A couple should budget about $200 in gratuities for a 7 day cruise. Thank you, Carrie Ann. a $200 gratuity on top of my prepaid gratuities. 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. Suggested tipping amounts for room service? - Royal Caribbean In a survey of 850 cruisers, 71% stated that they took over $100 per person per day when cruising. 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. 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. Princess Cruises will automatically charge a crew incentive of $14.50 per person, per day for guests in inside ocean view and balcony cabins. The one excursion we had a fifty dollar bill and three ones at the end of the (short) trip. Given that most , all ? Cruising can be such a relaxing vacation as well as so much fun. 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. Note that paying in cash does not necessarily circumvent the pooling system -- attendants are officially required to turn in any cash gratuities to put toward the pool. You can purchase the drink package online pre-cruise or once onboard during the first day (or two) of your trip. 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. Im so glad youre here! 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 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,. Iwas a waitress for yearslong ago and far away. Display as a link instead, Since most cruise passengers follow the tipping guidelines, that amounts to an increase $13.30 . You also have the option to prepay your gratuities before your cruise. 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. However, there are a few common practices and guidelines. Just for comparison, by the old RCCL tipping guidelines, the Royal Caribbean suggested tips/gratuities were a total of USD 11,65 per day per passenger (respectively USD 13,90 for suite passengers) and also guests could pay onboard either in cash or via their shipboard account. I always prepay the gratuities. Every stateroom has a room service menu. Having the articles in a printable format is a really interesting idea. They pay their crew (usually recruited from countries with limited economic opportunities) per contract, not by the hour. Its customary to tip the waiters generously at specialty restaurants. Please let me know in the comments below. It includes who to tip, who not to tip, and some tips to help as you plan your cruise vacation. Paste as plain text instead, This is a convenient option for cruise passengers that dont want to think about extra charges once onboard. 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. Ive been surprisedor I probably should say I had forgottenhow many hands have been extended for a tip on these shore excursions. 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. Both beautiful cruise options! 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. Id love to connect with you on Instagram and Facebook @lifewellcruised. There are different service charges for certain itineraries. I would imagine wed see prices increase overall if they did this, but perhaps it amounts to this anyway. What is Royal Caribbean's gratuity price and policy? - Cruises The Dream pioneered the innovative and fun cruise ships that are standard today from Carnival Cruise Lines. The average daily gratuity on a cruise is $14-15 USD per person - approximately $30 per day, per couple in a cabin. In the main dining room, buffet, specialty restaurants, and other dining venues, your tip is included in the automatic gratuities. The cruise line makes no recommendation for tipping room service. There is no charge for children under 3 years of age. You can do so by going to guest services and making the request. Your articles are so helpful at navigating the cruise world. There is a lot of included dining location so how do you know which ones to che. Tipping on a cruise ship: The big picture. Keep in mind that cruise crew members live in tight quarters, so small (and edible) gifts are preferred. Between January 2, 2018, and Sept 7, 2022, RCI's daily (per passenger) crew gratuities were US$14,50 (standard staterooms) and US$17,50 (Grand Suites+). If you dont have a drink package, theyll add the price of each drink plus the service fee to your onboard tab. Or you can plan ahead and take enough cash in the correct currency to cover any tips you might want to pay. I believe since these are pooled between everybody, additional tipping should only be done if you feel somebody has gone above and beyond. Ive been cruising for over 15 years, and the practice of tipping on a cruise has certainly evolved. Typically, this is associated with your credit card which youll be prompted to set up when you complete your online check in. The practice of tipping is controversial, even in the United States where paying tips is part of the culture. Please check MSCs website for details. One of these differences is that cruise gratuities are included. ROYAL CARIBBEAN BIGGEST SHIP. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. There may be cases where you'd like to tip your cabin steward more than what he or she will receive after your automated gratuity is pooled and shared out. In reality, the cruise staff on board want you to be satisfied, so this is the time address a problem. Normally, we tip between $5 to $7 additionally per day for the two of us at the end of the cruise. Treasure Coast of Florida. It's always up to you to adjust the number of gratuities at any time while onboard the ship and your tips will be deemed undisputed. Something you will need cash for on a Royal Caribbean cruise are any extra tips you give to crew members. Until fairly recently, cruise passengers customarily tipped only in cash, in person. I had prepaid my gratuities, and I assumed the porter was a cruise line employee, so I didnt tip him. Many passengers rave long after their hoilday is over about the service of stewards who go above and beyond. Celebrity Cruises guide: Ships, itineraries, tips & more | Royal Luxury cruise lines have a higher upfront cost than most popular cruise lines, however theyll often include many valuable extras. I ALWAYS tip extra to the outstanding employees on every cruise I have ever taken. 