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What can you tell a newbie about gratuities?


Valentina84
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My first cruise form marseille is coming up on Sunday! I am SOOOO EXCITED. I don’t know anything about gratuities. Do I tip along the way? Is there one lump some that is mandatory at the end of the cruise that I need to pay before disembarkation?

 

Sorry I’m sure this has been asked before!

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You don't mention which cruise line and it can vary, but most cruise lines have two options now - prepaid gratuities typically with final payment, or automatically charged daily to your stateroom account. Some will allow you to opt out of the automatic payment with a request through Guest Services to then be paid in cash by the end of the cruise. As you are leaving this weekend an are asking this question, obviously you did not prepay.

 

Each cruise line will have their recommended daily amount to be paid per person in the stateroom. Check the cruise line website or your travel agent if you used one for direction on this.

 

Some cruise lines will also offer paid gratuities as a booking perk.

 

We find the automatic daily payment to be the easiest. You can also add more if desired in cash personally to you stateroom attendant and wait staff.

 

BTW, be prepared for a variety of critical comments by some who may respond to your post as gratuities are a hot button topic on CC.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

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My first cruise form marseille is coming up on Sunday! I am SOOOO EXCITED. I don’t know anything about gratuities. Do I tip along the way? Is there one lump some that is mandatory at the end of the cruise that I need to pay before disembarkation?

 

Sorry I’m sure this has been asked before!

It can be really simple. The tips are normally added to your account daily and it can be paid at the end of the cruise with your credit card that is linked to your cruise account.:D
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The tips you are supposed to pay are now added to your account on a daily basis. No further tipping is required. The added tips go to the cabin attendant, waiters, ass't waiters and head waiters. Those are the folks you tip on a cruise.

 

Bar tabs (or packages) will add the tip to the cost of drink or package....so tips for the bartenders are covered.d

 

Room service is NOT covered, but now most lines charge a "fee" for room service..so a cash tip of $1-5 to the delivery person is appreciated.

 

Any "additional" tips you feel you want to make are traditionally done on the last evening of the cruise.

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Please remember, the room stewards work VERY hard to make your vacation as easy as possible. Please don't remove gratuities and please write a nice letter to the CEO when they do an excellent job.

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My first cruise form marseille is coming up on Sunday! I am SOOOO EXCITED. I don’t know anything about gratuities. Do I tip along the way? Is there one lump some that is mandatory at the end of the cruise that I need to pay before disembarkation?

 

Sorry I’m sure this has been asked before!

 

 

shortest, most concise, most fair answer:

 

pay the amount that is charged daily to your account. if you feel extra is warranted, tip more at the end of the cruise.

 

the fee covers: all your meals in included venues( so MDR, Buffets and snacks throughout the ship that you do not pay extra for,) and the twice daily servicing of your cabin. anything you purchase on board will automatically have 15-18% added and there is no need to tip any more than that 99% of the time.

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It has only been 2 1/4 hours for this thread and they replied within 3.:D

 

Thank you for pointing out champagne123's unreasonable expectations of response time. Not everyone has the luxury to spend all day surfing Cruise Critic in order to be able to respond within minutes to a reply of a request for information. Some of us have obligations that we must attend to, and may not be able to come back for hours, or even the next day.

 

I give at least 24 hours to reply. Seems that for the average person, especially people who work and are raising a family, that might be a reasonable amount of time between sessions on CC.

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Thank you for pointing out champagne123's unreasonable expectations of response time. Not everyone has the luxury to spend all day surfing Cruise Critic in order to be able to respond within minutes to a reply of a request for information. Some of us have obligations that we must attend to, and may not be able to come back for hours, or even the next day.

 

I give at least 24 hours to reply. Seems that for the average person, especially people who work and are raising a family, that might be a reasonable amount of time between sessions on CC.

 

 

Exactly! I’m a full time student, single mother of 3 kids (13, 11, 9) and a I work 60 hour weeks! It’s not easy to find 10 minutes for myself. Let alone respond immediately! Anyway! I’m so happy for this vacation. I think it’s my first real vacation and I’m 34 years old!

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Exactly! I’m a full time student, single mother of 3 kids (13, 11, 9) and a I work 60 hour weeks! It’s not easy to find 10 minutes for myself. Let alone respond immediately! Anyway! I’m so happy for this vacation. I think it’s my first real vacation and I’m 34 years old!

Wow, you did well to respond within the 3 hours then.

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Wow, you did well to respond within the 3 hours then.

I was really only half joking. Looked at her history to find out which cruise line she was sailing to give her a better answer to her question. Noticed that she never replied to any of her other threads she started. That"s all.

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What a can of worms you are opening!

 

Tipping comes down to personal choice. Read the cruiseline's suggestions. Remember they are just that..suggestions and certainly not mandatory.

 

Many will remove the auto grats completely and not tip at all (stiffing the hardworking crew) others will remove auto grats and tip in cash ( which supposedly then has to be handed in to the 'pool'.) Some passengers say there is a list in crew mess listing who has removed auto grats..this may be scaremongering. I don't know!

 

Others will leave auto grats on and leave at that, others will leave auto grats on and tip in cash above that (excess of auto grats does not have to be handed in) Some will tip before sail away..to 'bribe' crew at start..telling them there's more where that came from!

 

I think it's a case of 'when in Rome......' We live in a country where tipping is not so prevalent as in USA, so tipping is always an interesting topic. Many people we have spoken to, in US, from US , certainly tell us they do not tip to the extent we are encouraged to tip. Others SAY they are tipping 20-25% in addition to auto grats. It is a never ending debate. Some will say if you can't afford to tip excessively, you can't afford to cruise!

 

Just go with what YOU feel comfortable with. Your money...your conscience...debating it will make you feel uncomfortable whatever you do!

 

Enjoy your cruise...you deserve it working all those hours and bringing up three children, single handedly.

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What a can of worms you are opening!

 

Tipping comes down to personal choice. Read the cruiseline's suggestions. Remember they are just that..suggestions and certainly not mandatory.

 

Many will remove the auto grats completely and not tip at all (stiffing the hardworking crew) others will remove auto grats and tip in cash ( which supposedly then has to be handed in to the 'pool'.) Some passengers say there is a list in crew mess listing who has removed auto grats..this may be scaremongering. I don't know!

 

Others will leave auto grats on and leave at that, others will leave auto grats on and tip in cash above that (excess of auto grats does not have to be handed in) Some will tip before sail away..to 'bribe' crew at start..telling them there's more where that came from!

 

I think it's a case of 'when in Rome......' We live in a country where tipping is not so prevalent as in USA, so tipping is always an interesting topic. Many people we have spoken to, in US, from US , certainly tell us they do not tip to the extent we are encouraged to tip. Others SAY they are tipping 20-25% in addition to auto grats. It is a never ending debate. Some will say if you can't afford to tip excessively, you can't afford to cruise!

 

Just go with what YOU feel comfortable with. Your money...your conscience...debating it will make you feel uncomfortable whatever you do!

 

Enjoy your cruise...you deserve it working all those hours and bringing up three children, single handedly.

 

You make it much more complicated than it needs to be. A simple rule to follow:

 

Treat the hard working staff well and show them the same respect you would want them to show you. They make your cruise enjoyable. Do what the cruise line requests without complaint and be thankful that you can afford to take your cruise in the first place, because the crew aren't as fortunate as you.

 

Bottom line, do you value the services that they provide more than you value keeping the money for yourself? It's a simple question of how well you treat others.

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