Youll often receive change back in local currency even when paying with USD. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! Although gratuities arent mandatory, and in most cases you can go to guest services and have the amount adjusted, most cruise lines do tend to discourage it. If youre booked with Celebritys Always Included, the gratuities are included. The amount is very personal. The cruise where fun means everything. Please share on Facebook or PIN to your favorite Pinterest board (share buttons at the top). Typical extra tips may be $15-20 per passenger for a seven-day cruise paid to the cabin steward for exceptional work, or an extra $10-20 per passenger to a waiter who offered spectacular dining. Tips are added automatically to the onboard account (SeaPass) on a daily basis. Most cruise ships have ATMs, and some have currency exchanges on board. Many passengers rave long after their hoilday is over about the service of stewards who go above and beyond. ATMs usually charge a $5-6 fee per transaction. Lets just say from the expression on the drivers face that he was not happy with that amount. I think its pretty bad when thats the only night they make their presence be known. So they follow this model with many of their crew members who perform services for passengers. During your cruise vacation, youll probably receive services from other people who arent cruise line employeesbut you might not realize it! 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. 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. Tips are either covered by the autogratuities or theres a service fee tacked on, so you dont need to tip again. Royal Caribbean: $14.50 per person, per day ($17.50 for guests in grand suites and above). No worries about "shoddy tips" since you have already paid the standard tip. But the sticker price of their fares tends to scare off many budget-minded travelers. 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. Depending on your bank, the ATM transaction fee may be waived. ), it, So youre planning a family cruise with a $2000 budget is it possible? We always tip cruise staff but in cash not automatic tipping. Carrie Ann is the founder of Should Be Cruising and a lifelong travel fanatic. 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. On a cruise, most guests bring between $100-$120 in cash per day to be spent on transportation, tips, gifts, food, and shopping. 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. Cruise Ship Engine Power, Propulsion, Fuel, Royal Caribbean Drinks Prices, Beverage Menus, Alcohol Policy, Carnival Cruise WiFi Internet Packages Prices. Cruise line employees work their butts off to earn those tips. 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. Hi All, Im Ilana. Here is a list of the daily gratuity charges by major cruise lines for 2021-22. Our last few cruises on Celebrity and Princess, we actually had lots of interaction from the Maitred and we did appreciate the work they did. They are always pleasant and willing to do whatever they can for you. Having the articles in a printable format is a really interesting idea. Given that most , all ? On NCL, passengers who dont want to pay autograts need to file a claim for reimbursement after the cruise. How it works: Gratuities are automatically added to your shipboard account on a daily basis. 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. Please check Costas website for details. Is it the 15 day or the 7 day from Honolulu? There are 2 adults and 1 child in the room, if this. 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 you have a favorite bartender? How much? If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Theres no need to add an extra tip for each drink. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean 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. I agree with Kelli. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Since this is the current pay structure for most major cruise lines, removing tips really affects the cruise line workers. The cruise director will also remind passengers about how much and whom the cruise . It is best to drink 9 to 13 cups of water before donating money in the 24 hours preceding the event. That lets him / her know upfront that we tip, and there is more to come at the end of the cruise! I choose to add the gratuities ahead, just to get them out of the way. How Much Should I Tip My Room Steward on 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. Credit: Royal Caribbean Show-Stopping Entertainment Prior to your cruise, youll connect your onboard account with a credit or debit card, and all payments will be charged to that card at the end of the cruise. When people think of cruises,, Theres nothing quite like relaxing on a Caribbean beach with no worries in the world except deciding which tropical, A lot of cruise ship passengers will drive to their port of embarkation, whether with their own vehicle or in a ride, Royal Caribbean cruises are known for the wide-array of entertainment, dining and things to do onboard, and it got us. Having small bills handy is helpful if you plan to tip crew members throughout your sailing. I think this depends on who it is and what their job is. How Much Does a Caribbean Cruise Cost? P.S. You will get great service either way. #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! On top of that, there's an 18% gratuity fee. Ive been cruising for over 15 years, and the practice of tipping on a cruise has certainly evolved. What do you think about the custom of tipping on a cruise ship? In their case "tipping" doesn't mean "extra" - it means "salary". Just remember that cruise ship crew live in very tight quarters, without much room for personal belongings. If you go on a tour or shore excursion, its nice to tip the driver or shore excursion staff if youve appreciated their service. I'm so glad you found my post! Automatic gratuities, also called autogratuities or autograts, is the cruise term for the system most cruise lines now use to simplify tipping for passengers. One of the most luxurious aspects of cruising is the service of room stewards -- that team of people who often go unseen in their daily mission to keep your cruise cabin sparkling fresh and clean. Who else should you tip on a cruise ship? 