Tips on Cruise Vacations -How much?

[cloudninecat]

I'm getting ready to go get cash money from the bank for our tipping during the trip and am trying to make sure I remember everyone and I tip enough. I only am worried about those that I need cash for. I can tip on my card for dinner waiters and of course I leave the tips on for the staff on the cruise. Here is my list:

 

Bellhops

Valets

Porters

Excursion Guides

Room Service

 

So am I forgetting anyone?

 

Also, how much does everyone generally tip each one? We want to make sure we are good tippers and no one feels like they are getting stiffed.

 

I ask because the first cruise we were on we ended up tipping a bus driver for a tour bus $20 because that's all we had was a $20 bill and we were embarrassed to ask for change. He was delighted of course. My second cruise I didn't bring enough money and I felt awful.

 

So I'm trying to make sure I have more then enough cash in the right denominations to cover everyone but I don't like carrying around wads of cash either. We'll be a party of 6 this time and I'm basically the one in charge of taking care of all the tipping.

[crusinpsychRN]

$2 a bag for porters, $2 for room service. Waiters are in the general tip you pay, feel free to tip more in cash.

[bnorris10]

Bellhops - if your talking about at a hotel maybe $5

 

 

Valets - $5

 

Porters - Depends on how much luggage and how far they are porting you - If they are simply taking me out the door I might tip $1 per bag - If they are taking me to my vehicle and loading my bags up I tip $20

 

Excursion Guides - I usually do $5 per person so since there is 4 of us I usually do $20

 

Room Service - $1-$2 for drop off

 

 

I usually also bring a few extra $20's - So when I find people we connect with at the end of the trip I will tip them $20 usually ends up being the piano bar singer, a bar tender from red frog, - and i also give $10 at the end of the week to the lady who makes my milk shake every day (I go at the same time each day so I end up with same maker

[cloudninecat]

Bellhops - if your talking about at a hotel maybe $5

 

 

Valets - $5

 

Porters - Depends on how much luggage and how far they are porting you - If they are simply taking me out the door I might tip $1 per bag - If they are taking me to my vehicle and loading my bags up I tip $20

 

Excursion Guides - I usually do $5 per person so since there is 4 of us I usually do $20

 

Room Service - $1-$2 for drop off

 

 

I usually also bring a few extra $20's - So when I find people we connect with at the end of the trip I will tip them $20 usually ends up being the piano bar singer, a bar tender from red frog, - and i also give $10 at the end of the week to the lady who makes my milk shake every day (I go at the same time each day so I end up with same maker

 

Thanks that's pretty much what I was looking for. Just an idea what are appropriate tips without breaking the bank and making sure I thought of everyone. Hadn't considered the tender boat drivers. We'll have one tender on the trip to Half Moon Cay. I thought those were covered by Carnival. Am I wrong?

[bnorris10]

Thanks that's pretty much what I was looking for. Just an idea what are appropriate tips without breaking the bank and making sure I thought of everyone. Hadn't considered the tender boat drivers. We'll have one tender on the trip to Half Moon Cay. I thought those were covered by Carnival. Am I wrong?

 

Some people tip them - On our last cruise we did only because they helped my daughter with her wheel chair but if they are not doing anything extra for me I don't tip them

[georgiacat]

We have never tipped the tender people. We usually do 10% of the price of the tour for the tour guide if they do a good job. We have been known not to tip. And 5% for the driver.

[13cheermom]

I think most importantly is to tip based on your actual service. We also take a set amount for all the above people, but wait until after the excursion or experience to decide what we felt their service was worth. I too don't go along with tipping everyone in site, if they earn it then yes by all means tip. The excursion tipping has gotten way out of hand, we use to feel awkward when others were tipping and we didn't, however now it doesn't bother me. You pay for the excursion and part of that money is paying these particular people (driver, guides, tender, etc.) so unless they provide some extra great experience we leave it at that. Just like room steward we always take a certain amount to tip extra cash at end of cruise, but we have adjusted that based on our week long experience and service. We try to take a variety of smaller bills ($1, $5, $10) so that we can always have change for any situation.

