Required fields are marked *. So glad this was helpful. 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. 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. Giving service staff tips in a currency they cant easily use means theyll have to pay a fee to change your cash tip into another currency. You can adjust this based on the length and complexity of the tour. 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,. During your cruise vacation, youll probably receive services from other people who arent cruise line employeesbut you might not realize it! What Is a Cabin Steward on a Cruise Ship? If youre sailing from the United States to the Caribbean, US dollars are widely accepted in popular cruise ports. Some cruise lines point out that you may wish to tip the kids club staff. One of these differences is that cruise gratuities are included. If you go on a tour or shore excursion, its nice to tip the driver or shore excursion staff if youve appreciated their service. Display as a link instead, Heres a video which answers many questions that you may have about cruise gratuities and tipping on a cruise ship. I also tipped my wait staff very generously in the main dining room and specialty restaurants, as well as my drink waiters! So our "big tip" on this subject is this - if you guys have a service staff problem, speak first with your cabin attendant. We are a middle class, retirement age couple (63 and 62) who are not retired with no plans to in the near future. Do you tip above and beyond the automatic gratuities? Iwas a waitress for yearslong ago and far away. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. These feedback cards mean a lot and sometimes lead to a stellar crew member getting a raise or even a promotion! In-suite parties are a huge amount of work for the Genie and room attendants. Since this is the current pay structure for most major cruise lines, removing tips really affects the cruise line workers. Princess: $14.50 per person, per day ($15.50 for mini-suite guests and $16.50 for suite guests). Cruise Ship Engine Power, Propulsion, Fuel, Royal Caribbean Drinks Prices, Beverage Menus, Alcohol Policy, Carnival Cruise WiFi Internet Packages Prices. In fact, I think most would agree that cruise line staff make a huge difference in the cruise experience. Is it the 15 day or the 7 day from Honolulu? Youll likely get much better service by doing that instead of just removing the tip! Both beautiful cruise options! 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. However ,usually you can have at least 2 cabin stewards. How it works: Gratuities are automatically added to your shipboard account on a daily basis. Hi this was helpful, thank you. And while you dont need to visit a port with $1000 in your wallet, youll want to make sure you have enough money to account for expenses throughout the day. I had prepaid my gratuities, and I assumed the porter was a cruise line employee, so I didnt tip him. By 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. They are always pleasant and willing to do whatever they can for you. If your shore excursion includes lunch, you generally dont have to leave a tipthe tour company takes care of the lunch bill. Automatic gratuities cover just about every tipped crew member on the ship. If you want to give an additional tip to your cabin steward (or two), Im sure its very appreciated. Sometimes a shoddy tip was more insulting than no tip at all. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Theres no need to add an extra tip for each drink. on board service charges (Norwegian Cruise Line). Here's a guide to help you navigate ways to show your appreciation for these hard workers. The price increases during August to approximately $773 (619) per person, excluding taxes. I give my room steward $5 at the very beginning of the cruise. Virgin Voyages does a lot of things differently than its mainstream peers. Up the tip to $20. If you want to avoid any ATM charges, though, you can theoretically take money out via the casino. Related: Cruise Line. 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. Which currency you should bring with you on a cruise depends on your departure port and itinerary. Each person you tip gets their own envelope. Keep in mind that cruise crew members live in tight quarters, so small (and edible) gifts are preferred. Princess Cruises also has the Princess Plus fare, which includes gratuities or the crew incentive, Medallion Net wifi and Princess premium beverage package. 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. Can You Refuse to Pay Gratuities on a Cruise? If you buy a $5 souvenir with a $20 bill in Mexico, for example, youll receive change in Mexican pesos. But I also feel like people will think Im rude for not doing so in reality tho, they are already being tipped 18%. Cruise line employees are extremely hard working, I agree, and they go above and beyond so often. The extra cash may or may not end up in your steward's pocket, but he'll appreciate the gesture nonetheless. I go into more detail about this topic in this post:Can You Refuse to Pay Gratuities on a Cruise? When youre tipping in cash on a cruise, its always best to use the official currency on the ship. 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. Clear editor. Note that we are Australian, so therefore not inclined to tip unless the service warrants it. But if you dont want to prepay, thats fine too. And if the problem still remains unsolved - then adjust the tips. The industry should pay fair wages so that our tips are in fact tips and not wages. Cunards daily gratuities are set at $11.50 per person, per day for guests in standard cabins. Upload or insert images from URL. 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). 