princess cruise line gratuities

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Everything About Cruise Ship Gratuities for 2024 (Amounts, Etiquette, and More)

If you’re a first-time cruiser, then there’s little doubt that you have questions about gratuities and tipping on your cruise. We’re here to help.

First of all, if you’re feeling a little confused, don’t worry — you aren’t alone. In fact, we can’t think of a place where gratuities are handled the same way as they are on a cruise ship.

Gone are the days of simply slipping a waiter some cash or leaving a couple of bills for the room steward at the end of your trip (although you can still do that if you want).

Instead, gratuities on a cruise ship are highly automated, with most people just electing to prepay or being charged a set amount for each day on the ship.

While this is intended to make things easier, the honest truth is that having automatic gratuities can actually lead to more questions. Who gets the tips? How much is charged? What if service is bad?

If you’ve never cruised, then there is no doubt that these questions and more might be floating through your head. To help explain everything about cruise line gratuities, we’ve answered a number of common questions that will make everything clearer before you set sail.

In This Article...

Explained: What Exactly Are Cruise Ship Gratuities

While the name sounds fancy, gratuities are nothing more than a tip paid to the staff members for service during the cruise. The staff works hard to ensure that your vacation is a great one. As a thanks for their service, it’s customary to provide a tip.

The gratuities go to staff that provide passenger-facing services. That means people like the room steward who cleans your cabin and the dining staff. Some cruise lines distribute them even wider to the staff.

These days, the gratuities are set daily amounts paid by each passenger. Instead of one passenger paying a lot and another paying hardly anything, these set amounts ensure that everyone pays the same. The cruise line then distributes the payment to staff.

My Cruise Line Calls it a Crew Incentive or Service Charge. Is that the Same Thing?

Depending on your cruise line, you might find different language used than the word “gratuities.” We’ve seen these charges called tips, gratuities, crew incentives, or service charges .

No matter the language, they all end up being the same thing — a set daily charge to passengers that’s passed on to the crew.

How Much You’ll Pay in Cruise Gratuities

The amount you pay will vary by cruise line, but they are all in the same ballpark. You can expect to pay about $15-$20 per person, per day. Most lines charge $16 at the moment, but it steadily rises each year.

A couple traveling together will see about $30-$40 per day in gratuities, or about $200+ over the course of a week-long cruise.

Below, we’ve listed the current tip amounts charged by major cruise lines as of the time of this writing:

• Carnival : $16.00 per person, per day. $18.00 per person, per day for guests in suites. Guests under 2 years old don’t pay gratuity. Source .
• Celebrity : $18.00 per person, per day. $18.50 per person, per day for those in Concierge Class and AquaClass cabins. $23.00 per person, per day for guest of The Retreat. Source .
• Disney : $14.50 per person, per day. $15.50 per person, per day for those staying in Concierge Staterooms and Suites. Source .
• Holland America : $16.00 per person, per day. $17.50 per person, per day for guests in suites. Source .
• Norwegian : $20.00 per person, per day. $25.00 per person, per day staying in suites and The Haven. Guests under 3 years old don’t pay gratuity. Source .
• MSC Cruises : $16.00 per person, per day. Guests over 2 years old and under 12 years old pay $8 per day. Passengers under 2 years old don’t pay gratuity. Source .
• Princess : $16.00 per person, per day. $17.00 per person, per day staying in mini-suites. $18.00 per person, per day for guests in suites. Source .
• Royal Caribbean : $16.00 per person, per day. $18.50 per person, per day for guests in suites and higher. Source .

How Are Cruise Line Gratuities Paid?

How do you actually pay tips on the cruise ship? In the past, the process used to be that the cruise line would put envelopes in your room on the last day of the cruise. Passengers would then put cash in the envelope for the crew members. These days, everything is automatic.

When you book the cruise you’ll have the ability to prepay gratuities . You are charged a set amount, per person, per day. You simply pay this extra amount in full for your cruise as part of your cruise fare.

If you don’t decide to prepay the tips, then the amount is automatically charged to your onboard account each day. When it comes time to settle your final bill at the end of the cruise, you’ll have the gratuity charges to pay as well.

Want to tip more? You can still hand out cash to individual members of the staff that you appreciate, although it’s not required.

Is Every Passenger Charged Gratuities? 

The vast majority of passengers are charged these tips, no matter if they are young, old, have special requests, eat in the main dining room, or only hit the buffet.

That said, some cruise lines make exceptions for small kids. For example, Carnival does not charge tips for kids under two years old. Norwegian Cruise Lines doesn’t charge gratuities for kids under three. However, for the most part you can expect that every passenger on your trip will see a charge.

Here are the policies for major cruise lines:

• Carnival : Guests under 2 years old aren’t charged gratuity.
• Disney : All guests pay gratuities at their discretion.
• Holland America : All guests pay gratuities.
• Norwegian : Guests under 3 years old don’t pay gratuity.
• MSC Cruises : Guests under 2 years old don’t pay gratuity. Guests over 2 years old and under 12 years old pay half amounts.
• Princess : All guests pay gratuities.
• Royal Caribbean : All guests pay gratuities.

How Can I Know How Much I Will Be Charged in Tips?

When you book your cruise, the gratuity amount is usually disclosed in full for your trip, with an option to prepay the amount with your cruise fare.

If you’d like to calculate exactly what your gratuity amount will be before you book your trip, then you can use our calculator here . Simply enter the cruise line, length of trip, and the number of passengers and it will show you precisely how much you’ll be charged.

Can I Adjust the Amount of Gratuities?

For most people, the service they receive on a cruise is outstanding. They recognize that the staff goes above and beyond to make their vacation enjoyable. But that’s not always the case. With millions of passengers sailing every year, there’s inevitably going to be someone who feels they received poor service.

If that’s the case — and you decide you want to change the amount you are charged for tips — then you can do that. Gratuity charges are typically not mandatory and can be adjusted. To do so, simply head down to Guest Services on the ship to tell them that you want to change your tip amounts.

That said, it’s unusual to adjust the gratuity amount, and the staff works extremely hard to make your trip enjoyable. If you have a major issue, however, you can change your gratuity amount accordingly.

What If I Don’t Pay Gratuities on my Cruise?

With the introduction of automatic gratuities, it’s much more difficult to avoid paying tips on your cruise. That said, in theory you could request that tips be removed from your account and not tip at all.

So what will happen? As far as your trip, likely very little. The staff isn’t likely to treat you any differently or even know that you aren’t tipping (after all, some people still like to pay cash at the end of the cruise). They will still go out of their way to make your cruise comfortable and enjoyable.

That said, if you don’t pay gratuities, then it’s the staff that will be hurting — not the cruise line. The cruise line collects the tips and then distributes them accordingly. Without your contribution, the compensation for the staff members will decrease. For staff members that rely on these dollars, that can be a major blow.

How to Pay Extra (If You Want)

Want to pay more in gratuity? That’s allowed. In fact, the staff will love that you want to give them more money. If you want to pay extra, we suggest simply handing cash directly to the people you want to recognize for their service. This happens regularly for passengers feeling generous or thankful for the staff’s work during their trip. In fact, your cruise line might leave a few envelopes in your room exactly for this purpose.

Should I Prepay the Gratuity Charges?

When you book your cruise, you’ll be given the opportunity to prepay the gratuities. In this case, you can simply choose to have them lumped in with your cruise fare, paying them all at once.

The advantage is that you get your payment out of the way ahead of time. So when you’re on the ship, it’s one less charge to worry about.

On the other hand, many people choose to instead pay the gratuity charges automatically through their onboard account once on the ship . Each day there will be a gratuity charge — or a lump sum added at the end of the trip.

The advantage here is that you get to hold on to more of your money for longer. Instead of handing over the charges well in advance of your sailing, you can keep it until you’re actually on your cruise.

Bottom line is that it comes down to personal preference. You can get the charge out of the way early, or hold onto your money until you actually sail.

Who Gets the Gratuities That You Pay?

From the passenger perspective, the gratuity amount is simple — pay a set amount per person, per day, and be done.

On the cruise line side, that money gets cut up to be distributed. The tips are spread out between the room steward, dining staff, and others that have customer-facing positions. That said, cruise lines are quiet on exactly how the charges are distributed.

The good thing for passengers about gratuities is that this distribution is done automatically by the cruise line instead of having to give tips to several different staff members at the end of your cruise.

Why Aren’t Gratuities Just Included in the Price of the Cruise?

For some cruise lines (usually luxury lines), gratuities actually are included in the fare — you don’t pay anything extra apart from your cruise fare.

However, for the majority of mass market cruise lines the gratuities are extra charges on the price of your cruise. These can be a surprise to some people, especially first-time passengers.

While the cruise lines might say differently, we think that gratuities aren’t included in the headline price for marketing purposes. There’s little doubt that the extra tips can be expensive. The cost for two people on a week-long cruise can be well above $200.

Meanwhile, cruise fares are often shown as dirt-cheap prices. They are often expressed as the rate for a single person (despite having to pay for double occupancy) and don’t include port fees or taxes. Having to add in gratuity costs to these advertised rates could make them less attractive to potential cruisers.

How Often Do the Gratuity Rates Increase?

The tipping rates charged change from time to time. We’ve seen instances of multiple increases in a year and other times when rates won’t change for a year or two. Just like the price of anything else, you should expect over time for these rates to continue to rise slowly but surely. Typical increases are around $1 per person, per day and seem to happen about once a year. 

One perk of pre-paying gratuities is that if you pre-pay and the rate later increases, you aren’t charged the higher rate.

Who Else to Tip While On the Ship

You would think that paying a hefty daily tip would cover everyone on the ship. In fact, there are a couple of instances where paying additional gratuity is recommended or automatic.

First, any time that you buy a drink from the bar, you will be charged an extra tip, usually 18%-20% of the menu price, depending on the cruise line. This happens automatically and will be tacked on to the price. So a $10 menu price on a cocktail is actually around $12.

Be aware that when you sign the receipt there will be another line for an additional tip. Unless you are feeling generous, there’s no need to tip more .

Second, any time that you purchase anything service related — such as dinner at a specialty restaurant or a service at the spa — expect there to be a tip added on to the cost. Again, this normally runs around 18%, but can range from 15% to 20%, depending on the cruise line.

Finally, if you order anything from room service, then it’s expected that you give a couple of bucks to the staff member that delivers the food.

Other than that, your gratuity charges cover the housekeeping and dining staff. So when you leave the room you don’t have to put down any extra cash (unless you want to). And when you leave the dining room, no need to drop down any money on the table.

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We have just returned from a Cruise on NCL around the Canaries and Med The Crew was 65% Philipino and were on minimum wage. Although I appreciate that NCL is a USA Company that has no respect for its workers it is why they recruit from Asia, instead of paying a decent living wage they charge the passenger’s outrageous gratuities to compensate for their bad business practices. The only reason they will not add the Gratuites to the original brochure price or remove them like P&O has is then they would have to pay their crew a living wage. In the UK we tip for good service not to prop up the wages of poorly paid employees.

The employer has to pay its employees their salaries And we thé customers should not be worried about this. We pay the Cruise and that’s it. This tipping business is getting out of control and is shifting responsibility from the employers to the clients using our guilty conscience from being on a cruise? Also in the restaurants, hair salons, all businesses …this is all wrong

The baggage porters at the port do not work for the cruise line, but for the port itself. You customarily tip $1 – $2 per bag (more if you want) OR you can NOT tip and risk that the one guy you didn’t tip handles your bag with care and the bag actually makes it on the ship and doesn’t “accidently” get left behind. The risk to me isn’t worth the $5 tip we give for 2 bags. On another subject, what makes Miami the worse port? We just booked a cruise out of Miami for the first time in 10 years. What makes it “the worse”, other than your bad experience with the porters dictating what you should tip, which is 199% wrong, in my opinion.

I don’t understand why we are paying the salaries of the teams and not the cruise line. I know Tui and P&O don’t charge gratuities, it’s actually the choice of the person if they wish to give a tip. I have booked with NCL next year because I’m advised taking my money can either be pre paid or can opt out. I so hope that’s true.

I think this was an excellent way of looking. Have a set routine payout and adjust accordingly to the level of service.

This abuse of tipping allows companies to pay their workers a lower wage and pocket the profits. Whatever happened to just doing the job you’re paid for? Housekeeping is supposed to make up rooms, servers are supposed to serve food… But I’m supposed to pay a hundred bucks a day for a family of five, in the same room, and after I’ve already paid five grand for the cruise? Ridiculous.

All of you have great advice. I too pay in cash and at times have given extra. What do you do about the porters at the ports. I gave always given them money to take my bags to the ship. Tipping is out of control everywhere. In Miami the worst place to board the ship. I have stepped out of the shuttle seeing the conveyer a short distance away. The porter stands there counts the luggage and has told the price for a handling fee. Really, do they get an hourly wage that’s so low they need tip to survive? Are tips required? What the real deal? If tips are not required, do their supervisors know about this up charge?

If I travel with my family of 4, and I pay the waiting $20 ($5 per person) staff each time we eat in the dining room, which would be for dinner only, over 7 days, that would $140. Then if I pay another $5 per person each day for room clean-up, that’s another $140, for a total of $280. I think these amounts are reasonable. But RCCL wants to charge $448. That doesn’t seem fair.

Thank you! You were extremely helpful for my upcoming cruise!

When we researched tipping policy on a recent Princess cruise, we found that the cruise line pools that money and uses it for bonuses, etc. over all its ships, not just the cruise we were on. I find this to be an outrageous ploy to hide the true costs of a cruise. We nearly always opt out of tips and tip whom we want directly.

We are cruising with NCL later this year & we have a beverage package included & gratuities included does that mean we will not pay any more gratuities at end of cruise?

Yes, except if you are sailing in the U.S., then NCL tacks on the gratuities on the amount of the beverage package even though the package is free. So the $99 per day package is free, but you are charged about $20 per day still for the drink package gratuities.

I Agree, we always opt out and give tips to our steward and waiter/waitress at the end of the cruise.

We always hand our tips in cash to the person whose service we wish to commend. We never use a credit card for our on ship account. We deposit cash to use for our onboard account. If gratuities show on our account when we settle at cruise end, we ask for them to be removed. We want the people who earned the tip to receive, not the lousy,greedy, uninvolved government! We rarely buy anything on the ship of value. We use prepaid drink cards to purchase beverages.

Great advice. This is my first cruise. I didnt know I could have the tips removed from my room charges. I detest the idea of: A. not knowing who my tip is going to B. Paying a tip twice C. Paying a standardized tip for poor service. I want the employee to know they received a tip from me. Not to split them across all the employees equally. All service isn’t created equally.

What sucks is the workers then have to pay a tax on the “tip” where we would rather give the workers a “gift” of cash.

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How much are gratuities on Princess?

Princess Cruise gratuity pricing: Your guide to understanding gratuities for a relaxing and enjoyable vacation on Princess Cruise.

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One of the details that vacationers frequently ponder before leaving on a lavish cruise is gratuities. Princess Cruises has a clear gratuity policy that protects both the comfort of the paying customers and the welfare of the dedicated crew. Princess Cruises is known for its great service and enthralling ocean voyages. This thorough guide will delve into the nuances of gratuities on Princess Cruises , illuminating its justification, suggested amounts, method of distribution, and overall effect on the cruise experience.

