Cruisers would have to tip each of their service personnel (the cabin steward, restaurant servers, bartenders, etc.) UK lines such as Fred. The gratuities on Oceania Cruises are $16.00 per person, per day for most staterooms and $23.00 per person, per day for guests in suites. Now, with automatic gratuities, the process is much simpler and you dont need to carry all that cash. Cruise gratuities are divided among your cruise cabin steward, waiters and other crew members who work as support behind the scenes. First of all, don't neglect any post-cruise questionnaires, which provide an opportunity to rave about your cabin attendant directly to his or her employer. One exception is the piano player in the loungemost accept tips for song requests or if you enjoyed their music. But I also feel like people will think Im rude for not doing so in reality tho, they are already being tipped 18%. Pasted as rich text. Depending on your cruise ship, you may be able to use the Royal . About $1-2 (or the equivalent in local currency) per bag is fine. Passengers sometimes plan in advance to bring small gifts to leave with their cabin stewards, either at the beginning or end of the cruise. That is a very personal question. In fact, I think most would agree that cruise line staff make a huge difference in the cruise experience. But if your excursions include free time where you eat lunch on your own, its a good idea to research the local tipping customs in the countries youll be visiting before your cruise. They will seldom steer you wrong. ROYAL CARIBBEAN BIGGEST SHIP. The automatic service gratuity is $14.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Junior Suites and below, or $17.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Grand Suites and above, applied to each guest's SeaPass account on a daily basis. In this post, weve gone over how tipping works on a cruise. Travelers in suites are. For many cruises that operate in the Australian market where tipping isnt part of the culture, automatic gratuities arent added on to passenger bills. See details here: Ultimate Cruise Planner -Whats Included, What to Pack for a Caribbean Cruise (with packing list), 7 Cruises to Avoid and What to Do Instead, Cruise Line Stocks Shareholder Benefits for Cruisers (FREE onboard credit). However, if you prefer to pay off your account and daily gratuities in cash, you can do so by going to guest services. Windstar Cruises daily gratuities are $12.00 per person, per day for all cabin types. Although gratuities arent mandatory, and in most cases you can go to guest services and have the amount adjusted, most cruise lines do tend to discourage it. Like what you see? It would be so helpful if I could print just the blog to read at random timescar trip, etc. They often work 7-10 months at a time and 12-14 hours per day for seven days straight before having a half or even a whole day off. If you enjoy tipping in cash, consider giving an extra cash tip to the crew members who gave you excellent service on your cruise. If you go on a tour or shore excursion, its nice to tip the driver or shore excursion staff if youve appreciated their service. Thanks so much! If you choose to pay tips in cash, there are usually some envelopes available at the guest service desk. For example, Royal Caribbean (www.royalcaribbean.com) recently increased its tip recommendations and now suggests $3.75 per day for your main waiter, $5 per day for the cabin housekeeping staff, $2.15 per day for the assistant waiter, and $0.75 per day for the head waiter. This is a convenient option for cruise passengers that dont want to think about extra charges once onboard. You can always add extra for exceptional service, though! Could you possibly make your articles printable? You dont need to write a noveljust a few sentences about how the crew member made your cruise even better will do. Who else should you tip on a cruise ship? A better solution is to have a discreet word with the crew members supervisor about your concerns. Follow me on Facebook at Life Well Cruised, Follow me onYouTube at Life Well Cruised (Vlogs and cruise tips), Follow me on Pinterest at Life Well Cruised, Follow me on Instagram at Life Well Cruised. The premium cruise line's fleet of 15 ships sail around the world, from the Galapagos to the Caribbean. The rule of thumb is to tip the guide 10% to 20% of the tour cost, depending on how much you enjoyed the experience. Display as a link instead, I believe since these are pooled between everybody, additional tipping should only be done if you feel somebody has gone above and beyond. Or do you remove them altogether? In addition, weve included a list of daily gratuities per cruise line and who else you may wish to tip. In addition to this, an 18% gratuity is automatically added to all drinks, spa and salon services. For many cruise passengers, bars play a pretty large role in their experiences. Get access to the best last minute hotel rates in the USA by becoming a registered member online today. However, a few lines dont add autogratuities