Come join my Facebook Cruise Community Thanks for reading and Happy Cruising!! 15% being the rough standard for satisfactoryservice. Travelers in suites are. Royal Caribbean Cruise Holiday Deals 2020 & 2021 - Cruise Nation www.cruisenation.com. Originally formed in 1988 by the Chandris Group in Greece, Celebrity Cruises was acquired by Royal Caribbean Group in 1997. Both beautiful cruise options! Holland America Line, whose ships Noordam and Maasdam are regular visitors to Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, has the same tipping policy aboard all its ships. I love reading your blog and learning, but I dont often have time to sit down at the computer to read. | Royal Caribbean Blog www.royalcaribbeanblog.com. How much to tip waiter and his assistant? Royal Caribbeans daily automatic gratuities are set at $14.50 per person, per day for guests in standard cabins and $17.50 per person, per day for guests in suites. Royal Caribbean charges a gratuity of $16.00 per person, per day. We are a middle class, retirement age couple (63 and 62) who are not retired with no plans to in the near future. When we tip them individually, do they get to keep the entire amount for themselvesor do they have to share that too? As I am sure you are aware each cruiser will have gratuities & tips added to their SeaPass account every day (unless you have paid these in advance with your booking). What do you think about the custom of tipping on a cruise ship? If you put your tips on your seapass you will get a voucher for each envelope. 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. I purchased the package pre-cruise for $76, this equates to just over $25 per day. The time when youll need the most cash on a cruise vacation is when youre in port. If you buy a $5 souvenir with a $20 bill in Mexico, for example, youll receive change in Mexican pesos. In addition, weve included a list of daily gratuities per cruise line and who else you may wish to tip. This includes drinks at the bar or cafe, spa services and salon visits. Pricing varies based on the ship, sail dates, and itinerary. I think it's more like when you go to a restaurant and they added the automatic service charge to the bill, but there is still a line for additional tipping. Most cruise lines charge for children as well, although there are some exceptions for very young children on select cruise lines. In their case "tipping" doesn't mean "extra" - it means "salary". How much do people tip a Royal Genie? If you forgot to bring cash on your cruise, there are a few ways to get it once onboard. Since this is the current pay structure for most major cruise lines, removing tips really affects the cruise line workers. On top of that, there's an 18% gratuity fee. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. The staff learns real quick who tips extra, and who does not. Tip amount: Gratuities amount to $13.50 per person per day (including children 3 and older) in standard rooms and $15.50 per person in suites. In standard cabins, Carnival charges $14.50 per person, per day in tips. When booking a Celebrity cruise, tips are included in their Always Included program. I was thinking of giving ours a $20 at the beginning, not sure if this is about the "norm", or if I should give a little more. Cruise line employees work their butts off to earn those tips. One of these differences is that cruise gratuities are included. However ,usually you can have at least 2 cabin stewards. But you should know, that the ship's service staff don't make a salary - your tips are their wages. IMPORTANT: Since September 7, 2022, Royal Caribbean International (RCI) cruise ship passengers pay USD 16 pp per day in tips (service charge for staterooms Junior Suites and below). Royal Caribbean Royal Caribbean charges a $7.95 service fee and room service is available 24-hours a day. I have to say, we simply prepay or leave the tips as is, so I really dont pay attention these days. Most cruise ships have ATMs, and some have currency exchanges on board. Even though cruise gratuities technically arent mandatory, they are customary on most mainstream cruise lines. You just cant help being extra nice or helpful when you know the people are going to be extra nice to you, ie the extra tips. 40 Ocean Quotes for Everyone Who Loves The Sea, 15 Delicious Foods in the Bahamas You Need to Try. 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 have also taken a few of the ship's "backstage" tours and could see where the crew members reside, dine, kick back to relax, etc. Although cash isnt required for onboard purchases, there are a few scenarios where youll want to have cash available. (Want to get the most from your cabin steward? Celebrity Cruises now includes daily gratuities in its Always Included cruise fare. Carrie Ann is the founder of Should Be Cruising and a lifelong travel fanatic. The rule of thumb is to tip the guide 10% to 20% of the tour cost, depending on how much you enjoyed the 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. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. 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. Either way, expect to spend about $15-20 per day. In this post, Ill be going through the cruise tipping policies by cruise line and answer some of the most common questions people have about gratuities on a cruise. Do you need to tip at the spa on a cruise? It really made my day! You may also like: A Cruise Glossary: Cruise Terms You Should Know. I ALWAYS tip extra to the outstanding employees on every cruise I have ever taken. All rights reserved. I wouldn't worry about giving "too little" extra, since you are already paying the auto gratuity. For some of them, depending . Wondering how much gratuities are on a cruise? As much as some people opt to remove gratuities on their account, some give extra. Tips are of course a personal decision. Tipped crew make the majority of their income from gratuities! cost cruise much does caribbean royal excursions treatments fees consider drinks spa government You can always add extra for exceptional service, though! There are instances of passengers who prefer not to tip, usually either because they disagree with tipping on principle or they've experienced unsatisfactory service. Celebrity Cruises is Royal Caribbean's sister brand that provides a slightly more upscale, refined experience onboard. How much cash should you bring on a cruise? How Much Should You Budget for Cruise Gratuities? Thanks so much for sharing your experience! 