confused about how tipping works

[dymo]

I am completely confused about how tipping works and how things get charged to your credit card.

(1) So people tip in cash and it still gets charged on your bill at the end of your stay regardless (so you tip twice)?

(2) I do not drink at all and i will not dine in a restaurant that i have to pay out of pocket for. So What will be on my bill at end of my stay? I was reading how people got bills at the end of the cruise for amounts, that they were completely shocked about. This really scares me..I like to budget. When i go to Disney World i already have my cash for food and spending and with Disney Cruise it seems you have to only use a credit card and no cash?

 

[sunryzez]

Tipping for the three tipping positions in the mdr and stateroom host are added to your bill. You can pay them with your credit card on file or go to guest services and pay in cash, you will not be billed twice. Some people feel their service was exceptional and want to tip more so instead of going to guest services to add more money electronically to their tipping account they just add extra cash in the tip envelope.
The tip envelope has vouchers for each server with the amount that you gave to guest services.
You can virtually spend no extra money on the Disney cruise except for those tips or you can spend a ton. Anything extra you are aware of and should not be shocked because there are no "surprises" only what you chose to spend extra on...

 

[CrawfordMomof2]

I am completely confused about how tipping works and how things get charged to your credit card.

(1) So people tip in cash and it still gets charged on your bill at the end of your stay regardless (so you tip twice)?

(2) I do not drink at all and i will not dine in a restaurant that i have to pay out of pocket for. So What will be on my bill at end of my stay? I was reading how people got bills at the end of the cruise for amounts, that they were completely shocked about. This really scares me..I like to budget. When i go to Disney World i already have my cash for food and spending and with Disney Cruise it seems you have to only use a credit card and no cash?

As far as budgeting you can go to the Disney website, and it lists how much " standard" tips Are for each position. Then you'll know how much to budget. You also have the option of pre-paying the standard amount as well so that you won't have to worry about it later.

 

[CrawfordMomof2]

Here's the link: http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faqs/onboard-services/gratuities/

 

[wiigirl]

Here's the link: http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faqs/onboard-services/gratuities/

Thanks!

 

[su_A_ve]

I am completely confused about how tipping works and how things get charged to your credit card.

(1) So people tip in cash and it still gets charged on your bill at the end of your stay regardless (so you tip twice)?

(2) I do not drink at all and i will not dine in a restaurant that i have to pay out of pocket for. So What will be on my bill at end of my stay? I was reading how people got bills at the end of the cruise for amounts, that they were completely shocked about. This really scares me..I like to budget. When i go to Disney World i already have my cash for food and spending and with Disney Cruise it seems you have to only use a credit card and no cash?

(1) Tips are automatically added to your account at a set rate for the 3 positions in the dining rooms and to the stateroom host. You have the option however to modify these amounts by visiting guest services prior to the last night. You can increase the amount, or lower it. Some prefer to give cash only and hence completely remove it.

Note that just because you do not use the MDRs it doesn't mean you shouldn't tip. The same staff works at the buffet for example and hence are servicing you.

If you settle for the standard tip, you don't have to do anything. On your last night, you will get envelopes and a slip you will use to include in the envelope to give to the hosts. If service was exceptional you have the option to add more money to your account and that slip would reflect that. If you feel otherwise, you could adjust that lower. If you want to give additional tip in cash, you can include it in the envelope - that's what many do.

(2) You can budget and even pre pay your tips ahead of time. Drinking or not is irrelevant. Specialty or alcoholic drinks are charged to your account and automatically include an 18% gratuity.

You should know that the cruise is a cashless operation. No cash is accepted for payment other than at guest services to settle your account. The only cash you need (if any) is additional tips to give to the hosts, or for example to give to the room service hosts (food is free except very few things, so a few singles is good to have for this).

Everything else is handled with your KTTW.

 

[Msmit002]

Note that just because you do not use the MDRs it doesn't mean you shouldn't tip. The same staff works at the buffet for example and hence are servicing you.

I think the OP didn't say they wouldn't use the MDR. they don't intend to use restaurants that cost extra (Palo, Remy.)

 

[su_A_ve]

I think the OP didn't say they wouldn't use the MDR. they don't intend to use restaurants that cost extra (Palo, Remy.)

I understand. I was making a reference to the fact that some don't use the MDRs at all and hence pull all the tips out, or get shocked when they see the charges on the account "... but we didn't use the dining rooms ..."

Standard tip is a fixed amount per person per night, children included.

 

[CruznLexi]

You can also add it to your cruise fare and pay it with your cruise faire with your final payment. You can even pay it up to 48 prior to sailing.

