how much to tip on cruise royal caribbean how much to tip on cruise royal caribbean

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. Not based on what we "should" give, more on the fact that they provided very good service. Tipped crew on many cruise lines include housekeeping, dining, and laundry workers. 1. Keep in mind, the venues are not always the same between Royal Caribbean ships, but each of my tips can. Our Stateroom Attendant on cruise #5 was fabulous, and I showed my appreciation by leaving him (thanks Mahbob!) I like knowing that my bill is all set before I sail! In fact, I think most would agree that cruise line staff make a huge difference in the cruise experience. 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. You can also adjust your gratuities up or down. 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. Thanks so much for sharing your experience! The Sky Suite on Celebrity was a perfect size for two, at around 320 square feet. I would imagine wed see prices increase overall if they did this, but perhaps it amounts to this anyway. Sometimes a shoddy tip was more insulting than no tip at all. You will get great service either way. Afrikaans; Alemannisch; ; ; Azrbaycanca; ; Banjar; ; () Plus, for a limited time, its $10 off. While most people know it for being a cruise destination, shadowing the coastline to see the glaciers, there is so much We always tip cruise staff but in cash not automatic tipping. The tipping culture in North America and on cruise ships is flawed, but (as you mentioned) reducing or eliminating tips only hurts the hardworking crew and their families - and does nothing to change the system. 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. 40 Ocean Quotes for Everyone Who Loves The Sea, 15 Delicious Foods in the Bahamas You Need to Try. Heres what you should know about cash on a Royal Caribbean cruise. With the exception of a couple cruise lines on this list, most cruises that include gratuities are luxury lines. For many cruises that operate in the Australian market where tipping isnt part of the culture, automatic gratuities arent added on to passenger bills. Youll likely get much better service by doing that instead of just removing the tip! If you go on a tour or shore excursion, its nice to tip the driver or shore excursion staff if youve appreciated their service. If you're staying in a high-category suite, you may be expected to tip . If you enjoy tipping in cash, consider giving an extra cash tip to the crew members who gave you excellent service on your cruise. Here are the top travel tips for a Royal Caribbean cruise from the experts themselves: At the AquaTheater, acrobats, high divers, slackliners and more put on shows that make a splash. Youre welcome to use a credit or debit card to make purchases in ports of call whenever possible. 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. You can do so by going to guest services and making the request. Id give a much larger tip to a knowledgeable tour guide who led us on an intensive nine-hour experience compared to a guide who did a basic three-hour city walking tour. 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. Each passenger is charged for these tips, including kids. If you buy a $5 souvenir with a $20 bill in Mexico, for example, youll receive change in Mexican pesos. While each cruise line is different, many include alcoholic drinks, soda and specialty coffee, gratuities, specialty dining and some shore excursions. Carrie Ann is the founder of Should Be Cruising and a lifelong travel fanatic. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Which currency you should bring with you on a cruise depends on your departure port and itinerary. Get expert advice, insider tips and more. On a 7 day cruise we usually give $50 to the waiter and $30 to the asst. Keep in mind that cruise crew members live in tight quarters, so small (and edible) gifts are preferred. Our Best Royal Caribbean Cruise Tips And Tricks. What Is a Cabin Steward on a Cruise Ship? 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. I just arrived on board for our 6th cruise, after my 5th cruise just 2 months ago. You also have the option to prepay your gratuities before your cruise. A former flight attendant, she now prefers cruise ships over airplanes and spends several months each year cruising and exploring cruise ports. Here's how to get the most out of Royal Caribbean's Deluxe Beverage Package (or Prime Casino Royale free drinks in the casino). Most mainstream cruise lines have their headquarters in the US. You can read more about me and about Should Be Cruising here. For example, you might give the guide $5 to $10 for a half-day excursion or $10 to $20 for a full-day tour. When youre on a cruise, you shouldnt tip the captain or the officers. For more info, please read myDisclosure Policy. All ships have at least one ATM onboard, which is usually located in the Royal Promenade or Centrum. I wouldn't worry about giving "too little" extra, since you are already paying the auto gratuity. Carnival cruise gratuities are automatically added to onboard accounts for those in all rooms. 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. I go into more detail about this topic in this post:Can You Refuse to Pay Gratuities on a Cruise? Im a little over a month out before my next cruise, and while its a little early to start packing (is it though? However, cruisers dont always see all of the crew who work behind the scenes for them, like the kitchen and laundry workers. So they follow this model with many of their crew members who perform services for passengers. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'shouldbecruising_com-leader-3','ezslot_16',605,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-shouldbecruising_com-leader-3-0');For other cruise lines, youll be able to adjust your autogratuities at the Passenger Services desk. New York state residents who wish to purchase the product may visit https://travelcruisecare.com to enroll directly with . As I am sure you are aware each cruiser will have gratuities & tips added to their SeaPass account every day (unless you have paid these in advance with your booking). In addition, weve included a list of daily gratuities per cruise line and who else you may wish to tip. Can you remove or adjust autogratuities 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. Cindi cost cruise much does caribbean royal excursions treatments fees consider drinks spa government Manchester 3. However, if you prefer to pay off your account and daily gratuities in cash, you can do so by going to guest