crew appreciation increasing Feb 01,2024

[helby]

This was included in an email received today from my TA

 

 

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM HOLLAND AMERICA LINE

Beginning on February 01, 2024, the daily Crew Appreciation fee will be $17 for Inside, Oceanview and Verandah staterooms and $19 for suites. The existing 18% service charge on optional purchases such as dining and drinks will remain unchanged.

[Shmoo here]

12 minutes ago, helby said:

This was included in an email received today from my TA

 

 

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM HOLLAND AMERICA LINE

Beginning on February 01, 2024, the daily Crew Appreciation fee will be $17 for Inside, Oceanview and Verandah staterooms and $19 for suites. The existing 18% service charge on optional purchases such as dining and drinks will remain unchanged.

Boy, I'm glad we reserved our HIA cruise with the gratuities included.

[lakedweller64]

Where can I find on the HAL web site to pre pay my gratuity’s.As usual the site is not very user friendly.

[Gunther1]

[crystalspin]

9 minutes ago, lakedweller64 said:

Where can I find on the HAL web site to pre pay my gratuity’s.

It is under the FLIGHTS&PLANNING tab, in the dark blue header.

[Gunther1]

Double posting in error…can’t find a way to delete the second one.

 

Edited January 6 by Gunther1
Trying to delete double posting in error

[lakedweller64]

Thanks I looked everywhere.I knew it could be done just couldn’t find it.

[Gunther1]

4 minutes ago, lakedweller64 said:

Thanks I looked everywhere.I knew it could be done just couldn’t find it.

Gawd forbid  it be easy to find, eh ?

[dobiemom]

I’ve heard that even if you prepay the crew gratuities, HAL does not “lock you in.” But on a 7-day cruise it will only be a $3.50 total increase. 

[lakedweller64]

I will be on a 10 day in March and 35 days in April.this should save a few dollars.thanks again 

[Cruise Suzy]

18 minutes ago, dobiemom said:

I’ve heard that even if you prepay the crew gratuities, HAL does not “lock you in.” But on a 7-day cruise it will only be a $3.50 total increase. 

 

It is more than that. Crew Appreciation is currently $16.00 (non-suite) or $17.50 (suite) pppd - going to $17.00 or $19.00 pppd. So on a 7-day cruise the increase will be $7.00 or $10.50 increase per person.

 

In the past, we've had Crew Appreciation included in our fare and it has been locked in. Not sure if it locked in when purchased separately.

 

 

Edited January 6 by Cruise Suzy

[BermudaBound2014]

32 minutes ago, dobiemom said:

I’ve heard that even if you prepay the crew gratuities, HAL does not “lock you in.” But on a 7-day cruise it will only be a $3.50 total increase. 

Do you have a reference for this?

Your statement goes against every single data point I have collected over the last 30 years. I am unaware of ANY cruise line coming after the difference in grats once it’s paid in full.

 

If I’m wrong on this I’m sure someone will link. Hopefully HAL will make a statement clearing this up shortly. 
 

 

Edited January 6 by BermudaBound2014

[DAllenTCY]

Inflation affects everyone.....including crew.

 

The cost of living everywhere is rising....especially food, housing, and hospital care.

 

David

Edited January 6 by DAllenTCY

[globalgertie]

If you prepay gratuities, have the HAL cruise protection plan, and have to cancel, would you get back the 80 or 90% of the gratuities you prepaid?

[aussiedisneyfan]

3 hours ago, dobiemom said:

I’ve heard that even if you prepay the crew gratuities, HAL does not “lock you in.” But on a 7-day cruise it will only be a $3.50 total increase. 

We had purchased the prepaid gratuities on our Norway (May) before the last rate rise.  It doesn't cover the rise as they simply just add it as OBC and then take out the daily grats each day. Below is an example but not great as we had prepaid for balcony at $15.50 which then went up to $16 but did an upsell to Neptune.

[Blackduck59]

On our only HAL cruise so far it worked the way @aussiedisneyfan suggests. The amount you pre-paid goes on your account and is drawn upon daily until it is gone, so if there is an increase then the prepaid amount would be depleted faster. I think if you have the "enhances" HIA package that includes "crew appreciation" and premium drinks etc. then you're covered because it's not a separate dollar amount it's "crew appreciation".

[Haljo1935]

My recent experience on prepaid grats is different. On the NS Rome roundtrip Oct 26 - Nov 10 2023, grats never showed on our statement. I asked if it was an error or would we be seeing a daily charge then credit as @Blackduck59 and @aussiedisneyfan reported and was told "neither - not an error and no charge coming since it's prepaid you just never see them."

[Tigerlily75]

48 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

My recent experience on prepaid grats is different. On the NS Rome roundtrip Oct 26 - Nov 10 2023, grats never showed on our statement. I asked if it was an error or would we be seeing a daily charge then credit as @Blackduck59 and @aussiedisneyfan reported and was told "neither - not an error and no charge coming since it's prepaid you just never see them."

