how much to tip on cruise royal caribbean

Cruise Tipping and Salaries Dissected, Tipping On Cruises: Cruise Line Policies Revealed, Tipping on Ships: An Australian Culture Clash, Cabin Stewards on a Cruise: What to Expect, How Not to Be Rude on a Cruise: 10 Ways to Make the Crew Love You. This amount varies by cruise line, however the average daily gratuity is $14-15 US per day, per passenger for a standard cabin and $17-18 a day for guests in suites. At the base level, one person can use the service, and the price rises as you add more logins. Our Stateroom Attendant on cruise #5 was fabulous, and I showed my appreciation by leaving him (thanks Mahbob!) Every stateroom has a room service menu. I believe this to be true, too. 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. 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. I'm sure the crew appreciated your extra tips - they all work so hard! Wondering how much gratuities are on a cruise? There are a couple of exceptions, though. However, if you prefer to pay off your account and daily gratuities in cash, you can do so by going to guest services. So why dont cruise lines just increase the price of fares, and pay their crew a living wage with a decent hourly rate? Grand Suite and above cabin categories pay USD 18,50 pp per day gratuities. How much do people tip a Royal Genie? 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. 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. You can also adjust your gratuities up or down. Royal Caribbean charges a gratuity of $16.00 per person, per day. For many cruise passengers, bars play a pretty large role in their experiences. Although cards are widely accepted, you may still encounter establishments that do not accept card payments. Children aged 2-11 will be charged $6.25 per day. A tip of 15%-20% is common, so check the bottom of your bill before adding an additional amount. The thing that gets me so mad is we never were approached by the Maitred..except the last night when the extra tipping comes in. December 8, 2010. 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. As it is with most cruise shipping companies, RCI's tourists can remove the daily gratuity but know that these tips are for all the housekeeping and dining staff. If youre sailing from the United States to the Caribbean, US dollars are widely accepted in popular cruise ports. Disney cruises has a suggested daily gratuity charge of $13.50 per person, per day for all guests. Get expert advice, insider tips and more. All ships have at least one ATM onboard, which is usually located in the Royal Promenade or Centrum. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. 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. You may also like: Do You Need to Bring Cash on a Cruise? Princess Cruises also has the Princess Plus fare, which includes gratuities or the crew incentive, Medallion Net wifi and Princess premium beverage package. How much are gratuities on Royal Caribbean cruises? Hi Alex, thanks so much for your lovely comment. Technically your are not obliged to tip any more than the daily gratuities that have been charged to your room. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. Tipped crew on many cruise lines include housekeeping, dining, and laundry workers. Which currency you should bring with you on a cruise depends on your departure port and itinerary. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Keep in mind that cruise crew members live in tight quarters, so small (and edible) gifts are preferred. Stay in one of the Royal Suites and room service is included. 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. A cruise only rate may be available on select cruises, which would not include gratuities. 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. Should You Prepay Gratuities on a Cruise or Pay Onboard? Continue with Recommended Cookies. The cruise line makes no recommendation for tipping room service. You cant choose how much each crew member gets. Your cruise in April sounds amazing! Here are some other people you should tip during your cruise. This is a convenient option for cruise passengers that dont want to think about extra charges once onboard. 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. Im a little over a month out before my next cruise, and while its a little early to start packing (is it though? Princess Cruises will automatically charge a crew incentive of $14.50 per person, per day for guests in inside ocean view and balcony cabins. Happy cruising :). 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. Manchester 3. On top of that, there's an 18% gratuity fee. Many cruisers opt to give extra cash tips to crew members who made their vacation that much more enjoyable. I'm so glad you found my post! Id love to connect with you on Instagram and Facebook @lifewellcruised. When booking a Celebrity cruise, tips are included in their Always Included program. The average daily gratuity on a cruise is $14-15 USD per person approximately $30 per day, per couple in a cabin. 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. ), it, So youre planning a family cruise with a $2000 budget is it possible? If you havent notified your bank, they will usually send you a fraud alert or temporarily freeze your card. What currency should you use to tip on a cruise? I always prepay the gratuities. 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. Plus, for a limited time, its $10 off. How Much Does a Caribbean Cruise Cost? The Dream pioneered the innovative and fun cruise ships that are standard today from Carnival Cruise Lines. Hi Janet! Sometimes it cannot be helped ! 