13 Big Tipping Mistakes NOT to Make on a Cruise
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- Опубликовано: 27 июл 2024
- Are you going on a cruise & wondering about cruise ship gratuities? Knowing who to tip (and who not to tip) on the cruise ship & in ports can be confusing. Unfortunately, this can lead to some big tipping mistakes on a cruise.
If you're a first time cruiser, this cruise information will be super helpful. Even experienced cruisers just we don't talk enough about cruise tipping norms & etiquette. In this video I share helpful cruise tips & advice that you can use as you're preparing for a cruise vacation.
Whether your cruise is on Carnival cruise lines, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, Holland America, MSC Cruises, Virgin Voyages (or any cruise ship), this video about cruise gratuities, tipping crew members, service fees, & crew incentives is a must-watch.
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ABOUT ME
Hi! I'm Ilana! I live in Montreal, Canada with my husband Frank. We can often be found dreaming about and planning future cruises, ideally to hot and sunny destinations! I believe in having fun, being kind and that you are never too old, or too young, to live the life of your dreams!
Please note that I do not sell cruises on Life Well Cruised. This and all other videos are for entertainment purposes only. I share my own opinions, personal experiences and information with other cruise travellers, which I hope can be helpful. Please contact your travel agent or the cruise line directly for advice and any information specific to your booking.
Some of the video footage for this video is courtesy of RCCL and Princess Cruises.
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They don't pay us good , but thanks to the guest that gave us a little extra
My very first cruise with my husband, our steward discovered I brought along a stuffed monkey and always left it on the bed. So, throughout the cruise we would come back to our cabin and find my stuffed toy in various "scenes" such as watching tv, or drawing a banana on a pad of paper. This escalated when he created a mouse made out of a washcloth at which point, we would find scenes like our pillow chocolates with a lil piece cut out and the mouse and monkey would be on the bed with the remote sharing the chocolate. We found the experience so fun we left that guy an extra tip along with a note thanking him for "monkeying around with us". 🙂
This is beyond adorable! Thanks for sharing that!!
Omg that is wonderful. What line and ship were you on?
@@danasandoval624 Golden Princess
@@squeestar thank you for the info
You're a grown woman??
When tipping becomes confusing, much like this, I just opt out. It should be clear for the consumer to decide if they received great service and provide the tip.
Exactly
Australian here. One thing we hate about cruising (and visiting the US) is tipping. We begrudgingly accept the practice and we do it but why can't all businesses, no matter what or where they are, simply pay their workers a decent living wage that doesn't need to be suplimented by the customer?
Some of us go above and beyond and deserve more. You should keep that in mind. JS!
@@carmenenoll3964 No, your employer should keep that in mind.
Nope I like it that way. I make way more money. We all have opinions though.
@@carmenenoll3964 More money than they're paying you now, not more money than they should be paying you. BTW, have you ever travelled on a train?
@davidrayner9832 Yes
I hate this expectation of tipping every minute of the day. When I book m6 cruise, tell me the actual cost, then leave me alone. This nickel and diming is ridiculous
So true
Amen it sure is
I agree with you 100%.
My thoughts too
If people stopped tipping, maybe something would change.
One thing we learned is that tipping doesn't stop when you cross the brow on departure. The survey you get from the line is also a form of tipping. Remember the names of the staff that really impressed you and why they impressed you. The survey is going to ask you who went out of their way to make you cruise great. The mentions earn the crewmembers things like extra phone time with their families, promotion points and other perks.
Because either way you'll be paying for it. This way you are given the option to give more directly for the persons work that is serving you.
One tip I heard was to take photos of your servers and staff with ID showing, then you have that for your survey. I'm doing that on my next cruise.
I definitely made sure I completed the survey. For my 2nd cruise I will get names of those with excellent and poor customer service as well.
On my 🛳, our person was Jerry. He went above & beyond the call of duty. He was GREAT‼️
It is not just the cruise industry but any corporate job,as I have complimented individuals to their supervisor and been told it all goes through HR (can't imagine how bad it must be to have those insane,screaming haradans doing anything but payroll and benefits)
Tipping is out of hand
We always tip or room stewards and wait staff but we also enjoy carrying $5 bills to give to random workers who ordinarily don’t get tips. Their appreciation is amazing.
