In the wake of the increase, a family of four in a . The amount you tip is up to youI generally give about $5 per person per day to my stateroom steward. 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. Carnival cruise gratuities are automatically added to onboard accounts for those in all rooms. If cruising from Australia to the South Pacific, Australian dollars are widely accepted. Please note that gratuities are charged in US dollars for Caribbean, US and Canada cruises. Is it the 15 day or the 7 day from Honolulu? For more info, please read myDisclosure Policy. Can Drinking Beer The Night Before Donor Plasma Donation Interfere With Our Best Royal Caribbean Cruise Tips And Tricks - MSN Tipping Etiquette on Cruise Ships - TripSavvy The drink package works at all onboard bars, restaurants, and even Royal Caribbean's private island CocoCay. 1 1 Quote Cindi Members 12 Author Posted April 16, 2019 The only exception is for passengers with prepaid gratuities (they won't be charged daily). Holland America Line, whose ships Noordam and Maasdam are regular visitors to Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, has the same tipping policy aboard all its ships. | Royal Caribbean Blog www.royalcaribbeanblog.com. 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. Get access to the best last minute hotel rates in the USA by becoming a registered member online today. In-suite parties are a huge amount of work for the Genie and room attendants. The gratuity applies to individual guests of all ages and . 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. According to Royal Caribbean, the last increase put the company "in line with its competitors in the industry and recognize the exceptional work that Royal Caribbean's staff and crew does to deliver unforgettable vacations every day.". Life Well Cruised Ultimate Cruise Planner, YouTube at Life Well Cruised (Vlogs and cruise tips). Tipped crew make the majority of their income from gratuities! One exception is the piano player in the loungemost accept tips for song requests or if you enjoyed their music. Beyond leaving a cash tip for your cabin steward, or favorite server or bartender, some other small gestures will go a long way. I choose to add the gratuities ahead, just to get them out of the way. Question for those who tip at beginning of cruise - Royal Caribbean Ive been surprisedor I probably should say I had forgottenhow many hands have been extended for a tip on these shore excursions. In reality, the cruise staff on board want you to be satisfied, so this is the time address a problem. However ,usually you can have at least 2 cabin stewards. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. $10-20 at the end of the cruise is a nice gratuity for their service. Automatic gratuities cover just about every tipped crew member on the ship. 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. 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. You can read more about me and about Should Be Cruising here. 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. How Much Money Should I Take on a Cruise? - Windstar Cruises Travel Blog 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. 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. Prior to your cruise, youll connect your onboard account with a credit or debit card, and all payments will be charged to that card at the end of the cruise. If you enjoy tipping in cash, consider giving an extra cash tip to the crew members who gave you excellent service on your cruise. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Which currency you should bring with you on a cruise depends on your departure port and itinerary. As a cruise passenger, you want to be aware and set your budget expectations to include these amounts for the cruise ship staff. Royal Caribbean International What's Included: Dining, stateroom, and other key crew members. 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. Gave them US 5 each three nights and US 10 each last night. This practice can eat into the regular wages and livelihood of hardworking crew and is not advised. Cruises in Europe are charged in Euros. While not obligatory, there are some of the workers you may want to recognize with a tip when cruising. Im so glad youre here! Or do you remove them altogether? Royal Caribbean charges a gratuity of $16.00 per person, per day. You might want to reward your cabin steward, favorite bartender or MDR server, or any other crew member you think did a great job. For some of them, depending . . 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). Obviously, if you tip a room attendant, that money will go directly to him/her. Display as a link instead, We always tip cruise staff but in cash not automatic tipping. P.S. I'm a budget cruiser. Here are 8 easy strategies I used on my recent 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 also have the option to prepay your gratuities before your cruise. If youre going on a cruise, you can expect daily gratuities to be charged automatically to your onboard account. Technically your are not obliged to tip any more than the daily gratuities that have been charged to your room. In a survey of 850 cruisers, 71% stated that they took over $100 per person per day when cruising. On a 7 day cruise we usually give $50 to the waiter and $30 to the asst. 