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. How much people tip a Royal Genie on their Royal Caribbean cruise tends to vary, although many American guests tend to fall at around the $75-$100 per day. I love sharing my best cruise tips with you, along with reviews of cruise destinations, shore excursions, cruise ships and cruise lines. In the main dining room, buffet, specialty restaurants, and other dining venues, your tip is included in the automatic gratuities. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The amount is the only thing that tends to vary on service levels. Similarly, in the main dining room, we tip our waiter around $6 to $8 per day for the two of us, averaging around $50 for a 7-night cruise. A couple should budget about $200 in gratuities for a 7 day cruise. Thanks for sharing your view on this. Royal Caribbean Royal Caribbean charges a $7.95 service fee and room service is available 24-hours a day. The tipping culture in North America and on cruise ships is flawed, but (as you mentioned) reducing or eliminating tips only hurts the hardworking crew and their families - and does nothing to change the system. When paying the automatic daily gratuities, cruise lines tell us this amount gets divided by your cabin attendant, waiter and other dining staff. You can read more about me and about Should Be Cruising here. Often cruise lines provide additional envelopes to tuck a little extra cash at the end of the cruise just for this purpose. Youre right an 18% gratuity is added each time you purchase a drink. Could you please go into tipping for the haven ncl staff , butlers and more. I also tip constantly while on the cruise. I was very surprised. I believe since these are pooled between everybody, additional tipping should only be done if you feel somebody has gone above and beyond. Had same two waiters 4 of those nights. Sometimes a shoddy tip was more insulting than no tip at all. Hi this was helpful, thank you. The premium cruise line's fleet of 15 ships sail around the world, from the Galapagos to the Caribbean. What is Royal Caribbean's service gratuities (tips) price and policy? 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. Between May 1, 2016, and Jan 2, 2018, passengers on RCI boats paid US$13,50 (increased from US$12,95) for standard cabins and US$16,50 (increased from US$15.95) for upper-tier suites. Even though cruise gratuities technically arent mandatory, they are customary on most mainstream cruise lines. Paste as plain text instead, Which currency you should bring with you on a cruise depends on your departure port and itinerary. Just remember that a cash tip goes to your server, and a charged tip gets added to the tip pool. Some cruise lines employ a sommelier or wine steward in the main dining rooms, who isnt included in the tipping pool. 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. 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. This is a convenient option for cruise passengers that dont want to think about extra charges once onboard. 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. 40 Ocean Quotes for Everyone Who Loves The Sea, 15 Delicious Foods in the Bahamas You Need to Try. Pricing varies based on the ship, sail dates, and itinerary. 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. Related: Cruise Line. We like to keep a few dollars handy for this purpose as we board our cruise ship. The one excursion we had a fifty dollar bill and three ones at the end of the (short) trip. Celebrity Cruises is Royal Caribbean's sister brand that provides a slightly more upscale, refined experience onboard. However, youll want to make sure youve notified your bank that you will be out of the country. Your glowing review can help a hardworking crew member earn a promotion or raise. Thanks so much! Hi Janet! The automatic service gratuity is $14.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Junior Suites and below, or $17.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Grand Suites and above, applied to each guest's SeaPass account on a daily basis. Robinson said mainstream cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean and Holland America Line charge gratuities on a per person, per day basis. The cost is $13.50 per person, per day for guests in Grill Class suites. When youre tipping in cash on a cruise, its always best to use the official currency on the ship. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'shouldbecruising_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_13',603,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-shouldbecruising_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0');Most mainstream cruise lines will charge you about $14 to $15 per person per day for automatic gratuities.