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. Prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted and cruise line gratuities may be referred to a daily service charge or crew incentive. 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. That is a very personal question. You wont require cash for 99% of purchases on a cruise, whether specialty restaurants, cocktails, or souvenirs. Your link has been automatically embedded. Thoughts? These cruise line employees are highly compensated, and offering a tip isnt necessary. Some things are free, other items are fee-based. In standard cabins, Carnival charges $14.50 per person, per day in tips. If you order room service, its customary to give the person that delivers your tray about $1-2 per meal. 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 are a middle class, retirement age couple (63 and 62) who are not retired with no plans to in the near future. The items and service are provided free of charge (except midnight - 5am when there is a nominal delivery fee). With a beverage package, youve already paid the service fee when you bought the package, so the tip is included. They are always pleasant and willing to do whatever they can for you. It includes who to tip, who not to tip, and some tips to help as you plan your cruise vacation. I would imagine wed see prices increase overall if they did this, but perhaps it amounts to this anyway. Viking Cruises gratuities are $15.00 per person, per day for all staterooms. And if the problem still remains unsolved - then adjust the tips. It's all on the room service menu. Ive been surprisedor I probably should say I had forgottenhow many hands have been extended for a tip on these shore excursions. 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. Given that most , 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. Children under 4 are not charged. The one excursion we had a fifty dollar bill and three ones at the end of the (short) trip. Your article has done a lot to change my philosophy and increase my understanding of why there is this charge and what the implications of reducing it might be. Some vendors may process your personal data on the basis of legitimate interest, which you can object to by managing your options below. If you could use cruise packing lists, to-do checklists, shore excursion forms and more, youll love the Life Well Cruised Ultimate Cruise Planner. Could you please go into tipping for the haven ncl staff , butlers and more. Sometimes a shoddy tip was more insulting than no tip at all. Here is a list of the daily gratuity charges by major cruise lines for 2021-22. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'shouldbecruising_com-leader-3','ezslot_16',605,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-shouldbecruising_com-leader-3-0');For other cruise lines, youll be able to adjust your autogratuities at the Passenger Services desk. There was only one cruise where my sons special request was denied. I ALWAYS tip extra to the outstanding employees on every cruise I have ever taken. 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. Do you tip above and beyond the automatic gratuities? 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. In the main dining room, buffet, specialty restaurants, and other dining venues, your tip is included in the automatic gratuities. 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. 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. Most cruise lines allow guests to remove automatic gratuities. Please note that gratuities are charged in US dollars for Caribbean, US and Canada cruises. Required fields are marked *. While planning a, The weekend is the perfect time to take a short break, so why not go on a cruise too? Please share on Facebook or PIN to your favorite Pinterest board (share buttons at the top). Im an avid cruiser and have been giving out insider tips for more than 10 years! In fact, I think most would agree that cruise line staff make a huge difference in the cruise experience. How much tip receive in cruise royal caribbean? Most of the biggest cruise lines automatically add some type of service or gratuity fee onto passenger bills. All rights reserved. Tipped crew make the majority of their income from gratuities! 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 think this depends on who it is and what their job is. On a cruise, most guests bring between $100-$120 in cash per day to be spent on transportation, tips, gifts, food, and shopping. The amount you tip is up to youI generally give about $5 per person per day to my stateroom steward. You cannot paste images directly. 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. While not obligatory, there are some of the workers you may want to recognize with a tip when cruising. One exception is the piano player in the loungemost accept tips for song requests or if you enjoyed their music. We always tip cruise staff but in cash not automatic tipping. Knowing how much cash to bring on a cruise can help you plan your vacation budget and avoid pesky ATM fees along the way. Royal Caribbean's VOOM service has two different levels of service with two different prices. Ren de Lambert. Disclaimer: I may receive a small commission when you make a purchase from a link on this site, at no added charge to you. I dont think anyone will think youre rude for not tipping over and above this. So glad this was helpful. 