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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. 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. 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. Im Carrie Ann, the writer behind Should Be Cruising. Upload or insert images from URL. There is no service charge applied for children under 2 years of age. 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. Most mainstream cruise lines have their headquarters in the US. You can also leave a small gift for your favorite crew member. Having small bills handy is helpful if you plan to tip crew members throughout your sailing. You'll find an extensive selection of options all over Canada Celebrity Cruises guide: Ships, itineraries, tips & more | Royal The average daily gratuity on a cruise is $14-15 USD per person approximately $30 per day, per couple in a cabin. Viking Ocean: $15.00 per person, per day Virgin Voyages: includes gratuities in the fare. Do you prefer to prepay your gratuitiesor to pay in cash? Even though cruise gratuities technically arent mandatory, they are customary on most mainstream cruise lines. 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. And if the problem still remains unsolved - then adjust the tips. One of these differences is that cruise gratuities are included. Hi this was helpful, thank you. Thanks so much! In a survey of 850 cruisers, 71% stated that they took over $100 per person per day when cruising. Do you need to tip for drinks, meals, or snacks on a cruise? If you buy a $5 souvenir with a $20 bill in Mexico, for example, youll receive change in Mexican pesos. Hope you enjoy! This should provide enough money for transportation, food, and small souvenirs in port. But honestly, theyd prefer cash over a gift basketno matter how yummy your treats are! Who else should you tip on a cruise ship? This practice can eat into the regular wages and livelihood of hardworking crew and is not advised. They are always pleasant and willing to do whatever they can for you. Thats up to you! The one excursion we had a fifty dollar bill and three ones at the end of the (short) trip. 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). A Guide to Cruise Gratuities: Has Cruise Tipping Gone Overboard? They pay their crew (usually recruited from countries with limited economic opportunities) per contract, not by the hour. Here are some other people you should tip during your cruise. Best Cafe at Sea? - Royal Caribbean Cruise Cafe @ Two70 Ren de Lambert (@RenedeLambert) on Flipboard Not only will it improve your cruise experience, but youre also allowing the cruise ship staff the opportunity to make things right. Normally, we tip between $5 to $7 additionally per day for the two of us at the end of the cruise. This is a convenient option for cruise passengers that dont want to think about extra charges once onboard. Still confused . on board service charges (Norwegian Cruise Line). What Is The Average Amount of Cash to Bring on a Cruise? 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. You can post now and register later. All rights reserved. Or do you remove them altogether? Other cruisers, often people who remember cruising before autogratuities, prefer tipping crew in cash. So something edible (maybe a favorite candy or snack from your home region?) A couple should budget about $200 in gratuities for a 7 day cruise. One notable exception is Norwegian Cruise Line. Many ships also have an abundance of kids' activities including kids clubs that . 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. Often, these crew members are part of the tip pool, and they lose part of their expected income each time a passenger removes autogratuities. Want to give something beyond cash? Children under 4 are not charged. Suggested tipping amounts for room service? - Royal Caribbean Cruisers would have to tip each of their service personnel (the cabin steward, restaurant servers, bartenders, etc.) if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'shouldbecruising_com-leader-2','ezslot_15',606,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-shouldbecruising_com-leader-2-0');Since you cant remove the automatic tips for just that one crew member, removing or lowering your automatic gratuities hurts all the tipped employees. US$13,50 (increased from US$12,95) for standard cabins and US$16,50 (increased from US$15.95) for upper-tier suites. Carrie Ann is the founder of Should Be Cruising and a lifelong travel fanatic. However, most cruisers do tip them for their service. You may want to give them a tip per drink or a larger tip at the end or even the beginning of your cruise. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. If you could use cruise packing lists, to-do checklists, shore excursion forms and more, youll love the Life Well Cruised Ultimate Cruise Planner. As a cruise passenger, you want to be aware and set your budget expectations to include these amounts for the cruise ship staff. If you dont see the cards in your room, ask at the Passenger Services desk, or leave the feedback in your post-cruise survey. Rather than reducing the amount payed, they point out on their website that they will work to resolve any service issues experienced. What do you think about cruise line gratuities and service onboard? Tipping is not required, however, customarily some people do choose to tip anywhere from $1 - $5 per order. The cruise industry has worked this way for a long time, although the automatic gratuities are only the last few years. 