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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. The only charges that should appear on my final tab are any extras I decided to add on during the voyage.
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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. If you leave the service charge on your room bill, you are not expected to leave additional cruise tips for your room attendant or waiters. At some big lines, such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, it's not uncommon for a family of four staying in a single cabin to see more than $70 a day in service fees added to their bills. Each major cruise line has a slightly different policy and fee for per-day automatic service charges and gratuities. The most compelling comment I’ve heard regarding tipping crew members on a cruise was from a fellow passenger from the UK.
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As most tips are cashless, just sign the receipt and add your tip amount on the line provided. And to note—shoreside porters are not cruise line employees, and many ports have signage indicating it is not necessary to tip them. But of course, that is the passenger's decision and a few bucks per bag is customary. One alternative tipping strategy is to prepay your gratuities before departing on your cruise.
Cruise Gratuities for Special Services
A couple traveling together will see about $30-$40 per day in gratuities, or about $200+ over the course of a week-long cruise. 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. Read the full automatic gratuity policy at the Royal Caribbean website. Unless you got the deal of a lifetime, the onboard credit probably won't cover the entire gratuity amount. Note that once you disembark from the ship, all accounts are considered final and no changes will be made.
Here is a list of the daily gratuity charges by major cruise lines. Room service fees have become the norm on many major cruise lines. Room service waiters are also part of the tip pool for autogratuities. In short, gratuities should not be viewed as an optional extra, but more as a required service fee, which ensures fare wages for the hardworking cruise crew. Accordingly, when planning your cruise vacation budget, be sure to factor in the estimated cost of gratuities for the duration of your sailing. Automatic tipping takes all the work out of rewarding shipboard staff.
Cruise Tipping Etiquette – Should I give more than the recommended or suggested amounts?
Spa treatments and shore excursions are popular diversions during your cruise, and each has its own set of tipping guidelines. Although tipping for most of the extra services these employees provide is not required, an additional tip is always appreciated. However, an additional tip is always appreciated if you receive exceptional service or dine at specialty restaurants where the gratuity isn’t included.
Types Of Gratuities
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Packing the right clothing for the weather can mean the difference between an okay cruise and a great one. A nice gesture is to enclose the cash in a greeting card with a few lines of thanks. Also, anytime you hire transportation onshore, gratuities for the driver are appropriate (public transit excepted).
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Norwegian suggests that passengers who use concierge or butler service provide a gratuity "commensurate with the services rendered." The last few years, cruise lines have moved away from traditional tipping for two reasons. First, as cruising has become more international, cruise lines recognized that many passengers from western Europe and the Far East were not accustomed to tipping. It was easier to just add a service charge to the bill (as is done in most hotels in Europe) than to educate the passengers. Second, many large cruise ships have added multiple alternative dining rooms and have moved away from fixed seating times and tables. Passengers have different wait staff each evening, which makes tipping more problematic.
Here’s another category that needs addressing; room service delivery fees. Also, if you pre-pay your gratuities, and should the cruise line raise the cruise tip amount before you sail, you are “grandfathered-in” at the previous lower rate. Savvy cruisers know that gratuities begin before you board your ship. If you plan to drop off your larger pieces of luggage, be prepared to give the portside luggage handler a $2- $5 tip per bag.
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. I’ve been cruising for over 15 years, and the practice of tipping on a cruise has certainly evolved. Cruise lines have implemented automatic gratuities, options to prepay gratuities and some popular cruise lines have begun including tips in your cruise fare. You're likely interact with your cabin attendant the most during your cruise. While the automatic service charges will cover their basic gratuities, it's generally considered good form to tip them a bit extra for a job well done, especially if you have made any special requests.
The debate continues as to the inclusion of “forced” cruise gratuities on board ship. For example, some cruise lines have an automatic gratuity charge per drink or drinks package (including “free drink packages,”) and others add a tip percentage to all spa treatments. The newer system of charging cruise gratuities on a per person/per day basis has helped equalize this situation. In addition to the waitstaff and room stewards receiving portions of the fee, the funds are also shared by some cruise lines with crew members in other jobs. For example, food preparation, general housekeeping and maintenance, laundry and other important positions may receive a percentage.
In other words, you can add the total gratuities for your cruise and pay them off over time like the rest of the fare. Service charges for guests ages 4-14 are half of the adult rate. Bar service has an automatic gratuity applied on the check (usually 15%). As we said above, though, if you're planning to frequent the same onboard bar (like the ever-popular pool bar), an upfront tip of $10 to $20 just might mean faster service and perfectly crafted cocktails. Keep in mind that there are some services provided by non-cruise staffers for which tips should also be paid out of pocket -- this extends to port-side baggage handlers or shore excursion tour operators. 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.
For some cruise lines, bartenders will have to “earn” their tips during the voyage. If you find a favorite spot at the same bar, chances are quite good that the bartender will learn your name (and maybe even your choice of beverage). Start the cruise with a nice tip upfront, and thank him or her at the end with another. The stated reason for the latter (compulsory nature of this fee) is to ensure that all passengers pay their fair share.
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