MTD and ate in MDR 5 nights. Heres what you should know about cash on a Royal Caribbean cruise. In some service industries where wages are substandard, customers are expected to pay a gratuity, typically 15 to 20% of the bill, to augment the workers low hourly wages. Can you remove or adjust autogratuities on a cruise? For many cruise passengers, bars play a pretty large role in their experiences. You might want to remove their tips as a punishment for poor service. 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). It really made my day! The gratuity is $15.50 per person, per day for guests in mini-suites and $16.50 per person, per day for guests in suites. There is no charge for children under 2 years of age. How much cash should you bring on a cruise? Thats up to you! 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). If you havent notified your bank, they will usually send you a fraud alert or temporarily freeze your card. 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. While each cruise line is different, many include alcoholic drinks, soda and specialty coffee, gratuities, specialty dining and some shore excursions. You can raise them, lower them, or remove them altogether. The only exception is for passengers with prepaid gratuities (they won't be charged daily). Lets just say from the expression on the drivers face that he was not happy with that amount. We usually do the prepaid tipping and also give some extra at the end of our cruises. As a cruise passenger, you want to be aware and set your budget expectations to include these amounts for the cruise ship staff. Many luxury all-inclusive cruise lines include gratuities in their cruise fares, or have a tips neither expected nor required policy. I was very surprised. 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. The only charges that should appear on my final tab are any extras I decided to add on during the voyage. 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. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'shouldbecruising_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_6',199,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-shouldbecruising_com-medrectangle-4-0');Tipping is supposed to encourage excellent customer service from workers, because (in theory at least) customers will tip generously for friendly, prompt service. How much do people tip a Royal Genie? This is a convenient option for cruise passengers that dont want to think about extra charges once onboard. I have to say, we simply prepay or leave the tips as is, so I really dont pay attention these days. Here are some other people you should tip during your cruise. Iwas a waitress for yearslong ago and far away. We are a middle class, retirement age couple (63 and 62) who are not retired with no plans to in the near future. Royal Caribbean International What's Included: Dining, stateroom, and other key crew members. At the base level, one person can use the service, and the price rises as you add more logins. 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. royal caribbean cruise cruises deals 2021. The rule of thumb is to tip the guide 10% to 20% of the tour cost, depending on how much you enjoyed the experience. However, there are a few common practices and guidelines. I do think its a very personal choice, but we can talk about this in a future video for sure! (Admit it: You tend to miss those nightly pillow chocolates and towel animals after you get home.) Sometimes a shoddy tip was more insulting than no tip at all. 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. You may want to give a small tip to the person who delivers your room service order. If you tip extra, you will get FABULOUS service! Princess Cruises will automatically charge a crew incentive of $14.50 per person, per day for guests in inside ocean view and balcony cabins. 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. The Dream pioneered the innovative and fun cruise ships that are standard today from Carnival Cruise Lines. 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. This cruise ship was the first of Carnival's unique Dream Class cruise ships. Celebrity Cruises now includes daily gratuities in its Always Included cruise fare. 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. 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. On top of that, there's an 18% gratuity fee. Hi All, Im Ilana. I would imagine wed see prices increase overall if they did this, but perhaps it amounts to this anyway. Many ships also have an abundance of kids' activities including kids clubs that . Cruise line employees work their butts off to earn those tips. There was only one cruise where my sons special request was denied. UK lines such as Fred. 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. Passengers sometimes plan in advance to bring small gifts to leave with their cabin stewards, either at the beginning or end of the cruise. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. There are also usually comment cards available at the purser's desk or online for additional recognition -- or post a review on Cruise Critic. I almost alwaysgive my dining staff a bit extra, my kids generally have some special requests that take extra time and effort for the wait staff. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Most are experienced cruisers and, as a group, theyre very well-liked. 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. Lets just say from the expression on the drivers face that he was not happy with that amount. For example, you might give the guide $5 to $10 for a half-day excursion or $10 to $20 for a full-day tour. If you forgot to bring cash on your cruise, there are a few ways to get it once onboard. Celebrity Cruises is Royal Caribbean's sister brand that provides a slightly more upscale, refined experience onboard. Who else should you tip on a cruise ship? If you dont have a drink package, theyll add the price of each drink plus the service fee to your onboard tab. Grand Suite and above cabin categories pay USD 18,50 pp per day gratuities. Both beautiful cruise options! A better solution is to have a discreet word with the crew members supervisor about your concerns. 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. While you pay daily gratuities before your cruise ($16 per person, per day in most staterooms), many cruisers like to give something extra. 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. #4. Keep in mind that cruise crew members live in tight quarters, so small (and edible) gifts are preferred. The average daily gratuity on a cruise is $14-15 USD per person approximately $30 per day, per couple in a cabin. 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. 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. 