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Tipping isn't mandatory on a cruise, but you should consider that gratuities distributed onboard a modern cruise ship are much more than mere bonuses. Even the size of your stateroom or suite may also come into play when considering how much to tip, as these larger staterooms tend to have more amenities and even butler service. Lastly, the number of people in your party will also impact gratuities, as tips are paid per person. An additional tip is always appreciated if you receive exceptional service during your spa treatments.
You SHOULDN’T remove gratuities once onboard
When your cruise concludes, if the port workers aid in getting your bags to your car or a taxi, the same amount would be courteous. Lately, we are seeing this practice not just with the luxury lines but also with premium operators like Holland America Line and Princess Cruises. Most allow you to adjust the amount given to each crew member – increasing or decreasing – based on your experience with them. It’s important to note that many low-level crew members rely heavily on gratuities as they are usually paid lower wages than other industries. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear.
Can I remove my cruise ship gratuities?
If you booked with Royal Caribbean directly, your best bet is to call or access your account online to prepay gratuities. Conversely, some guests who are familiar with and follow the tipping guidelines, prefer to hand out cash-filled envelopes to crew members. Depending upon your cruise line and accommodation category, the amounts of who gets what may vary by a few dollars. But this should give you an idea as to where the cruise ship tips go and how it’s divvied up at the end. Some cruise lines may call this a “Guest Services Fee” on your onboard account statement. & Ireland passengers from October 2019, gratuities are still applied to U.S. cruisers' bills.
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The tips, which can also be prepaid, are shared by dining services staff, cabin attendants and other housekeeping personnel. Passengers who opt for Royal Caribbean's flexible My Time Dining must prepay gratuities. Casino dealers do not receive a cut of Cunard's automatic gratuities, so consider tipping deserving staff. An automatic 15% charge also applies to spa treatments and services as well as all bar bills.
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What are automatic gratuities?
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Many smaller and higher-end cruise operators are folding tips and gratuities into their base fares. The worst thing you can do is wait until you are home from your cruise to address it. 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. In fact, I think most would agree that cruise line staff make a huge difference in the cruise experience. Some cruise lines point out that you may wish to tip the kid’s club staff. If your kids have had a great time and you’ve appreciated the service, a few extra dollars are surely appreciated.
In that sense, the current system is more equitable than the old system of cash tipping, which favored certain workers, lines say. 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. Rather than reducing the amount payed, they point out on their website that they will work to resolve any service issues experienced. Each major cruise line has a slightly different policy and fee for per-day automatic service charges and gratuities. While many people will feel like this is ‘greasing the palm’ of the cabin steward, it’s showing appreciation for their proactive attempt at starting the cruise right!
You can still hand out cash to individual members of the staff that you appreciate, although it’s not required. A couple traveling together will see about $30-$40 per day in gratuities, or about $200+ over the course of a week-long cruise. Room service stewards should be tipped on the spot, as should non-cruise workers like in-port baggage handlers or tour operators on shore excursions.
What are the per-day service fees for Carnival Cruises?
The best time to leave a tip for your cabin steward is usually at the end of the cruise during disembarkation. 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. There is also a difference in gratuity rates depending on your accommodations.
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In general, withholding tips is only recommended if there was no effort towards good service. Remember, crew members are not paid the same as in the US and rely on tips for their livelihood. It’s also a good idea to tip your spa attendant separately if they go above and beyond to make your spa experience memorable. The amount you should tip varies depending on the cruise line and its specific policies. As a general rule of thumb, 15-20% of the total cost of your spa treatments is considered appropriate. These services may include laundry workers, dishwashers, galley attendants, and below-deck positions.
Room service waiters are also part of the tip pool for autogratuities. Another option is to tip individuals directly instead of relying on automatic gratuity charges. This allows you to show appreciation for exceptional service and tailor your tipping based on personal experience rather than a set daily amount. However, cruise lines encourage paying the flat per-day gratuity rate to support all workers, including those working in the laundry room, washing dishes, or cleaning the ship late at night. Note that if you purchase a dining or beverage package, most cruise lines will charge you gratuities based on a percentage of the package price.
Additionally, shouldbecruising.com participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes receive a commission from purchases made through our links. If your shore excursion includes lunch, you generally don’t have to leave a tip—the tour company takes care of the lunch bill. 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. You can adjust this based on the length and complexity of the tour.
That's because some cruise lines tack daily service fees onto passenger bills — yet many travelers still hand out additional cash gratuities, either as a matter of course or for exemplary service. When paying the automatic daily gratuities, cruise lines tell us this amount gets divided by your cabin attendant, waiter and other dining staff. 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. When you book your cruise, you’ll be charged your cruise fare, port fees and taxes. You’ll want to factor in the cruise line gratuity charge, sometimes called on board service charges (Norwegian Cruise Line).
While we only interact with certain people in particular positions, they represent dozens of others who work hard at their jobs. 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.
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