Cruise ship holidays see passengers sit back and relax onboard the floating hotel. Crew are nearly always on hand to help out cruisers and make sure they are safe and happy. While cruises are a time for fun, there are still certain dos and don’ts to remember.
A cruise expert has revealed there’s one big mistake holidaymakers should avoid regarding giving a tip.
Cruise ship crews work very hard and do long shifts but are paid very little.
Many cruise workers rely on tips and gratuity to make up a substantial part of their wage.
However, this doesn’t mean you should always give extra tips, as Adam Coulter, UK Managing Editor, Cruise Critic explained.
READ MORE: Never make this easy cruising mistake or risk huge first day problem
He explained that it’s a big error to over-tip during a cruise holiday.
Travellers could accidentally end up paying far too much.
“These days, most cruise lines add to your cruise bill an auto-gratuity or service fee that covers your cabin steward and dining staff,” Coulter told Express.co.uk.
“Bar bills on US ships often have a 15 or 18 percent gratuity included, as do many spa and fitness charges.
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“Yet, more and more, the slip you have to sign indicates a space for an additional gratuity.
“You’re always welcome to give an extra tip for outstanding service, but you shouldn’t feel pressured to give more than the auto-gratuity if it’s not warranted.
“Uninformed travellers see the blank line on the bill and add 15 to 20 percent without thinking – and end up tipping double.”
However, if cruise ship crew feel they aren’t being tipped enough they may not take kindly to the passenger in question.
In fact, those who feel hard done by have a code word for stingy travellers.
According to an anonymous post on Cruise Bulletin from Cruise.co.uk, cruise workers will call a passenger a “banana” if they are a bad tipper.
Passengers will never guess what the staff mean when they hear this fruity nickname, making it the perfect code among employees.
If you’re hoping to keep costs of a cruise ship holiday down, there are various ways to do so.
The cruising experts at CruiseCritic have shared their advice on how to save on booze.
“It’s often cheaper to buy a bottle of wine than a few glasses – but what do you do if you don’t finish the bottle?” said the CruiseCritic website.
“Cruise ship waiters can mark the bottle with your cabin number and save it for another night, even for dinner in another onboard venue.”
Another tip is to steer clear of the Drink of the Day – these are more expensive because they’re served in a souvenir glass.