Cash, Tipping and Passports

[Lovincruisin1321]

So, before you read my questions.......I am surprising my hubby with this cruise.  During this fun process, I have realized that he is the money guy right down to the finer details of tipping helpful personnel.  All of a sudden,  I need to know what the appropriate amounts are and to whom?

 

FOR A 7-DAY CARIBBEAN CRUISE

 

How much cash do you initially bring with you at beginning of cruise?

 

How much to tip and who?

- I plan to tip the porter when we arrive at the port.  We will have two large suitcases and a garment bag.

- Do you tip the stateroom attendant if you ask for a bucket of ice, extra pillows, etc?  How much?

Anyone else?  How much?

 

Should I make copies of our passport or if I have a picture of it on my phone, is that enough?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[LHT28]

we tip the port   a couple of $

tip room service delivery person

tip tour guides ..amount  depends on  if bus tour or private tour

We will tip at the end of the cruise  the housekeeper & assistant   but usually the auto tips are enough

 

we are low maintenance 

YMMV

[sparks1093]

12 minutes ago, Lovincruisin1321 said:

So, before you read my questions.......I am surprising my hubby with this cruise.  During this fun process, I have realized that he is the money guy right down to the finer details of tipping helpful personnel.  All of a sudden,  I need to know what the appropriate amounts are and to whom?

 

FOR A 7-DAY CARIBBEAN CRUISE

 

How much cash do you initially bring with you at beginning of cruise?

 

How much to tip and who?

- I plan to tip the porter when we arrive at the port.  We will have two large suitcases and a garment bag.

- Do you tip the stateroom attendant if you ask for a bucket of ice, extra pillows, etc?  How much?

Anyone else?  How much?

 

Should I make copies of our passport or if I have a picture of it on my phone, is that enough?  

 

How much cash we bring depends on what we are planning to do in each port. If we anticipate a lot of use of cash we'll bring a couple hundred or so. We usually tip a couple of bucks a bag to the porter unless he does more than just put the bag on the cart. The steward is covered by the auto tips so how much extra you tip depends on how much you value the steward's efforts to meet your needs. We've usually left $20 (but this can be applied to your onboard account if you go to guest services). If you use room service it might require a tip if they don't add one, each line seems to be different. If we got a continental breakfast tray a couple of bucks up to $5 depending on how much we got. If you are doing shore excursions tipping the tour guide or driver is an option if you feel it is warranted. A picture on your phone accessible on the cloud should be enough.

[ldubs]

I think I'm covering the same ground more or less.  

 

Assuming your cruise line has suggested daily gratuities, then you don't have to tip an additional amount to room or wait staff unless you want to.  Many will give an additional amount, but it is not required.  We usually leave an additional $20 each to the room steward, waiter, and ass't waiter.  

 

Requests for pillows, ice, etc do not require a tip. 

 

Good to tip room service delivery a few bucks.  

 

Port bag handlers -- $2 to $5 per bag.  

 

All purchased onboard are covered in your cruise passcard (they give that to you when you check in at the pier). 

 

We usually tip tour guides anywhere from $10 to $20 from the both of us.  

 

For a seven day cruise, unless you plan on making major cash purchases, I would bring a couple hundred bucks.  Make sure you have some lower denominations in case you do need to tip someone cash or want to buy small ticket items.  

 

Nice surprise you are planning.  Have fun.  

 

 

[mjkacmom]

We usually tip the cabin steward (travel with 5 very messy teens), some bartenders (and drink servers), anyone who delivers something to the cabin (room service, iron..), cab drivers, and porters.

[Grandma Dazzles]

It would be helpful if you indicated which cruise line you are traveling on. Did you prepay your gratuities? Most major lines allow you to prepay or you are billed to your account daily. Do you have a drink package?  Tips are automatically added when you purchase; or if you are paying for your drinks individually a greatuityis automatically added; usually around 18%.  

 

How much cash cash to bring is very personal. Do you plan on doing a lot of shopping; all purchases on board are charged to your cabin.  You will only need cash at your ports of call - again where are you traveling and do you plan on shopping. 

 

You have to present your original passport when you board; not a copy on your phone. Wasn’t sure if that was what you were asking. It’s good to carry another form of photo ID such as a driver’s license so that you don’t have to always take your passport on shore. Again, this depends on the ship and ports of call. 

[First Aider]

You will also need extra money for the casino!!!!!That is if you want to gamble!!!!! If you use the sign & sail card then they charge an extra 3% to the card. I just use cash.

[Lovincruisin1321]

1 hour ago, Grandma Dazzles said:

It would be helpful if you indicated which cruise line you are traveling on. Did you prepay your gratuities? Most major lines allow you to prepay or you are billed to your account daily. Do you have a drink package?  Tips are automatically added when you purchase; or if you are paying for your drinks individually a greatuityis automatically added; usually around 18%.  

