<p>Ok sage CC folks…so how and how much do you tip on cruises? And who?</p>
<p>You should check with whomever you purchased the cruise from. On the two we have been on, the tips (maid service and wait staff) were included in the cost. Anything else (room service, bartender, special requests) was extra and we just tipped what we normally would in a hotel. However, if think they said that was because these were group fares. So I’m not sure if you just purchase them independently. I do remember the waiter telling us that they like groups because the tips are already taken care of.</p>
<p>Tipping depends on what cruise company you choose. Crystal (and other luxury lines) say that the tip is included in the fare. But it is always a good idea IF you have received excellent service to add to the cruise company’s tip. Other lines suggest a certain amount per day.</p>
<p>We found that giving a certain amount on the first day gave us excellent service. But that is up to you.</p>
<p>We took a Disney Cruise last summer and at the back of our confirmation booklet, there was a list of suggested tips for every server. It added more or less $100 per person. On top of that, they encouraged us to tip our favorite servers separately.</p>
<p>Most cruises have the auto-tip or whatever it’s called, basically a flat rate per passenger per day. On Princess Cruises it was around 11$/day/person. </p>
<p>The bars, extra cost restaurants, and the like add a 15% gratuity, and it’s usually a good idea to hand some cash to your cabin steward when he/she meets you at embarkation. $30 or so is what we use for a week cruise.</p>
<p>On most of the commercial lines (Carnival, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Holland America, etc.) tips are pre-added to all bar orders. Many (MANY) first timers don’t know this and add in a tip (there’s a line for one) and thus end up double tipping on bar orders. </p>
<p>As for room service, on the commercial lines a gratuity is not included, and most people will tip a dollar or two, per person ordered for, in cash only. In fact, that’s just about the only cash tip. </p>
<p>As noted above, most cruise lines add a per day, per person gratuity to your credit card bill which will show up daily. Passengers have the ability to add (or decrease) those charges if they like (by going to the purser’s desk). </p>
<p>You may also add an additional (cash) tip to your room steward at the end (or beginning) of your trip. On the last day, my D & I have handed out $5 bills (in envelopes which you can get at the purser’s desk) to waffle makers, omelet makers, and Mongolian wok makers. These are “regulars” who we interacted with every day and who always went above and beyond. It’s a nice touch to tip anyone personally who provides that “extra touch” regularly during the trip, a little extra at the end of the trip. </p>
<p>Where are you going thumper1?</p>
<p>The cruise line will provide you with direction on tipping.</p>
<p>There is a web site that has discussion boards, cruise critic, that will be helpful for you on planning your cruise. Basically, it is the CC of cruises. I strongly recommend checking it out.</p>
<p>I cruised Holland America and although most tips are pre-included, if we had individuals (bartenders, sommeliers, waitstaff, etc.) that went above and beyond, we definitely tipped. For example, we managed to get seats on a special 13-course and wine paired chef’s meal. We had that same waiter later in the cruise at another meal and were sure to tip him, as he went far above and beyond the norm. The ship’s sommelier (met at that meal) also came and found us at several other meals, and sat and talked with us at a bar several times, so we also tipped him.</p>
<p>Eastern Caribbean and we leave on Saturday. I want to make sure I have enough cash on hand for tips.</p>
<p>You’ll do fine. Basically we each take $100 cash, no bill larger than a $10, and that gives us plenty for extras on the ship (otherwise we just sign for everything). We might take an additional $50 (again no larger than $10) for mini splurges on shore. If you’re doing excursions on shore, which we have (zip lining, and the like) we do tip those folks (and tour bus drivers) as well. Somewhere between $5 and $20 per each of us. Use your best judgement.</p>
<p>On our Princess cruise to Alaska, a per person amount daily, about $12.00 or so was added to our bill and we did not need to individually tip anyone else as we never used room service or frequented one specific bar, or had spa or beauty salon treatments. We had anytime dining so were in different dining rooms with different waiters. When we went on Celebrity years ago, with fixed seating for our family of four for dinner we did tip the waiter, bus boy and maitre’d but it was a long time ago and I don’ t recall how much we tipped.</p>
<p>It has been a long time but if I remember correctly, my cruise line (RC) passed out envelopes with guidelines on how much to tip the housekeepers towards the end of the trip. You can give a little extra if you want. I think the same goes for the wait staffs that were assigned to our table. I read on a website before that if you want special favours and treatments by any of the staffs, it is a good idea to start giving extra tips early in the cruise, just a few dollars here and there really get their attention. You don’t have to so it depends on whether you want more from what I think is generally pretty good service already provided.</p>
<p>“It has been a long time but if I remember correctly, my cruise line (RC) passed out envelopes with guidelines on how much to tip the housekeepers towards the end of the trip.”</p>
<p>Oh, those days are long gone. No more tip envelopes, simply a daily charge to your account, which gets billed to your charge card at the end. I think this newer way is simpler, with as you and others mentioned, a small extra for those who may have gone above and beyond, or perhaps if you have special requests.</p>