Understanding gratuities

Gratuities, sometimes known as "tipping," are a traditional way to show appreciation for excellent service. They have been a crucial component of the hospitality sector for decades, recognizing service providers' efforts and confirming their commitment to giving visitors a great experience. In the case of Princess Cruises, tips are essential to upholding the excellent standards of service for which the company is known.

The gratuity policy of Princess Cruises

The gratuity policy for Princess Cruises is intended to give guests information about gratuity costs that is clear and transparent. Princess Cruises often adds a daily automatic gratuity charge to each guest's shipboard account. This fee pays the labor of the stateroom stewards, dining room servers, and other crew members, contributing to a relaxing and pleasurable cruise experience.

Automatic gratuities ensure that all deserving crew members, including those who perform unseen work, receive a fair share of gratuities. The process is also streamlined for visitors, thanks to this system, which removes the need to carry cash and tip individuals separately.

Recommended gratuity amounts

Different amounts of recommended gratuities may apply depending on the kind of stateroom you reserve on a Princess Cruise. The cruise line has always offered suggested daily gratuity amounts per passenger, subject to change. The dining room wait staff, the stateroom steward, and other service people are frequently included in these recommended amounts.

It's crucial to remember that while these suggested tip amounts are intended to serve as a general guideline, guests are free to modify the fees in accordance with their level of satisfaction with the provided service. Depending on their particular experiences, some people might decide to enhance or decrease the gratuity.

Distribution and impact

It takes meticulous planning and organization to distribute gratuities. Usually, the automatically charged tips from customers are combined and divided among the qualified staff. This distribution approach guarantees that the numerous teams and departments contributing to the overall visitor experience are acknowledged and paid.

Beyond monetary compensation, gratuities have an impact on Princess Cruises. Crew members are inspired to go above and beyond to meet guests' demands because it promotes a culture of great service. The cruise experience is improved for everyone when there is a symbiotic interaction between the staff and the passengers.

Navigating the gratuities process

Navigating the gratuities procedure can be intimidating for those who are new to Princess Cruises or cruising in general. The cruise line tries to make the journey as seamless as possible, though. Guests are informed of the Princess's proposed gratuity amounts and how they will be charged when making a reservation for a cruise.

Before setting sail, guests have the option to prepay their gratuities, giving them the chance to set aside money for this outlay in advance. A stress-free holiday can also result from prepaying gratuities because passengers won't have to worry about paying the bills onboard.

Princess Cruises also provides an onboard guest services desk where passengers can change their gratuity amounts as needed. Because of the flexibility, passengers can adjust their gratuities by their cruise experiences.

Gratuities and exceptional service

It's important to emphasize that aboard Princess Cruises, tips are about more than just receiving money. They serve as a concrete expression of appreciation for the commitment and effort made by the staff members who enhance the overall cruise experience. The coordinated efforts of numerous departments, including housekeeping, dining, and entertainment, result in the great service that guests experience.

Cruise crew frequently develop long-lasting relationships with passengers, making their voyage special and enjoyable. The gratuities system promotes an atmosphere of appreciation and recognition by reinforcing the crew's and guests' mutual respect.

Also Read:  What is the tipping policy on a cruise ship?

Final words

In conclusion, gratuities on Princess Cruises are a crucial part of the cruise experience since they ensure that the highest standards of service are preserved and that the crew is properly thanked for their contributions. To give visitors a seamless and pleasurable experience, every aspect of the suggested tipping amounts, automatic charges, and distribution method has been meticulously planned. After knowing the gratuity system on Princess Cruise, you must be thinking about planning a cruise. So, book a cruise through www.CruiseBooking.com to get the best deal.

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Home » Cruise Tips » Complete Guide to Cruise Gratuities by Cruise Line (2023)

Complete Guide to Cruise Gratuities by Cruise Line (2023)

In this complete guide to cruise gratuities for 2023, we explain everything you need to know and break down the costs by cruise line.

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If you are new to cruising, you should know that not everything is included in your cruise vacation. In addition to your cruise fare, there are other services charges for which you will need to budget . This includes daily per person cruise gratuities as well as service charges added to purchases like drinks and spa treatments.

In this post, we explain everything you need to know about cruise gratuities broken down by cost for each cruise line.

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Everything You Need to Know About Cruise Gratuities in 2023

What are cruise gratuities.

Cruise gratuities are services charges that are not included in a standard cruise fare on most contemporary cruise lines, similar to a hotel resort fee. These additional fees are a per person, per day dollar amount that are charged to all guests across all stateroom categories.

And unfortunately, most contemporary cruise lines have increased or plan to increase these charges in 2023.

Guests are usually charged automatically for these additional fees.

Depending on the cruise line, these charges are usually applicable to guests 2-3 years of age and older.

These charges serve as a means to reward the hard-working crew for the excellent service provided during your cruise vacation.

These cruise gratuities are divided among stateroom attendants, dining staff, and other behind the scenes crew members in a proportion determined by the cruise line. This method is meant to be more equitable across all staff.

As stated above, these service charges apply to all guests regardless of stateroom category. However, some stateroom categories do have higher fees than others.

These cruise gratuities also apply to all guests regardless of your dining options. Cruisers who opt to only eat in the buffet, who select anytime dining, or who choose more traditional dining will all pay the same amount based on their stateroom category.

Is it better to pre-pay gratuities on a cruise?

Guests can pay for these cruise gratuities in one of two ways. If you would prefer to pay ahead of time, most cruise lines allow guests to pre-pay their gratuities at the time of booking or anytime prior to sailing. These fees will then be added into your total cruise fare and covered with your final payment.

One major benefit of pre-paying your cruise gratuities is that you will pay the current rate. If prices should happen to increase before your sailing, you will not need to pay extra for these increased costs.

If you do not pre-pay the gratuities, you will need to pay the current per day, per person dollar amount at the time of your sailing. This fee will be added to your stateroom account once onboard the ship.

How Much Are Cruise Gratuities in 2023?

The exact charge for these cruise gratuities do vary by cruise line and by stateroom category. While gratuities are part of the cruise fare on some luxury lines, cruisers should plan to pay the following fees on the majority of major cruise lines.

It is important to note that these cruise gratuities have been on the rise, with most major cruise lines recently raising prices or set to do so in 2023.

Gratuities on Royal Caribbean

As of September 7 th , 2022, the gratuities on Royal Caribbean ships are:

• $16 per person, per day for guests in non-suites staterooms
• $18.50 per person, per day for guests in suites

This fee is applied to each guest’s SeaPass account on a daily basis.

In addition, guests will pay an 18% gratuity on all beverages , mini bar items, and spa & salon purchases. This is on top of the cruise gratuity charges.

Gratuities on NCL (Norwegian Cruise Line)

Norwegian Cruise Line’s cruise gratuities for bookings made on or after January 1, 2023 are:

• $25 for guests staying in the Haven and Suites
• $20 for all other staterooms, Club Balcony Suites and below

For bookings made before January 1, 2023, that pre-pay gratuities before the sail date, prices are as follows:

• $20 per person per day for The Haven and Suites
• $18 per person per day for Club Balcony Suite
• $16 per person per day for all other stateroom types

There is an additional 20% gratuity for all spa and salon services. There is also a 20% service charge on all beverage purchases and all specialty restaurant dining and entertainment based dining. Further, cruises to Hawaii also have a 4.275% service tax applied.

Carnival Cruise Gratuities

Carnival Cruise Line’s gratuities are also increasing in 2023.

For cruise departures prior to April 1, 2023, guests will need to pay:

• Standard Staterooms: $14.50 per person, per day
• Suite Staterooms: $16.50 per person, per day

On cruise departures on or after April 1, 2023, the fee increases to:

• Standard Staterooms: $16 per person, per day
• Suite Staterooms: $18 per person, per day

For beverage purchases , an automatic 18% gratuity will be added to the bill in addition to the cruise gratuity.

Gratuities on Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises has also increased the price on cruise gratuities for sailings on or after October 17, 2022.

These new prices are as follows:

• $17.50 per person, per day for Inside, Ocean View, and Veranda staterooms 
• $18 per person, per day for Concierge Class and AquaClass staterooms  
• $21 per person, per day for guests of The Retreat

However, Celebrity Cruises also has a newer pricing structure. The All Included cruise fare now incorporates some basic amenities to provide a more all-inclusive feel. Gratuities is one of these amenities.

With the All Included pricing, guests receive tips, basic Wi-Fi, and the Classic Drink Package as part of their cruise fare.

A 20% gratuity will still be automatically added to all beverages, mini bar purchases, spa and salon services. Though, guests will not pay gratuity for drinks that are part of the complimentary classic beverage package.

Princess Cruise Gratuities

On Princess Cruises, the crew appreciation will cost more for voyages departing after February 20, 2023.

Currently, the gratuity is $16.50 per guest for suites and $15.50 per guest for mini-suites. A $14.50 cruise gratuity is charged for guests (including children) staying in all other staterooms.

The new increases are as follows:

• Interior, Oceanview, and Balcony $16
• Mini-Suite and Reserve Collection $17

Similar to Celebrity Cruises, Princess cruises offers more all-inclusive packages that include crew appreciation . If guests upgrade to the Princess Plus or Princess Premier Packages, they will not pay any additional gratuities once onboard the ship.

However, an 18% service charge still applies to bar charges, dining room wine accounts, and Lotus Spa services.

Gratuities on Holland America

For all sailings departing prior to February 1, 2023 as well as the 2023 Grand World Voyage and the 2023 Grand South America Antarctica Voyage, the daily Hotel Service Charge is $15.50 per guest, per day for non-suite staterooms. This fee is $17 per guest, per day for suite guests.

However, this price is increasing for sailings departing on or after February 1, 2023. The new crew appreciation prices are as follows:

• $16 per guest, per day for non-suite stateroom guests
• $17.50 per guest, per day for suite guests

An 18% Bar Service Charge is automatically added to bar charges and Dining Room wine purchases. Again, this is on top of the daily service charges.

Gratuities on MSC Cruises

For Bahamas and Caribbean sailings with MSC Cruises, cruise gratuities are as follows:

• The charge for adults 12 and over is $14.50
• For children 2-12 years old, the charge is $7.50
• For kids under 2 years old, there is no charge

A 15% Bar Service Charge also applies to all purchases on MSC Cruises as well.

The gratuities for other destinations do vary. If you are cruising to another destination with MSC, you will want to visit the cruise line’s website .

Disney Cruise Gratuities

On Disney Cruise Line , the recommended cruise gratuity is $14.50 per night, per guest, including infants and children.

Guests staying in Concierge Staterooms and Suites are recommended a gratuity amount of $15.50 per night.

An 18% gratuity is automatically added to bar, beverage, wine, and deck service tabs.

Viking Ocean Cruise Gratuities

While considered a luxury brand, Viking is one of the few high-end cruise lines that does charge a daily guest gratuity . All guests will need to pay a hotel and dining charge of $17 per day regardless of stateroom category.

Further, a 15% gratuity is automatically added to bar, beverage, wine, and deck service tabs. 

This same fee applies to Viking Expedition as well. However, Viking River service charges do vary by destination.

Cruise Gratuities on Virgin Voyages

Sailors looking to voyage with this adult only cruise line will be happy to know that gratuities are part of the cruise fare. On Virgin Voyages , there are no daily gratuities added to your shipboard account. Now, that’s a perk!

Further, there are no additional service charges on other items like beverages or spa services.

Cruise Gratuities on Margaritaville at Sea

On the new Margaritaville at Sea cruise line , guests can expect to pay gratuities during their 2-night sailing. These fees are $14.95 per person, per night for interior and ocean view staterooms and $19.95 for suites.

Guests are also charged up to $12 per person, per day for a fuel charge.

Additionally, an 18% service charge is added to all bar purchases.

Windstar Cruise Gratuities

Guests sailing on Windstar Cruises should expect to pay cruise gratuities as well. This hotel service charge is $16 per passenger, per day and is automatically added to each guest’s onboard account.

Of note, Windstar Cruises also has an option for an all-inclusive package . This package includes WiFi, drinks, and gratuities.

An 18% Beverage Service Charge still applies.

Oceania Cruise Gratuities

Guests cruising with Oceania should also budget for these additional service charges based on their stateroom category. The fees are as follows:

• For guests in standard staterooms, gratuities are $18 per guest, per day
• For guests in Penthouse, Oceania, Vista, or Owner’s Suites where Butler Service is provided, gratuities are $23 per guest, per day

In addition, a 20% service gratuity is automatically added to all beverage purchases, spa services, and dinner at La Reserve.

Other Luxury Cruise Lines

Other luxury cruise lines like Silversea, Seabourn, and Regent include all gratuities except on spa services.

Do you have to pay gratuities on cruise?

Can you opt out of gratuities on a cruise? Not really.

Cruise gratuities are mandatory, in loosely defined terms. Most cruise lines do apply these charges automatically. However, these charges can be modified or removed by guests while on the ship in the event that they did not receive satisfactory service.

Keep in mind that gratuities will be deemed undisputed unless a request to modify is received prior to disembarking the ship.

While cruise gratuities can be modified or removed, we never recommend that cruisers do so. This is such a small and well-deserved token of appreciation to all the hard-working crew onboard the ship. In fact, many cruisers choose to tip above and beyond this rate.

How do you get out of paying gratuities on a cruise?

You might be wondering how you can get out of paying these cruise service charges. Well, there is one big way you can avoid paying them. That is to keep an eye on your cruise planner and email for special promotions.

Cruise lines will often run sales, and travel agents will often offer perks, that may include free gratuities for booking a cruise. Other perks may include onboard credit, free drink packages, free specialty dining, and so on.

Should I tip extra on a cruise?

On all cruise lines, additional gratuities may be added at your discretion. Beyond the standard service charges put forth by the cruise line, we always tip above and beyond for excellent service.

Generally speaking, we provide additional monetary compensation at the end of the cruise to our stateroom attendant and our dining room waitstaff.

Keep in mind that the cruise line assigned gratuities do not include all staff members. These charges do not go towards individuals like bar servers, porters, shore excursion guides, casino staff, or youth staff.

So, you should consider providing tips to these crew members for great service. We generally tip our favorite bartenders, staff at the onboard coffee shop, tour guides, bus drivers, and so on.

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What are your thoughts on cruise gratuities and service charges? Do you tip beyond these required amounts? How you do like to reward the onboard staff for providing you a memorable cruise vacation?

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Welcome Aboard! We are Don and Heidi, the husband and wife travel team behind EatSleepCruise.com. We took our first cruise vacation together 13 years ago and have been hooked ever since. Follow along as we share our travel tips, cruise reviews, information on ports of call, and the latest cruise news to help you plan the ultimate cruise vacation. Are you ready to embark on your journey to “sea the world, one port at a time”?

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Princess Cruises Is About to Get More Expensive — Here’s Why

The cruise line is increasing the price of its “Crew Appreciation” fee and daily Wi-Fi fee.

Princess Cruises has become the latest cruise line to increase the cost of service fees for ship crew as well as raise fees on board for other services.

Courtesy of Princess Cruises

Starting in February, the cruise line will implement its new fee structure that will increase the daily "crew appreciation" charge to $16 per guest in interior, oceanview, and balcony staterooms, a spokesperson for Princess confirmed to Travel + Leisure .