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. You can choose to pay in local currency, too, but obtaining money in 3+ currencies before a cruise is not necessary. Or do you remove them altogether? 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. Luxury cruise lines have a higher upfront cost than most popular cruise lines, however theyll often include many valuable extras. Cruise gratuities are divided among your cruise cabin steward, waiters and other crew members who work as support behind the scenes. They might feel that it gives them more control over tipping, rewarding the crew based on their level of service. $15.99 per person per day for guests in suites. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. The average price of a 7 night Caribbean cruise, on a mainstream cruise line, in April is approximately $616 (493) per person, excluding taxes. How much you tip on cruise excursions is entirely up to you, but a suggested starting price is $3 per person for a half-day tour and $6 per person for a full-day tour for the guide and $1 to $2 for the bus driver. Tipping is not required, however, customarily some people do choose to tip anywhere from $1 - $5 per order. Do you have a favorite bartender? Thoughts? If you are one to give your room attendant a little extra (on top of auto gratuities), how much do you typically give. Wondering how much gratuities are on a cruise? Thats up to you! Do you need to tip for drinks, meals, or snacks on a cruise? Please note that gratuities are charged in US dollars for Caribbean, US and Canada cruises. Get access to the best last minute hotel rates in the USA by becoming a registered member online today. In addition to this, an 18% gratuity is automatically added to all drinks, spa and salon services. We never gave him anything. Can you remove or adjust autogratuities on a cruise? Some guests may bring $200 extra for gratuities whereas others may bring $50. All ships have at least one ATM onboard, which is usually located in the Royal Promenade or Centrum. There are different service charges for certain itineraries. Im an avid cruiser and have been giving out insider tips for more than 10 years! Something to note is that although daily gratuities arent charged, there may be a service fee or tip added to certain services onboard. Then you can take your deposit out in cash at the casino cashier. Hi All, Im Ilana. I think it's more like when you go to a restaurant and they added the automatic service charge to the bill, but there is still a line for additional tipping. You can purchase the drink package online pre-cruise or once onboard during the first day (or two) of your trip. If you dont see the cards in your room, ask at the Passenger Services desk, or leave the feedback in your post-cruise survey. Often cruise lines provide additional envelopes to tuck a little extra cash at the end of the cruise just for this purpose. Cruise line tipping policies vary from one cruise company to another. .WONDER OF THE SEAS. As much as some people opt to remove gratuities on their account, some give extra. Here is a list of the daily gratuity charges by major cruise lines for 2021-22. I don't actually agree with th. Credit: whmuc.blogspot.com. Additionally, shouldbecruising.com participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes receive a commission from purchases made through our links. Tips are added automatically to the onboard account (SeaPass) on a daily basis. Tip amount: Gratuities amount to $13.50 per person per day (including children 3 and older) in standard rooms and $15.50 per person in suites. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. In addition to the automatic daily gratuities, a tip or service fee of 15-20% is added to drinks and/or drink packages as well as spa services on a cruise. A cruise only rate may be available on select cruises, which would not include gratuities. I was very surprised. Royal Caribbean International What's Included: Dining, stateroom, and other key crew members. 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. A former flight attendant, she now prefers cruise ships over airplanes and spends several months each year cruising and exploring cruise ports. What do you think about the custom of tipping on a cruise ship? We rarely do the parties anymore. If you havent notified your bank, they will usually send you a fraud alert or temporarily freeze your card. The only exception is for passengers with prepaid gratuities (they won't be charged daily). P.S. You also shouldnt tip the cruise director, the entertainment staff, or any independent entertainers like musical guests, comedians, or magicians. Royal Caribbean: $14.50 per person, per day ($17.50 for guests in grand suites and above). Come join my Facebook Cruise Community Thanks for reading and Happy Cruising!! You could also tip based on the length of the tour. I generally tip extra, mostly because I come from a customer service back round and know how hard these people work, compared to their pay. Norwegian Cruise Line. We like to keep a few dollars handy for this purpose as we board our cruise ship. Ive been surprisedor I probably should say I had forgottenhow many hands have been extended for a tip on these shore excursions. While most people know it for being a cruise destination, shadowing the coastline to see the glaciers, there is so much 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. Treasure Coast of Florida. They pay their crew (usually recruited from countries with limited economic opportunities) per contract, not by the hour. 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 rule of thumb is to tip the guide 10% to 20% of the tour cost, depending on how much you enjoyed the experience. 