Gratuity changes after booking

[njkruzer]

We have 2 cruises booked before the new gratuities were to go into effect.   The cruises are for next summer and the original confirmations show the old gratuity rate.  The ta was just able to get a lower rate for each cruise, $1000 for one and $500 for the other.  Obviously significant drops so maybe I shouldn't complain but the new confirmations show the new gratuity about.  Surprised because I thought old rate would continue,  but I guess I was wrong.  Not happy but still ahead.  What's everyone else's experience?  Thanks. 

[firefly333]

9 minutes ago, njkruzer said:

We have 2 cruises booked before the new gratuities were to go into effect.   The cruises are for next summer and the original confirmations show the old gratuity rate.  The ta was just able to get a lower rate for each cruise, $1000 for one and $500 for the other.  Obviously significant drops so maybe I shouldn't complain but the new confirmations show the new gratuity about.  Surprised because I thought old rate would continue,  but I guess I was wrong.  Not happy but still ahead.  What's everyone else's experience?  Thanks. 

If you prepaid the new rare before nov 11 then you got the old rate. It's too late now. Lol me too. 

 

Just booking doesnt lock in tip rate, you have to prepay.

[njkruzer]

1 minute ago, firefly333 said:

If you prepaid the new rare before nov 11 then you got the old rate. It's too late now. Lol me too. 

 

Just booking doesnt lock in tip rate, you have to prepay.

In the past as long as I prepaid before sailing I got the old rate.  As I said the the new cruise fare is considerably lower so I'm still way ahead of the game.

[firefly333]

7 minutes ago, njkruzer said:

In the past as long as I prepaid before sailing I got the old rate.  As I said the the new cruise fare is considerably lower so I'm still way ahead of the game.

My rates were so good I didnt even look for drops. Last of my best rates. I have some obc on each leg toward some of tips and whatever I didnt prepay and i knew about the nov 11 date. B3b coming up nov 26 and I'll be hit with the higher rate all 3 legs. At least I'm spending mostly their money. 

[njkruzer]

Just now, firefly333 said:

My rates were so good I didnt even look for drops. Last of my best rates. I have some obc on each leg toward some of tips and whatever I didnt prepay and i knew about the nov 11 date. B3b coming up nov 26 and I'll be hit with the higher rate all 3 legs. At least I'm spending mostly their money. 

Enjoy!  

[njkruzer]

6 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

My rates were so good I didnt even look for drops. Last of my best rates. I have some obc on each leg toward some of tips and whatever I didnt prepay and i knew about the nov 11 date. B3b coming up nov 26 and I'll be hit with the higher rate all 3 legs. At least I'm spending mostly their money. 

Btw I did expect to prepay before sailing, but at the old rate.  We're still ahead.

[c-leg5]

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

If you prepaid the new rare before nov 11 then you got the old rate. It's too late now. Lol me too. 

 

Just booking doesnt lock in tip rate, you have to prepay.

That is incorrect. 
 

you had to book before Nov 11 and pre- pay gratuities up to 48 hours before sailing.

[c-leg5]

45 minutes ago, njkruzer said:

Btw I did expect to prepay before sailing, but at the old rate.  We're still ahead.

Assuming you still have the original booking number i also assume they should be at old rate.

 

I think I read the TA has to manually put in code for lower rates.

[njkruzer]

2 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

That is incorrect. 
 

you had to book before Nov 11 and pre- pay gratuities up to 48 hours before sailing.

That's what I thought.  Reservations were made before the 11th but after the 11th the rate went down and the ta was able to make the change.   The new confirmation,  still showing original booking date has the new gratuity rate, which surprised me.  We're still way ahead but didn’t expect the gratuity to be the new rate.

[firefly333]

7 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

That is incorrect. 
 

you had to book before Nov 11 and pre- pay gratuities up to 48 hours before sailing.

Sorry, still have to prepay which let's me out still. 

Edited November 19, 2023 by firefly333

[njkruzer]

3 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

Assuming you still have the original booking number i also assume they should be at old rate.

 

I think I read the TA has to manually put in code for lower rates.

Yes, still the same booking number. Did ask ta to check.

[njkruzer]

2 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Sorry, still have to prepay which ,ets me out still. 

Yes prepay before sailing but at which rate?

And prepay is anytime before sailing.   In the past have done it a few weeks before sailing.

Edited November 19, 2023 by njkruzer

[cruiseboy89130]

7 hours ago, njkruzer said:

Not happy but still ahead. 

Just remove them - end of story and easy!

