Gratuities - Are They Tipping the Balance on Your Decision to Cruise?

Everything you need to know about tipping (gratuities) on a Cruise

Have you considered a cruise, but hesitated over concerns over the tipping culture? Worried you won’t know when, who or how much to tip?

Well, read on and be reassured that this is but a tiny part of the whole cruising experience, and one which you can mostly forget about once you have booked

Tipping/Gratuities - Is it a Cultural Thing?

Tipping (or gratuities as tips are known onboard ships) is one of the top concerns for those new to cruising.

This is particularly true of British, European and Australian passengers, who tend to find it quite an alien concept. In fact, let's be truthful, some of us can be real cheapskates - or is that just me?

I have been known when visiting a well-known coffee shop - after three hours of free wifi and a baby chino - (they're free too - just saying) - to dig out a handful of change from the depths of my bag, only to find that all I had were some one and two ps, a token for a shopping trolley and a fluff-covered tic-tac (I didn't leave the tic-tac - you never know when you might need an emergency mint). I blame the cashless society and contactless!

Unlike our friends across the pond, it is not generally in our culture for there to be an obligation to tip rather than choosing to reward outstanding service. We tip in restaurants if service has been good, and we might give taxi drivers a little over the fare. The Brits might also randomly tip refuse collectors at Christmas (to avoid the more embarrassing contents of our wheelie bin being accidentally scattered along the path for all to see)! So the fact that it is virtually mandatory to part with extra cash at the end of a cruise actually puts some people off. In fact P&O (part of Carnival Corp plc) have recognised this and have scrapped gratuities, and Marella (Tui) have a no-tipping or service charge policy, as does Virgin Voyages. .

What Are Gratuities?

‘Gratuities’ is just another name for tips (also referred to by some cruise lines as service charge or crew appreciation).

Historically, tips were introduced to boost the earnings of relatively low-paid crew. Now that gratuities are automatic, it is understood that these are shared between passenger-facing staff such as waiters, cabin stewards and bar staff. In fact in the US crew pay is structured taking tips into consideration (so crew are lower paid and supplemented by gratuities).

If the thought of tipping on board is making you anxious, just accept that if this is the policy of the ship you choose, just follow the advice here and on the cruise lines website. Although tipping is expected, in exceptional circumstances where you feel you have not received good service, most ships have a mechanism to opt out.

You don't even have to worry about how much is appropriate as most cruise lines automatically add a daily amount to your shipboard account (which you can view on the TV in your cabin if you want to keep tabs on it). Alternatively choose one of the more enlightened lines who have scrapped tipping altogether.

Are Gratuities/Tips Mandatory?

Whilst not usually mandatory, gratuities are expected and encouraged. It is worth remembering that many cruise lines are based in the US where crew salaries are structured around tips. If you decide not to tip, it will likely have an impact on crew pay.

P&O Cruises, Virgin Voyages, Princess Cruises, MSC, Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean amongst others either have fares inclusive of gratuities or offers where they are packaged into the fare.

How to Pay Gratuities

When we first started cruising, envelopes were left in our cabin on our last night in which to place cash tips for various staff. Later, when pre-paying was introduced, vouchers were left to be distributed.

However, now there are usually two ways that you can pay gratuities and can avoid any potential embarrassment or offence.

When you book your cruise you will generally be given two options:

Pre-pay your gratuities when you book (sometimes they are included as part of a special booking offer). An amount will then be added to your total cruise cost.
Have them added to your onboard account (usually daily) for payment when you settle up at the end of your cruise. On most lines you can adjust or even cancel these when on board if you feel you have received unusually poor service for example.

Can I Tip in Cash?

Personally, I usually take sufficient currency (minus the tic-tac - see above) to supplement the suggested amount of tips to any staff that have gone over and above - I just pop it into an envelope and hand out on the last evening of my cruise.