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. IMPORTANT: Since September 7, 2022, Royal Caribbean International (RCI) cruise ship passengers pay USD 16 pp per day in tips (service charge for staterooms Junior Suites and below). You can do so by going to guest services and making the request. Look for a link at the bottom of this page or in our privacy policy where you can withdraw consent. For more info, please read myDisclosure Policy. That was the only time I didn't give an additional cash tip to the wait staff. They did a really good job and I would like to tip them. .WONDER OF THE SEAS. Youll likely get much better service by doing that instead of just removing the tip! Technically your are not obliged to tip any more than the daily gratuities that have been charged to your room. What Is a Cabin Steward on a Cruise Ship? I prefer waiting to see how the service is before deciding on an extra tip, but thats just my preference. You may want to give a small tip to the person who delivers your room service order. Even if you try, theyll likely graciously turn down your offer. If cruising from Australia to the South Pacific, Australian dollars are widely accepted. I dont think anyone will think youre rude for not tipping over and above this. Tipping on a cruise ship: The big picture. You also have the option to prepay your gratuities before your cruise. You'll find an extensive selection of options all over Canada With a beverage package, youve already paid the service fee when you bought the package, so the tip is included. A kind word or a drawing costs nothing and is always appreciated. You may also like: 26 Hidden Cruise Fees You Should Know About. Cruise line employees are extremely hard working, I agree, and they go above and beyond so often. When youre tipping in cash on a cruise, its always best to use the official currency on the ship. Ren de Lambert. What is Royal Caribbean's service gratuities (tips) price and policy? So why dont cruise lines just increase the price of fares, and pay their crew a living wage with a decent hourly rate? You can choose to pay in local currency, too, but obtaining money in 3+ currencies before a cruise is not necessary. Youll want to factor in the cruise line gratuity charge, sometimes called on board service charges (Norwegian Cruise Line). If youre new to cruising, you might be wondering who to tip on a cruise, how much to tip, and exactly how onboard gratuities work. This is a personal decision and Im not sure if theres a tipping etiquette for it. I go into more detail about this topic in this post:Can You Refuse to Pay Gratuities on a Cruise? You may also like: Eight Things That Will Surprise First Time Cruisers. The Sky Suite on Celebrity was a perfect size for two, at around 320 square feet. Beyond leaving a cash tip for your cabin steward, or favorite server or bartender, some other small gestures will go a long way. i understand what you are saying.and I know we are paying roughly 15 dollars a day each as a tip already. Ive got you covered! Up the tip to $20. 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. Our Best Royal Caribbean Cruise Tips And Tricks. Read more: Should You Prepay Gratuities on a Cruise or Pay Onboard? How it works: Gratuities are automatically added to your shipboard account on a daily basis. Id give a much larger tip to a knowledgeable tour guide who led us on an intensive nine-hour experience compared to a guide who did a basic three-hour city walking tour. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. What to Expect: Tipping Crew Members on a Cruise. 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+). Often cruise lines provide additional envelopes to tuck a little extra cash at the end of the cruise just for this purpose. Related: Whats included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare. Still confused . You may also like: Do You Need to Bring Cash on a Cruise? When paying the automatic daily gratuities, cruise lines tell us this amount gets divided by your cabin attendant, waiter and other dining staff. Most cruise lines allow guests to remove automatic gratuities. There will be an 18-20% tip automatically charged when ordering an individual drink, so no need to add more in most cases. On most cruise lines that collect automatic gratuities, youre able to remove or adjust the charges by visiting the passenger services desk. Posted March 5, 2007. So our "big tip" on this subject is this - if you guys have a service staff problem, speak first with your cabin attendant. 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. Posted September 17, 2021. In this post, weve gone over how tipping works on a cruise. How much tip receive in cruise royal caribbean? However, youll want to make sure youve notified your bank that you will be out of the country. If you want to avoid any ATM charges, though, you can theoretically take money out via the casino. If you want to adjust the amount, go to the reception desk. A tip of 15%-20% is common, so check the bottom of your bill before adding an additional amount. Our concern is that the cruise lines take advantage by paying lower wages and then guilting passengers into higher tips. I agree with Kelli. Keep in mind, the venues are not always the same between Royal Caribbean ships, but each of my tips can. I just arrived on board for our 6th cruise, after my 5th cruise just 2 months ago. I put together a 47 page printable cruise travel planner that has everything you need as you plan and get ready for your cruise. Maybe your cabin attendant delivered when you made a special request, or you loved how your steward always sweetly arranged your children's stuffed animals before bed every night -- or maybe you just want to show a little extra appreciation in the universal language of money. Cruise lines typically flag their ships in countries with lax employment laws. Afrikaans; Alemannisch; ; ; Azrbaycanca; ; Banjar; ; () Viking Cruises gratuities are $15.00 per person, per day for all staterooms. Most of the biggest cruise lines automatically add some type of service or gratuity fee onto passenger bills. 