Another Unannounced Change??

[jelayne]

Did I miss something?  I just was in the Cruise Planner to book the Roof Top Grill on our upcoming Edge cruise and the gratuity has changed from 18% on reservations we booked as recent as 3 weeks ago to now 20%.

 

Is this another unannounced change they hope  we won't notice?

 

[RichYak]

How else do you expect them to pay for butler severance packages?

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Yes, another stealth change that Celebrity is hoping will fly under the radar.

[jelayne]

17 minutes ago, RichYak said:

How else do you expect them to pay for butler severance packages?

They could use the extra $4.50 pp pd those in SS are paying in extra gratuity with no butler LOL

[keesar]

25 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Did I miss something?  I just was in the Cruise Planner to book the Roof Top Grill on our upcoming Edge cruise and the gratuity has changed from 18% on reservations we booked as recent as 3 weeks ago to now 20%.

 

Is this another unannounced change they hope  we won't notice?

 

If you paid  18%  3 weeks ago, consider yourself fortunate.  Over a month ago, I had paid 20% and that amount was stated in the checkout. It amounts to $1.60 for a couple at the Roof Top and I can afford that for the quality of service we all receive.

Edited July 31, 2023 by keesar

[jelayne]

2 hours ago, keesar said:

If you paid  18%  3 weeks ago, consider yourself fortunate.  Over a month ago, I had paid 20% and that amount was stated in the checkout. It amounts to $1.60 for a couple at the Roof Top and I can afford that for the quality of service we all receive.

We can afford it also, the point isn’t cost it is another unannounced change.  

[1Virgo]

disappointed Celebrity is doing something again with no heads up.  Most companies advise their customers that increases/changes  will be implemented on a certain date.  Celebrity management seems to prefer a sneaky route.    IMO, not professional and beneath the level I always thought of Celebrity as

[NutsAboutGolf]

Phew, turn-down service for steerage (like us) lives to see at least one more day!  Back to the topic on hand, you wonder the motivation of upping the gratuities since it supposedly goes all to the crew, are they now paying them less salary?

[MamaFej]

At this point, I'm hoping they won't start charging extra for using the tenders. 

[hcat]

1 hour ago, MamaFej said:

At this point, I'm hoping they won't start charging extra for using the tenders. 

made me laugh but pls don't give them any ideas!

[MamaFej]

Just now, hcat said:

made me laugh but pls don't give them any ideas!

Oops Sorry about that. It only occured to me after the edit window closed. 

[dacrow]

What exactly do you expect? Would you want them to issue a press release every time there is a price change (in this case amounting to $1.60 per couple)? It’s not like they are hiding the new price or asking someone who has already booked at the old price to now pay more. So what exactly is so awful about what they have done? 

[NutsAboutGolf]

8 minutes ago, dacrow said:

What exactly do you expect? Would you want them to issue a press release every time there is a price change (in this case amounting to $1.60 per couple)? It’s not like they are hiding the new price or asking someone who has already booked at the old price to now pay more. So what exactly is so awful about what they have done? 

 

A press release is a pretty big leap...X did set precedence with emailing us every time the gratuities increase...Sounds like the OP is indeed wanting an email whether or not you agree with them

 

[notmyfirstname]

YES!

[dacrow]

The email about gratuity changes was for the general gratuities that all guests pay. Since many people booked a cruise at one listed gratuity rate it makes sense they would let those that have already booked know they amounts are increasing and to let them prepay at they original rate since that’s what they were promised when they booked. 
 

But in this case the gratuity change is for specialty dining that only impacts future bookings. It seems like overkill to to me email everyone with an existing booking about such a small change when that change is clearly listed when you go to book specialty dining. 

This just doesn’t seem like such a huge issue to me. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

4 minutes ago, dacrow said:

The email about gratuity changes was for the general gratuities that all guests pay. Since many people booked a cruise at one listed gratuity rate it makes sense they would let those that have already booked know they amounts are increasing and to let them prepay at they original rate since that’s what they were promised when they booked. 
 

