When did Celebrity start charging gratuities for the third person in a cabin?

[dgraham]

When I examined my final billing from Celebrity it had a $144 gratuity charge for the third person in the cabin, but when I make the booking back in February of 2020, there was no gratuity charge for the third person. Was this changed in the intervening time? Or did they make a mistake in the original booking.

[davekathy]

12 minutes ago, dgraham said:

When I examined my final billing from Celebrity it had a $144 gratuity charge for the third person in the cabin, but when I make the booking back in February of 2020, there was no gratuity charge for the third person. Was this changed in the intervening time? Or did they make a mistake in the original booking.

I always thought everyone was charged a gratuity for the stateroom attendant and the MDR wait staff. As it should be. 

[Chewbecca]

We’ve always paid grats for our son when he sailed with us.

 

Rightly so I think, more work for the room attendant, waiters, drink staff, everyone.

[mom says]

AFAIK, gratuities have always been charged for every guest. As they should be.

[wrk2cruise]

Could this be an issue with AI.   I believe AI is only included with the first 2 guests in the cabin so tips for the third person would be charged daily?

[LGW59]

3 hours ago, dgraham said:

When I examined my final billing from Celebrity it had a $144 gratuity charge for the third person in the cabin, but when I make the booking back in February of 2020, there was no gratuity charge for the third person. Was this changed in the intervening time? Or did they make a mistake in the original booking.

wondering if you think the additional cabin guest should or should not be paying gratuities?

[mfs2k]

Hard to imagine how anyone could think a third guest shouldn’t pay gratuities but if the OP thought that was a Celebrity included item I think they were wrong. 

[mommysoncruiser]

You must have booked before December 9, 2020 because on the FAQ it states that the always included applies to all guest in the stateroom unless you booked before that date listed above. It only applies to passenger 1 and 2 if you booked before 12/09/2020. I would inquire about this if you booked after this date.

[LGW59]

3 minutes ago, mommysoncruiser said:

You must have booked before December 9, 2020 because on the FAQ it states that the always included applies to all guest in the stateroom unless you booked before that date listed above. It only applies to passenger 1 and 2 if you booked before 12/09/2020. I would inquire about this if you booked after this date.

Inquire sure, but pay the gratuities!

[mommysoncruiser]

Just now, LGW59 said:

Inquire sure, but pay the gratuities!

As I said, inquire about it because if it is an error you don't have to pay again. Pay only if you owe it or want to pay extra. No one can tell the OP they have to pay an extra gratuity if it is not owed. They should inquire to see if they owe it or not.

[kwokpot]

This post is a classic example of asking for advice but not giving enough information for people to supply informed opinions.

[LGW59]

27 minutes ago, mommysoncruiser said:

As I said, inquire about it because if it is an error you don't have to pay again. Pay only if you owe it or want to pay extra. No one can tell the OP they have to pay an extra gratuity if it is not owed. They should inquire to see if they owe it or not.

And as I said, pay the gratuities .  The title of the thread clearly indicated they don’t want to pay gratuities for 3rd person.  OP please correct me if am wrong.

Edited November 17, 2021 by LGW59

[dkjretired]

Years ago this was the topic of many threads. When we first sailed with Celebrity in the early 90s the tips for children were 50% of the  first and second. We traveled with our kids numerous times and paid the 50%. I am guessing it was close to twenty years ago that tips for third and fourth became the same as first and second. If my memory serves me correctly the kids were 50% under a certain age. Adults were always full amount.

 

Also, they did do sales included tips years ago.

Edited November 17, 2021 by dkjretired

[OCruisers]

Everyone in the cabin has always been charged with gratuities

[Denny01]

No sure what there is to ‘inquire’ about. The OP is asking if the 3rd person is charged gratuities and Everyone is saying yes, which Ill join in on. Yes, my daughter joined us and paid gratuities. As you’d expect.  I don’t quite understand what the issue is. 