You may be someone who believes tipping cash upfront gets you better service at bars etc. and whilst this isn't necessarily the case, it is sometimes acceptable to do so (in fact many North Americans do this - particularly in the ship bars). Worth bearing in mind that on some cruise lines crew are prohibited from taking cash gifts or incentives.

Some guests like to take a selection of little luxuries (chocolate or toiletries for example) to gift to the crew as an additional show of gratitude.

How much are gratuities?

It varies across different cruise lines, category of cabin and even embarkation port. You can pay anything between £5/$8 to $20 per person, per day (more if you are in a suite) -children generally pay half. Currencies may vary within different regions and by cruise line.

Can you opt not to pay Gratuities?

On booking there might be an option not to pre-pay gratuities before you sail. However, if you opt out at this stage, most cruise lines will add the gratuity to your onboard account daily. You can choose to either amend the amount or remove altogether by visiting guest services in most cases.

Do bear in mind however that this directly negatively impacts the crew not the cruise line, as it supplements their pay. The same is true if you opt-out as you prefer to pay individual cash tips - feel free to do so in recognition of exceptional service, if permitted, but not instead of the recommended gratuity which will affect the whole crew.

Gratuities by Cruise Line

Ambassador Cruise Line (£7 pppn for 7 night cruises, £6 pppn for 14 nights).

Azamara Cruises - Included in fare.

Carnival recommend $16 pppn for standard cabins and $18 pppn for suites.

Celebrity Cruises automatically add gratuities to your Seapass (onboard account) of $18.00 USD per person, per day for Inside, Ocean View, and Veranda staterooms, $18.50 USD per person, per day for Concierge Class and AquaClass staterooms and $23.00 USD per person, per day for guests of The Retreat. However these don’t apply if you have booked their ‘All Included’ fares or are staying in the Retreat or AquaClass stateroom category, where gratuities are included in the cruise fare.

Cunard apply a daily “hotel service charge” depending on accommodation $14.40 per person per day for Britannia Suites (lowest grade of cabin) and £16.50 per person per day for Queens and Princess Grill Suites.

Disney Cruise Line recommend $14.50 pppn for standard cabins and $15.50 pppn for Concierge Staterooms and Suites.

Fred.Olsen Cruise Line (£5 pppn)

Explora Journeys - Included in fare.

MSC Cruises - Included in fare.

NCL - For bookings made after 1 January 2023 NCL have a service charge of $20 per person ($25 for The Haven and Suites). As previously mentioned, P&O and Marella Cruises do not have gratuities or service charge.

Oceania Cruises will add $18 pppn for staterooms. For guests occupying Penthouse, Oceania, Vista or Owner's Suites where Butler Service is provided, gratuities of $23.00 per guest, per day will be added.

P&O Cruises - Included in fare.

Princess Cruises add $16 per person per day for Interior, outside and balcony cabins, $17 for Mini-Suite and Reserve Collection, and $18 for suites (included in Princess Plus and Princess Premier bookings).

Royal Caribbean apply gratuities of $16 pppn for guests in Junior Suites and below, or $18.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Grand Suites and above, applied to each guest’s SeaPass account on a daily basis.

Saga - Included in fare.

How to Opt out of Paying Gratuities?

Opting out of paying gratuities on a cruise can vary depending on the cruise line's policies, but generally, it involves a few simple steps. First, review the cruise line's official gratuity policy, which can usually be found on their website or in the information provided onboard. Next, if you have a specific reason for wanting to opt out, such as poor service or a desire to tip directly, speak to the guest services desk. They may be able to address your concerns or guide you through the process. Keep in mind that some cruise lines have a formal process for adjusting or removing gratuities, while others may offer more flexibility. It's important to be courteous and respectful in your communication to ensure a smooth experience. Ultimately, if the cruise line permits it, you may have the option to adjust or remove gratuities as you see fit, but it's important to consider the hardworking staff who rely on these gratuities for their livelihood.

Hopefully this has reassured you and is one less obstacle to you enjoying your first cruise.

New to Cruising?- The Ultimate Guide to Gratuities (Tipping) 2023/2024