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. But if your excursions include free time where you eat lunch on your own, its a good idea to research the local tipping customs in the countries youll be visiting before your cruise. The cost is $13.50 per person, per day for guests in Grill Class suites. I was even more surprised that it was a Disney cruise, where they are used to kids, and generally have a good reputation for service. Posted September 17, 2021. You may also like: A Cruise Glossary: Cruise Terms You Should Know. After 50 cruises I know they really mean it! I go into more detail about this topic in this post:Can You Refuse to Pay Gratuities on a Cruise? The gratuity applies to individual guests of all ages and . If youre booked with Celebritys Always Included, the gratuities are included. HomeBlogCruise Tips Cruise News Cruise DestinationsAboutContactResourcesFeatured PressPrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyDisclosure PolicyTerms of Use. 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. In the wake of the increase, a family of four in a . I don't actually agree with th. I just arrived on board for our 6th cruise, after my 5th cruise just 2 months ago. I have to say, we simply prepay or leave the tips as is, so I really dont pay attention these days. If you put your tips on your seapass you will get a voucher for each envelope. Who else should you tip on a cruise ship? royal caribbean cruise cruises deals 2021. If you want to adjust the amount, go to the reception desk. If not, just leave blank. Even if you prepay for your shore excursions directly through the cruise line, its customary to tip your tour guides and drivers in cash after each excursion. But the sticker price of their fares tends to scare off many budget-minded travelers. 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. Some cruisers swear by tipping at the beginning of the cruise to ensure excellent service. As much as some people opt to remove gratuities on their account, some give extra. 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. Thanks so much for sharing your experience! 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Cruise Line Gratuities: What's the Point? Service charges for guests ages 4-14 are half of the adult rate. I love sharing my best cruise tips with you, along with reviews of cruise destinations, shore excursions, cruise ships and cruise lines. If cruising from Australia to the South Pacific, Australian dollars are widely accepted. 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. Even though cruise gratuities technically arent mandatory, they are customary on most mainstream cruise lines. I was very surprised. Which family cruise can you book for $2000? How Much Should You Budget for Cruise Gratuities? Royal Caribbean's drink packages include: Deluxe Beverage Package Refreshment Package (No alcohol) Classic Soda Package Technically your are not obliged to tip any more than the daily gratuities that have been charged to your room. Paste as plain text instead, If you dont have a drink package, theyll add the price of each drink plus the service fee to your onboard tab. Gratuities or a service charge are added onto some onboard services. Princess: $14.50 per person, per day ($15.50 for mini-suite guests and $16.50 for suite guests). 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,. Passengers sometimes plan in advance to bring small gifts to leave with their cabin stewards, either at the beginning or end of the cruise. You may want to give them a tip per drink or a larger tip at the end or even the beginning of your cruise. Alaska is such a beautiful destination. You can post now and register later. How Much Should I Tip My Room Steward on a Cruise? Do you prefer to prepay your gratuitiesor to pay in cash? 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. Some guests may bring $200 extra for gratuities whereas others may bring $50. In North America, most cruise terminal porters are longshoremen. ROYAL CARIBBEAN BIGGEST SHIP. 1 1 Quote Cindi Members 12 Author Posted April 16, 2019 That was the only time I didn't give an additional cash tip to the wait staff. Just did 8 nights on Voyager. RCCL Crown & Anchor Diamond Member at the end of this cruise! 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. However, your cruise vacation expenses wont end there. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. 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. In this post, weve gone over how tipping works on a cruise. Beyond leaving a cash tip for your cabin steward, or favorite server or bartender, some other small gestures will go a long way. Cruise lines usually add a service charge, usually 15-18%, to all beverages that arent complimentary. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. I had prepaid my gratuities, and I assumed the porter was a cruise line employee, so I didnt tip him. What do you think about the custom of tipping on a cruise ship? A better solution is to have a discreet word with the crew members supervisor about your concerns. 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. This is a personal decision and Im not sure if theres a tipping etiquette for it. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Royal Caribbean Blog. Jan 6. 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. 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. 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. Celebrity Cruises now includes daily gratuities in its Always Included cruise fare. Gave them US 5 each three nights and US 10 each last night. By There are different service charges for certain itineraries. If you feel that you want to tip above and beyond the cruise tipping guidelines, go for it. Related: Whats included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare. The cruise line assesses a daily fee and divides the money among the tipped crew. What is Royal Caribbean's service gratuities (tips) price and policy? Each person you tip gets their own envelope. 