Table Of Content
And when you leave the dining room, no need to drop down any money on the table. First, any time that you buy a drink from the bar, you will be charged an extra tip, usually 18%-20% of the menu price, depending on the cruise line. On the cruise line side, that money gets cut up to be distributed. The tips are spread out between the room steward, dining staff, and others that have customer-facing positions. That said, cruise lines are quiet on exactly how the charges are distributed.
Leave a Reply Cancel reply

For your average cruise, expect to spend $15 per passenger per DAY. For a family of 4 on a seven-day vacation, this adds up to an extra $420 to the vacation cost. Holland America gratuities are automatically charged at $17 per person, per day for regular cabin passengers and $19 for suite passengers. Passengers should visit guest services to adjust these if they want. An automatic 18% gratuity is added to beverage packages, specialty dining, spa services, bar packages and main dining room wine purchases. All tips used to be given to the stewards and dining room staff on the last night of the cruise.
Carnival-Owned Cruise Line Increases Gratuities for Guests - Cruise Hive
Carnival-Owned Cruise Line Increases Gratuities for Guests.
Posted: Tue, 16 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Can I opt out of paying gratuities or have them adjusted?
Since they typically have more duties to meet, a good guideline, is a supplementary tip of $3 to $5 per night, per person. The amount you should tip can be affected by several factors, including the duration and type of cruise line you’re sailing with – be it mass market, premium, or luxury. Any amount is fine and will be appreciated by the hard-working crew. Piano bar regulars know that a cash tip will increase the chances of the pianist choosing and performing your song request. This is a personal decision and I’m not sure if there’s a tipping etiquette for it. 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.
Cruise Tips for Those Not on the Automatic Gratuity List
A 20% gratuity will be added to all beverages, mini bar purchases, and beverage packages. For the complete service charge information with NCL, see the Norwegian Cruise automatic service charge rates & information. Room service on a cruise – Remember, it’s never required to tip, but usually people who make use of onboard room service leave a small tip of $1-$5 per delivery. If you agree to the automatic gratuities, the people who tend to you the most—your housekeeping and dining teams—get the largest share. Even if you prepay for your shore excursions directly through the cruise line, it’s customary to tip your tour guides and drivers in cash after each excursion. Cruise lines just have contracts with their preferred shore excursion companies—the guides and drivers aren’t employees of the line.
The program offers two itinerary packages and a selection of 15 international courses, allowing guests to play different courses every day. Yes, there is an additional cost for the retreat cabanas at the retreat pool. As for children at the Club 6 dance club, it is an adults-only space, so children are not allowed. The energy is contagious as guests dance the night away under the starry sky.
The Luxury That Sets Premium Cruise Lines Apart
Alternatively, you can have the charges added to your room bill on board. Most of the biggest cruise lines automatically add some type of service or gratuity fee onto passenger bills. In addition, we’ve included a list of daily gratuities per cruise line and who else you may wish to tip. As a cruise passenger, you want to be aware and set your budget expectations to include these amounts for the cruise ship staff. Cunard‘s daily gratuities are set at $11.50 per person, per day for guests in standard cabins. The cost is $13.50 per person, per day for guests in Grill Class suites.
Why Tipping Matters on a Cruise Ship
The bars are adorned with elegant decor, and the bartenders skillfully craft delicious and creative cocktails. The live music sets the perfect mood, inviting everyone to let loose and dance the night away. But the excitement doesn’t end there; the ship also boasts vibrant nightlife options, including a pulsating dance club and elegant bars and theaters. The poolside theater, boasting a screen 30% larger than other Princess ships, promises to immerse me in larger-than-life movie experiences. And as the sun sets, the pools transform into a mesmerizing watercolor fantasy, complete with dancing fountains and interactive light effects.
The cruise lines have published detailed information on how the gratuities go toward compensation packages for their staff, and train their staff to provide excellent service in any case. Whether your cruise line calls them daily service fees, cruise ship gratuities or crew appreciation, it’s simply tipping on a cruise. Nearly every cruise line has a name for these automatically-added service fees. Princess Cruises gratuities are automatically added to passenger accounts. Passengers in mini-suites and club class are charged $17 per day, and suite passengers pay $18 per day. The amount is the same for children and adults, and it can be prepaid up to six days prior to the start of your cruise.

Many luxury all-inclusive cruise lines include gratuities in their cruise fares, or have a “tips neither expected nor required” policy. But the sticker price of their fares tends to scare off many budget-minded travelers. However, you might end up paying a similar total price on a mainstream line when you factor in gratuities, drink packages, shore excursions, and the like. Whether you opt for pre-paying cruise gratuities, having them added to your charges during the voyage or passing out tips along the way, bring small bills (lots of them!). Waiting in line to exchange large denominations at guest services can be a hassle.
When tipping your waitstaff on a cruise ship, knowing whether your gratuity is included in your specialty dining package is important. In most cases, a standard gratuity fee will be automatically added to your bill for each specialty restaurant meal. How much to tip on a cruise is a question that trips up many first-timers.
From first-class air transportation to onboard medical services, every detail has been carefully planned to make this the trip of a lifetime. Walking along the SeaWalk, I am in awe of the breathtaking views of the ocean below. The SeaWalk, extending 28 feet beyond the edge of the ship, is a glass-paneled walkway that offers clear views of the vast expanse of water. It’s like walking on air above the ocean, feeling the gentle breeze and hearing the soothing sound of the waves. At night, the SeaWalk is illuminated, creating a funky walkway that leads past the SeaView Bar. This unique bar experience, not found on land, serves tropical cocktails with impressive bartending skills.
If this is your course of action, consider offering a cash tip to those individuals who provided good service during your voyage. It is not often the case that all interactions with all crew members are substandard. So, take this opportunity to recognize the folks who worked hard to make your cruise pleasant. For example, passengers were once assigned a dining table and saw the same wait staff throughout the voyage.
As an official sponsor, Costa Cruises is celebrating this remarkable event by introducing the Cruise & Golf program. With two cruise itinerary packages and 15 international courses to choose from, golf enthusiasts can explore the Mediterranean while experiencing the thrill of playing on world-class courses. It is important to follow the dress code etiquette to ensure an enjoyable dining experience. Make sure to adhere to the restaurant reservation policies as well. This door-to-door luggage service ensures that you can focus on enjoying your journey without any worries.
While the automatic service charges will cover their basic gratuities, it's generally considered good form to tip them a bit extra for a job well done, especially if you have made any special requests. Should you choose to, for a seven-night cruise, consider tipping about $2 to $3 per person, per day. You can pass these by hand or get a tip envelope from guest services. As we said above, automatic tips ensure fairness to all staff, but also save yourself the headache of having to crunch numbers and track down numerous crewmembers on the final evening of your cruise. The charges are applied per passenger, per sailing night and are added to your cruise account. In some cases, they can be prepaid at the time of your cruise booking.
Cruises in Europe, World cruises and those departing from a non-US Caribbean port charge 10 Euros per person, per day. Many cruisers wish that all cruise lines would adopt the "no tipping expected" policies of upscale lines such as Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn, and Silversea. However, it looks like the service charge concept is here to stay. However, If we enter our cabin with a steward nowhere to be seen and we don’t ask for anything above basic service, we’ll sometimes leave nothing extra. Bundled package deals seem like a precursor to a future of tip-free cruising.
You booked your cruise and are diving into the planning phase, but what about the cruise gratuities? One area that often prompts questions, even among veteran cruisers, is the topic of tipping and service charges. The included tip amount varies by cruise line but is typically 15% to 20% of the bill.
No comments:
Post a Comment