services. cabin (not suite) recommended amount would be $39 pp times two equals $78 for a 4 night cruise. Princess: $14.50 per person, per day ($15.50 for mini-suite guests and $16.50 for suite guests). Instead, passengers can tipor notat their own discretion. Then you can take your deposit out in cash at the casino cashier. In their case "tipping" doesn't mean "extra" - it means "salary". If you put your tips on your seapass you will get a voucher for each envelope. The premium cruise line's fleet of 15 ships sail around the world, from the Galapagos to the Caribbean. Either way, expect to spend about $15-20 per day. It has one large sink with two faucets and a large shower with a tub. Windstar Cruises daily gratuities are $12.00 per person, per day for all cabin types. Have some small bills handy for these times. You can raise them, lower them, or remove them altogether. How much shouldwe tip? Just remember that cruise ship crew live in very tight quarters, without much room for personal belongings. Is it the 15 day or the 7 day from Honolulu? This is a review of RCI-Royal Caribbean International's gratuities (paid for the crew services), tipping policy and tips (per day/reduced/removed). In this post, weve gone over how tipping works on a cruise. This cruise ship was the first of Carnival's unique Dream Class cruise ships. Often the recommended tips, which run from about $10 to $20 per passenger per day, are published either in the cruise brochure or on the cruise line web page. MTD and ate in MDR 5 nights. It includes who to tip, who not to tip, and some tips to help as you plan your cruise vacation. Its a part of our cruise vacation cost and helps the hardworking crew make a living. Ren de Lambert. 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 cruise where fun means everything. Since this is the current pay structure for most major cruise lines, removing tips really affects the cruise line workers. 1 1 Quote Cindi Members 12 Author Posted April 16, 2019 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. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'shouldbecruising_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_13',603,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-shouldbecruising_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0');Most mainstream cruise lines will charge you about $14 to $15 per person per day for automatic gratuities. Royal Caribbean's VOOM service has two different levels of service with two different prices. We also always tip bar staff even when drinks are complimentary. If you found this helpful, please dont keep it to yourself ;-). You may also like: 26 Hidden Cruise Fees You Should Know About. By Some guests may bring $200 extra for gratuities whereas others may bring $50. Whether to or not and then how much. Royal Caribbean cruise ships have been sailing at nearly 100% capacity for the past few months. Wondering how much gratuities are on a cruise? Royal Caribbean Royal Caribbean charges a $7.95 service fee and room service is available 24-hours a day. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. Sometimes a shoddy tip was more insulting than no tip at all. So something edible (maybe a favorite candy or snack from your home region?) In the UK, tips are completely discretionary and are only to reward service that goes above the normal expectations. If you opt for a specialty restaurant, the tip isnt usually included. However ,usually you can have at least 2 cabin stewards. Congrats on reaching Diamond :) Happy cruising! The cruise director will also remind passengers about how much and whom the cruise . 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. A better solution is to have a discreet word with the crew members supervisor about your concerns. About $1-2 (or the equivalent in local currency) per bag is fine. 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. Viking Ocean: $15.00 per person, per day Virgin Voyages: includes gratuities in the fare. Had same two waiters 4 of those nights. Its unlikely to do any good by this point. What else can you do to show the crew your appreciation? How much are automatic gratuities on a cruise? However, youll want to make sure youve notified your bank that you will be out of the country. You can post now and register later. Pricing varies based on the ship, sail dates, and itinerary. Id love to connect with you on Instagram and Facebook @lifewellcruised. 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,. Viking Cruises gratuities are $15.00 per person, per day for all staterooms. Those can range from about $15 to upwards of $20 for each . Iwas a waitress for yearslong ago and far away. Grand Suite and above cabin categories pay USD 18,50 pp per day gratuities. Its customary to tip the waiters generously at specialty restaurants. We rarely do the parties anymore. frequentfloaters.com - That Guy. There are different service charges for certain itineraries. 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. 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. I agree with Kelli. Cruises in Europe are charged in Euros. Happy cruising :). Required fields are marked *. Your glowing review can help a hardworking crew member earn a promotion or raise. But the sticker price of their fares tends to scare off many budget-minded travelers. If you forgot to bring cash on your cruise, there are a few ways to get it once onboard. Here's a guide to help you navigate ways to show your appreciation for these hard workers. 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. 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(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. No worries about "shoddy tips" since you have already paid the standard tip. So glad this was helpful. 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. We never gave him anything. In addition, a portion of the tips are given to those who work behind the scenes or may serve you in different areas of the ship. Unless they are below average and that has happened only one time. April 16, 2019 in Royal Caribbean Dining. It was just the two of us. Ive been surprisedor I probably should say I had forgottenhow many hands have been extended for a tip on these shore excursions. These kind, helpful, generous, employees work extremely hard to make sure guests like myself have a fabulous time, and since I do, the very least I can do is show my appreciation in a way that benefits them the most! Cruises in Europe, World cruises and those departing from a non-US Caribbean port charge 10 Euros per person, per day. For many cruise passengers, bars play a pretty large role in their experiences. In a survey of 850 cruisers, 71% stated that they took over $100 per person per day when cruising. A cruise only rate may be available on select cruises, which would not include gratuities. Now, with automatic gratuities, the process is much simpler and you dont need to carry all that cash. Thank you, Carrie Ann. 