Cruise Line Gratuities: Where Do Your Tips Really Go?
Understanding How Cruise Companies Allocate Passenger Gratuities
We know that at Senior Travel, we might disturb our cruise line vendor family, but we feel it is important to give you important information that reflects our passion for traveling on cruise ships and with tour operators.
When passengers set sail on a cruise, they often leave gratuities to show appreciation for the crew’s hard work and hospitality. However, few realize that these tips don’t always go directly into the pockets of the staff members who provide service (cabin stewards, waiter staff, etc.). In fact, on most cruise lines, gratuities are pooled and distributed among various crew roles all over the ship or land operator rather than being handed straight to individuals who made your trip wonderful!
Some of you might remember in the past when taking a cruise, you were handed envelopes from the cabin steward, the assistant cabin steward, the head waiter, the assistant waiter, and possibly the Maître D’ in the restaurant. That was it. You put cash in the envelope, and in person, you gave each cruise member the envelope with a hearty “thank you.”
Not so anymore. The cruise line has now enacted a daily charge on your cruise account for the gratuities of between $16-$22 per person per day.
According to industry practices, a portion of the gratuity is used to supplement the actual pay of all of the crew, not just the staff that work for you personally. This means that your daily charge contributes to the overall compensation package rather than serving only as a bonus.
In some cases, cruise companies retain a share of the gratuities to cover administrative expenses or balance pay structures across all departments. While this system helps ensure that all staff receive fair compensation, it also means guests’ generosity is shared among many employees, not just those they interact with directly.
As one of the top travel advisors in the US, I do not think that you and I should have to pay salaries for taking a cruise. This is an expense borne by the cruise line, not us. All the staff who have jackets have a nice salary. The staff in the engine room have a nice salary. The staff at all the shops get a nice salary. The Cruise Director gets a great salary. We should not have our gratuities go to pay these specific valuable staff members.
The distribution and use of gratuities can vary depending on each cruise line’s policies. However, I have found if one company does it, they all do it. They all mirror each other’s salary programs to stay competitive.
At Senior Travel- The Travel Center- Corporate Travel, the leading agencies in Brevard County and Florida, here is what we recommend and why:
- On the second day of the cruise, when the line at the service desk is low, go and ask them to remove your gratuities from your on-board account.
- Ask the service desk for 5-6 envelopes
- Your normal gratuities, as an example, that would have been charged ($16 per day per person) would have been $224 on a 7-day cruise
- In the envelope for your cabin steward, give him $50. The assistant cabin steward should get $30.
The head waiter should get $50; the assistant waiter should get $30. - Before you cruise, go to your bank and get $50 in $2 bills. That is the tip that you give your bartender or bar personnel who delivers your drinks. Tip $2 each time they give you service. The bar staff loves $2 bills!
When following this policy, the hard-working staff that interfaces with you will get their guaranteed salary and the money that you give them directly; they can keep and send home to their families or use to buy clothes and accessories that they cannot get on the ship.
Please remember that if you have any questions regarding traveling the world or just want any information, reach out to us at 818-430-1480.