Minisuite with 4 people, gratuities??

[amby6063]

Okay, I’m getting conflicting information here. I booked a minisuite under the premier package for me, my husband and our 10 year old twins. It specifically says on the invoice ‘gratuities included’ and if I try to prepay in the cruise personalizer it says gratuities are included as part of the promotion I booked. I also called the 1-800 number to confirm it’s included for all members of the stateroom. 
 

Today on the chat I wanted to see if they would still be included for all if we downgrade to plus rather than premier. This agent tells me that gratuities are only included for 1&2 under premier and tells me to check my travel summary where it only shows it specifically for 1&2. 
 

How would you read this? Images attached. I would like to drop to plus if we can, but if gratuities are included for the kids under premier and not with plus (or either LOL) that could change things. 
 

also, does anyone know of a sale for Canadian residents expiring tonight? A CVP mentioned it but then never gave me any actual information on it nor followed up when she said she would. Trying to book 3 cabins and really unimpressed with the conflicting information I’ve been receiving. 
 

Thanks in advance! 
 

 

[cr8tiv1]

My understand has always been that Passenger 1 and Passenger 2 needed to buy Plus or Premier or neither.  

 

Passengers 3 and 4 were not required to purchase a beverage package, but would be assessed crew appreciation on their folio every night.  

 

I am not sure if this can be prepaid.  Was there a special (kids free)?

 

With 4 in a cabin, please do not remove/reduce additional gratuities.  Only speaking for myself.

[dreaminofcruisin]

Plus and Premier packages only include passengers 1 and 2.

In your picture, regarding crew appreciation, you will see in the long listing of all the package benefits, crew appreciation is listed only twice (as well as all the other benefits).

 

Any beverage packages for passengers 3 and 4 must be purchased separately. I don't 'think' there are Plus or Premier options for passengers 3 and 4...but if they are over 21...maybe that would be an option? You wouldn't want to pay it otherwise....

 

If you want to downgrade to Plus from Premier, the status of passengers 3 and 4 will not change, so certainly you could do that, but you will need to call (or contact your TA). Also, to pre-pay crew appreciation (if desired) for passengers 3 and 4, you would need to call or contact a TA.

 

All that being said....I suppose there could have been some type of sale that included something for passengers 3 and 4, but I have no information on that.

[amby6063]

I don’t understand why they would specifically type ‘gratuities included’ in the comment, and they’re not available for prepayment (shows it included as part of our promotion), but then say it’s only included for 1&2. There’s no need to add that they’re included in the comments, as we know that’s included for 1&2 as part of the premier package. It doesn’t make reference to any other items that are part of the premier package for 1&2. 
 

I’m not trying to skimp on paying for them for my kids. I wonder too if there’s some other promotion on there, but I just spent an hour on the phone with a CVP who couldn’t find anything. Glad I wrote down the name of the person who confirmed included for all yesterday too. 

[sirclean]

Be aware that the website may be willing to sell you many things that you may already have paid for in your package.  You might also be able to buy the drink package, even though you have plus.

I dont know how they rectify these issues when someone buys something already covered.  (For instance, you can also buy bottled water to be delivered to your cabin, but it is free with Plus, you just need to ask any bar for one, or two, or more and they will give them to you).

[LynnSD]

We cruised in a mini suite with our grandkids, and their gratuities showed up on the invoice daily.  On the plus side, no one ever questioned us when we ordered drinks for them, and we were never charged.  

[PrincessBuffy]

Recently had the same issue - our Princess Cruises Vacation Planner confirmed 'gratuities included" only applied to Guest #1& #2 however the online system cannot differentiate.  She processed payment over the phone for me.

[amby6063]

52 minutes ago, PrincessBuffy said:

Recently had the same issue - our Princess Cruises Vacation Planner confirmed 'gratuities included" only applied to Guest #1& #2 however the online system cannot differentiate.  She processed payment over the phone for me.

Hmmm sounds like a glitch they need to address. It’s very misleading that the invoice emailed to me specifically notes ‘complimentary gratuity’ in the comments when it’s just a part of the package we paid for (for 1&2). They don’t make mention of any of the other items that are a part of the premier package. The first agent I spoke to on the phone also confirmed that they were included for all so it sounds like some inconsistency between different depts.

thanks for the feedback 🙂 

[coo359a2]

Check the Princess website for  Manage Your Booking for your cruise.  Under Payments section you will see On Board Gratuities or Crew Appreciation.  It will show you the  names for those included in the Plus/Premier package with gratuities paid  and the names of the 3rd and 4th passenger and the amount owed for their gratuities.  Daughter prepaid her son's gratuities by clicking on the payment "button".  Amount was charged to the credit card set up for this cruise.  It now shows prepaid for her son.  She didn't have to call Princess or a TA.

[skynight]

Both plus and premier fares include gratuities for the first two passengers. If you purchase a plus or premier fare for passengers 3 & 4 as minors they would receive a non alcoholic beverage package, wifi and gratuities. If you purchase a no frills fare for passengers 3 & 4 then their on board accounts will be charged $17/pp/day. 