Currently, these guests are automatically charged $14.50 per person, according to the company’s website .

Passengers in mini-suite and Club Class staterooms will be charged $17 per guest, an increase from the current $15.50, and travelers in suites will be charged $18 per guest, an increase from the current $16.50.

“This daily charge recognizes our teammates for exceptional service they provide and is shared among many members of our hotel, dining and entertainment teams throughout the fleet,” the Princess spokesperson told T+L. 

In addition to increasing the automatic gratuities, Princess will charge more for Wi-Fi on board. Starting next year, travelers will have to pay $15 per day for one device, or $40 per day for four devices. Currently, Wi-Fi costs $9.99 when travelers purchase it pre-cruise, according to the company .

The increases will go into effect on Feb. 20, 2023, for bookings made on or after Dec.13.

Princess is the latest cruise line to increase its onboard fees. In September, Royal Caribbean increased its gratuities for guests in non-suite staterooms to $16 per person, per day.

Norwegian Cruise Line is also increasing its recommended gratuities, now charging $16 per person, per day for staterooms, according to the company . And for bookings made after Jan. 1, the cruise line will charge $20 per person, per day for travelers in Club Balcony Suites or below, and $25 for travelers in The Haven and Suites.

That is more than some other major cruise lines . Carnival Cruise Line, for example, recommends $14.50 per person for standard staterooms, while Holland America recommends $15.50 for those in standard staterooms.

Other luxury lines, like Regent Seven Seas Cruises, include onboard gratuities in the cost of the cruise fare.

Cruise Lines

Princess cruise line adjusts daily gratuity charges for enhanced experience.

Hey there! Get ready, cruisers, because Princess Cruise Line is stirring excitement with its newest announcement.

Starting from February 20, 2023, the daily gratuity charges are set to rise, adding between 9.1% to 10.3% to your cruise expenses, depending on your cabin type.

But fear not, fellow adventurers, for this change is not unique to Princess Cruise Line. Other major players, like Norwegian Cruise Line, have also upped their gratuity fees.

However, Princess Cruise Line offers enticing all-inclusive packages that could save you from the extra costs. And here’s the best part: if you’re not satisfied with the service, you have the power to adjust those crew appreciation charges.

So, let’s set sail and dive deeper into the details, shall we?

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

• Princess Cruise Line has announced an increase in daily gratuity charges ranging from 9.1% to 10.3% depending on the cabin type, starting from February 20, 2023.
• Passengers will have to pay more for their cruise experience due to the increase in daily gratuity charges, which can add up significantly for longer cruises or larger groups.
• The new gratuity charges by Princess Cruise Line are in line with other cruise lines, and some cruise lines charge even higher gratuity fees, making Princess’ increase relatively moderate.
• Princess Cruise Line offers all-inclusive packages like Princess Plus and Princess Premier, which provide a more inclusive experience without the need to pay for extras. Passengers who prefer a hassle-free and comprehensive cruise experience may find these packages beneficial.

Impact of Increased Daily Gratuity Charges

The increase in daily gratuity charges means I’ll have to budget more for my cruise experience.

Princess Cruise Line has recently announced an increase in the daily gratuity charges for its passengers. Depending on the cabin type, the increase ranges from 9.1% to 10.3%. Starting from February 20, 2023, passengers will have to pay more for their cruise experience.

For example, a couple on a 7-day trip in a balcony cabin will see their total automatic gratuities rise by $21. These increased costs can add up significantly, especially for longer cruises or larger groups. Passengers should consider the impact on their overall budget when planning their cruise.

It’s important to be aware of these changes and adjust your budget accordingly to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience on board.

Comparison of Princess Cruise Line’s Gratuity Charges With Other Cruise Lines

Comparing gratuity charges across different cruise lines helps me make an informed decision. It’s important to consider the pricing analysis when choosing a cruise line. To make the comparison easier, I have created a table below that shows the daily gratuity charges for Princess Cruise Line and other popular cruise lines.

From the table, it can be seen that Princess Cruise Line’s gratuity charges range from $15.50 to $16.50 per person, per day. This is relatively lower compared to Norwegian Cruise Line’s charges of $20 to $25 per day. Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, and Celebrity Cruises also have similar gratuity charges, with a slight variation. Considering this pricing analysis can help me make an informed decision when choosing a cruise line that aligns with my budget and preferences.

Exploring All-Inclusive Options for a Comprehensive Cruise Experience

Exploring the all-inclusive options allows me to have a more comprehensive cruise experience. Princess Cruise Line offers all-inclusive packages like Princess Plus and Princess Premier. These packages include amenities such as Wi-Fi, drink packages, and crew appreciation charges.

While they may cost more than the baseline cruise fare, they provide a more inclusive experience without the need to pay for extras. By opting for an all-inclusive package, I can enjoy unlimited drinks, stay connected with Wi-Fi, and have the peace of mind that gratuities are already included.

It’s important to consider the overall value and individual preferences when deciding on the best option. When comparing the cost of all-inclusive packages to paying for individual amenities separately, it’s essential to evaluate the benefits and convenience they offer.

Adjusting Crew Appreciation Charges: Flexibility for Passenger Satisfaction

Adjusting the crew appreciation charges allows me to have flexibility in ensuring my satisfaction during the cruise. Princess Cruise Line understands that passengers’ satisfaction with the service is crucial, and they have implemented a policy that allows us to make adjustments if we are not completely satisfied.

This flexibility gives me peace of mind knowing that if I feel the service does not meet my expectations, I have the option to make changes. It is important to communicate any concerns or issues to the cruise line staff, as they are there to help resolve any problems and ensure a satisfactory experience.

Considerations for Passengers: Budget and Planning

Considering my budget and planning for the cruise, it is important to carefully evaluate the impact of the increased daily gratuity charges on my overall expenses. The table below summarizes the new gratuity charges for different cabin types:

These increases can have significant budget implications, especially for longer cruises or larger groups. For example, a couple on a 7-day trip in a balcony cabin will see their total automatic gratuities rise by $21. It’s important to factor in these additional costs when planning your financials for the cruise. While Princess Cruise Line’s gratuity charges are comparable to other cruise lines, it’s recommended to compare charges across different companies to make an informed decision. Additionally, Princess Cruise Line offers all-inclusive packages that may provide a more comprehensive experience without the need to pay for extras. Careful financial planning is essential to ensure a satisfying and budget-friendly cruise experience.

Maximizing the Enhanced Experience: Suggestions and Tips

To maximize my cruise experience, I should take advantage of the all-inclusive packages offered by Princess Cruise Line. These packages, such as Princess Plus and Princess Premier, provide a range of amenities that can enhance my time onboard.

By opting for these packages, I can enjoy perks like Wi-Fi, drink packages, and even crew appreciation charges. This means that I don’t have to worry about paying extra for these services and can fully immerse myself in the cruise experience.

Additionally, with the recent increase in daily gratuity charges, it’s important to make the most of them. One tip is to consider the value of the all-inclusive packages compared to the baseline cruise fare. By calculating the cost of individual amenities, I can determine if the package is worth it for me.

Another suggestion is to adjust the crew appreciation charges if I’m dissatisfied with the service. Princess Cruise Line allows passengers to make adjustments during the cruise, ensuring a satisfactory resolution.

Overall, by taking advantage of the all-inclusive packages and making the most of the increased gratuity charges, I can truly enjoy an enhanced cruise experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can passengers opt out of paying the daily gratuity charges on princess cruise line.

Yes, passengers can opt out of paying the daily gratuity charges on Princess Cruise Line. However, it is important to consider the impact on crew morale and remember that gratuities are a customary way to show appreciation for their service.

Are There Any Discounts or Promotions Available for the Increased Daily Gratuity Charges?

There are currently no discounts or promotions available for the increased daily gratuity charges. These charges have been adjusted to enhance the overall cruise experience and ensure the crew’s appreciation.

How Does Princess Cruise Line Determine the Amount of Daily Gratuity Charges for Each Cabin Type?

Princess Cruise Line determines daily gratuity charges based on cabin type. Passengers cannot opt out of paying them. This ensures fair compensation for crew members who provide exceptional service throughout the cruise.

Can Passengers Adjust the Daily Gratuity Charges After They Have Already Paid for Their Cruise?

Passengers cannot request a refund for daily gratuity charges on Princess Cruise Line. Refusing to pay may result in the cruise line adjusting the charges or even canceling the passenger’s booking.

Are There Any Penalties or Fees for Adjusting the Crew Appreciation Charges on Princess Cruise Line?

There are no penalties or fees for adjusting crew appreciation charges on Princess Cruise Line. Adjustments can be made at any time during the cruise to ensure passenger satisfaction and do not impact crew wages.

Meet Asra, a talented and adventurous writer who infuses her passion for exploration into every word she writes. Asra’s love for storytelling and her insatiable curiosity about the world make her an invaluable asset to the Voyager Info team.

From a young age, Asra was drawn to the power of words and their ability to transport readers to far-off lands and magical realms. Her fascination with travel and cultures from around the globe fueled her desire to become a travel writer, and she set out on a journey to turn her dreams into reality.

Norwegian Cruise Line Increases Service Charges: What Passengers Need to Know

Sail With Rock Legends on a Classic Rock Music Cruise!

Meet Asra, a talented and adventurous writer who infuses her passion for exploration into every word she writes. Asra’s love for storytelling and her insatiable curiosity about the world make her an invaluable asset to the Voyager Info team. From a young age, Asra was drawn to the power of words and their ability to transport readers to far-off lands and magical realms. Her fascination with travel and cultures from around the globe fueled her desire to become a travel writer, and she set out on a journey to turn her dreams into reality.

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Viking cruises: leading the luxury travel industry.

As an enthusiastic world traveler, I constantly search for opulent experiences that satisfy my urge to discover new places.

And when it comes to leading the luxury travel industry, Viking Cruises is a name that consistently stands out. With their award-winning reputation, they have set the standard for both river and ocean cruises.

From being named the Best Luxury River Cruise Company to receiving accolades for their exceptional contributions to the industry, Viking Cruises continues to impress.

Join me as we explore the world in comfort and style with Viking Cruises.

• Viking Cruises has received numerous awards and recognition for its luxury river and ocean cruises, including being named the Best Luxury River Cruise Company multiple times.
• The company is committed to providing exceptional comfort and exploration experiences for its guests, and this mission resonates with both travelers and experts in the luxury travel industry.
• Viking Cruises has experienced significant growth and development, celebrating its 25th anniversary and achieving record-breaking bookings. The company has also expanded its fleet with the addition of 17 new ships, including eight Viking Longships on European rivers and vessels on the Mekong, Nile, and Mississippi rivers.
• Viking Cruises’ success and impact in the luxury travel industry are reinforced by its exceptional contributions, fleet expansion, and new ship launches. The company continues to be a leading choice for luxury travel experiences.

Viking Cruises’ Award-Winning Reputation

I’m proud to say that Viking Cruises has been awarded Best Luxury River Cruise Company eight times, solidifying our reputation as a leader in the luxury travel industry.

This recognition speaks to our industry influence and our commitment to customer satisfaction. Viking Cruises has consistently been recognized for our exceptional contributions to the luxury travel industry, receiving accolades from esteemed sources such as Luxury Travel Advisor and Food & Wine.

As Chairman of Viking Cruises, I am delighted to see our mission of exploring the world in comfort resonating with both our guests and experts in the industry.

Our growth and recent developments, including our 25th anniversary celebration and the addition of 17 new ships, further contribute to our impact on the luxury travel industry.

Viking Cruises continues to be the leading choice for those seeking unforgettable luxury travel experiences.

Setting the Standard in Luxury River and Ocean Cruises

Setting the standard in river and ocean cruises is a proud achievement for any company.

Viking Cruises has not only achieved this, but they have also set a new benchmark for luxury travel experiences. With their innovative approach and unparalleled customer service, Viking Cruises has transformed the cruise industry.

They have redefined luxury by offering unique and immersive experiences that cater to the discerning traveler. From their state-of-the-art ships to their carefully crafted itineraries, every aspect of a Viking cruise is designed to provide the utmost comfort and exploration.

Their commitment to excellence is evident in the numerous awards and accolades they have received. Viking Cruises continues to lead the way in luxury river and ocean cruises, making them the top choice for travelers seeking extraordinary experiences.

Consistent Excellence: Viking Cruises’ Best Luxury River Cruise Company Award

Receiving the Best Luxury River Cruise Company award for the eighth time is a testament to the consistent excellence of Viking Cruises. This recognition highlights Viking Cruises’ commitment to exceptional service and comfort, solidifying their impact on the luxury travel market.

Viking Cruises has proven time and again that they are dedicated to providing the utmost comfort and exploration to their guests. Chairman Torstein Hagen expresses pride in the recognition, as it resonates with both guests and experts in the luxury travel industry.

With their recent growth and developments, including their 25th anniversary celebration and the addition of 17 new ships, Viking Cruises continues to expand their influence. Their fleet expansion and new ship launches contribute to their status as a leading choice for luxury travel experiences.

Recognized for Exceptional Contributions to Luxury Travel

Recognized for my exceptional contributions to the world of luxury travel, I am proud to have made a lasting impact on the industry. Viking Cruises has not only established itself as a leader in luxury river and ocean voyages but has also taken significant initiatives towards sustainable travel and customer satisfaction.

In terms of sustainable travel, Viking Cruises has implemented various practices to minimize its environmental footprint. The company has invested in energy-efficient engines and onboard technologies to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. Additionally, Viking Cruises has partnered with local communities to support cultural preservation and conservation efforts in the destinations it visits.

To ensure customer satisfaction, Viking Cruises has focused on providing exceptional experiences and personalized service. The company’s commitment to comfort and exploration is evident in its luxurious accommodations and curated itineraries. Viking Cruises also values feedback from its guests, constantly striving to improve its offerings based on customer preferences and suggestions.

Through its impact on sustainable travel and dedication to customer satisfaction, Viking Cruises continues to set the standard in the luxury travel industry.

A Culinary Delight: Viking Cruises Named Best Cruise Line by Food & Wine

As a lover of fine dining, being named Best Cruise Line by Food & Wine is an exciting recognition for the incredible culinary experiences offered by Viking Cruises.

This accolade showcases the commitment of Viking Cruises to providing exceptional food and beverage options to its guests. The luxury travel industry is currently witnessing a growing trend towards culinary experiences, where travelers seek out unique and exquisite dining opportunities during their journeys.

Viking Cruises has embraced this trend by offering a wide range of gourmet dining options, including specialty restaurants, farm-to-table experiences, and wine tastings. The cruise line’s dedication to culinary excellence has resonated with travelers, making it a leading choice for those seeking luxurious and unforgettable dining experiences while exploring the world.

Viking Cruises’ recognition as Best Cruise Line by Food & Wine further solidifies its position as a pioneer in luxury travel trends.

Health and Wellness: Best River Cruise Line According to Women’s Health

Being named the Best River Cruise Line by Women’s Health is a testament to the commitment to health and wellness that resonates with travelers. Viking Cruises understands the importance of prioritizing the well-being of its guests and has implemented various health and wellness benefits on its cruises.

