The Ultimate Guide to Tipping on a Cruise
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In contrast, luxury cruise lines tend to take a more all-inclusive approach. If you dislike tipping on cruise ships but can't afford to sail on an all-inclusive line, look for promotions when cruise lines with service charges throw in free gratuities as a booking incentive. You're likely interact with your cabin attendant the most during your cruise. Should you choose to, for a seven-night cruise, consider tipping about $2 to $3 per person, per day. There may be an additional suggested amount (typically another $4 per day) for those staying in a suite with a personal butler.
What is Royal Caribbean’s service & gratuities daily amount?
Note that the amount should be tabulated for each individual in your party—don’t try to tip once per couple or group. You might be surprised to learn a gratuity isn't always necessary. Here are seven times you shouldn't tip (even if you feel slightly obliged).
You SHOULD bring small bills
In fact, we can’t think of a place where gratuities are handled the same way as they are on a cruise ship. It’s totally fine to give extra tips to crew members who go above and beyond during your sailing, but we recommend doing this in addition to the automatic gratuities. Depending on where you book your cruise, gratuities may already be included in the price of your cruise fare.
How much are the required daily gratuities and service charges on Norwegian Cruise Line?
These charges are automatically added to your onboard account and distributed among the guest-facing crew members who provide services during your trip and select behind-the-scenes employees. Many cruisers argue that cruise gratuities should be included in the cost of the cruise fare to ensure equal payment. Virgin Voyages is one of the few mainstream cruise lines that include gratuities and service charges in their sailing cost.
Do tipping amounts vary by cruise line?
They pay their crew (usually recruited from countries with limited economic opportunities) per contract, not by the hour. MSC Cruises charges a little more for Grand Voyages depending on the itinerary, it’s best to confirm this with them at the time of booking. There are several misconceptions about tipping crew members that can alter your view on the service received.
Should you tip in the specialty dining restaurants?
An additional tip is always appreciated if you receive exceptional service during your spa treatments. Cash tips can be given directly to crew members who provide exceptional services, such as room attendants or waitstaff. The role of tips in compensating cruise ship staff must be considered. If you prefer to pay for tips once you're on board your cruise, you'll generally find that the gratuities automatically appear on your bill. The big advantage to paying cruise tips in advance is that you lock in the current rate.
How much do you tip on a cruise ship? Insight on gratuities when sailing. - USA TODAY
How much do you tip on a cruise ship? Insight on gratuities when sailing..
Posted: Thu, 25 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Truth About Automated Gratuities
In former times, tips were only given to the crew who had face-to-face interactions with the passengers. This practice favored the front-of-the-house staff while others working behind the scenes had little opportunity to make more money. Additionally, if you pre-pay and the tip amount per person/per day increases before your cruise date, you have saved some money by locking in the lower rates. While raising the tip rates does not often happen, if it did, your cumulative costs for the trip would be higher. The truth is, your cruise experience may or may not not change dramatically. However, it’s important to remember that tips make up a significant portion of a crew member’s pay, and they rely on tips to make a living.
Automatic gratuities, also called autogratuities or autograts, is the cruise term for the system most cruise lines now use to simplify tipping for passengers. For many cruises that operate in the Australian market where tipping isn’t part of the culture, automatic gratuities aren’t added on to passenger bills. An automatic 18% gratuity is added to Disney's bar, beverage, wine, spa and deck service tabs. It is suggested that cruisers tip a couple of dollars for room service as it's delivered, as this is not included.
You SHOULD know how much gratuities cost per day
When planning for your next adventure on the high seas, leave an opening in your budget for cruise gratuities. This is an expense that many travelers overlook when tallying the cost of a voyage. Yet, it can add hundreds of dollars to the final numbers and falls into the category of an important item for most passengers. The comfort of your own cabin, endless buffets, and exciting excursions. It may not be the most glamorous aspect of cruising, but it’s an important one, particularly to the crew. Many cruise passengers from Britain and a few European countries where tipping isn’t a common practice, prefer to have the automatically-added tips removed from their account.
Personally, when I have a great housekeeper, even on a ship that includes gratuities, I will leave a small cash bonus (maybe $20 per passenger) at the end of the cruise. It’s also a nice gesture to hand a small tip ($1 to $2) to room service attendants, especially if they come to your cabin with heavily laden trays when you, for instance, order breakfast in bed. One thing to be aware of is the potential for double tips on your bills. In the case of shipboard personnel like bartenders and spa workers, you’ll find a service charge tacked on to whatever you purchase. So if you buy a $10 cocktail, the actual price you pay will be $11.80. If you’re taking a Carnival cruise, then you should expect to pay the gratuities.
In this line of thinking, lines with these charges are essentially breaking out a good chunk of onboard labor costs as a separate line item on your bill. At the end of a cruise, some may also hand off a few dollars to a favorite bar waiter. While not technically required, tips are generally expected when noted by the cruise line.
Many luxury all-inclusive cruise lines include gratuities in their cruise fares, or have a “tips neither expected nor required” policy. But the sticker price of their fares tends to scare off many budget-minded travelers. 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.
Cruise gratuities are charged to guests, although the rate may be discounted for those 12 and under. Check with the cruise line for specifics during your initial research. That said, the total number of lines with a service fee has been shrinking over the years. Many smaller and higher-end cruise operators are folding tips and gratuities into their base fares. Tipping on a cruise does not have to be complicated, but you need to understand the big picture to budget for your vacation appropriately. Read on to learn all about cruise ship tipping culture and how much you'll need to tip on your next cruise, based on which cruise line you're sailing.
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