Cruise Line Gratuities: The Complete Guide

Cruise Line Gratuities for your waiter are paid at the end of the trip!
Enjoy your meal in comfort, the cruise line gratuities are paid at the end!

In a bygone era of cruising, passengers showed their appreciation for crew member service by paying the cruise line gratuities to those who went above and beyond the call of duty. These days, if the cruise line gratuities aren’t prepaid, most non-luxury lines automatically add tips of anywhere from $12 to $16 per person, per day, to passengers’ shipboard accounts, usually depending on the type of cabin in which passengers are booked.

Carnival Cruise Lines Gratuities

For all cruisers over the age of 2, Carnival automatically adds a $14.50 per person/per day gratuity to each guest’s sea-pass card on the last night of the sailing for non-suites. The per person/per day gratuity for Suites is $16.50.

Drinks purchased individually from the bar are subject to a 15% gratuity charge.

Celebrity Cruise Lines Gratuities

For your convenience, Celebrity automatically add gratuities for your restaurant and stateroom services to your onboard sea-pass account on a daily basis in the following amounts, which may be adjusted at your discretion:

$15.50 per person, per day in standard staterooms

$16.00 per person, per day in Concierge Class and AquaClass staterooms

$19.00 per person, per day in Suite Class

An 18% gratuity will be automatically added to all beverages, mini bar purchases, spa and salon services. Additional gratuities may be added at your discretion.

Costa Cruise Line Gratuities

$12.50 per person per day for U.S departures (for guests 15 years and older)

10 Euros per person per day for non U.S. departures (for guests 15 years and older)

50% of these amounts will be charged for guests between 4 and 14 years old.

There is no charge for kids under 4.

Cunard Cruise Line Gratuities

All guests travel on Cunard’s ships will be charged $11.50 per person, per day for all passengers traveling in the Britannia accommodations while passengers in the Grill Class will be charged $13.50 per person, per day.

Disney Cruise Line Gratuities

Gratuities can be pre-paid up to three days before the cruise departure or they will be automatically charged to each guest’s onboard account. they are $13.50 per passenger, per day for all guests traveling on a Disney cruise ship.

An automatic 15% is added to all drink orders and 18% is added to all spa services.

Holland America Line Gratuities

For interior, oceanview, and balcony cabins, guests will be charged $14.50 per person per day while guests in suite categories will be charged $16.00 per passenger, per day.  Gratuities apply to all guests sailing on board the ship.

An automatic 15% is added to all drink orders unless guests have one of Holland’s beverage packages.

MSC Cruise Line Gratuities

For Caribbean sailings, the cruise line automatically charges $14 per passenger, per day for guests that are 12 years and older while guests aged 3 to 13 are charged $7 per passenger, per day. Under 2 no charge.

For European cruises, the charge is 10 euros per passenger, per day for guests over 13 years old while guests aged 2 to 13 pay 5 euros.

Norwegian Cruise Line Gratuities

Each person will be charged $20 per day in interior, ocean view, balcony and club balcony cabins. Haven and suite categories will be charged $25 per person, per day for guests 3 years and above.

A 20% gratuity is added to all bar bills unless guests have one of Norwegian’s beverage packages.

Guests sailing to Hawaii will be charged an additional 4.275% pre-paid service charge GET Tax

Princess Cruise Line Gratuities

An automatic charge of $14.50 per passenger, per day will be added to each guest’s stateroom account while passengers in mini-suites are subject to a gratuity of $15.50 per passenger, per day. and suites are $16.50 per passenger, per day.

These gratuities are for all passengers including children and may be pre-paid up to six days before the cruise leaves.

Royal Caribbean International Gratuities

Royal Caribbean automatically adds $18.00 per passenger, per day to each passenger’s seapass account on the last night of the sailing for all passengers – even infants. For guests booked in suites, the gratuity amount is $20.50 per person, per day.

An 18% gratuity is automatically added to all bar bills unless passengers have one of Royal Caribbean’s beverage packages.

Guests who believe they’ve received poor service may visit the guest services desk to reduce or remove their gratuities while onboard the ship.