Prepaid Gratuities Question

[kel24]

I tried to prepay my gratuities for my April 12th cruise on the Granduer, and the travel agent said I couldn't do it because we are with a group (8 cabins) and that everyone would have to prepay in order to do it. I didn't think this sounded right because we all have separate reservations for each room. Does this sound right to you?

[teajak]

Doesn't sound right to me. Ask your TA if you are in a group were you given group rates and who got credit for the group booking.

[wolfcathorse]

yes, RCI's thinking is strange but yes. We were on a group cruise on Vision of the Seas to Alaska in 2005. I asked the TA about prepaying the gratuities and she said it wasn't an option offered on Vision of the Seas. On our group cruise on Freedom last October, the TA relayed to us the info on drink cards but the catch was, everyone in the group (all 127 of us) would have to buy one. So from this I would gather that the smaller class ships don't offer this option, and even on the larger class ships, if the option is available, then all in the group has to do it. I know it doesn't make sense since your account is seperate, but if they wouldn't let some on our group cruise on Freedom buy a drink card, then they're not going to let just some in your group pre-pay tips. The drink card I'm referring to is the card for alcoholic drinksjand its only offered to large groups.

[TWELVEOHONE]

I tried to prepay my gratuities for my April 12th cruise on the Granduer, and the travel agent said I couldn't do it because we are with a group (8 cabins) and that everyone would have to prepay in order to do it. I didn't think this sounded right because we all have separate reservations for each room. Does this sound right to you?

 

Don't know about pre-paid/pre-purchased drink cards but I do know that group pre-paid gratuities must be paid by all. .

 

I don't believe this is unique to RCI but other cruise lines also

[cb at sea]

Since you already have the "tip money" in hand, stick it in an envelope and keep it to pay your tips in cash! (They prefer cash tips, anyway!)

[sagiv666]

I tried to prepay my gratuities for my April 12th cruise on the Granduer, and the travel agent said I couldn't do it because we are with a group (8 cabins) and that everyone would have to prepay in order to do it. I didn't think this sounded right because we all have separate reservations for each room. Does this sound right to you?

 

I would call Royal Caribbean about this. As long as you all cruise with separate accounts, I don't see why you can't.