Royal Caribbean Drink Package: Ultimate Guide - High Seas Cruising I go into more detail about this topic in this post:Can You Refuse to Pay Gratuities on a Cruise? You'll find an extensive selection of options all over Canada If your shore excursion includes lunch, you generally dont have to leave a tipthe tour company takes care of the lunch bill. Cruises in Europe are charged in Euros. 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. 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. 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. Of course, as always, its at your discretion. 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. Clear editor. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. Even though cruise gratuities technically arent mandatory, they are customary on most mainstream cruise lines. 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). Read our best tips.). Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. Ive got you covered! Cruising can be such a relaxing vacation as well as so much fun. Tipped crew on many cruise lines include housekeeping, dining, and laundry workers. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. I prefer waiting to see how the service is before deciding on an extra tip, but thats just my preference. You could also tip based on the length of the tour. Cruise line tipping policies vary from one cruise company to another. Ive been surprisedor I probably should say I had forgottenhow many hands have been extended for a tip on these shore excursions. Do you need to tip at the spa on a cruise? Originally formed in 1988 by the Chandris Group in Greece, Celebrity Cruises was acquired by Royal Caribbean Group in 1997. There are a couple of exceptions, though. Hi All, I just wanted to share something with new cruisers (and old if they do not know this). People associate umbrella drinks and colorful tropical concoctions with cruising, and fancy-looking martinis have become a nighttime staple at sea. These kind, helpful, generous, employees work extremely hard to make sure guests like myself have a fabulous time, and since I do, the very least I can do is show my appreciation in a way that benefits them the most! This is an excellent article, which really clearly explains all the issues around tipping. Bar, spa and in-room dining for Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Azamara have an 18 per cent gratuity charge. While not obligatory, there are some of the workers you may want to recognize with a tip when cruising. I think its pretty bad when thats the only night they make their presence be known. A better solution is to have a discreet word with the crew members supervisor about your concerns. Get access to the best last minute hotel rates in the USA by becoming a registered member online today. If you tip extra, you will get FABULOUS service! No worries about "shoddy tips" since you have already paid the standard tip. Im Carrie Ann, the writer behind Should Be Cruising. You can always add extra for exceptional service, though! We usually tip between $500-700 depending on what we do. Youll likely get much better service by doing that instead of just removing the tip! If you opt for a specialty restaurant, the tip isnt usually included. Youll want to factor in the cruise line gratuity charge, sometimes called on board service charges (Norwegian Cruise Line). 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. 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. Most mainstream cruise lines bill passengers between $12 and $15 per person, per day for. Keep in mind that cruise crew members live in tight quarters, so small (and edible) gifts are preferred. Cruise gratuities are divided among your cruise cabin steward, waiters and other crew members who work as support behind the scenes. Credit: Royal Caribbean Show-Stopping Entertainment Knowing how much cash to bring on a cruise can help you plan your vacation budget and avoid pesky ATM fees along the way. Most of the biggest cruise lines automatically add some type of service or gratuity fee onto passenger bills. Like what you see? One exception is the piano player in the loungemost accept tips for song requests or if you enjoyed their music. Your email address will not be published. Travel Agent Finder - Australia on LinkedIn: Unforgettable Experiences What to Expect: Tipping Crew Members on a Cruise. Thats up to you! Most cruise lines allow guests to remove automatic gratuities. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. How much shouldwe tip? 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+). Thanks! Royal Caribbean offers three all-inclusive drink packages, a premium coffee package and a water package. Obviously, if you tip a room attendant, that money will go directly to him/her. If you put your tips on your seapass you will get a voucher for each envelope. 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. 