What are gratuities?
Gratuities are a service charge and reward the crewmembers for providing excellent service during your cruise. They are not included in the standard cruise fare advertised by most cruise lines, so be sure to include them in your final holiday cost.
Gratuities are charged per person, per day across all stateroom categories and are usually automatically billed to your onboard account unless you have pre-paid them.
How much do gratuities cost?
The amount you are charged for gratuities varies by the cruise line and the type of stateroom you book. Some luxury cruise lines, like Celebrity Cruises, Silversea, Virgin Voyages, etc., will include gratuities in the cruise fare.
Below is a rough idea of what you should expect to pay on the most popular cruise lines: –
| CRUISE LINE | STANDARD | SUITES |
|---|---|---|
| Azamara | Included | Included |
| Carnival | $14.50 | $16.50 |
| Celebrity Cruises | $15.50 - $16.00* | $19.00* |
| Cunard | $11.50 | $13.50 |
| Disney Cruise Line | $14.50 | $15.50 |
| Holland America Line | $15.50 | $17.00 |
| Fred Olsen | £5.00 | £5.00 |
| MSC Cruises | Included | Included |
| Norwegian Cruise Line | $16.00 - $18.00 | $20.00 |
| P&O Cruises | Not Required | Not Required |
| Princess Cruises | $14.50 - $15.50 | $16.50 |
| Regent Seven Seas | Included | Included |
| Royal Caribbean | $14.50 | $17.50 |
| Seabourn | Included | Included |
| Silversea | Included | Included |
| Virgin | Not Required | Not Required |
How are they charged?
Almost all cruise lines now automatically charge gratuities to your onboard account, which you pay at the end of your cruise. However, you do have a couple of different options available for paying: –
- If you are happy to pay gratuities, you can pre-pay them when booking your cruise. This is my preferred method as it makes tipping easy, and you know what you are paying up front.
- If you do not prepay your gratuities, they will be automatically added to your onboard account daily, which you then pay at the end of your cruise.
- If you prefer to have to auto-charge removed from your account, you can request this from the Reception desk. This means you can give cash tips to those crewmembers who have looked after you during your cruise.
Do I have to pay them?
While gratuities can be removed, I never recommend that you do. The ship crew members go out of their way to make your holiday a memorable experience. Whether it’s the bartender remembering your favourite drink or your stateroom attendant having a bucket of ice ready for you each evening, there are many reasons why this small token of appreciation is so well-deserved. You may be compelled to give a particular crew member a little extra cash tip during or at the end of your cruise.
Do kids have to pay gratuities?
Most major cruise lines will charge children the same rate of gratuities as adults. There are a few exceptions to this; Norwegian Cruise Line only charges when a child reaches the age of 3, and Carnival Cruise Line when a child reaches the age of two.
Additional gratuities
There are a couple of other scenarios where you will be charged gratuities in addition to the ‘usual’ ones: bar service/drinks and spa services. Below are examples of these additional gratuities for the most popular cruise lines: –
| CRUISE LINE | BEVERAGES | SPA SERVICES |
|---|---|---|
| Azamara | Included | 18% |
| Carnival | 18% | 15% |
| Celebrity Cruises | 20%* | 20%* |
| Cunard | 15% | 15% |
| Disney Cruise Line | 18% | 18% |
| Holland America Line | 18% | 15% |
| MSC Cruises | Included | Included |
| Norwegian Cruise Line | 20% | 20% |
| P&O Cruises | Not Required | Not Required |
| Princess Cruises | 18% | 18% |
| Regent Seven Seas | Included | Included |
| Royal Caribbean | 18% | 18% |
| Seabourn | Included | Included |
| Silversea | Included | Included |
| Virgin | Not Required | Not Required |
Do all crewmembers get a share of the gratuities?
Unfortunately not. Some crew don’t always get included in the daily gratuity you pay. Depending on your cruise line, they could consist of: –
- Children’s / Teens Club staff
- Bartenders and Mixologists
- Porters
- Your wine waiter
- Casino staff
- Your shore excursion guide
- Your shore excursion driver
Should I tip extra?
It is entirely up to you if you wish to give an extra tip. Any time I am on a cruise, I will provide an additional tip to our Stateroom Attendant and our dining room waiters at the end of the voyage. I also tip our bartenders and deck waiters at the beginning of the cruise as they will look after you for the duration of your cruise and, more importantly, make sure your glass never runs dry!
Conclusion
Hopefully, my guide will help you get to grips with cruise gratuities. Whether or not you pay them is your choice, but it is essential to remember that most crew members rely on tips to subsidise their wages, and on the whole, they go out of their way to make sure your cruise is memorable.
All prices and gratuity rates are correct at the time this blog was written, and are subject to change.