From nutritious dining options to onboard fitness facilities, Viking Cruises ensures that travelers have access to resources that support their physical and mental well-being. Customer testimonials further reinforce the positive impact of these initiatives, with guests praising the cruise line for promoting a healthy lifestyle and providing opportunities for relaxation and rejuvenation.

Celebrating 25 Years of Success and Unprecedented Performance

I’m proud to celebrate 25 years of success and unprecedented performance in the cruise industry.

Impact on sustainable tourism: Viking Cruises has made a significant impact on sustainable tourism with its commitment to environmental responsibility. From implementing energy-efficient technologies on its ships to reducing single-use plastics, Viking Cruises is leading the way in sustainable cruising.

Innovations in onboard amenities: Viking Cruises has revolutionized the cruise industry with its innovative onboard amenities. From spacious staterooms with verandas to world-class dining options and luxurious spa facilities, Viking Cruises ensures that guests have a truly exceptional experience onboard their ships.

Unmatched customer satisfaction: Viking Cruises’ dedication to delivering unparalleled customer satisfaction has been a key factor in its success. The company consistently receives top marks and awards for its exceptional service, attention to detail, and commitment to creating unforgettable travel experiences.

As we celebrate this milestone, I’m excited to see what the future holds for Viking Cruises and how it will continue to shape the luxury travel industry.

Unprecedented Growth: Viking Cruises’ Expanding Fleet

With the addition of 17 new ships since 2020, the fleet of Viking Cruises continues to expand at an unprecedented rate. This fleet expansion is a testament to Viking Cruises’ commitment to providing exceptional luxury travel experiences.

The new ship launches have allowed Viking Cruises to offer even more opportunities for exploration and comfort to its guests. These additions include eight Viking Longships on European rivers, as well as new vessels deployed on the Mekong, Nile, and Mississippi rivers.

This growth not only reinforces Viking Cruises’ influence in the luxury travel industry but also solidifies its position as a leading choice for unforgettable travel experiences.

The continuous expansion of the fleet demonstrates Viking Cruises’ dedication to meeting the increasing demand for luxury cruising and ensuring that guests have access to the best possible travel options.

Exploring the World in Comfort With Viking Cruises

After discussing the unprecedented growth of Viking Cruises’ expanding fleet, let’s now delve into the unmatched luxury and unforgettable adventures that await travelers with Viking Cruises.

Unmatched luxury: Viking Cruises’ commitment to providing unparalleled comfort and luxury experiences.

Unforgettable adventures: Exploring the world’s most remarkable destinations in style with Viking Cruises.

Impeccable service: Attentive and personalized service from a dedicated crew.

Sophisticated accommodations: Luxurious staterooms and suites with elegant design and modern amenities.

Culinary delights: Savor gourmet cuisine prepared by world-class chefs using locally sourced ingredients.

Cultural immersion: Engage in authentic experiences and cultural enrichment programs at every port of call.

Viking Cruises’ dedication to comfort and exploration has resonated with both guests and experts in the luxury travel industry. With their continuous fleet expansion and introduction of new ships, Viking Cruises remains a leading choice for those seeking unforgettable luxury travel experiences.

Viking Cruises: A Driving Force in the Luxury Travel Industry

Having made exceptional contributions to the world of luxury travel, Viking Cruises has become a driving force in the industry. With their innovative approach to luxury cruising, they have made a significant impact on sustainable luxury travel.

Viking Cruises’ commitment to sustainability is evident in their fleet expansion and new ship launches, which prioritize environmentally friendly practices. They have introduced state-of-the-art technology and design elements that reduce their carbon footprint and minimize environmental impact. By incorporating renewable energy sources and implementing waste management systems, Viking Cruises sets the standard for sustainable luxury travel.

Their dedication to providing unforgettable experiences to travelers, while also protecting the environment, has solidified their position as a leading choice for luxury travel. With their continuous growth and focus on sustainability, Viking Cruises continues to shape the future of the luxury travel industry.

What are the similarities and differences between Viking Cruises and Seabourn in the luxury travel industry?

When comparing Viking Cruises and Seabourn in the luxury travel industry, it’s clear that both offer exceptional experiences tailored to discerning travelers. However, Viking Cruises emphasizes cultural enrichment and immersive experiences, while Seabourn focuses on personalized service and intimate luxury, with Natalya Leahy leading luxury cruise experiences for both companies.

What Are Some of the Other Categories in Which Viking Cruises Received Accolades in the 2023 Cruisers Choice Awards by Cruise Critic?

Viking Cruises received accolades in various categories at the 2023 Cruisers Choice Awards by Cruise Critic. From innovative itineraries to the impact of their sustainability practices, they continue to impress and lead the industry.

How Many New Ships Has Viking Cruises Added to Its Fleet Since 2020?

Since 2020, Viking Cruises has added 17 new ships to its fleet, contributing to its growth and impact on customer satisfaction. The expansion reflects their commitment to providing exceptional luxury travel experiences.

Which Rivers Have Viking Cruises Recently Introduced New Vessels On?

Viking Cruises recently introduced new vessels on the Mekong, Nile, and Mississippi rivers. These expansions are part of Viking Cruises’ overall growth and impact on the luxury river cruise market.

How Does Viking Cruises’ Mission Resonate With Guests and Experts in the Luxury Travel Industry?

Viking Cruises’ mission resonates with guests and experts in the luxury travel industry due to their commitment to excellence. They set themselves apart by providing exceptional experiences and exploring the world in comfort.

Where Can I Find the Complete List of Winners for the 2023 Awards of Excellence?

You can find the complete list of winners for the 2023 awards of excellence on Luxury Travel Advisor’s website. It includes the winners in various categories, including Viking Cruises.

Alfons is the visionary leader and driving force behind Voyager Info’s success. As the Editor in Chief, he brings a wealth of experience and an unwavering passion for travel to the helm of our cruise-centric platform.

With a lifelong fascination for exploring new horizons, Alfons discovered his love for the ocean and cruising at a young age. From sailing across pristine Caribbean waters to embarking on daring expeditions to far-flung destinations, he has amassed a treasure trove of first-hand experiences in the world of cruising.

Wonder of the Seas: A Spectacular Inaugural Voyage

I experienced an incredible journey on the inaugural trip of the Wonder of the Seas! Honestly, it was absolutely marvelous.

This massive cruise ship, with its capacity of 6,988 guests, took me on a thrilling 7-day journey through Labadee, Haiti, Coco Cay, San Juan, and Nassau.

From the bustling excitement on the Deck 5 promenade to the lush oasis of the Central Park on Deck 8, there was never a dull moment.

Get ready to hear all about the high energy, excitement, and whirlwind of activities and entertainment that awaited me on this remarkable voyage.

• The Wonder of the Seas has a maximum guest capacity of 6,988 and is 1,188 feet long.
• The ship’s inaugural cruise is a 7-day itinerary that includes stops at Labadee, Haiti and Coco Cay.
• The first night of the cruise offers exciting activities and there are attractions on Deck 5 promenade and in the Boardwalk Neighborhood.
• The ship features a Central Park on Deck 8 and a variety of dining options including the main dining room and Park Cafe.

The Impressive Size of Wonder of the Seas

I can’t believe the Wonder of the Seas has a max guest capacity of 6,988. It measures 1,188 feet in length and 210 feet in width, making it incredibly impressive compared to other cruise ships.

Its size and dimensions are truly awe-inspiring. The sheer number of guests it can accommodate is remarkable, ensuring that there is always a vibrant and lively atmosphere onboard.

With its length of 1,188 feet, the Wonder of the Seas stands tall and majestic, dominating the seas. Its width of 210 feet allows for spacious and comfortable accommodations for all guests.

This colossal ship is a marvel of engineering, providing an unforgettable experience for those fortunate enough to embark on its remarkable voyage.

Exciting 7 Day Inaugural Cruise Itinerary

Embarking on the 7-day inaugural cruise, I eagerly anticipate stops in Labadee, Haiti and Coco Cay, as well as visits to San Juan and Nassau. These destinations offer a plethora of excursions and attractions, from exploring the vibrant streets of San Juan to ziplining through the breathtaking scenery of Labadee.

Onboard, the dining options and culinary experiences are equally impressive. The main dining room offers a mouthwatering array of dishes, while the specialty restaurants like Giovannis and Chops Grille provide a more intimate and gourmet dining experience.

The Deck 5 Boardwalk Neighborhood is a hub of activity, with the Aquatheater and The Abyss dry slide providing thrilling entertainment. And on Deck 8, the Terrace bar and Park Cafe offer stunning views of the Caribbean waves, perfect for enjoying a morning coffee or sunset drink.

This inaugural cruise promises to be an unforgettable experience, filled with exciting excursions and delectable dining options.

Explore the Boardwalk Neighborhood on Deck 5

The Boardwalk Neighborhood on Deck 5 is filled with thrilling entertainment options. The Aquatheater is a jaw-dropping venue where you can witness incredible performances that combine acrobatics, diving, and high diving into a massive pool. It’s like watching a live show right on the ship!

And if you’re looking to add a little adventure to your day, The Abyss dry slide is the perfect choice. It’s a thrilling ride that takes you down 10 decks in just a few seconds.

After all the excitement, you can indulge in the main dining options available in the neighborhood. From delicious seafood to mouthwatering steaks, there’s something for every palate.

The Boardwalk Neighborhood truly offers an unforgettable experience for all.

Convenience and Delights of Deck 8

Convenience and delights await on Deck 8. This deck offers a variety of stateroom categories, including cozy interior staterooms and luxurious suites with private balconies. Whether you’re looking for spacious accommodations with modern amenities or intimate rooms for a romantic getaway, Deck 8 has something for everyone.

On Deck 8, you’ll also find a range of delicious dining options. Restaurants like Giovannis and Chops Grille offer mouthwatering meals that are sure to satisfy your taste buds. And when you’re ready to relax and take in the beautiful views of the Caribbean waves, head to the Terrace bar. This bar offers a relaxing and picturesque atmosphere, where you can sip your favorite cocktail and feel the warm ocean breeze on your face. It’s the perfect spot to enjoy a refreshing drink with friends or loved ones.

Deck 8 is truly a haven of convenience and enjoyment. With its delightful terrace bar experience and variety of stateroom options, this deck ensures a memorable and comfortable cruise experience. So don’t miss out on the chance to indulge in the wonders that await you on Deck 8.

Overall Experience of Wonder of the Seas

I was blown away by the high energy and excitement throughout my cruise on Wonder of the Seas. From the moment I stepped onboard, I could feel the anticipation in the air.

The cruise ship amenities were top-notch, catering to every guest’s needs and desires. Customer reviews had raved about the incredible experiences, and I soon understood why.

The ship’s size was impressive, with a max guest capacity of 6,988 and a length of 1,188 feet. The bustling Deck 5 promenade was a hub of activity, offering a variety of shops and entertainment options. The Boardwalk Neighborhood on Deck 5 was a must-visit, with its Aquatheater and The Abyss dry slide.

The stunning Central Park on Deck 8 provided a lush garden atmosphere, complete with live plants. The convenience of Deck 8 was unbeatable, with a variety of stateroom categories, multiple specialty restaurants, and breathtaking views of the Caribbean waves.

Throughout the entire cruise, the energy and excitement never waned, making it an unforgettable experience.

High Energy and Entertainment

From the moment I stepped onboard, the energy and excitement on Wonder of the Seas were palpable, creating an atmosphere of non-stop fun and entertainment.

The ship truly lives up to its name, offering an array of high-energy nightlife options and captivating live performances. Whether you’re in the mood for dancing the night away at the vibrant nightclubs, enjoying live music performances at the various venues, or catching a thrilling Broadway-style show at the theater, there is something for everyone.

The nightlife on Wonder of the Seas is truly unmatched, with a diverse range of experiences to choose from. You can sip cocktails at the trendy bars, try your luck at the casino, or simply enjoy the electric atmosphere as you stroll through the bustling promenade.

No matter how you choose to spend your evenings, the ship promises to keep you entertained from dusk till dawn.

Thrilling Adventures and Activities

After experiencing the high energy and excitement of the Wonder of the Seas, I was eager to explore more of the thrilling adventures and activities onboard.

One of the highlights was the Aqua Theater, a magnificent venue where I witnessed jaw-dropping acrobatic performances and high dives into a sparkling pool.

The Abyss dry slide, on the other hand, provided an adrenaline rush as I slid down 10 decks in a matter of seconds.

As for dining, the main dining experience surpassed all expectations. The elegant ambiance, impeccable service, and delectable cuisine made every meal a memorable occasion. From mouthwatering appetizers to delightful desserts, the flavors were simply exquisite.

Whether you’re seeking exhilarating entertainment or indulging in a culinary delight, the Wonder of the Seas offers a truly unforgettable experience.

Anticipation for Ship Review on Porthole.com

Anticipating the ship review on Porthole.com, I’m excited to read about the experiences of other passengers and gain insights into the various aspects of the cruise.

The upcoming cruise reviews will provide a window into the wonders of the Wonder of the Seas. As the launch date approaches, my anticipation grows. I can’t wait to hear about the stunning size of the ship, with its max guest capacity of 6,988 and impressive length of 1,188 feet.

I’m eager to learn about the 7-day inaugural cruise itinerary, with its stops at Labadee, Haiti and Coco Cay, as well as the bustling Deck 5 promenade and the exciting activities on the first night.

And of course, I’m curious about the Boardwalk Neighborhood on Deck 5, with its Aquatheater and The Abyss dry slide, as well as the delicious food in the main dining room and the lush garden atmosphere of Central Park on Deck 8.

I’m also looking forward to hearing about the convenience of Deck 8, with its variety of stateroom categories, terrace bar, and Park Cafe.

And lastly, I’m eager to read about the overall experience of the cruise, with its high energy and excitement, limited face mask requirements for crew members, whirlwind of activities and entertainment, and thrilling adventures like the Dragons Breath zipline in Labadee.

The ship review on Porthole.com will surely satisfy my anticipation and provide a glimpse into the wonders that await on the Wonder of the Seas.

What Are the Dining Options Available on Wonder of the Seas?

There are a variety of dining options available on Wonder of the Seas, offering a wide range of cuisine. From the main dining room to specialty restaurants, there is something to satisfy every palate.

Can You Provide More Details About the Aquatheater and the Abyss Dry Slide in the Boardwalk Neighborhood?

The Aquatheater on Boardwalk is a thrilling spectacle, with high-diving acrobats and water shows that will leave you in awe. And if you’re feeling adventurous, the Abyss dry slide offers an exhilarating experience like no other.

Are There Any Specific Activities or Events Planned for the First Night of the Inaugural Cruise?

On the first night of the inaugural cruise, there will be a variety of activities and events to kick off the voyage with excitement. Guests can look forward to entertainment shows, themed parties, and delicious dining options.

What Are the Different Stateroom Categories Available on Deck 8?

On deck 8, there are different stateroom categories available, including Oceanview and Balcony rooms. These options provide stunning views of the ocean and allow for a relaxing and enjoyable cruise experience.

How Does the Embarkation Process on Wonder of the Seas Differ From Other Cruise Ships?

The embarkation process on Wonder of the Seas is smooth and efficient, setting it apart from other cruise ships. The boarding experience is quick and hassle-free, allowing guests to start their vacation without delay.