[amby6063]

I understand what everyone is saying, but why put ‘complimentary gratuity’ on my invoice when it’s part of a package I’ve paid $80/ day x2 for. There’s nothing complimentary about that, unless it extends to 3&4 who don’t have the premier package. That’s what’s frustrating as well as having a phone conversation with someone who assured me that it did extend to all members of the family, only to afterwards be told the opposite. 

[coo359a2]

“Complimentary Gratuities”are on all my booking confirmations from Princess when I have purchased the Plus Package. I think it is a standard statement when you have purchased either package and would only apply to who you purchased the package for. 
 

if you transfer your booking to your TA, check out your booking in your My Personalizer.  It will show all the package perks as compliments of your travel agent even though you paid for the perks

[2MellowCruisers]

55 minutes ago, coo359a2 said:

 

if you transfer your booking to your TA, check out your booking in your My Personalizer.  It will show all the package perks as compliments of your travel agent even though you paid for the perks

I found this to be true for both casino and travel agent booked cruises and am not a fan of this.  I've wondered if I had to cancel for some reason, would my insurance company not cover this since it was "complementary" from the casino or travel agent?  The insurance company may go off the total fare paid and this isn't even an issue but still do not like that it doesn't show that I paid it.

[Thrak]

6 hours ago, amby6063 said:

I understand what everyone is saying, but why put ‘complimentary gratuity’ on my invoice when it’s part of a package I’ve paid $80/ day x2 for.

 

The same stupid reason all of the perks from out Princess Plus bookings show as "Compliments of xxxxxxxxxx" where the xxxxxxxxxx represents the name of our TA. It has always annoyed me and it tends to make some people believe that their TA is actually "gifting" them things that they have, in reality, paid for themselves.

[coo359a2]

1 minute ago, Thrak said:

 

The same stupid reason all of the perks from out Princess Plus bookings show as "Compliments of xxxxxxxxxx" where the xxxxxxxxxx represents the name of our TA. It has always annoyed me and it tends to make some people believe that their TA is actually "gifting" them things that they have, in reality, paid for themselves.

I would hope that if someone is paying more than basic fare they know they are paying for the  Pius or Premier package and not their TA

[cr8tiv1]

2 hours ago, 2MellowCruisers said:

I found this to be true for both casino and travel agent booked cruises and am not a fan of this.  I've wondered if I had to cancel for some reason, would my insurance company not cover this since it was "complementary" from the casino or travel agent?  The insurance company may go off the total fare paid and this isn't even an issue but still do not like that it doesn't show that I paid it.

 

When my sisters cancelled their cruise with me, they were refunded fare and plus minus insurance.  

[amby6063]

That is interesting! I booked directly through princess so it shows a breakdown of price for each item. Very misleading though to call something complimentary when it is part of a package I paid for. 

[2MellowCruisers]

20 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

When my sisters cancelled their cruise with me, they were refunded fare and plus minus insurance.  

Thanks for the info!  I've never had to cancel a cruise yet that had the plus option so this does ease my mind if I ever have to.

[cr8tiv1]

28 minutes ago, 2MellowCruisers said:

Thanks for the info!  I've never had to cancel a cruise yet that had the plus option so this does ease my mind if I ever have to.

 

They received every thing back in dollars and not Future Cruise Credits because of a medical event and they had Princess Platinum Insurance.  It did take several months to clear the claim.  I went on the cruise solo without any additional penalties.  Best cruise ever!

[jlacy1987]

I've had the same question regarding our booking and haven't gotten a clear answer yet. We booked our cruise during a 3rd and 4th Passenger Sail Free promotion and I later upgraded my husband and I to Princess Plus. Afterward, I tried to go in and prepay the gratuities for our two kids and I get the same statement you got, that crew appreciation was paid for via promotion. To be determined if we end up getting charged their crew appreciation once on board. I'm perfectly fine either way, I just wish I knew ahead of time so I could budget for it or not. I see your cruise isn't until February. Ours is in September and I will be more than happy to update then what ends up happening with the crew appreciation for our kids. 

[cr8tiv1]

Automatic crew appreciation charges for 3rd and 4th passengers will show up on you folio each night.  I don't know why you could not call Princess or have your TA Prepay gratuities for the extra 2 persons.  

[Abercrombie2019]

On 6/16/2023 at 6:15 PM, amby6063 said:

That is interesting! I booked directly through princess so it shows a breakdown of price for each item. Very misleading though to call something complimentary when it is part of a package I paid for. 

The "Travel Summary" will show the amount that Princess assigns to each item of the Plus Package if you booked through Princess.  The charge for Plus is $60 USD per day.  The values listed in the Travel Summary add up to much more than $60 (Princess is trying to show that the Plus Package is a deal). 

 

It still says "Compliments of Princess" when you are in the Cruise Personalizer and look under the "Onboard Purchases" tab.

Edited July 3, 2023 by Abercrombie2019
added to response