By reading this guide youll be better prepared for your cruise than 99% of other cruisers! Free expert cruise tips and news from Cruise Hive! Millions of travelers rely on Cruise Hive in the United States, Europe, Australia, and around the world. Can gratuities be removed? - Royal Caribbean Cruises I often wonder if American and Canadianfolks could do this job and how long we would last. Carnival Cruise Line Gratuities (Tipping) Explained An example of a service charge is adding a fee to large groups at restaurants. As with any financial decision, there are pros and cons to choosing prepaid gratuities versus adding them to your onboard bill. The ultra-luxury lines often include the gratuity and will say that gratuities are not expected by any of the crew. Theory behind it is its considered part of their salary and included those behind the scenes.. What is Royal Caribbean's gratuity price and policy? - Cruises Nothing really bad happened or trust me, I'd have made the news from throwing him overboard but my wife was furious and thought he was "rapey". So we started our 7 day cruise with a pretty long talk with our cabin steward. A As of September 7 th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per person, per day for guests in non-suites staterooms, or $18.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Suites, will be applied to each guest's SeaPass account on a daily basis. Date Updated: 07/20/2020. Gratuities may also be called tips or bonuses, but whatever they are called, a gratuity is traditionally offered only for exceptional service, above and beyond what is customarily expected. If you book on the US website, you will generally have to pay the daily gratuities. Two thing's I rememberclearly from the show was that 80% of the population leaveshome to pursue work elsewhere and they do this year after year, rarely seeing their families. Theres concern whether the money that cruisers pay through auto-gratuities or prepay all gets to the crew members, and that cruise lines keep some for their profits or supplement more senior crew or senior managers bonuses. Its worth noting that there are some cruise lines such as Virgin Voyages and Disney Cruises that are booked in USD even for Australian sailings, however, this does not mean youll be paying daily gratuities. That calculation definitely puts it in perspective for me and now I am rethinking removing the gratuity charges. Powered by Invision Community. In any discussion of gratuities, it is important to recognize the difference between an optional gratuity and a required service fee or service charge. If youre travelling as a family, with two adults and two kids, you could be talking many hundreds added on to the cost of your holiday. If I can afford to cruise, I can certainly afford to tip! Cruise Ship Casino: What You Need To Know Before You Play, 10 Things European River Cruise Lines Dont Like Talking About, 13 Things I Wish Id Know Before Doing A Disney Cruise, Cruise Fare Tracking Will Save You A Fortune. A . Another gratuity option available through many major cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, and Norwegian Cruise Line, is for guests to pre-pay their gratuities. NCL gratuities have risen as of January 1, 2023, previous daily gratuities were $16 ($23.28AUD) for staterooms, $18 for the Club Balcony Suite ($26.20AUD) and $20 ($29.1AUD) for The Haven and Suites. Others also had heard this. I can remember a thread ( I think on Princess Board 6-8 months ago,if someone wants to do a search to prove me wrong) were someone brought up a similar topic. Also the "gratuity" money that is addedonto their checks is going to be taxed, giving them even less money. They'll tell you they want to pay by hand, or they had bad service, or something else. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. Have any of you ever removed the added gratuities from your - Reddit Easier to budget As of October 17, 2022, Celebrity gratuities now stand at $17.50 ($25.45AUD) for inside, ocean view and veranda staterooms, $18 ($26.2AUD) for concierge class and Aquaclass staterooms and $21 ($30.6AUD) for those staying in The Retreat. Those tips were then distributed evenly like the DSC. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-114160863', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');cruise is a lie as the true cost includes number of days with addd gratuities. This comes along with a series of other price hikes for Carnival, with wi-fi packages, specialty dining, and beverage packages also increasing in price. However, prepaid gratuities can also refer to a promotion in which the cruise line or a travel agent offers to pay your crew tips for you. 9. Additional tipping is not required, even if there's a blank line for an "additional gratuity . Following increases, Oceania gratuities stand at $18 ($26.20AUD) for staterooms and $23 ($33.50AUD) for Penthouse, Oceania, Vista or Owners suites. Forms of Payment We accept the following forms of payment as noted below. However, other luxury lines such as Silversea, Seabourn or Regent Seven Seas include their gratuities within the cruise fare, meaning any rises wont be as clear. I hear you as far as being skeptical about NCL keeping a small %. Tips For Travellers 2023. Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. The view is what cruise lines do is they recruit crew from the Far East, like the Philippines, Indonesia and India, and pay them at a low rate and use gratuities to top up and give the crew members a fairer wage. Of course, you can take them off but all they may be doing is hiding the fact that your cruise is actually costing you much more money than you think its going to cost. Should cruise lines include gratuities in the fare? If cruise lines did do this, the pros would include: At the same time, there are also potential problems with adding gratuities to cruise fares. The Carnival Tipping Basics: When automatically charged to either your Sign and Sail account or to your invoice prior to boarding, the gratuity amount is at a recommended value of $12.95 per day . Also the ship employees do not pay US taxes except on the Pride of America in Hawaii. That US businesses get away with this and other practices such as resort fees and adding taxes is behaviour consistent with scamming. In 2019 P&O Cruises made the decision to include gratuities in the cruise fare. Qnd truthfully, we should have reported him so no one else had to deal with that. We will likely still tip them cash even if we keep the gratuity charges, cause they deserve better. Because many guests, particularly new cruisers, may not be aware of whom to tip or what amounts are considered suitable, automatic gratuities are an easy way to acknowledge crew members service without awkwardness or unintentional mistakes. Does anyone have the Contract for housekeeping, or wage agreement? In my video I explore six things you need to know about cruise gratuities including what they really are, how cruise lines use them and where they really go. Princess Cruises gratuities are changing as of February 20, 2023, previously they were $14.50 ($21.1AUD) for interior, oceanview, and balcony rooms, $15.50 ($23AUD) for mini-suites and reserve collection, and $16.50 ($24AUD) for suites. Saga ocean cruises include all tips/gratuities. Book a cruise on one of the above mentioned cruise lines & you may get FREE PRE-PAID GRATUITIES for the 1st & 2nd passenger* in the stateroom! Start with these stories: The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. I think it would be pretty simpleive herd of people having a bad experience and removing it post cruise, or while on the cruise..but not before hand.did you pre pay for the gratuities when orig booked? One thing I've seen mentioned multiple times is that we have the option to remove the gratuity charges from our credit card that we made the reservation with. And it's true that many Brits also see a good deal and jump in without realising the true cost of their holiday. I was so surprised he was asking that I didnt even hear half his story or know what to say. Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG's experts. Your Guide To Whats Included, Cruise Line Balcony Smoking Policies On These 4 Lines You Can. Find the right card for you. I definitely do not want to cut their wages even further, especially the people behind the scenes. If it is the same monthly no matter the guest load.. Then my tips are not going to the people, just to NCL and well.. Behind-the-scenes crew members would still receive gratuities as the overall wage pool would be divided among all tip-earning staff. When it comes to gratuities theres three approaches that most cruise lines take: When I started cruising that last one was much more common, you were given envelopes and some guidelines by the cruise line. Many cruisers dont realise this and get quite a rude shock on their bill. We did get the UBP, so I would be inquiring to remove those gratuities as well. It is because of this that I believe cruisers from the USA are more accepting of additional tips. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. Despite these possible issues, some cruise lines do include gratuities in cruise fares. What do rising cruise gratuities mean for you? - Cruise Passenger Your Guide To What Is Included. It ensures better service, and if you do not pay the gratuity or remove them, it may affect the service as all these people work hard to give you a good service. For example, if gratuities are $15 per person, per day, a family of four two parents and two older children enjoying a 7-night cruise getaway would be assessed $420 for gratuities, a very significant charge on top of other cruise and travel expenses. As of April 1, 2023, Carnival Gratuities have changed from $14.50 ($21.10AUD) to $16 ($23.28AUD) for staterooms and from $16.50 ($24AUD) to $18 ($26.20AUD). When reading on this topic on this