are gratuities mandatory on msc cruises

For further details, please read our Often its possible to prepay the service charges before sailing to avoid sudden charges at the end of the cruise vacation. MSC often included gratuities when purchasing certain cabin grades. Travel Documents & Visas. If you loved your sailing and feel the crew did a superb job, leave your tips as they are. MSC Meraviglia Review (April/May 2023) : r/Cruise - Reddit What Cruise Critic Messageboard Members Say: "I prefer the personal exchange of handing a nicely filled envelope to those who have served me well." Some countries are completely foreign to the idea of gratuities, especially ones given before hand. Most cruise lines charge an automatic gratuity each day of the cruise. Cruise industry profits are soaring, so some ask why do I need to pay your staff for you?. If you truly feel as though the crew has performed below an acceptable standard, you reserve the right to ask for a refund of the amount charged to your account for tips or to decrease it as you see fit. This post contains affiliate links which means if you click and buy that I may make a commission, at no cost to you. There are no current plans to increase this. In this post, I share how you can adjust or remove automatic gratuities on a cruise, if you have a reason to do so. Some people argue that the cruise lines have established this system because people wont tip otherwise, but I dont fully agree. Should You. If you do want to you can tip the staff with cash however MSC actively discourages this. You can also prepay gratuities when you book your cruise. MSC Cruises | Travel Requirements & Safety Protocols MSC Cruises do not include gratuities if booked from the USA. While that always "sounds" like a good idea, you really have to wonder if it is. It was a point of principle. Yes! Check here for the most up to date information on each Cruise Destination, including vaccination requirements, mask mandates, shore excursions, and . Antonio Paradiso, MSCs Managing Director UK & Ireland, stated: Princess Offer Free Onboard Spend On Over 1,000 Sailings. FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions | MSC Cruises Cruise Gratuities: A Simple Step by Step Guide For First Time Cruisers I ask a bar waiter if he got his tips and he said he only got paid what he had signed on for ,and got no more, We also asked the cabin steward. One area that is not covered is the bar. Royal Caribbean announces float-out of worlds third biggest cruise ship, Everything You Need To Know About Cunards Celebrations at Sea, Six Picture-Perfect Pink Destinations To Visit On A Cruise, Carnival Cruise Line Rolls Out New Fleetwide Dining Room Offerings, Sarah Faberg Named As Godmother Of Seven Seas Grandeur, Seven Nights Onboard Cunards Queen Elizabeth: Discovering Alaska. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. Here's our, Alternative Services (behind the scenes staff). Celebrity Cruises Always Included Whats Included. The cruise line has a 15% service fee for beverages. MSC Cruises: $12.50 for adults aged 12 and older and $6.25 for ages 2 to 12. Register To NewsLetter. Cruise Gratuities - The Brutal Truth | Insiders Guide [2023] Some of the best customer service I have ever received in my life has been aboard cruise ships, exceeding even that of uber-luxury brand 5-star hotels on land. For instance, Carnival Cruise Line charges $16 per person, per day as of April 2023. How much will this affect your budget? I do the regular gratuity and bring cash for crew members. Join me on Pinterest at Life Well Cruised, Join me on Instagram at Life Well Cruised, Your email address will not be published. This price did vary based on the location of the cruise. For all other MSC cruises, different gratuities apply based on region but expect to pay between $10USD and $15USD per person per day. However it is optional and can be removed on board at the request of the guest. In many cases, you can request to have it adjusted up or down, or even removed, at your discretion by going to the guest services desk. Service Charges / Gratuities Thank you for visiting MSC Cruises This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. They believe that cruise lines should pay their employees more and not rely on cruise passengers to supplement their wages. Please check availability when booking. We've been assured by various cruise lines that crew members aren't told which passengers have removed their auto-gratuities until after the sailing has ended, but we understand the concern that quality of service could suffer if crew members did find out. During your cruise you will meet staff throughout the ship who provide you with excellent service. If you are booking an MSC cruise and are from the USA gratuities will be automatically added onto your onboard account. So if you simply dont agree with the service charge amount, you cant adjust it. Disney Cruise Line: The cruise line has a daily automatic gratuity of $13.50 for all stateroom classes. However, should you wish to remove any of the daily Hotel Service Charge in the unlikely event that you do not receive satisfactory service, you may do so by contacting the Guest Relations Manager onboard. This one's a given. As stocks soar in price and profits increase, I think its prudent to ask: Are a portion of these gratuities being used for something else?. Do MSC Cruises Include Gratuities? Princess Cruises charges an additional 15% gratuity on beverages and drinks packages. Cruise lines have a suggested amount that guests should tip crew members, known as a gratuity. They are supported by just as many staff and crew who work hard behind the scenes to ensure you enjoy every moment onboard. Theres an additional 15% beverage charge