Complete Guide to Cruise Line Gratuities
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And most importantly, don’t forget to pack extra cash for tipping, as not all crew members are covered under automatic gratuity charges. While most non-alcoholic beverages are included in your cruise fare, alcoholic drinks cost extra. Most premium drink packages include unlimited alcohol (or a 15-drink limit over 24 hours). If you purchase a beverage package, you must pre-pay the gratuity amount for the package’s total. When giving gratuities on a cruise, it’s important to acknowledge that your money goes beyond the housekeeping and dining staff.
What If I Don’t Pay Gratuities on my Cruise?
When there is an assistant server, I’ll usually give them a bit as well. If the service is just average, I’ll sometimes leave nothing extra. Automatic gratuity charges are standard on cruise ships and typically range from $15 to $20 per person daily. These charges are automatically added to your onboard account and distributed among the guest-facing crew members who provide services during your trip and select behind-the-scenes employees.
I Spent 7 Days on My First Adults-Only Virgin Voyages Cruise
Here's everything you need to know about cruise gratuities, with an ultimate guide covering how it all works. You can also visit the casino cashier to break your larger bills. Bring envelopes (and thank you notes) from home in case the ship’s front desk doesn’t have any to give for tips. Bring a stack of small bills from home and keep separate from your other cash, to avoid the last night panic line at the Purser’s Desk.
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
Pam and her husband, Myron, travel almost three months of the year, enjoying all the benefits of premium cruising. She's learned a thing or two and has a checklist for nearly everything related to cruising, and enjoys sharing those tips and lists with you. Having the right clothing for the weather can make or break a trip, so be prepared. Hi, I’m Pam, and I am an over-packer – but that’s going to change on our next Caribbean cruise. I have created a minimalist seven-day cruise capsule wardrobe for that trip and will show you how to pack for a seven-day cruise in a carry-on. Are you planning a cruise to Greece, Italy, Spain, or France and don’t know what to wear on a Mediterranean cruise?
For the complete service charge information with NCL, see the Norwegian Cruise automatic service charge rates & information. Room service on a cruise – Remember, it’s never required to tip, but usually people who make use of onboard room service leave a small tip of $1-$5 per delivery. When going through any cruise line's booking process, you are usually given the option to add gratuities before even placing a deposit.
Recently we were asked this by a fellow passenger – so let’s elaborate :
Many cruisers wish that all cruise lines would adopt the "no tipping expected" policies of upscale lines such as Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn, and Silversea. However, it looks like the service charge concept is here to stay. Luxury cruise lines — such as Seabourn, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Silversea Cruises — include crew gratuities in the cruise fare. When you’re tipping in cash on a cruise, it’s always best to use the official currency on the ship.
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The tips are spread out between the room steward, dining staff, and others that have customer-facing positions. That said, cruise lines are quiet on exactly how the charges are distributed. With the introduction of automatic gratuities, it’s much more difficult to avoid paying tips on your cruise. That said, in theory you could request that tips be removed from your account and not tip at all.
The amount you should tip varies depending on the cruise line and its specific policies. As a general rule of thumb, 15-20% of the total cost of your spa treatments is considered appropriate. Also, there are certain cruise lines that do not allow cancellation or alteration of this expense. Additionally, make a list of the employees who provided the best service and send a note of appreciation to the cruise line with their names included. If this does not solve the problem, then you can request a refund of all or part of the amount; or, reduce the rate. Depending on the cruise line, this may be removed from your bill or issued as a ship credit.
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Royal Caribbean, for instance, charges 18% on drink purchases, while Celebrity Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line charge 20%. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. When you’re on a cruise, you shouldn’t tip the captain or the officers.
Unlike with the deals you can get for prepaying for drink packages and some other add-ons, you won’t get a discount for prepaying your automatic gratuities. But many cruisers (including myself) choose to prepay to avoid a big charge at the end of the cruise. Automatic gratuities, also called autogratuities or autograts, is the cruise term for the system most cruise lines now use to simplify tipping for passengers. If you’re new to cruising, or it’s been a while since your last cruise, it’s important to know about cruise tipping guidelines before you sail. Tipping on a cruise ship isn’t mandatory, but it is customary, and many crew members rely on tips as a large part of their income. Most cruise lines allow you to remove (or increase) prepaid gratuities, but remember crew members rely heavily on tips for their income as they make up a significant portion of their pay.
Gratuities on Princess Cruises, for instance, are included in their Princess Plus package. While not customary, if you are truly unhappy with the service you received onboard, you may speak to the guest services team and have the daily rate adjusted or outright removed. In reality, the cruise staff on board want you to be satisfied, so this is the time address a problem. Not only will it improve your cruise experience, but you’re also allowing the cruise ship staff the opportunity to make things right.
Most cruise lines add daily gratuity fees directly to your onboard account throughout your cruise. Plus, different onboard experiences, from using your stateroom mini-bar to dining in a specialty restaurant, have an added fee. P&O Cruises Australia does not automatically add gratuities onto passengers' accounts or spa or bar bills. Cruisers can leave tips for crew members who offer outstanding service by handing cash directly to the crew members they want to thank. Passengers need not carry cash if they don't want to, as they can add the tips to their onboard accounts. Gratuities are not added to spa bills, so passengers can tip at their discretion.
Roughly speaking, you can expect to pay anywhere from $11.50 – $20.00 per passenger per day for onboard gratuities. As mentioned, cruise lines automatically add gratuities to your onboard account. The tips, which can also be prepaid, are shared by dining services staff, cabin attendants and other housekeeping personnel.
At most lines, you can pay your service charges before sailing (at the same time you pay your cruise fare). Alternatively, you can have the charges added to your room bill on board. In addition, we’ve included a list of daily gratuities per cruise line and who else you may wish to tip. As a cruise passenger, you want to be aware and set your budget expectations to include these amounts for the cruise ship staff.
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