 

[PrincessTrisha]

my bill is never a surprise to me at the end of the cruise. Every time you charge something (drinks, shopping, bingo, etc) you are handed a slip to sign. I save these to match up to my final bill.

Room service is included in your cruise fare but the expected gratuity is not.

 

[jrabbit]

Standard tips are easy to calculate ....

Currently it is $12 per guest per night of the cruise

so for example 4 guests on a 7 night cruise ... DCL will charge your account
$12 x 4 guests x 7 nights = $336

If you order drinks from room service or a "bar" - you will be charged for the drink and will sign a charge slip that details the cost (including the automatic tip). Soda, juice, milk, "standard" coffee and "standard" water are included in the cost of your cruise for dinners. you can get these for "free" at lunch too.

the BIG budget "surprises" are...
Excursions through DCL
purchasing photos in Shutters
"adult" drinks, specialty coffees and smoothies
Spa services

There again, you will know about these at the time you sign up for them or when you sign for them when the service / product has been delivered.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Standard tips are easy to calculate ....

Currently it is $12 per guest per night of the cruise

so for example 4 guests on a 7 night cruise ... DCL will charge your account
$12 x 4 guests x 7 nights = $336

If you order drinks from room service or a "bar" - you will be charged for the drink and will sign a charge slip that details the cost (including the automatic tip). Soda, juice, milk, "standard" coffee and "standard" water are included in the cost of your cruise for dinners. you can get these for "free" at lunch too.

the BIG budget "surprises" are...
Excursions through DCL
purchasing photos in Shutters
"adult" drinks, specialty coffees and smoothies
Spa services

There again, you will know about these at the time you sign up for them or when you sign for them when the service / product has been delivered.

Just clarifying a little: sodas will also have a charge (with auto tip) from bars/lounges, room service, pool side servers.

 

[Justacruiser]

I am completely confused about how tipping works and how things get charged to your credit card.

(1) So people tip in cash and it still gets charged on your bill at the end of your stay regardless (so you tip twice)?

(2) I do not drink at all and i will not dine in a restaurant that i have to pay out of pocket for. So What will be on my bill at end of my stay? I was reading how people got bills at the end of the cruise for amounts, that they were completely shocked about. This really scares me..I like to budget. When i go to Disney World i already have my cash for food and spending and with Disney Cruise it seems you have to only use a credit card and no cash?

I am a cash only cruiser. So, what I do on the first day after board is go to Customer Service and give them some money that I have budgeted for the cruise. I include the $12 per day per person cruising, money for excursion that I have identified that I want to do, and then a couple of hundred for suvs.

If I need to put more cash before the end I just go to Customer Service, but generally I go pick up some remaining funds prior to departing the ship.

Two nights from getting off the ship you will get envelopes for each of the 4 service folks that recieve tips. Also it will have a piece of paper that is tabbed and has your CM's names and amounts that they are to recieve. The piece of paper means nothing except provides you a way to thank CM's and hand them something the last night or departure morning. In my most recent cruises, I don't hand them anything. I figure they will get it on the paycheck.

Just a quick overview, I really prefer the cash method. Just remember, if you sign your name for anything they are offering, you are paying!

 

[ALCooper3]

I am completely confused about how tipping works and how things get charged to your credit card.

(1) So people tip in cash and it still gets charged on your bill at the end of your stay regardless (so you tip twice)?

(2) I do not drink at all and i will not dine in a restaurant that i have to pay out of pocket for. So What will be on my bill at end of my stay? I was reading how people got bills at the end of the cruise for amounts, that they were completely shocked about. This really scares me..I like to budget. When i go to Disney World i already have my cash for food and spending and with Disney Cruise it seems you have to only use a credit card and no cash?

I think some of the other posters have clarified how the tipping amount is calculated. The gratuity charge is now automatically added to your account. No other charges will be added unless you actually buy something or do an excursion. you have the option of going to guest services to change the gratuity amount or even remove it completely. On our last cruise we paid entirely with cash. We did not give the money to guest services but directly to the servers in the provided envelopes ( we also tipped well over the recommended amount because the service was great).
I want to clarify that you do not have to use a credit card on DCL. We pay for everything with cash and never give our credit info to DCL. If you choose the cash pay option during the registration process, you will automatically get a $300 cash spending limit and any time you purchase something (like photos or in the gift shops) they will swipe your KTTW (key to the world, the room key) and you will need to go pay at guest services. We choose to pay each night, but you can wait to pay on the last night. You just are not allowed to get credit for more than $300 without putting money on the account first. Hope this helps clarify a little.