I tip lady who clean smoking area. She was very grateful; smile every time we were there. I also wrote a note about her in customer service so she got extra 1 hour off,
When traveling anywhere away from home, i always find out what the tipping culture is for my destination. A cruise ship is a destination all its own, of sorts. I tip generously, not because i have extra money laying around but because i budget for it as part of my vacation cost, and it's a small way for me to appreciate those who work so hard to help make my cruise enjoyable. There's a saying out there "When in Rome..."
Merriam-Webster definition for gratuity is "something given voluntarily or beyond obligation", Cruise ship nor any other company should make tipping part of your bill. I would like the cruise lines and all other companies set their prices so they can pay their employees what they deserve and we can tip for excellent work. It appears these companies are trying to show a lower price item, then add on after and during the cruise. Some people are saving years to take this cruse and not able to pay the extra money, we need to let those people know it's OK to just say THANKS!
I don't let myself be guilted or pressured to tip. I tip what I can afford and tip only to room steward & mdr waiters. No more. The cruise fare alone is expensive enough and I'm not rich to be giving away money to everyone!
I love your videos. You explain everything with such clarity & class.
But I must say, watching all of these videos about do's & dont's on a cruise, what to pack & not pack, etc. It all makes me wish I would've booked an all-inclusive vacation out of the country somewhere. This appears to be a bit much, & so stressful.
Wow , I don't realize people are so generous when cruising, money don't come easy for me, not many people tip like that in real life.
Don't stressed! Tip what you can afford. It's not mandatory!
I hate this tipping nonsense……..it shuld be included in people’s wages ! 😊
They get people from countries that desperately need jobs. Try to have compassion. Some work long contracts and are not even allowed off the ship. I remember they used to pay people from Pakistan $100 dollars a month. 😢
But it isn’t, so get over it.
Ive found in life that countries like japan Australia and those in the EU where tipping is not common people tend to offer better service than the US where tipping is part of the culture. Tipping in japan is particularly frowned upon, the Japanese give their best service and honesty because this is expected in their culture.
I agree with you. Everyone should do the job they are paid for to the best of their ability, and never expect a tip. I did my job for almost 40 years and was actually not allowed to accept tips or monetary gratuities at all! It should NEVER be up to the customer to supplement salary! Fair pay for fair work!
Well said! I disagree with “not being allowed to tip.” I’ve worked for places like that and followed their rules. However, if someone wants to tip you, you earned it and should be allowed to keep it.
At one place the owner kept my tips. When customers noticed, they said to him, “The tips is for her. She earned it. Let her keep it!”
I give extra tip to my cruise attendants and servers, specially since most of them are from nationalities where tips are greatly appreciated. The tip I hate the most giving is to the porters at U.S. ports, those guys are never satisfied with a $1, $2 or even $5 per bag and they always made “comments to themselves like whinning” as we leave… For my next cruises, I guess I won’t tip at all to these people.
@@sak_5yes, and their jobs could be easily replaced by robots. Can't wait for it.
On land or shipboard I frequently tip anyone I see cleaning a restroom. Imagine a cruise, restaurant, or entertainment experience without them! I’m not going to miss those few dollars.
Ilana, Don’t forget $2.00 bills! I got a bunch of 2’s for our cruise because they are rare and the person you are tipping will remember who gave them. Plus it reduces the number of one dollar bills you need on hand. And it makes it easy to tip baggage handlers. 3 bags, 3 $2 dollar bills. Sometimes your bank will have to order some in for you but they are unique and service providers will remember you!
My mom gives my kids $2 bills for every birthday
We do the same, even at home $2 bills get attention.
This is what I do when I go.
This is what we plan to do.
Such a great idea
This is exactly what I did on one NCL cruise. My server was absolutely ridiculous, I have my mom with me, on the whilechare...
I went to a customer service desk, and asked them to remove 50% of my gratuity, and took that money and gave 2 girls who really helped me on that cruise.
I always extra tip our cabin attendants and our MDR servers because these people take care of us daily and we really appreciate them. Love your videos!
My husband and I keep one tip on the bill and we remove the other tip. We use the removed money, along with extra money to tip the waiters, the room attendant and anyone else who has done anything extra for us. A 5 day cruise will usually amount to close to $100 for the tip that we keep on the tab, and we usually end up giving out another $200. That usually works out well for us.
As a retired older gentleman thinking of going on my first cruise, I'm shocked at the way you talk so happily about tipping. Carrying plenty of small bills to tip with. It seems to me to be a constant round of giving money away. After already paying a lot of money for the cruise and maybe purchasing goods on board or ashore. Cruising has all the hall marks of being one big rip off. Sadly!