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. Many ships also have an abundance of kids' activities including kids clubs that . Often the recommended tips, which run from about $10 to $20 per passenger per day, are published either in the cruise brochure or on the cruise line web page. How to Pay: Paid in cruise fare at the time of purchase. (Learn more about when and when not to pay auto-gratuities.). Ive been surprisedor I probably should say I had forgottenhow many hands have been extended for a tip on these shore excursions. This should provide enough money for transportation, food, and small souvenirs in port. Treasure Coast of Florida. What currency should you use to tip on a cruise? Something to note is that although daily gratuities arent charged, there may be a service fee or tip added to certain services onboard. Robinson said mainstream cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean and Holland America Line charge gratuities on a per person, per day basis. RCCL Crown & Anchor Diamond Member at the end of this cruise! I'm sure the crew appreciated your extra tips - they all work so hard! Rather than reducing the amount payed, they point out on their website that they will work to resolve any service issues experienced. Some people are retired or on a fixed income, some are well off, some have to save for years for a cruise. Cruises from Europe and Australia will still use the US dollar as the official onboard currency, but you should make purchases in port with the destinations local currency. Royal Caribbean's drink packages include: Deluxe Beverage Package Refreshment Package (No alcohol) Classic Soda Package As for tipping above and beyond prepaid gratuities, I agree completely that there is no expectation. You can post now and register later. But I also feel like people will think Im rude for not doing so in reality tho, they are already being tipped 18%. How Much Does A Cruise Cost? I guess I was looking for some kind of scale like we have atrestaurants on land. We usually do the prepaid tipping and also give some extra at the end of our cruises. Thank you, Carrie Ann. 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,. I had prepaid my gratuities, and I assumed the porter was a cruise line employee, so I didnt tip him. Cruises in Europe are charged in Euros. The balcony is a good size with two chairs. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! Our Hawaiian cruise in April will be the first weve been on in 15 years, so, obviously, things have changed a lot. Some cruise lines point out that you may wish to tip the kids club staff. 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.. There is no charge for children under 2 years of age. For both of us, we usually tip between $30-$50 for head waiter, and slightly less for assistant waiter and then even slightly less for the drink waiter (as we are non-drinkers but still want to. What is Royal Caribbean's service gratuities (tips) price and policy? Just like with the Carnival's tipping policy, under the new Royal Caribbean tipping policy guests who believe they've been serviced poorly while onboard their "Of The Seas" ship has the right to ask Guest Services personnel to reduce or even to remove their automatic gratuities. What you cant do is adjust or remove automatic gratuities for a specific crew member. Then (if your problem continues to bother you) contact the hotel manager. The average price of a 7 night Caribbean cruise, on a mainstream cruise line, in April is approximately $616 (493) per person, excluding taxes. You might want to remove their tips as a punishment for poor service. Theres no need to add an extra tip for each drink. New York state residents who wish to purchase the product may visit https://travelcruisecare.com to enroll directly with . But if you dont want to prepay, thats fine too. Before that, in 2015 RCI upped its gratuities from USD 12 to USD 12,95 (standard cabins) and from USD 14,25 to USD 15,95 (suites). We always tip cruise staff but in cash not automatic tipping. Virgin Voyages does a lot of things differently than its mainstream peers. 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. Windstar Cruises daily gratuities are $12.00 per person, per day for all cabin types. Some vendors may process your personal data on the basis of legitimate interest, which you can object to by managing your options below. Your previous content has been restored. Im Carrie Ann, the writer behind Should Be Cruising. Weve been on 4 cruises with our 5th. On a cruise, most guests bring between $100-$120 in cash per day to be spent on transportation, tips, gifts, food, and shopping. Olsen Cruise Lines and Cruise & Maritime Voyages charge substantially less -- 7 per person per day; while Marella, Saga and P&O Cruises now include tips (MSC Cruises also includes tips for its UK-based ship, Preziosa). It is best to drink 9 to 13 cups of water before donating money in the 24 hours preceding the event. Im a little over a month out before my next cruise, and while its a little early to start packing (is it though? Any chance of that? 