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. Royal Caribbean Royal Caribbean charges a $7.95 service fee and room service is available 24-hours a day. 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. Most are experienced cruisers and, as a group, theyre very well-liked. $10-20 at the end of the cruise is a nice gratuity for their service. Your glowing review can help a hardworking crew member earn a promotion or raise. ~ janet Cruise line tipping policies vary from one cruise company to another. Tipping is not required, however, customarily some people do choose to tip anywhere from $1 - $5 per order. Knowing how much cash to bring on a cruise can help you plan your vacation budget and avoid pesky ATM fees along the way. 1) Get a Free Balcony Upgrade Promotion and How to Find Them Occasionally cruise lines will run special promotions on particular ships, itineraries, and/or destinations offering balcony staterooms at the same price as an outside or inside cabin. (Want to get the most from your cabin steward? Given that most , all ? Up the tip to $20. 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. This is an excellent article, which really clearly explains all the issues around tipping. 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. The article also reviews major changes in the RCI's gratuities policy implemented fleetwide/on all liners. Giving service staff tips in a currency they cant easily use means theyll have to pay a fee to change your cash tip into another currency. Sometimes a shoddy tip was more insulting than no tip at all. What do you tip your royal genie? - Cruise Critic Community You can, of course, increase that amount based on your experience on the excursion. Once you book your cruise, there are some things you'll need to do in advance to prepare. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Something you will need cash for on a Royal Caribbean cruise are any extra tips you give to crew members. 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. The cost is $13.50 per person, per day for guests in Grill Class suites. Its a part of our cruise vacation cost and helps the hardworking crew make a living. I believe this to be true, too. 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. Do you have a favorite bartender? When you book your cruise, youll be charged your cruise fare, port fees and taxes. There are also usually comment cards available at the purser's desk or online for additional recognition -- or post a review on Cruise Critic. Some things are free, other items are fee-based. Weve been on 4 cruises with our 5th. We never gave him anything. 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. Thank you, Carrie Ann. They might feel that it gives them more control over tipping, rewarding the crew based on their level of service. The COST Series: Cruise Ship TIPPING | Who to tip on a cruise and how much | Royal Caribbean Tipping The Weekend Cruiser 8.96K subscribers Subscribe 588 Share 10K views 8 months ago. Cruise Ship Tipping and Prepaid Gratuities: Should I Tip More? Heres a video which answers many questions that you may have about cruise gratuities and tipping on a cruise ship. Don't be Held Back on Arrival Royal Caribbean requires you to do an online check-in, at least three days before your published sail date. What you cant do is adjust or remove automatic gratuities for a specific crew member. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. If you tip extra, you will get FABULOUS service! 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. However, cruisers dont always see all of the crew who work behind the scenes for them, like the kitchen and laundry workers. However, if you prefer to pay off your account and daily gratuities in cash, you can do so by going to guest services. Royal Caribbean's VOOM service has two different levels of service with two different prices. However, your cruise vacation expenses wont end there. If you go on a tour or shore excursion, its nice to tip the driver or shore excursion staff if youve appreciated their service. Lines with such charges include both of the two giants of the cruise business, Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line, as well as Norwegian, MSC Cruises and Princess Cruises. You may want to give a small tip to the person who delivers your room service order. If you found this helpful, please dont keep it to yourself ;-). How Much Money Should I Take on a Cruise? - Windstar Cruises Travel Blog Some cruise ship spas, like those on NCL and Royal Caribbean, add on a service fee or gratuity, usually about 18%. Technically your are not obliged to tip any more than the daily gratuities that have been charged to your room. Depending on your cruise ship, you may be able to use the Royal . Do you need to tip at the spa on a cruise? But I also feel like people will think Im rude for not doing so in reality tho, they are already being tipped 18%. There are some exceptions. A couple should budget about $200 in gratuities for a 7 day cruise. Keep in mind, the venues are not always the same between Royal Caribbean ships, but each of my tips can. Its important to note that, especially on the luxury lines, tipping is not expected. You cant choose how much each crew member gets. Posted March 5, 2007. 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. So our "big tip" on this subject is this - if you guys have a service staff problem, speak first with your cabin attendant. Porters: $1-5 per bag Room service delivery: $2-4 per tray 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. Some cruisers swear by tipping at the beginning of the cruise to ensure excellent service. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. The drink package works at all onboard bars, restaurants, and even Royal Caribbean's private island CocoCay. Youll often receive change back in local currency even when paying with USD. On top of that, there's an 18% gratuity fee. Royal Caribbean Drink Package: Ultimate Guide - High Seas Cruising And if the problem still remains unsolved - then adjust the tips. Many passengers rave long after their hoilday is over about the service of stewards who go above and beyond. This practice can eat into the regular wages and livelihood of hardworking crew and is not advised. Some guests may bring $200 extra for gratuities whereas others may bring $50. If you want to avoid any ATM charges, though, you can theoretically take money out via the casino. Tipping on a Cruise: Your Complete Big-Ship Tip Guide How much cash should you bring on a cruise? | Royal Caribbean Blog Beyond leaving a cash tip for your cabin steward, or favorite server or bartender, some other small gestures will go a long way. When paying the automatic daily gratuities, cruise lines tell us this amount gets divided by your cabin attendant, waiter and other dining staff. 