Cruise Onboard Expense Account

pitza

Hi, In 3 weeks I am going on my first cruise with Royal Caribbean and at the end I have to settle my on board account ( onboard purchases and services) with a credit card, Would I be best to use my Post office card ( best for overseas spending) or my Capital one card which has 5% cashback?
The bill will be in US $ converted to £.

luci

If you have 5% cashback then you will be better using the Capital One card. They have a 2.75% loading on the currency rate so you should make 2.25% using it.

Make sure to tell them that you want it charged in USD and not sterling, otherwise they will impose their own exchangee rate which will probably be worse than the Capital One rate.

pitza

Thanks Luci.

nearlyrich

Check they don't add 2% for a credit card, we just came back from a cruise with Fred Olsen and they do so we use a debit card..

youngatheart_2

We went on a cruise with RC a couple of years ago and had been warned by friends that they would convert your final bill into sterling even if you state on your forms that you wish to be billed in dollars. Sure enough thats what happened. We complained before we left the ship and were assured that it had been changed to USD but when we got credit card bill it was still in £ and had been converted at a very unfavourable rate. We eventually got a refund but I wonder how many people just let it slide and of course RC makes another tidy little profit on the Europeans.

McKneff

Im naive when it cruises, read somewhere on one website that at the end of the cruise £10 per person per day was added on to your bill for gratuities, it that correct, seems an awful lot of money

nearlyrich

McKneff wrote: »

Im naive when it cruises, read somewhere on one website that at the end of the cruise £10 per person per day was added on to your bill for gratuities, it that correct, seems an awful lot of money

It depends on the company but around £2 per person per day for your waiter and for your cabin steward is the norm, you can opt out but if you factor it as part of the cost of the holiday it doesn't feel too bad!

And to be honest we would tip in restaurants on holiday so why not?;)

luci

The rates above I think are for Fred Olsen, who have probably the lowest gratuity rate. Rates vary, but are usually $10-12 on a US ship.

NCL state that they have a "service charge" of $12.99 per person per day. Then they have a statement about gratuities stating that you are not obliged to pay gratuities, but can if you wish. If they think we will be paying anything above the service charge level then they can think again.

There is also a 15% gratuity added to drinks bought onboard.

nearlyrich

Wow that is a bit steep, we went with HAL previously who added gratuities to the bill but it was nowhere near $13 a day each:eek:

luci

It looks like it has been changed since I last looked as it now states it is $12pppd.

What’s the service charge?


A fixed service charge of $12 per person per day will be payable, at your discretion. The service charge will be added to your holiday price and shown separately on your confirmation invoice. If you do not want to pay this up front with the balance of your holiday cost, but would rather decide whether or not to pay the charge on board, please ensure you tell us at the time of booking or any time up to two weeks before departure and we will arrange for the charge to be added to your stateroom account.

Why is there a service charge?
The reason there's a fixed service charge is an important one: Our Crew (as are the crew from other lines) is encouraged to work together as a team. Staff members including restaurant staff, stateroom stewards and behind-the-scenes support staff are compensated by a combination of salary and incentive programmes that your service charge supports.

Who pays the service charge?
All guests three years or older.

At what point in the booking process can the pre-paid charges be added?
They can be added at anytime up to 24 hours before sailing.

Why would I pre-pay my service charge?
The convenience of pre-paying the service charges allows you to plan your budget before your cruise giving you additional freedom while on board.

If I cancel my cruise is the service charge refundable?
Yes! The service charge is 100% refundable.

If there is a service issue can the service charge be adjusted on board?
Guest satisfaction is the highest priority at Norwegian Cruise Line. We have structured a guest satisfaction programme designed to handle any concerns about service or on-board product quickly and efficiently. However, in the event a service issue should arise during your cruise please let our on-board reception desk staff know right away, so that we can address it in a timely manner. It is our goal to reach a satisfactory solution to any issue when it happens and make sure our guests can focus on enjoying their cruise. Should your concerns not be met with satisfaction you can adjust the charges.*

*Where your service charge has been pre-paid before departure, refunds are not available on board and you must apply for a refund, if applicable, after your return home by writing to our Guest Relations department.

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What about tipping?


You will have either pre-paid the service charge on your holiday invoice or it will be charged to your on-board account. In addition, a suggested gratuity of 15% on drink bills and 18% on spa and salon bills will be added automatically and charged to your on-board accoun

thegirlintheattic

The above post just adds to my hatred of cruises. 'Suggested' but we'll automatically add it to your bill.