Tipping

[mae]

Just noticed the new poll on tipping and I have a question. We are cruising next year and our travel agent included an amount for tips in the cost of our cruise. How is this handled with the cruise lines? Do we need to inform someone at the time of our cruise so more isn't added on to our account each day?

[BearySweet2Cruise]

they do not add money automatically to your account each day.. you can elect to either prepay them in advance (approx 10.00 pp per day) or you can pay in cash at the end with envelopes given.. if your TA has already had them set up as prepay you are all set unless you choose to give out more for great service. just remember to bring extra to tip porters and cab drivers, ect.. ect..

[cb at sea]

The recommended amount are listed in the cruise brochure book. Your TA should have given you one. If they didn't, ask for it. You can add it to your account, and you will be given vouchers to put in the tip envelopes on the last night of your cruise. Or, you can just use cash. (My preference!) You can tip more if the service was superb, or less, if service wasn't very good. I've only tipped the recommended amount once--to our waiter--who was not very personable or helpful. We usually give above and beyond, since that is the type of service we've received!

[Browezilla]

..our travel agent included an amount for tips in the cost of our cruise.

You may need to describe what you mean by "included". I took it to mean prepaid as a gift to you. If so, my guess is that it will be a credit on your sign and sail account as a gift from your TA. I've seen several other TAs doing this now.

[mae]

Thanks for your responses. By "included" I mean that the tip, $10 per person per day, totaling to around $70.00 was added to the total cost of our cruise, which included cruise, port fees and taxes + the gratuity addition. On previous Princess cruises this amount was added to our account each day unless we told them differently, making the tipping process pretty easy unless we decided to give more for exceptional service, which we did. On previous RCCL cruises we tipped in provided envelopes at the end of the cruise. I wasn't sure where this prepaid money would go in this case and how it would be handled. (I sure like the ida of a TA providing the tip money as an incentive to book with them. I hope it catches on.)

[Treven]

On all of my chartered cruises, the pre-paid gratuities are included in the total cost of the cruise. The charter company lists taxes, port fees & pre-paid tips added to the base cost of the cruise. My upcoming Mexican Riviera cruise is $1958 (double as I travel alone) plus $160 port charges & $85 pre-paid gratuties for a grand total of $2,203.

[TPKeller]

Don't forget this type of arrangement is somewhat common for European TAs. The OP doesn't say where they are located. I would think it a little unusual for an American TA to do this without being asked, or at least given permission.

 

Theron