[ray98]

I always carry $50 in ones.....never needed more.

[cloudninecat]

I think most importantly is to tip based on your actual service. We also take a set amount for all the above people, but wait until after the excursion or experience to decide what we felt their service was worth. I too don't go along with tipping everyone in site, if they earn it then yes by all means tip. The excursion tipping has gotten way out of hand, we use to feel awkward when others were tipping and we didn't, however now it doesn't bother me. You pay for the excursion and part of that money is paying these particular people (driver, guides, tender, etc.) so unless they provide some extra great experience we leave it at that. Just like room steward we always take a certain amount to tip extra cash at end of cruise, but we have adjusted that based on our week long experience and service. We try to take a variety of smaller bills ($1, $5, $10) so that we can always have change for any situation.

That's a good point. I didn't know what to expect our first cruise. I had read tips were included so we mainly took cash for our use on the port stops because we didn't like the thought of using a credit card in a foreign country. I ended up using every penny of that for tips and my husband kept saying, "I thought you said tips were included." We booked the excursions through Carnival so we weren't expecting all the begging for tips that went on.

[LabRat33470]

Once in Cozamel we were dead tired and used one of the local 'bicycle surries' (or whatever they are called) to get a ride from pier start to the ship gangplank. Didn't see it on your list.

 

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[cloudninecat]

Once in Cozamel we were dead tired and used one of the local 'bicycle surries' (or whatever they are called) to get a ride from pier start to the ship gangplank. Didn't see it on your list.

 

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I'll plan on bringing extra for incidentals, but we usually walk. Thanks.

[jdemps]

We always tip $1 on our bar drinks even with Cheers so we end up adding another $100 or so the credit card on file and then take another $100 to tip taxi drivers, porters, etc. I get 1s, 5s & 10s from the bank before we go and put the majority of that in the safe and only take out what I think I need for each days tips in the ports.

 

You will have all of the people running excursions talking about tips all day so be prepared for that and give what you want.

 

have fun!

[hrwi]

I'm 100 days from sailing (woohoo) and about a week ago, I started putting aside whatever ones I had at the end of the day. I think I have like $14 right now but hoping I have bunches by the time we go!

 

Your story of the $20 bus driver tip is making me think it's a good plan!

[cloudninecat]

We always tip $1 on our bar drinks even with Cheers so we end up adding another $100 or so the credit card on file and then take another $100 to tip taxi drivers, porters, etc. I get 1s, 5s & 10s from the bank before we go and put the majority of that in the safe and only take out what I think I need for each days tips in the ports.

 

You will have all of the people running excursions talking about tips all day so be prepared for that and give what you want.

 

have fun!

We don't drink that much but I add and extra tip on the bill when I plan on having more than one and I want them to come back to check on me, and I give extra to the coffee bar staff too. They have always been so bright and cheerful and I always appreciate starting my day with a smile. It makes the whole day go better.

 

 

I'll certainly have fun. I think I could have had fun even on the poop cruise, that's how much I love cruising. :hearteyes:

[cloudninecat]

I'm 100 days from sailing (woohoo) and about a week ago, I started putting aside whatever ones I had at the end of the day. I think I have like $14 right now but hoping I have bunches by the time we go!

 

Your story of the $20 bus driver tip is making me think it's a good plan!

That sounds like a great plan. You are going to Cuba! I so want to go there. You'll have to be sure and savor every moment so you can come back and tell us all about it. Will this be your first cruise?

[Steelers0854]

We typically give our cabin steward and our dining staff (when we do traditional seatings) an extra tip, anywhere from $10-$25 each. We typically get exceptional service and the amount of work these folks do for what they get paid is very disconnected. In 9 cruises we have only had one person we didn't give an extra tip to. And yes, we have always left on the automatic gratuities.

[kappagirl222000]

Can I jump in and ask a follow-up question. We are on our first cruise in 10 days. I read the list on the Carnival website with what is included on the automatic tip list but I was planning on tipping a bit extra. I will preface this by saying while I do not mind tipping extra I am a believer that a tip is earned, not just assumed.