You’ve managed to put me off cruising for life
Don't let this woman steer you away.she is so wrong about so many things!!
🤣🤣🤣
I'd like to add that cruises based out of Australia have gratuities baked into the fare you pay. So if you pay $1058pp AUD for a 4 day cruise ex Sydney, that's all gratuities, taxes, and service charges included. This includes purchasing drinks packages, etc. However you can tip your cabin steward, and others if you so desire, for good service, however as tipping is generally not part of the Australian culture it is optional.
I like that idea best, include it all and if you want to leave extra, you can. I am very well used to the idea of having plenty of at hand cash for tipping.
This! Here in America the businesses like to put the responsibility of paying the employee on the customer. It's so out of control. Literally every time we pay for anything we are confronted with a screen asking how much tip we want to add and that tip usually starts at 20% and goes up from there.
Tipping is shameless. It should be up to the customer what they feel is appropriate. Recently took a cruise and the cruise line made me get a doctors note explaining that my wife didn't drink otherwise they make it mandatory if someone buys a drink package in the room everyone else has to. Totally shameless from the cruiseline
It is actually quite understandable. I’m sure enough couples have purchased one drink package and then both enjoy the unlimited drinks. Similar to if you go into an all-buffet restaurant-everyone who enters pays and it is not appropriate to take doggy bags to share with others.
Carnival limits you to 15 drinks a day.
@@janiec8753If you need more than 15 drinks per day you might be an alcoholic.
Yeah. Of course. People will order a drink and give it to their spouse so they only have to purchase 1 package. It’s not the cruise lines fault, it’s the greedy people that ruined it.
I recently went on my first cruise, taking my mom for her 84th birthday!! We were Aqua Class, all included (gratuities, wifi, classic drink package) on Celebrity Constellation for 10 nights in the Caribbean! I upgraded to the premium drink package.
Even though I pre-paid the gratuity I still spent over $700 +++ on extra tips. I viewed the pre-paid tips as they were for those people that were behind the scenes, those I didn’t interact with face to face- entertainment, kitchen staff, maintenance people. If I saw them face to face and they helped us or made the cruise easier or more fun- I gave a cash tip and often asked to speak to their supervisor and took their picture with their name tag so I made sure I could include them in my post-cruise survey.
It started at the terminal- we tipped the porter $5 per bag ($20), $10 for the valet, another $20 for the crew that got my mom a wheelchair and wheeled her to our cabin. Same goes for debarkation day staff. I gave $20 to the person that delivered the bag to our room. I typically tipped $5 each time I ordered my mom and i’s cocktails. Since we had the premium package, the tips were finite and we LOVED our bartenders at the Martini Bar and they deserved tips with each FABULOUS CONCOCTION they made us. Cafe Bacio- $5 for the 2 coffees, if they brought pastries with our coffee- then $10. My cabin steward was awesome and tipped him $150. The wine sommelier that chose some wonderful wines- about $15 tip per bottle. The bus driver for the excursion, I tipped $20 and our tour host $25. The buffet food was pretty tasteless, so we only went for a couple of times but when we did stop in, if someone brought us cocktails or cleared away the dirty dishes, I tipped them $5-10. We tipped the hostess at Blu $40 because she always seemed to find a wonderful table for us- we never made a reservation. My mom rode a scooter or used a walker to get around the ship- when we would go to and from our cabin, there were always other cabin crew cleaning rooms and their carts were in the hall. Most were pleasant about moving their cart so she could get by. One was grumpy and rude. Regardless we would apologize for making their work harder and thanked them profusely for being so kind to move their cart. One of the cabin stewards ALWAYS smiled, moved his cart out of the way along before we go to where he was. He always asked us how our day was going or how our night was - he wasn’t even our steward. I pulled him aside one day and thank him for his kindness, his never ending smile and how much his attitude and actions made my mom feel comfortable and not a burden. I gave him $20 and asked to speak to his supervisors- which I did. I also included him in my survey- along with all the others that made the cruise soo wonderful for my mom.
The one thing I took away from this cruise is how hard the staff works - day and night. And when you verbally thank them, show appreciation to them, tell their supervisors about the wonderful service they provided- they were over the moon thrilled. When a tip is included - it was a different response- almost emotional- sooo many of the crew are supporting family they rarely get to see. The tip meant life - food, rent, medical and schooling, etc to families that back home.
