Should You Tip Extra for Cruise Staff Crew Members 2024

Table Of Content

• How to Pay Tips on a Cruise Ship
• How are tips divided among crew members?
• Comprehensive Guide To Tipping on a Cruise Ship
• Next Norwegian Ship Will Sail with New Restaurants
• Carnival Gratuities (Tips): Full Guide to Cost & How They Work
• You SHOULD expect an 18% gratuity on certain purchases
• Prepaid vs. Onboard Tipping

When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. Lines that now cover gratuities in their fares include Azamara, Ponant, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, Seabourn, SeaDream Yacht Club, Silversea Cruises and Virgin Voyages. For a half-day shore excursion, give the guide $2, or $4 to $5 for a full-day excursion. The baggage handlers who take your bags upon arrival at the port don't typically work for the cruise line and therefore won't share in the onboard tip pool. Consider treating them as you would a bellman at a hotel -- a customary $1 or $2 per bag will do.

How to Pay Tips on a Cruise Ship

When paying for your cruise, the daily gratuity will be added into the overall cost, and you will not owe any gratuities once the cruise begins. Luckily, it’s easy to understand the ins and outs of tipping on a cruise ship. From prepaying gratuities to carrying small bills, here’s what you should and should not do when tipping on a Royal Caribbean cruise. The fact is, the tips that crew get from passengers make up a good part of their wage. Crew members work really hard and make the difference between an ok and a memorable cruise vacation.

How are tips divided among crew members?

She simply stated that everyone’s economic situations are different. Conversely, an American passenger will normally budget extra money for their cruise to accommodate additional gratuities while on board. Casino dealers do not receive a cut of Cunard's automatic gratuities, so consider tipping deserving staff. An automatic 15% charge also applies to spa treatments and services as well as all bar bills. Passengers who want to adjust the amount of their cabin auto-gratuity in either direction can do so at the guest services desk. However, you cannot remove the automatic 18% tip on drinks, specialty dining and so on.

Comprehensive Guide To Tipping on a Cruise Ship

Every cruise line has different policies regarding tipping, so be sure to research before you embark on your journey. And most importantly, don’t forget to pack extra cash for tipping, as not all crew members are covered under automatic gratuity charges. When tipping your stateroom steward or butler on a cruise ship, the standard amount is $5 per day.

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But this should give you an idea as to where the cruise ship tips go and how it’s divvied up at the end. But don’t assume that gratuities are part of every prepaid package. We break down situations when passengers might or might not remove automatic gratuities. The staff isn’t likely to treat you any differently or even know that you aren’t tipping (after all, some people still like to pay cash at the end of the cruise).

Tipping on a cruise ship: what you should and shouldn't do

Figuring out which service employees you should tip—and how much you should give—is a perennial head scratcher in travel. To help remove some of the guesswork, many cruise lines now automatically apply recommended “crew appreciation” amounts to your stateroom account. Other than that, your gratuity charges cover the housekeeping and dining staff.

Carnival Gratuities (Tips): Full Guide to Cost & How They Work

Daily service charges are not the only cruise tips you will pay on board. Many cruise lines will tack an automatic gratuity charge onto the bill for extra-fee drinks, restaurant meals and spa treatments. Big ships will automatically add a gratuity of about 18 percent to your massage at the spa or to a blowout in the salon. There may also be a space for an extra tip if you want to add one. Small ships might not automatically add a tip, so be sure to check the bill and leave around 15 to 20 percent if a gratuity wasn’t included and you feel the service warrants it. Also, the spa is one service for which a tip often isn’t included even on luxury cruises that cover all other gratuities.

You SHOULD expect an 18% gratuity on certain purchases

Even the size of your stateroom or suite may also come into play when considering how much to tip, as these larger staterooms tend to have more amenities and even butler service. Lastly, the number of people in your party will also impact gratuities, as tips are paid per person. The best time to leave a tip for your cabin steward is usually at the end of the cruise during disembarkation.

Prepaid vs. Onboard Tipping

These talented folks don’t rely on tips and don’t expect any additional gratuities while performing on board. There are a few occasions, however, when we’ve observed passengers & guests tipping singers and musicians. This usually can be seen when there is live music in one of the bars. It’s not uncommon to see a passenger hand a musician singing solo a few dollars or even buy them a drink (depending on the rules of the cruise line).

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. You can adjust this based on the length and complexity of the tour. I’d 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. If your kids had a great time at the kids’ club on board, giving a tip at the end of the cruise to their favorite staff members is always appreciated.

All the exact numbers are there to help you plan accordingly for the actual price of your upcoming cruise. The Celebrity Captain’s Club offers perks and benefits to returning cruisers that can add up to tremendous savings. The goal of these systems is to create a fair and equitable distribution of gratuities among the entire crew, recognizing the collective effort that goes into making your cruise enjoyable. It is important to know that there are some crew members who you do not tip. These include the ship’s officers, medical team, and security. After the cruise, if you ask a porter to load your luggage and wheel it to the outdoors or motor coach, you’ll need to dip into your wallet one more time.

These cruise line employees are highly compensated, and offering a tip isn’t necessary. Even if you try, they’ll likely graciously turn down your offer. It’s also a nice gesture to tip the maître d’ or head waiter in the main dining room, especially if they were helpful with special menus or seating arrangements. When sailing across different international waters, you'll find that tipping customs can vary widely.

A couple should budget about $200 in gratuities for a 7 day cruise. Most cruise lines charge for children as well, although there are some exceptions for very young children on select cruise lines. Unlike the U.S., cruise lines do not have to pay a minimum wage but instead pay their crew members a salary often supplemented with tips, plus free room, board, and medical care. This motivates employees to provide excellent service and keeps cruise prices more affordable by passing the cost of tips on to passengers.

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When booking a Celebrity cruise, tips are included in their Always Included program. A cruise only rate may be available on select cruises, which would not include gratuities. Disney cruises has a suggested daily gratuity charge of $13.50 per person, per day for all guests. Prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted and cruise line gratuities may be referred to a daily service charge or crew incentive. The cost is the same whether gratuities are paid onboard or before your cruise. It may be a good option if you think it will help with budgeting and are confident in the service.