The COST Series: Cruise Ship TIPPING | Who to tip on a cruise and how much | Royal Caribbean Tipping

Cruise ship tipping explained! A detailed guide to who and how much to tip on a Royal Caribbean ship!

"How much should I tip on a cruise??" is a question on everyone's mind! There is not a right or wrong answer to cruise tipping etiquette but most people want to ensure their tips are in alignment with what other cruise guest are tipping!

Let me pull the curtains back, be venerable, and tell you exactly which cruise ship staff I tip and how much I tip! I calculated 17 different cruise staff you will interact to tip while on a cruise including porters, bartenders, servers, cabana and stateroom attendants.

This video will quickly address the automatic Royal Caribbean gratuities. Cruise ship gratuities is different for every line, so ensure you know how cruise gratuities work for the line you are sailing.

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[shellymccloud]

This is REALLY helpful, first time cruiser coming up in August!! Excited, nervous, never ending list of questions! I paid $73 in gratuity upon booking my cruise, I do still wanna leave a few dollars here and there and I’m really happy to hear it doesn’t have to be $20 for every tip I leave! So many people get hung up on the percentage of a tip, and while I wanna be fair, I know I’d rather leave SOME tip than NO tip! I appreciate your help!

[egreg]

Very very good information! We tip more than the normal and i truly feel we
get better service - seems to also work on land tours too! We are blessed to be on a vacation while these people don't see their family for months- and work all the time.

[l.a.rivasesq.]

I tip similarly to you. Even though tipping practices vary on cruises, I feel better that someone else has a similar tipping technique!

[Fishyneil]

Mentioning people's name is HUGE on a review. I have been promoted because of this. (I'm a land based tour guide)

[carlosdesousa]

Great Video One of the most helpful out there on tipping. I used to tip the state room attendant the first time I meet them never worked well, always tipped them extra on the last day seemed to be more appreciative then. Bring lots of ones and fives so you don't even notice it but everyone is so appreciative of the tips. Most deserve it. Great way to show how well performers did it to leave comment after shows comment cards mean more than you realize I always keep a list of names, I keep on my phone so I can call them out when I fill out comment cards.

[bettyditillo]

I always acknowledge crew members by name with personalized comments in the surveys. I take their pictures with their name tags that shows their name and title, then make a list from the pictures before I start the survey. I then have nice photos of them. They always smile so nicely when having their picture taken. I also verbally praise them to their supervisors and have even emailed Michael Bayley highlighting a crew member’s fine work.

[stephaniecornwell]

I always remove the mandatory/automatic gratuity charges on day one and then tip myself. I tip way more than that set amount, I just don’t agree with how most cruise lines split tips. The last night, I go and get cash to cover the list I’ve amassed over my trip. I let the great people know that that’s how I do it and those people seem to know they should pay attention. It results in better service which is a sad reflection of the reality of the tipping situation. I love thanking them the last night, expressing that their kindness and dedication matters to people.

[pamelanevin]

Some good ideas. We always tip above the automatic Gratuities. I hadn't thought about a few of these but most line up. People should always reward all the incredible service. It makes the trip so special. 😊

[creationsbymanny]

I tip with two dollar bills when I cruise. I buy them in bulk from my credit union. People love it & remember you when you tip using a rarely used currency 💴.

[susantownsend]

On a recent cruise I tipped a bartender an extra $20 on a $15 tab. I’m not a big drinker, seldom have more than 2 or 3 drinks on a 6 night cruise. The lounge was not busy and he spent a long time answering some questions about the brands they used and poured me a sample of something I had never heard of. I counted it as “entertainment” and felt like the time he spent with me was worth that much. It would have cost a good bit more to go to a tasting.

[reaper]

We got off the NCL Joy almost 2 weeks ago & yes, kept the auto tips where they lay… Added extra to the room steward & extra to the Spa Masseuse! Used that service Twice! It was too Nice! I was almost floating off the ship! 😊

[jonandkellyaleman]

Yes to all of the above but we also have kids so we tip Adventure Ocean staff too! They are so incredible with kids. Especially when my kids are younger and extra fussy, they really deserve the tips!!

Casino staff is another one I tip when playing.

Great video!

[justjudycrafting]

I always tip my important people to me. It’s my time to look them in the eye and say what a wonderful job they did for me personally. Just handing them an envelope isn’t enough. But I am a touchy feely so of call. I have had some amazing service and I want them to know that.

[blurayauthority]

Was on a cruise a few weeks ago and my wife and I tipped the room steward, the bartenders at the Schooner Bar and our two waiters at the dining room (we had the same seat, staff every night who went out of their way to accommodate my wife's dietary restrictions. Wife might have tipped the casino cocktail waitress as well, but for me those were the ones that stood out.

[derekfinnegan]

I’m home in Ireland a few weeks now, after being on a Caribbean cruise out of Miami. Your right Brandon, we have a completely different view of tipping, I was actually nervous about it.
But, I’m pleased to say, I pretty much did all the tips as you described. I’m must have acclimatised very quickly!

[Khrys]

Hi, Brandon. 🙂 I really appreciate your whole approach to tipping and thank you for sharing your insight. The way in which you go about tipping might not be shared by everyone and that's ok. My biggest takeaway is the fact that vacations are not taken for you to come home broke. You did not convey that in this video, but how you carefully tip others helps to ensure that. Thank you! 😊

[garym.freedman]

I have only cruised on Virgin-I like the NO KIDS and all-inclusive pricing. I still give nice extra tips at the end of my trips to my Suite Concierge and Housekeeping Manager-They take great care of me.

[pierrethegod]

I think tipping is very important for front line staff like waiters, bartenders, etc. anyone who is giving you a great experience and face to face interactions should be motivated by tips. This will ensure that their performance is directly related to potential compensation. It also increases the desire of those positions. Nevertheless, all staff should be given a living wage at base. There is absolutely no reason someone should be working and not able to provide for their families back home. Them being there is a sacrifice enough. Personally I believe Carnival Cruise has the best staff in the industry. Out of all the cruise lines that I’ve been fortunate to travel on, I have actually learned the names of my carnival peeps.

[KayakTN]

Outside of the automatic gratuity, I tipped my bartender and stateroom attendant.

[ernestwinata]

The crew has gone thru so much these past 2 years.
Hope it's smooth sailing for them moving onward🛳🛳🛳