Cruise Tipping Etiquette: A Guide to Gratuities at Sea
Table Of Content
This usually can be seen when there is live music in one of the bars. It’s not uncommon to see a passenger hand a musician singing solo a few dollars or even buy them a drink (depending on the rules of the cruise line). As with other service people working on a cruise ship, those who give exceptional service are those we often tip extra.
Benefits and considerations of prepaid gratuities
If you were to book a cruise with a free drinks promotion from the UK there are usually no additional gratuities to pay. It’s important to remember that the salary of the crew on a cruise ship can be incredibly low compared to US pay rates, and many crew members depend on tips to support their families at home. Royal Caribbean, Princess, Celebrity, and Holland America charge all passengers regardless of age. Some guests prefer to remove the automatic gratuities, preferring instead to tip with cash. If you have pre-paid your gratuities these won’t always appear on your onboard account during the cruise. Some cruise lines do still show the gratuities, but others do not.
What is Royal Caribbean’s service & gratuities daily amount?
But it still adds an automatic gratuity to your shipboard account (which can be changed onboard). Unlike other cruise lines, you cannot adjust this onboard if you’re unhappy with the service or your cruise experience. Celebrity Cruises announced (in late 2020) its new “Always Included” program. All of its cruise fares now include tips (as well as WiFi and alcoholic drinks). When you're enjoying a cruise, you may find occasions where the standard tipping policy doesn't fully express your gratitude for excellent service.
Who must pay gratuities on a Carnival cruise?
Additionally, some cruise lines have transitioned to a 'no tipping' policy, where gratuities are included in the fare, simplifying the payment process for passengers. These alternative models aim to provide a seamless and transparent gratuity system for both passengers and crew members. Cruise ship gratuities are calculated either automatically, per person per day, or on a discretionary basis.
How much to tip on cruises?
Cruise gratuities go towards paying the crew who work on the ship such as the Housekeeping Teams, Restaurant Staff, and members of staff who work behind the scenes in places like the laundry. Some cruise lines have discounted rates for children and many do not charge for babies/very young children. Some people worry about the crew members knowing that the automatic gratuities have been removed. When booking the cruise you’ll usually be asked if you’d like to pre-pay your gratuities. I received an email with the offer to pre-pay as the rate was going up for that cruise.
If we have a favorite bar and are taken care of then we slide them a tip. This is North American culture.We concur that the ships crew work hard as they do perform various roles not just waiter or room steward but also other roles assigned to them. Gratuity charges on cruise ships range, depending on the cruise line and your type of accommodation (suites are pricier than rooms).
Who Else to Tip While On the Ship
The majority of cruise lines will ask you at the time of booking if you would like to pre-pay the gratuities. If you wait until the end of your cruise and the cruise line increases the daily gratuity charge, you’ll have to pay the higher price. Celebrity also has an all-inclusive program called “All Included rate” (formerly Always Included) where these fees are part of the rate. You’ll have an option at booking to go the all, or nearly all-inclusive rate or select a cruise-only booking where the above automatic tips are added.
Prepaid gratuities also provide peace of mind, knowing that the crew members will receive their due appreciation regardless of your onboard spending habits. While automatic gratuity charges may be convenient for some passengers, others prefer alternative tipping onboard. The tips, which can also be prepaid, are shared by dining services staff, cabin attendants and other housekeeping personnel.
Arguments against mandatory gratuities
And, of course, the cruise companies are all too happy to keep their cruises' prices down by passing off salary costs as added gratuities tacked on to your bill. Cruise gratuities, also known as tips or service charges, are additional fees that you pay to the crew for service during the cruise. We break down tipping on a cruise to what you’ll pay depending on your stateroom category, plus any additional service fees.
In this complete guide to cruise gratuities for 2023, we explain everything you need to know and break down the costs by cruise line. The advantage here is that you get to hold on to more of your money for longer. Instead of handing over the charges well in advance of your sailing, you can keep it until you’re actually on your cruise.
Here’s what you will pay per person per day for cruise ship gratuities/service fees/crew appreciation as of this writing. If you're wondering how much you should tip on the specific cruise line you're considering or have already booked, we've compiled that information here. Below is a line-by-line look at policies for automatic gratuity charges (called service charges or "crew appreciation" charges at some lines). Gratuities can impact the overall cost of a cruise and may be an essential factor to consider when budgeting for your vacation.
Cruise News Update: New Ship, Gratuity Increase, Dining Changes - Cruise Hive
Cruise News Update: New Ship, Gratuity Increase, Dining Changes.
Posted: Sat, 04 Nov 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
No matter which cruise line you sail, crew gratuities — also known as service charges or crew appreciation — are a fact of life. On all cruise lines, additional gratuities may be added at your discretion. Beyond the standard service charges put forth by the cruise line, we always tip above and beyond for excellent service. The exact charge for these cruise gratuities do vary by cruise line and by stateroom category.
Viking River Cruises recommends a standard daily gratuity rate. Gratuities on Carnival are automatically added onto your shipboard bill toward the end of your cruise. This can be a little controversial, particularly if the service (which is usually top-notch on cruises) is less-than-stellar when staff know their tips are already in the bag. You’re sure to stand in line for some time with a whole lot of other guests who have questions about their account (not the way you want to spend the end of your trip). Embarking on your cruise vacation should be stress-free and exciting.
Some passengers like to do this in order to give tips to crew members directly whenever they see fit. We almost always recommend prepaying gratuities before your cruise begins. This allows you to pay off your cruise balance early, so that by the time you get onboard, you won’t have to worry about extra charges.
A number of cruise lines have said that their staff doesn’t know who has – or hasn’t – removed the gratuities – but this hasn’t been confirmed. Not only does allowing guests to pay in cash mean long queues at reception, but the cruise line also has to count and exchange the currency. It’s much easier for the cruise lines to charge your card than it is to accept cash. If the cruise line that you’re cruising with doesn’t have an app you are also usually able to check your onboard spend on the cabin TV. If the cruise line that you’re cruising with has an app it is well worth downloading it as you can often use this to see your onboard account. Gratuities are calculated and charged to your account automatically.
Comments
Post a Comment