More about tips - Other than room and board and a very small paycheck tips are the only salary the workers receive and they do work extremely long and hard. Please be sure to have extra cash on hand at the end of the cruise for just this purpose. You can charge your tips to your credit card if you want, in fact many cruise ships automatically charge them to your Ship Credit Card account unless you tell them not to. I recommend giving them cash because it’s more convenient for the workers. If you do allow the ship to add the tips to your on board account, you should at least give them a little extra in cash if they've done a good job. Envelopes will be provided in your room on the next to last day of the cruise for you to hand the money to them on the last evening. If you divide your tips out ahead of time it will save you from running for change on the last night of the cruise. Remember the room steward and waiter each receive a minimum of $3.50 per day and the assistant waiter receives $2.50 per day. You can give the maitre de' or "Head Waiter" a total of about 50 cents a day but only if he spends time making sure your meals are perfect. Another time you should tip is if you orde