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It'll be one less thing on your final bill at the end of the cruise. Still, some critics see the charges as a sneaky way for cruise lines to make their fares appear lower than they really are. In this line of thinking, lines with these charges are essentially breaking out a good chunk of onboard labor costs as a separate line item on your bill. It’s not specifically laid out who gets how much of the gratuity charge. That said, you can cruise knowing that people like the cabin attendant and staff in the dining room are covered.
Room Service
As mentioned above, remember that if you select the drink package as part of Norwegian’s “Free at Sea” offer, you will still have to pay the 20% gratuity on its value. Furthermore, people who provide you with service on land, such as baggage handlers and shore excursion operators, are not affiliated with the cruise line. Notably, these rates are significantly higher than other lines. Carnival and Royal Caribbean, for example, charge $16 per person, per day, for most cabins. You can have the automatic gratuity removed from your account by visiting the Purser’s Desk or Guest Services. The difference might not be too bad if you’re sailing solo, but it could be costly if you’re paying for a group.
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Note that if you purchase a dining or beverage package, most cruise lines will charge you gratuities based on a percentage of the package price. If you get one of these packages for free as a booking perk, as with Norwegian Cruise Line's Free at Sea promotion, you might still be required to pay the gratuities on the free perk. The included tip amount varies by cruise line but is typically 15% to 20% of the bill.
What to do if you’re not satisfied with the service on your cruise
Tipping isn't mandatory on a cruise, but you should consider that gratuities distributed onboard a modern cruise ship are much more than mere bonuses. An envelope will be delivered to your stateroom for any extra (optional) tips. You can pick up more envelopes at Guest Services if there are additional crew members you would like to tip. Just like in restaurants and hotels, guests on many cruises are generally expected to leave tips for certain cruise staff members serving them. If you go on a tour or shore excursion, it’s nice to tip the driver or shore excursion staff if you’ve appreciated their service. Virgin Voyages does a lot of things differently than it’s mainstream peers.
And when you leave the dining room, no need to drop down any money on the table. For some cruise lines (usually luxury lines), gratuities actually are included in the fare — you don’t pay anything extra apart from your cruise fare. In fact, the staff will love that you want to give them more money. If you want to pay extra, we suggest simply handing cash directly to the people you want to recognize for their service. This happens regularly for passengers feeling generous or thankful for the staff’s work during their trip.
AmaWaterways gratuities
Some cruise ship spas, like those on NCL and Royal Caribbean, add on a service fee or gratuity, usually about 18%. Check your bill after your services to see if your tip is already included. If not, 15-20% of the bill (excluding any products that you buy) is customary. For many cruises that operate in the Australian market where tipping isn’t part of the culture, automatic gratuities aren’t added on to passenger bills.
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In addition to the automatic daily gratuities, a tip or service fee of 15-20% is added to drinks and/or drink packages as well as spa services on a cruise. Cruise lines establish their own tipping policies which can differ, so it's important for you to review the guidelines provided by your cruise line ahead of time. But with other packages, tips are only covered where specified.
A traveler's rules for tipping according to the Emily Post Institute - USA TODAY
A traveler's rules for tipping according to the Emily Post Institute.
Posted: Mon, 13 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Do I need to tip the ship's daycare workers and kids’ camp counselors?
The cost of that package is typically $109 per person, per day. That means two people sharing a room on a seven-night cruise would pay $308 in tips for an otherwise free drinks package — on top of their daily service charge fees. Those offering a service to only some passengers, such as casino dealers, kids camp workers, and spa workers, are not usually included in auto-gratuities. In fact, you’ll find that places like the spa, bars, and specialty restaurants have gratuity charges that are separate from the service charges discussed here. When you book your cruise, you’ll be charged your cruise fare, port fees and taxes. You’ll want to factor in the cruise line gratuity charge, sometimes called on board service charges (Norwegian Cruise Line).
Who Gets the Gratuities That You Pay?
Further, cruise lines often ask staff members to volunteer for delivery service. The practice of tipping simply enables Cruise Lines to underpay their staff, and yet the cost of the cruise seems adequate for them to afford to pay decent rates. The exact amount largely depends on which cruise line you’re going on.
If you want to give extra appreciation for exceptional service, cash tips are appreciated and can be delivered directly to a waiter, porter, or stateroom steward. Passengers are welcome to tip cruise line crew as they see fit. When you book your cruise, you’ll be given the opportunity to prepay the gratuities.
They say the money is shared not just with front-of-house crew, such as room attendants and waitstaff, but also with behind-the-scenes workers. In that sense, the current system is more equitable than the old system of cash tipping, which favored certain workers, lines say. And some cruise lines charge a service charge on spa services, which goes towards the spa staff. It’s common for passengers to be unaware of the daily gratuity charge. It’s safe to say they are surprised when they see their onboard account balance at the end of the cruise.
Because gratuity is already included in the price of these purchases onboard, it’s not necessary to tip extra. However, many passengers still like to tip a few dollars with a drink or specialty restaurant dinner to show their appreciation. Technically, you can visit Guest Services once onboard your cruise ship and opt to remove gratuities from your account. Some passengers like to do this in order to give tips to crew members directly whenever they see fit. Luckily, it’s easy to understand the ins and outs of tipping on a cruise ship.
Norwegian Cruise Line charges a daily service fee of $15.50 per person, per day for guests in standard cabins and $18.50 per person per day for guests in suites and The Haven. As a first-time cruiser, it's crucial to familiarize yourself with tipping etiquette onboard. The key personnel who will enhance your cruising experience typically include your room steward and dining staff.
Cruisers can leave tips for crew members who offer outstanding service by handing cash directly to the crew members they want to thank. Passengers need not carry cash if they don't want to, as they can add the tips to their onboard accounts. You can pass these by hand or get a tip envelope from guest services. Luxury cruise lines have a higher upfront cost than most popular cruise lines, however they’ll often include many valuable extras. While each cruise line is different, many include alcoholic drinks, soda and specialty coffee, gratuities, specialty dining and some shore excursions. Here is a list of the daily gratuity charges by major cruise lines.
While some see these tips as forced payments, others see them as a rightly deserved reward to hardworking crew. Below is a breakdown of the cruise line tipping policies and automatic gratuities charged by each cruise line. You might be shocked when you receive the final bill if you’re unaware of the automatic gratuity charge. Gratuity charges on cruise ships range, depending on the cruise line and your type of accommodation (suites are pricier than rooms).
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