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. 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. Sometimes a shoddy tip was more insulting than no tip at all. Its a good idea to hand over your tips the day before disembarkation. If you order room service, its customary to give the person that delivers your tray about $1-2 per meal. Royal Caribbean Cruises Tipping Policy - CruiseCheap.com Technically your are not obliged to tip any more than the daily gratuities that have been charged to your room. cruise. It's always up to you to adjust the number of gratuities at any time while onboard the ship and your tips will be deemed undisputed. Once you book your cruise, there are some things you'll need to do in advance to prepare. How Much Does a Caribbean Cruise Cost? I give my room steward $5 at the very beginning of the cruise. Even if you try, theyll likely graciously turn down your offer. There are different service charges for certain itineraries. Great points about luxury lines and that gratuities are included. 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. Please let me know in the comments below. If you want to avoid any ATM charges, though, you can theoretically take money out via the casino. 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. A Guide for Tipping on a Cruise for Each Cruise Line Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. 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. cabin (not suite) recommended amount would be $39 pp times two equals $78 for a 4 night cruise. Top Cruise Tips | Royal Caribbean Blog In the main dining room, buffet, specialty restaurants, and other dining venues, your tip is included in the automatic gratuities. For guests staying in Grand Suites and above, the fee is $18.50 per person, per day. Just remember that cruise ship crew live in very tight quarters, without much room for personal belongings. Tipping extra is not necessary, and theres no right or wrong amount to give a crew member. In fact, I think most would agree that cruise line staff make a huge difference in the cruise experience. Keep a few dollars handy to tip the cruise porters on embarkation day. Royal Caribbean charges a gratuity of $16.00 per person, per day. People associate umbrella drinks and colorful tropical concoctions with cruising, and fancy-looking martinis have become a nighttime staple at sea. I do think its a very personal choice, but we can talk about this in a future video for sure! Cruise lines usually add a service charge, usually 15-18%, to all beverages that arent complimentary. Tipping Etiquette on Cruise Ships - TripSavvy We rarely do the parties anymore. In North America, most cruise terminal porters are longshoremen. $10-20 at the end of the cruise is a nice gratuity for their service. Royal Caribbean says it is raising its suggested crew gratuities by nearly $2 per passenger, per day. Please share on Facebook or PIN to your favorite Pinterest board (share buttons at the top). I'm so glad you found my post! 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. Should you prepay automatic gratuities? If sailing in a reg. How much are gratuities on Royal Caribbean cruises? | Royal Caribbean Blog www.royalcaribbeanblog.com. It's all on the room service menu. If you opt for a specialty restaurant, the tip isnt usually included. Most cruise lines allow guests to remove automatic gratuities. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Royal Caribbean Blog. What is Royal Caribbean's gratuity price and policy? - Cruises Ren de Lambert. 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. The average daily gratuity on a cruise is $14-15 USD per person - approximately $30 per day, per couple in a cabin. IMPORTANT: Since September 7, 2022, Royal Caribbean International (RCI) cruise ship passengers pay USD 16 pp per day in tips (service charge for staterooms Junior Suites and below). Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. 40 BEST Royal Caribbean tips, tricks & hidden secrets Tips are added automatically to the onboard account (SeaPass) on a daily basis. Cash is rarely required on a Royal Caribbean cruise, as all payments onboard are made via your SeaPass account. That was the only time I didn't give an additional cash tip to the wait staff. You also shouldnt tip the cruise director, the entertainment staff, or any independent entertainers like musical guests, comedians, or magicians. Some cruise ship spas, like those on NCL and Royal Caribbean, add on a service fee or gratuity, usually about 18%. Sometimes a shoddy tip was more insulting than no tip at all. They did a really good job and I would like to tip them. Manage Settings Iwas a waitress for yearslong ago and far away. Are very professional, what should a tip look like at the end of a 10 day cruise? What is Royal Caribbean's gratuity price and policy? - Cruises 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. In the UK, tips are completely discretionary and are only to reward service that goes above the normal expectations. Norwegian Cruise Line charges a daily service fee of $15.50 per person, per day for guests in standard cabins and $18.50 per person per day for guests in suites and The Haven. 