How much do you tip for room service on a cruise ship?
Almost all cruises automatically charge you for tips for room service and dining. It runs between $14.00 to $15.00/pp per day. As a courtesy, if you find a good bartender or room service server, tip them 15% of the drink/food cost.
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Room service staff who deliver your meal or snack to your stateroom do not earn a gratuity automatically. It's customary to give them cash between $2-5 when they bring the food.
While meals delivered to your stateroom are free on premium cruise lines, it can get costly on popular cruise lines. Certain food items and when you order them can have a surcharge. My room service breakfast aboard Nieuw Statendam: Smoked Salmon Benedict. No charge for breakfast room service on Holland America.
Food and drinking are usually complimentary on the cruises. You are also allowed to bring your own snack on the cruise so that you can have what you love. A certain time is fixed for every meal - breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can either have it with everybody in the dining room or bring it to your room.
According to American Hotel & Lodging Association, the organization recommends tipping between 15-20% if a service charge isn't already included with the bill.
According to the American Hotel and Lodging Association, you should tip the same for room service as if you were dining in a hotel restaurant. The AHLA's Gratuity Guide recommends a 15 to 20% tip.
Note that the amount should be tabulated for each individual in your party—don't try to tip once per couple or group. So if you're planning to go on a 7-day cruise, expect to give a total of between $112 and $161 per person in gratuities. Don't forget to factor those charges into your overall vacation budget.
Though automated gratuities are the easiest and most common way to tip, some passengers prefer to instead tip their attendants in cash, either in addition to the automated gratuity or in place of it.
As mentioned above, not all members of the ship staff receive a share of the gratuities paid by passengers. Bartenders, main show entertainers and third-party shop employees are some of the more obvious ones, but they're not the only ones.
How much to tip your room steward. The typical amounts tipped to room stewards varies between around $2 and $20 per day, although it will depend on the length of the cruise. Many people prefer to tip extra at the start of their cruise, to ensure they get the best service for the duration of their sailing.
Automatic gratuity charge: $16 to $18.50 per person, per day. Details: Passengers staying in most cabins, including junior suites, pay $16. Passengers in higher-level suites pay $18. Additionally, an 18% gratuity is added to bills at bars, minibars, salons and spas.
How much you tip on cruise excursions is entirely up to you, but a suggested starting price is $3 per person for a half-day tour and $6 per person for a full-day tour for the guide and $1 to $2 for the bus driver. You can, of course, increase that amount based on your experience on the excursion.
Some experts recommend that you bring a total of $150 to $200 USD for tips for a 1-week stay. This equates to around $20 to $25 USD per day for all staff members who might help you throughout the day.
For dining or spa services, it is safe to say that those offering the service expect at least a 20% tip. For valet and room services, leave anywhere from $2-5 (or more, if you're feeling generous). In some cases, tips are not expected by the innkeeper.
Room ServiceThe waiter will set up the meal in your room. When you're finished, call room service to come for the tray or cart, instead of leaving it in the hall. A service charge is added to the bill. If a tip is not included on the bill, the usual amount to leave is 20 percent.
Pro tip: Tip everyone: While most travelers know to tip a bellman or valet, few leave anything for the front-desk agent—despite their enormous power to influence the quality of your stay. “The front desk isn't a tipped position, so when you do tip, it makes them beholden to you,” Tomsky said.
Similarly, if you're on a higher-end ship that lists gratuities as being included in the fare, that means just what it says. You don't have to tip on these cruises because the line is already paying gratuities to the staff on your behalf. Additional cash gifts are not expected.
If you want to manage your budget more effectively, it's a good idea to prepay your gratuities for your Princess cruise. The only time you would be better off waiting is if you want to use any onboard credit towards the gratuity amount.