Most lines allow passengers to adjust or remove automatic tips by visiting the front desk. The exception? Norwegian Cruise Lines, who requires cruisers to file a reimbursement request after the cruise ends.
People Also Ask
Cruise lines don't go out of their way to tell you this, but you are free to ask for gratuities to be removed from your account by visiting the customer service desk at any time during your cruise. You do not have to give a reason.
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.
As mentioned above, not all members of the ship staff receive a share of the gratuities paid by passengers. Bartenders, main show entertainers and third-party shop employees are some of the more obvious ones, but they're not the only ones.
Several luxury cruise lines just include the gratuities in the cruise fare, smoothing over any possible issues. Most lines allow passengers to adjust or remove automatic tips by visiting the front desk. The exception? Norwegian Cruise Lines, who requires cruisers to file a reimbursement request after the cruise ends.
As mentioned above, not all members of the ship staff receive a share of the gratuities paid by passengers. Bartenders, main show entertainers and third-party shop employees are some of the more obvious ones, but they're not the only ones.
Does Free at Sea include daily gratuities? Sometimes, free daily gratuities pop up as a Free at Sea perk option, but not often. Most of the time, you'll have to pay the daily service charge as normal.
If you want to manage your budget more effectively, it's a good idea to prepay your gratuities for your Princess cruise. The only time you would be better off waiting is if you want to use any onboard credit towards the gratuity amount.
For most, prepaying gratuities is a great way to keep track of your overall cruise budget. If they're paid for and out of the way, you won't accidentally spend your gratuity money while onboard or in port or receive a large(r) bill at the end of the sailing.
Prepaid gratuities are refundable even in places which have different cancellation policies than the US. I always used to prepay them and would have had them refunded if I cancelled the cruise.
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. Cruise lines say they pass the money collected from service charges to the shipboard crew.
Carnival gratuities are not optional, in that they are automatically added to your account. They can be removed, but only if you visit the Guest Services desk on the ship and ask them to take them off your account. Otherwise, you are expected to pay.
Notably, NCL raised their gratuity fees effective January 2023. Sail on the cruise line, and you'll now pay $20.00 per person, per day if you are sailing in an interior, oceanview, balcony cabin or Club Balcony Suite. Other suites and The Haven see a charge of $25.00 per person, per day.
When sailing luxury lines. Luxury cruise lines — such as Seabourn, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Silversea Cruises — include crew gratuities in the cruise fare. You are not expected to tip on these sailings at all.