Tipping with OBC

[lyadams]

Been reading about getting cash from an OBC and it sounds like if it's not a refund (ex: from fuel charges) that you get charged 3% at the casino. I've never had an OBC and I'd like to know - do you have to pull cash off of it to pay for tipping? If not, how is the process handled so you can use your OBC to tip?

 

Thanks for the input!!

[cruisePRN]

You will get a written breakdown of the tips to put on your seapass card. It will come toward the latter half of your cruise and you can sign it and turn it in.

[lyadams]

You will get a written breakdown of the tips to put on your seapass card. It will come toward the latter half of your cruise and you can sign it and turn it in.

 

Oh great - that makes sense. Thanks for the input!

[loudbmw]

We always put our tips on the on-board account to use up our OBC. There's no fee plus we get credit card miles. We also add some cash to the vouchers they give you to present to the staff the last night.

 

Lou

[SteveinPhilly]

Oh great - that makes sense. Thanks for the input!

 

Unfortunitely this only works if you choose ASSIGNED SEATING for Dinner. If you choose the new "My TIme Dining" option you need to prepay at time you book. So you can't apply the credits. That's our problem. We have large credit and can't use it as we don't drink or use spa or take shore excursions.

 

It's a REALLY dumb policy if you ask me. If they are affraid that you won't tip then let them add it the day you arrive.

 

Tipping on RCI is now MANDATORY anyway.

 

Steve

[knotIn1]

STEVE,

 

Off topic.....

 

Got to love the weather today!!!:D:D:D:D

[cruisenfever]

Unfortunitely this only works if you choose ASSIGNED SEATING for Dinner. If you choose the new "My TIme Dining" option you need to prepay at time you book. So you can't apply the credits. That's our problem. We have large credit and can't use it as we don't drink or use spa or take shore excursions.

 

It's a REALLY dumb policy if you ask me. If they are affraid that you won't tip then let them add it the day you arrive.

 

Tipping on RCI is now MANDATORY anyway.

 

Steve

You can also sign up for MTD once on board.........when doing this, your Gratuities will be added to your SeaPass account and can then be absorbed by any OBC.

[Cruising89143]

Unfortunitely this only works if you choose ASSIGNED SEATING for Dinner. If you choose the new "My TIme Dining" option you need to prepay at time you book. So you can't apply the credits. That's our problem. We have large credit and can't use it as we don't drink or use spa or take shore excursions.

 

It's a REALLY dumb policy if you ask me. If they are affraid that you won't tip then let them add it the day you arrive.

 

Tipping on RCI is now MANDATORY anyway.

 

Steve

 

Tipping is only charged up front if you book MTD. If you choose traditional dining then gratuities are still handled the same way and not charged to ones on board accounts.

[SteveinPhilly]

Tipping is only charged up front if you book MTD. If you choose traditional dining then gratuities are still handled the same way and not charged to ones on board accounts.

 

Did they change those rules too? Are they charging everyone's tips before they get on the ship? I don't think so. I was told that if you coose trad dining your tips are added the last day to your On Board Account - and you can use OBCs then. I have quite a few RCI regulars who were shocked to hear about the prepay as - they too - always use OBCs for tipping.

 

Do you have a link where it says "no one can use OBCs for tipping"? I'm sure others would like to know.

 

It's really an annoyance. We'll deal with it on the ship - but it would be nice to know ahead of time.

 

Thanks!

[cruisenfever]

Tipping is only charged up front if you book MTD. If you choose traditional dining then gratuities are still handled the same way and not charged to ones on board accounts.

 

Did they change those rules too? Are they charging everyone's tips before they get on the ship? I don't think so. I was told that if you coose trad dining your tips are added the last day to your On Board Account - and you can use OBCs then. I have quite a few RCI regulars who were shocked to hear about the prepay as - they too - always use OBCs for tipping.

 

Do you have a link where it says "no one can use OBCs for tipping"? I'm sure others would like to know.

 

It's really an annoyance. We'll deal with it on the ship - but it would be nice to know ahead of time.

 

Thanks!

When you initially book a cruise and sign up for Traditional dining you pay your gratuities at the end of the cruise by giving cash in the designated envelopes left on the last night.

 

You can also add them to your SeaPass account during the course of your cruise by filling out the form that will be delivered to your stateroom midway through the cruise and if you have OBC, your graituties will be paid by any unused OBC on your SeaPass account at the end of the cruise.

 

If you sign up for MTD when you initially book your cruise, your gratuities are automatically added to your bill, so you are pre-paying them before your board.

 

If you sign up for MTD once on board, you must pay your gratuities at the time you sign up for MTD and if you have OBC, your gratuities will be paid by any unused OBC on your SeaPass account at the end of the cruise.

[SteveinPhilly]

If you sign up for MTD once on board, you must pay your gratuities at the time you sign up for MTD and if you have OBC, your gratuities will be paid by any unused OBC on your SeaPass account at the end of the cruise.