It's nice for you that you can afford to do that. In the UK we pay high for everything. Tipping to this level isn't an option for many.
You are a very generous tipper!
You are a very generous person. I just came home from a cruise and tipped extra cash quite often as well. Tipped my cabin attendant an extra $100, dining room waiter $100, dining room assistant waiter $100. Went to chef's table, tipped on top of the gratuity included with chef's table. Same with Chop's Grill. I received free drinks but still tipped for every complimentary drink that I received. Tipped the guy taking my omelet order who knew my name by the 3rd day, $5 at the end of the cruise. Same to the cook making the omelets. Tipped my tour operators, porter at terminal on embarkation and debarkation. Tipped the shuttle driver back to the hotel. I probably tipped at least $500 extra. Working in the service industry in the US, I know how hard these folks work.
Took my Mom to Alaska 2005. Celebrity Millennium. So, nearly 20 years ago....I have also been aboard the Constellation but before upgrades and re-fits.
Obvious a shill
Thanks,! On a previous cruise we gave an extra tip to our waiter and room attendant. Both were exceptional and deserved a cash bonus.
Your videos have been very helpful in planning our first cruise. Thank you for all the great videos.
Thank you for this video. I’ve double tipped but was fine doing that for most services. Crew work really hard and I feel like they deserve it.
I read one post where the staff member said that the prepaid gratuities were NOT shared amongst staff but rather directly the cruise line itself. I would rather pay gratuity directly to the people providing service to be and extra to those who provide exceptional services.
We just booked a cruise and had to pay the gratuities up front. It is so disappointing to hear that only the cruise line benefits from this! 😞
I'm reading and learning a lot here my last 3 cruises I went to the desk and asked for removing the gratuities that I was going to pay cash on the end and I always do I don't have the corage to leave the cruise and not leave gratuities but I just tip the person doing my room and the 2 persons serving at the table and this way they get more money from us ,but I just learned here in coments that the crew will know in the beginning that we remove the gratuities so I will give my gratuities for them on the beginning so they will know I did not left and did not give anything to them.
That is completely false. At least as far as Carnival is concerned. Friends that are still working for Carnival and some having 30+ years all tell me that they do get their share of the prepaid grants.
do they really get $40 per day 🤔. Average cruise ship carriers 1700 crue and 4000 passengers. it is roughly 2,5 passengers per crue member. each passenger pays $20 per day in gratuity. That comes to $50 per day or $1500 per month for each crue member 😮. I know some do not get paid that much salary...
@@ReeceS6419Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.
Great tips and on point as always. We always prepay our gratuities when booking our cruise and still give out tips to our bar tenders and servers. We also always start out our cruise with a gift to our cabin Stewart that includes a thank you card in advance with cash, international calling cards and candies. On the last evening of our cruise, we will again tip for all of the assistance provided us during the week. They all work so hard and very long hours and deserve it!
I'm going on a 16day cruise next April and I will definitely do this for my stateroom attendant.
I had not thought about international calling cards! I know several years ago they were very useful, but are they still helpful now that everyone has some kind of cellular phone?
I was wondering the same about the calling card. Are they still a useful item?
Bartenders? The drink package added a 20 percent gratuity across the board.
@@MrClickitorTicket I would think that this saves them a little bit of money when calling home. An international plan on cell phones might be expensive
This was a very useful video! Thank you for breaking this down in such detail. It takes a lot of anxiety out of the process.
Thank you. This was informative and helpful.
The worst is when you order a drink, they automatically add in a tip and then they want you to sign the charge slip with another empty line under tips. I hate this moment so I always add in another dollar or two but I always feel ripped off as I'm double tipping. I wish they would stop doing that.
Better decision is to stop feeling guilty and don’t add more and it will stop. You are in charge of you.
I hear you but if people would stop doing this if they have the pre-paid, the cruise line may get the hint.
I don’t feel the least bit guilty about not tipping in addition to the gratuities that are already in the drink package. Having said that, certain bartenders that you get to know, I tip the heck out of.
Dont feel guilty..just don't do it! You're in charge of it not them!
@@robertcold4669 I totally agree. I never feel obligated, but when I do receive truly excellent service, I happily add another dollar or two (or more! lol).
Thank you for doing this helpful video 😊
I keep auto gratuities for sure but tip waiters and sommeliers at every meal, usually $5 and $1 for random drinks around ship. Tip cabin steward around $5 a day at end of trip. Anyone else who goes out of their way to solve a problem I tip at the time.
