Gratuity package

[IggleDoer]

Will be sailing in a suite am planning to include a gratuity package to our account.  Does that include tips for meals in the Luminae?

[DaKahuna]

5 minutes ago, IggleDoer said:

Will be sailing in a suite am planning to include a gratuity package to our account.  Does that include tips for meals in the Luminae?

 

 It includes the waitstaff in Lumine but not the Sommelier.  

 However, we have always had such great service that we give additional tips to the Luminae waitstaff at the end of the cruise. 

 

[miched]

1 hour ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 It includes the waitstaff in Lumine but not the Sommelier.  

 However, we have always had such great service that we give additional tips to the Luminae waitstaff at the end of the cruise. 

 

Indirectly it does include the gratuities to the Sommelier.   In a suite you get the premium drink pack and that includes the gratuity on every drink.  The person that  serves you a drink gets a gratuity that is covered by the drink pack.   If you don’t have the drink pack and order a drink they get the gratuity that is added on because the gratuity package  doesn’t cover the gratuity on the drinks 
 

Some of the other things that aren’t  covered by the gratuity package are the additional charge for drinks over the drink package limit, spa services, specialty restaurants.     There are also some services/classes in the gym that they may try to sneak gratuities on or buying products in the spa area.     
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[DaKahuna]

12 hours ago, miched said:

Indirectly it does include the gratuities to the Sommelier.   In a suite you get the premium drink pack and that includes the gratuity on every drink.  The person that  serves you a drink gets a gratuity that is covered by the drink pack.

 

 I knew about the drink gratuity for the packages, but I was talking about the daily gratuities.  The Sommelier is not in the pool that you pay on a daily basis because they are part of the beverage staff.  

[gfkcruiser]

38 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 I knew about the drink gratuity for the packages, but I was talking about the daily gratuities.  The Sommelier is not in the pool that you pay on a daily basis because they are part of the beverage staff.  

If you are not drinking wine while at dinner, you would not be served by the Sommelier, I believe.  

[chamima]

So, I've been away from these boards for a while  but what exactly is a gratuity package?

I know Celebrity took gratuities off the AI packages so are they now selling prepaying your gratuities as an add-on package?

[Ex-Airbalancer]

14 minutes ago, chamima said:

So, I've been away from these boards for a while  but what exactly is a gratuity package?

I know Celebrity took gratuities off the AI packages so are they now selling prepaying your gratuities as an add-on package?

Celebrity has always had the option to pre pay your gratuities , 

[miched]

5 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 I knew about the drink gratuity for the packages, but I was talking about the daily gratuities.  The Sommelier is not in the pool that you pay on a daily basis because they are part of the beverage staff. 

The question was about the waitstaff in Luminae and you mentioned the Sommelier not being included. 
 

I am trying to clarify to them that the sommelier gets tips thru the drink package for the drinks you order from them.    If you don’t have a drink pack the server  gets  that gratuity that is added on every drink you purchase.  
 

They don’t need to be tipped extra but as you suggested if you felt you got great service give them a token of appreciation at the end of the cruise or add to it on the receipt you sign.  
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Edited Tuesday at 09:02 PM by miched

[chamima]

29 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Celebrity has always had the option to pre pay your gratuities , 

 

The Op referred to a gratuities package.

When something is called a package it implies to me that there is a savings over just multiplying the daily rate by the number of days of the cruise.

So I am asking if there is a gratuities package?

[IggleDoer]

Thanks to all.

 

[cruisestitch]

1 hour ago, chamima said:

So, I've been away from these boards for a while  but what exactly is a gratuity package?

I know Celebrity took gratuities off the AI packages so are they now selling prepaying your gratuities as an add-on package?

Gratuity package = gratuities 

 

you can prepay them if you wish 

[cruisestitch]

38 minutes ago, chamima said:

 

The Op referred to a gratuities package.

When something is called a package it implies to me that there is a savings over just multiplying the daily rate by the number of days of the cruise.

So I am asking if there is a gratuities package?