What Insider Secrets Were Revealed During the Inaugural Voyage of Wonder of the Seas?

Curious travelers eagerly awaited the wonder of the seas insider secrets during the inaugural voyage. From hidden lounges to exclusive dining experiences, guests were delighted by the behind-the-scenes access to the ship’s most prized offerings. The insider knowledge added an extra layer of excitement to the already spectacular journey.

In conclusion, my experience on the Wonder of the Seas was absolutely incredible.

From the moment I stepped on board, I was blown away by the impressive size of the ship and the bustling energy on Deck 5.

Exploring the Boardwalk Neighborhood was like stepping into a thrilling amusement park, with attractions like the Aquatheater and The Abyss dry slide.

Deck 8 offered a beautiful oasis in the form of Central Park, with its lush gardens and stunning views.

Overall, the cruise was a whirlwind of high energy and excitement, with thrilling adventures and activities at every turn.

I can’t wait to read the ship review on Porthole.com and relive the memories of this spectacular inaugural voyage.

What’s Included and Not Included in Your Cruise Fare!

I can’t wait to set sail on the cruise vacation of my dreams!

But before I embark on this exciting adventure, I need to know exactly what’s included and not included in my cruise fare.

From the comfort of my cabin to the delicious food options and thrilling entertainment, I want to make sure I have all the information I need to plan my budget.

So, let’s dive in and explore what’s included and what’s not in my cruise fare!

• Cabin is included in the fare but amenities vary depending on cruise line and cabin type.
• Buffet offers a wide selection of international dishes, while specialty restaurants come at an additional cost.
• Free shows and entertainment are included, but paid activities such as go-karts and simulated skydiving are available for an extra charge.
• Gratuities, spa treatments, and extra activities like go-karts and roller coasters are not included in the cruise fare and require separate payment.

Cabin and Accommodations

The cabin is included in the fare, so I don’t have to worry about any extra charges for my room. It’s great to know that I can enjoy a comfortable and cozy space without any additional costs.

The cabin amenities vary depending on the cruise line and the type of cabin chosen. Typically, cabins come with standard features such as a bed, storage space, a private bathroom, and a television. Some higher-end cabins may offer additional amenities like a balcony, mini-fridge, or even a butler service.

As for room service options, many cruise lines offer 24-hour room service, allowing passengers to order food and beverages directly to their cabin. It’s a convenient option for those who prefer dining in the privacy of their own room.

Food and Dining Options

I love the variety of food options available on a cruise, from the buffet to the main dining room.

The buffet is a great option for those who want a wide selection of dishes to choose from. They usually offer a range of cuisines, including international dishes, salads, soups, and desserts. It’s a casual dining experience where you can try a little bit of everything.

On the other hand, specialty restaurants are a more upscale option. These restaurants often have a specific theme or cuisine, such as Italian, steakhouse, or seafood. While these restaurants come at an additional cost, they provide a more intimate and gourmet dining experience.

Whether you prefer the variety of the buffet or the elegance of the specialty restaurants, there are plenty of dining options to satisfy every palate on a cruise.

Entertainment and Activities

With a wide range of entertainment shows, activities, and movies, there is never a dull moment on a cruise ship. Here are some key things to know about the entertainment and activities on board:

Free shows: Cruise ships offer a variety of free entertainment shows, including Broadway-style performances, live music, comedy shows, and magic acts. These shows are included in the fare and provide great entertainment for guests of all ages.

Paid activities: While many activities on the ship are included in the fare, there are also some paid activities available for an additional charge. These can include go-karts, simulated skydiving, and even roller coasters. These activities offer a unique and thrilling experience for those looking for a little extra excitement on their cruise.

Additional Charges and Gratuities

When it comes to additional charges on a cruise, it’s important to be aware of the cost of specialty restaurants and gratuities. Specialty restaurants offer a more upscale dining experience and usually have a cover charge. These restaurants offer a variety of cuisines and are a great option for a special night out. Gratuities, on the other hand, are the service charges that are automatically added to your onboard account. These charges typically amount to around $15 per person, per day, and are distributed among the ship’s staff. It’s important to budget for these charges as they are not included in the cruise fare. Additionally, spa treatments and services are not included in the fare and also come with an additional cost. So, be sure to factor in these extra charges when planning your cruise budget.

Keywords: specialty restaurants, gratuities, spa treatments.

Extra Activities and Excursions

Go-karts, simulated skydiving, and roller coasters are some of the extra activities on a cruise that may require an additional charge. These paid activities provide an exciting and thrilling experience for passengers seeking adventure on their vacation. Cruise lines offer a variety of options to cater to different interests and age groups. From high-speed go-kart races to indoor simulated skydiving, these activities add an extra level of excitement to the onboard experience.

However, it is important to note that these activities are not included in the cruise fare and require separate payment. Additionally, when the ship docks at various ports, passengers have the opportunity to participate in shore excursions. These excursions, which are organized by the cruise line, offer a range of activities and experiences at the destinations visited, such as guided tours, water sports, and cultural explorations.

Similar to the paid activities onboard, shore excursions also require separate payment. It is advisable to plan and budget accordingly to enjoy these additional experiences during your cruise.

What Is Typically Included in a Cruise Fare?

When booking a Carnival Cruise, inclusions vary. Generally, the fare covers accommodation, dining, on-board entertainment, and access to amenities like pools and fitness centers. However, it’s important to check if alcohol, specialty dining, excursions, and gratuities are included or come at an additional cost.

Are There Any Additional Charges for Using the Gym on the Cruise Ship?

Yes, there may be additional charges for using the gym on the cruise ship. However, there are usually membership options available that allow guests to use the gym for free, just like in a resort.

Are Tender Boats Available for Free During Port Visits?

Yes, tender boats are available for free during port visits. They are included in the cruise fare and run the entire time the ship is in port. There are no additional fees for using them.

Do Specialty Restaurants on the Cruise Ship Require an Extra Charge?

Yes, specialty restaurants on the cruise ship require an extra charge. However, there are still plenty of included dining options. Onboard entertainment, such as daily shows and activities, is included in the fare.

Are Spa Treatments and Services Included in the Cruise Fare?

Spa treatments and services, like massages and facials, are not included in the cruise fare. They come with additional charges. However, the gym is free to use and offers great views.

Are There Any Additional Charges for Activities Like Go-Karts or Simulated Skydiving on the Ship?

Yes, there are additional charges for activities like go-karts and simulated skydiving on the ship. These are considered specialty activities and are not included in the cruise fare.

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Cruise Gratuities: What You Need to Know

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Tipping on a cruise is a hot topic among cruisers.

Mainstream cruise lines try to make it less stressful by incorporating an automatic daily gratuity, while luxury lines include them in the base cruise fare.

While automatic tipping is supposed to streamline crew appreciation, it’s a little confusing.

It’s common for passengers to be unaware of the daily gratuity charge. It’s safe to say they are surprised when they see their onboard account balance at the end of the cruise.

To ensure there are no surprises, here’s everything you need to know about cruise gratuities in 2022.

Table of Contents

What Are Daily Cruise Ship Gratuities?

A gratuity is simply a tip given to cruise ship staff to thank them for their service. Cruise lines have a suggested amount that guests should tip crew members, known as a gratuity.

Cruise lines distribute the collected cruise gratuities among passenger-facing crew members like cabin stewards, waiters, and waitresses.

The cruise lines might call it a gratuity charge, service fee, or a similar name. Most cruise lines charge an automatic gratuity each day of the cruise.

Often it’s possible to prepay the service charges before sailing to avoid sudden charges at the end of the cruise vacation.

How Much Are Cruise Gratuities?

Cruise gratuities are, on average, between $11.50 and $20 per passenger, per day . The gratuity charge is often automatically added to your onboard account each day of sailing.

Luxury cruise lines like Azamara, Regent Seven Seas, Silversea, and Virgin Voyages include gratuities in the cruise fare .

You can monitor your daily onboard account through the cruise lines app, guest services, or the stateroom television.

You might be shocked when you receive the final bill if you’re unaware of the automatic gratuity charge.

Gratuities by Cruise Line

Below is a breakdown of the cruise line tipping policies and automatic gratuities charged by each cruise line.

Carnival Cruise Line : Carnival Cruise Line charges a daily $14.50 automatic gratuity for standard staterooms and $16.50 for suites. There is an additional 18% gratuity charge on beverage purchases, drink packages, and specialty restaurants.

Celebrity Cruises : $14.50 per person per day for standard staterooms, $16.00 per person per day for Concierge and Aqua class cabins, and $19.00 per person per day for suites. The cruise line charges an 18% gratuity on drinks and beverage packages.

Costa Cruises : Costa cruises calculates cruise gratuities based on the ship and the length of sailing. Sailings departing from US ports typically have a $12 daily gratuity charge.

Cunard Line : $11.50 per person per day for Britannia Class and $13.50 per person per day for Grills’ Suites. The cruise line has a 15% service fee for beverages.

Disney Cruise Line : The cruise line has a daily automatic gratuity of $13.50 for all stateroom classes. There’s a 15% beverage gratuity charge and an 18% service charge for spa services. According to Disney Cruise Line , the gratuities are dispersed among the dining room server, dining room assistant server, dining room head server, and stateroom host.

Holland America : $14.50 per person per day for standard staterooms and $16.00 per person per day for suites. There’s an additional 15% beverage charge on drinks and drink packages.

MSC Cruises : $12.50 for adults aged 12 and older and $6.25 for ages 2 to 12. There’s no automatic gratuity for kids under two. Cruises departing outside the US charge gratuities in Euros at a comparable exchange rate.

Norwegian Cruise Line : $16 per person per day for standard cabins, $18 per person per day for Club Balcony suite, and $20 per person per day for The Haven and suites. There’s also a 20% beverage charge for drinks and beverage packages.

Oceania Cruises : $16 daily for guests in a standard stateroom and $23 per guest booked in Penthouse, Oceania, Vista, or Owner’s Suites.

Princess Cruises : $14.50 per person per day for guests in standard staterooms, $15.50 per person per day for guests in Mini-Suites and Club Class, and $16.50 per person per day for guests booked in Suite accommodations. Princess Cruises charges an additional 15% gratuity on beverages and drinks packages .

Royal Caribbean International : Royal Caribbean has a daily automatic gratuity charge of $16 per person per day for guests in Junior Suites and below or $18.50 for guests in Grand Suites and above. The cruise line charges an automatic gratuity of 18% on beverages and drinks packages.

Viking Ocean Cruises : $15 per person per day plus an automatic gratuity charge of 15% on beverages.

Windstar Cruises : $13.50 per person per day.

Cruise Lines Without Automatic Gratuities

Many luxury cruise lines have gratuities included with the cruise fares. Guests may tip additionally at their discretion, but tipping beyond the automatic gratuity isn’t mandatory or expected.

Below is a list of cruise lines that don’t charge daily gratuities:

• Crystal Cruises
• Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
• Paul Gauguin Cruises
• Regent Seven Seas Cruises
• Seabourn Cruise Line
• SeaDream Yacht Club
• Silversea Cruises
• Virgin Voyages

Should You PrePay Cruise Gratuities?

Some cruise lines allow guests to pay the automatic gratuity in advance. We recommend prepaying gratuities when possible because it makes it easier to budget costs.

When you prepay cruise line gratuities, you’ll lock in your rate.

If you wait until the end of your cruise and the cruise line increases the daily gratuity charge, you’ll have to pay the higher price.

The difference might not be too bad if you’re sailing solo, but it could be costly if you’re paying for a group.

Bottom Line: Whether you prepay cruise gratuities or wait until the end of the cruise is a personal choice. But we generally recommend prepaying because it makes budgeting easier and locks in the current rate.

Who Gets the Gratuities?

Cruise lines split the gratuity charge amongst the hardworking crew members, including servers, stateroom attendants, and the entertainment staff.

The crew member roles that receive service fees may differ between cruise lines, but it’s generally split between the behind-the-scenes crew members.

Which Roles Don’t Receive Part of the Automatic Gratuity?

Some staff roles may not receive any tips from the automatic gratuities. The roles may include:

• Childcare providers
• Wine sommeliers
• Shore excursion guides
• Tour bus drivers
• Porters at the terminal
• Spa and salon services

The roles above don’t receive tips from the daily gratuity charge collected by cruise lines. However, bartenders receive gratuities from the service charges applied to beverages and drink package purchases .

And some cruise lines charge a service charge on spa services, which goes towards the spa staff.

There’s no requirement to tip, but it’s nice to show your appreciation for the staff in the above roles as they don’t take part in the regular automatic gratuities.

Should You Tip for Room Service Delivery?

The staff who delivers your room service may not participate in the automatic gratuity. While many cruise lines charge a room service delivery fee, it may not be shared with the crew member delivering your meal.

Further, cruise lines often ask staff members to volunteer for delivery service.

The employee delivering your food may not receive any money for their work.

It’s not mandatory to tip for room service delivery, but we typically tip $1 to $5, depending on how much we order.

Does Every Passenger Pay Gratuities?

The vast majority of cruise ship passengers are charged an automatic gratuity. However, some cruise lines make exceptions for small kids.

Below are the cruise lines that have exceptions for young travelers:

• Carnival : There are no gratuities for children under the age of two.
• Norwegian : Guests under three years of age aren’t charged an automatic gratuity.
• MSC Cruises : Guests between the ages of two and twelve pay half the daily gratuity charge, and there’s no automatic gratuity for passengers under the age of two.

Do You Have to Pay Gratuities on a Cruise?

No, you don’t have to pay gratuities on a cruise.

Many people mistake the automatic gratuity as a mandatory charge. And while most guests happily pay the daily cruise gratuities, it’s not mandatory.

There are several reasons why you may not want to pay the automatic service gratuity:

• You prefer to choose the people you tip
• You’re unhappy with the service
• You might be from a region where tipping isn’t common (ex Europe)

You can have the automatic gratuity removed from your account by visiting the Purser’s Desk or Guest Services.

What If You Want to Tip Extra?

Most cruise lines offer exceptional service. The service you receive is thanks to the hardworking crew members who work long hours , with few days off.

If you choose to thank the staff for making your trip enjoyable, you can choose to tip extra by giving them cash or adjusting your automatic gratuity.

If we receive outstanding service and want to provide an extra tip, we do so in cash. By giving our extra tip in cash, we know it’s going directly to the crew member who gave us the outstanding service.

If you choose to show crew appreciation by raising the automatic gratuity charge, you can do so by visiting Guest Services.

Marcello De Lio

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Hi Marcello. Our Grandson is at present on MSC Lirica as a gift for his 21st. He requested Guest Services to remove the gratuities as he prefers to tip the cabin steward etc, independently. However they have refused. As my wife and myself were avid cruisers(52cruises) we always made this request when cruising without a problem. Any suggestions as to what he should do? Kind regards, Larry.

Hi Larry. I am so sorry to hear about your situation. From my knowledge cruise lines cannot force you to pay the gratuities, as tips are considered optional. I’ve never asked for the automatic service charges to be removed, but I have plenty of friends who have done so without difficulty.