Of course, it depends on your financial means but I know for sure I have more than those hard working crew members who leave their families for months at a time and work 7 days a week.
Ilana, I am going to Alaska on first cruise ever. I can’t tell you enough how helpful your videos have been. Your explanations and advice have been priceless to me. Thank you does not seem enough!! Stay safe and well. Best regards, Cherrie
Bring binaculars. For wonderful sights in Alaska 👍😊
Thanks for sharing this video. I will definitely keep those things in mind. ❤
Love your presentation skills! As always helpful, clear and understandable. The service charge in the Spa is a very good catch, the first couple times I double tipped, no big deal, but it could get pricey.
We have gotten massages in the past. I know the 18% gratuity is added to the cost of the massage. Even still, I will tip extra in cash as the massage is usually very good. Then I ask them not to badger me with the attempts to upsell us there potions and lotions. The cash tip is more than what they will make on the commission of that stuff they try to sell me. They have been happy to comply with my request. This is all done politely.
@@MrClickitorTicket Also, I wonder how much of that 18% if any the masseuses actually get when it is not paid directly to them.
@@MrClickitorTicket😊
Great show. I always enjoy your presentations.
I've worked in the service industry, so my views on this are most likely different from those who haven't and that's o.k. I tip extra for good service and when I'm out drinking, I don't wanna wait. I found a very good bartender the first day on our cruise. We ordered 2 drinks and I tipped her $40. I did not wait behind ANYONE for the rest of the trip. She would see me and immediately ask what I wanted. She had my number memorized by the second day. I had Platinum and Diamond members giving me the stink eye. Which made me laugh a lot. If memory serves for our 5 day cruise I tipped her a total of $300. Now I budgeted for this specifically and I'm glad I did. She worked her ass off and earned it.
I was JUST talking to my husband about this subject over dinner! Thank you for the information as this will be our first cruise
We always pull the prepaid gratuities! We tip as we go and never allow the cruise lines to control our tips. We never tip on a ship sponsored excursion. We only tip our MDR waiter and asst. waiter, cabin steward and bar tenders! Cruise lines are getting out of hand on tipping!
Another great video on a sensitive topic delivered with care. We always pre-pay and then tip in cash our room steward, butler (if we are in the Haven) and bartenders that we use. The crews work so hard and for so long, I think that every budget should allow some extra cash to show appreciation.
Exactly... The actual person taking care of your wants and needs need to have the extra "tip" to show your appreciation. These attendants are sending all they can to their family back home.
We do the same. We always prepay. I find it so much easier on having a very low end of the cruise bill. I do leave an extra tip for the cabin steward and asst. I know that tips are included in spa services and some drink packages, but I still tip the bartender and massage therapist.
May I ask what you tipped your Haven room steward, butler and MDR server? I was thinking $100 each. Additionally, I pre-pay gratuities as well, the cash tip is additional.
@@21AirDrop That would be about what we do for cabin steward and butler. I never do MDR but the Haven has their own venue to dine in and we rend to do specialty dining. I always get different servers and just let the prepay take care of that but the maître d' of the Haven restaurant will get 50. We had a great one who had made sure we had a lovely and same table each time we dined there.
You do not prepay for tips or gratuities look it up you are a fool if you pay in advance for something you have not yet had.
This video was very informative. Thank you so much
Thank you for answering some of my questions on cruising.
Thank you Illiana, needed to hear ythis, as was confused ... love your videos
I have been bringing a strap of$1 bills to ensure I do not run out of small bills....I use them to "double tip" the bar waiters for better service. This has worked so well in fact, that I have gotten preferential treatment, by this I mean, getting my drinks faster than other people, even if they have been in the bar before me.
Thank you Illana. I notice too often that people who enjoy a particular venue on a ship, don't tip their wait staff. I do the automatic gratuities, but I understand that great service deserves a little more. You not only do the crew a benefit, but they remember how to do a better job interacting with their customers. Kudos to those that choose to tip extra!
Excellent advice, thanks.
We cruise Royal Caribbean most of the time and I prefer to prepay gratuities. I always ask for some small extra service and give our room attendant a small tip when we meet them. At the end of the cruise I always give our dinner waiter and the assistant waiter and our room attendant a good tip for the exceptional service that we have received. Thanks for another good video.
