One of the most important questions I get when arranging holidays is whether they should leave a tip, if so, to who? How much? Should I prepay?
Well I’m going to explain the two different ways you can go about paying tips, if you want to pay tips at all that is!
Option 1: Pre-pay
Some cruise lines such as Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean International and Norwegian Cruise Line will let you add the cost of your tips in with the cost of the cruise holiday. If you would like to keep on board costs down then this may be a viable option for you, the only thing to keep in mind is that the gratuities you prepay will go into a big pot and is shared out between all of the crew, some that may not even serve you! This would again be a good option as it is another thing less to worry about so you are safe in the knowledge that you do not need to tip anyone on board.
Option 2: Remove them from your on board account and pay to whoever serves you directly
Other cruise lines such as P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, and Cunard Line add on the gratuities when you board the ship to your on board account, it is very simple to speak to guest relations and have them removed stating that you will pay them at your own discretion. Once this is done you are able to tip your cabin steward, your waiter, and any other crew member that you feel have gone the extra mile and deserve it.
So personally I would recommend going for option 2, this is what I have done on every cruise I’ve been on, and will continue to do so.
For a typical 7 night cruise I would pay the following crew the following:
Cabin Steward $20-$40
Waiter $10-$30
Bar tender (if served more than once) $5-$20
Room service $1 every time
So how do you do it? do you prepay, remove them, or don’t pay at all? As always let me know below.
Happy Cruising
Ed x