board, it didn't specify which could be removed, people we're just speaking in generalities about gratuities. Can I remove prepaid gratuities on a cruise? - The Points Guy The reason for this is that it is deemed as deceptive pricing and illegal here. Find out all you need to know from our professional Cruise Passenger team. Costa Cruises: Costa cruises calculates cruise gratuities based on the ship and the length of sailing. How to prepay gratuities. Should Cruise Lines Include Gratuities in the Fare? In 2005, I launched Tips for Travellers to make it easy and fun for people to discover, plan and enjoy incredible cruise vacations. If you've never booked a big-ship cruise before, you might not realize that cruise lines tack on automatic gratuities that can add hundreds of dollars to your final bill. Hello all, first time cruiser here! If you still wish to leave a tip this is of course always appreciated but isnt in any way expected. Another issue to consider is whether youll have to pay daily gratuities when sailing overseas. Those are the times I think it's ok to remove it for that particular employee. basis. Their all inclusive cruise fare includes gratuities, drinks, laundry and shuttles when in port. There are many benefits, as well as possible detriments, to incorporating crew members gratuities directly in cruise fares. Use this link and scroll through the answers in MONEY MATTERS! I want them to increase the cost upfront, and remove the "gratuities" label, because it's not a gratuity. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. If you have not prepaid gratuities and the service charges show up on your onboard bill, you can go to guest services before the sailing ends and request to have the amounts altered or removed. Re: Cunard gratuities. Why would you ever think of canceling the tips? So, if you're a couple, it can add between $150 and $300 for a seven-day cruise (around 150 to 250 and about the same in euros). Should gratuities for crew members be a standard part of a cruise fare or kept as an extra charge? In the UK we rarely tip for things. Anthony Bourdain did a show on CNN called "Parts Unknown" and one of the shows was him in thePhilippines. Our first cruise we used the auto gratuities but since then have taken them off and given cash to those that we want to. Never miss a post by signing up below and every new post will be sent direct to you. How much are daily gratuities on Celebrity Cruises? When it comes to cruise fees, prepaid gratuities might be the sneakiest extra charge that can mess with your vacation budget. 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. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. Gratuities can add a lot of cost on to the price of your cruise. The lump sum is added to passengers' onboard accounts, and can vary depending on the type of cabin in. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Cruising cheaply has allowed me to see more of the world than I ever thought possible and theres still so much more exploring to do! I personally always do this as I worry about the behind the scenes staff who may be losing out if I remove the gratuities and tip directly the crew members that I see. You don't have to like the system, but given that it's the one the cruise companies have chosen, I encourage you not to penalize the crew for it. Celestyal cruises include all tips/gratuities within the cruise fare. NO one stealing anything if they simply do what the cruise line permits. And the rest, as they say, is history. Related: What's included in your cruise fare? Guests simply pay one inclusive cruise fare; incorporating our award-winning service, main meals, accommodation, kids club and entertainment. For a four day cruise, you are talking about either $14.50 per person, per day (ages 3 and up) OR, $17.50 pp/pd in any SUITE category SF - H1. The downside is you hand over more money to the cruise line early. The trend is similar with premium lines, led by Oceania, whose gratuities are increasing by as much as $10 per day for certain suite classes. Best way to get from Heathrow to Eurostar at St Pancras? The staff get paid crap wages, and the tips are part of their compensation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Check here before booking an award fare. 61% tip their stateroom attendant an additional $20-$40 per couple per week, 26% tip $40-$70, and 13% tip an additional $70-$140. TipsMSC Cruises does not recommend tipping individual members of staff. The tips per crew member is ACTUALLY pretty low if we use this example on a "Big Ship", LETS USE THE BREAKAWAYsomeone reading this please get out a calculator and multiply $15.00 per person X (3963passengers) X (7 days) avg cruise = $416,115in total tip money charged (not including cash handed out in person) divided by the number of workers on the ship (1657 crew) comes out to $251per crew member (that's assuming ALLcrew on board are part of the "tip pool"). This time around, however . Depending on the cruise line, guests under 2 or 3 years of age may not be assessed gratuities. Its a journey of a lifetime. If gratuities were removed they'd just increase the cost of the upfront cruise fares, so one way or another you'll pay for it. Removing the DSC penalizes the behind-the-scenes crew that you wouldn't get to tip. 10 times you do not need to tip on a cruise - The Points Guy It is the cruise companys responsibility to pay fair wages to their staff and using the line that if we take them off we are punishing the employee is unfair and a nasty attempt to guilt trip the cruiser. Should you prepay gratuities for a Royal Caribbean cruise? This encourages the cruise line to under pitch the fare knowing theyre going to catch it up in gratuity charges. Cruise Tips for Over 50s Travellers From a 50+ Traveller, How to Gamble on a cruise to unlock perks How it really works by someone who does it, Alaska on a Shoestring: How to Explore Alaska's Cruise Ports on a Budget. As to the original question, while things are the way there I remain convinced that it's easier for all concerned to pay the auto gratuities rather than tip individuals who will then probably have to turn the tips into the general pool anyway. To people that do not part of that bigger pot. Gratuities are a very hot topic and I would love to hear what you think. Other passenger-facing crew members, such as casino croupiers, spa staff, and bartenders, may be offered gratuities individually, or automatic gratuities will be added to the charges when their services are used. However, even if your room steward was sloppy and your waiter was rude (extremely rare occurrences), or if you come from a non-tipping culture, please reconsider removing the automatic gratuity charges. Are Cruises All Inclusive? This price does change occasionally in line with inflation with the last increase being on April 1, 2023. Many major cruise lines automatically add gratuities to passengers accounts toward the end of the cruise as a convenience. This FREE guide shows you everything you need to know to find your perfect cruise line. Pre-paying gratuities, however, is a passengers choice, and is not considered including the tips in the cruise fare. Tipping on a cruise ship: Everything you need to know, 11 extra charges on cruise ships that will drive you nuts and what you can do about them, The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship, A beginners guide to picking a cruise line, The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship, The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise, A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines, 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly, The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. However if they are based on guest load.. then I would happily pay them. See where I am going with this?? Suite guests pay $18 per person per day. It can be disconcerting to passengers to suddenly have large gratuity charges appear on their account, especially if they may have spent more than anticipated during the cruise or if their budget is already tight. No gratuities are collected for passengers under the age of 2. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-114149300', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');cruise lines now mandate the service charge automatically because so many cheapskate cruisers skipped out on decently tipping hard working and low paid staff. They register them there to follow more relaxed and less strict labour laws and where there are no minimum wage laws. While Australians dont directly pay gratuities when cruising, this doesnt necessarily mean Aussie cruisers are unaffected by these rises. Planning a cruise? Some cruise lines such as Princess are wrapping their increasing gratuities into bundled all-inclusive fares, with two of Princesss all-inclusive bundles including crew appreciation. Why Gratuities Arent Always Part of Cruise Fares, Pros and Cons of Including Gratuities in Cruise Fares, passenger-facing and related crew members, Carnival Cruise Line to Increase Gratuities From May 2022, offering a more personal thank you, perhaps with a note, some cruise lines do include gratuities in cruise fares, Discuss this topic at our Cruise Boards >, Free daily cruise updates to your inbox >, Subscribe for daily cruise news on YouTube >, It's time to check today's cruise deals right here >, Norwegian Cruise Line Awards Top Educators With Free Sailings, Disney Cruise Line Advises on Protocols Still in Place, CLIA Clarifies No Amsterdam Cruise Ship Ban, Exciting Culinary Options for Celebrity Cruises Newest Vessel. If you opt not to prepay gratuities, your SeaPass account will be charged $16 or $18.50 each day of your cruise. Royal Caribbeans website reads that if you do not enjoy your service, you can modify the daily amount at your discretion via visiting guest services.
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