1 1 Quote Cindi Members 12 Author Posted April 16, 2019 What currency should you use to tip on a cruise? Service charges for guests ages 4-14 are half of the adult rate. 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. Keep in mind that cruise crew members live in tight quarters, so small (and edible) gifts are preferred. You may also like: 26 Hidden Cruise Fees You Should Know About. 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). $15.99 per person per day for guests in suites. 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. Are very professional, what should a tip look like at the end of a 10 day cruise? Say it ain't so: Royal Caribbean is latest cruise line to slash service Upload or insert images from URL. Thanks for taking the time to read my blog and leave a comment! 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. In a survey of 850 cruisers, 71% stated that they took over $100 per person per day when cruising. Do I need to tip on a cruise or pay service charges, is a question that comes up often. Is it the 15 day or the 7 day from Honolulu? Luxury cruise lines have a higher upfront cost than most popular cruise lines, however theyll often include many valuable extras. Critics of this system (which has evolved in the last several decades from strictly cash-based gratuities) say that under this tip pooling arrangement, cabin attendants and wait staff aren't getting recognized for exemplary work the same as they were in the old days. Cruises in Europe, World cruises and those departing from a non-US Caribbean port charge 10 Euros per person, per day. Thanks so much for sharing your experience! Crew members work really hard and make the difference between an ok and a memorable cruise vacation. Should you tip extra on a cruise? 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. A better solution is to have a discreet word with the crew members supervisor about your concerns. Then you can take your deposit out in cash at the casino cashier. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? 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. If you enjoy tipping in cash, consider giving an extra cash tip to the crew members who gave you excellent service on your cruise. Manchester 3. 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. Although cash isnt required for onboard purchases, there are a few scenarios where youll want to have cash available. Whats included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare, 30 Do's and Don'ts for the first day of your cruise, The 20 worst cruise mistakes that will ruin your cruise vacation, The best cruise itineraries for every type of traveler, How to plan a Royal Caribbean cruise on any budget, Best shore excursion in every Caribbean cruise port. Want to give something beyond cash? Im not expecting him to kiss our butts, but come on. Hi this was helpful, thank you. We always tip cruise staff but in cash not automatic tipping. Alaska is such a beautiful destination. P.S. 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. How Much Does a Caribbean Cruise ACTUALLY Cost? (13 Examples) Ren de Lambert. Originally formed in 1988 by the Chandris Group in Greece, Celebrity Cruises was acquired by Royal Caribbean Group in 1997. 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. The big three, including Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean expect guests to foot the bill and tips are added to their onboard account. Who else should you tip on a cruise ship? Im a little over a month out before my next cruise, and while its a little early to start packing (is it though? There are a couple of exceptions, though. Based on the amount of the bill. Both beautiful cruise options! Please check MSCs website for details. 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. However, the price of getting online can be expensive. 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. Automatic gratuities cover just about every tipped crew member on the ship. Many luxury all-inclusive cruise lines include gratuities in their cruise fares, or have a tips neither expected nor required policy. 15+ Royal Caribbean Tips, Tricks, and Things to Know In the UK, tips are completely discretionary and are only to reward service that goes above the normal expectations. 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. We rarely do the parties anymore. Children under 4 are not charged. For this reason, I have always found being expected to pay tips, on an already expensive cruise, very irritating and have sometimes had them reduced at the service desk. Which family cruise can you book for $2000? Ive been surprisedor I probably should say I had forgottenhow many hands have been extended for a tip on these shore excursions. If you have a special in-room dining experience, like Ultimate Balcony Dining on Princess (which I highly recommend, by the way), its a nice gesture to add an extra cash tip for the servers who brought your meals up and made your dinner a special experience. Great points about luxury lines and that gratuities are included. This should provide enough money for transportation, food, and small souvenirs in port. The cruise line assesses a daily fee and divides the money among the tipped crew. At some North American ports, youll see signs stating that the porters do not accept tips. How Much To Tip A Royal Genie (With Chart) - Cruise Mummy Thanks for sharing your view on this. Just did 8 nights on Voyager. We are a middle class, retirement age couple (63 and 62) who are not retired with no plans to in the near future. I love reading your blog and learning, but I dont often have time to sit down at the computer to read. Or you can plan ahead and take enough cash in the correct currency to cover any tips you might want to pay. 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. Most mainstream cruise lines have their headquarters in the US. One of these differences is that cruise gratuities are included. Viking Cruises gratuities are $15.00 per person, per day for all staterooms. Here's how to get the most out of Royal Caribbean's Deluxe Beverage Package (or Prime Casino Royale free drinks in the casino). If your shore excursion includes lunch, you generally dont have to leave a tipthe tour company takes care of the lunch bill. In North America, most cruise terminal porters are longshoremen. Royal Caribbean: $14.50 per person, per day ($17.50 for guests in grand suites and above). By proceeding, you agree to Cruise Critics. 