Can prepaid gratuities be removed once you're on the ship?

[grandgeezer]

4 hours ago, sheezsmith said:

So all the crew that clean up after you, hallways, stairways, restrooms etc get nothing, if you can afford a cruise, you can afford to pay all of the crew a small gratuity!! 

Where does it say they couldn’t afford it?

[Engineroom Snipe]

6 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Very unlikely.

I do not pay gratuities in advance.

 

As you state, should I have a severe problem with service, my credit card has already been charged. I now have to try and get the credit card "credited". There is no logical reason to prepay gratuities.

 

Let us pretend that three days before my cruise, I break my leg. I bought travel insurance.

 

I have to cancel my trip. My port taxes in most cases will be refunded regardless of insurance. I did not prepay my gratuities so I do not need to try and get them refunded. I never made it to the port so I paid no parking fees.

 

The most I might save is $2 per day per person if there is an increase in gratuities. Why prepay gratuities to possibly save $28 on a seven day cruise ?

 

The cruise, taxes, gratuities, parking and/or air fare is going for at least $230-270 per day for two passengers and we are sweating out $28 over a $1,700 cruise?

 

Really?

 

Should I make the cruise, I will pay the gratuity on a daily basis based on successfully completing each day of the cruise. No money out of my pocket unless I enjoyed a completed cruise and I have no problem with that.

 

[Another_Critic]

3 hours ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

I have to cancel my trip. My port taxes in most cases will be refunded regardless of insurance. I did not prepay my gratuities so I do not need to try and get them refunded. I never made it to the port so I paid no parking fees.

 

Prepaid gratuities are automatically refunded for cancellations or no shows.

[cruiseboy89130]

11 hours ago, travelberlin said:

You will have to tell them the reason.

They don't care about the reason and they don't ask about it either!

[Saab4444]

13 hours ago, spunks said:

yeah...I read that link with some amusement. It said...recommended wages....It also said recommended working hours of 48 hours a week. It also said recommended off times of at least 10 hours a day. Have you seen even ONE worker on a cruise ship get such generous treatment?48 hours for someone working 7 days a week seems strange to me.

The ITF is a strong labor union and they control even on ships that agreed working regulations and salaries as per applicable tariff are handled correctly for their seamen. If not they stop the ship.

[time4u2go]

15 hours ago, travelberlin said:

 You will have to tell them the reason.

No you won't. 

[not-enough-cruising]

16 hours ago, travelberlin said:

As far as I understand you can get them removed once onboard. You will have to tell them the reason.

No, I have never been asked a reason why, it is just done, without question

[ATG]

I have never even considered removing gratuities until our most recent Oasis cruise.  We returned to our cabin late the first night and the steward had not been there.  We had wet towels in the bathroom. I had left a note asking him to replace the duvet with a blanket.  Nothing done. Called housekeeping and they brought towels and blankets.

 The next evening he knocked on the door and explained he had peaked into the room, but we weren’t there so he didn’t come in.  Whaaat?

He skipped another night and again I had to call for towels.  I complained about it when I called.

 I didn’t remove them because I know it goes to many people and I didn’t want to use cash.  But he certainly didn’t get any extra and got mentioned by name on the survey.

[Ourusualbeach]

19 hours ago, gmerick said:

I also read that pre-paid gratuities cannot be removed once on board.  When I booked, I used OBC to pay for Gratuities.  Prior to sailing I removed same.  Once on board, I asked for gratuities to not be added to my account.  I visited the Casino, and cashed out the OBC refund from cancelling prepaid gratuities.  I took the cash back to Guest Services, and exchanged the large bills for small.  I then handed out those same gratuities plus to crew members that provided service to me.

Gratuities cannot be paid for pre cruise using OBC.  OBC must be used for cruise planner purchases and gratuities are not in the cruise planner

[Engineroom Snipe]

6 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Gratuities cannot be paid for pre cruise using OBC.  OBC must be used for cruise planner purchases and gratuities are not in the cruise planner

@Ourusualbeach

 

There was an earlier statement about getting pre-paid gratuities refunded once on board.