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. Keep a few dollars handy to tip the cruise porters on embarkation day. Im not expecting him to kiss our butts, but come on. But you should know, that the ship's service staff don't make a salary - your tips are their wages. Some cruise lines refer to these tips as a service charge. I believe since these are pooled between everybody, additional tipping should only be done if you feel somebody has gone above and beyond. We like to keep a few dollars handy for this purpose as we board our cruise ship. Its a good idea to hand over your tips the day before disembarkation. This cruise ship was the first of Carnival's unique Dream Class cruise ships. 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. Tips are added automatically to the onboard account (SeaPass) on a daily basis. There is no charge for children under 2 years of age. How much? 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. Ren de Lambert (@RenedeLambert) on Flipboard Ill definitely look into it and see how I can best do that on this site. Passengers sometimes plan in advance to bring small gifts to leave with their cabin stewards, either at the beginning or end of the cruise. Tipping on a Cruise: Your Complete Big-Ship Tip Guide The amount is based on the service received of course. Hi Janet! You can also leave a small gift for your favorite crew member. 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. What else can you do to show the crew your appreciation? The premium cruise line's fleet of 15 ships sail around the world, from the Galapagos to the Caribbean. I wouldn't worry about giving "too little" extra, since you are already paying the auto gratuity. Tipping on Ships: An Australian Culture Clash - Cruise Critic Most cruisers wouldnt dream of removing the automatic gratuities. To avoid currency confusion, especially if youre traveling to multiple countries on one cruise, we recommend using a credit or debit card to make purchases in port whenever possible. In the wake of the increase, a family of four in a . Just remember that a cash tip goes to your server, and a charged tip gets added to the tip pool. On a 7 day cruise we usually give $50 to the waiter and $30 to the asst. Suggested tipping amounts for room service? - Royal Caribbean The gratuity applies to individual guests of all ages and . Most are experienced cruisers and, as a group, theyre very well-liked. Lets just say from the expression on the drivers face that he was not happy with that amount. 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. The cruise line will assess your fee each day, then theyll charge your credit card on file at the end of the cruise. 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. This is a convenient option for cruise passengers that dont want to think about extra charges once onboard. Say it ain't so: Royal Caribbean is latest cruise line to slash service Also, if free gratuities are an amenity, youre not expected to go beyond it unless someone goes way beyond whats normally expected. 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). Not only will it improve your cruise experience, but youre also allowing the cruise ship staff the opportunity to make things right. All rights reserved. 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. 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. 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. We like to prepay gratuities when we make our final payment for our cruise, but this is optional. Your personal data will be processed and information from your device (cookies, unique identifiers, and other device data) may be stored by, accessed by and shared with third party vendors, or used specifically by this site or app. 1. 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). What you cant do is adjust or remove automatic gratuities for a specific crew member. You may also like: 26 Hidden Cruise Fees You Should Know About. The Sky Suite on Celebrity was a perfect size for two, at around 320 square feet. How much tip receive in cruise royal caribbean? Bond with your snorkel guide? Beyond that, consider writing a heartfelt note of thanks or a drawing from your child (many have children they do not see for months at a time). Whether $2 to a bartender, $20 to your waiter, or $50 to your stateroom attendant, it's common to tip crew members extra for excellent service. 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. If not, 15-20% of the bill (excluding any products that you buy) is customary. You can just hand over folded cash, or use the tip envelopes youll find in your stateroom or at Passenger Services. I always prepay the gratuities. I put together a 47 page printable cruise travel planner that has everything you need as you plan and get ready for your cruise. So glad this was helpful. The average daily gratuity on a cruise is $14-15 USD per person - approximately $30 per day, per couple in a cabin. When and How Much to Tip on a Cruise - AFAR Tipping extra is not necessary, and theres no right or wrong amount to give a crew member. What I can say, on a personal level, is that we have found that the majority of cabin stewards, waiters, assistant waiters and ship staff have given us amazing service. Tipping on a cruise ship: Everything you need to know I believe this to be true, too. The bar service personnel still gets their 15% tips from each bar sale. 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. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. How Much Money Should I Take on a Cruise? - Windstar Cruises Travel Blog Others just prefer the face-to-face experience of handing over a cash tip. In this post, weve gone over how tipping works on a cruise. This is a review of RCI-Royal Caribbean International's gratuities (paid for the crew services), tipping policy and tips (per day/reduced/removed). Here are some other people you should tip during your cruise. 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. 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. Price: $14.50 per person/day in standard cabins, $17.50 per person/day in suites, and 18% on beverages and spa and salon services. Can you remove or adjust autogratuities on a cruise? I don't actually agree with th. The cruise industry has worked this way for a long time, although the automatic gratuities are only the last few years. Tipping Etiquette on Cruise Ships - TripSavvy Each person you tip gets their own envelope. Tipped crew make the majority of their income from gratuities! Service charges for guests ages 4-14 are half of the adult rate. 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. 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. Posted March 5, 2007. Unless they are below average and that has happened only one time. You may also like: Eight Things That Will Surprise First Time Cruisers. On top of that, there's an 18% gratuity fee. Then (if your problem continues to bother you) contact the hotel manager. The onboard price of this package varies from $63 to $89 a day, plus an 18% gratuity. Congrats on reaching Diamond :) Happy cruising! 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). Credit: whmuc.blogspot.com. 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. 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. Royal Caribbean: $14.50 per person, per day ($17.50 for guests in grand suites and above). While most people know it for being a cruise destination, shadowing the coastline to see the glaciers, there is so much They will seldom steer you wrong. 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. Please note that gratuities are charged in US dollars for Caribbean, US and Canada cruises. If you transfer money to the slot machine and immediately cash out, you can take your cashout slip to the casino cage and receive the listed amount in cash. The amount you tip is up to youI generally give about $5 per person per day to my stateroom steward. Hi Alex, thanks so much for your lovely comment. This is a good question. Its customary to tip the waiters generously at specialty restaurants. Your previous content has been restored. 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%. 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. Many luxury all-inclusive cruise lines include gratuities in their cruise fares, or have a tips neither expected nor required policy. You can also adjust your gratuities up or down. One notable exception is Norwegian Cruise Line. a $200 gratuity on top of my prepaid gratuities. Princess Cruises also has the Princess Plus fare, which includes gratuities or the crew incentive, Medallion Net wifi and Princess premium beverage package. I had prepaid my gratuities, and I assumed the porter was a cruise line employee, so I didnt tip him. However, youll want to make sure youve notified your bank that you will be out of the country. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Please check Costas website for details. But honestly, theyd prefer cash over a gift basketno matter how yummy your treats are! When paying the automatic daily gratuities, cruise lines tell us this amount gets divided by your cabin attendant, waiter and other dining staff. There are also usually comment cards available at the purser's desk or online for additional recognition -- or post a review on Cruise Critic. In addition to this, an 18% gratuity is automatically added to all drinks, spa and salon services. I believe that often the bartenders will pool their tips b/c there are so many working the crowd but I think it's an individual choice on their parts as to how they handle this. The extra cash may or may not end up in your steward's pocket, but he'll appreciate the gesture nonetheless. 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. 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. Jan 6. Our Best Royal Caribbean Cruise Tips And Tricks They have the insider tips to match so that you can make the most of everything that'll be at your fingertips. Iwas a waitress for yearslong ago and far away. If you go on a tour or shore excursion, its nice to tip the driver or shore excursion staff if youve appreciated their service. 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. Your glowing review can help a hardworking crew member earn a promotion or raise. You also shouldnt tip the cruise director, the entertainment staff, or any independent entertainers like musical guests, comedians, or magicians. Royal Caribbean Biggest Ship. .wonder of The It was just the two of us. With the exception of a couple cruise lines on this list, most cruises that include gratuities are luxury lines. If you order room service, its customary to give the person that delivers your tray about $1-2 per meal. Required fields are marked *. raahc and lovecruising!!! And just like with the Carnival case, this will reflect directly on the ship's serving staff (cabin stewards, Room Service, and Main Dining Room wait staff, as well as kitchen, entertainment, passenger services and other hotel personnel). This is a personal decision and Im not sure if theres a tipping etiquette for it. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Youre welcome to use a credit or debit card to make purchases in ports of call whenever possible. Many passengers rave long after their hoilday is over about the service of stewards who go above and beyond. The Dream pioneered the innovative and fun cruise ships that are standard today from Carnival Cruise Lines. Do you prefer to prepay your gratuitiesor to pay in cash? There is no charge for children under 3 years of age. We are a middle class, retirement age couple (63 and 62) who are not retired with no plans to in the near future. Cruises in Europe, World cruises and those departing from a non-US Caribbean port charge 10 Euros per person, per day. 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. 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. How much cash should you bring on a cruise? I give my room steward $5 at the very beginning of the cruise. 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. Have some small bills handy for these times. The cruise where fun means everything. On NCL, passengers who dont want to pay autograts need to file a claim for reimbursement after the cruise. How much to tip waiter and his assistant? - Royal Caribbean Blog The Smart Cruiser's Guide to Tipping on a Cruise | Cruisewatch If you buy a $5 souvenir with a $20 bill in Mexico, for example, youll receive change in Mexican pesos. Tips are either covered by the autogratuities or theres a service fee tacked on, so you dont need to tip again. These feedback cards mean a lot and sometimes lead to a stellar crew member getting a raise or even a promotion! 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. 40 BEST Royal Caribbean tips, tricks & hidden secrets Or do you remove them altogether? Love this! Cash is rarely required on a Royal Caribbean cruise, as all payments onboard are made via your SeaPass account. Western Caribbean Carnival Dream | Royal Holiday Many ships also have an abundance of kids' activities including kids clubs that . 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. cruise. For more info, please read myDisclosure Policy. Plan Documents . Below is a list of Seven Corners' plan documents for Whether to or not and then how much. 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. I'm a budget cruiser. Here are 8 easy strategies I used on my recent One of these differences is that cruise gratuities are included. Payments on cruise ships have almost entirely gone digital, but there are still a few situations where cash comes in handy. Cruise Ship Engine Power, Propulsion, Fuel, Royal Caribbean Drinks Prices, Beverage Menus, Alcohol Policy, Carnival Cruise WiFi Internet Packages Prices. Normally, we tip between $5 to $7 additionally per day for the two of us at the end of the cruise. There is no service charge applied for children under 2 years of age. 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. Great points about luxury lines and that gratuities are included. 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. RCCL Crown & Anchor Diamond Member at the end of this cruise! What do you think about the custom of tipping on a cruise ship? Cunards daily gratuities are set at $11.50 per person, per day for guests in standard cabins. Sometimes a shoddy tip was more insulting than no tip at all. What is Royal Caribbean's gratuity price and policy? - Cruises I like knowing that my bill is all set before I sail! Thanks for taking the time to read my blog and leave a comment! Royal Caribbean Cruise Holiday Deals 2020 & 2021 - Cruise Nation www.cruisenation.com. So they follow this model with many of their crew members who perform services for passengers. Some claim they are making less money than they formerly did with cash tips. It would be so helpful if I could print just the blog to read at random timescar trip, etc. You can, of course, increase that amount based on your experience on the excursion. The cruise line makes no recommendation for tipping room service. Note that we are Australian, so therefore not inclined to tip unless the service warrants it. What is Royal Caribbean's gratuity price and policy? - Cruises 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. Children aged 2-11 will be charged $6.25 per day. However, your cruise vacation expenses wont end there. When you book your cruise, youll be charged your cruise fare, port fees and taxes. will be more appreciated than something they would have to store. If mainstream cruise lines decided to abolish tipping and pay all crew members a reasonable rate per hour, they would have to significantly raise the cost of cruise fares. In standard cabins, Carnival charges $14.50 per person, per day in tips. The items and service are provided free of charge (except midnight - 5am when there is a nominal delivery fee). one in 2023. Any chance of that? A couple should budget about $200 in gratuities for a 7 day cruise.

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