Carnival Cruise Line brand ambassador John Heald has addressed the distinction between crew member gratuities and paid salaries in response to social media chatter about how the cruise line distributes tips to team members. This should help clarify how gratuities are given to team members and whether the extra monies do in fact count as extra appreciation.

Do Crew Members Really Get Gratuities?

Social media outrage has been circulating with the idea that Carnival Cruise Line does not really distribute gratuities to crew members in addition to the salaries they earn. Instead, the idea is that gratuities are used as employees’ base pay first, and the cruise line only makes up the difference to the contractual salary amount.

John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador who has worked with the cruise line since 1989, addressed the ridiculous assumption and confirmed in no uncertain terms that this is not at all how the cruise line pays crew members.

“Normally I would never comment on this but let me say categorically that this is nonsense, totally 100% false and 100% inaccurate,” said Heald. “We do not use the gratuities you so graciously give to ‘pay the crew.’ It is utter fabrication and untrue.”

All crew members have a salary they are paid from Carnival Cruise Line, based on their position and years of experience. Any gratuities offered by guests – whether automatically added to onboard accounts or offered personally in cash – are added to their pay rate as an above-and-beyond appreciation for their above-and-beyond service.

Carnival Cruise Line’s service gratuities are currently $16 per guest, per day for standard staterooms and $18 per person, per day for suites.

Carnival’s website clearly states, “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.”

Travelers can pay gratuities in two ways, either by pre-paying at the time the cruise is booked or paying through their Sail & Sign account during their cruise. Tips are added to guests’ onboard accounts on the next-to-last day of each sailing.

More Tipping Topics

Gratuities are a sensitive topic for many travelers, and Heald has addressed different aspects of these crew appreciation payments many times.

Tipping as Part of the Cruise Fare

For example, cruise fans have often wondered why gratuities are not automatically included in the cruise fare, as they are in some parts of the world or on different cruise lines.

Heald has clarified that there are no plans for Carnival Cruise Line to automatically add gratuities to the fares for North American cruises, though cruises from Australia do have tips built in to the cruise price.

“Adding the gratuity to the price of the cruise is what we do in Australia and while I know of no plans to do the same from our ships that sail from North America perhaps one day it will happen,” Heald said in response to this idea.

Read Also: Carnival Cruise Line Price Increases (Including Gratuities) Set to Begin

While many guests would prefer the tips to be included in the cruise fare, Carnival’s option for guests to pre-pay gratuities at the time of booking effectively does add the service recognition into the overall cruise price, and it is an option available to all travelers.

The exact accounting as to why Carnival Cruise Line does not add tips directly into a cruise fare is a complicated issue, and likely relates to local taxation laws, financial profit recording, and other factors that make it simpler and more straightforward for gratuities to be recorded as an extra charge.

Removing Gratuities

One of the most contentious topics is whether or not cruise travelers should have the option to remove the automatic gratuities from their onboard accounts.

Many guests appreciate the convenience of having gratuities added automatically, which eliminates any guesswork about which crew members are in gratuity positions and how much a customary tip would be.

Other passengers prefer to tip in cash, offering a personal thank you or note with the gratuity they extend to crew members. Some travelers may also prefer not to tip at all, depending on the service they have received or their personal opinions about tipping.

Read Also: Carnival Cruise Line Offers Details on How Gratuities Are Shared

Many travelers have argued that Carnival should not permit gratuities to be removed, but Heald has also addressed this issue quite clearly.

“We will continue to allow people to remove gratuities if they wish. We know (because we ask the crew) how many tip in cash instead of the pre-paid amounts. I understand why many wish to do this,” he said. “It is important to remember that lots of people who do remove gratuities tip the same amount in cash or more even and that is wonderful.”

What are your thoughts on crew member gratuities? How do you prefer to pay them? Should they be included in the cruise fare? Join the discussion on the Cruise Hive boards!

Embarkation for Carnival Cruise Line’s flagship, Carnival Celebration, has been delayed on August 20, 2023 due to a medical evacuation.

As a result, embarking guests have been asked to shift their arrival time to the PortMiami Cruise Terminal to four hours later than expected, though all guests must be onboard the ship no later than 6:30 p.m.

Carnival Celebration Delayed

Due to a medical evacuation on the most recent sailing, Carnival Celebration has been delayed in returning to PortMiami and the resulting embarkation for the next cruise has likewise been delayed.

Embarking guests have been notified via email, and asked to delay their arrival at Terminal F for four hours past their originally scheduled appointment.

“On the return to Miami, Carnival Celebration had to deviate course due to a medical emergency,” the email explained. “As a result, embarkation for your cruise has been revised. Please delay your terminal arrival appointment by four hours.”

