Cruise ship gratuities range from $14.50 to $20+ per person per day depending on the cruise line. They're automatically charged and cover your room steward, dining staff, and other service crew.
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
Gratuities are one of the most misunderstood costs in cruising. They're automatically charged to your onboard account — not optional — and can add hundreds of dollars to the real price of your cruise.
Current gratuity rates by cruise line
| Cruise line | Per person / per day | 7-night for 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean | $18.00 (standard) / $20.00 (suite) | $252 / $280 |
| Carnival | $16.00 / $18.00 (suite) | $224 / $252 |
| Norwegian (NCL) | $20.00 / $25.00 (The Haven) | $280 / $350 |
| MSC Cruises | $14.50 / $17.00 (Yacht Club) | $203 / $238 |
| Celebrity | $18.00 / $23.00 (suite) | $252 / $322 |
| Disney | $15.50 | $217 |
| Princess | $16.00 / $17.00 (suite) | $224 / $238 |
Rates as of 2025–2026. Cruise lines adjust these periodically.
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
Who the gratuity goes to
The daily gratuity is pooled and distributed to:
- Your cabin/room steward (cleans your room twice daily, provides towel animals, keeps ice stocked)
- Main dining room staff (your assigned waiter and assistant waiter)
- Other service staff (buffet crew, behind-the-scenes kitchen staff)
It does NOT automatically go to bartenders or specialty restaurant servers — those typically receive a tip added to your individual drink or dining receipts (usually 18–20% added automatically per transaction).
Photo: MSC Cruises
Can you remove gratuities?
Technically yes — you can visit Guest Services and request to have automatic gratuities removed. Some passengers do this and tip in cash selectively.
However: Cruise lines strongly discourage this because the pooled gratuity system is how crew members' compensation works. If you remove it, the crew effectively receives less compensation and must cover it from the pool. Most experienced cruisers advise against removing it unless service was genuinely problematic.
Gratuities included vs. not included
Included in cruise fare (you don't pay separately):
- Disney Cruise Line — gratuities are suggested but not auto-charged; they're built into a recommended envelope system
- Some luxury lines (Seabourn, Silversea, Regent Seven Seas) include all gratuities
Auto-charged to your account (most mainstream lines):
- Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, MSC, Celebrity, Princess
On drink packages: Norwegian and Royal Caribbean charge an additional gratuity on beverage packages — typically 18–20% of the package cost added automatically.
How to budget for gratuities
Simple rule: add $16–$20 per person per day to whatever the advertised cruise fare is. For a 7-night cruise for two adults, budget $224–$280 on top of everything else.
CruiseMutiny automatically includes gratuity estimates in every cost breakdown it generates.