on drinks and drink packages. You can also adjust the gratuities to make them higher or lower. Most cruise lines encourage this, but MSC specifically says it does not recommend tipping individual members of staff. Even so, there is a difference between not recommending something and banning it. (P, & O). Cruise Gratuity Examples How Much do Cruise Gratuities Cost? Sign up and receive news, offers and our exclusive insider guide brochure that will help you get the best deals. Holland America: $14.50 per person per day for standard staterooms and $16.00 per person per day for suites. (Northbound), MSC Grand Voyages to South Africa Cruise Gratuities: What You Need To Know - High Seas Cruising Gratuities with MSC previous to this change were around 10 per person per night. Ability to book multiple staterooms with discount. Should You Prepay Gratuities on a Cruise or Pay Onboard? There are those that say they prefer to tip the crew members that have served them directly, and want to opt out of a pooled system. These workers deserve to be recognized both monetarily and through mentions to their superiors or in surveys. The average across all major cruise lines is $14 per person, per day. Some people say they dont want to be responsible for paying for a cruise lines overhead costs or to supplement the wage of employees. Its very divided. MSC has several different gratuity rates that depend where the cruise occurs. Below, we explore the pros and cons of tipping versus not tipping on a cruise, and consider times when passengers may or may not think about removing cruise auto-gratuities. Id love to connect with you on Instagram and Facebook @lifewellcruised. Grand Voyages from Caribbean (Southbound), MEDITERRANEAN, NORTHERN EUROPE, SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN, EMIRATES, MSC WORLD CRUISE & RED SEA, Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Southern Caribbean, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, India Cruises and Red Sea, MSC Grand Voyages to/from Abu Dhabi, Dubai, India Cruises, Southern Caribbean and Red Sea, MSC Grand Voyages from South Africa i have no objections to giving a gratuity to any member of staff for exceptional extra individual service but you should not be obliged to give reason as to why you are not willing to accept the added amount on your final bill. Please see MSC Voyagers Club Terms & Conditions for . (Personal note: I firmly believe that if you are going to remove automatic gratuities, it should only be for the sole purpose of controlling who and when you tip. Most cruise lines offer exceptional service. For your average cruise, expect to spend $15 per passenger per DAY. It could be an honest mistake by the Guest Services staff, but the cruise line should help you with refunding the gratuity charges. For the most part, MSCs gratuity charge covers all the tipping you need to do on the ship. By giving our extra tip in cash, we know its going directly to the crew member who gave us the outstanding service. Another way is if you choose a cruise line that already includes gratuities in the price of the ticket. Its not mandatory to tip for room service delivery, but we typically tip $1 to $5, depending on how much we order. Cruise Embarkation. For your convenience, MSC Cruises will automatically add a daily Hotel Service Charge to your shipboard account, based on your chosen itinerary and the number of days for which the services are actually provided. Its common for passengers to be unaware of the daily gratuity charge. I recently took three first time cruisers on an MSC cruise and they loved it. During your cruise, you will meet staff throughout the ship who provide you with excellent service. They worry about the hidden stars. This FREE guide shows you everything you need to know to find your perfect cruise line. I consistently recommend MSC cruises for families and younger cruisers. Below are the cruise lines that have exceptions for young travelers: No, you dont have to pay gratuities on a cruise. Others disagree with the practice of cruise ship gratuities entirely. The roles may include: The roles above dont receive tips from the daily gratuity charge collected by cruise lines. for all new reservations on Winter 2021-22 departures and onwards - Hotel Service Charges will become mandatory as an integral part of . Are Cruise Lines Increasing Gratuities in 2023? - Cruise Critic document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); If you do some simple arithmetic and calculate the TOTAL AMOUNT taken from passengers you'll start to doubt the sales script. Some lines call them crew appreciation. While some people may remove the automatic gratuities and tip generously, others do not. Royal Caribbean Introduces New All-Inclu 8 Reasons Everyone Should Sail with Princess Cruises, Our Five Favourite Ships for Evening Time Entertainment, An Introduction to: Royal Caribbean Cruises. For more on whether or not to pre-pay gratuities, see our article here. For those sailing in The Bahamas/Caribbean, South America, or Asia, youll see the following rates: For those sailing in the Mediterranean, Europe, Middle East or Southern Caribbean, the rates are slightly different and priced in euros: So say that youre a couple taking a 7-day cruise. These are usually priced per person per day and they will act as tips for the staff on board. Princess Cruises: $14.50 per person per day for guests in standard staterooms, $15.50 per person per day for guests in Mini-Suites and Club Class, and $16.50 per person per day for guests booked in Suite accommodations. Pay them properly and advertise your cruise prices honestly so i can decide if I want to pay the price.. Quit guilting people into tipping. The Hotel Service charges do not