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. 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. Look for a link at the bottom of this page or in our privacy policy where you can withdraw consent. Royal Caribbean Royal Caribbean charges a $7.95 service fee and room service is available 24-hours a day. Disclaimer: I may receive a small commission when you make a purchase from a link on this site, at no added charge to you. Cruise line employees work their butts off to earn those tips. Royal Caribbean raised the service fees on its ships in August by more than 10% to $16 per person per day for those staying in most cabins. Obviously, if you tip a room attendant, that money will go directly to him/her. 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. Here's how to get the most out of Royal Caribbean's Deluxe Beverage Package (or Prime Casino Royale free drinks in the casino). If you tip extra, you will get FABULOUS service! You might want to reward your cabin steward, favorite bartender or MDR server, or any other crew member you think did a great job. 10 Secrets on How to Get a Free Balcony Upgrade on a Cruise The staff learns real quick who tips extra, and who does not. Who To Tip On Your Cruise, and How Much | CruiseHabit Its unlikely to do any good by this point. While you pay daily gratuities before your cruise ($16 per person, per day in most staterooms), many cruisers like to give something extra. I believe this to be true, too. 1. I agree with Kelli. Most cruisers tip anywhere from $2-$10 per person (or the equivalent in the local currency) to the tour guide, and hand a couple of dollars to the driver. 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). You can, of course, increase that amount based on your experience on the excursion. Hi All, I just wanted to share something with new cruisers (and old if they do not know this). I choose to add the gratuities ahead, just to get them out of the way. Our Stateroom Attendant on cruise #5 was fabulous, and I showed my appreciation by leaving him (thanks Mahbob!) Hi Janet! Celebrity Cruises now includes daily gratuities in its Always Included cruise fare. Heres what you should know about cash on a Royal Caribbean cruise. 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. Tipping on a Cruise Ship - The Ultimate Guide to Cruise Gratuities Im so glad youre enjoying my blog and find the posts helpful and appreciate the feedback. I believe that often the bartenders will pool their tips b/c there are so many working the crowd but I think it's an individual choice on their parts as to how they handle this. Knowing how much cash to bring on a cruise can help you plan your vacation budget and avoid pesky ATM fees along the way. If you found this helpful, please dont keep it to yourself ;-). 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. There was only one cruise where my sons special request was denied. 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. 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. April Fools' Day - Wikipedia Hi All, Im Ilana. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! There are also usually comment cards available at the purser's desk or online for additional recognition -- or post a review on Cruise Critic. They will seldom steer you wrong. The only charges that should appear on my final tab are any extras I decided to add on during the voyage. If your shore excursion includes lunch, you generally dont have to leave a tipthe tour company takes care of the lunch bill. After combing through my notes, here's the best tips and tricks for taking a Royal Caribbean cruise. Royal Caribbean International What's Included: Dining, stateroom, and other key crew members. Norwegian Cruise Line has onboard service charge will is charged automatically for guests 3 and up, and distributed among staff that serve you in various ways. Tipping on a Cruise Ship: What You Need to Know About Cruise Gratuities Each passenger is charged for these tips, including kids. Your link has been automatically embedded. I would imagine wed see prices increase overall if they did this, but perhaps it amounts to this anyway. 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. When youre tipping in cash on a cruise, its always best to use the official currency on the ship. Many passengers rave long after their hoilday is over about the service of stewards who go above and beyond. MTD and ate in MDR 5 nights. will be more appreciated than something they would have to store. In addition to this, an 18% gratuity is automatically added to all drinks, spa and salon services. Princess Cruises will automatically charge a crew incentive of $14.50 per person, per day for guests in inside ocean view and balcony cabins. No worries about "shoddy tips" since you have already paid the standard tip. On a 7 day cruise we usually give $50 to the waiter and $30 to the asst. 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. Norwegian Cruise Line. By proceeding, you agree to Cruise Critics. Children aged 2-11 will be charged $6.25 per day. Not based on what we "should" give, more on the fact that they provided very good service. It May be Time for Some Royal Caribbean Elites to Reconsider Paying for Drink Packages. However, there are a few common practices and guidelines. 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. 