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If not, just leave blank. The average daily gratuity on a cruise is $14-15 USD per person approximately $30 per day, per couple in a cabin. 1 Royal Caribbean Travel Protection is an optional travel protection add-on to your cruise booking and is available through Royal Caribbean for residents in all states except New York. Your articles are so helpful at navigating the cruise world. The bar service personnel still gets their 15% tips from each bar sale. If theres a crew member who goes above and beyond for you, there are some other ways to show your appreciation. This is an excellent article, which really clearly explains all the issues around tipping. Hi All, I just wanted to share something with new cruisers (and old if they do not know this). Do you need to tip for drinks, meals, or snacks on a cruise? When paying the automatic daily gratuities, cruise lines tell us this amount gets divided by your cabin attendant, waiter and other dining staff. Cruise lines have implemented automatic gratuities, options to prepay gratuities and some popular cruise lines have begun including tips in your cruise fare. 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. Luxury cruise lines have a higher upfront cost than most popular cruise lines, however theyll often include many valuable extras. Depending on your bank, the ATM transaction fee may be waived. But the sticker price of their fares tends to scare off many budget-minded travelers. I have to say, we simply prepay or leave the tips as is, so I really dont pay attention these days. And if the problem still remains unsolved - then adjust the tips. I purchased the package pre-cruise for $76, this equates to just over $25 per day. You cant choose how much each crew member gets. Our last few cruises on Celebrity and Princess, we actually had lots of interaction from the Maitred and we did appreciate the work they did. The extra cash may or may not end up in your steward's pocket, but he'll appreciate the gesture nonetheless. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The amount is the only thing that tends to vary on service levels. For both of us, we usually tip between $30-$50 for head waiter, and slightly less for assistant waiter and then even slightly less for the drink waiter (as we are non-drinkers but still want to. (Learn more about when and when not to pay auto-gratuities.). Extra tipping doesnt give you the right to be a jerk, but if you are a jerk, you had better extra tip! One exception is the piano player in the loungemost accept tips for song requests or if you enjoyed their music. As much as some people opt to remove gratuities on their account, some give extra. Service charges for guests ages 4-14 are half of the adult rate. You will get great service either way. A better solution is to have a discreet word with the crew members supervisor about your concerns. We like to prepay gratuities when we make our final payment for our cruise, but this is optional. If you feel that you want to tip above and beyond the cruise tipping guidelines, go for it. Holland Americas daily gratuity is $14.50 per person, per day for guests in standard cabins and $16.00 per person, per day for guests in suites. Typically, this is associated with your credit card which youll be prompted to set up when you complete your online check in. Note that paying in cash does not necessarily circumvent the pooling system -- attendants are officially required to turn in any cash gratuities to put toward the pool. Iwas a waitress for yearslong ago and far away. People associate umbrella drinks and colorful tropical concoctions with cruising, and fancy-looking martinis have become a nighttime staple at sea. When people think of cruises,, Theres nothing quite like relaxing on a Caribbean beach with no worries in the world except deciding which tropical, A lot of cruise ship passengers will drive to their port of embarkation, whether with their own vehicle or in a ride, Royal Caribbean cruises are known for the wide-array of entertainment, dining and things to do onboard, and it got us. I dont tend to tip in advance, so this is an interesting way of doing things. I do think its a very personal choice, but we can talk about this in a future video for sure! All ships have at least one ATM onboard, which is usually located in the Royal Promenade or Centrum. That is a very personal question. Our Hawaiian cruise in April will be the first weve been on in 15 years, so, obviously, things have changed a lot. Most are experienced cruisers and, as a group, theyre very well-liked. Since most cruise passengers follow the tipping guidelines, that amounts to an increase $13.30 . Royal Caribbean charges a gratuity of $16.00 per person, per day. Related: Whats included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare. #1 Bring a bathing suit on embarkation day On embarkation day, the pools are open so be sure to pack a bathing suit in your carry-on luggage so that you can enjoy them with less crowds! Continue with Recommended Cookies. The finishings are top notch, and the bathroom, in particular, is well-designed with a separate water closet. Some cruise lines refer to the gratuities as a crew incentive or a service fee, but essentially these are tips for crew members that are used to augment their low wages. What I can say, on a personal level, is that we have found that the majority of cabin stewards, waiters, assistant waiters and ship staff have given us amazing service. Carnivals daily gratuities are $13.99 per person, per day for guests in standard cabins. Tipping on a cruise ship can be a confusing endeavor, especially for those sailing for the first time. 1) Get a Free Balcony Upgrade Promotion and How to Find Them Occasionally cruise lines will run special promotions on particular ships, itineraries, and/or destinations offering balcony staterooms at the same price as an outside or inside cabin. You cannot paste images directly. Jan 6. No worries about "shoddy tips" since you have already paid the standard tip. By general rule of thumb, the big ship mainstream cruise lines charge it as an extra payment above and beyond the base cruise fare while luxury lines adopt an all-inclusive approach. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'shouldbecruising_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_8',602,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-shouldbecruising_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0');With the autograt system, many crew members who rarely received tips before now get a sharelike the laundry or kitchen staff on some cruise lines. Payments on cruise ships have almost entirely gone digital, but there are still a few situations where cash comes in handy. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? one in 2023. However, the price of getting online can be expensive. Can You Refuse to Pay Gratuities on a Cruise? 20102023Regal Sea Media LLC. Thats a funny thing that weve experienced in the past as well. (Youll often see a survey pop up in your email inbox a few days after your cruise.). Maybe your cabin attendant delivered when you made a special request, or you loved how your steward always sweetly arranged your children's stuffed animals before bed every night -- or maybe you just want to show a little extra appreciation in the universal language of money. The rule of thumb is to tip the guide 10% to 20% of the tour cost, depending on how much you enjoyed the experience. A couple should budget about $200 in gratuities for a 7 day cruise. We sail Celebrity and opt to prepay gratuities. There are instances of passengers who prefer not to tip, usually either because they disagree with tipping on principle or they've experienced unsatisfactory service. Other itineraries may differ. You just cant help being extra nice or helpful when you know the people are going to be extra nice to you, ie the extra tips. Some cruisers swear by tipping at the beginning of the cruise to ensure excellent service. 