for babies and toddlers under age two or three. Cruise Ship Engine Power, Propulsion, Fuel, Royal Caribbean Drinks Prices, Beverage Menus, Alcohol Policy, Carnival Cruise WiFi Internet Packages Prices. How Much Water Should I Drink Before Donating Plasma. Children under 4 are not charged. You can also leave a small gift for your favorite crew member. #4. On a cruise, most guests bring between $100-$120 in cash per day to be spent on transportation, tips, gifts, food, and shopping. We are a middle class, retirement age couple (63 and 62) who are not retired with no plans to in the near future. Another drink package option for Royal Caribbean cruisers is the Classic Soda package, which includes fountain soda and refills at any venue, Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages and even a Coca-Cola souvenir cup. Viking Ocean: $15.00 per person, per day Virgin Voyages: includes gratuities in the fare. A former flight attendant, she now prefers cruise ships over airplanes and spends several months each year cruising and exploring cruise ports. This practice can eat into the regular wages and livelihood of hardworking crew and is not advised. Cunards daily gratuities are set at $11.50 per person, per day for guests in standard cabins. Check out the latest web stories from Should Be Cruising! Why taking a weekend cruise is a great escape, 11 of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean, How to get to Royal Caribbean's cruise terminals and how much parking will cost, Top 16 things on a Royal Caribbean cruise everyone needs to do at least once. It has one large sink with two faucets and a large shower with a tub. Between January 2, 2018, and Sept 7, 2022, RCI's daily (per passenger) crew gratuities were US$14,50 (standard staterooms) and US$17,50 (Grand Suites+). While each cruise line is different, many include alcoholic drinks, soda and specialty coffee, gratuities, specialty dining and some shore excursions. Since most cruise passengers follow the tipping guidelines, that amounts to an increase $13.30 . If not, just leave blank. We usually do the prepaid tipping and also give some extra at the end of our cruises. Although cash isnt required for onboard purchases, there are a few scenarios where youll want to have cash available. If your kids have had a great time and youve appreciated the service, a few extra dollars are surely appreciated. Cruise line employees are extremely hard working, I agree, and they go above and beyond so often. Cruises from Europe and Australia will still use the US dollar as the official onboard currency, but you should make purchases in port with the destinations local currency. I go into more detail about this topic in this post:Can You Refuse to Pay Gratuities on a Cruise? Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Typical extra tips may be $15-20 per passenger for a seven-day cruise paid to the cabin steward for exceptional work, or an extra $10-20 per passenger to a waiter who offered spectacular dining. Tipped crew on many cruise lines include housekeeping, dining, and laundry workers. The bar service personnel still gets their 15% tips from each bar sale. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Grand Suite and above cabin categories pay USD 18,50 pp per day gratuities. The extra cash may or may not end up in your steward's pocket, but he'll appreciate the gesture nonetheless. On luxury cruise lines, such as Azamara, Crystal, Seabourn, Silversea, Tauck World Discovery and Uniworld, gratuities are already included in the cost of the cruise, and additional tipping is not expected. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. You may also like: A Cruise Glossary: Cruise Terms You Should Know. But lets say you have a negative experience with your server in the dining room, or you feel that the cabin steward isnt doing their job. The thing that gets me so mad is we never were approached by the Maitred..except the last night when the extra tipping comes in. Given the high level of service, passengers often wonder how much they should plan to tip their cabin steward, especially when they go above and beyond. Thanks for sharing your view on this. At some North American ports, youll see signs stating that the porters do not accept tips. Just for comparison, by the old RCCL tipping guidelines, the Royal Caribbean suggested tips/gratuities were a total of USD 11,65 per day per passenger (respectively USD 13,90 for suite passengers) and also guests could pay onboard either in cash or via their shipboard account. In-suite parties are a huge amount of work for the Genie and room attendants. I dont tend to tip in advance, so this is an interesting way of doing things. Whether $2 to a bartender, $20 to your waiter, or $50 to your stateroom attendant, it's common to tip crew members extra for excellent service. One notable exception is Norwegian Cruise Line. