Via iStockphoto / @lalidoloca TikTok
Carnival Cruise passengers say they've noticed 'pre-paid gratuities' stickers being added to their Sail & Sign cards. They aren't thrilled.
Carnival Cruises recently debuted a new tipping policy—and some passengers aren’t happy.
Many cruises utilize prepaid gratuities on rides. This means that when you buy your ticket, you are automatically charged a set amount per day that will then be reallocated to the staff.
Generally speaking, passengers don’t have to pay these gratuities. In fact, they can ask the cruise line to remove them.
However, given that many cruises offer tipping options on board, some who have prepaid tips end up confused about whether they are supposed to tip more or if their prepaid tips cover everything.
Carnival Cruises appears to be testing a pilot program set on reducing this confusion. Some passengers aren’t thrilled about it.
Does Carnival Cruise Have A New Tipping Policy?
In a video with over 70,000 views, TikTok user Tony (@lalidoloca) explains that he is currently on board the Carnival Venezia. Despite pre-paying his gratuities before boarding, he claims he’s been prompted to tip every time he’s received a drink.
“In the casino last night, they’re carrying around a handheld where you can actually choose a gratuity before you sign your name,” he recalls. “So yeah—gratuity [is] alive and well.”
Tony then shows his Sail & Sign card. It appears to be a normal card. However, given Carnival’s new pilot program, Tony says that his card could be missing something—specifically, a “tipping sticker.”
“Did I get a sticker on my card? Check it out,” he says, showing his card. “No sticker.”
In an email, Tony noted that Carnival is only testing out this policy and that the boat he was on in the video, Venezia, does not appear to be part of that test. Furthermore, he added that being prompted for tips despite pre-tipping isn’t new.
“That’s the way it works on Carnival,” he explained. “If you buy a drink or service and automatic gratuity is added and there is a line for additional gratuity.”
As for his thoughts on the matter, his response was tepid.
“Carnival has said the reason for the tipping sticker is to allow crew members to recognize people who have prepaid the tips with an extra ‘thank you,'” he shared. “I guess this could motivate some to prepay for the extra recognition.”
What Is Carnival Cruise’s ‘Pre-Paid Tips’ Sticker?
According to Cruise Critic, Carnival has been experimenting with a new tipping program. In this program, people who have prepaid gratuities are given a sticker on their Sail & Sign card indicating that they’ve already tipped.
“The Carnival gratuity program is an important way guests recognize our hardworking team members and ensure that gratuities are shared among both guest-facing and behind-the-scenes crew who make great vacations possible,” the company wrote in a statement to Cruise Critic.
“Our team members provide great service to every guest,” the statement continued. “The ‘Crew Love’ stickers and thank-you notes are simply a way to let our crew know that a guest has prepaid their gratuities, while giving those guests a little recognition for their generosity.”
The Cruise Community Reaction Is Mixed
Many cruise fans had little or no reaction to the news. That said, others questioned whether these stickers will change staff behavior.
Some internet users speculated that staff may treat those with tipping stickers differently than those without them.
“Will the non stickers receive slower service from the bars than those with stickers?” asked a user on the Cruise Critic forums.
“If it means I’ll get better treatment from the staff because they know I prepaid then I don’t see a problem with it,” offered a different internet user.
Others shared their view that the existence of stickers put undue pressure onto passengers to prepay tips. This, they argued, could make passengers who did not pre-pay their tips feel uncomfortable.
“Beyond tacky and truthfully, no one else’s business whether someone pays for [gratuities] pre, during or at end of cruise,” wrote a forum user.
Another user echoed the view that these stickers were “tacky,” claiming that the practice was “a subtle form of passenger coercion.”
The Stickers Are Already Being Faked
It may not matter if the stickers change staff behavior, as it may soon be unclear whose sticker is legitimate.
As noted in Tony’s video, these stickers are already being faked. Searches for the sticker on Ebay reveal options that are strikingly similar to the real thing.
Other options for sale appear to parody the “Crew Love” prepaid gratuities sticker. For example, one sticker says, “Crew Love, I Tip The Crew Not Carnival.” Another says, “Crew Love, I Tip Cash.”
To be clear, Carnival claims that gratuities go directly to staff. The company site states that “Gratuities are paid in addition to team members’ guaranteed compensation.”
On your next Carnival Cruise voyage, don’t be surprised if you do (or don’t) receive a sticker noting that you’ve already tipped. But if you haven’t prepaid tips, Carnival recommends setting aside $17.00 USD per guest per day.
BroBible reached out to Carnival via email.