Do you pay for the tips when you make your initial booking?

[Ralphinsc]

I pay them ahead of time so I can start and end the cruise with a zero balance should I choose. Gratuities are nothing more than a service charge just like taxes and port fees. The room stewards and waiters don’t actually get paid them until we leave the ship so it’s not like they are getting any money sooner.

I pay with discounted gift cards so my money is already gone out of my account. Just get them over and done with. And that way if they happen to go up, I’m locked in at the lower price.

 

Highlighted that as another reason to prepay tips. I know it is peanuts, but I pretty much pay for all of my cruises, excursions, cheers; and yes, even tips with gift cards bought through various programs to knock 10% off of the price. So, on a seven day cruise with three people, I save a little bit over $27 on gratuities by pre-paying them with discounted gift cards. Again, it's not much and you could just bring the same discounted cards to load onto your account onboard if you want. (I generally just pay whatever incidental onboard expenses I do occur through whatever OBC and the balance going to a credit card)

[Keys2Heaven]

Highlighted that as another reason to prepay tips. I know it is peanuts, but I pretty much pay for all of my cruises, excursions, cheers; and yes, even tips with gift cards bought through various programs to knock 10% off of the price. So, on a seven day cruise with three people, I save a little bit over $27 on gratuities by pre-paying them with discounted gift cards. Again, it's not much and you could just bring the same discounted cards to load onto your account onboard if you want. (I generally just pay whatever incidental onboard expenses I do occur through whatever OBC and the balance going to a credit card)

 

Good for you! With Verizon out of the hunt, I'm desperately seeking new discounted card outlets.

[firemanbobswife]

Good for you! With Verizon out of the hunt, I'm desperately seeking new discounted card outlets.

AARP, Allstate.

[ScottyZkaaayk]

We always prepay our gratuities when booking. I find that it is easier to pay everything that you can before the actual cruise so you aren't hit with a big charge on your sign and sail account.

[falkensmaze]

I’m not sure if this applies in the US. But here in Europe I have found prepayment of tips worked out slightly Cheaper. Possibly due to a favourable conversion.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[smurfm69]

We have been on 11 cruises and always pre pay the tips. I prefer to pre pay as much as possible on a cruise including purchasing some cruise cash to help keep the final sail & sign bill down. Some cruises were better than others with regards to service by the crew, but ALL were deserving of the tips. We routinely tip a little extra in cash to members that give exemplary service.

[tea4ular]

We don't pay them upon booking, but we do pay them in advance. We're going to pay them anyway, so it's just one more thing to get out of the way (like Cheers, Bottomless Bubbles, or whatever else someone chooses to prepay).

[rissawey2015]

It depends person to person. My last cruise, my husband and I paid tips at the end. This time, we paid them off months before our cruise. We prepaid them so we didn't have a larger bill on the cruise.

 

Sent from my Z982 using Forums mobile app

[AmBear]

We've been on 5 Carnival cruises. The past 2 times we've booked, once through AAA and once while in the ship, we were asked if we wanted to prepay the tips when we made our initial booking.

 

Why would I want to pay for tips one year before I actually get the service?

 

Do people really do this?

We usually do, except when we get on board credit, then we don't!

[kat_mac]

We do, but then I'm Canadian and our dollar sucks. We prepaid as much as we can, so no exchange rate surprised after our trip. We will tip above that if someone does fantastic service

[vamartha]

I certainly do. Every single cruise. No question. They should NOT call it gratuities but they should rename the darn thing a Service Charge.

[gmblr]

I prepay, and if someone goes beyond I'll give them extra on the ship. They probably work 10-12 hour days. I wouldn't be surprised if they only made about $5/hr. I know it's their choice...