Some guests may bring $200 extra for gratuities whereas others may bring $50. You may also like: A Cruise Glossary: Cruise Terms You Should Know. Often, these crew members are part of the tip pool, and they lose part of their expected income each time a passenger removes autogratuities. 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. Credit: whmuc.blogspot.com. Pricing varies based on the ship, sail dates, and itinerary. Plus, for a limited time, its $10 off. Cruise line employees are extremely hard working, I agree, and they go above and beyond so often. The onboard price of this package varies from $63 to $89 a day, plus an 18% gratuity. Cruise lines usually add a service charge, usually 15-18%, to all beverages that arent complimentary. Travelers in suites are. When we tip them individually, do they get to keep the entire amount for themselvesor do they have to share that too? Thanks for taking the time to read my blog and leave a comment! The amount you tip is up to youI generally give about $5 per person per day to my stateroom steward. 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. Get access to the best last minute hotel rates in the USA by becoming a registered member online today. MTD and ate in MDR 5 nights. However, there are a few common practices and guidelines. In-suite parties are a huge amount of work for the Genie and room attendants. One of these differences is that cruise gratuities are included. Because plasma accounts for approximately 90% of total fluid volume, drinking plenty of water after receiving a transplant is beneficial to your body. However, cruisers dont always see all of the crew who work behind the scenes for them, like the kitchen and laundry workers. It includes who to tip, who not to tip, and some tips to help as you plan your cruise vacation. Additionally, shouldbecruising.com participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes receive a commission from purchases made through our links. Gratuities or a service charge are added onto some onboard services. Virgin Voyages does a lot of things differently than its mainstream peers. Tipping wait staff extra - how much? - Cruise Critic Community HomeBlogCruise Tips Cruise News Cruise DestinationsAboutContactResourcesFeatured PressPrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyDisclosure PolicyTerms of Use. 15% being the rough standard for satisfactoryservice. I ALWAYS tip extra to the outstanding employees on every cruise I have ever taken. Cruise line employees work their butts off to earn those tips. (Youll often see a survey pop up in your email inbox a few days after your cruise.). Keep in mind, the venues are not always the same between Royal Caribbean ships, but each of my tips can. I like knowing that my bill is all set before I sail! This is a convenient option for cruise passengers that dont want to think about extra charges once onboard. 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. 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. There is no service charge applied for children under 2 years of age. Top Cruise Tips | Royal Caribbean Blog Some cruise lines employ a sommelier or wine steward in the main dining rooms, who isnt included in the tipping pool. If your shore excursion includes lunch, you generally dont have to leave a tipthe tour company takes care of the lunch bill. While planning a, The weekend is the perfect time to take a short break, so why not go on a cruise too? Started in 2010, Royal Caribbean Blog offers daily coverage of news and information related to the Royal Caribbean cruise line along with other relevant topics of cruising, such as entertainment, news, photo updates and more. Tipped crew on many cruise lines include housekeeping, dining, and laundry workers. Royal Caribbean's drink packages include: Deluxe Beverage Package Refreshment Package (No alcohol) Classic Soda Package We are a middle class, retirement age couple (63 and 62) who are not retired with no plans to in the near future. Both beautiful cruise options! At some North American ports, youll see signs stating that the porters do not accept tips. One exception is the piano player in the loungemost accept tips for song requests or if you enjoyed their music. There is no charge for children under 2 years of age. They will seldom steer you wrong. Unless they are below average and that has happened only one time. Youre right an 18% gratuity is added each time you purchase a drink. What is Royal Caribbean's gratuity price and policy? - Cruises Some claim they are making less money than they formerly did with cash tips. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We like to prepay gratuities when we make our final payment for our cruise, but this is optional. Posted September 17, 2021. Note that we are Australian, so therefore not inclined to tip unless the service warrants it. You might want to remove their tips as a punishment for poor service. The service charge on MSC Cruises is $12.50 per person, per day for guests in standard cabins. On embarkation day of my very first cruise, a porter came up to my taxi and whisked my luggage away, seconds after I got out of the car. I prefer waiting to see how the service is before deciding on an extra tip, but thats just my preference. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Cruise Line Gratuities: What's the Point? Tips are added automatically to the onboard account (SeaPass) on a daily basis. That's a major contrast to the early days of the return to sailing after the cruise line's 15-month . Celebrity Cruises guide: Ships, itineraries, tips & more | Royal They will do extra for you after they realize you are a tipper! Lets just say from the expression on the drivers face that he was not happy with that amount. Something to note is that although daily gratuities arent charged, there may be a service fee or tip added to certain services onboard. Ive been cruising for over 15 years, and the practice of tipping on a cruise has certainly evolved. You can read more about me and about Should Be Cruising here. With the exception of a couple cruise lines on this list, most cruises that include gratuities are luxury lines. I do think its a very personal choice, but we can talk about this in a future video for sure! If you go on a tour or shore excursion, its nice to tip the driver or shore excursion staff if youve appreciated their service. 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. The cruise industry has worked this way for a long time, although the automatic gratuities are only the last few years. The average price of a 7 night Caribbean cruise, on a mainstream cruise line, in April is approximately $616 (493) per person, excluding taxes. A As of September 7 th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per person, per day for guests in non-suites staterooms, or $18.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Suites, will be applied to each guest's SeaPass account on a daily basis. Its a part of our cruise vacation cost and helps the hardworking crew make a living. 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. Royal Caribbean International What's Included: Dining, stateroom, and other key crew members. flipped into Ren de Lambert. What is Royal Caribbean's gratuity price and policy? - Cruises 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. Though cruise lines usually state up front that tipping is still at the discretion of the passenger, keep in mind: As with most employees in the service industry (at least in the U.S.), most of the wages cruise employees make come from these tips. $10-20 at the end of the cruise is a nice gratuity for their service. Complete guide to tipping on a cruise - Cruiseable This cruise ship was the first of Carnival's unique Dream Class cruise ships. A couple should budget about $200 in gratuities for a 7 day cruise. 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. If your kids had a great time at the kids club on board, giving a tip at the end of the cruise to their favorite staff members is always appreciated. separately, near the end of the cruise. 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. Life Well Cruised Ultimate Cruise Planner, YouTube at Life Well Cruised (Vlogs and cruise tips). Hope you enjoy! Best Cafe at Sea? - Royal Caribbean Cruise Cafe @ Two70 While not obligatory, there are some of the workers you may want to recognize with a tip when cruising. If you want to avoid any ATM charges, though, you can theoretically take money out via the casino. Many ships also have an abundance of kids' activities including kids clubs that . No worries about "shoddy tips" since you have already paid the standard tip. If you order room service, its customary to give the person that delivers your tray about $1-2 per meal. How to Pay: Paid in cruise fare at the time of purchase. There are also usually comment cards available at the purser's desk or online for additional recognition -- or post a review on Cruise Critic. Robinson said mainstream cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean and Holland America Line charge gratuities on a per person, per day basis. Clear editor. Can you remove or adjust autogratuities on a cruise? 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. Great points about luxury lines and that gratuities are included. After combing through my notes, here's the best tips and tricks for taking a Royal Caribbean cruise. The drink package works at all onboard bars, restaurants, and even Royal Caribbean's private island CocoCay. 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 your kids have had a great time and youve appreciated the service, a few extra dollars are surely appreciated. The COST Series: Cruise Ship TIPPING - YouTube I dont tend to tip in advance, so this is an interesting way of doing things. Cruise lines typically flag their ships in countries with lax employment laws. 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. When you book your cruise, youll be charged your cruise fare, port fees and taxes. 1 1 Quote Cindi Members 12 Author Posted April 16, 2019 About $1-2 (or the equivalent in local currency) per bag is fine. 