No there is not

[Mark_K]

1 hour ago, miched said:

I am trying to clarify to them that the sommelier gets tips thru the drink package for the drinks you order from them.    If you don’t have a drink pack the server  gets  that gratuity that is added on every drink you purchase.  
 

They don’t need to be tipped extra but as you suggested if you felt you got great service give them a token of appreciation at the end of the cruise or add to it on the receipt you sign.  

On the other hand, the drinks served in the Retreat Lounge are separate from the drink package, and is there no charge for a gratuity to be attached to. Something to keep in mind.

[LMHSRN]

20 hours ago, miched said:

Indirectly it does include the gratuities to the Sommelier.   In a suite you get the premium drink pack and that includes the gratuity on every drink.  The person that  serves you a drink gets a gratuity that is covered by the drink pack.   If you don’t have the drink pack and order a drink they get the gratuity that is added on because the gratuity package  doesn’t cover the gratuity on the drinks 
 

Some of the other things that aren’t  covered by the gratuity package are the additional charge for drinks over the drink package limit, spa services, specialty restaurants.     There are also some services/classes in the gym that they may try to sneak gratuities on or buying products in the spa area.     
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

well, now I am really confused......

[Liao]

29 minutes ago, LMHSRN said:

well, now I am really confused......

Gratuity/tipping threads seem to cause a lot of confusion and debate.  In my mind, as a guest in Retreat, ALL of my tips are included and have been prepaid by me.  Anything over and above that is 100% discretionary.

[DaKahuna]

3 hours ago, chamima said:

So I am asking if there is a gratuities package?

 

 NO 

 

[DaKahuna]

50 minutes ago, Liao said:

Gratuity/tipping threads seem to cause a lot of confusion and debate.  In my mind, as a guest in Retreat, ALL of my tips are included and have been prepaid by me.  Anything over and above that is 100% discretionary.

 

 Not any more.  Unless you pre-pay your gratuities, your onboard account will be changed $23.00 per day per guest when sailing in the Retreat. 

 

[Liao]

2 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 Not any more.  Unless you pre-pay your gratuities, your onboard account will be changed $23.00 per day per guest when sailing in the Retreat. 

 

I did say that all of my tips are included and have been prepaid.

[miched]

5 hours ago, Mark_K said:

On the other hand, the drinks served in the Retreat Lounge are separate from the drink package, and is there no charge for a gratuity to be attached to. Something to keep in mind.

I don’t know how they get paid but they like being there.    And yes I think most guests tip them during the cruise.   125 suites at an average of $10 per suite/ cruise not bad and is probably tax free.  
 

I know they like being there because on one cruise the BT told me that it will be their last day there because a customer complained that they had to wait too long to be served and they were sad because they really liked working there.   There may be more to that but I was only told their side of the story.  As someone said no matter how thin you slice the ham there is always 2 sides.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[miched]

4 hours ago, Liao said:

Gratuity/tipping threads seem to cause a lot of confusion and debate.  In my mind, as a guest in Retreat, ALL of my tips are included and have been prepaid by me.  Anything over and above that is 100% discretionary.

It deends on when you booked your cruise and the promo perks you received.     
I have cruises booked in a SS where I have the perks of premium drink pack, premium wifi, gratuities, and OBC.   Those were the perks when I booked the cruise. 
 

If I book a SS now it includes the perks of a premium drink pack, and premium wifi.   These are perks of a promo  and not amenities of a SS.   No perks of OBC or gratuities are included.  I will be charged the daily rate for the gratuities 

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Edited Wednesday at 04:08 AM by miched

[Liao]

57 minutes ago, miched said:

It deends on when you booked your cruise and the promo perks you received.     
I have cruises booked in a SS where I have the perks of premium drink pack, premium wifi, gratuities, and OBC.   Those were the perks when I booked the cruise. 
 

If I book a SS now it includes the perks of a premium drink pack, and premium wifi.   These are perks of a promo  and not amenities of a SS.   No perks of OBC or gratuities are included.  I will be charged the daily rate for the gratuities 

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

The question was; when prepaying gratuities does it include meals in Luminae.  The answer is a simple yes.  Stop trying to make a simple question more complicated.