, but I like knowing what amount of money is going where? Would you care if you were getting charged for something that you were told otherwise?

 

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[Ep010835]

Oops

Edited September 15, 2018 by Ep010835
Accidental duplicate post

[Ep010835]

I care! We're not rich or poor, but I like knowing what amount of money is going where? Would you care if you were getting charged for something that you were told otherwise?

 

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Kinda what I thought.

[leck57]

We will have to agree to disagree on your assumption about personal finance budgeting. As many on this thread have stated, it appears to be more psychological than financial. Unlike land holidays where the bills come in post vacation we enjoy the fact that we don't come home to a huge cc bill post cruise. To whit, we consider the gratuities part of the cruise fare now and always pay them upfront. Either way we clearly have the finances to pay and it has nothing to do with our personal budgeting skills. And yes, we really do hope to come out at the end of the cruise with little to no additional expenses.

 

In addition, we like to have all the OBC onboard that is gifted to us to use for us - it seems more like a gift that way. Again, it's all purely psychological and it adds to the pleasure of our experience.

 

To each his own.

 

Spot on and exactly why I prepay. Nothing to do with my budgeting skills.

[Ombud]

Jim or anyone who knows the answer,

 

Do you know how these free gratuities work? Does it mean my final bill won’t include gratuities at the end of the sailing? If so how does the ship know I booked under 3 for free?

Here's the 'simple' answer. Log onto your cruise personalizer. Select the cruise you're wondering about (I have 3 booked). Select prepay gratuities. You will see that you do not have the option to pay them as they are paid. So if you're like me, you don't owe anymore tips (but I still give some to a few directly) / can check your OBC on the site as well

[caribill]

 

Do you know how these free gratuities work? Does it mean my final bill won’t include gratuities at the end of the sailing? If so how does the ship know I booked under 3 for free?

 

The computer knows. With either "free" or prepaid gratuities you will not see the gratuities listed on your on board account.

 

I need info. also. We have pre-paid gratuities for a drink package and I've heard 2 different answers regarding the taxes. Do we have to pay the taxes

on total amount? More people said we didnt have to pay any other fees or taxes on any amenities they give you. Who knows (for sure) if we have to pay taxes or a "fee" on any amenities we are given? Thanks so much for your help.

 

 

These amenities are not something you need to pay any taxes on. Basically they are a discount to what you are charged for the cruise.

 

Just the same as on land if you use a coupon at a grocery store for a lower price or if you send in a proof of purchase for a rebate. No taxes on that "income."

[julie3fan]

Actually, there are some ports that charge you a little tax on drinks bought before leaving port. I'm not sure which ports, but it's only about $.50 per drink, so not much.

[Elorac123]

No advantage to pre paying the optional daily service fee. Do you pay for your cruise in full a year before you sail when you book the trip or do you wait until due? Why would you pre pay for a service before you have that service? Some will say to have a lower bill at the end. That just means they do not understand how to budget. Put the money aside and pay when it is due. If you believe in paying this optional fee.

 

Judging from your signature it doesn’t concern you anyway,seems you don’t “budget”for it period

[Expat Cruise]

Judging from your signature it doesn’t concern you anyway,seems you don’t “budget”for it period

 

I'm sorry I do not need to have a budget for a cruise.... It called good asset management, and then money is not a issue. I do not budget for any cruise if I like the cruise I take the cruise, end of story.

[leck57]

I'm sorry I do not need to have a budget for a cruise.... It called good asset management, and then money is not a issue. I do not budget for any cruise if I like the cruise I take the cruise, end of story.

 

You have completely missed the point that Elorac was making.

The last sentence of your post #23 and your signature line indicates your approach to gratuities, and budgeting for them. Or likely not budgeting.

[Elorac123]

You have completely missed the point that Elorac was making.

The last sentence of your post #23 and your signature line indicates your approach to gratuities, and budgeting for them. Or likely not budgeting.

Leck57

Don’t think he missed the point he completely ignored it.

But just to put it bluntly he obviously does not believe in paying gratuity and advertises it !

Unbelievable

Cheers Carole

[Yosef42]

Leck57

Don’t think he missed the point he completely ignored it.

But just to put it bluntly he obviously does not believe in paying gratuity and advertises it !

Unbelievable

Cheers Carole

Mr. Pink gonna Mr. Pink. Just shake it off.

[molole]

Here's the 'simple' answer. Log onto your cruise personalizer. Select the cruise you're wondering about (I have 3 booked). Select prepay gratuities. You will see that you do not have the option to pay them as they are paid. So if you're like me, you don't owe anymore tips (but I still give some to a few directly) / can check your OBC on the site as well

 

The computer knows. With either "free" or prepaid gratuities you will not see the gratuities listed on your on board account.

 

Thank you guys. I am thinking the system will just automatically set gratuities to “prepaid” for 3 for free bookings at the time of booking and that should work.

[Ombud]

Please list all the moderately priced cruise lines that do not add gratuities. Are they still less than those that do include them in the base price? If so, stop bitching. FWIW: I don't go on ship cruises normally because there are too many people on them (ex: Bali Highlands with groups of 8)

 

Expat cruiser has me wondering if I should up the tips at passenger services or continue with the envelope system which only covers those i see daily. I do envelopes to reward individuals but how do I reward those in laundry for great free turnaround service?

Edited September 16, 2018 by Ombud

[Ombud]

Thank you guys. I am thinking the system will just automatically set gratuities to “prepaid” for 3 for free bookings at the time of booking and that should work.

yes mine are preset to paid on both Singapore thru Indonesia this November & Melbourne to New Zealand next November

 

Have you logged into Princess Cruise Personalizer yet? You should. FWIW you can buy 12 waters for 6.90 prior to embarkation but only thru cruise personalizer. Or $3 each on board. If you later change your mind before getting on board then you can request a refund

 

On my phone:

https://www.princess.com

Log in

Select on board reservations

Beverages

Last one:

Bottled Water Package

$6.90 for 12 (500 ml) bottles

 

12 (500 ml) bottles of water conveniently delivered to the stateroom. Price includes service charge.

For pre-purchase ONLY through Gift Guide or Cruise Personalizer

they recycle empties left in room (not positive if left elsewhere) Edited September 16, 2018 by Ombud

[julie3fan]

I do envelopes to reward individuals but how do I reward those in laundry for great free turnaround service?

 

By leaving the automatic gratuities in place. That takes care of everybody, even those you don't see. But I imagine you already know that?

[Haboob]

This brings back to mind something I’ve wondered about for quite some time.

If PCL provides “free gratiuities” as a passenger perk, does PCL then put that same sum of money into the tip pool on behalf of said passenger or because they ARE the cruise line and are paying all those salaries, does that money simply vanish?

Maybe it’s just the cynical side of my brain at work but I’m thinking maybe the latter.

Who would really know?

 

The credit walks onto my onboard folio as "complimentary gratuities" then walks off it as "HSC".

[suzyed]

Actually, there are some ports that charge you a little tax on drinks bought before leaving port. I'm not sure which ports, but it's only about $.50 per drink, so not much.

I believe that is sailing from Houston.

[suzyed]

Thank you guys. I am thinking the system will just automatically set gratuities to “prepaid” for 3 for free bookings at the time of booking and that should work.

Actually the "prepaid" gratuities DO appear on your Personalizer. It tells you exactly what was paid and then shows a zero balance.

[suzyed]

Actually the "prepaid" gratuities DO appear on your Personalizer. It tells you exactly what was paid and then shows a zero balance.

Maybe not.....LOL