Please help me understand the pre-paid gratuity...

[Mousemommy1]

Our trip is in 10 days! I am trying to figure out how much money we will be doling out.

I found this chart for pre-paid gratuities...https://www.smallworldvacations.com/blog/post.cfm/auto-prepaid-gratuities-on-all-disney-cruise-ships

We are on a 4 night cruise. So, with the estimated $48/pp -- is that for the 4 nights total, as in $240 (there are 5 of us), or $240 for each night, which would be $960??

$1000 in tips seems crazy, but we've never done a cruise before, so I have no idea...

Thanks!

 

[Ofinn]

It will be 240 for the whole cruise. It's 12.00 pp per day.

 

[Kimberly9701]

Our trip is in 10 days! I am trying to figure out how much money we will be doling out.

I found this chart for pre-paid gratuities...https://www.smallworldvacations.com/blog/post.cfm/auto-prepaid-gratuities-on-all-disney-cruise-ships

We are on a 4 night cruise. So, with the estimated $48/pp -- is that for the 4 nights total, as in $240 (there are 5 of us), or $240 for each night, which would be $960??

$1000 in tips seems crazy, but we've never done a cruise before, so I have no idea...

Thanks!

I haven't been on DCL, but $1k in tips for 4 nights sounds a bit (or massively) too high.lol

Do you have the option to pre pay? Our cruise is not til November and I didn't see that option..would be nice!

 

[Mousemommy1]

It will be 240 for the whole cruise. It's 12.00 pp per day.

Ok, phew!! Haha, at $1000 I was wondering how people chose to pay extra, lol

We consider ourselves good tippers, but man!

 

[Mousemommy1]

I haven't been on DCL, but $1k in tips for 4 nights sounds a bit (or massively) too high.lol

Do you have the option to pre pay? Our cruise is not til November and I didn't see that option..would be nice!

I didn't see an option on line. All I could gather is that is what will be charged to your account.

 

[Ofinn]

I didn't see an option on line. All I could gather is that is what will be charged to your account.

You can call and pay. You can also add on board credit to your account. I will be calling soon to add money to upcoming cruise to pay for Palo, internet, alcohol etc. I like getting off the ship and not having a bill.

 

[Kimberly9701]

You can call and pay. You can also add on board credit to your account. I will be calling soon to add money to upcoming cruise to pay for Palo, internet, alcohol etc. I like getting off the ship and not having a bill.

Great info!!!

 

[Mousemommy1]

You can call and pay. You can also add on board credit to your account. I will be calling soon to add money to upcoming cruise to pay for Palo, internet, alcohol etc. I like getting off the ship and not having a bill.

Ok, perfect!!! I may just do that! We have the tips, an excursion, Palo and some time in the nursery to pay for...

 

[Pooh2]

Where do you find the phone number to prepay tips? On the cruiseline website?

 

[lanejudy]

It's just the regular DCL phone number: 1-800-951-3532. If you used a TA, the TA will have to call. Unless your cruise is this weekend, I suggest waiting until after the opening day craziness today/tomorrow calms down.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[Naomi Collison]

If you put too much money in your on board account, can you get a refund for what wasn't spent? I like the idea of getting off the cruise and not worrying about a bill, but this is the first time 7 of the 9 of us have cruised and we have NO idea how much we will need.

 

[bcwife76]

Wouldn't 4 nights be $192 in gratuities? That's what ours was on our 4 night last Fall.

 

[SirDuff]

Wouldn't 4 nights be $192 in gratuities? That's what ours was on our 4 night last Fall.

It would be if there are four you. The OP has give people, so an extra $48 - bringing it to $240.

 

[daisyx3]

We prepaid but then we paid more on the ship, especially for our stateroom host who was awesome. They did say some people come down and subtract from tips rather than add to them?!

 

[bcwife76]

It would be if there are four you. The OP has give people, so an extra $48 - bringing it to $240.

Oh my gosh, you're totally right, I read her original post as 4 people not 5!

 

[nharding20]

I've read (somewhere) about people putting tips in envelopes for different cast members. Is this in addition to what they are charging for gratuities? Do people typically tip twice? (taking our first cruise in August - I have a lot to learn yet!)

 

[FigmentSpark]

Is anyone tipped at the time of service? ie: Palo/Remy staff, bar, spa, rainforest? I think I read that room service is tipped at time of service, so have bills on hand, but what about other places on the ship?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I've read (somewhere) about people putting tips in envelopes for different cast members. Is this in addition to what they are charging for gratuities? Do people typically tip twice? (taking our first cruise in August - I have a lot to learn yet!)

The gratuities are added to your onboard account. The amount added is $12.00 per guest (each person in a room is a guest) per night. That $12.00 breaks out to $4.00 per guest per night to your room host; $4.00 per guest per night to your dining room server; $3.00 per guest per night to your assistant server; and $1.00 per guest per night to your head server.

At the end of the cruise, you'll receive (with your nightly turn down service) a coupon sheet and envelopes.


On the sheet it's indicated who the tip is for (name, position title) and the amount. You separate the coupons and place them in the corresponding envelopes (printed with position title) and hand them out the last night. You may add additional cash at this time, if you wish. OR you can visit Guest Services anytime prior to the coupons being delivered to you to increase/decrease/remove the gratuities. You'll still get the envelopes, however for tipping.

You can call DCL and had the gratuities added to the cost of the cruise (so it's paid for when the cruise is paid for) and then there's not as big a "sticker shock" at the end of the cruise. Or you can just let it be added to your onboard charges.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Is anyone tipped at the time of service? ie: Palo/Remy staff, bar, spa, rainforest? I think I read that room service is tipped at time of service, so have bills on hand, but what about other places on the ship?

Room service, porters, excursion guides/drivers can all be tipped upon service. Palo/Remy you can either tip cash, or add it to the charge slip you sign at the end of the meal (added to your onboard account). Bar purchase have an auto gratuity of 15% added. Spa has an 18% auto gratuity.

 

[KatRob]

When I booked our cruise, my TA and I couldn't figure out why it came out $100+ more when she confirmed it through DCL. When I got my cruise docs, it said I had pre-paid gratuities...my TA wasn't aware that's where the extra charge came from until then. Glad it's paid for and just one less thing not to see on that final bill!