That was the only time I didn't give an additional cash tip to the wait staff. Jan 6. There are a couple of exceptions, though. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. 1 Royal Caribbean Travel Protection is an optional travel protection add-on to your cruise booking and is available through Royal Caribbean for residents in all states except New York. Check your bill after your services to see if your tip is already included. Congrats on reaching Diamond :) Happy cruising! balyasny aum TRAVEL PROTECTION PROGRAM. Virgin Voyages does a lot of things differently than its mainstream peers. how to get cheap hotel rooms last minute - aboutray16-eiga.com This should provide enough money for transportation, food, and small souvenirs in port. What is Royal Caribbean's gratuity price and policy? - Cruises Or do you remove them altogether? If you're staying in a high-category suite, you may be expected to tip . How Much Does a Caribbean Cruise Cost? Also, if free gratuities are an amenity, youre not expected to go beyond it unless someone goes way beyond whats normally expected. Heres a video which answers many questions that you may have about cruise gratuities and tipping on a cruise ship. The Smart Cruiser's Guide to Tipping on a Cruise | Cruisewatch For guests staying in Grand Suites and above, the fee is $18.50 per person, per day. Related: Whats included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare. Display as a link instead, The one excursion we had a fifty dollar bill and three ones at the end of the (short) trip. This is for a good reason as it ensures that proper. But if you dont want to prepay, thats fine too. The cruise line assesses a daily fee and divides the money among the tipped crew. These cruise line employees are highly compensated, and offering a tip isnt necessary. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'shouldbecruising_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_13',603,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-shouldbecruising_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0');Most mainstream cruise lines will charge you about $14 to $15 per person per day for automatic gratuities. On disembarkation day, you probably wont find your fave crew members in their usual spots! Our Stateroom Attendant on cruise #5 was fabulous, and I showed my appreciation by leaving him (thanks Mahbob!) I had prepaid my gratuities, and I assumed the porter was a cruise line employee, so I didnt tip him. Royal Caribbean Drink Package: Ultimate Guide - High Seas Cruising 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. Come join my Facebook Cruise Community Thanks for reading and Happy Cruising!! The bar service personnel still gets their 15% tips from each bar sale. There aren't any hard-and-fast guidelines for this type of tip since it's contingent on your experience, but 25 to 40 on behalf of a couple roughly works out to an extra 2 to 3 per person, per day, for a seven-night cruise. How much cash should you bring on a cruise? The practice of tipping is controversial, even in the United States where paying tips is part of the culture. If you havent notified your bank, they will usually send you a fraud alert or temporarily freeze your card. Between May 1, 2016, and Jan 2, 2018, passengers on RCI boats paid US$13,50 (increased from US$12,95) for standard cabins and US$16,50 (increased from US$15.95) for upper-tier suites. The only exception is for passengers with prepaid gratuities (they won't be charged daily). Royal Caribbean International What's Included: Dining, stateroom, and other key crew members. 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. Most cruisers tip anywhere from $2-$10 per person (or the equivalent in the local currency) to the tour guide, and hand a couple of dollars to the driver. Most cruise lines allow guests to remove automatic gratuities. Read our best tips.). You may also like: Eight Things That Will Surprise First Time Cruisers. So something edible (maybe a favorite candy or snack from your home region?) But lets say you have a negative experience with your server in the dining room, or you feel that the cabin steward isnt doing their job. Should Be Cruising is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. You can also leave a small gift for your favorite crew member. Children aged 2-11 will be charged $6.25 per day. Often cruise lines provide additional envelopes to tuck a little extra cash at the end of the cruise just for this purpose. So our "big tip" on this subject is this - if you guys have a service staff problem, speak first with your cabin attendant. Knowing how much cash to bring on a cruise can help you plan your vacation budget and avoid pesky ATM fees along the way. Service charges for guests ages 4-14 are half of the adult rate. The time when youll need the most cash on a cruise vacation is when youre in port. Treasure Coast of Florida. If you feel you would like to give more that is fine and I am sure they will appreciate anything you decide to tip beyond the daily gratuity. Its customary to tip the waiters generously at specialty restaurants. Still confused . Im Carrie Ann, the writer behind Should Be Cruising. one in 2023. Technically your are not obliged to tip any more than the daily gratuities that have been charged to your room. 