 

I remember reading (maybe months or even a year ago) that this was not possible. I have never done it or attempted to do it when I used to pre-pay them.

 

Do you know the latest guidance on this?

Edited February 29 by Engineroom Snipe
grammer

[Ourusualbeach]

1 minute ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

@Ourusualbeach

 

There was an earlier statement about getting pre-paid gratuities refunded once on board.

 

I remember reading (maybe months or even a year ago) that this was not possible. I have never done it or attempted to do it when I used to pre-pay them.

 

Do you know the latest guidance on this?

As far as I know it is not allowed but I will not state that with 100% certainty since I have personally never attempted it

[The Scurvy Pirate]

So, in summary, it appears that the safer course is if you have prepaid them you need to cancel before you get on the ship.  It is unclear whether it is refunded as an OBC or to the original payment type (i.e. credit card) (possibly dependent on how far out you cancel them?).  If you have not prepaid them, and they are charged daily to your on-board account, then you can go to guest services to have the gratuity removed/cancelled.  To the extent they were already paid, they would be refunded as an OBC.

[MommaBear55]

17 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Exactly, thank you. We all know what the minimum pay scale is, the “behind the scenes staff” is doing just fine 

The minimum pay scale for tipped employees are is $2 to $3 an hour, so at $3 an hour, just over $1000 a month for 84 hours a week. I don't think you would be able to cruise as much as you brag about on that wage. 

[Nabalab]

1 hour ago, ATG said:

I have never even considered removing gratuities until our most recent Oasis cruise.  We returned to our cabin late the first night and the steward had not been there.  We had wet towels in the bathroom. I had left a note asking him to replace the duvet with a blanket.  Nothing done. Called housekeeping and they brought towels and blankets.

 The next evening he knocked on the door and explained he had peaked into the room, but we weren’t there so he didn’t come in.  Whaaat?

He skipped another night and again I had to call for towels.  I complained about it when I called.

 I didn’t remove them because I know it goes to many people and I didn’t want to use cash.  But he certainly didn’t get any extra and got mentioned by name on the survey.

 

This kiiiinda ties into when we were on Oasis in December.

 

This was our first cruise under the "steward only comes in once a day"... so when we saw him the first day (in the afternoon) - we chose that he should come in at night, when we're at dinner.

 

Before dinner that first night, my wife takes a shower.  So naturally wet towels on the floor in the bathroom.  We go to dinner, come back... bathroom untouched.  Was very odd.

 

Run into him the next day and I'm asking if he went into the bathroom at all.  Told us that cabin service starts on Day 2... and the first day is only very minimal (like if the bed needs a duvet, etc). Kinda surprising to us.

 

We didn't remove the (prepaid) gratuities, but since he did the bare minimum thru-out the week - we also didn't give him extra.

 

[footzz]

11 hours ago, PhoenixCruiser said:

Cheapskates should not cruise. 

The Suits at RCL group and the stockholders would likely disagree. The 'cheapskate' passengers paid to be onboard. And the more people they can get onboard, the better for the bottom line. Regardless of whether a person chooses to tip or not.

[ATG]

21 minutes ago, Nabalab said:

 

This kiiiinda ties into when we were on Oasis in December.

 

This was our first cruise under the "steward only comes in once a day"... so when we saw him the first day (in the afternoon) - we chose that he should come in at night, when we're at dinner.

 

Before dinner that first night, my wife takes a shower.  So naturally wet towels on the floor in the bathroom.  We go to dinner, come back... bathroom untouched.  Was very odd.

 

Run into him the next day and I'm asking if he went into the bathroom at all.  Told us that cabin service starts on Day 2... and the first day is only very minimal (like if the bed needs a duvet, etc). Kinda surprising to us.

 

We didn't remove the (prepaid) gratuities, but since he did the bare minimum thru-out the week - we also didn't give him extra.

 

We were in a junior suite and should have gotten the old twice a day service.  I’ve never heard of “no first day service “.