Love your channel…so informative and pleasant to watch 🙏🥰
I don’t tip anywhere any longer. So many places have raised prices to help subsidize staff, etc. I feel I am already paying an extra 20% for everything. May sound like I am a terrible person, but paying 20%+ and then an extra tip is just getting out of control.
I agree 100%. If my employer doesn’t give me a cost of living raise, then I can’t/ won’t subsidize there income.
Finally a smart comment.
The reason I am going to cruise is not to do a social justice to workers who are not paid by their employer. I go to cruise to enjoy a trip, meet new people and see new places. Employee- employer relationship is non of my concern.
I agree with you....and tipping is a choice, no one should be shamed for not tipping.
I agree. I have since stopped
The gratuities have been paid.
Tipping should be a special prize for a special service. I went on a cruise and only tipped the cleaning lady and the waiters of the main dining room who served us during the entire trip. If, for example, I had stayed drinking at the same bar with the same couple of bartenders I'd also have tipped them.
Great video
I love when you give pros and cons
Excellent tips that I'll used Many thanks for your expertise.
I have a clear view about tipping. In Europe as a whole tipping is almost nil…The only country that tips a lot is the USA and I do not include the tip in my embarkation package…I tip the people I consider close to me…the room attendant and helper and the dinner steward and helper… The rest got the tips included in places as bars, spa, manicure, massage and many other things…room service is also tip included . If they are so dependent on the tips, is about time that they include that amount in the price of the room…the maî·tre d'hôtel is a management position and I refuse to tip this person…if he doesn’t like it…so be it
I am not cheap and I do give tips ...but watching this video really stress me out with how much awareness I need to have with tipping on a cruise. I have been to many cruises so I know the drill ...but is is still tiring. I am going on a cruise soon, in Jan-2024.
Watching these videos, it appears that cruising is a hellish minefield of do's and don'ts :)
I agree
This is overwhelming 🤦🏼♀️
Outstanding video on a much needed to be explained topic.
❤thank you for your helpful and informative videos❤ The crew "work" so hard to make our vacation so nice. Yes, it's a great idea to bring small bills. We love that you can pre pay your tips, and I am always open to giving a tip to our Stewart . This year, we had the best server on The Ruby Princess in the Vines wine bar. He was outstanding 👏
I really hate talking about tipping because everyone gets upset with those who do not or who don't tip as much. I always tell people its a personal decision based on service and it should not be discussed in a group. That being said, great video!
I disagree because I worked at a hotel industry and I worked my butt off bringing heavy women luggages that are like 5-6 bags for one lady. Someone’s I would get $1-$2 tip or nothing
@@TheHailstorm77 I feel your pain however, a tip is not mandatory. Working in the service industry you know your tips are not regular and no matter how hard you try you can't please everyone. If you worked in an area where your wages were guaranteed, would you be happier? Strive for what makes you happy.
I've never agreed with tipping. I'm in the service industry and can't help but give good service. My service does not change based on tips. I find the idea of it soft extortion.
I hate tipping
You're always thoughtful and respectful in your approach, and that was especially evident here - on what's often a very touchy subject. Another excellent video!
I agree
Absolutely love your videos and your information has provided a wealth of knowledge for booking and going on my cruise in October.
Btw, hello from Sydney Australia 🇦🇺
All good information to know. Thank you! 😊
We add in prepaid gratuities when we book our cruises. It is less to worry about while on the cruise. We also tip the cabin steward and dining waiters extra before we disembark. Thanks for your helpful videos! Love them!🛳⚓️🛟🏝
We do the same.
We are just doing the basic dining & inside small, basic cabin with no view. We are wondering, on Holland America's Inside Passage AK trip this summer are there the same people serving you at the dining area every night or is it 'buffet' self serve?' Also, we don't need our sheets changed daily while we are on the ship..just sometimes to replace towels. Does the steward do the room cleaning? Or is there also a maid?
We plan ahead to leave the steward about $5 per day of the booking. Ex: $35 for 7 days. We also leave $2-3 with a note if we have a special request. Ex extra towels or bring wine glasses and opener. We always get great service!
@@melissaduffy4they don't change your sheets daily, they change them when the cruise is over on turn around day so the beds are fresh and ready for the new passengers. They just make the beds or do turn down service if doing once per day service of the cabins.
I am ok with auto gratuities, but I really do think cruise companies should share how these tips are distributed. Since we are tippers I feel it is our business.
