What does free gratuities mean on a cruise?

Gratuity is a fancy sounding term that cruise lines use for tips. Just like in restaurants and hotels, guests on many cruises are generally expected to leave tips for certain cruise staff members serving them.

What does free tips mean on a cruise?

Depending on your cruise line, you might find different language used than gratuities. We've seen these charges called tips, gratuities, crew incentives, or service charges. They all end up being the same thing — a set daily charge to passengers that's passed on to the crew.

Do I have to pay gratuities 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 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 much gratuity do you pay 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.

Cruise Gratuities - Should You Prepay them? | Cruise Hacks 2020

What should you not buy on a cruise?

How much money should you bring on a 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.

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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.

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).

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 Royal Caribbean?

For guests booked through travel advisors, their advisor may add pre-paid gratuities to the guests' booking prior to sailing*. If gratuities are not prepaid prior to sailing, they will be automatically added to the guests' folios once onboard.

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.

How much do you tip a cruise waiter?

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 service. Similarly, it is often acceptable to tip $1-3 when room service is delivered depending on the size of the order.

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.

Is gratuity mandatory 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.

How do you save money on cruise excursions?

How much is gratuity on Carnival Cruise 2020?

Carnival automatically adds a $13.99 per person, per day, gratuity to onboard accounts for those booked in standard cabins. Those in suites will be charged $15.99 per person, per day. The amount does not apply to passengers younger than 2.

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 cruise line is the cleanest?

The 3 “Cleanest” Cruise Lines According to the CDC

Viking Ocean Cruises – When it comes to passing CDC inspections, Viking Ocean Cruises takes the top honor. With five ships, every Viking cruise ship scored well on their latest inspections. Three ships — Viking Sea, Viking Sky, and Viking Star — scored a perfect 100.

Can I use a debit card on a cruise?

Cruise ships now are entirely cashless. This means that while they are eager to get you to book a massage at the spa, or purchase a fancy bottle of wine with dinner, they never accept cash for any of these purchases. In fact, they don't even take credit cards or debit cards in the traditional sense.

What is the best time to check in for a cruise?

Avoid arriving at peak boarding time

We recommend getting to the terminal either early, before the rush, or late (after 2 p.m.), when most people are already onboard. You might still have a little wait, but it won't be anything compared to peak boarding time.

Do cruise ship casinos take cash?

On most cruises, you'll be able to use both cash and your cruise card. At the tables, your cash will be turned into chips or you can charge the price of the chips on your cruise card. Most slot machines will just take your cruise card, but some will also take cash.

Is it worth paying extra for a balcony on a cruise?

On shorter sailings, where the amount of overall time you have on the cruise limited, you may find a balcony unnecessary since there is not much to enjoy it. However, if your cruise is 7-nights or longer, that provides significantly more time to relax and enjoy the private balcony area, especially on sea days.