Im so glad youre enjoying my blog and find the posts helpful and appreciate the feedback. Normally, we tip between $5 to $7 additionally per day for the two of us at the end of the cruise. Even though cruise gratuities technically arent mandatory, they are customary on most mainstream cruise lines. However, extra tipping and being a jerk do not go hand in hand. At the base level, one person can use the service, and the price rises as you add more logins. 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. Posted March 5, 2007. 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. Royal Caribbean cruise ships have been sailing at nearly 100% capacity for the past few months. The gratuity is $15.50 per person, per day for guests in mini-suites and $16.50 per person, per day for guests in suites. I wouldn't worry about giving "too little" extra, since you are already paying the auto gratuity. It includes who to tip, who not to tip, and some tips to help as you plan your cruise vacation. I just arrived on board for our 6th cruise, after my 5th cruise just 2 months ago. I believe since these are pooled between everybody, additional tipping should only be done if you feel somebody has gone above and beyond. Price: $14.50 per person/day in standard cabins, $17.50 per person/day in suites, and 18% on beverages and spa and salon services. If you buy a $5 souvenir with a $20 bill in Mexico, for example, youll receive change in Mexican pesos. Tips are either covered by the autogratuities or theres a service fee tacked on, so you dont need to tip again. That's a major contrast to the early days of the return to sailing after the cruise line's 15-month . The one excursion we had a fifty dollar bill and three ones at the end of the (short) trip. 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. According to RCI's website, of the 2016-updated gratuities (US$13.50), nearly US$8.30 goes to dining / culinary services; suite attendants receive US$6,85; stateroom attendants get US$3,85, and housekeeping service staff - US$1.35. 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. 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. How Much Does A Cruise Cost? I dont think anyone will think youre rude for not tipping over and above this. Having small bills handy is helpful if you plan to tip crew members throughout your sailing. Princess Cruises will automatically charge a crew incentive of $14.50 per person, per day for guests in inside ocean view and balcony cabins. How much shouldwe tip? Just like with the Carnival's tipping policy, under the new Royal Caribbean tipping policy guests who believe they've been serviced poorly while onboard their "Of The Seas" ship has the right to ask Guest Services personnel to reduce or even to remove their automatic gratuities. Can You Refuse to Pay Gratuities on a Cruise? Some vendors may process your personal data on the basis of legitimate interest, which you can object to by managing your options below. If you want to adjust the amount, go to the reception desk. What currency should you use to tip on a cruise? You may also like: Eight Things That Will Surprise First Time Cruisers. Iwas a waitress for yearslong ago and far away. Your cruise in April sounds amazing! Its also a nice gesture to tip the matre d or head waiter in the main dining room, especially if they were helpful with special menus or seating arrangements. 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. New York state residents who wish to purchase the product may visit https://travelcruisecare.com to enroll directly with . Hi Alex, thanks so much for your lovely comment. Travelers in suites are. I don't actually agree with th. In a survey of 850 cruisers, 71% stated that they took over $100 per person per day when cruising. 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. You can, of course, increase that amount based on your experience on the excursion. We had the my time diningsame waiter and assistant every night. 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. I had prepaid my gratuities, and I assumed the porter was a cruise line employee, so I didnt tip him. Princess: $14.50 per person, per day ($15.50 for mini-suite guests and $16.50 for suite guests). Please check MSCs website for details. On Costa Cruises, service charges of $12.50 per person, per day are charged for cruises departing from the US. Grand Suite and above cabin categories pay USD 18,50 pp per day gratuities. What to Expect: Tipping Crew Members on a Cruise. Here are some other people you should tip during your cruise. Cruise lines just have contracts with their preferred shore excursion companiesthe guides and drivers arent employees of the line. 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. On top of that, there's an 18% gratuity fee. Im not expecting him to kiss our butts, but come on. Just did 8 nights on Voyager. Cruise line tipping policies vary from one cruise company to another. Iwas a waitress for yearslong ago and far away. Celebrity Cruises now includes daily gratuities in its Always Included cruise fare. Royal Caribbean's drink packages include: Deluxe Beverage Package Refreshment Package (No alcohol) Classic Soda Package The cruise where fun means everything. So they follow this model with many of their crew members who perform services for passengers. 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. Depending on your cruise ship, you may be able to use the Royal . Stay in one of the Royal Suites and room service is included. You can adjust this based on the length and complexity of the tour. (Want to get the most from your cabin steward? For many cruises that operate in the Australian market where tipping isnt part of the culture, automatic gratuities arent added on to passenger bills. 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. That lets him / her know upfront that we tip, and there is more to come at the end of the cruise! I was very surprised. While you pay daily gratuities before your cruise ($16 per person, per day in most staterooms), many cruisers like to give something extra. Whether to or not and then how much. On disembarkation day, you probably wont find your fave crew members in their usual spots! Today is day 10 of a 12 day cruise on grandeur. Heres a video which answers many questions that you may have about cruise gratuities and tipping on a cruise ship. I purchased the package pre-cruise for $76, this equates to just over $25 per day. In reality, the cruise staff on board want you to be satisfied, so this is the time address a problem. will be more appreciated than something they would have to store. What you cant do is adjust or remove automatic gratuities for a specific crew member. Royal Caribbean's VOOM service has two different levels of service with two different prices. You cannot paste images directly. When you book your cruise, youll be charged your cruise fare, port fees and taxes. Porters: $1-5 per bag Room service delivery: $2-4 per tray Later I learned that the porters outside of the cruise terminal are not cruise line employees at all! An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. 