Though cruise lines heavily suggest and automatically charge gratuities, I am unaware of any cruise line that does not allow guests to cancel the charges, including MSC Cruises. I don’t think any cruise line could technically enforce guests to pay gratuities, as they are considered optional payments as a show of gratitude. If I were in your position, I would contact the cruise line directly to have the charges reversed. It could be an honest mistake by the Guest Services staff, but the cruise line should help you with refunding the gratuity charges.

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Cruising the World One Port at a Time

Another Cruise Line About to Increase Daily Gratuities

By: Sherry Laskin · Published on May 2, 2019

It was bound to happen. Following in the footsteps of Carnival, Holland America and Norwegian, Princess Cruises daily gratuities are about to increase.

New Princess gratuities charges

Beginning on May 1 and beyond, every passenger will see a $1 per day increase in their automatic gratuities, beginning on all cruises that depart on May 1 and beyond.

If you’ve reserved a standard cabin – interior, oceanview or balcony – your new charges will be $14.50 per person per day.

Those in mini-suites will pay $15.50 per person per day. If you’re lucky enough to book a suite, your new gratuity charge will be $16.50 per person per day.

How to avoid paying the additional cost

There is one way to avoid the additional automatic gratuity charge. If you are already booked, you can prepay your gratuities before May 14. That’s the only way to save a little bit extra.

Princess gratuities – the bigger picture

So how does this add up for an average cabin with double occupancy on a seven-night cruise? At first, the $1 a day doesn’t seem like a whole lot if you think of it like an additional $7 per person for the week. But when you add it all up, the total gratuities for two people now comes to $203!

On most cruises I hand my stateroom attendant or waiter (if I’ve used the main dining room) a bit of cash as a thank-you for excellent service. If the sommelier or bartender has provided exceptional service, same there. I see how this can add up to quite a bit of expense. I guess the solution is to simply budget enough to cover higher gratuities and the extra thank you cash well in advance to avoid stick shock at the end of your cruise. That’s partly the reason I try to always prepay gratuities well before my cruise. It’s one last thing to worry about at the end of a wonderful cruise.

What do you think of the across-the-board gratuity increases? Please leave your comment below.

FYI…The last time Princess raised their daily gratuities charge was in 2016.

Read Next: Complete and updated list of major cruise lines’ gratuities

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About Sherry Laskin

I'm the editor and creator of CruiseMaven.com, a solo traveler cruising the world without flying. I hope my articles and photos entertain, advise and inspire you to travel the world without flying. Take a breath...stop for a local meal and a glass of wine along the way.

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February 5, 2023 at 8:33 pm

It’s reasonable, for example, look at the price of food. The staff on cruise lines are pathetically underpaid, unfortunately the gratuities are not distributed as advertised. We always give cash to those who have given us exceptional service at the end of the cruise.

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Princess Cruise Tipping Etiquette: Tips for a Royal Experience

Embarking on a Princess Cruise presents an opportunity to experience the high seas with comfort and luxury. This article explains Princess cruise tipping etiquette, including recommended daily amounts for staff and tips on expressing gratitude.

Princess Cruises automatically adds a gratuity of $14.50 to $16.50 per day, per guest to the onboard account, which covers dining and cabin staff. Additional tips are at guests' discretion for exceptional service.

Tipping Customs

• Gratuities on a Princess Cruise signify appreciation for crew services.
• Knowing tipping guidelines ensures crew members receive proper recognition.
• Proper tipping enhances the cruise experience for both guests and service staff.

On this page:

Understanding cruise tipping guidelines, gratitude for onboard services, additional tipping considerations, tipping with families and groups, handling tipping on premium and luxury lines, managing tipping and onboard expenses.

Navigating tipping on a cruise can be perplexing. This guide focuses on Princess Cruises' tipping etiquette but also touches on general practices that apply to other lines like Carnival and Royal Caribbean.

Automatic Gratuities vs. Cash Tips

Most cruise lines, including Princess , add an automatic service charge to your onboard account that covers general tipping. This daily rate per person takes the guesswork out of how much to tip, but you can still offer cash tips for exceptional service.

Tipping Policies by Cruise Line

Each cruise line has its own set of tipping policies . Princess automatically adds a service charge to your bill, while other lines like Carnival and Royal Caribbean have similar practices. It's important to check the specifics for your chosen line and adjust your budget accordingly. For a better understanding of industry-standard rates and gratuity practices, a good resource is available regarding tips on a cruise.

When you embark on a Princess Cruise, expressing your gratitude through gratuities acknowledges the impeccable service you receive from a dedicated crew. The daily crew appreciation fee covers various services, ensuring that those who go above and beyond for your comfort are rewarded.

Dining Room Staff and Waiters

• Service Charge : A daily fee is automatically added to your bill for dining services.
• Personal Thanks : An additional tip for exceptional service is at your discretion.

Crew members in the dining areas work tirelessly to provide you with memorable meal experiences. It's expected to pay a service charge which is shared among the wait staff and personnel you might not see directly, such as kitchen crew and others who contribute to your dining enjoyment.

Room Service and Housekeeping

• Included in Daily Fee : Your room service and housekeeping staff are covered by the daily charge.
• Personal Gift : For extraordinary care, feel free to offer a personal tip.

Your housekeeping team ensures your cabin is a clean, welcoming space throughout your voyage, and room service provides the convenience of refreshments in the comfort of your quarters. Although the daily gratuity includes these services, personal recognition for exceptional service is always appreciated.

Specialized Personnel

• Spa and Butler Services : Typically receive tips separately for personalized service.
• Entertainment Staff : Although not customary, tips for outstanding performances can be offered.

Specialized crew members, such as spa technicians or butlers, may not be covered under the standard gratuity charge. In cases of spa services, personal tips are recommended to acknowledge the individual care you receive. Tips for the entertainment staff are less common but are a thoughtful gesture for exceptional enjoyment.

When enjoying the vast array of services on a Princess Cruise, understanding when and how to tip for those extra perks can enhance your experience and show appreciation for exceptional service.

Beverage and Specialty Dining

• A tip is typically included in your beverage package price, but for exceptional bar service, an additional tip is appreciated.
• Bartenders: For ala carte drink orders, consider tipping $1-2 per drink to acknowledge their service.

Specialty Dining:

• An additional tip on top of the dining package can show gratitude for a memorable culinary experience.
• A suggested amount is $10-20, depending on the level of service and group size.

Casino and Spa Extras

Casino: Feel free to tip dealers and service staff if they've contributed to a great casino experience. This is not mandatory but can be done at your discretion.

Spa Services:

• While a gratuity may be included in your spa bill, additional appreciation for exceptional service can be expressed with an additional 10-15% tip.
• This is especially true for personalized attention or extended treatments.

Excursion and Port Assistance

Excursions:

• Tour guides and operators often go above and beyond. For these individuals, $5-10 is a common tip for a half-day tour, and $10-20 for a full-day.

Port Assistance:

• For the port staff who assist with luggage, have a few dollars ready per bag. This small gesture acknowledges their efforts in handling your belongings with care.

When cruising with your family or in a group, tipping can reflect appreciation for the personalized attention you receive. Here's how to navigate gratuities in a way that feels generous and appropriate for larger parties.

Family-Oriented Tipping

When you're traveling with your family , particularly with kids, the crew's extra efforts to ensure everyone's comfort can be significant. Establishing a standard tip for the room steward is important, and you might consider a higher amount for a family of four staying in balcony cabins , owing to the likely increased workload.

• Room Steward: Suggested tip of $3-5 per day, per person.
• Dining Staff: If your family frequents the same dining settings, a collective tip to acknowledge their service can be a kind gesture.

Group Tipping Strategies

For those cruising as a group , pooling tips can be an effective approach. This is particularly manageable for groups such as couples traveling together. Collectively decide on the gratuity to allocate for consistent services received during the cruise.

• Shared Services: Discuss as a group to determine a fair gratuity for shared experiences, such as group excursions or special onboard events.
• Individual tipping: Despite pooling for some services, personal tips should still be given for individual service encounters.

By understanding these tipping practices, you ensure that the exceptional service provided to your family or group doesn't go unrecognized.

When embarking on a luxurious cruise with premium lines like Princess Cruises or Silversea, understanding tipping policies enhances your voyage experience. These policies vary across companies and may include all-inclusive packages that cover gratuities.

All-Inclusive Packages

Many luxury lines, such as Seabourn and Silversea , offer all-inclusive packages. These typically roll gratuities into the overall fare you pay, simplifying your experience.

• Princess Plus package : Includes tips along with added benefits.
• Azamara : Gratuities are part of your cruise fare.

When opting for these packages, you won’t have to worry about tipping staff directly, as service charges are already taken care of.

Tipping on Upscale Cruise Brands

Despite all-inclusive fares, you may encounter occasions where additional tips are appreciated.

• Butlers and concierge services : On lines like Viking and Seabourn , a special thank you for exceptional service is at your discretion.
• Premium lines such as Princess Cruises : May suggest additional gratuities for outstanding service.

Remember, while tipping policies vary, acknowledging exceptional service is always a kind gesture.

When cruising with Princess, you have the option to handle gratuities according to your preference and manage onboard expenses with ease. This section will guide you through the nuances of prepaying gratuities and maintaining your onboard account.

Prepaying vs. Tipping Onboard

• Pros: You can prepay gratuities before your cruise, allowing you to budget your trip more accurately. Prepaid gratuities ensure that service fees are taken care of without the need to handle cash transactions while onboard.
• Cons: Less flexibility since you pay a fixed amount regardless of the actual service level experienced.
• Pros: You can adjust tips based on the service you receive. A personal touch is added when handing gratuities directly to crew members.
• Cons: Handling cash may be inconvenient, and it could be easy to overlook some staff members who contribute to your experience.

Onboard Accounts and Charges

Setting Up Your Onboard Account:

• Link it to your credit card to handle all charges , including service fees.
• A hold will be placed on your card for incidental expenses upon boarding.

Understanding Charges:

• A daily gratuity fee is charged to your onboard account, covering your room steward and dining staff.
• You'll find additional service charges for certain onboard services and premium dining options.

Remember, when it comes to tipping and managing your onboard expenses, you have control and options that suit your personal preference and budgeting style.

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Can I remove prepaid gratuities on a cruise?

When it comes to cruise fees, prepaid gratuities might be the sneakiest extra charge that can mess with your vacation budget. If you've never booked a big-ship cruise before, you might not realize that cruise lines tack on automatic gratuities that can add hundreds of dollars to your final bill. Booking websites don't always announce those extra fees until you're asked if you want to prepay them in the final steps of the cruise booking process.

Cruisers do have options, albeit limited ones. You can prepay the gratuities when booking or wait to pay them as part of your onboard bill. You may also be able to remove the automatic gratuities – but is it a good idea?

For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Here, we explore cruise prepaid gratuities and whether you should pay them or not.

What are prepaid gratuities?

Cruise lines use the term "prepaid gratuities" in multiple ways, which makes the concept even more confusing to newbies.

Most frequently, prepaid gratuities refer to the option for travelers to pay the automatically added tips when they book the cruise rather than paying them as part of their onboard bill at the end of the sailing.

However, prepaid gratuities can also refer to a promotion in which the cruise line or a travel agent offers to pay your crew tips for you. You get a discount on your final cruise bill because you're not responsible for the gratuities.

Some luxury or more-inclusive cruise lines always cover gratuities in their fare, so you never have to worry about a sneaky extra fee.

Related: Tipping on a cruise ship: Everything you need to know

What do prepaid gratuities cover on a cruise?

Prepaid gratuities cover tips for housekeeping and dining room staff members – waiters, room stewards, etc. They supplement the base salaries of the hotel services team members, some of whom you'll interact with on your cruise (like a waiter) and others you won't (like the crew members who wash your sheets).

The prepaid gratuities do not cover tips for bar service or spa treatments or gratuities for local guides and drivers who lead your excursions in port. While tipping tour guides is left to your discretion, many cruise lines automatically tack a 15% to 20% tip onto bar and spa bills. Some also add automatic gratuities to your check at extra-fee restaurants on board.

Related: What's included in your cruise fare?

Which cruises have free prepaid gratuities?

Not every line or every sailing requires prepaid gratuities.

Certain lines, usually higher-end ones, include crew gratuities in their cruise fares. Lines like Silversea , Seabourn and Regent Seven Seas Cruises do not charge extra for staff appreciation. Big-ship line Virgin Voyages also includes crew tips in its base prices.

Some lines give you the option to purchase an extra-inclusions package, which may cover gratuities. Princess Cruises ' Princess Plus and Princess Premier packages, Celebrity Cruises ' All-Included package and Windstar Cruises ' All-Inclusive fares bundle crew gratuities with other complimentary perks (such as drinks packages and Wi-Fi access) at a discounted price, compared to purchasing all the components separately.

Additionally, some travel sellers may occasionally offer to pay your gratuities for you on select cruise lines as part of a promotion.

Related: Best all-inclusive cruise lines

Should I prepay cruise gratuities or not?

As with any financial decision, there are pros and cons to choosing prepaid gratuities versus adding them to your onboard bill.

The benefit of prepaying gratuities is that you account for the cost in your initial booking, which might help you get a clearer picture of the actual total cost of the trip. You won't accidentally spend that money before your cruise, leaving you less for fun activities once you're on vacation.

The downside is you hand over more money to the cruise line early. If you wait to pay until your sailing, those dollars will continue to earn interest for you longer (if you keep your vacation funds in an interest-bearing account). Prepaying gratuities also prevents you from changing the amount once on board if you're dissatisfied with the service.

Related: 11 extra charges on cruise ships that will drive you nuts — and what you can do about them

What happens if you don't prepay gratuities on a cruise?

If you do not prepay cruise gratuities before sailing, the cruise line will add them to your onboard bill. The cruise line will then charge your credit card for the gratuity amount at the end of the sailing – along with other purchases you made with your cruise card (drinks, souvenirs, spa treatments, tours, etc.).

The answer to this question is complicated, so bear with me.

If you have prepaid gratuities during the cruise booking process, you cannot remove them on board. The cruise line has had your money for months, and it won't give it back.

If you have not prepaid gratuities and the service charges show up on your onboard bill, you can go to guest services before the sailing ends and request to have the amounts altered or removed. You'll be asked to explain why you're unhappy with the service you received.

However, even if your room steward was sloppy and your waiter was rude (extremely rare occurrences), or if you come from a non-tipping culture, please reconsider removing the automatic gratuity charges. The tips are not merely goodwill gestures; they're a critical portion of crew members' pay.

Refuse to pay, and these hardworking cruise employees have less to send home to their families. You don't have to like the system, but given that it's the one the cruise companies have chosen, I encourage you not to penalize the crew for it.

Bottom line

If you're cruising on a big-ship line, understand that crew gratuities are an integral part of the cruise cost. You can prepay gratuities when you book or pay them as part of your onboard bill at the end of your sailing. You can look for a package that offers a discount on prepaid gratuities or a promotion offering free prepaid gratuities.

Whether prepaid gratuities are worth it is up to you and how you budget for travel. While you can find ways to avoid giving tips to the crew, you really shouldn't. The crew members work hard to make your vacation amazing, in ways you see and in ways you don't, and they deserve that financial thank-you for their service.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
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• Princess Cruises

Question about gratuities...

