QUEEN VICTORIA - GRATUITIES

[Bav]

I have booked for a cruise in October 2022... Are gratuities now included in price ?

 

Thank you

[Pear Carr]

I would think not.

[majortom10]

2 hours ago, Bav said:

I have booked for a cruise in October 2022... Are gratuities now included in price ?

 

Thank you

No they are not they are $11-50pppd minimum and increase if you are in a grill suite.

[Bav]

than you for the information.

 

[bbtablet]

This Cunard web-site says no, so which is it?!

https://www.cunardline.ch/en/good-know/onboard-regulations

Gratuities

Cunard will not automatically charge gratuities to the on-board account for passengers travelling. Passengers are free to tip cabin and restaurant stewards. Gratuities are welcome, but are not expected. If you still want to reward the entire hotel team on board with a tip, you will find a form in the cabin which can be handed in at Purser's Office on request.

[bluemarble]

First of all, as I see it, there are now two different aspects to the gratuities being discussed here.

 

The first aspect is what the OP asked about as to whether gratuities are included in the price. I took that to mean are gratuities included in the cruise fare you pay prior to embarking the ship as opposed to having them added to your on-board account later.

 

The answer to this first question, which has been addressed in the prior responses, is that gratuities are generally not included in the cruise fare. The exceptions are special promotions which offer to pay the gratuities as one of the terms of those promotions. One such promotion in the US is the "Grill Suite Offer" which includes gratuities for those who book a Grill Suite under the US terms and conditions.

 

The second aspect being brought up now is whether Cunard will automatically add gratuities to your on-board account. The answer to that depends on the country where you have booked the cruise. I'll explain further.

 

If you have booked under the terms and conditions for Germany, Austria or Switzerland, my understanding of the situation is as indicated in the quote from @bbtablet's first reply which was taken from the Cunard site for Switzerland. For those countries, you opt in to paying auto-gratuities by filling out a form which you hand in to the Purser's Office.

 

If you have booked under the terms and conditions of any other country (as far as I know), auto-gratuities are automatically added to your on-board account unless you choose to opt out by visiting the Purser's Office.

 

This distinction between those German-speaking countries and the rest of the world with regard to auto-gratuities was first discussed in this thread from about two years ago.

 

 

[Windsurfboy]

I remember the discussion about the German changes very well.

 

On my last cruise (Nov 2019) I did as I said I would do during that thread. I opted out of auto gratuities,  then asked for the German form so I could opt back in. Caused a bit of consternation at Pursers desk, as they didnt have one to hand, but found one with a bit of searching.  When asked why , I  just said like the Germans, I prefer to be asked politely if I would like to tip ,  not taken for granted.

 

Just confirming I did pay auto gratuities

Edited August 28, 2021 by Windsurfboy