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 Blog www.royalcaribbeanblog.com. Its also a nice gesture to tip the matre d or head waiter in the main dining room, especially if they were helpful with special menus or seating arrangements. Ill definitely look into it and see how I can best do that on this site. A kind word or a drawing costs nothing and is always appreciated. Should you prepay automatic gratuities? Our concern is that the cruise lines take advantage by paying lower wages and then guilting passengers into higher tips. Celebrity Cruises now includes daily gratuities in its Always Included cruise fare. This should provide enough money for transportation, food, and small souvenirs in port. But many cruisers (including myself) choose to prepay to avoid a big charge at the end of the cruise. 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. 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 you could use cruise packing lists, to-do checklists, shore excursion forms and more, youll love the Life Well Cruised Ultimate Cruise Planner. After 50 cruises I know they really mean it! After 23 Royal Caribbean Cruises, What I've Learned About Tipping Thanks so much for your input on this. Other people you should tip during your cruise, Nine Things You Need to Check Before Your Cruise, Eight Things That Will Surprise First Time Cruisers, How to Have the Best Embarkation Day on a Cruise, Giada De Laurentiis Named Godmother of Oceania Cruises New Ship Vista, Norwegian Cruise Line Announces 2023 Meet the Winemaker Series, P&O Arvia Naming Ceremony Will Feature Olly Murs, Carnival Now Offering Guy Fieri and Sammy Hagars Santo Tequila Fleetwide, Princess Cruises Introduces Welcome Home Program, https://shouldbecruising.com/privacy-policy/, A Cruise Glossary: Cruise Terms You Should Know, 26 Hidden Cruise Fees You Should Know About. 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. Royal Caribbean Gratuities,Tipping Policy,Tips | CruiseMapper 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. The cruise where fun means everything. Western Caribbean Carnival Dream | Royal Holiday Like what you see? In addition to this, an 18% gratuity is automatically added to all drinks, spa and salon services. Cruising can be such a relaxing vacation as well as so much fun. Whether $2 to a bartender, $20 to your waiter, or $50 to your stateroom attendant, it's common to tip crew members extra for excellent service. balyasny aum TRAVEL PROTECTION PROGRAM. A former flight attendant, she now prefers cruise ships over airplanes and spends several months each year cruising and exploring cruise ports. If youre sailing from the United States to the Caribbean, US dollars are widely accepted in popular cruise ports. Most are experienced cruisers and, as a group, theyre very well-liked. Normally, we tip between $5 to $7 additionally per day for the two of us at the end of the cruise. Congrats on reaching Diamond :) Happy cruising! A tip of 15%-20% is common, so check the bottom of your bill before adding an additional amount. Your email address will not be published. The amount is based on the service received of course. 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. Manage Settings Automatic gratuities, also called autogratuities or autograts, is the cruise term for the system most cruise lines now use to simplify tipping for passengers. . 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. Royal Caribbean Cruises Tipping Policy As of September 7th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per person, per day for guests in non-suites staterooms, or $18.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Suites, will be applied to each guest's SeaPass account on a daily basis. Also, if free gratuities are an amenity, youre not expected to go beyond it unless someone goes way beyond whats normally expected. Thanks for sharing your view on this. When youre tipping in cash on a cruise, its always best to use the official currency on the ship. In addition to the automatic daily gratuities, a tip or service fee of 15-20% is added to drinks and/or drink packages as well as spa services on a cruise. Thoughts? Im a little over a month out before my next cruise, and while its a little early to start packing (is it though? Often cruise lines provide additional envelopes to tuck a little extra cash at the end of the cruise just for this purpose. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. Thanks so much for sharing your experience! one in 2023. cruise. 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. Lets just say from the expression on the drivers face that he was not happy with that amount. Just remember that cruise ship crew live in very tight quarters, without much room for personal belongings. Thanks! You may also like: Eight Things That Will Surprise First Time Cruisers. Each person you tip gets their own envelope. Paste as plain text instead, Even if you try, theyll likely graciously turn down your offer. Thats a funny thing that weve experienced in the past as well. 