Celebrity gratuities increase

[bjstrand]

This was just dropped in my email this AM.

Standard staterooms changed from $14.50 to $15.50 per day, per guest. Concierge Class and AquaClass® staterooms changed from $15.00 to $16.00 per day, per guest. Suite Class accommodations changed from $18.00 to $19.00 per day, per guest.

All starting Jan 6 so get them paid now.

[monctonguy]

7% increase for ZERO extra value...nice!

[JLMoran]

On 12/27/2019 at 11:44 AM, bjstrand said:

All starting Jan 6 so get them paid now.

Any indication if already-booked passengers will be grandfathered at the old rate as long as they pre-pay before sail date? That’s how Royal handled it when their mandatory service fee was bumped in 2018, so I’d hope that X would follow suit.

[JLMoran]

Should add that for my upcoming 14-night sailing in a pair of inside cabins, this translates to all of $56 extra on a cruise that is costing me over $7,000 just for the base cruise fare, never mind the excursions I’m booking. So it’s not remotely a 7% bump for me, more like 0.8%.

I do think it’s better to look at those service charge (yes, that’s what I’m calling it instead of gratuity) increases in light of the overall cruise fare, rather than by itself. Not as clean or straightforward, I know, because now it varies for everyone. But it also shows how tiny it really is in the overall budget, especially when it’s only done every few years.

[WAAAYTOOO]

My guess is that in order to get the “old” grats rate you would have to prepay them by 12-31-19 but that’s just a guess.

[twangster]

It never hurts to add them now.  You don't pay them until final payment due date so there is little downside to adding them today.  

[USCG Teacher]

8 hours ago, JLMoran said:

Should add that for my upcoming 14-night sailing in a pair of inside cabins, this translates to all of $56 extra on a cruise that is costing me over $7,000 just for the base cruise fare, never mind the excursions I’m booking. So it’s not remotely a 7% bump for me, more like 0.8%.

I do think it’s better to look at those service charge (yes, that’s what I’m calling it instead of gratuity) increases in light of the overall cruise fare, rather than by itself. Not as clean or straightforward, I know, because now it varies for everyone. But it also shows how tiny it really is in the overall budget, especially when it’s only done every few years.

Excellent point.  Also, my guess is that the crew members working their butts off to make sure that we have an amazing vacation might argue against the increase having "zero value."