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. 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. Each passenger is charged for these tips, including kids. This may be rare, however if theres a problem with service or you have a complaint on your cruise, that you should bring this to the attention of the staff member, supervisor, or guest services when it occurs. How Much Does a Caribbean Cruise Cost? Many passengers rave long after their hoilday is over about the service of stewards who go above and beyond. You can also leave a small gift for your favorite crew member. A cruise only rate may be available on select cruises, which would not include gratuities. 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 amount varies by cruise line, however the average daily gratuity is $14-15 US per day, per passenger for a standard cabin and $17-18 a day for guests in suites. 15% being the rough standard for satisfactoryservice. 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. 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. Tips are added automatically to the onboard account (SeaPass) on a daily basis. Its a part of our cruise vacation cost and helps the hardworking crew make a living. Clear editor. Sometimes a shoddy tip was more insulting than no tip at all. Is it the 15 day or the 7 day from Honolulu? Once you book your cruise, there are some things you'll need to do in advance to prepare. Paste as plain text instead, Automatic gratuities cover just about every tipped crew member on the ship. Unless they are below average and that has happened only one time. Your email address will not be published. You can choose to pay in local currency, too, but obtaining money in 3+ currencies before a cruise is not necessary. Thanks! cabin (not suite) recommended amount would be $39 pp times two equals $78 for a 4 night cruise. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. The cruise industry has worked this way for a long time, although the automatic gratuities are only the last few years. As much as some people opt to remove gratuities on their account, some give extra. If you are one to give your room attendant a little extra (on top of auto gratuities), how much do you typically give. Manage Settings Other itineraries may differ. The average price of a 7 night Caribbean cruise, on a mainstream cruise line, in April is approximately $616 (493) per person, excluding taxes. Youll want to factor in the cruise line gratuity charge, sometimes called on board service charges (Norwegian Cruise Line). What is Royal Caribbean's service gratuities (tips) price and policy? Children under 4 are not charged. We are a middle class, retirement age couple (63 and 62) who are not retired with no plans to in the near future. Pasted as rich text. Upload or insert images from URL. If youre going on a cruise, you can expect daily gratuities to be charged automatically to your onboard account. Thanks so much for your input on this. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! US$13,50 (increased from US$12,95) for standard cabins and US$16,50 (increased from US$15.95) for upper-tier suites. In the UK, tips are completely discretionary and are only to reward service that goes above the normal expectations. If you choose to pay tips in cash, there are usually some envelopes available at the guest service desk. .WONDER OF THE SEAS. Bond with your snorkel guide? Afrikaans; Alemannisch; ; ; Azrbaycanca; ; Banjar; ; () 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? The Sky Suite on Celebrity was a perfect size for two, at around 320 square feet. 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, per day, for a seven-night cruise. It's all on the room service menu. Though cruise lines usually state up front that tipping is still at the discretion of the passenger, keep in mind: As with most employees in the service industry (at least in the U.S.), most of the wages cruise employees make come from these tips. After combing through my notes, here's the best tips and tricks for taking a Royal Caribbean cruise. Tipping is not required, however, customarily some people do choose to tip anywhere from $1 - $5 per order. But the sticker price of their fares tends to scare off many budget-minded travelers. Something to note is that although daily gratuities arent charged, there may be a service fee or tip added to certain services onboard. Most cruisers wouldnt dream of removing the automatic gratuities. 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. You may want to give a small tip to the person who delivers your room service order. If you feel you would like to give more that is fine and I am sure they will appreciate anything you decide to tip beyond the daily gratuity. 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. Gratuities or a service charge are added onto some onboard services. The practice of tipping is controversial, even in the United States where paying tips is part of the culture. Like what you see? Check out the latest web stories from Should Be Cruising! Some cruisers swear by tipping at the beginning of the cruise to ensure excellent service. What Is a Cabin Steward on a Cruise Ship? When planning your cruise, check with your travel agent or the cruise line about the tipping policy. You can raise them, lower them, or remove them altogether. The industry should pay fair wages so that our tips are in fact tips and not wages. Royal Caribbean International What's Included: Dining, stateroom, and other key crew members. I agree with Kelli. For guests staying in Grand Suites and above, the fee is $18.50 per person, per day. This is a convenient option for cruise passengers that dont want to think about extra charges once onboard. joe getty radio host age, commonwealth attorney virginia prince william county,
