It may come as a surprise to some guests, but the cruise fare itself isn’t always the only cost when hitting the high seas – and some passengers could be in for a nasty surprise at the end of their sailing when they see charges added for tips.
Many cruise lines add extra fees known as tips, gratuities or “crew appreciation” to the daily charges for each passenger and it can vary depending on the cruise line and the type of cabin you are staying in.
Cruise gratuities among the biggest brands can range from $16 (£12) per day to $20 (£15) for those in standard cabins and up to $27 (£20) per day for suites.
That could add up to an extra $560 (£421) for a family of four on a week-long cruise in a standard cabin or $140 (£105) per person and unless you check in advance or keep an eye on your changes throughout the sailing, you could be lumbered with an unexpected bill at the end of your voyage.
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Beyond the standard tips and gratuities, there may also be service charges or the option to pay extra tips when ordering drinks at the bar.
This can push up the overall cost of your cruise holiday so it is important to be aware of the tipping policy of the brand you are sailing with. You can usually find out the daily gratuities on a cruise line’s website.
Alternatively, some cruise lines may include tips and gratuities in the fare, leaving it up to you whether to pay more to individual crew members if you feel you have had extra special service.
This may also push up the price though so it is still worth comparing options that include and exclude tips.
Here is what you need to know about tips and gratuities on a cruise.
Are you supposed to tip on a cruise?
Paying tips and gratuities on a cruise ship is not compulsory, but it is expected.
The idea is to ensure crew members are rewarded for serving you during your cruise and it can cover everyone from waiters and room stewards to the staff that you don’t see such as people working in the laundry room.
Dave Mills, chief commercial officer at online travel agent Iglu, told The Independent: “Helpfully, all cruise lines have a clear policy about tipping, so you are sure about what is expected before you set off.
“Many fares have tips included in the fare to keep things simple. Some lines have ‘no tipping required’ as their policy. On board of course you can tip personally, if you have particularly enjoyed a treatment in the spa for example or service at dinner.”
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How do tips and gratuities work on a cruise?
If tips aren’t included in the cruise fare there will be a daily rate that is automatically added to your bill.
You can usually keep track of this if there is a cruise app or check your bill with guest services.
British-focused lines such as P&O Cruises and Marella include tips in their fares, while American brands such as Royal Caribbean and Princess add tips each day.
The figure can depend on the cruise line and also where you are sailing.
MSC Cruises includes tips in its bookings made through its UK and European websites and travel agents but those booking from the US have an automatic hotel charge added.
Cruise blogger Emma Le Teace, co-founder of The Cruise Globe route tracking app, said her favourite approach is to have tips included.
She said: “Tipping above this isn’t expected or necessary. It is of course always appreciated and many guests do like to leave a tip at the end of the cruise for their housekeeping or wait staff.”
Cruise line |
Daily standard cabin gratuities |
Daily suite gratuities |
Cunard |
$16 |
$18 (Grill Suites) |
Disney Cruise Line |
$16 |
$27.25 (Concierge/suites) |
Carnival Cruise Line |
$16 |
$18 |
Holland America Line |
$17 |
$19 |
Princess Cruises |
$17 |
$18/$19 (mini suites/suites) |
Celebrity Cruises |
$18 |
$19-$23 (Concierge/Aqua/Retreat) |
Royal Caribbean |
$18.50 |
$21 |
Norwegian Cruise Line |
$20 |
$25 (The Haven/suites) |
Mills added: “The cruise lines have many different strategies around tipping, and before booking, it's easiest to connect with a travel agent like Iglu Cruise, who can present all the different options and assist in helping a cruiser find the best holiday for them, with the most appealing tips arrangements.
“Though seemingly a small thing, holidaymakers have very different approaches to what they wish to do to reward the staff.”
Can you remove tips and gratuities?
It is possible to remove or reduce the amount of tips you pay but it involves awkward conversations.
To do this, you will need to visit guest services during your sailing and ask for tips to be removed or to set your own amount.
This can often be done at any point of your sailing before you disembark.
There may be a feeling of guilt as you wait at guest services and ask for the charges to be removed, but there is also an argument that cruise lines should pay their staff more.
Tristan Roebuck-Trull, who presents the Cruise Buoys YouTube channel with his husband Justin, said: “Cruise lines should pay the staff a decent living wage rather than have them relying on tips.
“We also are not fans of removing the auto gratuities, as there are so many crew members and staff you may not interact with directly that help to make your cruise the amazing experience it is and by removing them and only tipping certain crew while they may indeed deserve recognition this unfairly penalises the many ‘unseen’ crew.”
Which cruise lines don’t charge gratuities?
Technically, all cruise lines charge gratuities but in some cases the money is included in the cruise fare.
Plenty of popular cruise brands such as Virgin Voyages, P&O Cruises and Marella include gratuities in the cruise fare.
It is still worth comparing prices with cruise lines on similar routes that don’t include tips so you have an idea of how much extra you are really paying.
Others such as Princess provide an option to either pay for your tips upfront when booking or to just have them added to your bill.
If you are feeling generous or are really impressed with the service you have received, passengers do also have the option to add extra tips regardless of whether gratuities are included or not.
Tristan added: “We have on occasion provided additional tips to a crew member individually, who have truly stood out for providing and going the extra mile.
“This is often our cabin steward or bar staff who know that perfect drink and always greet you with a smile and make you feel individual often when dealing with thousands of passengers a day.”
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