The nature of the medical emergency or impacted guests has not been divulged, in order to preserve the privacy of the individuals involved as well as their family members. The affected parties were airlifted from the vessel on Friday, August 18, while the ship was at sea.

The email also noted that guests who arrived earlier would be asked to return according to the revised timetable, with the last embarkations from 6-6:30 p.m.

Any guests who purchased Carnival transfers from local airports have had their transfer times adjusted based on the revised embarkation schedule.

The 183,500-gross ton, Excel-class Carnival Celebration has just finished an 8-night Southern Caribbean sailing that called at Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao. The sailing departing today is a 7-night Eastern Caribbean voyage to Amber Cove, San Juan, and St. Thomas.

Despite the embarkation delay, there is no further adjustment necessary for the upcoming itinerary. The first day of the cruise is scheduled as a day at sea, and it is easy for the vessel to adjust sailing speeds to accommodate an initial delay of just a few hours without impacting port arrival times for the rest of the sailing.

Compensation Offered

Because the delay in embarkation has caused incoming passengers to miss lunch offerings onboard Carnival Celebration – such as that first Guy’s Burger or a basket of strip’s from Shaq’s Big Chicken – the cruise line has provided a $20 per passenger onboard credit as compensation. The credits are posted to guests’ Sail & Sign accounts.

Guests are also able to drop their luggage off directly in their staterooms upon boarding, but are asked to leave their cabin right away to permit the housekeeping team to finish servicing all staterooms most efficiently.

Dining times will begin as planned for dinner with no adjustments, but guests who are a little late will be accommodated due to the unusual nature of the day’s schedule.

Read Also: How to Help Out Your Stateroom Steward

“Thank you for your understanding,” the email concluded. “The entire Carnival Celebration team is looking forward to welcoming you aboard.”

Delays Happen for Many Reasons

Embarkation day delays can happen for many reasons. In late June, Carnival Celebration was delayed for nearly 12 hours, along with Norwegian Escape and MSC Seascape, when an early-morning collision caused a wreckage that closed the channel into PortMiami.

Fog can also play a role in delaying cruise ships in and out of ports, when it may not be safe to navigate channels until visibility improves. Both Tampa and Galveston are particularly prone to such delays at different times of the year when weather conditions are right for the thickest fog.

Similarly, poor weather and strong winds can create delays, as has happened in various ports worldwide. This may be due to reduced visibility, winds that impact how a ship can maneuver, or other factors.

Carnival Celebration is not the first vessel to have a medical evacuation create a delay, as such incidents do happen. In February, Royal Caribbean International’s Serenade of the Seas was delayed one hour leaving from Tampa due to a medical evacuation from the previous sailing.

Port operations, Coast Guard priorities, local construction, and other factors can all cause similar minor delays for cruise ships and may impact both debarkation and embarkation for different sailings.

It is always best for guests to have flexible travel plans and to remain patient with crew members and terminal staff as they begin or end their cruise vacation.

The Dutch Coast Guard was involved in the rescue of a guest from the Carnival Celebration earlier today, August 18. The guest had suffered a medical emergency after the Excel-class vessel had left the Dutch Caribbean Island of Curacao. 

Due to the delay that the operation has caused, Carnival Celebration will possibly be arriving late in Miami for the following cruise.

Guest Disembarked by Helicopter from Carnival Celebration

Carnival Cruise Line has put out an urgent embarkation message for guests booked on the Carnival Celebration sailing departing August 20.

The ship could be returning back to Miami late, following a medical debark by helicopter on August 18. The medical emergency onboard Carnival Celebration prompted a speedy rescue operation involving the Dutch Coast Guard. 

Carnival Celebration had just completed a visit to the Dutch Caribbean islands of Aruba on August 15, Bonaire on August 16, and Curacao on August 17. She was making her way to Miami when the incident occurred onboard.

Although the cruise ship has resumed her course back to her homeport of Miami, the 183,521 gross tons vessel will likely arrive in Miami later than scheduled. Typically, arrival would be early, around 8:00 AM.

The late arrival could affect her subsequent cruise, a seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruise, and guests sailing onboard who might need to re-arrange their flights.

Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, posted a message on his Facebook account detailing the rescue operation: “Early this morning, Carnival Celebration deviated course to disembark a guest who needed urgent medical care ashore. As a result, the ship will return to Miami later than scheduled, and embarkation for your cruise will be revised.”

“Of course, we must say a huge thank you to the medical team on the ship for all their diligence and care and consideration. We wish the guest a full and speedy recovery,” Heald added.