By Greytgrey , September 17, 2023 in Princess Cruises

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I've never cruised Princess before, but on other cruise lines have consistently paid the "suggested" gratuity, and then also tipped as compelled beyond that. Someone over on the Princess subreddit said that they'd talked to Princess crew and been told that the gratuities that are paid through guest services (pre-paid/suggested/mandatory whatever you want to call it) are all factored into their salary and they don't get more if you leave the tips on or less if you don't. So this person worked out a system in which they took off the suggested gratuities and instead paid the individual people they had face-to-face interactions with a certain amount per day, which they said worked out to be a lot less than the suggested gratuities, and plus it made sure that the crew member actually got the cash. 

From what I've read, the suggested gratuities are pooled and distributed among crew that includes folks like kitchen and laundry crew, who never or rarely see the public but who also contribute to the positive cruise experience. This person with "the system" said it's not their job to make sure that cruise lines pay people a reasonable wage (which is the same thing people who don't want to tip at restaurants say, and while it's true that corporations should pay their employees a living wage that's neither here nor there when you're actively participating in the business as it presently operates). 

What say you, experienced Princess cruisers? How do you handle taking care of the people who take care of you when you're on vacation?

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Rick&Jeannie

First of all...be prepared for a firestorm!  This is one of those topics that absolutely get people riled up.

We pay the gratuities as part of our cruise fare and then (almost always) pay our room steward an extra (nice) tip at the end of the cruise (assuming he/she did a good job.)  We can't possibly support (directly) all of the people who work in the background...so we just trust Princess to "do the right thing" with the tip pool.  Maybe they do, maybe they don't.  (I hope they do.)  But yes, the tips are supposedly pooled fleetwide.  (I don't know the detail of how that works.)

  @Greytgrey  If you book a 'package' - either PLUS or Premier - the CA (crew appreciation) is included in that fare and can not be removed

Just now, voljeep said:   @Greytgrey  If you book a 'package' - either PLUS or Premier - the CA (crew appreciation) is included in that fare and can not be removed

Thank you. I was going to ask about this separately. I haven't bought a package and don't really plan to but I couldn't tell exactly what the Crew Appreciation was. Actually, knowing that it is the suggested gratuities makes the packages MORE appealing to me, so I might need to run some numbers on that. 

We are not big drinkers...but we prefer to book the Plus package mainly because it bundles the things that we would be doing anyway.  We will generally not drink much at all if we are "paying as we go" but since it's included we will branch out and experiment a bit with drinks that we've never tried.  I will ALWAYS go for the internet...we're going to do the gratuities and that pretty much covers it for us.

We most always get the Plus package, so gratuities are included.  We also tip extra cash to those crew members who provide extra or special services.   This is at your own discretion, of course.

I don’t think about how the prepaid gratuities are allocated.  That’s between Princess, the employer, and the crew, the employees.  Both parties have agreed to the terms of their contract.   

blizzard44ca

We typically purchase a package that has standard CA included. (We wouldn’t adjust it if we could)

In addition, we will either (sometimes both) leave additional cash tip, or specific mention by name on the survey, for those who go out of their way to enhance our cruise experience. This is dependent on the length of the cruise, and how they assisted.

First off despite what those who claim to be in the know say I doubt that anyone on here knows definitively how the crew are paid and how tips, be they paid via your account or given to individuals, are dealt with. There will be 1001 different stories on the internet that claim to have been told to various people by crew members - whether any of them are true or not remains uncertain.

You will also find that the responses will vary considerably based on the geographic location of those posting - USA having a totally different view on tipping to the majority of the rest of the world.

My view is that I pay what is asked of me with an additional tip for exceptional service and what happens after that is of no concern of mine - I have more important things in my life to worry about!

I really don't care what the crew makes. They all work very hard and deserve everything they get. I don't believe the tips are a part of their salary, and will continue to pre pay the tips at the going rate, and tip additionally as I see fit.

If you run the numbers for the plus fare you will find that if you drink 2, maybe 3 alcoholic beverages per day you break even. It all depends on how many non-alcoholic beverages you consume. Almost all non-alcoholic beverages are included and unlimited, including specialty coffees and espresso drinks, fountain sodas, juices, bottled water and so on. Coffee & tea is free all day in the buffet and in the DRs. Juice is free during breakfast hours. You will also receive 2 casual dining meals per cruise, unlimited wifi/internet and some other things. The plus fare also covers the new one month old fees, the one time $15 Ocean Now app access and the new room service fee of $5/call. The plus fare is $60/day extra.

For information I have always let the auto-tip in place and provided extra cash to the cabin steward at the end of the voyage. That's me. Makes me feel good and I'm certain the cabin steward feels good also.  

My wife and I will continue to pay the suggested tips along with extra tips for good dining room servers and assistants along with our room steward.  We even tipped a casino worker since she was always so nice during our last cruise.  We appreciate their hard work.  I feel that some people just don't like to tip but this is part of cruising.  Some people are probably just cheap.

sunviking90

Here we go….. The thread is officially “hot”

charliedalrymple

Your tipping choices are probably going to depend on where you are from.  Europeans and Australians don't have a culture of tipping like the Americans.  Of course, we pay service workers a living wage.

SargassoPirate

I cruise with the standard/steerage booking mostly because I can't make the math work for the packages.  I pay the standard gratuity once I'm onboard as part of my daily expenditures.  I don't use the app on board and prefer to order my evening drink(s) from a human.  If that human has it on the ball, I'll tip them a little extra - especially when my butt and my drink start getting to the table at the same time.

It's low stress, old school cruising and I enjoy it.

We are probably about the same as the majority of PCL cruisers.  We pay the suggested tipping amount charged daily on our folio and tip extra when warranted by excellent service!  We still think PCL has the best crews out of all the lines we’ve sailed.

Always a hot and controversial topic!

Cruise Raider

Being from the US, we would never consider removing the crew appreciation as we believe there are those behind the scenes that contribute to experience while onboard.  I understand there are cultures where tipping is not the norm and I can respect that, as well.  But while in Rome (or on a cruise), do as the Romans do.  We always get at least the Plus Package.   We also tend to bring goodie bags of treats (individually packaged bags of chips, chocolates, nuts, protein bars, trail mix, etc) for those that have made our trip extra special, but usually only if we leave out of our home port as we are able to easily take an extra piece of luggage.  Some staff may also get an extra cash tip, which they are able to keep but we’ve noticed that, at least at the bars, it goes into a jar to be shared with the crew at that specific bar.  We don’t go overboard with cash tipping, though. For room service, we leave between $3-$5 per delivery.  We usually distribute no more than $100 overall for a 10 day cruise for our favorite waiters, bartenders and room steward  …. some passengers leave a lot more, some leave nothing extra and the choice is always personal.  I’ve never seen waiters complain or give lessened service if people do not leave them extra.   Oftentimes, we will just ask what they want or need from in port if they don’t get a chance to get off the ship .. they are always hesitant to tell us but we convince them they will just get something they may not want.   😉  

Most important, we always fill out the survey post cruise.  We learned they only get to recognized onboard if we do so within 3 days at the end of the cruise.   I text myself all the names of the staff that we’ve gotten to know to make sure I don’t forget anyone that gave us extra special care.  

Although I've toyed with the idea if adjusting CA I keep them as-is, add as needed (setting up my elite tea, same table wait staff inc HW [special diet], steward), and add in a bowl of Ghirardelli chocolates for them to take one as desired (yes that bowl gets smaller and it's not just me).

3 minutes ago, charliedalrymple said: Your tipping choices are probably going to depend on where you are from.  Europeans and Australians don't have a culture of tipping like the Americans.  Of course, we pay service workers a living wage.

As do we in California.  Minimum wage $16 hr [service workers $20 hr next year], company heathcare insurance mandatory, & 401k optional. USA is unfortunately a collection of 50 states with very different ideas

we leave the CA in place as we have PLUS, then Premier

we are working on a 'bribe bag' to give our steward upon meeting him / her the on embarkation day.

for a little 5 day cruise - so far it contains (and my wife was working on this bag this morning) a thank-you in advance for ... with a $20 inside.  It also contains a nice fingernail clipper set, a mini flashlight, some lip balm, some candies and whatever else she may pick up between now and then.

we/she also made up some little bags for certain crew members we come across (Vines, for sure) that include the mini flashlight, lip balm and whatever else she comes across between now and then.  Those people I will tip directly as warrants.

Just to be clear, any bags are in addition to cash tips - not in lieu of 

Ken the cruiser

1 hour ago, Greytgrey said: I've never cruised Princess before, but on other cruise lines have consistently paid the "suggested" gratuity, and then also tipped as compelled beyond that.

I'm just curious, which specific cruise lines have you sailed with in the last 8 years or so have allowed you the option of paying their "suggested" gratuity? We have cruised with HAL, PCL, Celebrity, Crystal, NCL, Oceania, and Disney, and none of these lines simply handed out envelopes anymore for you to optionally pay their suggested gratuity amount.

However, I do remember having that option back in 2012-2015 to do so, until the major cruise lines started applying predefined gratuities, based on cabin category, to our shipboard account. The only exception to that policy was Crystal. With them gratuities were automatically included in the cruise fare, and thus could not be removed by disgruntled passengers while on the cruise.

My starting position is one of being a Brit... that is that as a Brit I subscribe to the concept that a tip or gratuity should be an optional payment given because someone did something over and above what would normally be expected of them. It should not be that they have to rely on them to be able to earn a decent wage.

OK... with that out of the way you might think that I am one of those that want to withhold automatic Crew Appreciation but I am not. Neither am I one of those that don't tip when abroad such as the USA. No, I tip and I tip well, especially in the USA, because although I wouldn't necessarily tip automatically here in the UK when I am in the USA (or elsewhere abroad) I recognise that theirs is a different system. They rely on those tips and just because I don't think they should have to rely on them they do so I am not going to remove part of their income just because we do things differently here in the UK.

So back to crew appreciation... I say to everyone who is considering removing it and tipping individually please don't do that. I do understand why you might want to do that but remember, the crew look after us when we are at sea and for the most part they do it brilliantly. Don't take away their income. If someone does something extra then yes, tip them privately as well. I always leave a decent tip for the room steward and also the bar staff if they look after me. If you feel the urge to remove the CA because of bad service then just think about how much the crew are paid and you might think twice.

6 hours ago, PacnGoNow said: We are probably about the same as the majority of PCL cruisers.  We pay the suggested tipping amount charged daily on our folio and tip extra when warranted by excellent service!  We still think PCL has the best crews out of all the lines we’ve sailed.   Always a hot and controversial topic!

Ditto on the best crew.  While we sail for the itinerary most of the time, with all things being equal we choose Princess.  

For those of you who like to present a baggie of gifts to your cabin steward along with cash, stop doing that.  Give them extra cash instead.  Most of these workers are there to make money to send back home to family. They really do prefer cash and not miscellaneous gifts which they probably already have and the limited space to keep your gifts.  They, of course, will smile and say thank you but like I just said they prefer the extra cash to send home to help support their families.  It is a nice gesture and thoughtful, but it makes you feel good instead.   

Be aware that the gratuities are not shared out amongst the crew on the ship that you are on. They are pooled and shared out fleetwide!

9 minutes ago, 10cruise said: For those of you who like to present a baggie of gifts to your cabin steward along with cash, stop doing that.  Give them extra cash instead.  Most of these workers are there to make money to send back home to family. They really do prefer cash and not miscellaneous gifts which they probably already have and the limited space to keep your gifts.  They, of course, will smile and say thank you but like I just said they prefer the extra cash to send home to help support their families.  It is a nice gesture and thoughtful, but it makes you feel good instead.   

we will continue to do 'US' - you do you

Happiest when cruising

1 minute ago, rosevew said: Be aware that the gratuities are not shared out amongst the crew on the ship that you are on. They are pooled and shared out fleetwide!

Here’s the part that sounds confusing to me. The part that says it forms part of their compensation- separate from bonuses. To me… that sounds like their basic wage.   

I just pre pay them,  or use our OBC, once onboard. I would never consider not paying them. 

It’s easy to add extra cash tips, since it feels “free” if it’s paid through credits.  When Princess removes that option, it will then become a very interesting topic on these boards.   

Here’s their information, copied directly from the website. 

All of the Crew Appreciation and Service Charge payments made by all guests on all ships in our fleet are pooled, net of credit card transaction fees. The pooled funds are distributed throughout the year in the form of compensation, including bonuses, to crewmembers fleetwide who interact directly with guests and/or behind the scenes throughout every cruise, including those in the Bar, Dining, Entertainment, Housekeeping, Guest Services, Galley and Onboard Revenue areas.

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Cruise Line to Hike Gratuities for All Passengers Next Month

Andrea Santillan

• January 16, 2024

Holland America Line has begun notifying passengers and travel agencies that it is increasing its gratuities across staterooms on voyages starting on or after February 14, 2024.

Guests who booked suites will pay $19 per day, a 9% increase from the previous daily rate of $17.50. Meanwhile, those staying in non-suite cabins will be charged 6% more. From $16, non-suite occupants will soon pay $17 a day.

In the same announcement, the cruise line assured passengers that the current 18% service charge on optional purchases will remain the same. This includes cover charges for specialty restaurants, a la carte menu items, spa and salon services, and bar items.

Referred to as a form of “crew appreciation” by Holland America, the US-owned cruise line implemented its last round of gratuity price increases on the same date the previous year, February 1, 2023.

However, the 2023 rates were more modest than this year’s increases since they only required guests to pay $0.50 more.

Introducing higher gratuities was a trend in 2023

Unfortunately, we may see more similar announcements from other cruise lines in 2024.

Last year alone, major cruise operators like Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Princess Cruises raised their gratuities. Some even introduced higher gratuity prices twice in a few months.

Royal Caribbean introduced higher gratuities twice in 14 months. During its second round of price hikes, it demanded 12% more.

Celebrity Cruises also raised gratuity rates twice in nine months. In January 2023, Norwegian Cruise Line announced a 20% increase in its gratuities while saying it would start charging more for Wi-Fi. 

The ever-increasing cost of gratuities has been a sensitive subject for cruisers , especially in light of recent and rapid price hikes.

For passengers, particularly those traveling in groups, “forced gratuity” could add hundreds more dollars to their fares.

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Cruise line all-inclusive packages: Everything you need to know

L uxury lines aren't the only ones offering all-inclusive cruise packages these days. Mainstream and upscale cruise lines, which traditionally have offered a basic fare and then charged passengers a la carte for onboard expenses, have begun to offer more inclusive fare add-ons. Cruisers are buzzing about these new options, which allow them to pay upfront for popular amenities and not feel nickel-and-dimed on board.

This new pricing strategy, which goes beyond popular drinks packages , has large-ship cruise lines such as Celebrity, Holland America and Princess jockeying to compete with luxury lines and their all-inclusive fares. Small-ship cruise lines Azamara and Windstar have also hopped on the trend.

These packages are designed to make the cruise experience hassle-free by allowing passengers to pay for most of their onboard expenses — such as beverages, Wi-Fi and gratuities — before they board. However, they might not always be the best option for every cruiser.

For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Here's a look at which cruise lines offer all-inclusive packages, what's included, how much they cost and the factors that can make them a great deal or a potential waste of money.

Celebrity Cruises' all Included package

The package.

