Is it better to pay gratuities on a cruise before or after?

We are fans of prepaying the gratuities just because it makes things simpler to have your charges taken care of before you board. It's one less charge to worry about on the ship. But there are some very good reasons on both sides of the issue.



In 2026, it is generally better to prepay your gratuities before your cruise for three reasons: budgeting, rate protection, and boarding efficiency. Prepaying allows you to lock in the current daily rate, protecting you from "mid-cruise" price increases that have become common as lines adjust for inflation. It also removes a "hidden" daily charge of $16–$20 per person from your onboard account, ensuring your final bill at the end of the trip doesn't include any unpleasant surprises. While some travelers prefer to "post-pay" so they can adjust the amount based on service quality, most cruise lines now make it intentionally difficult to lower automatic gratuities. If you prepay, you can still give additional cash to specific crew members who went above and beyond, which is often more appreciated than the pooled automatic funds. For most, prepaying simplifies the "check-out" process on the final morning, allowing for a stress-free disembarkation.

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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.

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Pre-paid gratuities means that we {Cruise Specialists} have negotiated a special offer for you and you are not expected nor will you be charged for tips. On most big-ship mainstream lines, the service crew members are dependent on the generosity of travelers for the vast majority of their salary.

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The amount you pay will vary by cruise line, but they are all in the same ballpark. You can expect to pay about $15-$20 per person, per day. So a couple traveling together will see about $30-$40 per day in gratuities, or about $200+ over the course of a week-long cruise.

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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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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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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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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.

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If you do not opt to prepay gratuities, a daily charge will appear on your SeaPass account every day of the cruise for the daily gratuity rate per guest.

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Midship staterooms on the lowest passenger deck are the most excellent spot to be on a cruise ship in this instance because you don't feel the vessel sway as much.

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Because they are charged on a daily basis, you do not have to worry about tipping each crew member yourself. Many passengers, however, still like to leave extra tips for their stateroom attendant and dining room waiters at the end of the cruise.

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They must ensure orderly, clean, attractive, and immaculately maintained rooms, service areas, corridors, etc. on their assigned floor. Cabin Stewards: Average Salary of $650-$1,150 monthly, including gratuities. If they work on a luxury cruise line, they may receive over $2,000 each month with tips.

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Just like some land-based hotels, guests can expect to see an initial $99.75 pending charge or authorization on their credit card. This pending amount is used to secure funds for anticipated onboard purchases. Purchases made onboard over the initial $99.75 will generate additional holds.

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The amount of experience, the level of education, the grades they received, location, and company all can determine the year's salary. In general, a cruise ship captain salary ranges between $54,000 and more than $100,000. This may seem like a low pay scale considering the responsibilities that come with the job.

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No matter which cruise line you sail, crew gratuities — also known as service charges or crew appreciation — are a fact of life. This includes sailing on Princess. Like other cruise lines, Princess charges a daily gratuity fee — known as “crew appreciation” — while sailing.

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