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.". Later I learned that the porters outside of the cruise terminal are not cruise line employees at all! The amount is based on the service received of course. Please let me know in the comments below. What is Royal Caribbean's service gratuities (tips) price and policy? How much tip receive in cruise royal caribbean? That was the only time I didn't give an additional cash tip to the wait staff. There are some exceptions. It would be so helpful if I could print just the blog to read at random timescar trip, etc. Related: Cruise Line. The cruise director will also remind passengers about how much and whom the cruise . Thanks for taking the time to read my blog and leave a comment! Cruises in Europe, World cruises and those departing from a non-US Caribbean port charge 10 Euros per person, per day. If you found this helpful, please dont keep it to yourself ;-). People associate umbrella drinks and colorful tropical concoctions with cruising, and fancy-looking martinis have become a nighttime staple at sea. The premium cruise line's fleet of 15 ships sail around the world, from the Galapagos to the Caribbean. Disney cruises has a suggested daily gratuity charge of $13.50 per person, per day for all guests. i understand what you are saying.and I know we are paying roughly 15 dollars a day each as a tip already. Want to give something beyond cash? Its a part of our cruise vacation cost and helps the hardworking crew make a living. If you dont prepay your gratuities, they will be added to your onboard account. Normally, we tip between $5 to $7 additionally per day for the two of us at the end of the cruise. What else can you do to show the crew your appreciation? Because plasma accounts for approximately 90% of total fluid volume, drinking plenty of water after receiving a transplant is beneficial to your body. Its unlikely to do any good by this point. So they follow this model with many of their crew members who perform services for passengers. 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). Our Stateroom Attendant on cruise #5 was fabulous, and I showed my appreciation by leaving him (thanks Mahbob!) 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. 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. If you could use cruise packing lists, to-do checklists, shore excursion forms and more, youll love the Life Well Cruised Ultimate Cruise Planner. Some cruise lines refer to these tips as a service charge. Some claim they are making less money than they formerly did with cash tips. Hi All, I just wanted to share something with new cruisers (and old if they do not know this). In fact, I think most would agree that cruise line staff make a huge difference in the cruise experience. However, extra tipping and being a jerk do not go hand in hand. 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. A former flight attendant, she now prefers cruise ships over airplanes and spends several months each year cruising and exploring cruise ports. In reality, the cruise staff on board want you to be satisfied, so this is the time address a problem. one in 2023. Since this is the current pay structure for most major cruise lines, removing tips really affects the cruise line workers. How Much Should You Budget for Cruise Gratuities? That's a major contrast to the early days of the return to sailing after the cruise line's 15-month . Now if someone goes over and above a little extra is due. 1 1 Quote Cindi Members 12 Author Posted April 16, 2019 Upload or insert images from URL. You might want to reward your cabin steward, favorite bartender or MDR server, or any other crew member you think did a great job. We never gave him anything. You can also adjust your gratuities up or down. (Learn more about when and when not to pay auto-gratuities.). 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. Cruisers would have to tip each of their service personnel (the cabin steward, restaurant servers, bartenders, etc.) If you dont see the cards in your room, ask at the Passenger Services desk, or leave the feedback in your post-cruise survey. Ill definitely look into it and see how I can best do that on this site. Unless they are below average and that has happened only one time. One notable exception is Norwegian Cruise Line. Sometimes it cannot be helped ! If sailing in a reg. 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. Although cash isnt required for onboard purchases, there are a few scenarios where youll want to have cash available. We like to prepay gratuities when we make our final payment for our cruise, but this is optional. Let me know in the comments below! Happy cruising :). If you order room service, its customary to give the person that delivers your tray about $1-2 per meal. Tipped crew on many cruise lines include housekeeping, dining, and laundry workers. Why taking a weekend cruise is a great escape, 11 of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean, How to get to Royal Caribbean's cruise terminals and how much parking will cost, Top 16 things on a Royal Caribbean cruise everyone needs to do at least once. Hi Alex, thanks so much for your lovely comment. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Do I need to tip on a cruise or pay service charges, is a question that comes up often. This is for a good reason as it ensures that proper. When planning your cruise, check with your travel agent or the cruise line about the tipping policy. Royal Caribbean's VOOM service has two different levels of service with two different prices. But if you dont want to prepay, thats fine too. However, the price of getting online can be expensive. On Costa Cruises, service charges of $12.50 per person, per day are charged for cruises departing from the US. A couple should budget about $200 in gratuities for a 7 day cruise. Some things are free, other items are fee-based. Additionally, shouldbecruising.com participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes receive a commission from purchases made through our links. Have some small bills handy for these times. 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. Sometimes a shoddy tip was more insulting than no tip at all. Often, these crew members are part of the tip pool, and they lose part of their expected income each time a passenger removes autogratuities. When paying the automatic daily gratuities, cruise lines tell us this amount gets divided by your cabin attendant, waiter and other dining staff. 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. Viking Cruises gratuities are $15.00 per person, per day for all staterooms. 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. This includes drinks at the bar or cafe, spa services and salon visits. Here is a list of the daily gratuity charges by major cruise lines for 2021-22. Most cruise lines allow guests to remove automatic gratuities. Please check Costas website for details. The balcony is a good size with two chairs. Thanks! If you are one to give your room attendant a little extra (on top of auto gratuities), how much do you typically give. 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. Its a good idea to hand over your tips the day before disembarkation. I agree with Kelli. Tips are of course a personal decision. 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. Love this! You'll find an extensive selection of options all over Canada On the flip side, passengers have less control over where their money goes with autogratuities.