All cruise lines provide you with two options for gratuities: 1. Prepay or 2. Have them automatically added to your bill on the final day of the cruise. So is it better to prepay or pay at the end for your gratuities?After speaking with several workers (stewards,waiters, and other) for different cruise lines, I have been informed that they absolutely LOVE when the majority of the ship has prepaid their gratuities. This allows the cruise lines to cut checks in advance to the workers. Workers usually receive higher checks when this happens. They also secretly let me know that they provide better customer service to those who prepay because they have already been paid by them (technically) and they are not sure if the others (those who do not prepay) will actually pay in the end.
Some cruisers prefer not to prepay and to wait until the final day to pay their gratuities. Again, cruise lines will automatically charge you for gratuity for the length of your cruise. Typically around $10 a day. Patrons can actually dispute this amount on their bill. If they put up a good enough fight they can even get this removed. I really hate to see when this happens. Many of the workers on the ship do not get paid decently as it is, they have families back home they have to support and plus they usually go above and beyond when it comes to service and entertaining the ship.
Plus now you as the cruiser have to worry about another item added to your bill to pay. This could have been avoided if you purchased your gratuities in advance. Who wants to worry and pay for gratuities when you can spend your money on other things like souvenirs, drinks, casino plays, and pictures to capture your memories?
Put yourself in the shoes of the workers. Wouldn't you like to get a complete check or would you be fine with a 50% payroll deduction?
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