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. First is the ATM. They have the insider tips to match so that you can make the most of everything that'll be at your fingertips. One exception is the piano player in the loungemost accept tips for song requests or if you enjoyed their music. Tipping on a cruise ship: The big picture. Depending on what you plan to do in port, you might need cash for the following: We recommend bringing around $100-200 in cash with you on a port day. Your email address will not be published. Tips on Cruise Ship Tipping - Who and How Much to Tip! However, a few lines dont add autogratuities for babies and toddlers under age two or three. .WONDER OF THE SEAS. Pasted as rich text. We usually tip between $500-700 depending on what we do. Check out the latest web stories from Should Be Cruising! If you go to any slot machine, youre able to transfer money to the game via your onboard account, which is connected to your credit or debit card. Sometimes a shoddy tip was more insulting than no tip at all. You may also like: Do You Need to Bring Cash 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. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. See details here: Ultimate Cruise Planner -Whats Included, What to Pack for a Caribbean Cruise (with packing list), 7 Cruises to Avoid and What to Do Instead, Cruise Line Stocks Shareholder Benefits for Cruisers (FREE onboard credit). However, youll want to make sure youve notified your bank that you will be out of the country. Royal Caribbean Drink Package Guide & Tips | Cruise.Blog The service charge on MSC Cruises is $12.50 per person, per day for guests in standard cabins. 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+). Instead, passengers can tipor notat their own discretion. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'shouldbecruising_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_8',602,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-shouldbecruising_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0');With the autograt system, many crew members who rarely received tips before now get a sharelike the laundry or kitchen staff on some cruise lines. Should You Prepay Gratuities on a Cruise or Pay Onboard? balyasny aum TRAVEL PROTECTION PROGRAM. Still confused . Thats up to you! If you wait to the end to tip, then the servers wont know and you possibly missed out of knowing how wonderful the cabin steward or others could be. In addition, weve included a list of daily gratuities per cruise line and who else you may wish to tip. Please share on Facebook or PIN to your favorite Pinterest board (share buttons at the top). Have some small bills handy for these times. Celebrity Cruises now includes daily gratuities in its Always Included cruise fare. This is for a good reason as it ensures that proper. You can read more about me and about Should Be Cruising here. I purchased the package pre-cruise for $76, this equates to just over $25 per day. The cruise where fun means everything. Tipping on Ships: An Australian Culture Clash - Cruise Critic The fact is, the tips that crew get from passengers make up a good part of their wage. 2% would be a shoddy tip, but it's fine for the "extra tip" line if that 2% was to bring the 18% service charge up to 20%. The amount is based on the service received of course. 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). 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. If you buy a $5 souvenir with a $20 bill in Mexico, for example, youll receive change in Mexican pesos. Iwas a waitress for yearslong ago and far away. Who To Tip On Your Cruise, and How Much | CruiseHabit Related: Whats included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare. Im so glad youre enjoying my blog and find the posts helpful and appreciate the feedback. How Much Cash Should I Bring on a Cruise? Budgeting Guide and Averages Most US lines that base ships in the UK over the summer -- Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, for example -- offer automated gratuity options that charge a standard daily gratuity fee to the credit card you've placed on file for each day of your cruise. This is a convenient option for cruise passengers that dont want to think about extra charges once onboard. All rights reserved. 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. 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. Royal Caribbean says it is raising its suggested crew gratuities by nearly $2 per passenger, per day. 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. Continue with Recommended Cookies. You also shouldnt tip the cruise director, the entertainment staff, or any independent entertainers like musical guests, comedians, or magicians. Something to note is that although daily gratuities arent charged, there may be a service fee or tip added to certain services onboard. Cash is rarely required on a Royal Caribbean cruise, as all payments onboard are made via your SeaPass account. 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. Theres no need to add an extra tip for each drink. In reality, the cruise staff on board want you to be satisfied, so this is the time address a problem. 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. As a cruise passenger, you want to be aware and set your budget expectations to include these amounts for the cruise ship staff. I ALWAYS tip extra to the outstanding employees on every cruise I have ever taken. Im Carrie Ann, the writer behind Should Be Cruising. This is a review of RCI-Royal Caribbean International's gratuities (paid for the crew services), tipping policy and tips (per day/reduced/removed). Many ships also have an abundance of kids' activities including kids clubs that . If you put your tips on your seapass you will get a voucher for each envelope. Can Drinking Beer The Night Before Donor Plasma Donation Interfere With will be more appreciated than something they would have to store. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'shouldbecruising_com-leader-2','ezslot_15',606,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-shouldbecruising_com-leader-2-0');Since you cant remove the automatic tips for just that one crew member, removing or lowering your automatic gratuities hurts all the tipped employees.
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how much to tip on cruise royal caribbean