Are gratuities included on Carnival Cruises?

Gratuities are assessed on all guests, with the exception of children under the age of 2. Gratuities apply regardless of the dining options selected, such as eating at the casual dining restaurant or open seating dining. For beverage purchases, an 18% service charge will be added to the bill.



Gratuities are not included in the base cruise fare on Carnival Cruises; instead, they are added as a "service charge" to your onboard Sail & Sign account. As of April 2026, the recommended daily gratuity is $17.00 per person, per day for guests in standard staterooms and $19.00 per person, per day for those in suites. These funds are distributed among the dining staff, room stewards, and other behind-the-scenes crew members who facilitate your vacation. Guests have the option to pre-pay these gratuities at the time of booking to lock in current rates and simplify their end-of-cruise bill. While you can visit Guest Services to adjust the amount based on the quality of service received, the charges are considered standard and are automatically applied to every guest, including children. Note that an automatic 18% to 20% service charge is also added to individual purchases like specialty dining, bar drinks, and spa treatments.

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(1). You have the right to refuse this automatic gratuity charge and may compensate cruise staff on your own terms. However, you will need to notify the front desk of this desire. Otherwise it will appear on your bill when your cruise ends and it will be charged to your credit card on file.

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If you have not prepaid gratuities and the service charges show up on your onboard bill, you can go to guest services before the sailing ends and request to have the amounts altered or removed. You'll be asked to explain why you're unhappy with the service you received.

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Cons: You can't get a refund if you have prepaid gratuities. You can't use your onboard credit towards them if you prepaid.

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Cruise lines generally can't force you to pay gratuities unless you decide to leave it too late to have them removed. Cruise lines will add the gratuities to your cruise account at different times, but it is often only added to your account on the second-to-last day.

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Cash is also a good option if you want to tip some workers extra for service that warrants it. If you've dined in mostly one spot every night of the cruise, you might want to give tips to especially attentive waitstaff on the last evening of the cruise.

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Again, cash might be the only thing they will take, and in most of the Caribbean you can tip in U.S. currency. As a side note, it can be nice to have some cash on your cruise so you can also tip people like street performers while in port.

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61% tip their stateroom attendant an additional $20–$40 per couple per week, 26% tip $40–$70, and 13% tip an additional $70–$140. The average amount tipped to the head waiter was an additional $20–$50 per week per couple.

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Carnival Cruise Lines In standard cabins, Carnival charges $14.50 per person, per day in tips. Travelers in suites are charged $16.50 per person, per day. The amount does not apply to passengers younger than 2. An automatic 18% gratuity is added to all bar bills, specialty restaurant cover charges and spa services.

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Cruise lines are very upfront about their tipping policies. Unless you are on an all-inclusive ship that covers gratuities in the cruise fare, such as luxury cruise lines Azamara, Seabourn, Silversea, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and Virgin Voyages, it is recommended that you tip the crew.

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In general, plan on giving $16–$23 in gratuities per day for each passenger. Note that the amount should be tabulated for each individual in your party—don't try to tip once per couple or group. So if you're planning to go on a 7-day cruise, expect to give a total of between $112 and $161 per person in gratuities.

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For bartenders and housekeepers, you may also want to offer a generous tip at the beginning of the cruise (again, $20 or more, depending on your needs) to ensure great service while on board. As for daily housekeeping gratuity, $2 to $5 per person per day is a good rule of thumb.

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Because gratuity is already included in the price of these purchases onboard, it's not necessary to tip extra. However, many passengers still like to tip a few dollars with a drink or specialty restaurant dinner to show their appreciation.

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