But in this case the gratuity change is for specialty dining that only impacts future bookings. It seems like overkill to to me email everyone with an existing booking about such a small change when that change is clearly listed when you go to book specialty dining. 

This just doesn’t seem like such a huge issue to me. 

 

I'm a big fan of transparency so I respectfully disagree with you.  With the gratuity email, for non-suite guests on a typical 7 night sailing one's gratuity only goes up $3.50 which is still only pennies more than the $1.60 yet X still sends out an email notifying you of the increase

[OysterD]

47 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

I'm a big fan of transparency so I respectfully disagree with you.  With the gratuity email, for non-suite guests on a typical 7 night sailing one's gratuity only goes up $3.50 which is still only pennies more than the $1.60 yet X still sends out an email notifying you of the increase

And I have to disagree with you. Do you expect an email every time they increase the price of any particular beer, glass of wine or cocktail on board? Does your favourite local restaurant or bar email you or call you to let you know they're putting prices up? Never happens. The prices just go up.

 

Gratuities are different because they are automatically added to everyone's onboard account. A visit to a specialty restaurant is entirely optional, just like buying a beer or glass of wine onboard. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

43 minutes ago, OysterD said:

And I have to disagree with you. Do you expect an email every time they increase the price of any particular beer, glass of wine or cocktail on board? Does your favourite local restaurant or bar email you or call you to let you know they're putting prices up? Never happens. The prices just go up.

 

Gratuities are different because they are automatically added to everyone's onboard account. A visit to a specialty restaurant is entirely optional, just like buying a beer or glass of wine onboard. 

 

I'll explain my position in a different way...Specialty restaurants are bookable in the cruise planner; it's something you purchase in advance to save money vs paying more once on board

[Pinboy]

2 hours ago, dacrow said:

So what exactly is so awful about what they have done? 

Nothing !! No big deal, a small increase.

If it bothers ya, eat more !!

Ya think Madame Chartrand posts a "warning" ,oops notice, every time she raises the price of her " famous " burgers and poutine ?

Actually -- she does " notify " us of price changes----

She draws a line through the old price and writes the new price ---

( nobody calculates the % increase or questions it ). 

 

[NMTraveller]

I would also suspect to see this 20% gravitate towards drink packages and drinks...

 

 

Edited August 1, 2023 by NMTraveller

[keesar]

4 hours ago, jelayne said:

We can afford it also, the point isn’t cost it is another unannounced change.  

 

When I made the reservation and was checking out, there was a notation of a 20% gratuity being added.  I did have a choice to "cancel" or to proceed.  I chose to pay the increase.  I did have a choice.  

 

 

 

 

 

[agape01]

6 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

A press release is a pretty big leap...X did set precedence with emailing us every time the gratuities increase...Sounds like the OP is indeed wanting an email whether or not you agree with them

 

Thanks for letting me know about this.

I have a upcoming cruise in November and I have contacted my TA whether would I incur the difference in gratuity charges/PD as I have fully paid for my cruise.

[Baggy178]

Interestingly the automated gratuity recommended for our cruise represents 27% of our total price.

Which is why we'll be cancelling them and using our OBC for gratuities instead.

These amount to - guess what - 18%.

Glad Celebrity are happy with that level of gratuity.We certainly are.

Edited August 1, 2023 by Baggy178

[villauk]

8 hours ago, dacrow said:

 It’s not like they are hiding the new price or asking someone who has already booked at the old price to now pay more.

Which is exactly what Princess has just done with less than 3 weeks before my cruise 😠! I’m on Millie next year and the way things are going on X too, I’m expecting my experience to be totally different by the time I actual sail. It’s definitely making us think about alternative holidays.

[terrydtx]

13 hours ago, MamaFej said:

At this point, I'm hoping they won't start charging extra for using the tenders. 

Only if you want to book a place on one for the first 3 hours. LOL