First of all, a gratuity or tip is an extra monetary amount paid to anyone who provides a service, such as a waiter, porter, or barber. We all tip everyday, knowing that often the tip constitutes a good portion of the individuals pay. On a cruise ship, you will be served and served well by a number of staff-the waiters in the dining room, your cabin steward, a virtual army of folks there to keep you happy, healthy, and having the time of your life. Notice I used the term "served well". I can do that with confidence since the service on a cruise ship is second to none. Now let's talk a moment about how to reward these service providers; or as I call it Tips for Tipping.
Every cruise line I have worked with or traveled with handles the idea of tipping just a bit differently. One added the gratuities to our cabin account which was taken from our credit card automatically. Another line offers envelopes for cash tips in your room so you can hand the waiter or steward their tip yourself. Another had a box at guest services that you placed either a voucher allowing them to take the tips from your credit card or to place cash tips in. You can also give additional tips for excellent service received to an individual server. Confused yet?
The actual amount of tips can vary from line to line as well. The average right now seems to be approximately $10 per person per day. The ship divides this $10 into portions for your waiter, steward, and other service providers. So a 7 day cruise would cost you $70 in tips and gratuities per person.
Now, finally, we get to the question: what are prepaid gratuities and how does this help me? When I price a trip for a client or myself, I like to choose to prepay gratuities. Simply put it means paying your tips ahead as part of your initial deposit or final payment. Doing this does a couple of things I like. First of all it frees you from having to have cash on board. After all, one of the great things about cruising is the ability to put everything on your ship account, no worries about having to carry cash. One less thing to worry about, besides your bathing suit has no pockets right? Secondly, if you are prepaying, it's one less expense you need to worry about after your cruise. Booking early and prepaying as much as possible will give you a much smaller bill to deal with when you return home refreshed and ready to book your next cruise.
Until next time, keep those questions coming. If you need further info, feel free to email me.
the diva cruiser, is in reality, Sandy Wheeler. You may reach her at 252-339-9614 or visit www.ChicksatSea.com
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