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. They might feel that it gives them more control over tipping, rewarding the crew based on their level of service. The only exception is for passengers with prepaid gratuities (they won't be charged daily). However, a few lines dont add autogratuities for babies and toddlers under age two or three. Here's how to get the most out of Royal Caribbean's Deluxe Beverage Package (or Prime Casino Royale free drinks in the casino). Im so glad youre enjoying my blog and find the posts helpful and appreciate the feedback. Until fairly recently, cruise passengers customarily tipped only in cash, in person. A couple should budget about $200 in gratuities for a 7 day cruise. On Costa Cruises, service charges of $12.50 per person, per day are charged for cruises departing from the US. I would imagine wed see prices increase overall if they did this, but perhaps it amounts to this anyway. Do you prefer to prepay your gratuitiesor to pay in cash? Now, with automatic gratuities, the process is much simpler and you dont need to carry all that cash. We usually tip between $500-700 depending on what we do. Read our best tips.). Cruising can be such a relaxing vacation as well as so much fun. Whether to or not and then how much. 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. Many cruisers opt to give extra cash tips to crew members who made their vacation that much more enjoyable. Depending on your bank, the ATM transaction fee may be waived. If you dont see the cards in your room, ask at the Passenger Services desk, or leave the feedback in your post-cruise survey. Automatic gratuities, also called autogratuities or autograts, is the cruise term for the system most cruise lines now use to simplify tipping for passengers. Should you prepay automatic gratuities? It May be Time for Some Royal Caribbean Elites to Reconsider Paying for Drink Packages. We did prepaid gratuities, and then I also see that bar tabs will have the auto 18% added so I feel like it wont be necessary to leave an extra tip on the bar tab. A The automatic service gratuity is $16.00 USD per person, per day for guests in Junior Suites and below, or $18.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Grand Suites and above, applied to each guest's SeaPass account on a daily basis. will be more appreciated than something they would have to store. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. 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. The amount is based on the service received of course. 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. While you pay daily gratuities before your cruise ($16 per person, per day in most staterooms), many cruisers like to give something extra. I do think its a very personal choice, but we can talk about this in a future video for sure! 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. The extra cash may or may not end up in your steward's pocket, but he'll appreciate the gesture nonetheless. The amount is very personal. separately, near the end of the cruise. Also, if free gratuities are an amenity, youre not expected to go beyond it unless someone goes way beyond whats normally expected. Royal Caribbean cruise ships have been sailing at nearly 100% capacity for the past few months. 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. You can adjust this based on the length and complexity of the tour. On luxury cruise lines, such as Azamara, Crystal, Seabourn, Silversea, Tauck World Discovery and Uniworld, gratuities are already included in the cost of the cruise, and additional tipping is not expected. Thanks for sharing your view on this. Obviously, if you tip a room attendant, that money will go directly to him/her. Others just prefer the face-to-face experience of handing over a cash tip. If you could use cruise packing lists, to-do checklists, shore excursion forms and more, youll love the Life Well Cruised Ultimate Cruise Planner. 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. While planning a, The weekend is the perfect time to take a short break, so why not go on a cruise too? Those can range from about $15 to upwards of $20 for each . If theres a crew member who goes above and beyond for you, there are some other ways to show your appreciation. But the sticker price of their fares tends to scare off many budget-minded travelers. Viking Ocean: $15.00 per person, per day Virgin Voyages: includes gratuities in the fare. I also tipped my wait staff very generously in the main dining room and specialty restaurants, as well as my drink waiters! A better solution is to have a discreet word with the crew members supervisor about your concerns. These cruise line employees are highly compensated, and offering a tip isnt necessary. On a 7 day cruise we usually give $50 to the waiter and $30 to the asst. The cost is $13.50 per person, per day for guests in Grill Class suites. There are a couple of exceptions, though. Another drink package option for Royal Caribbean cruisers is the Classic Soda package, which includes fountain soda and refills at any venue, Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages and even a Coca-Cola souvenir cup. Great points about luxury lines and that gratuities are included. The porters will assist with your luggage and its customary to tip for their service. 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. Not only will it improve your cruise experience, but youre also allowing the cruise ship staff the opportunity to make things right. 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. Most mainstream cruise lines bill passengers between $12 and $15 per person, per day for. 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. There are 2 adults and 1 child in the room, if this. Or do you remove them altogether? Given the high level of service, passengers often wonder how much they should plan to tip their cabin steward, especially when they go above and beyond.