apply to children under 2 years of age old at the time of the cruise departure date. Have you been waiting for this to happen? If for some reason you dont agree with the amount of the daily rate, or you have a complaint about the service, Guest Relations can adjust it down for you. Larry. How many people. On some other cruise lines tipping in cash will be actively encouraged and youll find tipping envelopes in your cabin/at dinner on the last night. They bend over backward to give you a perfect voyage and I believe they should be rewarded for that.Now do I believe they should be automatically rewarded for their good service, in which they come to expect it? Much to learn bout cruising:), Great informative post. They are supported by just as many staff and crew who work hard behind the scenes to ensure you enjoy every moment on board. On most cruise lines you are able to remove this charge if you wish but doing so usually requires going to the reception of the cruise ship when onboard and asking to have them removed. Please see my disclosure policy for details. Restaurant workers typically get paid less per hour than other workers, but they rely on tips to earn them a better wage. They are supported by just as many staff and crew who work hard behind the scenes to ensure you enjoy every moment onboard. MSC speaks in even more vague terms about where the money goes: During your cruise you will meet staff throughout the ship who provide you with excellent service. Drink Packages. From what I read it looks like $14 per night per adult. Were also aware that for the crew, the tips from guests are an important part of how they make a living while working on a cruise ship. Theres a good chance youll find the information youre looking for in our When booking from the US MSCs Gratuities cost $14 per person per day. Celebrity Cruises: $14.50 per person per day for standard staterooms, $16.00 per person per day for Concierge and Aqua class cabins, and $19.00 per person per day for suites. **What Cruise Critic Messageboard Members Say: "**I withdrew the standard tip on a recent cruise due to horrible service. Unveiling MSC Cruises' Gratuities: A Comprehensive Guide If we receive outstanding service and want to provide an extra tip, we do so in cash. Auto-gratuities vary by destination and . Gratuities or a crew incentive will be automatically charged to your onboard account for your convenience. Do You Have To Pay Gratuities on a Cruise? - Travel Off Path However, bartenders receive gratuities from the service charges applied to beverages and drink package purchases. Celebrity Cruises: $14.50 per person per day for standard staterooms, $16.00 per person per day for Concierge and Aqua class cabins, and $19.00 per person per day for suites. The Ultimate Guide To Cruise Parking In Southampton. While automatic tipping is supposed to streamline crew appreciation, its a little confusing. Should passengers still not be satisfied, there is a reimbursement request form that you can fill out. In addition to to the industry average of $14 USD per person/per day, there are also added gratuities on: Every cruise line differs slightly on how they divvy up the tips, but generally here is the breakdown: Dining room staff in all cases take biggest cut of the gratuity pool. Do you like or dislike automatic cruise gratuities and crew incentives. Tipping on a Cruise Ship: What You Need to Know About Cruise Gratuities MSC Voyagers Club. Its a bit like when you go to a restaurant and you are expected to give a tip to your servers. I want to enjoy a cruise with no additional burdens. thank you for the reply. In other service industries, like restaurants, hotels and taxis, people are left to their own discretion for tipping, and they still do it 9 times out of 10. Adults 12 & over - 12 Euro per night Child 2 and over - 6 Euro per night South Africa South Africa Cruises: Adults 12 & over - $10 per night Child 2 and over - $5 per night MSC Grand Voyages from South Africa (Northbound): Adults 12 & over - $14.50 per night Child 2 and over - $7.25 per night MSC Grand Voyages to South Africa (Southbound): This is not listed as a gratuity. Oceania Cruises. An exception to this is Norwegian Cruise Line, which charges a daily service fee thats shared among the various crew members who provide a service, including behind the scenes. Myself and my husband dont drink so we plan to not have a drink package. What Cruise Critic Messageboard Members Say: In a poll taken on Cruise Critic's message boards about auto-gratuities, 52 percent of more than 3,700 respondents said they appreciate the convenience of auto-tipping on a cruise. Guests may tip additionally at their discretion, but tipping beyond the automatic gratuity isnt mandatory or expected. You will then pay with the payment method on file at the end of the cruise as you would with any other onboard spending. On most cruise lines, you can refuse to pay or opt out of the automatically charged gratuities. Any suggestions as to what he should do? Theres no requirement to tip, but its nice to show your appreciation for the staff in the above roles as they dont take part in the regular automatic gratuities. If you notice a problem that makes you think twice about tipping, be sure to speak with someone at the front desk who can try to resolve your issue before removing tips becomes necessary. They are wonderful people who are masters at the art of service and I believe they deserve fair and generous gratuities. Read this post next:Should You Prepay Gratuities on a Cruise or Pay Onboard? From my knowledge cruise lines cannot force you to pay the gratuities, as tips are considered optional.

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are gratuities mandatory on msc cruises