Ahoy Rachel!
Great to hear that you are planning a Disney cruise! One of the best things about a Disney Cruise Line vacation is that so much is already
included with your reservation. I'm talking entertainment, activities, food...the works!
Gratuities for the crew are a WONDERful way to express appreciation for their hard work and exceptional service. You definitely can arrange to have the gratuities prepaid before your cruise. Disney Cruise Line asks that you request this at least three days prior to your sail date (or make arrangements while onboard at Guest Services).
Disney Cruise Line does have a list of
recommended gratuities for your rotational dining team and stateroom host or hostess. You can automatically have the suggested gratuity added to your onboard account as part of your reservation or prior to the end of your cruise. Then you will be given slips reflecting the gratuity amount to place in envelopes for each of these four Cast Members.
My preference is always to prepay gratuities and then I can always add an additional amount (usually in the form of cash) for above and beyond service. For instance, our server Joachim really bonded with my kids and entertained them with origami, jokes, and games. That deeply touched my heart, so I wanted to thank him for wowing us at dinner and helping the kids have such a DREAM vacation.
Just an FYI: gratuities for beverages purchased at onboard bars and lounges, deck service tabs, and any Senses Spa and Salon treatments are automatically included in those charges and will show up on your onboard account.
Finally, did you know that you can use a Disney gift card to pay towards your stateroom balance? From spa treatments at
Senses Spa and Salon, meals at
Palo,
beverage tastings,
photography, gratuities, and
onboard merchandise, Captain Mickey can place all these on your onboard account. Simply stop by Guest Services (Deck 3, Midship) and have the Disney Gift Card(s) credited to your account. It's not a FANTASY, it's true!
We love sharing our tips about tipping and gratuities for a Disney cruise. So glad you stopped by! Sail back over to planDisney as you navigate your way to your MAGICal sailing.
Sherry