We do prepaid gratuities, so nice not to have to worry about them at the end. We do tip our cabin steward extra at the end of the cruise but now with dining being so different with not getting the same table every night, we mainly travel with Princess, it's hard to tip the wait staff extra. I guess we could just do some on the night we eat? Specialty dining we do leave an extra tip.
Really needed this video.
One thing that I don't think you mentioned. If you get complimentary drinks or food (because of a loyalty tier level, suite perks, etc.), then there is typically no automatic service charge. Tipping in this situation is a good idea.
Great Video!
Just to let you know: Also on NCL it's just a short walk to Customer service desk to get the automatic gratuities removed. You just sign a form for that. The amount shows up every day on your invoice but will then be removed in full at the end of your cruise. I did that the first time on my last cruise because i felt it was necessary and decided to tip individually.
Most staff prefer individual cash tips anyway.
I used to work on a cruise ship. So when a waiter or other person receives cash, they have to report that. At the end of the cruise if the gust did not cancel gratuity the waiter will get it back, otherwise money goes to the pool and are shared between all the employees. Planning to go on my first cruise as a passenger and definitely not canceling gratuity ❤
I choose the prepaid option for the tips when I book on Royal Caribbean. Makes things easier. I then add any additional tips for great service.
Great topic! We always tip extra to our stateroom Stewart, waiter/waitress at dining room & bartender.
3h to go before I am on my first ever cruise. Thank you for all your tips.
How much did they tip you?
Have fun😊
Since for the most part traditional dinning is no more. It's difficult to tip the MDR staff since you may have a different team through out the cruise. I tip my stateroom stewards even if the service is 'standard', it's still been a tough three years for them.
Can’t wait to go on the Carnival Mardi Gras in March. It’s going to be just my 21 year old grandson and I. I will celebrate my BIG 70 on the cruise! He’s just as excited as I am. Thank you for your helpful videos! Love you channel. ❤
Thank you for this information! 1st time cruiser and had no clue!
On our first cruise, earlier this year, we went star class (and have a cruise next year as star class), and gratuities were included in the price of the cabin. We tipped our genie during the cruise, and at the end of the cruise we tipped everyone that we felt gave us an amazing experience. There was some additional tipping through out the trip. At the end of the day, when we booked the cruise we put aside the money we would be using for tipping in addition to paying for the cruise.
I agree, the service we have received has always been awesome. We have found that when someone really goes out of their way on day 1,2 we tip them and they will make sure that you will get exceptional service throughout the cruise. Remember that tips stands for To Insure Perfect Service. Best to pay upfront
To Insure PROPER service. Minor detail.
TIPS= To Insure Proper Service!
Great video. Thank you.
GREAT video topic!
Thank you so much for this detailed guidance. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Everyone should watch your cruise tips before cruising. Concise, and to the point. 👍
This was GREAT information on tipping! Do you have any suggestions on the proper way to acknowledge a ship’s officer who routinely goes above and beyond to make your cruise special?
Great information, I always bring small denomination bills and even though is cashless cruising I always carry small bills on me throughout the cruise to tip my bar attendant specially when they give extraordinary service. Same for tours I always remind my groups to do the same if they wish. About bringing gifts to the crew personnel I only bring extra Christmas lights necklaces to give to the room attendant and dining room staff, they love it and appreciate it very much. Sometimes I end up giving ours to those who look at us with the what about me look. ❤😅
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS GREAT INFORMATION🙏✝️❤
Don't forget to tip the common area workers. Those who clean the stair case, elevators, public bathrooms, those that clean the pool deck at 2am and walk around cleaning up. I consider them the silent heros
Include the mariners down below deck like trash sorter, laundry-linen department, cooks, nautical engineers & so on.
I always tip extra in cash for the porter at the pier, room attendant, and if we have assigned seating for dinner, the wait staff. You be surprised how much extra attention you receive by giving extra cash.
Thanks for advising ❤
Thank you this is so h helpful.
I enjoyed this video and learned a lot that I will need to know on my first cruise to Alaska this summer! Will probably re-watch with my hubby! We are pre-paid for gratuities, however, I also appreciate the comments below sharing their experiences. Thank you!🥰👍
I did not know that cruise ships have automatic gratuity. I always find that odd, as gratuity is TIPS= to ensure proper service. It’s earned and I’ve been a server! Perhaps due to cultural differences, they do this. Where we lived in Europe, the base wage for a server was much higher than in USA. It also might be, that many cruise ship jobs allegedly do not pay a high wage. The corporations want the passengers to supplement their staffs income, so they don’t quit.