 

How much cash cash to bring is very personal. Do you plan on doing a lot of shopping; all purchases on board are charged to your cabin.  You will only need cash at your ports of call - again where are you traveling and do you plan on shopping. 

 

You have to present your original passport when you board; not a copy on your phone. Wasn’t sure if that was what you were asking. It’s good to carry another form of photo ID such as a driver’s license so that you don’t have to always take your passport on shore. Again, this depends on the ship and ports of call. 

 

Holland.

Caribbean itinerary - San Juan, beaches, St. Thomas

I already purchased:

    - OBC to cover gratuities

    - Beverage Cards to cover alcohol & tips

    - 6 nght wine pckg for dinners

    - Booked tour (not ship) in St. Thomas

 

[George C]

16 hours ago, First Aider said:

You will also need extra money for the casino!!!!!That is if you want to gamble!!!!! If you use the sign & sail card then they charge an extra 3% to the card. I just use cash.

On rccl it’s 5 percent I believe

aa far as I know all cruise lines will take out a certain amount for tips per day, many people tip extra, we do , some do not, this is what we tip 

i would tip 5 for 2 bags for porters- porters are not ship employees

we tip room steward 40 or more at end of week depending on service

normally tip a extra dolla for drinks

 

[SRF]

BTW, those porters at the port.  They probably make more than you do.

 

The average longshoreman's pay is right around $100,000 per year.  And the senior ones push $200,000.  And the ones doing the cruise ship gig?  They are senior ones.

[cb at sea]

Baggage handlers, $1-2 per bag.

 

Your cruise will add the appropriate tips to you bill...those tips cover your CABIN ATTENDANT, waiters, ass't waiters and head waiters.  No further tip is expected or required.  Ice, pillows, towels, etc is part of the job that the added tips cover!

 

Bartenders add 18% to each bar tab...and if you've purchased a "package", then 18% is added to the cost of the package as the tip.  No further is expected or required.  If you frequent one particular bartender, you might want to give them a bit extra on the last evening,.  That's when any additional tipping is traditionally done.

[Philob]

3 hours ago, SRF said:

BTW, those porters at the port.  They probably make more than you do.

 

The average longshoreman's pay is right around $100,000 per year.  And the senior ones push $200,000.  And the ones doing the cruise ship gig?  They are senior ones.

And on over-time and holiday pay 

[sparks1093]

4 hours ago, SRF said:

BTW, those porters at the port.  They probably make more than you do.

 

The average longshoreman's pay is right around $100,000 per year.  And the senior ones push $200,000.  And the ones doing the cruise ship gig?  They are senior ones.

So what? If they do something that's worth tipping for then they deserve a tip. If anyone thinks what they do doesn't warrant a tip then they are free to skip it.

[Extra Kim]

If you have a rental car and a free shuttle bus from/to the car rental office, how much do you tip the driver?

[CruiseGal999]

On 12/6/2018 at 11:19 AM, LHT28 said:

we tip the port   a couple of $

tip room service delivery person

tip tour guides ..amount  depends on  if bus tour or private tour

We will tip at the end of the cruise  the housekeeper & assistant   but usually the auto tips are enough

 

we are low maintenance 

YMMV

 

Just making a note that the room service delivery person is NOT the room steward.  I see you have a lot of posts and guess that this isn't your first cruise.  So my comment may be redundant, and sorry if it is. 

[pacruise804]

On 12/8/2018 at 8:12 PM, Extra Kim said:

If you have a rental car and a free shuttle bus from/to the car rental office, how much do you tip the driver?

I would base the tip on a few factors:

-time of travel (only a few minutes, or closer to 30 or even more)

-comfort of travel (when I arrive am I glad someone else drove, or am I just thankful the ride is over)

-driver attitude (who loads the luggage - driver or me?  is the driver pleasant, just present, or bordering on rude?)

 

If the drive was comfortable with a pleasant and helpful driver, I would likely tip $5-10.  If I had to load my own luggage, made to feel car sick (rarely happens to me), or had a generally unpleasant ride (that was within the driver's control) then there would likely be no tip.

 

If other passengers made the trip unpleasant, I would not penalize the driver.

[SRF]

On 12/8/2018 at 5:37 PM, sparks1093 said:

So what? If they do something that's worth tipping for then they deserve a tip. If anyone thinks what they do doesn't warrant a tip then they are free to skip it.

 

Just giving information, so people can be informed.

 

Some people would be upset if they tipped someone that was making more than the tipper.  Most tipped positions are paid assuming that there will be tips.  Longshoremen are not, they are very well paid to do their job.

[SRF]

On 12/8/2018 at 8:12 PM, Extra Kim said:

If you have a rental car and a free shuttle bus from/to the car rental office, how much do you tip the driver?

 

If they handle my bags, I tip them $1 - $2.  If I handle my bags, I say thank you.

[Extra Kim]

pacruise804 and SRF thanks for your input.