 

THanks Patti and JIm: That's what I was told. BEcause we have a large OBC coming and don't use for things like drinks or shore excursions we wanted to use the OBC. THough we PREFER MTD, we booked trad dining and will change when we get on board. I was told that only works if MTD "is available, it's very popular". THat's what threw me off. I can't believe that every time will be filled. we eat later than 6pm but usually before 7pm - the most popular MTD.

 

Seems RCI is playiong games here. If tips are automatically charged to accounts for trad dining folks, there is no reason that can't do that for MTD folks. And remember tips cover the cabin crew too!

Looks like you've been through this before.

 

Steve

[cruisenfever]

THanks Patti and JIm: That's what I was told. BEcause we have a large OBC coming and don't use for things like drinks or shore excursions we wanted to use the OBC. THough we PREFER MTD, we booked trad dining and will change when we get on board. I was told that only works if MTD "is available, it's very popular". THat's what threw me off. I can't believe that every time will be filled. we eat later than 6pm but usually before 7pm - the most popular MTD.

 

Seems RCI is playiong games here. If tips are automatically charged to accounts for trad dining folks, there is no reason that can't do that for MTD folks. And remember tips cover the cabin crew too!

Looks like you've been through this before.

 

Steve

Your welcome. :)

[diane.in.ny]

You don't get cash from your OBC. It is simply a credit on your account. Whatever you pay for on board, whether tips or the bar or a shop, will be placed against your credit.

 

I did read, somewhere, that if you don't use all of your credit up, the last day you can get the balance in cash but I can't verify that.

[SteveinPhilly]

You don't get cash from your OBC. It is simply a credit on your account. Whatever you pay for on board, whether tips or the bar or a shop, will be placed against your credit.

 

I did read, somewhere, that if you don't use all of your credit up, the last day you can get the balance in cash but I can't verify that.

 

I wasn't looking for cash back. And I never head of an OBC that you got cash back for. My issue is that I use much of my OBC for tips. I consider tips part of the cost of the trip and that any OBCs - this is way Agencies differ in price as the base price is the same for all cabins - are used to reduce cost of my trip.

 

To my knowledge RBI is the first to require ANY prepayment of tips before you even set foot on a ship. And they discriminate for no reason except to annoy folks like me and other friends who frequent them and don't buy drinks on board.

 

Steve

[wolv4life]

When you initially book a cruise and sign up for Traditional dining you pay your gratuities at the end of the cruise by giving cash in the designated envelopes left on the last night.

 

You can also add them to your SeaPass account during the course of your cruise by filling out the form that will be delivered to your stateroom midway through the cruise and if you have OBC, your graituties will be paid by any unused OBC on your SeaPass account at the end of the cruise.

 

If you sign up for MTD when you initially book your cruise, your gratuities are automatically added to your bill, so you are pre-paying them before your board.

 

If you sign up for MTD once on board, you must pay your gratuities at the time you sign up for MTD and if you have OBC, your gratuities will be paid by any unused OBC on your SeaPass account at the end of the cruise.

 

Also pretty sure that if you book with a TA, you can sign up for MTD after final payment, but before arriving at the ship, and pay for gratuities on the Seapass Account out of OBC. This happened to us on our upcoming Serenade cruise when a price drop required me to give up my pre-paid gratuities from the travel agency. TA said don't worry about pre-paying gratuities again, they will be applied once you get on the ship.

[SteveinPhilly]

Also pretty sure that if you book with a TA, you can sign up for MTD after final payment, but before arriving at the ship, and pay for gratuities on the Seapass Account out of OBC. This happened to us on our upcoming Serenade cruise when a price drop required me to give up my pre-paid gratuities from the travel agency. TA said don't worry about pre-paying gratuities again, they will be applied once you get on the ship.

 

WOrth a shot. Again, I just don't understand why RCI does this. (again except to annoy us). Seems to me that you either require prepaid tips (which you shouldn't) on all passengers or you don't. But someone thought this would be a good idea. To me it's D-U-M-B

[Leosmom]

Steve,

 

I totally agree with you. I feel exactly the same way. I was also told by my agent that if i choose MTD the tips would be added to my final payment and I would have to pay in advance. I don't want to chance getting on board and finding out that MTD is full so I agreed to pay upfront. From reading the boards I figured I could either wait till the last day and hope that I can get a credit to my charge card if i have on board credit left. If not, I can just go to the casino and get the remaining cash less 3%......not ideal but no choice?

 

I also don't see why the gratuities can't be charged to our on board account on the first day ( to offset RCCL's "inconvenience" of offering MTD) if not the last day? No other cruise line does this (prepay). I guess they want our $$$ 90 days earlier! I am planning on writing to RCCL as I feel this is very unfair. Since I enjoy cruising when i can choose my dining times, this may be my last Royal Caribbean cruise.....there are plenty of alternatives.