I always tip porters at the port, bar tenders on board I usually give a bar tender one dollar and two if I order one drink for me and one for my wife. We usually always have a drink package so gratuities have been paid but I like to give them a dollar or so extra when I order. I always give the Cabin Steward extra especially if they have been attentive and have great personalities usually on the next to last night on board. We always tip drivers and guides on excursions and always check the bill at a local restaurant or bar it may be added automatically but they really expect more.
Got your cruise planner and it is really helpful, so are you video. I have not cruised in 20 years and things have changed. The tips are very good as I prepare for may cruise.
I’m so glad it’s helpful! Have a fantastic cruise. Thanks for your purchase:)
So excited 50 days until my cruise, 7 day NCL! It’s gonna be so fun also my first Solo cruise!
I cruise mostly Holland America. I prepay gratuities every time and never regret it. I never use cash on any of my cruise, however I do tip porters, taxies, and off-ship services. My rule of thumb is 20% tip for good service.
Hi Ilana... As you said, tipping starts way before the cruise. That said, I drive for an off airport shuttle company. Even though the parking company may bill it as a free shuttle ride to your airport, it is still a service we are performing for you whether or not you allow us to load and unload your luggage for you... which is also part of our job. Many people think that if they do their own luggage they don't have to tip us. Driving you to and from the airport is a service. Many people are kind and do tip us and we really really appreciate it. Thank you to everyone that remembers us with a few dollars on each ride! ❤❤❤
This tipping system is wrong. We all provide service to other people every day - doctors, teachers, engineers, pilots, bus drivers, artists, etc. and we don't ask for tips
Me too. Although I drive for a limo company in South Florida. We have a major contract with cruisers coming from The British Isles. Most of them tip us decently. $10 from the airport is the average from them.
So if I pay say $80 for a shuttle, I still should tip?
@@svgilkog8181 exactly. We don't tip in my country. If I work a 24 hour shift, I dont get tipped in my job.
Because we don't tip here , I never know how much to tip.
Very helpful information.
Thank you for sharing
I always try to prepay gratuities and then tip extra for exceptional services. Great video as always!
Thanks good video, I just hate the tipping culture because it seems if you’re paying for service that they should be providing any way. I worked in the service industry and have seen how some discriminate by saying a certain group don’t tip as much and they don’t like servicing them. The company should pay them enough and give incentives on good service by surveys and etc.
❤ your information! We always carry $1s and $5s for tipping on and off the ship! We will be doing a cruise on the Enchanted Princess next month! Love Cruising!
I'm going on my first ever cruise (14 days) in Jan from Melbourne to N Z on a Princess ship.I have been very interested in these comments and Illana's videos. As Tasmanian Tour Guide, during Cruise ship season, when lovely guests tip me at the end of a tour, it is always split it with the coach driver. Often they are not given a tip but tips are always shared. We don't expect to be tipped but really appreciate them when given. The tips can be anything from a few aussie coins all that is left in their pocket to a few dollars, Mostly US$ or left over NZ$. So while it is not the common thing to tip in Aus, I will tip for great service. I'll be recycling some of my tips on my holiday Now to watch another video❤😅
#82 to hit "like" thumb. my son and granddaughter are very, very picky eaters and so we mainly eat in the buffet. we always have the automatic tips removed. We tip individually. Watching other traveling vids we noticed many cruisers tip their cabin stewards on day 1 (up to $100. for 7 night cruise) and seems to work well !!!! On the final day they leave more money with a thank you note. we also are non drinkers so tip individually for a specialty drink if we feel it is warranted.
$100...yikes. I'm alone. And I'm stingy
The staff working in the buffet as well as in the kitchens and laundry receive a cut of the automatic gratuities. Removing those cuts out their share. Just FYI.
Thank you for this video! In Germany, you have to make any kind of additional costs that will be charged automatically (including tipps, taxes etc.) visible for your customers befor they book or buy anything by law, so I was actually a little surprised about the first mistake. There are still some diffenrences between cruising in Europe and cruising in Canada/USA, I suppose 🙂
Can you please explain !
@@Drjanetta Explain what?
@@DrjanettaWe Europeans tip only small amount of money for an exceptional service.
Employees are paid by their employers, so customers do not need to feel pressure of tipping.
If I go to a cruise, I go to enjoy a trip, see new places, meet new people. I am not going there to do a social justice for employees that are not paid enough by their employers.
Got it now?
Thank you for the videos ❤