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. Thanks for sharing your view on this. In addition to this, an 18% gratuity is automatically added to all drinks, spa and salon services. Im a little over a month out before my next cruise, and while its a little early to start packing (is it though? You can do so by going to guest services and making the request. Now, with automatic gratuities, the process is much simpler and you dont need to carry all that cash. Western Caribbean Carnival Dream | Royal Holiday 1. Here are some daily automatic gratuity costs for several popular ocean cruise lines in USD (prices accurate as of summer 2021): Unlike with the deals you can get for prepaying for drink packages and some other add-ons, you wont get a discount for prepaying your automatic gratuities. Luxury cruise lines have a higher upfront cost than most popular cruise lines, however theyll often include many valuable extras. The suite life: Royal Caribbean vs Celebrity Cruises. Which is better There is a lot of included dining location so how do you know which ones to che. 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. Most US lines that base ships in the UK over the summer -- Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, for example -- offer automated gratuity options that charge a standard daily gratuity fee to the credit card you've placed on file for each day of your cruise. Depending on your bank, the ATM transaction fee may be waived. So why dont cruise lines just increase the price of fares, and pay their crew a living wage with a decent hourly rate? The bar service personnel still gets their 15% tips from each bar sale. Cash is rarely required on a Royal Caribbean cruise, as all payments onboard are made via your SeaPass account. Princess: $14.50 per person, per day ($15.50 for mini-suite guests and $16.50 for suite guests). It has one large sink with two faucets and a large shower with a tub. a $200 gratuity on top of my prepaid gratuities. It includes who to tip, who not to tip, and some tips to help as you plan your cruise vacation. Tipping on a cruise ship can be a confusing endeavor, especially for those sailing for the first time. i understand what you are saying.and I know we are paying roughly 15 dollars a day each as a tip already. Some cruise lines point out that you may wish to tip the kids club staff. Royal Caribbean Gratuities: Everything You Need to Know - Cruise Mummy Had same two waiters 4 of those nights. Have some small bills handy for these times. While planning a, The weekend is the perfect time to take a short break, so why not go on a cruise too? If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Most are experienced cruisers and, as a group, theyre very well-liked. Many cruisers opt to give extra cash tips to crew members who made their vacation that much more enjoyable. Still confused . Later I learned that the porters outside of the cruise terminal are not cruise line employees at all! You will get great service either way. The cruise industry has worked this way for a long time, although the automatic gratuities are only the last few years. 40 Ocean Quotes for Everyone Who Loves The Sea, 15 Delicious Foods in the Bahamas You Need to Try. Grand Suite and above cabin categories pay USD 18,50 pp per day gratuities. Royal Caribbean cruise ships have been sailing at nearly 100% capacity for the past few months. How much are automatic gratuities on a cruise? And just like with the Carnival case, this will reflect directly on the ship's serving staff (cabin stewards, Room Service, and Main Dining Room wait staff, as well as kitchen, entertainment, passenger services and other hotel personnel). US$13,50 (increased from US$12,95) for standard cabins and US$16,50 (increased from US$15.95) for upper-tier suites. 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. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. How much people tip a Royal Genie on their Royal Caribbean cruise tends to vary, although many American guests tend to fall at around the $75-$100 per day. The staff learns real quick who tips extra, and who does not. The cruise where fun means everything. Sometimes a shoddy tip was more insulting than no tip at all. Tips are either covered by the autogratuities or theres a service fee tacked on, so you dont need to tip again. Crew members work really hard and make the difference between an ok and a memorable cruise vacation. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Cruise Line Gratuities: What's the Point? Princess Cruises will automatically charge a crew incentive of $14.50 per person, per day for guests in inside ocean view and balcony cabins. Windstar Cruises daily gratuities are $12.00 per person, per day for all cabin types. As much as some people opt to remove gratuities on their account, some give extra. On Costa Cruises, service charges of $12.50 per person, per day are charged for cruises departing from the US. In this post, weve gone over how tipping works on a cruise. Paste as plain text instead, #4. 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. If you are one to give your room attendant a little extra (on top of auto gratuities), how much do you typically give. That's a major contrast to the early days of the return to sailing after the cruise line's 15-month . ATMs usually charge a $5-6 fee per transaction. 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. Read our best tips.). Others just prefer the face-to-face experience of handing over a cash tip. on board service charges (Norwegian Cruise Line). How much tip receive in cruise royal caribbean? The cruise line assesses a daily fee and divides the money among the tipped crew. 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. Each person you tip gets their own envelope. Celebrity Cruises is Royal Caribbean's sister brand that provides a slightly more upscale, refined experience onboard. Travel Agent Finder - Australia on LinkedIn: Unforgettable Experiences Hi All, Im Ilana. Most cruise lines allow guests to remove automatic gratuities. However, most cruisers do tip them for their service. Now if someone goes over and above a little extra is due. cruise. Posted March 5, 2007. A tip of 15%-20% is common, so check the bottom of your bill before adding an additional amount. Tips on Cruise Ship Tipping - Who and How Much to Tip! Its unlikely to do any good by this point. There are different service charges for certain itineraries. There will be an 18-20% tip automatically charged when ordering an individual drink, so no need to add more in most cases. You may want to give a small tip to the person who delivers your room service order. 