Are you about to book a cruise and see that option on pre-paying gratuities, but you're at a loss as to if you should, or even why you need to in the first place? I'm breaking down Carnival Cruise Line's gratuity guidelines and procedures so you can be better informed on how, if, or when you should tip while on your Carnival cruise in 2022.
Disclaimer: I am NOT any way affiliated with Carnival Cruise Lines, other than being a VIFP and avid Carnival cruising fan. However, this post does contain other Amazon affiliate links. Any links that are accessed might result in receiving commission, at no cost to you.
Hello again, my lovely cruisers,
I know that when it comes to booking a cruise, whether you're just putting down a deposit or paying in full, there's that little area on your screen that asks if you'd like to add pre-paid gratuities. What exactly are they, you ask, and should you pre-pay? Well, that depends on certain factors and you may not realize that you've already been charged certain gratuities while on the ship. So, I'm going to go through typical service gratuity structures and tipping procedures on the popular, fun, yet economical Carnival Cruise Line (CCL), so you can better understand what's best for you and your dollars while you're getting 'Funderstruck' on vacay.
And with that, let's get into those sometimes perplexing, somewhat sneaky cruise line gratuity practices, and other tipping deets.
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First, What Exactly Are 'Service Gratuities'?
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let me just explain what cruise line service gratuities are. Per Carnival's official website,
"It is customary for our guests to extend gratuities to the shipboard staff in appreciation for their hard work and exceptional service. 100% of your gratuities are distributed to the crew who you interact with, such as your stateroom attendants, dining and culinary services staff, as well as others who work behind the scenes to enhance your overall cruise experience. Applying this charge automatically streamlines the recognition process and ensures our crew will share in your generosity."
Simply put, Carnival feels that since you're cruising with them, then you should tip out of pocket, before you even cruise, to ensure the cruise line staff will receive a few dollars for all their hard work of pampering you. Okay. I do like to be pampered and I've never had any complaints of shipboard staff. But how much goes to whom?
Well, that continues to be a mystery, since how your automatically billed gratuities are dispersed among which crew members is nowhere to be found. At least, I have yet to find anything other than vague information on that topic. If I find any more specifics, I'll be sure to advise you, my cruising fam!
Now let's move on to the bread and butter on how much those gratuities are.
How Much Are The Recommended Gratuities Per Day?
Your cabin type is really what determines which gratuity rate, as per CCL's recommended daily gratuities, which are, as of July 2022:
Standard Staterooms (Interior, Ocean View, Balcony): $14.50 USD per person, per day
Suite Staterooms: $16.50 USD per person, per day
Now, I'm not exactly the best at math, but just for example purposes, if you sail a 5-Day cruise, double occupancy, the gratuities if you stayed in a standard stateroom would be about $145 USD. And if you had the same stats, but chose to stay in a suite, you'd be adding about $165 USD to your cruise vacay. For some people that could be more than the cost of the cruise itself! I know in my case, I've been able to score complimentary cruises, but the gratuities and port fees, you can never escape, it seems.
However, you'll be happy to know that if you are sailing with children under the age of 2 years old, no gratuities will be assessed on them. Whew!
But Should You Pre-pay Or Not?
I honestly think that this is more just a preference, but if you're like me, I like to pay off everything I can before I get on the ship. So, I check that little pre-pay gratuities section when I'm booking on Carnival.com so I can get that paid for, plus it provides how much the total cost of the cruise will be (minus extra added gratuities-but we'll get to those soon). Please note that if you booked with a travel agent, you may need to contact them to add pre-paid gratuities to your booking. These pre-paid gratuities are then reflected in the 'Miscellaneous' or "Optional Charges' section on the booking confirmation, and in the E-Documents you'll receive.
If you need a visual, please see below for an example of what the charges could look like. This was based on a standard balcony room, double occupancy, from when I recently sailed the lovely ship, Carnival Legend, in June of 2022 with my daughter.
However, if you don't currently have the funds, waiting until you're onboard is fine, too. If you opt to do it that way, and don't pre-pay gratuities, the 'recommended, per person, amount' will be posted to your Sail & Sign account on the second to last day of the cruise. So, don't have a heart attack, my dear cruisers, when you see those charges a few days before you disembark.
What Other Gratuities Are Automatic And Don't Require An Extra Tip?
I'm glad you asked, because I know that I'd like to know beforehand exactly how much will be added to my bill if I decide to order a beer, or go to a specialty restaurant while I sail Carnival. Currently, CCL will add the following automatically when you are onboard and order:
Any beverage purchases, and an 18% service charge will be added to the bill. This includes the Bubbles and Cheers drink packages.
An 18% service charge will be added to the cover charge for specialty restaurants and experiences like: the Chef’s Table, Bonsai Teppanyaki, as well as the nominal à la carte fee at Bonsai Sushi, Emeril’s Bistro 1396, Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse | Brewhouse, and the Seafood Shack.
**Please note, if you paid for drink packages or specialty dining prior to your cruise, you have already paid these gratuities, but additional tips are always encouraged, especially if you receive stellar service.
Here's an example to better understand what's stated above: If you ordered a $7 beer at the poolside bar, the added gratuities would be about $1.26 added to just this one sale, because of the automatic 18% 'service charge'. So, that $7 beer is now actually $8.26.
But, What If You Don't Want To Pay So Much In Gratuities, Or Not At All? 🤔
Before I answer this question, I really hope that you do show appreciation to the staff onboard whether it's pre-paid, added onboard, or you just decide to tip as you go in cash, because the staff works very hard, and for long hours, while also being gone away for long periods of time from their families.
However, it IS your choice to tip, or pay the service gratuities. Per Carnival's site, they will resolve any gratuity issues as follows:
"Should a guest not be satisfied with the service they receive, they can contact the Guest Services desk while on board. This will allow us to address their concerns in a timely and appropriate fashion. At the discretion of the guest, gratuities may be adjusted after they have been posted on the guest's account, while on board."
So, in a nutshell, if you have any issues or concerns, definitely head to the Guest Services desk so you can get the problems resolved.
And, One Final Word Of Caution🚧
Just so you can be completely aware, when the service gratuities are posted on a guest's Sail & Sign account onboard, Carnival will consider this to be final after a guest disembarks, and they state that no other changes will be made after the cruise. So, if you do have any concerns or issues, take care of it before you get off the ship, or you'll be SOL.
Do Tip Extra If You Want, Though!
I know that if a specific server or steward onboard is always being sure to remember my drink order, or greeting me by name and keeping my ice bucket full as I've asked, I will being tipping them while I cruise because I really appreciate their efforts of ensuring that I'm being taken care of.
I love Carnival's brand and do wish that they built the gratuities into the total cruise fare from the start, but until that changes, just be aware and prepared for all the extra added gratuities when you order those awesome Miami Vice drinks or if decide to head to the specialty steakhouse restaurants.
Well, that pretty much sums up your 2022 guide to gratuities when you sail on Carnival Cruise Line. I hope I was able to provide more clarity so you can truly understand the who, what, when, where, and why of service gratuities onboard.
Please feel free to comment or reach out if you have any questions. I'm here to help, after all. If you're interested in joining my Facebook Page, please click here to join me, along with the rest of my cruising family. I'd love to have you!
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Until next time,
Happy Sailing!
Peggy Lynne