Last Updated on February 25, 2025 by Mrunal & Jiten
How much to tip on a cruise is a question that trips up many first-timers. That's because some cruise lines tack daily service fees onto passenger bills — yet many travelers still hand out additional cash gratuities, either as a matter of course or for exemplary service.
The extra cost of the automatic gratuity charges can be a shock to first-time cruisers. At some lines, these charges run as high as $25 per day. And, unlike the typical service fee or resort fee found at a land resort, they are not per room. They are per person.
At some big lines, such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, it's not uncommon for a family of four staying in a single cabin to see more than $70 a day in service fees added to their bills. On a typical seven-night cruise, that's around $500 in fees.
That's before you add in any additional tips you wish to give to your room service provider or favorite bartender, or automatic gratuities tacked on to bar, restaurant and spa bills.
Still, not all lines have service fees that high. Some don't charge a service fee at all. In many cases, the service charges are adjustable.
Tipping on a cruise does not have to be complicated, but you need to understand the big picture to budget for your vacation appropriately. Read on to learn all about cruise ship tipping culture and how much you'll need to tip on your next cruise, based on which cruise line you're sailing.
Most of the biggest cruise lines automatically add some type of service or gratuity fee onto passenger bills. Lines with such charges include both of the two giants of the cruise business, Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line, as well as the next three biggest lines — MSC Cruises, Norwegian and Princess Cruises.
That said, the total number of lines with a service fee has been shrinking over the years. Many smaller and higher-end cruise operators are folding tips and gratuities into their base fares.
For example, in September, Oceania Cruises said it would eliminate its automatic gratuity fee starting in 2025.
Other lines that now cover gratuities in their fares include Azamara, Ponant, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, Seabourn, SeaDream Yacht Club, Silversea Cruises and Virgin Voyages.
For lines that do have them, service and gratuity charges are touted as a convenient alternative to the practice of cash tipping on cruise ships — something that once was common.
Related: A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
Cruise lines say they pass the money collected from service charges to the shipboard crew. They say the money is shared not just with front-of-house crew, such as room attendants and waitstaff, but also with behind-the-scenes workers. In that sense, the current system is more equitable than the old system of cash tipping, which favored certain workers, lines say.
Still, some critics see the charges as a sneaky way for cruise lines to make their fares appear lower than they really are. In this line of thinking, lines with these charges are essentially breaking out a good chunk of onboard labor costs as a separate line item on your bill.
Related: The best credit cards for booking cruises
At most lines, you can pay your service charges before sailing (at the same time you pay your cruise fare). Alternatively, you can have the charges added to your room bill on board.
The big advantage to paying cruise tips in advance is that you lock in the current rate. If your line raises the rate between the time you pay and the time you sail, you won't pay more.
Some people also like to pay their service charges in advance for budgeting purposes. It'll be one less thing on your final bill at the end of the cruise.
If you prefer to pay for tips once you're on board your cruise, you'll generally find that the gratuities automatically appear on your bill. You don't have to do anything.
That said, if you want to, you can often adjust the charges (either up or down) while you're on board by visiting the guest relations desk. If you are adjusting a gratuity charge downward, expect to be asked about the reasons behind the adjustment. The guest relations staff will want to know if you've experienced particular service issues.
If you leave the service charge on your room bill, you are not expected to leave additional cruise tips for your room attendant or waiters. That's the whole point of the service charge.
Similarly, if you're on a higher-end ship that lists gratuities as being included in the fare, that means just what it says. You don't have to tip on these cruises because the line is already paying gratuities to the staff on your behalf. Additional cash gifts are not expected.
Still, some people do leave a little extra for crew members who go above and beyond. Others tip their room service or waitstaff at their favorite bar, either early in the cruise in the hope of getting better service or at the end to thank them for enhancing the vacation experience. How much to tip extra on a cruise is entirely up to you because it is in no way required.
Related: 10 times you do not need to tip on a cruise
If you dislike tipping on cruise ships but can't afford to sail on an all-inclusive line, look for promotions when cruise lines with service charges throw in free gratuities as a booking incentive.
Additionally, several major lines in the past couple of years have begun offering bundle pricing to customers who pay for cruise tips, Wi-Fi charges and an onboard drink package all at once in advance of sailing, potentially at a discount.
Princess, for example, has added a Princess Plus plan as a booking option. It gives passengers prepaid gratuities (Princess calls these "crew appreciation" fees), a single-device Wi-Fi plan and a basic beverage package for a single bundled price of $60 per person, per day.
Princess also has an upgraded Princess Premier bundle option that includes gratuities with even more included items, such as unlimited dining at specialty restaurants, for a single price of $90 per person, per day.
Don't worry: When lines offer such deals, it doesn't mean the crew will receive fewer tips the week you cruise. The lines that offer these deals say they'll pay a normal gratuity to the crew on your behalf.
Related: The best cruise booking perks — and which ones are actually free
Daily service charges are not the only cruise tips you will pay on board. Many cruise lines will tack an automatic gratuity charge onto the bill for extra-fee drinks, restaurant meals and spa treatments.
The included tip amount varies by cruise line but is typically 15% to 20% of the bill. Be warned that the receipt often includes a line for an additional gratuity, even when one is automatically added. This can trick many cruisers into tipping twice. Never feel pressured to add an extra tip when you've already paid one.
Note that if you purchase a dining or beverage package, most cruise lines will charge you gratuities based on a percentage of the package price. If you get one of these packages for "free" as a booking perk, you might still be required to pay the gratuities on the theoretical value of this perk.
Cruisers should also bring cash to tip the porters who bring their bags onto the ship (usually $2 per bag), as well as tour guides in port ($5 to $10 per person for half-day tours, $10 to $20 for full-day excursions and $2 for nonguide drivers). Piano bar regulars know that a cash tip will increase the chances of the pianist choosing and performing your song request.
If you're wondering how much you should tip on the specific cruise line you're considering or have already booked, we've compiled that information here. Below is a line-by-line look at policies for automatic gratuity charges (called service charges or "crew appreciation" charges at some lines). The rates listed are per person, per day. They were accurate as of the publishing of this story.
Remember that all additional tipping is at your discretion. Any amount is fine and will be appreciated by the hard-working crew.
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