Tipping and Gratuities on a Cruise: What to Expect

Gratuities are one of those cruise topics that seem to confuse everyone at first — how much, who gets it, is it automatic, can you adjust it? Let's clear the whole thing up so it's one less thing to think about while you're packing.

How Gratuities Actually Work

Almost every mainstream cruise line now charges a daily automatic gratuity, added directly to your onboard account (or, on some lines, built into an "all-inclusive" fare from the start). This typically runs somewhere between $16 and $23 per person, per day, depending on your cabin category — suites usually carry a slightly higher rate. For a 7-night cruise for two people, that generally lands somewhere around $220-$320 total, charged automatically so you don't have to think about cash or math while you're on vacation.

This pooled amount gets distributed among the crew members who make your cruise run — stateroom attendants, dining room servers, galley staff, and other behind-the-scenes crew you may never even see but who absolutely shape your experience.

What's Not Covered by the Daily Gratuity

The automatic daily charge covers your main dining and stateroom service, but a few things sit outside it. Specialty restaurants often add their own gratuity on top of the cover charge. Drink packages and individual bar purchases almost always include an 18% gratuity automatically tacked onto the bill. Spa and salon services work the same way — expect that gratuity to be added when you check out.

Shore excursion guides and drivers are a separate, optional tip, generally at your discretion based on service — a few dollars per person is standard for a half-day tour.

Can You Remove or Adjust It?

Technically, most lines allow you to visit guest services and adjust or remove the automatic gratuity. We'll be honest with you: we don't recommend it. That daily charge is often a meaningful part of how crew members are compensated, and the staff working your cruise are usually putting in genuinely long hours to make your week great. If service is exceptional and you want to do more, cash tips directly to your stateroom attendant or favorite server are always appreciated and welcome — but reducing the automatic gratuity isn't something we'd steer clients toward.

Budgeting for It

The easiest approach: when you're pricing out your trip, add roughly $18-20 per person, per day to your base fare as a mental placeholder for gratuities, then treat any drink packages or specialty dining as their own separate line item with tip already baked in. That way, nothing catches you off guard when your final onboard bill shows up on the last morning of the cruise.

Want help building a full, realistic budget for your cruise — gratuities included? Ben's Travel will walk you through every line item before you book, so there are no surprises.