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. Most of the biggest cruise lines automatically add some type of service or gratuity fee onto passenger bills. 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. Some cruise lines allow you to use your cruise card to deposit money in the casino. Manchester 3. Keep in mind, the venues are not always the same between Royal Caribbean ships, but each of my tips can. A former flight attendant, she now prefers cruise ships over airplanes and spends several months each year cruising and exploring cruise ports. Not based on what we "should" give, more on the fact that they provided very good service. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Do you need to tip at the spa on a cruise? 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. You can purchase the drink package online pre-cruise or once onboard during the first day (or two) of your trip. 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. Note that we are Australian, so therefore not inclined to tip unless the service warrants it. Lets just say from the expression on the drivers face that he was not happy with that amount. (Admit it: You tend to miss those nightly pillow chocolates and towel animals after you get home.) Many cruisers opt to give extra cash tips to crew members who made their vacation that much more enjoyable. Congrats on reaching Diamond :) Happy cruising! It includes who to tip, who not to tip, and some tips to help as you plan your cruise vacation. Related: Cruise Line. The gratuity applies to individual guests of all ages and . If you are one to give your room attendant a little extra (on top of auto gratuities), how much do you typically give. Life Well Cruised Ultimate Cruise Planner, YouTube at Life Well Cruised (Vlogs and cruise tips). There are also usually comment cards available at the purser's desk or online for additional recognition -- or post a review on Cruise Critic. I believe this to be true, too. 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. This practice can eat into the regular wages and livelihood of hardworking crew and is not advised. How much tip receive in cruise royal caribbean? Technically your are not obliged to tip any more than the daily gratuities that have been charged to your room. In fact, I think most would agree that cruise line staff make a huge difference in the cruise experience. Tips are of course a personal decision. 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. Royal Caribbean: $14.50 per person, per day ($17.50 for guests in grand suites and above). Others just prefer the face-to-face experience of handing over a cash tip. How much are gratuities on Royal Caribbean cruises? Royal Caribbean's VOOM service has two different levels of service with two different prices. 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. I also tip constantly while on the cruise. If you dont see the cards in your room, ask at the Passenger Services desk, or leave the feedback in your post-cruise survey. There are a number of factors which people use to decide how much to tip their Genie. On top of that, there's an 18% gratuity fee. Princess Cruises also has the Princess Plus fare, which includes gratuities or the crew incentive, Medallion Net wifi and Princess premium beverage package. Each person you tip gets their own envelope. Tipping extra is not necessary, and theres no right or wrong amount to give a crew member. Royal Caribbean cruise ships have been sailing at nearly 100% capacity for the past few months. Cruise lines usually add a service charge, usually 15-18%, to all beverages that arent complimentary. Hi Alex, thanks so much for your lovely comment. 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. Or you can plan ahead and take enough cash in the correct currency to cover any tips you might want to pay. Started in 2010, Royal Caribbean Blog offers daily coverage of news and information related to the Royal Caribbean cruise line along with other relevant topics of cruising, such as entertainment, news, photo updates and more. They might feel that it gives them more control over tipping, rewarding the crew based on their level of service. You can choose to pay in local currency, too, but obtaining money in 3+ currencies before a cruise is not necessary. Passengers sometimes plan in advance to bring small gifts to leave with their cabin stewards, either at the beginning or end of the cruise. We had the my time diningsame waiter and assistant every night. Cruise line employees are extremely hard working, I agree, and they go above and beyond so often. Tips are added automatically to the onboard account (SeaPass) on a daily basis. Celebrity Cruises now includes daily gratuities in its Always Included cruise fare. Rather than reducing the amount payed, they point out on their website that they will work to resolve any service issues experienced. A The automatic service gratuity is $16.00 USD per person, per day for guests in Junior Suites and below, or $18.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Grand Suites and above, applied to each guest's SeaPass account on a daily basis. The big three, including Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean expect guests to foot the bill and tips are added to their onboard account. Do you have a favorite bartender? Manage Settings Or do you remove them altogether? That was the only time I didn't give an additional cash tip to the wait staff. 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. Thats up to you! 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). Cruise Tipping and Salaries Dissected, Tipping On Cruises: Cruise Line Policies Revealed, Tipping on Ships: An Australian Culture Clash, Cabin Stewards on a Cruise: What to Expect, How Not to Be Rude on a Cruise: 10 Ways to Make the Crew Love You. Even if you prepay for your shore excursions directly through the cruise line, its customary to tip your tour guides and drivers in cash after each excursion. Depending on your cruise ship, you may be able to use the Royal . However, there are a few common practices and guidelines. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. A cruise only rate may be available on select cruises, which would not include gratuities. After combing through my notes, here's the best tips and tricks for taking a Royal Caribbean cruise. The time when youll need the most cash on a cruise vacation is when youre in port. While not obligatory, there are some of the workers you may want to recognize with a tip when cruising. Had same two waiters 4 of those nights. There's a wide variety of services that you will receive during your cruise. Even though cruise gratuities technically arent mandatory, they are customary on most mainstream cruise lines. Most mainstream cruise lines have their headquarters in the US. 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. Other cruisers, often people who remember cruising before autogratuities, prefer tipping crew in cash.