Help with gratuities for teenagers on Louis cruises

[cricri7]

Hi....I am a high school teacher from Montreal and we will be leaving next week with 26 of our students for a trip to Europe. On this trip, we will be doing a 7 day cruise on the Cristal that is part of the Louis cruises. We have just encountered a big problem yesterday. Our travel agent did not tell us that we had to give up to 8 euros per day, per person aboard the cruise ship. We have a private guide with us that we are already giving money to and we had not planned on this new charge that will set us back 800 euros!!! We have been financing this trip for 6 months and don't want to go back to the parents 5 days before leaving to tell them that they have to give us more money!!! We are unhappy as hell with our travel agent but we will solve that problem when we come back.

 

My question goes to people who have traveled with teenagers aboard the Cristal, or another cruise ship. It says that we have to leave around 4 or 8 euros per day. Is there a way around this or a solution to pay less? I have read somewhere, but I was not paying attention too much since we did not know about it yet, that you can take a voucher that costs you around 20 euros for the 7 days and it gives you unlimited sodas and, not sure about this, the gratuities also. Is there such a thing aboard the ship? Do parents really leave money for the teenagers and children they travel with for the gratuities?

 

I am desperate for answers....thanks in advance if you can help me solve my problem!!! Cricri

[GSPLover]

The recommended daily amount would apply to teenagers as well as adults. Keep in mind that gratuities are a major portion of the income for people who work on the ships. A vast majority deserve every bit that they receive - if not more.

 

Your TA was out of line holding back info on gratuities. That info should have been made very clear prior to the actual booking. Especially true on a booking of this size.

[MercedMike]

WOW -- some homework did not get done here. Tipping on cruise ships is definitely a strong responsiblity. It is the primary source of income for the crew and is expected from all passengers, but ESPECIALLY from teenagers who will probably cause a lot of work for the servers and stewards. Your teens would be very remiss not to tip.

 

I am afraid you have to bite the bullet and tell the parents this and have them come up with the tips. Then you need to let your private guide and your Travel Agent know that you are unhappy with them.

 

This is one of the very large reasons that people taking groups of students abroad usually use one of the established tour companies that specialize in such groups and give very full and complete information on all costs.

 

The soda card you are reading about includes gratuities for the BAR SERVERS only, that is the tip that would customarily be left if the student bought a soda, and is a totally separate thing from the gratuities to the hotel staff.

 

Students who are traveling need to learn the facts of life and the imporantance of tips to the people who serve them. Being young is no excuse for denying a server his pay.

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[cricri7]

I know how important gratuities are to the service industry, I travel often and go to restaurants, but I never took a cruise before so I assumed that it was like in the Club meds where everything is included. The problem is that we are taking students that worked their tails off for this and are at the end of their ropes financially. We have made more money so we can pay for them, but we had hoped to give the money back to the parents. You can bet that I will vent my insatisfaction to the travel agency. We hired an agency that is called Voyages EF and that is specialized with student tours. We were assigned a very unprofessional travel agent that "assumed" that we knew everything there was to know about cruises. I traveled quite a bit but never on cruises.

 

What is the so called soda card you can buy? How much does it cost and is it really worth it? I would like to ask my travel agent but since she is not reliable, I prefer to ask cruise experts!!!

 

Thanks for your answers guys....I did not want to let on that we would not pay the gratuities, we will pay them but we are looking for ways to make our euros travel:)

[GSPLover]

Mike: Great post!!

[mushroom]

I'm willing to wager that the parents already know about the tipping policy. As a parent, myself, I would have thoroughly researched the ship and cruise line on the internet before committing to the cost of the trip. It clearly states the gratituity policy on the website for Louis. Under 16...4 euros, over 16...then it's 8 euros. It is added to the individual's onboard account. Hopefully, for your sake, the parents have done their own homework and will be expecting this charge along with all the other "onboard charges" that will take place.

[luvcdays]

I know how important gratuities are to the service industry, I travel often and go to restaurants, but I never took a cruise before so I assumed that it was like in the Club meds where everything is included. The problem is that we are taking students that worked their tails off for this and are at the end of their ropes financially. We have made more money so we can pay for them, but we had hoped to give the money back to the parents. You can bet that I will vent my insatisfaction to the travel agency. We hired an agency that is called Voyages EF and that is specialized with student tours. We were assigned a very unprofessional travel agent that "assumed" that we knew everything there was to know about cruises. I traveled quite a bit but never on cruises.

 

What is the so called soda card you can buy? How much does it cost and is it really worth it? I would like to ask my travel agent but since she is not reliable, I prefer to ask cruise experts!!!

 

Thanks for your answers guys....I did not want to let on that we would not pay the gratuities, we will pay them but we are looking for ways to make our euros travel:)

 

 

Maybe they can do without the soda in order to pay their tips.