From fresh towels and clean cabins to food preparation and entertainment, the ship crew does many things to ensure you have the perfect cruise holiday and enjoy your trip to the fullest. So isn’t it only fair that we reward these tremendous efforts with a tip? You might ask yourself questions such as, ‘How do we go about the process of tipping?’ and ‘How much exactly should we tip?’. Here we answer the most important questions about tipping and service fees on some of the most popular cruise companies to date.
BIG DIFFERENCES BETWEEN COMPANIES
Each cruise company has their own approach towards tipping. With the Azamara, APT and Scenic Cruise Lines for example, the tipping is already included in the overall travel price and therefore requires no further thought while onboard. However, with Royal Caribbean, Cunard and MSC there is a different approach to tipping. In these cases, a daily fixed amount is automatically added to your onboard account, which is to be paid before the end of your cruise (should you feel the service was not of a satisfactory standard, you can change this rate as you feel necessary). Other companies such as P&O Australia, Seabourn and Viking give you the option of whether you want to tip, and how much if you choose to do so (some giving you a suggested rate which you can use to help you make your decision).
TIPPING OPTION OVERVIEW
At first glance, this may all seem a little confusing and that is why we have summarised the various tipping schemes for you in an easy-to-follow graph. This graph should assist you in obtaining a general overview of how the different cruise companies approach the subject of tipping. You can see how many cruise companies leave the tipping at your discretion, how much is the normal amount to tip for each cruise line and also what service charges you should expect and on which ships.
In this table further below you can specifically search for the cruise line in which you aim to cruise with as well as its tipping policies and rates.
CRUISE COMPANY TIPPING INDICATIONS
This table shows you the rate of tipping for many major cruise companies such as Costa, Princess and Holland America Line. We have the shipping companies in alphabetical order, and they are listed with details of daily gratuity amounts, requirements and also which companies have implemented a percentage orientated service charge. If a range of prices is specified, then the tip varies mostly depending on the category of cabin which is booked.
| Cruise company name | Optional/Included in price/Compulsory | How much per person per day in AU$ | Service charges | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beverages | Food | Wellness | |||||||||
| American Cruise Lines | Optional | $23 | |||||||||
| APT | Included | ||||||||||
| Avalon Waterways | Included | ||||||||||
| Azamara | Included | 18% | |||||||||
| Carnival | Optional | $15-19 | 15% | ||||||||
| Celebrity | Optional | $16 - 23 | 18% | 18% | |||||||
| Croisi Europe | Optional | $7 - 15 | |||||||||
| Cruise and Maritime Voyages | Optional | $7-9 | |||||||||
| Cunard | Optional | $15 - 18 | 15% | ||||||||
| Fred Olsen Cruise Lines | Optional | $7 over 12 year old | |||||||||
| Holland America Line | Optional | $17 | 15% | ||||||||
| MSC | Optional | $10 - 17 $5-9 (kids) | 15% | ||||||||
| NCL | Optional | $10 - 21 | 18% | 18% | 18% | ||||||
| Oceania | Optional | $20 -29 | |||||||||
| P&O Australia | Optional | ||||||||||
| P&O International | Optional | $10 | |||||||||
| Pandaw Cruises | Included | ||||||||||
| Paul Gauguin | Included | ||||||||||
| Princess | Optional | $17 - 19 | 15% | 15% | |||||||
| Regent Seven Seas | Included | ||||||||||
| Royal Caribbean | Optional | $18 - 22 | 18% | 18% | |||||||
| Scenic | Included | ||||||||||
| Sea Cloud | Optional | $21 | |||||||||
| Seabourn | Optional | ||||||||||
| Silversea | Included | not included | |||||||||
| Star Clippers | Optional | $12 | 12.5% Compulsory | ||||||||
| Travelmarvel | Included | ||||||||||
| Un Cruise Adventures | Optional | ||||||||||
| Uniworld | Included | ||||||||||
| Viking | Optional | $25 | |||||||||
| Voyages of Antiquity | Included | 12.5% compulsory | |||||||||
| Windstar Cruises | Optional | $16 |
Is a cruise company missing from this list? Then please call free now at 1800 884 022 and ask one of our cruise experts!
FINAL TIPS ON TIPS:
If you come across this icon on our website, you know it is related to the tipping on the cruise. This symbol means that tipping is already included in the overall price of the trip.
Of course however, should you receive exceptionally good service in which you feel needs to be rewarded further, you may tip extra as you please. Your table waiter or steward will certainly be grateful for such kind gestures.
Note: as of September 2016 without notice
