Is it possible to Pre-Pay tips ?

[srpilo]

Can we pre-pay our gratuities ?

Don't cruise HAL often enough to remember, and I don't seem to see it on my HAL online booking page

 

Srpilo

[VennDiagram]

There isn't an option to pre-pay tips.  We just buy onboard credit (OBC) before we board to cover the cost of the hotel service charge.

[TAD2005]

Easy.  In all but the suites, just pre-purchase cabin credit on the HAL website in an amount close to the equivalent of $14.50 per day, per person and you will be all set.  A 7 day cruise in an inside, ocean view, lanai or veranda cabin will cost $101.50 per person.   So just pre-purchase $200 in cabin credits for 2 people and that will come close to covering it.  If you have any HAL provided onboard credit,  you can use that too.  The only thing you can't use HAL provided OBC on is casino slots or chips and cash at the front desk.  Those 2 items have to come from your cash or they are charged to your cabin account and you pay for it with the credit card you have on file when the cruise is over.

[crystalspin]

What Venn and TAD said. When we were taking family members to AK and didn't want them to pay even the gratuities, my PCC had me buy OBC in the general amount.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

HAL has recently allowed pre-payment of tips, but have not made it widely known - I only discovered it by accident one day!!!  Travel agents can go into the POLAR booking system and add under gifts and services, but payment via CC MUST be applied at the time they are added.  I would assume HAL agents can do the same

[cruisin'mama]

We made final payment a month ago and I had my TA also add prepaid tips at that time....

[crystalspin]

I stand corrected! My experience was "old" for the AK 2018 season.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

HAL has been making small strides into the 21st century lately - the ability to pre book thermal spa passes, Internet packages and laundry packages online via the pre cruise planner, the ability to pre-pay tips, etc ..... Their IT systems still have a loooonnnggggg way to go but at least they are taking a few baby steps 

 

Edited July 10, 2019 by AtlantaCruiser72

[scotslizzy]

Yes  you can as we only booked last month and pre-paid our tips. We booked direct with Holland America in the UK.

 

Scotslizzy

[racnwdow]

I know we have to have so much available on our credit card when we check in ($60 a day/pp person).  And our tips can be put on the card.  Does anyone know if the $60 stays the same, even if we prepaid our tips? 

 

[pete_coach]

12 hours ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

HAL has recently allowed pre-payment of tips, but have not made it widely known - I only discovered it by accident one day!!!  Travel agents can go into the POLAR booking system and add under gifts and services, but payment via CC MUST be applied at the time they are added.  I would assume HAL agents can do the same

We booked a Panama Canal cruise and were able to get a Pre-Paid Hotel Svc Charge (the cabin gratuity) when we booked. the agent asked if we wanted to do this.

All drinks will include the gratuity and will be charged to your cabin unless you buy a drink package where the gratuity is included.

[ginger and professor]

Why would you want to worry about pre paying for tips?  Just have them put it on your credit card and pay it off on the next bill, no interest, no worry.....

[Roz]

51 minutes ago, ginger and professor said:

Why would you want to worry about pre paying for tips?  Just have them put it on your credit card and pay it off on the next bill, no interest, no worry.....

 

I like having as much pre-paid as I can before I board the ship.  I don't worry about it, but it is nice not to see a lot of charges on my credit card statement post-cruise.

 

Carnival has had pre-paid gratuities for years.  I don't know why HAL doesn't, or at least doesn't make it as easy as Carnival does.

 

Roz

[cruisin'mama]

1 hour ago, ginger and professor said:

Why would you want to worry about pre paying for tips?  Just have them put it on your credit card and pay it off on the next bill, no interest, no worry.....

I prepay so I have a smaller final bill when we disembark..  We are spending 2 1/2 weeks in Alaska prior to our cruise and we will have a hefty amount on our credit card when we get to the ship from that. We pay off our credit card every month, so the less I come back owing, the better!