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'shouldbecruising_com-leader-3','ezslot_16',605,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-shouldbecruising_com-leader-3-0');For other cruise lines, youll be able to adjust your autogratuities at the Passenger Services desk. The cruise line makes no recommendation for tipping room service. Royal Caribbean International What's Included: Dining, stateroom, and other key crew members. You can purchase the drink package online pre-cruise or once onboard during the first day (or two) of your trip. They have the insider tips to match so that you can make the most of everything that'll be at your fingertips. They cheerfully attend to your requests, tidying your home away from home from the moment you leave in the morning to the last turn-down before bed. They did a really good job and I would like to tip them. Olsen Cruise Lines and Cruise & Maritime Voyages charge substantially less -- 7 per person per day; while Marella, Saga and P&O Cruises now include tips (MSC Cruises also includes tips for its UK-based ship, Preziosa). Heres a video which answers many questions that you may have about cruise gratuities and tipping on a cruise ship. We did prepaid gratuities, and then I also see that bar tabs will have the auto 18% added so I feel like it wont be necessary to leave an extra tip on the bar tab. .WONDER OF THE SEAS. 2% would be a shoddy tip, but it's fine for the "extra tip" line if that 2% was to bring the 18% service charge up to 20%. Note that we are Australian, so therefore not inclined to tip unless the service warrants it. The average daily gratuity on a cruise is $14-15 USD per person approximately $30 per day, per couple in a cabin. I would imagine wed see prices increase overall if they did this, but perhaps it amounts to this anyway. Royal Caribbean says it is raising its suggested crew gratuities by nearly $2 per passenger, per day. This fee ranges anywhere from $12.50 to upward of $20 per person, per day, depending on the cruise line -- usually on the higher end if you're staying in a suite. We have also taken a few of the ship's "backstage" tours and could see where the crew members reside, dine, kick back to relax, etc. Princess Cruises will automatically charge a crew incentive of $14.50 per person, per day for guests in inside ocean view and balcony cabins. Children aged 2-11 will be charged $6.25 per day. Thank you, Carrie Ann. If you opt for a specialty restaurant, the tip isnt usually included. When booking a Celebrity cruise, tips are included in their Always Included program. But the sticker price of their fares tends to scare off many budget-minded travelers. This should provide enough money for transportation, food, and small souvenirs in port. Jan 6. Here's how to get the most out of Royal Caribbean's Deluxe Beverage Package (or Prime Casino Royale free drinks in the casino). Do I need to tip on a cruise or pay service charges, is a question that comes up often. Tipping is not required, however, customarily some people do choose to tip anywhere from $1 - $5 per order. Treasure Coast of Florida. Your articles are so helpful at navigating the cruise world. If you wait to the end to tip, then the servers wont know and you possibly missed out of knowing how wonderful the cabin steward or others could be. That was the only time I didn't give an additional cash tip to the wait staff. However, most cruisers do tip them for their service. On embarkation day of my very first cruise, a porter came up to my taxi and whisked my luggage away, seconds after I got out of the car. On NCL, passengers who dont want to pay autograts need to file a claim for reimbursement after the cruise. If you order room service, its customary to give the person that delivers your tray about $1-2 per meal. 4 Ways to Tip Extra on a Non-Tipping Cruise Ship, What to Expect on a Cruise: Onboard Spending, Service on a Luxury Cruise: What to Expect. Before that, in 2015 RCI upped its gratuities from USD 12 to USD 12,95 (standard cabins) and from USD 14,25 to USD 15,95 (suites). Tips are added automatically to the onboard account (SeaPass) on a daily basis. Normally, we tip between $5 to $7 additionally per day for the two of us at the end of the cruise. Have some small bills handy for these times. A tip of 15%-20% is common, so check the bottom of your bill before adding an additional amount. On most cruise lines that collect automatic gratuities, youre able to remove or adjust the charges by visiting the passenger services desk. In the wake of the increase, a family of four in a . I also tipped my wait staff very generously in the main dining room and specialty restaurants, as well as my drink waiters! If youre new to cruising, or its been a while since your last cruise, its important to know about cruise tipping guidelines before you sail. