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Tipping & Prepaid Gratuities On Your Cruise Vacation
This is perhaps one of the most common questions asked and especially for first time cruisers. Should I Be …
Tipping On A Cruise Vacation
Unfortunately, this is a most often forgotten subject, when planning exciting Cruise Holidays. 🤔
Gratuities are very important to cruise ship staff serving you, while enjoying your cruise vacation. It is definitely something I believe, you should include in your overall holiday budget. When booking a cruise and for some reason, many people just assume that gratuities for staff, are included in the overall cruise price.
This assumption is in most cases … Incorrect
Staff work very hard and rely heavily on gratuities, to help support themselves, and their families back at home.
First, take a quick look at this informative video from one of my favorite leading American Travel Experts. It’s an older video, but is on {basic tipping guidelines}, suggested to follow.
Tips On Tipping From Peter Greenberg – YouTube Video
Include Tips In Your Cruise Vacation Budget
Our Cruise Holiday on the Carnival Valor
Tipping On A Cruise is always included in our overall travel holiday budget. As well and when looking to book a cruise, I also watch for the added incentives offered for that particular sailing.
This many times, includes; pre-paid gratuities. One of the many added incentives that many cruise lines will include, to entice you to book with them.
Of the handful of cruises we have taken over the years, service has always been exceptional. We’ve tried a variety of family cruises over the years, with a number of different Major Cruise Lines.
We have never been disappointed with the customer service offered on our cruises.
“Tipping is generally not included with the majority of cruise lines. Therefore, you should be prepared to pay a certain amount {per day-per person} on your cruise.”
Cruise ship staff work very hard to ensure top quality service, and I truly believe they deserve to be rewarded for this.
Just as you would tip a; waiter or waitress for good service in a restaurant, would it not seem appropriate to offer the same gratitude, to those serving you while on board ship during your holiday?
Update
I’ve seen some incredible Cruise Deals lately and we’ve taken advantage of them. One was an outstanding cruise to Alaska to/from Vancouver, and most recently a cruise to the beautiful islands in the French Polynesia.
Both offered outstanding incentives, that were just too hard to pass! Some of these incentives include:
Gratuities Included … Excursions … Alcoholic Beverages … 50% Off Booking
Tipping & Prepaid Gratuities On Cruises
Definition of Gratuity:
gra·tu·i·ty
[gruh-too-i-tee, -tyoo-]
noun, plural gra·tu·i·ties.
1. a gift of money, over and above payment due for service, as to a waiter or bellhop; tip.
2. something given without claim or demand. (dictionary.com)
Things To Know About Tipping On A Cruise
For most of the major cruise lines, your cruise gratuities are normally added to your; shipboard account. It’s convenient and will be charged automatically to your credit card.
There’s no worry about keeping extra cash available for staff gratuities, at the end of your cruise.
Take a look at …
Carnival Cruise Lines
as an example, on their own tipping policies.
These guidelines are pretty standard for most of the other major cruise lines out there as well.
Updated
Standard Staterooms average approximately: $16.00 USD per person, per day.
This daily amount is designed to cover your …
Daily In-Cabin services;
Dining services performed by waiters and bus staff;
All other on board services performed by ships staff.
When you experience the exceptional service first hand, the cost is minimal per guest for all that is included, and considering, it is for all staff serving you onboard ship throughout the day and evening.
Outstanding Service In The Dining Rooms
This daily gratuity is very reasonable, when you consider most Cruise Packages include;
All the meals you may be served in one day, while on your cruise;
Your cabin serviced throughout the day, cleaned and set for you nightly;
The continuous work staff perform 24/7, to ensure cleanliness throughout the entire ship and more.
When you take all this into factor into your Average Cruise Cost each day, the cost per person added as a reward for their hard work is; Minimal.
It should be noted for those not aware, that your gratuity is spread among; all service staff. So rest assured from your; cabin attendants, restaurant staff, bartenders and other customer service employees, all receive a portion of your tip.
With our experiences with staff while on our cruise vacations, finding service as good as what you receive on these cruise ships, would be pretty hard to match most anywhere else!
Gratuities Are Very Important For Cruise Ship Staff
The information that I have gathered from ships employees and others, show wages to be minimal for service staff. As a result, passengers that do include tipping on a cruise is something they rely heavily on, as part of their overall income.
This is much the same for service employees most anywhere in the world, working for minimum wage. This is especially, true for staff on board coming from foreign and less fortunate countries.
These gratuities do help support their families back home in a huge way!
If for any reason you are not happy with any staff service, immediately contact the front desk on board ship, and they will offer assistance right away.
Should you Not wish to have your cruise tips automatically charged, or alter the amount you wish to leave, you Must contact the pursers office as soon as possible, after you get on board ship.
Staff do their best, to keep you happy at all times while on your cruise. As well, if you have received exceptional service worthy of reporting, do take the time and fill out a; Customer Survey Card.
Better yet, make a note of that person and the service received, and leave it at the front desk on board ship. This gesture is extremely helpful for the employee, and they can eventually be rewarded with; staff promotions, salary increases and more.
The result of their hard work and having being recognized as one offering exceptional customer service, will be recognized by management.
Tipping Policies Vary With Each Individual Cruise Line
Dining Room Staff Preparing for Dinner
I suggest you check with your selected cruise line for their own cruise tip policies, prior to departure. This will avoid any confusion and stress while on your vacation.
There are some outstanding cruise specials out there, just waiting for you to take advantage of!
As mentioned above, many cruise lines offer some excellent incentives, to encourage you to book your cruise with them. As an example and one other that we took advantage of a few seasons back, was on a South Pacific Cruise from Sydney, Australia.
You can check our amazing cruise and photos here, in the link I’ve added just below.
It included; Free Paid Gratuities just for booking with that cruise line. This means that your gratuities have been included in your overall purchase price. For a couple traveling on a 14 night cruise at about $15 USD per person per day, that was a great savings!
So shop around, check out those great cruise vacation deals, and don’t forget about the importance of Tipping On A Cruise Vacation and including it in your overall travel budget!
Update
As mentioned previously, our family booked an amazing Alaska Cruise last summer, departing from Vancouver, BC. The deal with one of the best cruise lines in the world, was just too good to pass up. Along with the terrific cabin price, our cruise also included …
$200. usd shipboard credit per cabin;
White Pass Summit Scenic Railroad Excursion for each person.
It was a great deal for a 7 night cruise!
I Only Endorse Products/Services That Can Be Trusted & Verified &/Or That I’ve Personally Used!
Safe and Healthy Travels!
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Did You Know …
“Cruise Ship Regular Service Staff Typically Share A Cabin Below With 2 to 4 Other Staff Members Equipped With Bunk Beds.”
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Royal Caribbean South Pacific Cruise – Review
Repositioning Cruise Specials – Best Cruise Deals
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