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. Depending on your cruise ship, you may be able to use the Royal . Please check Costas website for details. Some cruise ship spas, like those on NCL and Royal Caribbean, add on a service fee or gratuity, usually about 18%. Below are just some of the people you may want to tip in this way, and some rough guidelines regarding how much - though know this is very subjective, and of course should be commensurate with the level of service that a given person provided. If youre sailing from the United States to the Caribbean, US dollars are widely accepted in popular cruise ports. Though automated gratuities are the easiest and most common way to tip, some passengers prefer to instead tip their attendants in cash, either in addition to the automated gratuity or in place of it. These cruise line employees are highly compensated, and offering a tip isnt necessary. However, a few lines dont add autogratuities for babies and toddlers under age two or three. The service charge on MSC Cruises is $12.50 per person, per day for guests in standard cabins. 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. I dont think anyone will think youre rude for not tipping over and above this. With a beverage package, youve already paid the service fee when you bought the package, so the tip is included. 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. 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. What do you think about the custom of tipping on a cruise ship? This includes drinks at the bar or cafe, spa services and salon visits. The amount you tip is up to youI generally give about $5 per person per day to my stateroom steward. Cruise gratuities are divided among your cruise cabin steward, waiters and other crew members who work as support behind the scenes. Whether you cruise multiple times per year or you're new to cruising, the goal of Royal Caribbean Blog is for it to bea useful resource for keeping up to date with what's new and exciting with Royal Caribbean. Still confused . Near the end of your cruise, youll probably receive some comment cards in your stateroom that you can use to leave feedback about a member of the crew. 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). Bar, spa and in-room dining for Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Azamara have an 18 per cent gratuity charge. Im so glad youre here! Upload or insert images from URL. I ALWAYS tip extra to the outstanding employees on every cruise I have ever taken. Royal Caribbean says it is raising its suggested crew gratuities by nearly $2 per passenger, per day. 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. Here is a list of the daily gratuity charges by major cruise lines for 2021-22. Keep a few dollars handy to tip the cruise porters on embarkation day. You can purchase the drink package online pre-cruise or once onboard during the first day (or two) of your trip. Pasted as rich text. At some North American ports, youll see signs stating that the porters do not accept tips. Rather than reducing the amount payed, they point out on their website that they will work to resolve any service issues experienced. (Youll often see a survey pop up in your email inbox a few days after your cruise.). I'm sure the crew appreciated your extra tips - they all work so hard! The practice of tipping is controversial, even in the United States where paying tips is part of the culture. Many passengers rave long after their hoilday is over about the service of stewards who go above and beyond. The worst thing you can do is wait until you are home from your cruise to address it. Also, if free gratuities are an amenity, youre not expected to go beyond it unless someone goes way beyond whats normally expected. One of these differences is that cruise gratuities are included. Tipping is not required, however, customarily some people do choose to tip anywhere from $1 - $5 per order. Having worked in the service industry, if people want to extra tip, then doing it at the beginning is the way to go. If sailing in a reg. I love reading your blog and learning, but I dont often have time to sit down at the computer to read. 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. If theres a crew member who goes above and beyond for you, there are some other ways to show your appreciation. Your link has been automatically embedded. This is a personal decision and Im not sure if theres a tipping etiquette for it. Even if you try, theyll likely graciously turn down your offer. Tipping on a cruise ship: The big picture. Check out the latest web stories from Should Be Cruising! Norwegian Cruise Line. Before Your Royal Caribbean Cruise . As much as some people opt to remove gratuities on their account, some give extra. 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. It's all on the room service menu. Your email address will not be published. Royal Caribbean charges a gratuity of $16.00 per person, per day. Up the tip to $20. They will seldom steer you wrong. I think this depends on who it is and what their job is. Im not expecting him to kiss our butts, but come on. If not, just leave blank. A couple should budget about $200 in gratuities for a 7 day cruise. The one excursion we had a fifty dollar bill and three ones at the end of the (short) trip. We are a middle class, retirement age couple (63 and 62) who are not retired with no plans to in the near future. If you want to adjust the amount, go to the reception desk. They are always pleasant and willing to do whatever they can for you. Given that most , all ? Thanks! Stay in one of the Royal Suites and room service is included. People associate umbrella drinks and colorful tropical concoctions with cruising, and fancy-looking martinis have become a nighttime staple at sea. Tips on Cruise Ship Tipping - Who and How Much to Tip! 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). Most cruise lines allow guests to remove automatic gratuities. Paste as plain text instead, Just did 8 nights on Voyager. Cruisers would have to tip each of their service personnel (the cabin steward, restaurant servers, bartenders, etc.) Celebrity Cruises is Royal Caribbean's sister brand that provides a slightly more upscale, refined experience onboard.