I’m glad to hear that. My first HAL cruise is coming up February 3, and I’ve prepaid gratuities. How you describe it is exactly what I had just assumed and was expecting. So I’ll be really annoyed if it’s how @aussiedisneyfan describes it. It says nothing on my receipt about it only being a credit, or that the price could change. It just says I’ve pre-paid the hotel service charge and shows the dollar amount I paid. So that should be that. 
 

I’ve also only ever spoken to Australian HAL staff operating out of Sydney, and paid both the cruise and gratuities in $AUD. (I know it will be $USD on board). So surely they would have to operate under Australian consumer law, when they present to the consumer as a business operating in Australia. The law does not allow for hidden or surprise charges, or any kind of misrepresentation. All costs must clear and up front (not hidden in fine print). 
 

I’ll wait and see what happens on my cruise! 

[VMax1700]

1 hour ago, Haljo1935 said:

My recent experience on prepaid grats is different. On the NS Rome roundtrip Oct 26 - Nov 10 2023, grats never showed on our statement. I asked if it was an error or would we be seeing a daily charge then credit as @Blackduck59 and @aussiedisneyfan reported and was told "neither - not an error and no charge coming since it's prepaid you just never see them."

Were your 'Prepaid Grats' actually prepaid by yourself or prepaid as part of a HAL/HIA package?

I believe it makes a major difference.  My multiple experiences of purchasing 'PrePay Grats' on the website (not part of a deal) is that the amount paid is initially credited to the onboard account and then Daily Gratuities are charged to the account.  If grats rise, then you will owe money to cover the balance.

However, if the 'Prepaid Grats' are part of a HAL deal, then you do not see either the charge or the credit on the onboard account.

[lyndarra]

1 hour ago, Tigerlily75 said:

I’m glad to hear that. My first HAL cruise is coming up February 3, and I’ve prepaid gratuities. How you describe it is exactly what I had just assumed and was expecting. So I’ll be really annoyed if it’s how @aussiedisneyfan describes it. It says nothing on my receipt about it only being a credit, or that the price could change. It just says I’ve pre-paid the hotel service charge and shows the dollar amount I paid. So that should be that. 
 

I’ve also only ever spoken to Australian HAL staff operating out of Sydney, and paid both the cruise and gratuities in $AUD. (I know it will be $USD on board). So surely they would have to operate under Australian consumer law, when they present to the consumer as a business operating in Australia. The law does not allow for hidden or surprise charges, or any kind of misrepresentation. All costs must clear and up front (not hidden in fine print). 
 

I’ll wait and see what happens on my cruise! 

I've done both a US cruise and an Aussie cruise this year and prepaid grats on both. My experience on both cruises was the same as described by @Blackduck59. The prepayment appears as a credit on your account on the first cruise day.

@Tigerlily75 It does not breach Australian consumer laws. The Crew Appreciation is not a "hidden" cost and is only a "surprise" if you haven't read booking information.

[Tigerlily75]

Just now, lyndarra said:

I've done both a US cruise and an Aussie cruise this year and prepaid grats on both. My experience on both cruises was the same as described by @Blackduck59. The prepayment appears as a credit on your account on the first cruise day.

@Tigerlily75 It does not breach Australian consumer laws. The Crew Appreciation is not a "hidden" cost and is only a "surprise" if you haven't read booking information.

The crew appreciation is not a surprise, obviously, since I’ve prepaid them in full, I have a receipt that says I’ve prepaid them. The surprise would be if I board and then they say they’re not prepaid after all and I need to pay more. 

[lyndarra]

1 minute ago, Tigerlily75 said:

. The surprise would be if I board and then they say they’re not prepaid after all and I need to pay more. 

Yes, that would be a surprise.

[kazu]

I too prepaid our crew appreciation due to the exchange rate and to keep life simple when we cruise (two friends).  When I heard that the price had gone up, I figured I would be covered since we had prepaid.  oh well.  😞 

 

The last time HAL raised the crew appreciation cost it took effect for cruises booked after X date.  Nothing on the HAL site yet so I guess time will tell.

 

Looks like Lisa @LAFFNVEGAS was ever so right when she predicted the increase a few months ago.

[Mtn2Sea]

4 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

My recent experience on prepaid grats is different. On the NS Rome roundtrip Oct 26 - Nov 10 2023, grats never showed on our statement. I asked if it was an error or would we be seeing a daily charge then credit as @Blackduck59 and @aussiedisneyfan reported and was told "neither - not an error and no charge coming since it's prepaid you just never see them."

That’s my experience on the Volendam last month after I prepaid the gratuities prior to the cruise. Never saw anything on my account when I checked it.

[Cuttersmom]

So our cruise is 1/26-2/4. Will they start charging the new rate on 2/1? Or will it stay the same since the cruise commenced before 2/1?