Heald continued by saying that the cruise line will monitor Carnival Celebration’s progress throughout the day, and provide further updates by 4:00 PM Eastern Time.

The seven-day cruise sailing to the eastern Caribbean on August 20 will call on Amber Cove, Dominican Republic; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Philipsburg, St. Maarten.

Guests booked onboard the August 20 sailing will need to keep in close contact with Carnival Cruise Line, to be kept informed about any possible delays to their embarkation time on Sunday.

Several Helicopter Rescues in the Past Months

The rescue of a guest onboard Carnival Celebration by the Coast Guard by helicopter is something we’ve seen more often in recent months. 

On April 29, 2023, we saw the United States Coast Guard (USCG) in action. They faced treacherous conditions to airlift a guest from Carnival Dream.

The severity of the situation became all too apparent when the initial rescue attempt had to be aborted; the aircrew was nearly forced into the water’s surface due to the adverse conditions. 

Undeterred, a second crew later capitalized on a brief weather respite to complete the critical medical evacuation.

Fast-forward to Friday, May 19, 2023, and the USCG was again called into action. An aircrew from Air Station Astoria was dispatched to conduct a medical evacuation from Celebrity Eclipse. The Solstice-class cruise ship was approximately 100 miles (160 kilometers) off the northern Oregon coast at that time. 

Celebrity Eclipse was en route on a repositioning cruise, transitioning from Honolulu to Vancouver, when a guest onboard showed stroke-like symptoms and had to be airlifted to a medical facility ashore.

Due to expected poor weather arriving earlier than anticipated, Carnival Pride will need to depart Cork, Ireland sooner than expected on Friday, August 18, 2023. Carnival Cruise Line is attempting to contact passengers and urging them to be back to the ship no later than 5 p.m.

Carnival Pride to Leave Port Early

Carnival Pride is visiting Cobh (Cork), Ireland today, but deteriorating weather is forcing the ship to leave the port earlier than the originally scheduled departure time of 7 p.m. At this time, the cruise line is reaching out to guests to alert them to be back aboard no later than 5 p.m.

“This is an update for Carnival Pride’s guests only. If you are ashore in Cork, Ireland, please return to the ship by 5:00 PM,” said John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line brand ambassador via social media. “Weather conditions are expected to deteriorate this evening, and the ship will have to sail earlier than planned.”

Previously, the all-aboard time for guests was to have been 6:30 p.m., in preparation for the 7 p.m. departure.

Undoubtedly, multiple methods are being used to alert guests to the changed departure time. This may include updates in the Carnival Hub app, text messages, emails, and announcements onboard (for guests who may have been planning a later time to leave the ship and explore the port).

The cruise line is also likely reaching out to all Carnival shore excursions currently underway in Cork to alert them to the departure adjustment, and tour operators will subsequently cut excursions short if necessary to return to the ship on time. Tour operators will also spread the word to those guests on excursions.

It is possible the Spirit-class ship will also blow its horn to alert guests near the dock area, though not all travelers may be familiar with this signal or know that it is intended to encourage everyone to return to the vessel.

Severe Weather Expected

Cobh is located in southern Ireland, off the Celtic Sea, and the entire region is inundated with poor weather today. The severity of the weather is expected to increase significantly after 5 p.m., and may not improve for several hours. Localized flooding is expected.

The strength and direction of winds are of particular importance to cruise operations, as strong winds can push a ship and prevent it from sailing safely in tight spaces. Winds can also cause ships to break their mooring ropes and move adrift.

Winds today in Cobh are from the east-southeast, which means they are likely pushing Carnival Pride against the dock. This means it is unlikely the ship will break loose, but stronger gusts may make thruster maneuvering impossible – which is necessary for the ship to depart.

Wind speeds are reported at 20-25 miles per hour (32-40 kilometers per hour), and are expected to increase to 28 mph (45 kph) over the next couple of hours. Gusts may be measured as high as 45-50 mph (72-80 kph).

Local residents in the area are reporting the poor weather conditions as more similar to a fall or winter storm rather than what should be a summer day.

The 88,500-gross ton Carnival Pride features 12 decks which presents a significant profile for winds to push against, dramatically impacting how efficiently the ship can maneuver. The ship can welcome 2,124 guests at double occupancy, or as many as 2,680 travelers when fully booked.

Carnival Pride is homeported in Dover, UK for the summer, offering a mix of European itineraries with destinations in Ireland, England, Scotland, Iceland, and more. The ship will reposition to Civitavecchia (Rome) in early September to offer additional Mediterranean sailings, before returning to Tampa, Florida in late October to spend the winter in the Caribbean.