[Cruise5life]

18 hours ago, Saab4444 said:

18 USD per person per day is no longer a small amount.

What would it cost you in tips if you were on a land vacation for 3 meals a day in a restaurant?       And that’s just for your waiter ?    
 

[UNCFanatik]

15 minutes ago, Cruise5life said:

What would it cost you in tips if you were on a land vacation for 3 meals a day in a restaurant?       And that’s just for your waiter ?    
 

 

Lets see. Land vacation for family of 4, lets say at a beach house. You arent eating out 3 times a day and arent going to come out of pocket for $72 in tips a day

 

AND if you did an all inclusive land vacation, you arent coming out of pocket for $72 a day in tips either

 

Edited to Add: When I tip at restaurants at home, I have less concern that the server will get the tip vs cruises where no one is really positive if the $18/day is all making it to the crew

 

Edited February 29 by UNCFanatik

[Nabalab]

16 minutes ago, ATG said:

We were in a junior suite and should have gotten the old twice a day service.  I’ve never heard of “no first day service “.

 

I didn't realize you were in a JS.  Yeah, of course should have def been 2x/Day.

 

The past few cruises prior to that one, we were in a JS or better - we had never heard of "no first day service" either.

 

For this one, we were in a balcony - and the first time we experienced the 1x/Day.

 

 

[kruzerci]

Yes. You can. Regardless whether prepaid or not. It comes back to your account in the form of refundable onboard credit. 

Edited February 29 by kruzerci

[Cruise5life]

19 minutes ago, UNCFanatik said:

 

Lets see. Land vacation for family of 4, lets say at a beach house. You arent eating out 3 times a day and arent going to come out of pocket for $72 in tips a day

 

AND if you did an all inclusive land vacation, you arent coming out of pocket for $72 a day in tips either

 

Edited to Add: When I tip at restaurants at home, I have less concern that the server will get the tip vs cruises where no one is really positive if the $18/day is all making it to the crew

 

Yeah well not everyone stays at a beach house. And I guess if you eat at Costco your gonna save on tips.    
even if I stay at an AirBnb I still eat out 3 times a day.  So I guess it all depends on the person and family.   
 

[UNCFanatik]

Just now, Cruise5life said:

Yeah well not everyone stays at a beach house. And I guess if you eat at Costco your gonna save on tips.    
even if I stay at an AirBnb I still eat out 3 times a day.  So I guess it all depends on the person and family.   
 

 

Exactly! It depends on a family. And some families may stay in a hotel on a land vacation where breakfast is free. Point being is that a family of 4 isnt necessarily going to spend $72 on gratuities each day of their land vacation

[Cruise5life]

1 minute ago, UNCFanatik said:

 

Exactly! It depends on a family. And some families may stay in a hotel on a land vacation where breakfast is free. Point being is that a family of 4 isnt necessarily going to spend $72 on gratuities each day of their land vacation

Exactly. And not every hotel has free breakfast. So you do eat out 3 times a day.  And for a family of 4  that can be atleast 75-100 a meal.  And dinner could be more.   So yes they could easily spend that much on tips.   
been to Disney lately.    Lol. 

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, MommaBear55 said:

The minimum pay scale for tipped employees are is $2 to $3 an hour, so at $3 an hour, just over $1000 a month for 84 hours a week. I don't think you would be able to cruise as much as you brag about on that wage. 

No I wouldn’t be able to cruise at all under those wages, because I (and you) live in a first world country. One needs to stop looking at the crew compensation through American or Western European eyes.  
 

NO ONE on the ship is working 84 hours per week; this is illegal. The maximum work hours are stipulated, by international convention, as no more than 72 hours on any 8 day period, no more than 14 hours in any 24 hour period. A MINIMUM of 77 hours rest is mandated every 7 day period. 
 

 

[not-enough-cruising]

5 minutes ago, Cruise5life said:

Exactly. And not every hotel has free breakfast. So you do eat out 3 times a day.  And for a family of 4  that can be atleast 75-100 a meal.  And dinner could be more.   So yes they could easily spend that much on tips.   
been to Disney lately.    Lol. 

No one is advocating a “no tipping” policy