How Are Cruise Ship Gratuities Divided?

By Robert Palmer

Cruise ship gratuities are a way for passengers to show their appreciation of the crew’s hard work and hospitality. Many cruise lines provide passengers with tips envelopes in which to place the gratuity.

The envelopes are distributed to the crew at the end of the cruise. But, how are cruise ship gratuities divided among the staff?

Gratuities for Different Positions

Cruise ship gratuities depend on a variety of factors, including how many staff members are working onboard and their positions. Generally, each staff member receives a share of the total tip pool.

Dining room waiters and assistant waiters, for instance, typically receive a larger share than other staff members such as housekeeping or laundry personnel. Similarly, bartenders often receive more than bar servers and bar backs.

Tips Pool Scheme

Some cruise lines divide gratuities into several pools based on job titles or department. For example, one pool might be designated for dining room personnel while another is devoted specifically to stateroom stewards and cleaners. This allows all employees to benefit from tips regardless of their specific job title or department and ensures that no one position is undervalued or overlooked when it comes to receiving tips.

Allocation System

Most cruise lines also employ an allocation system when it comes to distributing gratuities among crew members. This system requires each employee to work a certain amount of hours before they can receive any tips from passengers. For example, a waiter may have to work at least 10 hours per day before they can claim their portion of the tip pool while a bartender may need 15 hours per day in order to receive any tips from passengers.

Crew Member Performance

In addition to working hours, some cruise lines also take into account crew member performance when distributing tips among employees. This means that employees who go above and beyond in providing excellent service will likely receive more money from passengers than those who do not perform as well on board the ship. This helps ensure that only top-notch service is rewarded with higher amounts of money from passengers’ tips envelopes.

Conclusion

Cruise ship gratuities are divided among staff according to different factors such as job position, tip pools, allocation systems and performance level of the crew member amongst other factors. Passengers should always use discretion when tipping onboard a cruise ship so that all staff members can benefit fairly from their hard work and dedication throughout their voyage.