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. The average daily gratuity on a cruise is $14-15 USD per person approximately $30 per day, per couple in a cabin. For some of them, depending . If you could use cruise packing lists, to-do checklists, shore excursion forms and more, youll love the Life Well Cruised Ultimate Cruise Planner. Celebrity Cruises is Royal Caribbean's sister brand that provides a slightly more upscale, refined experience onboard. A tip of 15%-20% is common, so check the bottom of your bill before adding an additional amount. First is the ATM. I put together a 47 page printable cruise travel planner that has everything you need as you plan and get ready for your cruise. If theres a crew member who goes above and beyond for you, there are some other ways to show your appreciation. Beyond leaving a cash tip for your cabin steward, or favorite server or bartender, some other small gestures will go a long way. You might want to remove their tips as a punishment for poor service. It has one large sink with two faucets and a large shower with a tub. Lines with such charges include both of the two giants of the cruise business, Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line, as well as Norwegian, MSC Cruises and Princess Cruises. UK lines such as Fred. Should you prepay automatic gratuities? When we tip them individually, do they get to keep the entire amount for themselvesor do they have to share that too? I'm so glad you found my post! W. royal caribbean cruise cruises deals 2021. Manage Settings The amount is the only thing that tends to vary on service levels. Most cruise lines charge for children as well, although there are some exceptions for very young children on select cruise lines. If you're staying in a high-category suite, you may be expected to tip . We usually do the prepaid tipping and also give some extra at the end of our cruises. The cruise line assesses a daily fee and divides the money among the tipped crew. For guests staying in Grand Suites and above, the fee is $18.50 per person, per day. I was thinking of giving ours a $20 at the beginning, not sure if this is about the "norm", or if I should give a little more. Iwas a waitress for yearslong ago and far away. How Much Should I Tip My Room Steward on a Cruise? 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. The amount is based on the service received of course. ATMs usually charge a $5-6 fee per transaction. How much to tip waiter and his assistant? Our Stateroom Attendant on cruise #5 was fabulous, and I showed my appreciation by leaving him (thanks Mahbob!) There is no service charge applied for children under 2 years of age. 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. There was only one cruise where my sons special request was denied. US$13,50 (increased from US$12,95) for standard cabins and US$16,50 (increased from US$15.95) for upper-tier suites. But honestly, theyd prefer cash over a gift basketno matter how yummy your treats are! We usually tip between $500-700 depending on what we do. If mainstream cruise lines decided to abolish tipping and pay all crew members a reasonable rate per hour, they would have to significantly raise the cost of cruise fares. Having worked in the service industry, if people want to extra tip, then doing it at the beginning is the way to go. Pricing varies based on the ship, sail dates, and itinerary. Now if someone goes over and above a little extra is due. 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%. In their case "tipping" doesn't mean "extra" - it means "salary". Disclaimer: I may receive a small commission when you make a purchase from a link on this site, at no added charge to you. However, youll want to make sure youve notified your bank that you will be out of the country. 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. Cruising can be such a relaxing vacation as well as so much fun. Here's how it works on Royal Caribbean: As of September 7 th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per person, per day for guests in non-suites staterooms, or $18.50 USD per. Should You Prepay Gratuities on a Cruise or Pay Onboard? While not obligatory, there are some of the workers you may want to recognize with a tip when cruising. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. But many cruisers (including myself) choose to prepay to avoid a big charge at the end of the cruise. Please check Costas website for details. Technically your are not obliged to tip any more than the daily gratuities that have been charged to your room. Paste as plain text instead, Some cruise lines allow you to use your cruise card to deposit money in the casino. You cannot paste images directly. Something you will need cash for on a Royal Caribbean cruise are any extra tips you give to crew members. I do think its a very personal choice, but we can talk about this in a future video for sure! I'm sure the crew appreciated your extra tips - they all work so hard! How Much Does A Cruise Cost? Now, with automatic gratuities, the process is much simpler and you dont need to carry all that cash. 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. 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. Thanks for taking the time to read my blog and leave a comment! 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. You can raise them, lower them, or remove them altogether. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. For more info, please read myDisclosure Policy. If you feel that you want to tip above and beyond the cruise tipping guidelines, go for it. Having small bills handy is helpful if you plan to tip crew members throughout your sailing. Cruise lines just have contracts with their preferred shore excursion companiesthe guides and drivers arent employees of the line. Life Well Cruised Ultimate Cruise Planner, YouTube at Life Well Cruised (Vlogs and cruise tips). Payments on cruise ships have almost entirely gone digital, but there are still a few situations where cash comes in handy. Not based on what we "should" give, more on the fact that they provided very good service. Critics of this system (which has evolved in the last several decades from strictly cash-based gratuities) say that under this tip pooling arrangement, cabin attendants and wait staff aren't getting recognized for exemplary work the same as they were in the old days. Keep a few dollars handy to tip the cruise porters on embarkation day. Any chance of that? Grand Suite and above cabin categories pay USD 18,50 pp per day gratuities. In some service industries where wages are substandard, customers are expected to pay a gratuity, typically 15 to 20% of the bill, to augment the workers low hourly wages. Im Carrie Ann, the writer behind Should Be Cruising. However, you might end up paying a similar total price on a mainstream line when you factor in gratuities, drink packages, shore excursions, and the like. Tips are of course a personal decision. If youre new to cruising, you might be wondering who to tip on a cruise, how much to tip, and exactly how onboard gratuities work. I choose to add the gratuities ahead, just to get them out of the way. At some North American ports, youll see signs stating that the porters do not accept tips. As a cruise passenger, you want to be aware and set your budget expectations to include these amounts for the cruise ship staff. With the exception of a couple cruise lines on this list, most cruises that include gratuities are luxury lines. Tips are added automatically to the onboard account (SeaPass) on a daily basis. They have the insider tips to match so that you can make the most of everything that'll be at your fingertips. Other itineraries may differ. I always prepay the gratuities. We like to prepay gratuities when we make our final payment for our cruise, but this is optional. To avoid currency confusion, especially if youre traveling to multiple countries on one cruise, we recommend using a credit or debit card to make purchases in port whenever possible. Extra tipping doesnt give you the right to be a jerk, but if you are a jerk, you had better extra tip! This is for a good reason as it ensures that proper. When youre on a cruise, you shouldnt tip the captain or the officers. After 50 cruises I know they really mean it! Credit: Royal Caribbean Show-Stopping Entertainment Although cards are widely accepted, you may still encounter establishments that do not accept card payments. 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. Hi Janet! It's all on the room service menu. On a 7 day cruise we usually give $50 to the waiter and $30 to the asst. 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. #4. I purchased the package pre-cruise for $76, this equates to just over $25 per day. For this reason, I have always found being expected to pay tips, on an already expensive cruise, very irritating and have sometimes had them reduced at the service desk. Afrikaans; Alemannisch; ; ; Azrbaycanca; ; Banjar; ; () You can do so by going to guest services and making the request. Windstar Cruises daily gratuities are $12.00 per person, per day for all cabin types. 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). Stay in one of the Royal Suites and room service is included. Depending on your cruise ship, you may be able to use the Royal . They did a really good job and I would like to tip them. Plus, youre never required to make any extra purchases in the first place if you take advantage of the complimentary options available on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Thanks! Learn how your comment data is processed. Related: Whats included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare. Most mainstream cruise lines bill passengers between $12 and $15 per person, per day for. Tipping extra is not necessary, and theres no right or wrong amount to give a crew member. Jan 6. Your email address will not be published. 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. You can just hand over folded cash, or use the tip envelopes youll find in your stateroom or at Passenger Services. These cruise line employees are highly compensated, and offering a tip isnt necessary. Tipping on a cruise ship: The big picture. However, most cruisers do tip them for their service. Cruise lines typically flag their ships in countries with lax employment laws. Whether in Mexico, St. Maarten, Italy, or Vanuatu, having cash is recommended. Youre right an 18% gratuity is added each time you purchase a drink. The average daily gratuity on a cruise is $14-15 USD per person - approximately $30 per day, per couple in a cabin. This is an excellent article, which really clearly explains all the issues around tipping. If you dont have a drink package, theyll add the price of each drink plus the service fee to your onboard tab. However, cruisers dont always see all of the crew who work behind the scenes for them, like the kitchen and laundry workers. Cruises in Europe, World cruises and those departing from a non-US Caribbean port charge 10 Euros per person, per day. If not, just leave blank. The new RCI tips per day are added to each guest's SeaPass card (shipboard account) automatically. I prefer waiting to see how the service is before deciding on an extra tip, but thats just my preference. I have a video on my YouTube channel about this and people have commented amounts they give so his could be helpful (just check YouTube and search cruise gratuities Life Well Cruised).
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