Confirmation includes "pre paid gratuities"???

[graygables]

color me confused. We are booked on our 2nd DCL cruise, the Magic next November and I just received our confirmation. It shows $228.75 in "pre paid gratuities" and that amount is included in the total due. Now, we are sailing with a CM discount (DD is a CM), but I don't know why they would automatically include gratuities in our fare. I don't like that idea b/c I don't tip until AFTER the service is rendered to my satisfaction.

Any ideas???

 

[lbgraves]

That is odd. I know that outside of the US this is done regularly but you are listed as being in Ohio. I just rebooked onboard & the confirmation that I received does not have tips listed at all. Have you called DCL to ask them about this? The Med cruises have the tips prepaid but our 12/8/07 doesn't.

 

[inkkognito]

I think they do that for travel agent rates, so CM rates might work the same way.

 

[cats mom]

I just posted about this on another thread, but I admitted it has been awhile since I had access to TA info from DCL. Looks like I was right and policy has not changed. (couldn't imagine that it had - but you just never know)

When you cruise using TA or CM discounted rates you are required to prepay tips - no negotiating on that one. You pay the minimum suggested amounts before you ever board, or you don't board.

Some of those TA/CM rates are pretty incredible. I can't imagine stiffing the crew on tips when you're already saving so much on the cost of the cruise, but rumor has it that it was a fairly common occurance before they started the prepaid tips rule.

 

[LoriS]

As a cast member, all gratuities are included with the price of your cruise. I think it was the second to last day on board, we basically got coupons and envelopes. Each coupon listed the crew members name and the amount they were getting. You just put the coupon in the envelope and give it to them. You can always leave extra if you want to.

 

[graygables]

When you cruise using TA or CM discounted rates you are required to prepay tips - no negotiating on that one. You pay the minimum suggested amounts before you ever board, or you don't board.

Some of those TA/CM rates are pretty incredible. I can't imagine stiffing the crew on tips when you're already saving so much on the cost of the cruise, but rumor has it that it was a fairly common occurance before they started the prepaid tips rule.

A-ha. Thanks, everyone for clearing that up (and my next question was going to be about adding more!). The CM rate isn't all that incredible for our cruise, not that I'm complaining, mind you, but I was just surprised about the gratuities.

 

[eeyoregon]

Now, we are sailing with a CM discount (DD is a CM), but I don't know why they would automatically include gratuities in our fare.

When you book on a cast member rate the gratuities are included in the total price of the cruise. You can give more if you wish but not less. I assume they do this so that cast members don't "accidently" forget to tip.

 

[Lil' Grumpy]

, we had no idea.

however, on the 11-day, we had agents cruising and they did not eat
in rotation as not to tip. they made this quite clear.

wonder if there is an expectation for additional tipping that they
were talking about?

however, reading how things were before...skipping out on tips may
explain some other type of behaviors we saw...[no reference to the
couple we had lunch with]

they also talked how they were doing the cruise..let's say it was not
par for the norm.

 

[mmouse37]

I have sailed on CM rates several times (used to be a CM) and they always include prepaid gratuities....it was wonderful. At the end of the cruise there would be vouchers for our envelopes and we always added more in cash but it was a great deal to have the tips included. Don't understand why anyone not want to have prepaid tips...it is a great value and the staff is still getting their tips...just from DCL not from you. The tips are the same amount as if I was a full paying guest so the CM's are not getting stiffed at all.

 

[IrishCowboy]

Unbelievable that some folks can be so CHEAP!!!!

If you can't afford to pay the suggested tips, then you can't afford to go on the cruise. PERIOD!

It is sad to hear that some folks would avoid dinner rotations just so feel that they don't have to tip their servers.

 

[cruisecrzy]

Graygables your daughter can explain the specifics, but anytime you use the CM rate be it the cruise or a discount at a restaurant the tip is included. The started this nearly ten years ago it memory serves right. A poster said it best...CM were "forgetting" to tip. I will let your daughter elaborate.

Also, if you are booked that far out then you are on a CM Space Confirmed (I believe that is the proper name) rate....much different $$ then the CM rate you may have been thinking of. Your DD should be able to explain the difference if not PM me and I can.

 

[lbgraves]

, we had no idea.

however, on the 11-day, we had agents cruising and they did not eat
in rotation as not to tip. they made this quite clear.

wonder if there is an expectation for additional tipping that they
were talking about?

however, reading how things were before...skipping out on tips may
explain some other type of behaviors we saw...[no reference to the
couple we had lunch with]

they also talked how they were doing the cruise..let's say it was not
par for the norm.

Good grief! How tacky. I sure hope that they don't counsel their clients to do the same thing.

 

[NYGiantsRule!]

Lisa are the tips included in the med cruises? I didn't know this. It will help with excursion planning if I don't have to put that money aside. Thanks!

 

[married@wdw]

Yes, tips a prepaid as part of a CM rate. And please note that with CM rates, they will show an additional charge to your room for your tips, but if you look carefully, there should also be a credit for that tip total as well. That's how they print the coupons -- seems weird, but we travelled with three cabins on the CM rate and they did the same for all. We FREAKED OUT when we checked our bill just after they charged our room for the tips and before they'd credited them back -- the total was so much higher than expected, I nearly passed out. But all was good in the end!

ENJOY!

 

[lbgraves]

Lisa are the tips included in the med cruises? I didn't know this. It will help with excursion planning if I don't have to put that money aside. Thanks!

That is part of the package if you book onboard.

 

[lillygator]

I kind of wish they had prepaid gratuities...most other cruise lines offer the option.

 

[cindalu]

i don't agree with that. I think sometimes the service suffers if they know what they are getting ahead of time. I noticed this at WDW this year when we on the dining plan. I think the service lacked a little bit.

JMO

You can take it for what it is worth


Lucinda

 

[graygables]

I'm thinking the servers/stateroom staff don't know who has prepaid and who hasn't. I was just concerned b/c on our last cruise we had some issues with the stateroom host that had to be addressed to a supervisor and could have (but didn't) impact the gratuity.

I do tend to tip more, though, so do I just ask at the desk for them to add it on?

 

[cruisecrzy]

Lucinda,

Unfortuneately I do agree with you. There are times that I have found that our service suffered when we came in with a coupon tht included gratuity. This has not only been the case, but we have had it happen on a few occassions. The last was when we went to Artist Point and the server knew we had dining coupons and his minimum tip would be a hefty penny since there were 5 plus a little one. It was by far the worst service we ever had. We had to flag someone down to get refills. We rarely do this, but we actually complained and they sent a girl over who gave teh kids stickers and coloring things that made them smile, but our server still got his big tip.

Graygables,
I have been on six DCL cruises and never found that the service suffered. They do know ahead of time that you are on a CM package. But I have never felt slighted in service.

 

[lillygator]

But when booking with other cruises its an option to pay ahead...not a must....so they would not know who has prepaid or not.