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'shouldbecruising_com-mobile-leaderboard-2','ezslot_21',676,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-shouldbecruising_com-mobile-leaderboard-2-0');Tip: Want to avoid paying hefty ATM fees on the cruise ship to get cash for tips? Still confused . The auto gratuity goes not only to your cabin steward but is also shared among the entire crew that works to make your cruise successful: the dining room, buffet and specialty restaurant wait staff, cooks, laundry staff and the general housekeeping staff that cleans the ship's common areas, for example. I almost alwaysgive my dining staff a bit extra, my kids generally have some special requests that take extra time and effort for the wait staff. There is no charge for children under 3 years of age. Cruise line employees work their butts off to earn those tips. What Is The Average Amount of Cash to Bring on a Cruise? As much as some people opt to remove gratuities on their account, some give extra. Originally formed in 1988 by the Chandris Group in Greece, Celebrity Cruises was acquired by Royal Caribbean Group in 1997. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Here's a guide to help you navigate ways to show your appreciation for these hard workers. I guess I was looking for some kind of scale like we have atrestaurants on land. Disney cruises has a suggested daily gratuity charge of $13.50 per person, per day for all guests. If theres a crew member who goes above and beyond for you, there are some other ways to show your appreciation. Im Carrie Ann, the writer behind Should Be Cruising. Weve been on 4 cruises with our 5th. 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,. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? I believe this to be true, too. Robinson said mainstream cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean and Holland America Line charge gratuities on a per person, per day basis. Ill definitely look into it and see how I can best do that on this site. How much shouldwe tip? So something edible (maybe a favorite candy or snack from your home region?) Please note that gratuities are charged in US dollars for Caribbean, US and Canada cruises. Tipping on a cruise ship isnt mandatory, but it is customary, and many crew members rely on tips as a large part of their income. The practice of tipping is controversial, even in the United States where paying tips is part of the culture. The tipping culture in North America and on cruise ships is flawed, but (as you mentioned) reducing or eliminating tips only hurts the hardworking crew and their families - and does nothing to change the system. Great points about luxury lines and that gratuities are included. Manage Settings This fee ranges anywhere from $12.50 to upward of $20 per person, per day, depending on the cruise line -- usually on the higher end if you're staying in a suite. Keep in mind, the venues are not always the same between Royal Caribbean ships, but each of my tips can. The one excursion we had a fifty dollar bill and three ones at the end of the (short) trip. Do you have a favorite bartender? I don't actually agree with th. We always tip cruise staff but in cash not automatic tipping. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. raahc and lovecruising!!! How much people tip a Royal Genie on their Royal Caribbean cruise tends to vary, although many American guests tend to fall at around the $75-$100 per day. Before Your Royal Caribbean Cruise . 1. 1 1 Quote Cindi Members 12 Author Posted April 16, 2019 The cruise line assesses a daily fee and divides the money among the tipped crew. Stay in one of the Royal Suites and room service is included. After combing through my notes, here's the best tips and tricks for taking a Royal Caribbean cruise. I ALWAYS tip extra to the outstanding employees on every cruise I have ever taken. Some cruise lines employ a sommelier or wine steward in the main dining rooms, who isnt included in the tipping pool. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Do you need to tip for drinks, meals, or snacks on a cruise? I love sharing my best cruise tips with you, along with reviews of cruise destinations, shore excursions, cruise ships and cruise lines. Some cruise lines refer to these tips as a service charge. In addition, a portion of the tips are given to those who work behind the scenes or may serve you in different areas of the ship. If you go to any slot machine, youre able to transfer money to the game via your onboard account, which is connected to your credit or debit card. Its a part of our cruise vacation cost and helps the hardworking crew make a living. Hi All, Im Ilana. Technically your are not obliged to tip any more than the daily gratuities that have been charged to your room. Here are some other people you should tip during your cruise. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Tipped crew make the majority of their income from gratuities! If you want to avoid any ATM charges, though, you can theoretically take money out via the casino. Some cruise ship spas, like those on NCL and Royal Caribbean, add on a service fee or gratuity, usually about 18%. We also always tip bar staff even when drinks are complimentary. Between May 1, 2016, and Jan 2, 2018, passengers on RCI boats paid US$13,50 (increased from US$12,95) for standard cabins and US$16,50 (increased from US$15.95) for upper-tier suites. However, there are a few common practices and guidelines. But you should know, that the ship's service staff don't make a salary - your tips are their wages. Until fairly recently, cruise passengers customarily tipped only in cash, in person. If your shore excursion includes lunch, you generally dont have to leave a tipthe tour company takes care of the lunch bill. Tipping on a cruise ship: The big picture. Ren de Lambert. A couple should budget about $200 in gratuities for a 7 day cruise. (Want to get the most from your cabin steward? In reality, the cruise staff on board want you to be satisfied, so this is the time address a problem. What currency should you use to tip on a cruise? The amount is the only thing that tends to vary on service levels. The staff learns real quick who tips extra, and who does not. On a 7 day cruise we usually give $50 to the waiter and $30 to the asst. You can post now and register later. There was only one cruise where my sons special request was denied. Your personal data will be processed and information from your device (cookies, unique identifiers, and other device data) may be stored by, accessed by and shared with third party vendors, or used specifically by this site or app. The one excursion we had a fifty dollar bill and three ones at the end of the (short) trip. I give my room steward $5 at the very beginning of the cruise. I purchased the package pre-cruise for $76, this equates to just over $25 per day. If you buy a $5 souvenir with a $20 bill in Mexico, for example, youll receive change in Mexican pesos. Sometimes a shoddy tip was more insulting than no tip at all. Your article has done a lot to change my philosophy and increase my understanding of why there is this charge and what the implications of reducing it might be. However, extra tipping and being a jerk do not go hand in hand. Whats included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare, 30 Do's and Don'ts for the first day of your cruise, The 20 worst cruise mistakes that will ruin your cruise vacation, The best cruise itineraries for every type of traveler, How to plan a Royal Caribbean cruise on any budget, Best shore excursion in every Caribbean cruise port. Many ships also have an abundance of kids' activities including kids clubs that . P.S. Outdoor Activities If outdoor fun is your thing, the Carnival Dream offers a near endless array of ways to fill both day and night with fun. Many luxury all-inclusive cruise lines include gratuities in their cruise fares, or have a tips neither expected nor required policy. After 50 cruises I know they really mean it! Whether $2 to a bartender, $20 to your waiter, or $50 to your stateroom attendant, its common to tip crew members extra for excellent service. All ships have at least one ATM onboard, which is usually located in the Royal Promenade or Centrum. The industry should pay fair wages so that our tips are in fact tips and not wages. Thanks! Royal Caribbean states the current pricing for 2022 sailings is between $12.99 and $15.00 per day of the cruise. Royal Caribbean's drink packages include: Deluxe Beverage Package Refreshment Package (No alcohol) Classic Soda Package Im so glad youre enjoying my blog and find the posts helpful and appreciate the feedback. For favorite bartenders or waitstaff, I give about $20 to each for a seven-day cruise. Carnivals daily gratuities are $13.99 per person, per day for guests in standard cabins. There's a wide variety of services that you will receive during your cruise. How Much Does a Caribbean Cruise Cost? Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Celebrity Cruises is Royal Caribbean's sister brand that provides a slightly more upscale, refined experience onboard. Tips are either covered by the autogratuities or theres a service fee tacked on, so you dont need to tip again. Bond with your snorkel guide? This is for a good reason as it ensures that proper. The cruise industry has worked this way for a long time, although the automatic gratuities are only the last few years. I choose to add the gratuities ahead, just to get them out of the way. There are 2 adults and 1 child in the room, if this. Love this! Sometimes a shoddy tip was more insulting than no tip at all. With the exception of a couple cruise lines on this list, most cruises that include gratuities are luxury lines. one in 2023. Had same two waiters 4 of those nights. MTD and ate in MDR 5 nights. The best advice I can give Americans and Canadians, if they are tipping questions arise either on the ship or ashore, follow the lead of Aussies and ask their advice. Credit: whmuc.blogspot.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. You may want to give a small tip to the person who delivers your room service order. Below are just some of the people you may want to tip in this way, and some rough guidelines regarding how much - though know this is very subjective, and of course should be commensurate with the level of service that a given person provided.
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