What is the purpose of giving tips on a cruise?

Question

Ok, I undestand I'm on vacation. But why do I have to give them 75.00 dollars for tips and I already then paid 900.00 dollars for my room. That should already be inculded in my price. I need help because I am getting ready to go on another one.

Answer 1

Well, if you eat at a restaurant while on vacation, you tip the staff. You've already paid for the room?Right. Many people , when they stay in hotels tip the housekeeping staff because of the service they receive, why not on the ship. In the 7 cruises I have taken, not once have I felt that the tip wasn't deserved. You can always choose to not leave a tip, you can adjust the totals at the purser's desk, but many of the people who serve you go out of their ways to make the experience "above and beyond". Only you can answer that. Have fun whatever you choose

Answer 2

It's a tradition of cruising, in the past tips were given to the crew who looked after the well off cruisers for extra or good service. The tradition has carried on, as it has in restaurants and hotels to the present day, except that on cruise ships, the tips that the staff receive supplement their income which can be as little as $100 per week.

As most cruise ships are registered in the Bahamas, Panama etc: there is no minimum wage restriction, which is why most of the waiting staff and the cabin staff are non-American and non-European.

Answer 3

The cruiseline gives them a bed and meals. The tips are basically the only money they earn. Please do not adjust or delete your tips. They may get fired because the cruiseline wants to know what they did (or didn't do) to make the customer do that. It's basically 3 dollars a day for your waiter, assistant waiter and room steward and they really bust their butts trying to do the best job they can.

Answer 4

You can include your tips when you pay on Royal carribean anyway.

Answer 5

It is like being at a restaurant or a hotel.  You are expected to tip the wait staff and the room stewards.  The same applies to cruising.  It gives the staff an extra incentive to work well, as this could increase their tip.

Answer 6

Your tips are automatically included in your Sea Pass or Sail And Sign account, however, you have complete control of adjusting them up or down. Ships are always registered to another country, such as Panama, usually countries without a minimum wage order and the ships employees are paid in accordance with that country. Truth is they don't get paid very well and it is customary to tip the ship staff. Once you realize how courteous and helpful they are, you'll most likely not mind tipping them.

Answer 7

You do not have to give a tip at all if you don't want to, and you also do not have to give what they suggest.  You give tips based on how you feel the service was (and what you paid remember has to be divided bt your food, cleaning, stay, and all other amenities so your servers and cleaning person does not get a tip from what you pay).  My family felt the same way after our first cruise so we asked why it wasn't included and we were told it was because their salaries are not very high especially since the crew comes from all over the world there is no set wage, so their wages are generally low.

I travel with a large family (15 people) and we actually normally give a tip greater then what is suggested, but only if we receive outstanding service.  One year my aunt did not like the service so she left a very small tip.  So basically how much you do or do not give is up to you, but also remember that if you decide to travel on the same ship if you tip poorly they may remember that.

Answer 8

You are actually paying the "salary" of the staff.  The staff does not make even minimum wage (for the USA) and your tips make up the bulk of their salary.

The staff is encouraged to work very hard to make your cruise enjoyable since they know if they do not please the customers, their tips may be smaller than expected.

Some of the cruiselines add in tips automatically to your on-board account but I do not like that at all.  It gives no incentive for great service.

I sail only with Celebrity and you give your tips to the staff yourself.  If one of them has given super good service, they get a better tip.

Answer 9

Same concept as tipping a waiter or waitress at a restaurant.  

Even though you paid the establishment for a good meal, you are extending a thanks for good service to the wait person.

In 19 years of cruising, I have only chosen to skip extending a tip t one really bad cabin steward.

The charge I am upset about is the new fuel surcharge.  We booked our cruise several months ago and then we got a rude call from our vacation planner stating we had to pay the fuel surcharge immediately or they would cancel our booking.