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. A cruise only rate may be available on select cruises, which would not include gratuities. Just remember that a cash tip goes to your server, and a charged tip gets added to the tip pool. Cruises in Europe are charged in Euros. Best Cafe at Sea? - Royal Caribbean Cruise Cafe @ Two70 For example, you might give the guide $5 to $10 for a half-day excursion or $10 to $20 for a full-day tour. Its a part of our cruise vacation cost and helps the hardworking crew make a living. 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. There is a lot of included dining location so how do you know which ones to che. Its important to note that, especially on the luxury lines, tipping is not expected. Royal Caribbean Cruises Tipping Policy As of September 7th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per person, per day for guests in non-suites staterooms, or $18.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Suites, will be applied to each guest's SeaPass account on a daily basis. How much are gratuities on Royal Caribbean cruises? How much shouldwe tip? Some cruise lines point out that you may wish to tip the kids club staff. I was even more surprised that it was a Disney cruise, where they are used to kids, and generally have a good reputation for service. Although cash isnt required for onboard purchases, there are a few scenarios where youll want to have cash available. 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. 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. A Guide to Cruise Gratuities: Has Cruise Tipping Gone Overboard? How it works: Gratuities are automatically added to your shipboard account on a daily basis. There is no charge for children under 3 years of age. Id give a much larger tip to a knowledgeable tour guide who led us on an intensive nine-hour experience compared to a guide who did a basic three-hour city walking tour. 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. With the exception of a couple cruise lines on this list, most cruises that include gratuities are luxury lines. Lets just say from the expression on the drivers face that he was not happy with that amount. The cruise where fun means everything. In the UK, tips are completely discretionary and are only to reward service that goes above the normal expectations. Had same two waiters 4 of those nights. a $200 gratuity on top of my prepaid gratuities. Theres no need to add an extra tip for each drink. Royal Caribbean charges a gratuity of $16.00 per person, per day. ~ janet Complete Guide to Tipping on a Cruise | Eat Sleep Cruise Carrie Ann is the founder of Should Be Cruising and a lifelong travel fanatic. Celebrity Cruises isnt a luxury cruise line, however it is a top premium cruise line that markets itself as modern luxury. You cant choose how much each crew member gets. 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. Its a good idea to hand over your tips the day before disembarkation. In their case "tipping" doesn't mean "extra" - it means "salary". You can also adjust your gratuities up or down. I prefer waiting to see how the service is before deciding on an extra tip, but thats just my preference. I'm a budget cruiser. Here are 8 easy strategies I used on my recent We like to prepay gratuities when we make our final payment for our cruise, but this is optional. It would be so helpful if I could print just the blog to read at random timescar trip, etc. As it is with most cruise shipping companies, RCI's tourists can remove the daily gratuity but know that these tips are for all the housekeeping and dining staff. There are some exceptions. Many passengers rave long after their hoilday is over about the service of stewards who go above and beyond. Travel Agent Finder - Australia on LinkedIn: Unforgettable Experiences Is it the 15 day or the 7 day from Honolulu? How much tip receive in cruise royal caribbean? The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. You might want to remove their tips as a punishment for poor service. Beyond leaving a cash tip for your cabin steward, or favorite server or bartender, some other small gestures will go a long way. Each passenger is charged for these tips, including kids. Im so glad youre enjoying my blog and find the posts helpful and appreciate the feedback. Tipping Etiquette on Cruise Ships - TripSavvy Love this! Top Cruise Tips | Royal Caribbean Blog I put together a 47 page printable cruise travel planner that has everything you need as you plan and get ready for your cruise.