There’s nothing extra awkward than speaking about how a lot to tip somebody on a cruise, however the very last thing anybody needs to do is insult a tough working crew member by stiffing them.
Gratuities have been part of the cruise business for many years, however they’ve additionally advanced to replicate altering views. The charges and the way ideas are supplied have modified since I first began cruising.
New cruisers often have two questions on tipping on a cruise ship: How a lot to tip and who to tip.
Here is what it’s essential to learn about how gratuities work and the way a lot you must tip.
Computerized gratuities cowl the fundamentals
Royal Caribbean has an automated gratuity that you will run into off the bat.
There’s an automated every day cost, and you’ll both pre-pay it or wait to have it charged onboard. Residents of Australia even have the automated gratuities included of their cruise fare.
There is not any proper or fallacious reply, it is as much as you in case you’d moderately get it paid upfront or pay it later. Personally, I pre-pay simply to minimize my onboard spending invoice.
The automated gratuities cowl:
- Your stateroom attendant
- Eating Room waiters
- Head waiter
The present gratuity price is $18.50 per particular person, per day in commonplace cabins, and $21.00 per particular person, per day in suites.
You do not have to tip greater than that, however in case you needed to, you possibly can give these individuals further money as you see match.
Why tip them extra? For those who really feel that crew member went above and past and actually did one thing particular for your loved ones, there may very well be a purpose to present them one thing further.
How a lot further? I’ve tipped stateroom attendants wherever from $20 to $100 further, relying on the scenario. For waiters within the eating places, about $20.
The automated gratuity doesn’t embrace gratuities you may encounter elsewhere on the ship.
For instance, in case you order a drink, there’s an automated 18% gratuity that will get added to your invoice. Or in case you go to the spa for a therapeutic massage, you may see a service cost added to that too.
There’s nothing to do, it is a line merchandise in your invoice.
Past that, there’s plenty of discretionary ideas you must plan on.
Porters
If you arrive on the cruise terminal, there are porters to take your baggage and ship it to your cabin.
Likewise, on the finish of the cruise, there are porters to help you with choosing up your baggage and taking it by way of the terminal and to your automotive, bus, or taxi.
I might advocate tipping $1-$2 per bag.
When ordering a drink
As I discussed earlier, any drink you order comes with an automated 18% service cost and that’s successfully your tip.
I will nonetheless tip $1 per drink in money on prime of that, however it has much less to do with the service. I achieve this as a result of tipping simply $1 further tends to get me higher service later.
When the bar is busy, the bartenders and waiters undoubtedly give preferential therapy to people who tip further.
I feel it is value it not solely to reward attentive service, however guarantee I am not ready a very long time for my subsequent one.
Often, it will get me a free drink too, however you’ll be able to’t wager on that.
Specialty eating places
Much like drinks, you may pay an automated gratuity on the specialty eating places on prime of the duvet cost or price to eat there.
I often tip $20 per meal further, however it will depend on the service we get.
I haven’t got a great rationale why I do and even how I got here up with that quantity, however it’s what I do.
Room service
Royal Caribbean features a service cost with the price of room service, however the complimentary continental breakfast has no price.
I very hardly ever ever order room service aside from breakfast, so I will tip them between $2-$5 further for bringing my meals to the room.
Royal Genie
I have been fortunate sufficient to remain in a couple of of Royal Caribbean’s largest and costliest suites, which contains the providers of the Royal Genie.
The Royal Genie is shared between a couple of suites, and so they make your cruise as straightforward as attainable. They’ll minimize the strains for you, get precedence elevators, make any reservation you want, and in any other case be your “magic maker”.
The primary time I stayed in Star Class I used to be fully misplaced how a lot to tip them.
The overwhelming constant reply I discovered within the Royal Caribbean Star Class Fb group is to tip the genie $100 per day.
I actually do not assume any genie would scoff at any tip quantity. They recognize what you’re feeling is acceptable, and so they’re definitely not standing with their hand open on the ultimate morning.
Cabana attendant
You’ll be able to hire cabanas at Excellent Day at CocoCay or Labadee, and you will have a cabana attendant for the day together with your cabana.
The cabana attendant is there to carry you meals, drinks, towels, or anything you want throughout your keep.
The quantity to tip relies upon largely on how a lot you make the most of their providers and measurement of your group. Some cabanas can accommodate as much as 8 individuals.
Given that you just’re there for the complete day and that particular person is likely to be working forwards and backwards bringing meals and drinks lots, the quantity to tip varies significantly.
I often tip between $50 – $100 to the cabana attendant, and I will usually cut up that price with pals.
Shore tour tour information
Tour guides are optionally available to tip throughout shore excursions, and I feel how a lot to tip actually will depend on plenty of elements.
Tour guides play totally different roles relying on the character of the journey. A snorkel tour with somebody actively serving to you or a member of the family within the water is vastly totally different than a bus tour narrator.
As well as, you are nearly all the time with a gaggle and theoretically others are tipping too.
It is onerous to present a great quantity, however $10-$20 for a tour host that’s useful, passionate, or insightful can be applicable. To be honest, I’ve not tipped tour guides prior to now in the event that they’re glorified babysitters.
Entertainers in bars
Royal Caribbean has some superb performers in numerous bars and lounges, and you possibly can tip them too.
Most individuals do not tip the singers or performers, so it is actually a matter of your alternative in rewarding their abilities and entertaining.
An unwritten rule of those bars is in case you make a tune request and so they play it, you must tip them.
I will tip bar entertainers $5-$20, relying if I am tipping for one tune or a couple of tune requests. Sure, I did tip the Mason Jar band $100 as soon as to cease taking part in “Candy Caroline” instantly. You are welcome.
On line casino
One other unwritten rule is you must tip the on line casino sellers periodically.
On line casino sellers on the numerous desk video games are there to maintain the enjoyable going, and the great ones will even step in and aid you keep away from making a mistake.
A greenback or two periodically works, particularly in case you’re profitable cash.
You do you
All the tipping quantities are ballpark figures of what you possibly can think about, they are not guidelines about what you must or should not do.
I’ve little doubt the feedback part for this text have already erupted as a result of some individuals can’t deal with how others select to spend their cash. Ignore them, and all the time depend on the precept of do what feels best for you.
The one those that completely ought to be tipped further past Royal Caribbean’s automated gratuity embrace:
- Porters
- Cabana attendants
- Royal Genies
Every little thing else is totally discretionary and there’s no proper or fallacious reply.
Crew members are appreciative of something you’ll be able to present them, and I can safely say I’ve by no means heard of a crew member that was insulted by a further tip from a visitor.
The one fake pas you may make with tipping will not be tipping in any respect. Eradicating the automated gratuity at Visitor Companies as a cost-savings measure is a extremely egregious act.
