To tip or not to tip? Whether you’re a seasoned cruiser or only have one or two cruises under your belt, you’ve likely asked this question at some point during your sailing.
The cruise lines have taken some of the uncertainty out of this equation with the introduction of automatic gratuities. Most of the bigger cruise lines add a daily gratuity to your fare, ranging from $16 to $25 per passenger per day, which you can pay ahead of time or once you’re on the ship. These tips go to the staff members who provide guest-facing services during the cruise (room stewards, dining staff, bartenders, etc.), as well as crew you might not see (such as kitchen and laundry staff).
But these automatic gratuities do not cover every crew member or travel service provider you’ll encounter throughout your cruise vacation. Plus, some passengers find that certain services warrant an additional tip beyond what’s expected.
Who do you need to tip (or tip extra) in cash on your next cruise? Here are the seven people I say you should always tip on your cruise vacation.
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Porters
Have small bills ready if you plan to drop off your larger pieces of luggage by the terminal curb when you arrive at the port for embarkation. Luggage porters will be on hand to collect your bags and get them to the ship, and they will expect compensation. The amount you tip is up to you, but around $1 or $2 per bag should suffice.
Bartenders
This might be a divisive one, especially since “when imbibing” is among the 10 times we suggest you do not need to tip on a cruise. But hear me out.
Yes, cruise lines usually add gratuities to your drink order at a bar, lounge or restaurant, and gratuities are baked into the cost of all-inclusive drink packages. However, some passengers like to give bartenders a little more — and I’m one of them.
We almost always purchase a drink package (no judgment, please) but add an extra dollar to each drink we order. If we don’t purchase the drink package, we still tip extra for each drink. Maybe it’s because my husband and I have both worked in the food and beverage industry and know how challenging it can be, but it’s pretty much our standard practice on every cruise.
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If you have a favorite watering hole, you can also give your bartender a larger extra tip at the start of the sailing, which might level up the personalized attention you receive. I’ve also seen passengers present a tip envelope to bartenders on the last night of the cruise to thank them for their service.
Tour guides
Whether you’ve booked an excursion through the ship or arranged an independent tour, you should tip your tour guides and bus drivers. The amount is up to you, but around $3 (per person) for a half-day tour and $6 (per person) for a full-day tour for the guide is a good rule of thumb. Consider giving the bus driver a $1 to $2 tip.
Room service waitstaff
If you order a meal or snack to your cabin, consider tipping the waitstaff who delivered it a couple of dollars (per person). Special requests like setting up a (battery-operated) candlelit meal on your balcony might warrant a larger thank-you tip.
Related: Cruise ship room service: A line-by-line guide to in-cabin dining
Cabin steward
Your cabin steward takes a cut of the per-day, per-person service charges that are added to your cruise fare. However, I firmly believe you should give your room attendant a little something extra at the end of your sailing.
Why? Your cabin steward is the crew member you will likely encounter most during your cruise and often the person who provides you with the most consistent one-on-one service. On just about every cruise I’ve taken across various lines, our cabin stewards have been friendly, efficient, personable and extremely helpful. They’re far from home and working hard, so a little extra thanks goes a long way.
For me personally, I appreciate the added effort it takes to keep those small cruise cabins orderly and clean. Do you have lots of people in your cabin? Are there children cruising with you who might require more cleaning up after? In those cases, consider offering your cabin attendant a little more for the added work those scenarios require.
Crew members who made an impression
My daughter is vegan, and while many cruise lines have improved plant-based offerings immensely in recent years, that wasn’t always the case. On several cruises with Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean, our main dining room waitstaff went above and beyond to ensure she was well-fed, creating special plant-based dishes just for her. We expressed our thanks with a cash tip.
This is just one example of when you should tip crew members who make an impression during your cruise. Perhaps the cruise ship photographer managed to entertain your fussy toddler long enough to get your family’s best vacation photo to date. Or maybe the ship magician won over your kids to the point that they’ve asked for a magic kit for their next birthday. If a crew member went out of their way to make your cruise memorable, consider showing your appreciation monetarily.
Hotel cleaning staff
Planning to stay at a hotel before or after your cruise? Please leave a small tip for housekeeping (about $3 per night). Additionally, tip the bellhop or hotel staff member who assists with transporting your luggage to or from your hotel room. A standard tip is roughly $1 per bag.
Should I tip extra on a cruise?
Tipping above added gratuities is a personal choice. However, keep in mind that staff members work extremely hard to help ensure you have a memorable cruise vacation. They have long contracts that require seven- to 10-month stints on board and often work 12-14 hours a day.
If you encountered staff members who went above and beyond to make your cruise experience truly special, I recommend giving a little extra to thank them for their exceptional service.
Make sure to bring small denomination bills if you think you might dole out tips during your cruise. Don’t worry if you boarded the ship without them, though. You can get change for larger bills at the guest services desk.
If you choose not to tip above the included service charge, make sure to complete the post-cruise survey your cruise line provides and call out crew members who left an impression on you. I’ve heard countless times from cruise employees how important positive feedback about their performance is to their compensation and bonuses.
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