 

[mrsmith9]

Gratuities of $12 per person per night are automatically added to your on-board account at the end of the cruise. In the grand scheme of things this isn’t very much. However, after already paying several thousand for a cruise I feel like I’m being nickeled and dimmed with these automatic gratuities atomically added.

To improve guest relations and perception, why not just include the extra $12 per person per night to the base fair. 2 people on a three night would be $2,441 instead of $2,369 barely a noticeable difference, and Disney can set themselves apart by touting the fact that unlike other cruise lines you don’t need to tip their servers or room attendant, unless you desire to provide them extra.

 

[mrsmith9]

You can also add it to your cruise fare and pay it with your cruise faire with your final payment. You can even pay it up to 48 prior to sailing.

Why would you pre-pay it if they are just going to charge it to your on board account anyway? Why give Disney an interest free loan?

 

[wwwosie]

Why would you pre-pay it if they are just going to charge it to your on board account anyway? Why give Disney an interest free loan?

1.- One less thing to worry about
2.- it becomes part of your budget. And if you think about it, you are already giving then a free loan since the cruise is paid 90 days out. $84.00 a person for a 7 day cruise won't earn you much interst.
3.- If you use the Disney rewards Visa card, you have 6 months to pay it off. This also works if you prepay on board charges. It doesn't work if you pay your onboard charges with the card once on the ship, then it becomes a regular purchase.

 

[gssmks]

A little off subject, but it's not always true that there won't be shocks. On our first cruise, I registered a credit card to be billed. I went through my cruise without checking my balance because I felt confident that I knew what the total would be since I had all my signed receipts. When I got my bill, I was extremely shocked. My card had been charged for someone else's excursions. Not sure how that happened. It took almost 6 months to get it straightened out and the charges removed from my card. I don't know why it took them so long to realize that my family of 2 could not have been doing the Mayan Adventure for a family of 5 at the exact same time that we were in a submarine at the bottom of the ocean in Cozumel. I haven't allowed Disney put my onboard charges to a credit card since. I settle up with cash at the end of the cruise after seeing an itemized list of every thing billed to my account.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Gratuities of $12 per person per night are automatically added to your on-board account at the end of the cruise. In the grand scheme of things this isn’t very much. However, after already paying several thousand for a cruise I feel like I’m being nickeled and dimmed with these automatic gratuities atomically added.

To improve guest relations and perception, why not just include the extra $12 per person per night to the base fair. 2 people on a three night would be $2,441 instead of $2,369 barely a noticeable difference, and Disney can set themselves apart by touting the fact that unlike other cruise lines you don’t need to tip their servers or room attendant, unless you desire to provide them extra.

There are several other cruiselines that have what they call a "hotel service charge". It really just the gratuities under a different name. And, while it's possible to remove them, it's difficult. You have to give reasons why you are removing them. And anyone receiving cash tips has to turn them in until it's determined whether or not your tips (HSC) was in place or not. If you remove your HSC, and tip in cash, the person receiving the cash must turn it in to be pooled and divided among those who get paid out of the HSC. And it usually covers back of the scenes personnel, also.

DCL is trying to make it easier to handle the tipping concept, while still allowing it to be a personal choice if you tip or not.

 

[jrabbit]

Gratuities of $12 per person per night are automatically added to your on-board account at the end of the cruise. In the grand scheme of things this isn’t very much. However, after already paying several thousand for a cruise I feel like I’m being nickeled and dimmed with these automatic gratuities atomically added.

To improve guest relations and perception, why not just include the extra $12 per person per night to the base fair. 2 people on a three night would be $2,441 instead of $2,369 barely a noticeable difference, and Disney can set themselves apart by touting the fact that unlike other cruise lines you don’t need to tip their servers or room attendant, unless you desire to provide them extra.

The reason they don't just raise the price is because then they will be "EVEN MORE" expensive than the other cruise lines than they are now.

Frankly, I am NOT in favor of the "Automatic Gratuity" - I understand why it has been implemented. BUT as the servers / stewards become more accustomed to "earning" it from everyone, I have the fear that DCL's service will fall to the levels of other cruise lines - and that will not be good. We took a NCL cruise - the itinerary was awesome, and the cruise was very inexpensive, and the timing worked out perfectly. BUT we could not have bought our DCL experience on NCL, and if you want to get nickled and dimed, NCL has it down to an art. One last rant - Freestyle cruising means you are invisible to the staff!