 

I would prefer to tip say my room steward on the last day for the overall service instead of each day. I was thinking of leavening it in an envelope or handing them an envelope at the end of the trip. Is this going to be ok or do I need to do it everyday.

 

I know for like the wait staff I should probably do each day since I don't know that I will have the same one each night, or do we?

 

 

Thanks =)

[cloudninecat]

Can I jump in and ask a follow-up question. We are on our first cruise in 10 days. I read the list on the Carnival website with what is included on the automatic tip list but I was planning on tipping a bit extra. I will preface this by saying while I do not mind tipping extra I am a believer that a tip is earned, not just assumed.

 

I would prefer to tip say my room steward on the last day for the overall service instead of each day. I was thinking of leavening it in an envelope or handing them an envelope at the end of the trip. Is this going to be ok or do I need to do it everyday.

 

I know for like the wait staff I should probably do each day since I don't know that I will have the same one each night, or do we?

 

Thanks =)

If you have assigned dining you should have the same staff every night, if you have anytime dining it will be a different staff every night. As far as tipping at the end, many do just that.

[hrwi]

That sounds like a great plan. You are going to Cuba! I so want to go there. You'll have to be sure and savor every moment so you can come back and tell us all about it. Will this be your first cruise?

 

It is my first! I'm just so excited I can't stand it. I'll be bringing my three kids so there's a decent amount of planning involved. Maybe I *do* need a drinks package. ;)

[cloudninecat]

It is my first! I'm just so excited I can't stand it. I'll be bringing my three kids so there's a decent amount of planning involved. Maybe I *do* need a drinks package. ;)

I cruised for the first time December 2016. This one coming up will be my 4th but the first one with all my kids. Fortunately mine are grown or nearly there. Be careful, it's addicting. ;p My next one is coming up this coming Sunday and I'm jumping at the bit raring to go. It will be the last for awhile as we need to build our travel funds back up. If you haven't heard already bring a extension cord (without a surge protector) as they only have one plug in the whole cabin. Have fun and take lots of pictures. That's the next one I want to take if they don't close it up again.

 

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[Schoifmom]

So I'm trying to make sure I have more then enough cash in the right denominations to cover everyone but I don't like carrying around wads of cash either. We'll be a party of 6 this time and I'm basically the one in charge of taking care of all the tipping.

 

No need to carry around wads of cash. You can break larger bills into smaller ones at Guest Services and the kiosks. You can also withdraw cash from your S&S at the same locations, so if you don't bring enough, you can get more.

[cloudninecat]

No need to carry around wads of cash. You can break larger bills into smaller ones at Guest Services and the kiosks. You can also withdraw cash from your S&S at the same locations, so if you don't bring enough, you can get more.

I was on land when I ran out of money so guest services wouldn't have helped in that situation, but thanks for the tip. I didn't know you could withdraw cash on your S&S cards. I ended up paying some crazy fee for doing it on one of those ATM's.

[khewston]

One of the first thing I do for getting ready for my cruise is to go to the bank and get small bills for tipping. You never know who you may decide to tip extra. When I worked, I was a server and we depended on our tips so I know how important it is.

 

This is how we tipped on our last cruise...

Pre-cruise:

bellhop $20

Hotel housekeeping $20 per day.

Taxi around $10

dinning out 25% of bill...of course this is depending on service

 

On the ship:

We prepaid all our gratuities when we pay our cruise in full

Extras we given to the following people

Room steward $100

Dinning staff $30 ( not the best service here)

Steakhouse $30

Bartender a tip is automatically add plus we tip and extra $2-$3

Dinning room for breakfast or brunch per day $5

Room service $3-$6

 

Ports:

This really depends on tours. I have seen people not tip at all and it really bothers me.

[easyboy]

I bring $150 in cash as budget and have it changed onboard in $5s and $1s, more on single. I don't however force myself to give all when not necessary.

 

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