Do you tip waiters on a cruise?

Generally speaking, mainstream, U.S.-based cruise lines automatically add gratuities of about $14 to $15 per person, per day, to your onboard bill. These tips are divided among the dining staff (waiters, assistant waiters and head waiters) and housekeeping staff (such as cabin attendants).

Is it mandatory to tip on a cruise?

Technically cruise lines cannot force you to pay gratuities, especially if you have a complaint or issue about the service you received on board. Gratuities on a cruise are not mandatory, but instead heavily suggested and added automatically.

How much should I tip my cruise waiter?

Most cruise lines suggest tipping $10 to $12 per day per passenger (not per couple), regardless of age. For a seven-day cruise, this means each cruiser should budget at least $70 for gratuities, or $140 per cabin for two people.

What happens if you don't pay gratuities on a cruise?

However, most cruise lines are based in the U.S., where the crew members' pay structure is based on tips. If you refuse to tip on principle, you are impacting the salaries of the people who have served you well onboard.

How does tipping work on a cruise?

From the passenger perspective, the gratuity amount is simple — pay a set amount per person, per day, and be done. So you might be charged $15 in tips for a day. On the cruise line side, that money gets cut up to be distributed. The tips are spread out between the room steward, dining staff, and others.

Should You Tip on a Cruise!? CRUISE TIPPING EXPLAINED

Is it best to prepay gratuities on a cruise?

If you want to make your life easier, and don't plan on removing or adjusting the gratuities on a cruise, it's better to prepay before you go. In our experience, prepaying gratuities does not negatively affect the service onboard.

How much do waiters get paid on cruise ships?

Total compensation for an assistant waiter position ranges anywhere from $900 to as much as $2,200 a month – inclusive of gratuities; experienced dining room waiters can earn upward of $3,200 a month. The assistant maitre d' can earn $4,000 or more, and is generally part of the tip pool.

What should you not buy on a cruise?

How much do you tip a cabin steward on a cruise?

The room steward (or stewardess) is the person who cleans your cruise cabin and assists you with anything you might need while in your cabin. The industry standard for tipping the room steward is $3.50 per person per day, given on the last day of the cruise.

Which cruise line has no tipping?

Lots of luxury lines don't require tipping.

No tipping of waitstaff, bartenders, or stewards is required on Azamara, Crystal Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Paul Gauguin Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line, SeaDream Yacht Club, and Silversea Cruises.

How much do you tip shore excursions?

On-shore tour personnel

Whether they are an employee of the shore excursion company, a step-on guide, or the vehicle driver, extra appreciation is the proper etiquette. Rates are generally $5/person for guides and $2/person for the driver for one-day trips.

How much do you tip a waiter on Royal Caribbean?

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.

What are the dirtiest cruise ships?

Is it worth the money to get a balcony on a cruise?

But Driscoll says price may not be the deterrent it once was. A few years ago, he says, "you'd be paying double to get a balcony." Now, cabins with balconies on a standard, seven-day cruise generally cost $100 more than those with a window, and between $150 and $200 more than a stateroom inside the ship.

How much money should you take on a 7 day cruise?

As a general rule, plan to have $50 to $100 each day in the local currency. Also, you may want to bring an extra $20 a day for tipping crew members. Make sure to include smaller bills for tips. Fifty to a hundred dollars a day should be enough to cover small purchases, tips and snacks at each port.

Can I drink the tap water on a cruise ship?

Cruise ship tap water is safe to drink unless you are told otherwise by the ship's authorities. The water throughout the ship has been treated, filtered and frequently tested to meet the standards of the World Health Organization and the U.S. Public Health Service on ships sailing into and out of U.S. ports of call.

How much does a waiter make on Carnival cruise ship?

The typical Carnival Team Waiter salary is $26,244 per year. Team Waiter salaries at Carnival can range from $14,421 - $47,786 per year. This estimate is based upon 4 Carnival Team Waiter salary report(s) provided by employees or estimated based upon statistical methods.

How much does a captain of a cruise ship make?

Salary Ranges for Cruise Ship Captains

The salaries of Cruise Ship Captains in the US range from $18,053 to $476,518 , with a median salary of $86,503 . The middle 57% of Cruise Ship Captains makes between $86,503 and $216,093, with the top 86% making $476,518.

What deck is best for cruise ship?

The best deck on a cruise ship to avoid seasickness is the lowest passenger deck. This is because the top of a ship sways from side to side much more than the bottom. To avoid motion sickness, choose a cabin close to the waterline.

What happens if you don't prepay gratuities on Carnival?

For guests who opt not to pre-pray, gratuities are posted to their Sail & Sign account toward the end of the cruise. The amount is then charged to the payment method on file for your account at the end of the trip.

Where is the best cabin position on a cruise ship?

Cabins at the very front or very back of a cruise ship are most likely to have the best views, as they offer the widest vistas of the ocean stretching out behind or in front of the ship -- or in the case of forward cabins, your next port of call.

Where does poop go on a cruise ship?

Forget the “poop deck”—that's just a nickname for the top deck. The real feces magic happens in onboard sewage farms. Vacuum suction lines zip toilets' contents to marine sanitation farms, which siphon out the water, treat it until it's drinkable, then pump it into the ocean.

What is the best floor to stay on a cruise ship?

In general, the most popular spot to be on a cruise ship is midship on a higher deck because these rooms are centrally located. Moreover, cabins towards the middle of the ship have the reputation of providing a smoother ride when the ocean is rough.

What can you not eat on a cruise?