[SteveinPhilly]

Steve,

 

I totally agree with you. I feel exactly the same way. I was also told by my agent that if i choose MTD the tips would be added to my final payment and I would have to pay in advance. I don't want to chance getting on board and finding out that MTD is full so I agreed to pay upfront. ,<snip>

 

I took the other tact. I booked fixed dining and will change on board. I can't understand how MTD can "sell out". It's not a fixed time. Apparantly they take SOME fixed reservations but also have a come anytime line. If I go at odd times. (6:30; 8:15) and they have room, at tables, how can they complain about it.). We actually prefer fixed times but not 6:00 or 88:30. On Holland America they offer a 7pm and 7:30 option since they don't offer "anytime dining". And, remember, on formal nights 25% or more of the folks don't show up as they don't like to get dressed up. LOTS of tables them.

 

I am planning on writing to RCCL as I feel this is very unfair. Since I enjoy cruising when i can choose my dining times, this may be my last Royal Caribbean cruise.....there are plenty of alternatives.

 

I already wrote to RCI but no reply yet. I've generally been happy with them. I prefer HAL because when you fill out a comment card they actually read it and react if it's in their power to do it.

 

We shal see. We don't sail till September.

 

Steve

[Nebr.cruiser]

You don't get cash from your OBC. It is simply a credit on your account. Whatever you pay for on board, whether tips or the bar or a shop, will be placed against your credit.

 

I did read, somewhere, that if you don't use all of your credit up, the last day you can get the balance in cash but I can't verify that.

 

We just got off the Navigator last week and had $70 of OBC credit left. We went down to the Pursers desk the last night and they gave it to us in cash with no questions asked (and no 3% fee like in the casino.)

 

We also had MTD, which is paid for ahead of time and doesn't come out of your OBC unless you choose it while on board. We heard there were only about 260 MTDiners on this cruise; it worked great for us.

[Leosmom]

We just got off the Navigator last week and had $70 of OBC credit left. We went down to the Pursers desk the last night and they gave it to us in cash with no questions asked (and no 3% fee like in the casino.

 

Thanks for your input.....this is what we are hoping to do!

[cruisenfever]

We just got off the Navigator last week and had $70 of OBC credit left. We went down to the Pursers desk the last night and they gave it to us in cash with no questions asked (and no 3% fee like in the casino.)

 

We also had MTD, which is paid for ahead of time and doesn't come out of your OBC unless you choose it while on board. We heard there were only about 260 MTDiners on this cruise; it worked great for us.

 

 

Thanks for your input.....this is what we are hoping to do!

Be forewarned that not ALL ships will hand you any unused OBC back in cash, especially if you have a credit card on file.

 

After doing a b2b on Serenade and disembarking on 4/24, we ran into this problem.

[Nebr.cruiser]

Be forewarned that not ALL ships will hand you any unused OBC back in cash, especially if you have a credit card on file.

 

After doing a b2b on Serenade and disembarking on 4/24, we ran into this problem.

 

Maybe we just lucked out, then. We were prepared to either go to the casino to cash out or to spend it on photos, but thought we'd try the pursers desk first.

[diane.in.ny]

Be forewarned that not ALL ships will hand you any unused OBC back in cash, especially if you have a credit card on file.

 

After doing a b2b on Serenade and disembarking on 4/24, we ran into this problem.

 

What happened? Did the put the credit on your credit card?

[SteveinPhilly]

I just had a nice chat with a C&A Manager who explained that if you have OBCs which were "purchased" (those purchased by TA's and due to when the price drops AFTER final payment, they will credit your credit card after you depart.

 

He still could not explain the policy of requireing FULL tipp prepayment for those choosing MTD. (Remember only 25% of the tip goes to Dining staff; the rest goes to cabin crew).

 

WE'll see.

 

Steve

[land lover]

On day 2 or 3 of your cruise go to the pursers desk and ask about your OBC.

They will tell you what credit is refundable and what is not....the refundable can be given in cash the last night or credited back to your credit card. The non refundable you can go and withdraw from the casino @ 3%.....

 

Your reasoning is nothing new this was discussed extensively on the boards when MTD started and cash out on OBC was stopped...a year+ ago.

If you notice no where does it state in RCI policies you can use OBC for tips...but they have always let us do it....I think you might hit a brick wall when asking at customer service.

 

Why make a big deal out of it, enjoy your cruise and if your OBC is from your TA or a price drop no worries. If not you pay 3% if I am not mistaken it needs to be in 25 dollar increments.

 

I retreived money both ways on 4 cruises last year so am familiar with the new system...I was like you and wanted to use my OBC for tips and so did not want prepay gratuties...however the last 2 cruises MTD was packed and by paying with my sea pass account they could not seat us till the second night...not worth it.....