Do you tip waiters on cruise ships?

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).

How much do you tip a waiter on a cruise?

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. How do I pay the gratuities?

What happens if you don't tip on a cruise?

When you forego tipping on your cruise, you aren't hurting the corporation. You're just lowering the pool of funds that hard-working service employees share at the end of the journey. Automatically added gratuities take the confusion out of tipping on your cruise.

Are gratuities mandatory on cruises?

Cruise Lines That Allow You to Remove Gratuities:

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.

Is it better to pay gratuities on a cruise?

Easier to budget

If you're cruising on a budget, by prepaying your gratuities you'll avoid having extra expenses to pay at the end of your cruise. No one likes a big bill at the end of a vacation. By prepaying your gratuities, you get to avoid this.

Should You Tip on a Cruise!? CRUISE TIPPING EXPLAINED

How much should I tip my 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.

How do you avoid gratuities on a cruise?

If you plan to remove tips from your onboard bill, you will need to plan in advance to bring enough cash for personal tipping, then wait in a potentially long line at the guest services desk to remove the auto-gratuities and chase down all the crew members you wish to thank on the last evening.

How does tipping work on a cruise?

On some ships, many gratuities are automatically included. Most major cruise lines automatically add gratuities to your onboard account. The fee is usually between $12 and $15 per passenger, per day, and the cruise line then divvies up that money between all service-oriented crew.

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 is gratuities on a cruise?

Cruise gratuities are tips that are automatically charged by the cruise line which go to the crew. Cruise gratuities range between $13-$15 per person per night. On the majority of cruise lines, gratuities are not mandatory and can be removed if requested.

Should I pre pay gratuities on Royal Caribbean?

The two common rationales for not prepaying are if you have a substantial amount of onboard credit that could offset your SeaPass account charges, or if you prefer to give crew members their automatic gratuity rate in cash. Gratuities on Royal Caribbean are obligatory, so it is a matter of when you prefer to pay them.

Do cruise ship employees get free food?

Yes, crew members receive free food for working onboard a ship, along with a cabin to sleep in (more on that later). Similar to the guests, crew members have their own buffet style restaurant to get their meals from throughout the day.

Does Royal Caribbean add gratuities?

Royal Caribbean charges a gratuity of $14.50 per person, per day. For guests staying in Grand Suites and above, the fee is $17.50 per person, per day. In addition to this, an 18% gratuity is automatically added to all drinks, spa and salon services.

How much do you tip shore excursions?

Tip non-guide drivers roughly $2 per person in your party. You'll likely want to tip more for customized, private tours – consider 5 to 20% of the cost of the tour.

Are port fees included in cruise prices?

“Cruise Fare does not include Cruise Taxes, Fees, and Port Expenses. [Those] may include any and all fees, charges, tolls and taxes imposed on Carnival, by governmental or quasi-governmental authorities, as well as third party fees and charges arising from a vessel's presence in a harbor or port.

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.

Is it mandatory to pay gratuity on Carnival Cruise?

On most mainstream cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line, the automatic gratuity charge can be disputed and adjusted. The fee is not mandatory, though it is strongly encouraged to ensure quality, cruise lines say, because they supplement crew salaries.

What are the free drinks on Royal Caribbean?

Can you share drink packages on Royal Caribbean?

Royal Caribbean warns that guests who share a drink with someone who does not have a drink package can risk having their drink package benefits revoked with no refund. The package is intended for only the guest who buys the package.

How much do you tip Butler on a cruise?

Butler or cabin steward: During your cruise, you will have a lot of interaction with your butler or cabin steward and may want to tip a little extra. Consider tipping $3-5 per night, per person for exemplary service.

Do cruise employees hook up with passengers?

Sex among cruise-ship workers is pervasive, current and former cruise-ship employees told Business Insider. Some compared the hookup culture as being similar to, or even exceeding, that of a college dorm. But the permissive sexual culture on cruise ships can also lead to aggressive or inappropriate behavior.

What is salary of cruise ship captain?

According to Payscale, the average salary of a cruise ship captain is $96,000 per year, in a salary range that varies from $48,485 to $180,308. A captain's responsibilities are far broader than just steering the ship.

Which is the best balcony room on a cruise ship?

Rear-facing balcony cabins are among the best balcony cabins on any ship. Often, their balconies are bigger than balconies on side-facing cabins and they also feel quiet. There are far fewer balcony cabins at the back of a ship than on the sides of a ship, so you don't hear a lot of noise from your neighbors.

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.