DCL Mandatory Gratuities??

[bgula]

I haven't read the other thread, but here's something for everyone to consider, especially if they're from outside the US.

I found out about this practice on our last cruise on the Magic this past March - however, I wasn't told about it until I saw the charge on my statement. Apparently I was supposed to be told at the beginning of the cruise, but I wasn't. I was ticked, but that's not the main reason why. We prefer to handle the tips with cash rather than on the credit card via room charge. Here's some of the problems if you go that route:

If you have a large family, or it is a longer cruise, or as in my case you aren't told about the auto-tipping charge, your room charge can quickly if not immediately go over the $500 limit where they then charge your credit card.

For me, that means I pay an exchange rate, plus a 2.5% fee to the credit card company for exchanging to US $. If I tell GS to reverse said charge because I want to pay cash instead, they reverse the charge on my credit card - however, now I lose on the exchange back to CDN $, plus I get charged another 2.5%. I end up losing quite a bit of change in the process.

Luckily my account hadn't hit the $500 amount, so my credit card wasn't charged. However, I did make GS aware that I was not happy with this new practice, especially when I hadn't been made aware of it prior to the cruise.

I feel sorry for those people who like to pay cash and don't check their room statements and later on find out that they paid their tips twice. I'm sure it happens. I for one do not agree with pre-charging tips without my prior permission. I don't think Disney has the right to make a charge to my account for something which is "supposedly" a voluntary thing on my part (i.e. tipping).

My 2 cents...

 

[justmestace]

Here's a link to the thread about tipping that was posted a day or two ago....


http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2914496

 

[justmestace]

I haven't read the other thread, but here's something for everyone to consider, especially if they're from outside the US.

I found out about this practice on our last cruise on the Magic this past March - however, I wasn't told about it until I saw the charge on my statement. Apparently I was supposed to be told at the beginning of the cruise, but I wasn't. I was ticked, but that's not the main reason why. We prefer to handle the tips with cash rather than on the credit card via room charge. Here's some of the problems if you go that route:

If you have a large family, or it is a longer cruise, or as in my case you aren't told about the auto-tipping charge, your room charge can quickly if not immediately go over the $500 limit where they then charge your credit card.

For me, that means I pay an exchange rate, plus a 2.5% fee to the credit card company for exchanging to US $. If I tell GS to reverse said charge because I want to pay cash instead, they reverse the charge on my credit card - however, now I lose on the exchange back to CDN $, plus I get charged another 2.5%. I end up losing quite a bit of change in the process.

Luckily my account hadn't hit the $500 amount, so my credit card wasn't charged. However, I did make GS aware that I was not happy with this new practice, especially when I hadn't been made aware of it prior to the cruise.

I feel sorry for those people who like to pay cash and don't check their room statements and later on find out that they paid their tips twice. I'm sure it happens. I for one do not agree with pre-charging tips without my prior permission. I don't think Disney has the right to make a charge to my account for something which is "supposedly" a voluntary thing on my part (i.e. tipping).

My 2 cents...

Whenever something new like this is implemented, it WILL take a while to get the word out, and in your case, I can see where this would have been a problem with the charge card and exchange rate.

But...DCL will now be providing this information when people receive their documents, if not at the time of booking, so I wouldn't feel sorry for anyone who didn't read their documents thoroughly.


ALL of the other cruise lines handle their tipping this way, and if someone isn't happy with their service, there is no problem with going to Guest Services and having the charges removed.

We, too, have always paid cash. I don't want to add to our credit card bills, and I almost always tip extra. From now on, I'll just add extra cash to the tip envelopes, and also, if I don't want my credit card charged up, I'll add cash to my account, either before or during the cruise.

 

[BriarRosie]

I am one of those people who prefer the cashless shipboard account method. That's how I tipped on the previous cruise, designating the amounts on the piece of paper at Guest Services.

I'm glad I will be able to skip the line and have it taken care of for me. I never liked dealing with cash for the tips on all the prior cruises I've taken. I am one of those people who always read the cruise paperwork for every cruise I've taken the past 20 years. Each document packet always listed "suggested" tip amounts for each tipped position. I never had a problem with that, as I viewed it similarly to tipping waitstaff in restaurants here in the US.

 

[Tondakea]

Nice thought...but the real issue happened when the Magic was in the Med with many non-US cruisers. Many countries have different tipping cultures than the US does, and the servers/hosts were getting stiffed on a regular basis. DCL instituted the tip charging on those cruises, and then continued them when the Magic returned to Port Canaveral. The staff was happy. Most of the guests were happy...so they expanded the automatic charging to the other ships.

Having done it both ways, I find the charging easier.

Great explanation!

We're always pleased with the service - suggested rate has always been a minimum.

First class service. Keep it up.

 

[crashbb]

For me, that means I pay an exchange rate, plus a 2.5% fee to the credit card company for exchanging to US $. If I tell GS to reverse said charge because I want to pay cash instead, they reverse the charge on my credit card - however, now I lose on the exchange back to CDN $, plus I get charged another 2.5%. I end up losing quite a bit of change in the process.

OFF TOPIC...

I've had that happen (for other reasons) and I've been able to get my credit card to reserve the charges for the exchange fee on the return, so I do end up not losing money.

I've also been told by my credit company to get the merchant (in this case DCL) to contact them (the credit card company) so that the charges can be reversed, rather than refunded which avoids the problem entirely.

 

[sissy_ib]

I haven't read the other thread, but here's something for everyone to consider, especially if they're from outside the US.

I found out about this practice on our last cruise on the Magic this past March - however, I wasn't told about it until I saw the charge on my statement. Apparently I was supposed to be told at the beginning of the cruise, but I wasn't. I was ticked, but that's not the main reason why. We prefer to handle the tips with cash rather than on the credit card via room charge. Here's some of the problems if you go that route:

If you have a large family, or it is a longer cruise, or as in my case you aren't told about the auto-tipping charge, your room charge can quickly if not immediately go over the $500 limit where they then charge your credit card.

For me, that means I pay an exchange rate, plus a 2.5% fee to the credit card company for exchanging to US $. If I tell GS to reverse said charge because I want to pay cash instead, they reverse the charge on my credit card - however, now I lose on the exchange back to CDN $, plus I get charged another 2.5%. I end up losing quite a bit of change in the process.

Luckily my account hadn't hit the $500 amount, so my credit card wasn't charged. However, I did make GS aware that I was not happy with this new practice, especially when I hadn't been made aware of it prior to the cruise.

I feel sorry for those people who like to pay cash and don't check their room statements and later on find out that they paid their tips twice. I'm sure it happens. I for one do not agree with pre-charging tips without my prior permission. I don't think Disney has the right to make a charge to my account for something which is "supposedly" a voluntary thing on my part (i.e. tipping).

My 2 cents...

You get the tip envelopes and a letter explaining it was charged to your room the second to last night. So unless someone just throws that out with the tip coupons there is no way they would accidently tip twice.
Also, you can settle your bill at GS with cash if that is easier for you.

I know on the Magic we were actually charged the second to last night, not the first day. I think that is a good system because it gives people time to go to GS if they want to add cash to their account or change the amount. I hope they keep it this way and don't actually charge you as soon as you check in.