Gratuities- Are they your bug bare!

Gratuities has always been a talking point when people are looking to book a cruise. Should they be added automatically or should people have the choice to tip whom they like? Celebrity have announced that all sailings from 1st July this year will have they increased gratuity charge of $13.50 per day, per guest in Standard staterooms $14.00 per day, per guest in Concierge Class & Aqua Class staterooms $17.00 per day, per guest in Suite Class. The current rate is $12.95 per day, per guest in Standard staterooms $13.45 per day, per guest in Concierge Class & AquaClass staterooms $16.45 per day, per guest in Suite Class.

I personally don’t think they should be added automatically, I think it should be up to an individual to be able to choose who they tip, and how much they tip. Although you can ask for these to be removed  it isn’t always taken favourably by the cruise line . If you prepay your tips before you cruise with NCL, for instance, they make it very difficult to remove them once you are on-board. A form needs to be filled in at the end of the cruise and then the money isn’t refunded until you get home. Even if passengers  don’t pre pay tips they will automatically be added to your account once you are on-board anyway,so you still have the hassle of queuing up to get them removed.

The amount that the cruise lines charge can vary quite a lot too with P&O, Fred Olsen and Cruise and Maritime probably having one of the lowest amounts of between £5.00-£5.95 per person per day.I think that Thomson cruises  have the right idea with including them  in the price, and then passengers don’t have to worry about it once on-board and don’t actually see it as a cost as its all in the price.

What are your thoughts, to add on and pay or not to pay? That is the question!