 

Also Not sure what the statement “when I make the booking back in February of 2020, there was no gratuity charge for the third person” is suppose to even mean. To me it ‘means’ the 3rd person wasn’t pre-charged gratuities and therefore……

 

Quick gratuities Story: Took one of the last X cruises of the Mercury and my family went with a friends’ large family group. The woman who self-assigned herself as lead of the group went up and took the gratuity charges off for our granddaughter along with the other children. I was Very upset she did this without asking. She said ‘she’s only a baby and shouldn’t be charged’. I explained very clearly that our granddaughter made a complete mess of the SR and the staff had a big job taking care of it. I put it back on and told the woman to mind her own business.

 

Love all the excuses people use to not take care of the staff that takes such good care of them……and the OP isn’t doing that, just asking a question, which I personally think had an obvious response. In fact, a 3rd person in a SR would seem to add even more work for the steward team than ‘normal’. 

 

den

 

 

 

[dkjretired]

Your story is a perfect description of the tipping threads years ago.

[mommysoncruiser]

Inquire inquire inquire

[dgraham]

As the original poster, I certainly don't mind paying well earned gratuities for the third person, but was only  interested in when the change took place. I think a previous poster noted that for bookings made after 12/09/2020 the rules changed and I appreciated his/her comments. I just wondered why my invoice went from payments for the first two, to payments for all three.

 

And it is nice to find that the AI benefits now covers not just two, but all three in the cabin.

[dkjretired]

39 minutes ago, dgraham said:

As the original poster, I certainly don't mind paying well earned gratuities for the third person, but was only  interested in when the change took place. I think a previous poster noted that for bookings made after 12/09/2020 the rules changed and I appreciated his/her comments. I just wondered why my invoice went from payments for the first two, to payments for all three.

 

And it is nice to find that the AI benefits now covers not just two, but all three in the cabin.

I would guess there was a special reason for your last cruise. I have been sailing them for over thirty years and they always charged gratuities for third or fourth

[mommysoncruiser]

52 minutes ago, dgraham said:

As the original poster, I certainly don't mind paying well earned gratuities for the third person, but was only  interested in when the change took place. I think a previous poster noted that for bookings made after 12/09/2020 the rules changed and I appreciated his/her comments. I just wondered why my invoice went from payments for the first two, to payments for all three.

 

And it is nice to find that the AI benefits now covers not just two, but all three in the cabin.

Glad I could actually answer your question. The rest of it is noise (full of opinions) instead of actually answering your question. Typical!

[davekathy]

7 hours ago, dgraham said:

When I examined my final billing from Celebrity it had a $144 gratuity charge for the third person in the cabin, but when I make the booking back in February of 2020, there was no gratuity charge for the third person. Was this changed in the intervening time? Or did they make a mistake in the original booking.

Have you contacted Celebrity concerning this issue? Post with the final answer. 

[dkjretired]

10 hours ago, mommysoncruiser said:

Glad I could actually answer your question. The rest of it is noise (full of opinions) instead of actually answering your question. Typical!

It’s not noise to say that Celebrity has always charged for thirds in a room especially when they ask when did Celebrity start this.

Edited November 18, 2021 by dkjretired

[verizon]

21 hours ago, dgraham said:

When I examined my final billing from Celebrity it had a $144 gratuity charge for the third person in the cabin, but when I make the booking back in February of 2020, there was no gratuity charge for the third person. Was this changed in the intervening time? Or did they make a mistake in the original booking.

Hmmmm! You get away from this that they didn't charge you.

[Jthans24]

Our 13 and 10 yo have been cruising on Celebrity with us since they were babies, and we have always paid grats for all of us in the cabin.

[Bo1953]

1 hour ago, Jthans24 said:

Our 13 and 10 yo have been cruising on Celebrity with us since they were babies, and we have always paid grats for all of us in the cabin.

jt LOL not applicable you have four (4) in the cabin and not three (3)....

 

You may have overpaid the grats, see if you can get a refund... LOL

 

bon voyage