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Gratuities, line by line
Every line charges a daily amount per person, and it is higher in a suite. Here is what each one publishes.
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Add the gratuities, drinks, Wi-Fi, parking and insurance to your fare in the free Real Cost Calculator, and see it per person, per day.
This is the cost people forget when they compare fares. For two people on a seven-night cruise it runs roughly $250 to $340 depending on the line and your stateroom, before you buy a single drink.
The daily charge
| Royal Caribbean | $18.50 per guest per day, or $21.00 in a suite. They call it a gratuity. |
|---|---|
| Celebrity | $19.50 inside, ocean view and veranda; $20.50 Concierge Class and AquaClass; $24.50 in The Retreat. |
| Princess | $18.00 most staterooms; $19.00 mini-suites, cabanas and Reserve Collection; $20.00 suites. They call it Crew Appreciation. |
All three let you prepay before you sail. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity both publish that you can adjust the amount at Guest Relations any time before the morning of disembarkation, and not after the cruise ends. Princess publishes the same idea: you can adjust it up to the point you settle your onboard account, after which it is final and non-refundable.
The percentages added to everything else
| Royal Caribbean | 18% on beverages and beverage packages, 18% on specialty dining, 20% on spa and salon. |
|---|---|
| Celebrity | 20% added to spa and salon, beverages and beverage packages, specialty dining, room service and minibar. |
| Princess | Princess publishes a 20% service charge on optional beverages, dining and other elected amenities, and separately publishes 18% on the beverage packages themselves. Those are two different published figures on two different pages, so check which applies to what you are buying. |
What the daily charge is for
It is shared among crew, and it is separate from the fare. Removing it is allowed by all three lines, and it is your call. What is worth knowing is that removing it does not reduce the percentages added to drinks, dining or the spa, since those are charged on the purchase itself.
Questions people ask about cruise gratuities
Do you have to pay gratuities on a cruise?
They are automatically added to your onboard account by every major line, per person per day, including children. They are not legally compulsory and the lines publish a process for adjusting them at guest services, but they are charged by default and they are how the crew who serve you are paid. Prepaying does not reduce the total; it only decides whether it lands on your card before you sail or on your account at the end.
How much are tips on a cruise?
It is a fixed daily amount per person set by the line, and it often differs between standard cabins and suites. The current published figures for Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Princess are in the table on this page, each with a link to the line's own page, because these amounts change and the line's page is the only one that is ever current.
Should I prepay gratuities on a cruise?
It changes the timing, not the amount. Prepaying locks in today's rate, which matters if the line raises its daily amount between booking and sailing, and it takes the charge off the bill you settle at the end of a week when you are least in the mood for it. Leaving it to be charged onboard keeps the money in your account longer. Either is fine; decide before you sail rather than at the guest services desk on the last night.
Are gratuities charged for children?
Yes, on every major line the daily gratuity applies per person regardless of age, so a family of four pays four times the daily rate. Check your line's own page for whether infants under a stated age are excluded, since that detail varies.
Is the gratuity included in a drink package?
The automatic service charge on beverages is generally built into the package price, but that is separate from the daily crew gratuity, which still applies. See our drinks and Wi-Fi page for what each package actually includes.
Where these facts come from
- Royal Caribbean, onboard service gratuity
- Royal Caribbean, beverage package gratuities
- Celebrity Cruises, gratuity program
- Princess Cruises, crew appreciation
- Princess Cruises, onboard experience FAQ
Ports change their rules and their prices. Check the official pages above before you sail.
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