Celebrity Cruises — known for having a grown-up, bar-centric ambience on board its ships — offers an All Included cruise fare on any itinerary (excluding the Galapagos Islands). With this fare type, passengers get two included amenities: basic Wi-Fi and Celebrity's Classic beverage package.

The package used to include crew tips, but Celebrity removed that benefit in 2023.

What's the cost of the All Included package? That depends on the destination, itinerary length and time of year. Celebrity Cruises would not provide an average, but in all the fares we priced out, passengers could expect to pay $70 per person, per day, above the base cruise fare. However, it's possible the difference in pricing can be higher on certain cruises.

When browsing for cruises on Celebrity's website, the prices you will see are the Cruise Only fares (except when noted, mostly on Retreat and AquaClass categories). During the booking process (right after cabin selection), you can choose either the higher All Included fare or the lower-priced Cruise Only fare.

Tip: If you'd like to book a balcony cabin at the All Included price, always price out AquaClass and Concierge cabins, as well. Those room types, which offer extra amenities, sometimes cost just a few dollars more (or even less) at the cruise-only fare than a veranda cabin with the add-on package.

All passengers on the reservation must select the same fare. One person can't book All Included and the other Cruise Only. Families sailing in the same cabin must all book the same fare type, although underage passengers will only have access to nonalcoholic beverages.

Related: Best all-inclusive cruise lines

The two amenities that come with an All Included booking are typically priced as follows:

• Classic beverage package: $89 per person, per day, plus a 20% bar gratuity on every drink ordered
• Basic Wi-Fi: $20 per person, per day

The Classic beverage package only includes drinks priced up to $10. Note that the All Included fare covers the bar gratuity normally charged to guests who purchase a beverage package independently.

Celebrity's Basic Wi-Fi plan is its value-priced option, which offers access to basic web functions: texting on messenger services, web browsing and email.

Let's crunch the numbers. Bought a la carte, Celebrity's Classic beverage package and basic Wi-Fi will cost $109 per person, per day; you will be on the hook for a 20% automatic bar gratuity on each drink ordered.

At $70 extra per person, per day, Celebrity's All Included fares are a good value for cruisers who plan to toss back multiple basic cocktails daily — there's no daily limit — and are content with basic Wi-Fi.

Passengers who book All Included fares can also opt to upgrade to the Premium beverage package (for drinks costing up to $17) for an additional $20 per person per day. This must be done within the Cruise Planner platform after final payment is made and up to two days prior to sailing.

Alternatively, they can pay the overage ($2 on a $12 glass of wine or cocktail, for instance) plus a 20% gratuity on the overage.

That puts the total cost of the All Included package at roughly $90 per person, per day, with the upgraded drinks package. Celebrity's Premium beverage package is regularly priced at $109 per person per day, plus there's an automatic 20% gratuity added to the package price (bringing the total daily cost to $130.80).

That means passengers already considering the Premium Beverage Package will definitely save by purchasing the All Included package.

Celebrity cruisers can also upgrade their package to Premium Wi-Fi — which allows messaging and video chat on messenger services, web browsing, email, social media posting, video chat live and watching videos and movies. The upgrade costs an additional $10 per person per day.

The difference between the All Included package cost with basic or premium Wi-Fi is the same as if you purchased a Wi-Fi plan a la carte.

Holland America's Have It All

Passengers booking a cruise on any Holland America ship now have the option to get four premium amenities included with the Have It All package . The line's premium package makes a HAL cruise semi-inclusive when passengers upgrade their base fare.

Here's what's included:

• The Signature beverage package, which includes wines, beers, spirits, cocktails and nonalcoholic options (such as sodas and specialty coffees) that cost $11 and under, as well as bar gratuities. There's a daily limit of 15 beverages per person.
• Specialty dining, with one dinner at either Pinnacle Grill, Canaletto or Tamarind included on a six- to nine-night cruise; two dinners on a 12- to 20-night cruise; and three dinners on a cruise of 21 days or longer (excluding Grand Voyages).
• Wi-Fi Surf package for web surfing, social media and email on one device.
• Shore excursions credit of $100 per person on a six- to nine-night cruise, $200 on a 12- to 20-night cruise and $300 on a cruise that's 21 days or longer (excluding Grand Voyages).

Related: What's included in your cruise fare?

Right now, the Have It All package costs $50 per person, per day (reduced from $99 per day as of April 21, 2023). This price reduction is a temporary promotion, and an end date is not specified. When it does change, other perks may be added to the promotion.

Two passengers sharing a cabin must both select Have It All at the time of booking. Unlike most cruise all-inclusive packages, however, HAL's Have It All doesn't include crew gratuities. These will be added to passengers' onboard accounts at $16 per person, per day for guests in cabins and $17.50 per day for guests in suites.

Here is what all the elements of the Have It All package would cost if purchased separately for a seven-night cruise:

• Shore excursion credit: $100 per person, per cruise
• Specialty dining: $25-$40, based on restaurant selected
• Wi-Fi: $105 (at $15 per day)
• Signature beverage package: $384.65 (at $54.95 per person, per day)

Right now, the Have It All package costs $350 per person for a seven-night cruise, which is actually less than the $384.65 Holland America charges for its Signature beverage package for a cruise of this length. Plus, passengers get an extra $230 to $245 in shore excursion, specialty dining and Wi-Fi perks. So, at the $50 per person, per day rate, the Have It All Package is a terrific value, even for moderate drinkers.

However, when the price reverts to $99 per person, per day, or $693 per person for a seven-night cruise, the Signature beverage package ($384.65) and shore excursion, specialty dining and Wi-Fi perks ($245) only add up to $629.65. That's $63.95 less than Have It All pricing. Although, with Have It All, service charges of 18% per beverage (or $1.98 per $11 beverage) are included.

So, if you drink around 33 beverages costing $11 on a seven-night cruise (or about five a day) you can break even. And remember, you'll still need to pay daily crew gratuities.

According to Holland America, other/additional perks may become available with the Have It All package when the price changes.

Princess Plus and Princess Premier

Princess Cruises continues to modify the amenities included in its Princess Plus package , which the cruise line says offers at least a 50% savings over a la carte costs (based on a seven-night cruise). Passengers can also book the Princess Premier package for additional included perks said to offer more than 65% savings.

Princess Plus is priced at $60 per person, per day. What's included?

• Plus Beverage Package, which includes drinks up to $15 (with a 15-drink alcoholic beverage limit per day)
• Wi-Fi for one device per guest ($15 per day if booked separately)
• Crew appreciation, aka gratuities ($16 per person per day for stateroom guests or $18 per person per day for suite guests)
• Two "premium desserts" per day (purchased at the Gelateria, Swirls or Coffee and Cones)
• Two fitness classes per cruise
• Unlimited juice bar drinks
• Two "casual dining" meals per guest, per cruise (at casual sit-down restaurants, like Alfredo's and Kai Sushi, and pop-up venues, like Planks and Steamers)
• Room service delivery at no extra charge
• OceanNow delivery (ordering food and items on your app to wherever you are on board) at no extra charge

Princess Premier costs $80 per person, per day. It features the following perks:

• Premier beverage package, which includes drinks up to $20 (with a 15-drink alcoholic beverage limit per day)
• Wi-Fi for up to four devices per guest
• Crew appreciation
• Two specialty dining meals per guest
• Photo package (unlimited digital plus three prints up to 8 inches by 10 inches in size)
• Unlimited "premium desserts" (at Gelateria, Swirls or Coffee and Cones)
• Unlimited fitness classes
• Wearable Medallion accessory
• Reserved theater seating for production shows
• Unlimited casual dining
• OceanNow delivery at no extra charge
• Princess Prizes (a chance to win extras like a wine tasting, Chef's Table experience, onboard credit or even a free cruise)

For either plan, each beverage package also includes bar gratuities (18% per beverage when ordered without the Plus or Premier packages). Passengers under 21 will automatically receive the Zero Alcohol package, which includes fountain sodas, juice bar, fresh juices, bottled water, specialty coffees and teas, frappes, milkshakes and Red Bull energy drinks.

Both packages are capacity-controlled and, if sold out, may not be available for all cabin categories at the time of booking; if available, they can also be purchased on the first day of a cruise.

The first and second guests in a cabin must each book the same Plus or Premier package, but the third and fourth guests are not obligated to do so, meaning a family doesn't have to pay for amenities that kids won't use.

Wi-Fi, specialty dining and the photo package are shareable, so a family of four with two parents on the Princess Premier plan can have their children's devices on Wi-Fi, take home great family photos and enjoy one specialty dining experience with the entire family.

It might take a while to add up the cost of all the amenities, but you don't have to. For couples, the Princess Plus package is a no-brainer.

Wi-Fi and crew appreciation (totaling $31-$33 per person, per day) alone account for more than 50% of the $60 per person, per day (or $420 per person for a seven-night cruise) package charge. With less than $30 per day left to break even and with drinks up to $15 included, you don't have to overindulge to get your money's worth. Those premium desserts, casual meals, fitness classes and unlimited juice bar beverages are the icing on the cake.

For $80 per person, per day, or $540 per person for a seven-night cruise, Princess Premier offers additional savings — mostly if you already planned on purchasing a beverage package and think you'll use at least some of the other perks.

Related: Are cruise line drinks packages worth the price? What to know before you buy

The Premier Beverage Package costs $84.99 per person, per day, which is more than the price of the Princess Premier all-inclusive package. If you prefer premium wines and spirits and were planning on purchasing the upgraded drinks package, Princess Premier will more than pay for itself.

The two specialty dining meals are valued at $74 per person, per cruise, or more; this also gets you close to breaking even if you weren't going to purchase a beverage package. Wi-Fi for up to four devices normally costs $40 per day or $280 per seven-night cruise. Combine the two, and you're already ahead. Unlimited desserts, casual dining, fitness classes and juice bar drinks only add to your value.

The bottom line: At $80 per day, Princess Premier can be a good value — especially in comparison to other cruise-line all-inclusive packages costing the same or even more.

Azamara's Experience More

While Azamara 's basic cruise fares already include crew gratuities and standard spirits, beers and select wines (a choice of two whites, two reds and a rose daily), the cruise line's Experience More packages bundle additional onboard amenities at savings of 27% to 32%.

There are four options priced per couple/cabin and one designed for solo travelers. All are available on cruises of eight days or longer, with the exception of one package specific to shorter sailings (seven days or fewer).

The least expensive option for two people sharing a cabin is the Experience More Essentials package. It includes a Premium Beverage Package for two (with additional beer and spirits selections), unlimited Wi-Fi for one device and a $300 shore excursion credit. It's priced at $699 per cabin.

The Experience More on Short Cruises package is the only one available on sailings of seven days or fewer. It includes the Ultimate Beverage Package for two, unlimited Wi-Fi for one device, a $200 shore excursion credit, a $100 onboard spa credit, Chef's Table (a multicourse tasting menu) or Three Table Tour (one night at Aqualina, one night at Prime C and one night at your choice of restaurant) and one bag of laundry per voyage. It's priced at $799 for two people in the same cabin.

Related: Why you should splurge on a cruise ship specialty restaurant

The Experience More Enjoyment package includes the Premium Beverage Package for two, unlimited Wi-Fi for two devices, a $500 shore excursion credit and a $200 onboard spa credit. It's priced at $1,099 for two people.

The most comprehensive option for two people is the Experience More Indulgence package. It includes the Ultimate Beverage Package for two, unlimited Wi-Fi for two devices, $700 shore excursion credit, $250 onboard spa credit, Chef's Table or Three Table Tour, and five bags of laundry during the voyage. It's priced at $1,599 for two people.

Singles can get in on the savings, too, with the Experience More for Solo Travelers package. It features the Ultimate Beverage Package for one, unlimited Wi-Fi for one device, a $350 shore excursions credit, a $150 onboard spa credit, Chef's Table or Three Table Tour, and three bags of laundry during the voyage. It's priced at $899 per person.

What's the difference between the Premium and Ultimate beverage packages in these offers? The Premium package includes a larger selection of beer than the included list, plus name-brand spirits such as Absolut, Captain Morgan and Bombay Sapphire. The Ultimate package includes all the Premium offerings plus a selection of wine and Champagne by the glass, Evian and Perrier water and more top-shelf spirits.

If bought separately, the Premium package costs $16.95 per person, per day, and the Ultimate package costs $23.95 per person, per day.

Azamara has done the math for passengers:

• Experience More Essentials: priced at $699, valued at $958.50
• Experience More on Short Cruises: priced at $799, valued at $1,103
• Experience More Enjoyment: priced at $1,099, valued at $1,637
• Experience More Indulgence: priced at $1,599, valued at $2,357
• Experience More for Solo Travelers: priced at $899, valued at $1,224

If you already plan on booking shore excursions and specialty dining reservations, enjoying wine and spirits beyond those included in the cruise fare, using Wi-Fi and paying for amenities such as specialty dining or spa treatments, the all-inclusive upgrades offer good value.

However, if you don't plan to take advantage of all the extra-fee services on board, you'll need to do the math around the amenities you would use to determine whether a package is right for you.

Windstar Cruises' All-Inclusive Fare and All-In Package

Windstar Cruises offers an All-Inclusive Fare option for a set daily fee. For Windstar, all-inclusive means unlimited beverages, unlimited Wi-Fi and all gratuities. Passengers can also still opt to book a base cruise-only fare and pay for onboard expenses on an a la carte basis.

Passengers who choose the All-Inclusive Fare prepay $89 per person, per day; the package must be booked within five days of the sail date. Those who book a cruise-only fare can also purchase the All-In Package for $99 per person, per day once they are on board.

Both the inclusive fares and onboard package cover unlimited Wi-Fi, crew gratuities and wine, beer and cocktails ordered on board (as well as the 18% beverage service charge usually tacked onto bar bills).

We took a look at the a la carte items included in the inclusive package to determine the value of Windstar's offering (based on a weeklong sailing).

• Crew gratuities: $16 per person, per day
• Beverage package: $65 (for Captain's Exclusive Beverage Package, which includes cocktails, aperitifs and more). These also incur an 18% service charge.
• Unlimited Wi-Fi: $245 for a seven-night cruise ($35 per person, per day)

Wi-Fi and tips account for $51 of the $89 daily charge before factoring in bar charges. That leaves $38 for beverages. So, the value is there with the All-Inclusive Fare if you plan to enjoy at least three or four alcoholic beverages daily throughout your cruise — and you'll avoid the added service charges.

However, guests who only indulge in the occasional glass of wine or cocktail will not see the full value of the package. Similarly, passengers who prefer to buy one of Windstar's cheaper, more limited usage Wi-Fi plans (200 megabytes or 500 megabytes of data) or intend to share the cost of the Unlimited Wi-Fi plan by logging in one device at a time, might find the $89 or $99 daily charge is not worth it.

Bottom line

Should you upgrade to one of these packages? While convenience is certainly a motivating factor, whether a plan has value depends in most cases on what you think your bar tab will be.

If vacation mode means you'll be tossing back tropical cocktails at the pool all day or enjoying multiple glasses of wine at both lunch and dinner, booking an all-inclusive package is a smart option. If you're not a big drinker or enthusiastic social media user, the better deal is sometimes to stick with the basic fare and pay as you go for what you use.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• 15 ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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