Can I use onboard credit for gratuities on Carnival?

Gratuities to the shipboard staff are customary on Carnival as well as other cruise lines, and you can cover these using your OBC. If you plan to use onboard credit to pay for these gratuities, be sure not to pre-pay them at the time of booking -- your onboard credit could take care of the rest.



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You Might Be Allowed to Use Onboard Credit for Crew Gratuities Onboard credit is an ideal way to pay the daily tips that are usually added to your stateroom bill. Using onboard credit for tips is allowed on all lines, but check before the start of your cruise so you can plan accordingly.

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Pros of Prepaying Gratuities If you pay for your gratuities in advance, it makes it easier to plan for how much you want to spend during your cruise. It's possible to enjoy a Carnival cruise without spending a penny onboard, especially if you also buy a drinks package.

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General Cruise Cash provides an immediate credit to a guest's Sail & Sign account. This credit is good for any charge made to their account including taxes and gratuity charges.

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The onboard credit must be used during the applicable cruise. Any unused portion of the onboard credit will be forfeited.

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Gratuities can be added at the time of booking or anytime up to the sail date. Guests who booked directly with Carnival may add their pre-paid gratuities on Carnival.com.

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But most cruise lines also give you the option to prepay your gratuities – paying for them in advance. You can sometimes add this option as you book your cruise, otherwise, you would log into your account with the cruise line and add them on once the booking has been made.

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On embarkation day, an initial bank hold of up to $200 (depending on cruise length) is placed on all credit card and debit card accounts to verify that the card is valid: 2 - 6 day cruise: $100 USD for each stateroom charged using the same credit card or debit card.

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Similarly, if you're on a higher-end ship that lists gratuities as being included in the fare, that means just what it says. You don't have to tip on these cruises because the line is already paying gratuities to the staff on your behalf. Additional cash gifts are not expected.

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If you want to manage your budget more effectively, it's a good idea to prepay your gratuities for your Princess cruise. The only time you would be better off waiting is if you want to use any onboard credit towards the gratuity amount.

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Is it cheaper to prepay cruise line gratuities? There is no cost savings to prepaying your gratuities on a cruise, except for the the times when a cruise line increases it's daily charge. This happens every year or two, but there is no set schedule.

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In general, plan on giving $16–$23 in gratuities per day for each passenger. Note that the amount should be tabulated for each individual in your party—don't try to tip once per couple or group.

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There aren't any hard-and-fast guidelines for this type of tip since it's contingent on your experience, but $25 to $40 on behalf of a couple roughly works out to an extra $2 to $3 per person, per day, for a seven-night cruise.

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On Carnival Cruise Line, the automatic gratuity rate is $16 (USD) per person, per day as of April 1, 2023. This covers guests in all standard staterooms, whether interior, ocean view, or balcony cabins.

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Dine-in gratuities and gratuities for beverage purchases are also automatically added to your Sail & Sign account. Pro: You can easily adjust amounts, and would not need to dish out the additional cash right away/prior to boarding.

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