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. There's a wide variety of services that you will receive during your cruise. Most cruise lines charge for children as well, although there are some exceptions for very young children on select cruise lines. Extra tipping doesnt give you the right to be a jerk, but if you are a jerk, you had better extra tip! A Guide for Tipping on a Cruise for Each Cruise Line Royal Caribbean Royal Caribbean charges a $7.95 service fee and room service is available 24-hours a day. But if your excursions include free time where you eat lunch on your own, its a good idea to research the local tipping customs in the countries youll be visiting before your cruise. Best Cafe at Sea? - Royal Caribbean Cruise Cafe @ Two70 If theres a crew member who goes above and beyond for you, there are some other ways to show your appreciation. one in 2023. Each passenger is charged for these tips, including kids. What do you tip your royal genie? - Cruise Critic Community While most people know it for being a cruise destination, shadowing the coastline to see the glaciers, there is so much Thats a funny thing that weve experienced in the past as well. Ill explain everything you need to know about cruise gratuitiesfrom who you should tip, how much you should tip, and who you should never tip on a cruise ship. 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. You may also like: Do You Need to Bring Cash on a Cruise? We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. You cannot paste images directly. I generally tip extra, mostly because I come from a customer service back round and know how hard these people work, compared to their pay. 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. 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.. I guess I was looking for some kind of scale like we have atrestaurants on land. The average daily gratuity on a cruise is $14-15 USD per person approximately $30 per day, per couple in a cabin. For example, you might give the guide $5 to $10 for a half-day excursion or $10 to $20 for a full-day tour. Do you have a favorite bartender? Tipping extra is not necessary, and theres no right or wrong amount to give a crew member. The amount is based on the service received of course. However, your cruise vacation expenses wont end there. You can raise them, lower them, or remove them altogether. And if the problem still remains unsolved - then adjust the tips. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. I do think its a very personal choice, but we can talk about this in a future video for sure! 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. You may also like: A Cruise Glossary: Cruise Terms You Should Know. So glad this was helpful. What to Expect: Tipping Crew Members on a Cruise. 4 Ways to Tip Extra on a Non-Tipping Cruise Ship, What to Expect on a Cruise: Onboard Spending, Service on a Luxury Cruise: What to Expect. You could also tip based on the length of the tour. Are very professional, what should a tip look like at the end of a 10 day cruise? Sometimes a shoddy tip was more insulting than no tip at all. Since this is the current pay structure for most major cruise lines, removing tips really affects the cruise line workers. This may be rare, however if theres a problem with service or you have a complaint on your cruise, that you should bring this to the attention of the staff member, supervisor, or guest services when it occurs. Just remember that cruise ship crew live in very tight quarters, without much room for personal belongings. Royal Caribbean cruise ships have been sailing at nearly 100% capacity for the past few months. One Key Royal Caribbean Deluxe Beverage Package Tip Cruisers Need to If you choose to pay tips in cash, there are usually some envelopes available at the guest service desk. What Is a Cabin Steward on a Cruise Ship? Obviously, if you tip a room attendant, that money will go directly to him/her. Not based on what we "should" give, more on the fact that they provided very good service. 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. Royal Caribbean Drink Package Guide & Tips | Cruise.Blog What else can you do to show the crew your appreciation? i understand what you are saying.and I know we are paying roughly 15 dollars a day each as a tip already. Great points about luxury lines and that gratuities are included. 40 Ocean Quotes for Everyone Who Loves The Sea, 15 Delicious Foods in the Bahamas You Need to Try. 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). 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. The auto gratuity goes not only to your cabin steward but is also shared among the entire crew that works to make your cruise successful: the dining room, buffet and specialty restaurant wait staff, cooks, laundry staff and the general housekeeping staff that cleans the ship's common areas, for example. I don't actually agree with th. If youre going on a cruise, you can expect daily gratuities to be charged automatically to your onboard account. Jan 6. Although gratuities arent mandatory, and in most cases you can go to guest services and have the amount adjusted, most cruise lines do tend to discourage it. When we tip them individually, do they get to keep the entire amount for themselvesor do they have to share that too? What is Royal Caribbean's service gratuities (tips) price and policy? You can, of course, increase that amount based on your experience on the excursion. You can always add extra for exceptional service, though! The bar service personnel still gets their 15% tips from each bar sale. The suite life: Royal Caribbean vs Celebrity Cruises. Which is better One notable exception is Norwegian Cruise Line. While not obligatory, there are some of the workers you may want to recognize with a tip when cruising. W. Youll likely get much better service by doing that instead of just removing the tip! 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.