Cruise tipping conversations usually focus on the end of the sailing: prepaid gratuities, cash envelopes, a handshake in the gangway. But some of the best tips you will ever hand over happen at the start of the cruise - given to specific crew members, in advance, for specific results you actually want. Here are five times it pays to tip cruise staff in advance, and how to do it in a way that reads as generosity instead of a bribe.
Before we go deeper into the list, one honest caveat I need to share: this article is a generalization and each cruise line is going to be a little different depending on how closely you will be engaging with the crew. On a mid-size Holland America or Princess sailing, with the same waiter every night and a steward you will know by name by day two, an advance gesture builds on a relationship that is going to happen anyway. On a bigger Carnival or NCL ship, the same gesture gets you a face and a name on a crew member's clipboard where you did not have one before. Nothing here obligates anyone to do anything, and nothing should be done in a way that is illegal, immoral, or that makes anyone feel coerced. These are thank-yous for work that has not happened yet, not purchases. The classic version of this is the ice run. My office at sea is a balcony lounger with a decisively cold drink, which means I'll want ice refilled in the stateroom every afternoon. You can ask for that for free - plenty of stewards will happily do it - but a modest tip at embarkation, with a friendly word about what your week looks like, turns a request into a standing arrangement with a face attached to it. The same logic applies if you are traveling with small children, anyone with mobility limits, or a parent who needs something fetched every day. If you already know your cabin week will generate more little chores than the average stateroom, letting your steward know that up front - with a thank-you gesture - is fair to both of you. Promoted by FlowAds Sometimes you want something the ship does not stock the same way everybody else wants it stocked. You are swapping out all the Sprite for extra Cokes in the fridge. You would like the rum in your suite's mini bar replaced with tequila. The crew on a suite deck handles these requests every week, and more often than not, they can make it happen. A tip in advance signals that you understand you are asking for something outside the ordinary. Suite guests have an advantage here, since butler service is built for exactly this kind of personalization - butler and concierge staff are generally not part of the prepaid gratuity pool either, which makes a personal thank-you matter more on those decks. Whatever your cabin category, ask politely first, tip in appreciation if the answer is yes, and take no for an answer gracefully. Planning a birthday party at one of the ship's bars? Tipping the bartender in advance is a much better way to arrange it than a formal event sheet, because what you're asking for is off the normal menu. You want them to make a special cocktail they have either never made or haven't seen in months, and you want them excited to do it. Why we picked it: adults-only, with tips and most dining included. Promoted by FlowAds Heather used to love Long Beaches - like a Long Island Iced Tea but with cranberry juice - and I sometimes like a Wang Wang cocktail. If you have not heard of it, you are in a very large club of people who have not heard of it, but every bartender from the Philippines knows what it is: it is very very strong, has a whole lot of stuff mixed together, and it takes some effort to build properly. I will offer a tip in advance to acknowledge that this is outside their normal menu and that I appreciate their time. That is really all the gesture says: I see that you are doing extra work, and I am not pretending it is nothing. If you have booked a cabana, the move is the same one we talked about with your room steward: tip at the start, not the end. Heather and I are huge fans of the Retreat cabanas on Holland America Line - great service, prime location, and so relaxing. When we hand the attendant a friendly tip on the first morning, we are not buying anything they would not have done anyway. We are setting the tone for a week. The practical version of this: a pitcher of hot water and our favorite tea, ready at our table every morning we show up. The attendant who learned that on day one gets it right all week - and the version who learned it on day five gets it right for two days. Same person, same work, totally different experience. The last one is the most speculative ... and it is also the most likely to be handed back to you, so expect your offer to be rejected and do not expect sucess even if it is accepted. In the case where it is accepted, the best you can hope for is that you aren't forgotten about and that if there's an opportunity to make your request come true that maybe it can tip the scale a little bit but it is highly unliklely that they will put you higher on the list over another guest. Sometimes the shore excursion you wanted is sold out, and the right move is to put your name on the waitlist and then, if a conversation with the manager at the excursions desk feels natural, offer a thank-you tip for keeping you in mind if a spot opens up on the tour. Here is the thing: they may - and often will - reject the gesture. Cruise policy usually forbids the crew from accepting it in that context, and they will tell you so politely. It never hurts to show that you are thankful for any help they can offer, but a tip they cannot accept and a genuine thank-you that they can both work. Go along with whichever one they take. Please be nice to the hardworking crew that makes your Alaska cruise or Hawaii trip an amazing experience, but sometimes shit happens... literally! The cabin steward and housekeeping team have seen a lot of stuff and they will probably never mention it to you if you leave a mess in the bathroom or something on the bed or if you just tend to be a pig when it comes to cleaning up your dirty clothes. However, if you wake up and discover that there's a mess in your sheets or you have stomach issues on a cruise and your bathroom is well not as clean as you'd normally keep it - apologizing in advance and offering some extra cash is a nice gesture. Notice that every item on this list comes down to one thing: thanking someone in advance for special service based on your requests and showing them you are not expecting favors for nothing. Most crew members I have met over the decades of cruising would graciously help make guests happy almost no matter what. Sometimes showing in advance that you understand how things work is never a bad idea - unless you act like an entitled, rude guest making demands. Be polite, and show you care about them as much as you hope they care about you, and it can make a great experience for everyone involved. Two companion pieces go with this one: the other half of the question is six people beyond your room steward you should tip, and if you want the habits to avoid, our rundown of the tipping mistakes cruise guests make covers the four we see most. And if you want to see what your whole tipping picture actually costs - prepaid gratuities, service charges, excursion tips - the cruise tip calculator on this site will run the numbers for your line, cabin type, and sailing length. And if you are looking at upcoming sailings and want a hand finding a ship that fits how you actually like to travel - Heather Hills at Flow Voyages can help you book a cruise to Alaska, the Mexican Riviera, or anywhere along the Pacific coast. Thanks for reading. We hope this was helpful! Why stop now? 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When You Know You Will Need Extra Service
When You Have A Special Request
When You Are Planning A Surprise
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Virgin Voyages Mexican Riviera, October 2027
Tip Your Cabana Attendant On Day One If You Have A Special Request
When An Excursion Is Sold Out
When You've Made A Mess Or Know You're Going To Cause Extra Work
Tipping In Advance Is Sort of A Bribe - But You Are Not Buying The Requested Service Or Amenity