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,. Unless they are below average and that has happened only one time. While you pay daily gratuities before your cruise ($16 per person, per day in most staterooms), many cruisers like to give something extra. Jan 6. With all of your meals and the fun activities on the ship, easily accessible and planned, you won't have to do much work once you are on vacation. Its important to note that, especially on the luxury lines, tipping is not expected. Credit: Royal Caribbean Show-Stopping Entertainment If you could use cruise packing lists, to-do checklists, shore excursion forms and more, youll love the Life Well Cruised Ultimate Cruise Planner. Im so glad youre enjoying my blog and find the posts helpful and appreciate the feedback. Tipping on a cruise ship: Everything you need to know It is best to drink 9 to 13 cups of water before donating money in the 24 hours preceding the event. Royal Caribbean Cruise Holiday Deals 2020 & 2021 - Cruise Nation www.cruisenation.com. December 8, 2010. Ive got you covered! There are a number of factors which people use to decide how much to tip their Genie. If you feel that you wish to give an extra amount to anyone who you feel has done a great job, they will be appreciative. The balcony is a good size with two chairs. Cruise line employees work their butts off to earn those tips. Tipping is not required, however, customarily some people do choose to tip anywhere from $1 - $5 per order. Royal Caribbean offers three all-inclusive drink packages, a premium coffee package and a water package. We never gave him anything. All ships have at least one ATM onboard, which is usually located in the Royal Promenade or Centrum. I give my room steward $5 at the very beginning of the cruise. However, there are a few common practices and guidelines. What Is a Cabin Steward on a Cruise Ship? 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. Rather than reducing the amount payed, they point out on their website that they will work to resolve any service issues experienced. I go into more detail about this topic in this post:Can You Refuse to Pay Gratuities on a Cruise? 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. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. 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. Pasted as rich text. (For line by line information, read more about cruise line tipping policies.). I think this depends on who it is and what their job is. You might want to remove their tips as a punishment for poor service. As for tipping above and beyond prepaid gratuities, I agree completely that there is no expectation. Plus, for a limited time, its $10 off. Tipping on a Cruise Ship: What You Need to Know About Cruise Gratuities This is an excellent article, which really clearly explains all the issues around tipping. Disney cruises has a suggested daily gratuity charge of $13.50 per person, per day for all guests. Bar, spa and in-room dining for Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Azamara have an 18 per cent gratuity charge. Do you need to tip at the spa on a cruise? When youre on a cruise, you shouldnt tip the captain or the officers. 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? If not, just leave blank. On most cruise lines that collect automatic gratuities, youre able to remove or adjust the charges by visiting the passenger services desk. Once you book your cruise, there are some things you'll need to do in advance to prepare. Congrats on reaching Diamond :) Happy cruising! On luxury cruise lines, such as Azamara, Crystal, Seabourn, Silversea, Tauck World Discovery and Uniworld, gratuities are already included in the cost of the cruise, and additional tipping is not expected. 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. The one excursion we had a fifty dollar bill and three ones at the end of the (short) trip. 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. There is no charge for children under 3 years of age. After 50 cruises I know they really mean it! 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. Carrie Ann is the founder of Should Be Cruising and a lifelong travel fanatic. Cruises in Europe, World cruises and those departing from a non-US Caribbean port charge 10 Euros per person, per day. Sometimes a shoddy tip was more insulting than no tip at all. If you choose to pay tips in cash, there are usually some envelopes available at the guest service desk. Lets just say from the expression on the drivers face that he was not happy with that amount. Cruise lines have implemented automatic gratuities, options to prepay gratuities and some popular cruise lines have begun including tips in your cruise fare. Your previous content has been restored. 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? I also tip constantly while on the cruise. 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. 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. Youre welcome to use a credit or debit card to make purchases in ports of call whenever possible. Travelers in suites are. 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. Cruise lines pay these workers very low wages for the long hours that they work each day, and expect that passengers will tip to increase the crew members earnings to a reasonable rate. I agree with Kelli. But many cruisers (including myself) choose to prepay to avoid a big charge at the end of the cruise. HomeBlogCruise Tips Cruise News Cruise DestinationsAboutContactResourcesFeatured PressPrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyDisclosure PolicyTerms of Use. Just did 8 nights on Voyager.