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. Cruise line employees are extremely hard working, I agree, and they go above and beyond so often. Depending on your bank, the ATM transaction fee may be waived. Holland Americas daily gratuity is $14.50 per person, per day for guests in standard cabins and $16.00 per person, per day for guests in suites. How Much Water Should I Drink Before Donating Plasma. Credit: Royal Caribbean Show-Stopping Entertainment Still confused . Whether to or not and then how much. However, there are a few common practices and guidelines. I believe since these are pooled between everybody, additional tipping should only be done if you feel somebody has gone above and beyond. Cunards daily gratuities are set at $11.50 per person, per day for guests in standard cabins. Travelers in suites are. UK lines such as Fred. Let me know in the comments below! The only exception is for passengers with prepaid gratuities (they won't be charged daily). Of course, as always, its at your discretion. They pay their crew (usually recruited from countries with limited economic opportunities) per contract, not by the hour. They will seldom steer you wrong. One of these differences is that cruise gratuities are included. Heres a video which answers many questions that you may have about cruise gratuities and tipping on a cruise ship. You also shouldnt tip the cruise director, the entertainment staff, or any independent entertainers like musical guests, comedians, or magicians. At some North American ports, youll see signs stating that the porters do not accept tips. Cindi Grand Suite and above cabin categories pay USD 18,50 pp per day gratuities. Some cruise lines refer to these tips as a service charge. Hi All, Im Ilana. A couple should budget about $200 in gratuities for a 7 day cruise. Additionally, shouldbecruising.com participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes receive a commission from purchases made through our links. Automatic gratuities, also called autogratuities or autograts, is the cruise term for the system most cruise lines now use to simplify tipping for passengers. There are 2 adults and 1 child in the room, if this. Pricing varies based on the ship, sail dates, and itinerary. The finishings are top notch, and the bathroom, in particular, is well-designed with a separate water closet. By general rule of thumb, the big ship mainstream cruise lines charge it as an extra payment above and beyond the base cruise fare while luxury lines adopt an all-inclusive approach. You can purchase the drink package online pre-cruise or once onboard during the first day (or two) of your trip. Royal Caribbean says it is raising its suggested crew gratuities by nearly $2 per passenger, per day. 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. Your glowing review can help a hardworking crew member earn a promotion or raise. Get access to the best last minute hotel rates in the USA by becoming a registered member online today. Sometimes a shoddy tip was more insulting than no tip at all. Also, if free gratuities are an amenity, youre not expected to go beyond it unless someone goes way beyond whats normally expected. In the UK, tips are completely discretionary and are only to reward service that goes above the normal expectations. 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. Royal Caribbean Royal Caribbean charges a $7.95 service fee and room service is available 24-hours a day. About $1-2 (or the equivalent in local currency) per bag is fine. It would be so helpful if I could print just the blog to read at random timescar trip, etc. Those can range from about $15 to upwards of $20 for each . Payments on cruise ships have almost entirely gone digital, but there are still a few situations where cash comes in handy. Come join my Facebook Cruise Community Thanks for reading and Happy Cruising!! While most people know it for being a cruise destination, shadowing the coastline to see the glaciers, there is so much However, most cruisers do tip them for their service. Keep in mind, the venues are not always the same between Royal Caribbean ships, but each of my tips can. The staff learns real quick who tips extra, and who does not. Lets just say from the expression on the drivers face that he was not happy with that amount. You may also like: 26 Hidden Cruise Fees You Should Know About. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. A couple should budget about $200 in gratuities for a 7 day cruise. Do you have a favorite bartender? By proceeding, you agree to Cruise Critics. If you enjoy tipping in cash, consider giving an extra cash tip to the crew members who gave you excellent service on your cruise. Typically, this is associated with your credit card which youll be prompted to set up when you complete your online check in. The extra cash may or may not end up in your steward's pocket, but he'll appreciate the gesture nonetheless. i understand what you are saying.and I know we are paying roughly 15 dollars a day each as a tip already. As for tipping above and beyond prepaid gratuities, I agree completely that there is no expectation. This includes drinks at the bar or cafe, spa services and salon visits. 40 Ocean Quotes for Everyone Who Loves The Sea, 15 Delicious Foods in the Bahamas You Need to Try. Im Carrie Ann, the writer behind Should Be Cruising. So they follow this model with many of their crew members who perform services for passengers. ATMs usually charge a $5-6 fee per transaction. 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). Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. Automatic gratuities cover just about every tipped crew member on the ship. Check out the latest web stories from Should Be Cruising! 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.

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