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. I purchased the package pre-cruise for $76, this equates to just over $25 per day. Royal Caribbean Biggest Ship. .wonder of The The cruise director will also remind passengers about how much and whom the cruise . Our Best Royal Caribbean Cruise Tips And Tricks - MSN What do you think about the custom of tipping on a cruise ship? The one excursion we had a fifty dollar bill and three ones at the end of the (short) trip. Not only will it improve your cruise experience, but youre also allowing the cruise ship staff the opportunity to make things right. Cunards daily gratuities are set at $11.50 per person, per day for guests in standard cabins. One Key Royal Caribbean Deluxe Beverage Package Tip Cruisers Need to Tips are added automatically to the onboard account (SeaPass) on a daily basis. #1 Bring a bathing suit on embarkation day On embarkation day, the pools are open so be sure to pack a bathing suit in your carry-on luggage so that you can enjoy them with less crowds! In fact, I think most would agree that cruise line staff make a huge difference in the cruise experience. 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. The Dream pioneered the innovative and fun cruise ships that are standard today from Carnival Cruise Lines. You may also like: 26 Hidden Cruise Fees You Should Know About. 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. Cruising in 2022: Why Onboard Tipping is More Important Than Ever, Cabin Stewardess on Princess Cruises (Photo: Princess Cruises), A Cash Tip Which is Common on Cruises (Photo: elwynn/Shutterstock). 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. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Here's how it works on Royal Caribbean: As of September 7 th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per person, per day for guests in non-suites staterooms, or $18.50 USD per. This is for a good reason as it ensures that proper. ), it, So youre planning a family cruise with a $2000 budget is it possible? This is a good question. cabin (not suite) recommended amount would be $39 pp times two equals $78 for a 4 night cruise. The items and service are provided free of charge (except midnight - 5am when there is a nominal delivery fee). In their case "tipping" doesn't mean "extra" - it means "salary". A couple should budget about $200 in gratuities for a 7 day cruise. Should Be Cruising is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. These cruise line employees are highly compensated, and offering a tip isnt necessary. I just arrived on board for our 6th cruise, after my 5th cruise just 2 months ago. Having worked in the service industry, if people want to extra tip, then doing it at the beginning is the way to go. Some cruisers swear by tipping at the beginning of the cruise to ensure excellent service. This is an excellent article, which really clearly explains all the issues around tipping. There was only one cruise where my sons special request was denied. Tipping on a cruise ship: The big picture. Tipping Please Help!!! - Royal Caribbean International - Cruise Critic Just remember that a cash tip goes to your server, and a charged tip gets added to the tip pool. The only exception is for passengers with prepaid gratuities (they won't be charged daily). 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.". As a cruise passenger, you want to be aware and set your budget expectations to include these amounts for the cruise ship staff. Those can range from about $15 to upwards of $20 for each . We had the my time diningsame waiter and assistant every night. You can purchase the drink package online pre-cruise or once onboard during the first day (or two) of your trip. You may want to give a small tip to the person who delivers your room service order. Royal Caribbean says it is raising its suggested crew gratuities by nearly $2 per passenger, per day. Youll often receive change back in local currency even when paying with USD. Luxury cruise lines have a higher upfront cost than most popular cruise lines, however theyll often include many valuable extras. This practice can eat into the regular wages and livelihood of hardworking crew and is not advised. Are very professional, what should a tip look like at the end of a 10 day cruise? ROYAL CARIBBEAN BIGGEST SHIP. The industry should pay fair wages so that our tips are in fact tips and not wages. How Much Cash Should I Bring on a Cruise? Budgeting Guide and Averages 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. Carnival cruise gratuities are automatically added to onboard accounts for those in all rooms. How Much Does A Cruise Cost? Payments on cruise ships have almost entirely gone digital, but there are still a few situations where cash comes in handy. Tipping on a cruise ship: Everything you need to know Read our best tips.). With a beverage package, youve already paid the service fee when you bought the package, so the tip is included. I'm so glad you found my post! Norwegian Cruise Line charges a daily service fee of $15.50 per person, per day for guests in standard cabins and $18.50 per person per day for guests in suites and The Haven. Learn how your comment data is processed. royal caribbean cruise cruises deals 2021. Weve been on 4 cruises with our 5th. However ,usually you can have at least 2 cabin stewards. For many cruise passengers, bars play a pretty large role in their experiences. How much cash should you bring on a cruise? | Royal Caribbean Blog