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? Guide to Cruise Line Room Service Fees - Cruise Maven for Cruise and 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. Im not expecting him to kiss our butts, but come on. They will do extra for you after they realize you are a tipper! Its customary to tip the waiters generously at specialty restaurants. However, a few lines dont add autogratuities for babies and toddlers under age two or three. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'shouldbecruising_com-mobile-leaderboard-1','ezslot_20',609,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-shouldbecruising_com-mobile-leaderboard-1-0');In for-a-fee specialty dining restaurants, you might see a spot on your bill (if you get one) to add a tip. UK lines such as Fred. Grand Suite and above cabin categories pay USD 18,50 pp per day gratuities. If you transfer money to the slot machine and immediately cash out, you can take your cashout slip to the casino cage and receive the listed amount in cash. Is a Royal Caribbean Drink Package Worth It? Eat Sleep Cruise The price increases during August to approximately $773 (619) per person, excluding taxes. Thanks so much for your input on this. While each cruise line is different, many include alcoholic drinks, soda and specialty coffee, gratuities, specialty dining and some shore excursions. (Want to get the most from your cabin steward? I prefer waiting to see how the service is before deciding on an extra tip, but thats just my preference. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? The Dream pioneered the innovative and fun cruise ships that are standard today from Carnival Cruise Lines. Lets just say from the expression on the drivers face that he was not happy with that amount. As it is with most cruise shipping companies, RCI's tourists can remove the daily gratuity but know that these tips are for all the housekeeping and dining staff. How it works: Gratuities are automatically added to your shipboard account on a daily basis. Tipping on a cruise ship: Everything you need to know Most cruise ships have ATMs, and some have currency exchanges on board. So glad this was helpful. Plus, for a limited time, its $10 off. There's a wide variety of services that you will receive during your cruise. This is a good question. 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. Do you tip above and beyond the automatic gratuities? Having worked in the service industry, if people want to extra tip, then doing it at the beginning is the way to go. Should Be Cruising is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The one excursion we had a fifty dollar bill and three ones at the end of the (short) trip. Before Your Royal Caribbean Cruise . After 50 cruises I know they really mean it! Disney cruises has a suggested daily gratuity charge of $13.50 per person, per day for all guests. Required fields are marked *. This is an excellent article, which really clearly explains all the issues around tipping. Virgin Voyages does a lot of things differently than its mainstream peers. Thats a funny thing that weve experienced in the past as well. But if you dont want to prepay, thats fine too. Payments on cruise ships have almost entirely gone digital, but there are still a few situations where cash comes in handy. Let me know in the comments below! This is a personal decision and Im not sure if theres a tipping etiquette for it. A 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 person, per day for guests in Suites, will be applied to each guest's SeaPass account on a daily basis. Some guests may bring $200 extra for gratuities whereas others may bring $50. During your cruise vacation, youll probably receive services from other people who arent cruise line employeesbut you might not realize it! 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. Princess: $14.50 per person, per day ($15.50 for mini-suite guests and $16.50 for suite guests). You can also adjust your gratuities up or down. I go into more detail about this topic in this post:Can You Refuse to Pay Gratuities on a Cruise? Cruise line tipping policies vary from one cruise company to another. 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. Many luxury all-inclusive cruise lines include gratuities in their cruise fares, or have a tips neither expected nor required policy. If you are one to give your room attendant a little extra (on top of auto gratuities), how much do you typically give. I love sharing my best cruise tips with you, along with reviews of cruise destinations, shore excursions, cruise ships and cruise lines. What do you tip your royal genie? - Cruise Critic Community In this post, weve gone over how tipping works on a cruise. Instead, passengers can tipor notat their own discretion. Your articles are so helpful at navigating the cruise world. It would be so helpful if I could print just the blog to read at random timescar trip, etc. I also tipped my wait staff very generously in the main dining room and specialty restaurants, as well as my drink waiters! How much shouldwe tip? ~ janet Our Best Royal Caribbean Cruise Tips And Tricks. Paste as plain text instead, But many cruisers (including myself) choose to prepay to avoid a big charge at the end of the cruise. Congrats on reaching Diamond :) Happy cruising! Id love to connect with you on Instagram and Facebook @lifewellcruised.