[nelblu]

8 hours ago, njkruzer said:

We have 2 cruises booked before the new gratuities were to go into effect.   The cruises are for next summer and the original confirmations show the old gratuity rate.  The ta was just able to get a lower rate for each cruise, $1000 for one and $500 for the other.  Obviously significant drops so maybe I shouldn't complain but the new confirmations show the new gratuity about.  Surprised because I thought old rate would continue,  but I guess I was wrong.  Not happy but still ahead.  What's everyone else's experience?  Thanks. 

You could have prepaid the old grats rate prior to 11/11 and still gotten the revised lower fares.

[cube1982]

Simple solution, just go to guest services sometime when your on board and adjust your rates to what you want....simple and easy....don't stress about it

[nelblu]

I don't sail NCL and instead of a grats fee, it charges a daily "service charge" @ the rate of $20.  Just curious, if one's allowed to change/eliminate that service charge? 

Edited November 19, 2023 by nelblu

[Ourusualbeach]

9 hours ago, firefly333 said:

If you prepaid the new rare before nov 11 then you got the old rate. It's too late now. Lol me too. 

 

Just booking doesnt lock in tip rate, you have to prepay.

You do not have to prepay.  

 

As long as the gratuity is added before you sail you get the old rate as long as thr cruise was booked before Nov. 11th.

[Ourusualbeach]

7 hours ago, njkruzer said:

That's what I thought.  Reservations were made before the 11th but after the 11th the rate went down and the ta was able to make the change.   The new confirmation,  still showing original booking date has the new gratuity rate, which surprised me.  We're still way ahead but didn’t expect the gratuity to be the new rate.

Your TA needs to call and have Royal manually add the gratuities fir the old rate.  It is not something the TA can do. 

[cruiseguy1016]

10 hours ago, njkruzer said:

We have 2 cruises booked before the new gratuities were to go into effect.   The cruises are for next summer and the original confirmations show the old gratuity rate.  The ta was just able to get a lower rate for each cruise, $1000 for one and $500 for the other.  Obviously significant drops so maybe I shouldn't complain but the new confirmations show the new gratuity about.  Surprised because I thought old rate would continue,  but I guess I was wrong.  Not happy but still ahead.  What's everyone else's experience?  Thanks. 

 

I THINK - (Ourusualbeach will correct me if I'm wrong) when you book at the new, lower rate, you are technically booking a new cruise, [even if it's the same ship, dates and itinerary], and transferring the booking # to that new cruise. Because you have booked a new cruise, you will pay the gratuities at the new rate.

Edited November 19, 2023 by cruiseguy1016

[Biker19]

30 minutes ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

when you book at the new, lower rate, you are technically booking a new cruise,

The price drop doesn’t affect the booking, keeps the same number and original booking date which is what drives the grats rate. 

[S.A.M.J.R.]

36 minutes ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

 

I THINK - (Ourusualbeach will correct me if I'm wrong) when you book at the new, lower rate, you are technically booking a new cruise, [even if it's the same ship, dates and itinerary], and transferring the booking # to that new cruise. Because you have booked a new cruise, you will pay the gratuities at the new rate.

That's what I was thinking and it really makes a lot of sense.  

 

As far as the increase in rates in a booked cruise and when you have to pay them, we are booked for Harmony next July and we've been booked for six(?) months.  So well before the higher grats.  When the increase announcement came out, I reached our to our TA about getting them locked in.  At first she said we had to pay the grats at the old rate, but then came back and said they just need to be added to our invoice before 11/11 and would be due at final payment. 

[nelblu]

2 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

You do not have to prepay.  

 

As long as the gratuity is added before you sail you get the old rate as long as thr cruise was booked before Nov. 11th.

I chose the erroneous term.  Yes, added to the invoice before 11/11.  I did that to all of my 5 outstanding sails after January1.

[Ourusualbeach]

11 minutes ago, nelblu said:

I chose the erroneous term.  Yes, added to the invoice before 11/11.  I did that to all of my 5 outstanding sails after January1.

It did not have to be added prior to the 11th.  As long as the cruise was booked before the 11th the gratuities, at the old rate can be added anytime before you sail.

[njkruzer]

4 hours ago, cruiseboy89130 said:

Just remove them - end of story and easy!

No.  That's not the issue.

[njkruzer]

2 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Your TA needs to call and have Royal manually add the gratuities fir the old rate.  It is not something the TA can do. 

Don't want to prepay at final payment date. That would be 4 months prior to sailing for one cruise.