crystalspin Posted August 31, 2022 #51 Share Posted August 31, 2022 16 minutes ago, JesseLivermore said: Seems a bit high for the suite X # days. Seems better to tip certain crew at the end. Does HAL track/frown upon if you lower that and only tip certain crew ? Crew Appreciation is $15.50pp/day for non-suites and $17pp/day for suites including Vista Suites. So Zelker actually mistyped and will be paying $34/day. If you remove or even downpay the auto-gratuities, word has it that anything you pay to individuals has to be put into the pool anyway. So if you want to thank specific crew, you have to leave the "Hotel Fees" as they used to be called, in place. Definitely tracked. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StLouisCruisers Posted August 31, 2022 #52 Share Posted August 31, 2022 A few suggestions to use up non-refundable OBC. On Princess recently we went to the photo department where they sell Go-Pros and accessories, very nice binoculars and even cameras. Also we like the Citizen Eco-Drive watches, but you may like others better. You could pick up quite a few goodies for yourself and as gifts for your kids at Christmas etc. We bought ourselves and our 2 kids Go-Pros and that ate up a lot of the OBC we had. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalspin Posted August 31, 2022 #53 Share Posted August 31, 2022 18 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said: I’m sorry to disappoint you but the vista suite may disappoint if you are used to balcony rooms. I did a 2 week cruise on the koningsdam. The first week I had a balcony room with a large balcony . Second week I took a very reasonable upsell to a vista aft suite. I’ve had balconies over that after before but the vibration was crazy on this ship. The room was barely bigger and someone stole 😛 part of my balcony because it was so small. I wouldn’t do it again. We are not actually used to Verandahs, having only had one once on HAL (the Zaandam in South America) and once on NCL (N.Star through PC). Neither encouraged much use as one was too cold and one too hot-n-humid! Since COVID I have only been booking balconies, but haven't gotten to sail in one yet! Also we are on the mid-ship "bump" so the ride should be smooth. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zelker Posted August 31, 2022 #54 Share Posted August 31, 2022 26 minutes ago, JesseLivermore said: Seems a bit high for the suite X # days. Seems better to tip certain crew at the end. Does HAL track/frown upon if you lower that and only tip certain crew ? You misunderstood what I wrote. We always leave the standard gratuities on and tip additional to certain crew at the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesseLivermore Posted August 31, 2022 #55 Share Posted August 31, 2022 (edited) 11 minutes ago, crystalspin said: Crew Appreciation is $15.50pp/day for non-suites and $17pp/day for suites including Vista Suites. So Zelker actually mistyped and will be paying $34/day. If you remove or even downpay the auto-gratuities, word has it that anything you pay to individuals has to be put into the pool anyway. So if you want to thank specific crew, you have to leave the "Hotel Fees" as they used to be called, in place. Definitely tracked. good to know for my next cruise. I didn't know about the put into the pool part. I miss the envelope cash days of yore. Edited September 1, 2022 by JesseLivermore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalspin Posted August 31, 2022 #56 Share Posted August 31, 2022 3 minutes ago, StLouisCruisers said: A few suggestions to use up non-refundable OBC. On Princess recently we went to the photo department where they sell Go-Pros and accessories, very nice binoculars and even cameras. Also we like the Citizen Eco-Drive watches, but you may like others better. It is the Eco-Drives that my husband likes. I would be interested in those other things you mention! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zelker Posted August 31, 2022 #57 Share Posted August 31, 2022 7 minutes ago, crystalspin said: Crew Appreciation is $15.50pp/day for non-suites and $17pp/day for suites including Vista Suites. So Zelker actually mistyped and will be paying $34/day. If you remove or even downpay the auto-gratuities, word has it that anything you pay to individuals has to be put into the pool anyway. So if you want to thank specific crew, you have to leave the "Hotel Fees" as they used to be called, in place. Definitely tracked. Yep, my bad. It's $34/day in a suite. I forgot. And as I wrote above, I was only asking about adding more to certain crew members above the standard gratuities. We have never asked for gratuities to be removed on any cruise or cruise line in the 17 years we've been cruising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zelker Posted August 31, 2022 #58 Share Posted August 31, 2022 2 minutes ago, crystalspin said: It is the Eco-Drives that my husband likes. I would be interested in those other things you mention! John has a Citizen Eco-Drive and really likes it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalspin Posted September 1, 2022 #59 Share Posted September 1, 2022 Just now, zelker said: And as I wrote above, I was only asking about adding more to certain crew members above the standard gratuities. I have never had ANY OBC to find out! Always leave in place and pass out additional $5s and $10s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalspin Posted September 1, 2022 #60 Share Posted September 1, 2022 (edited) 8 minutes ago, zelker said: John has a Citizen Eco-Drive and really likes it. My husband has seven or eight Citizens! He may have a little problem... ETA: I had to buy him a display/storage case. Edited September 1, 2022 by crystalspin 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesseLivermore Posted September 1, 2022 #61 Share Posted September 1, 2022 1 hour ago, zelker said: Yep, my bad. It's $34/day in a suite. I forgot. And as I wrote above, I was only asking about adding more to certain crew members above the standard gratuities. We have never asked for gratuities to be removed on any cruise or cruise line in the 17 years we've been cruising. Thx for clarifying, but according to @crystalspin even those go into a pool. What if you hand the steward cash like we did. Do they have to put those into a pool ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalspin Posted September 1, 2022 #62 Share Posted September 1, 2022 20 minutes ago, JesseLivermore said: Thx for clarifying, but according to @crystalspin even those go into a pool. What if you hand the steward cash like we did. Do they have to put those into a pool ? Only if you opt out of the Crew Appreciation at the set levels. I'm pretty sure that's what I said... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walnut99 Posted September 1, 2022 #63 Share Posted September 1, 2022 16 minutes ago, JesseLivermore said: Thx for clarifying, but according to @crystalspin even those go into a pool. What if you hand the steward cash like we did. Do they have to put those into a pool ? If you give any cash tips to any crew member, he or she is obligated to determine if you also kept the prepaid amount in place. If you did, then the tip may be kept by the crew member. If you eliminated or reduced the automatic tip amount, the crew member is obligated to add that tip to the general tip pool. I would assume any small tip given to the bar staff or room service deliver during the cruise is exempt from this requirement. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare richwmn Posted September 1, 2022 #64 Share Posted September 1, 2022 (edited) 8 minutes ago, walnut99 said: I would assume any small tip given to the bar staff or room service deliver during the cruise is exempt from this requirement. Bar staff is not included in the Gratuity program. They have their gratuity added to your drink price when purchased. Edited September 1, 2022 by richwmn 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walnut99 Posted September 1, 2022 #65 Share Posted September 1, 2022 Just now, richwmn said: Bar staff is not included in the Gratuity program. They have their gratuity added to you drink price when purchased. Yes, you are correct, they would not be part of the crew involved in the tip pool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesseLivermore Posted September 1, 2022 #66 Share Posted September 1, 2022 1 hour ago, walnut99 said: If you give any cash tips to any crew member, he or she is obligated to determine if you also kept the prepaid amount in place. If you did, then the tip may be kept by the crew member. If you eliminated or reduced the automatic tip amount, the crew member is obligated to add that tip to the general tip pool. I would assume any small tip given to the bar staff or room service deliver during the cruise is exempt from this requirement. good to know. thanks for clarifying, so I guess the lines don't want you to target the tip. I do the same with restaurant tips, prefer cash so the owner doesn't "keep" it . 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KroozNut Posted September 1, 2022 #67 Share Posted September 1, 2022 13 hours ago, JesseLivermore said: good to know. thanks for clarifying, so I guess the lines don't want you to target the tip. I do the same with restaurant tips, prefer cash so the owner doesn't "keep" it . It's not so much that they don't want you to 'target tip', but more that they want to encourage folks not to remove the auto-gratuities, so that none of the service staff (some very much behind the scenes) are overlooked. So, as long as you do not remove the auto-gratuities, you can tip any one individually that you want to, and they can keep the entire tip. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sofietucker Posted September 1, 2022 #68 Share Posted September 1, 2022 (edited) Pretty much any "free" educational event in the gym or spa will be a selling opportunity for a device or a service: makeup, "facelifts," botox, tooth whitening, electronic body treatments, etc. We've used OBC for $$$$ bottles of wine that we'd never buy in the real world (don't do it! Will spoil you for life, lol). The next-to-last-day 50% off sales in the shops can be a deal. Have gotten limited edition designer purses, Majorican pearls at a better price for same brand than in Palma (or their online sites), etc. But do your homework to make sure it's really a bargain--and sometimes if you stop in at slow time and chat them up, they may give you the sale price a couple days early, rather than fighting the crowds and finding your item already sold... Edited September 1, 2022 by sofietucker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zelker Posted September 1, 2022 #69 Share Posted September 1, 2022 1 hour ago, sofietucker said: Have gotten limited edition designer purses ... Ohhhhhh..... you just reminded me! I fell in love with a Mary Frances small crossbody/phone bag with ladybugs on it on Nieuw Statendam in July but didn't buy it (and they told me they aren't allowed to discount them). Maybe I'll get lucky and Zaandam will have it in December and I'll buy it with the insane amount of non-refundable OBC we'll have! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
projecthandbag Posted September 1, 2022 #70 Share Posted September 1, 2022 Hello! Can you use non-refundable OBC for the daily gratuity charge? I've seen yes and I've seen no on the boards and am confused. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Crew News Posted September 1, 2022 #71 Share Posted September 1, 2022 (edited) 2 minutes ago, projecthandbag said: Hello! Can you use non-refundable OBC for the daily gratuity charge? I've seen yes and I've seen no on the boards and am confused. Thanks! Absolutely. Onboard credit is added to your account on the first day of the cruise. As you make charges to your account, including the daily crew appreciation charge, your account balance updates. In most cases, your credit balance will become a balance owed to HAL the closer you come to the end of your cruise. Edited September 1, 2022 by Crew News Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveOKC Posted September 1, 2022 #72 Share Posted September 1, 2022 (edited) Remember that all OBC are not equal. Some can be used anywhere, some cannot. So you really need to be aware of the rules for your OBC and even the ship (it seems that these rules vary by ship). Last week I had some OBC credit remaining from a casino deal and it was refunded back to my credit card ( to my surprise). Edited September 1, 2022 by DaveOKC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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