Why do you have to prepay gratuities on a cruise?

Benefits of Prepaying Gratuities The biggest advantage is simply getting the charge out of the way. By paying the charge at the same time you pay your cruise, it's one less cost that will hit your onboard account while you are cruising. Another advantage is that cruise lines regularly raise gratuity amounts.



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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.

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If you do not prepay cruise gratuities before sailing, the cruise line will add them to your onboard bill. The cruise line will then charge your credit card for the gratuity amount at the end of the sailing – along with other purchases you made with your cruise card (drinks, souvenirs, spa treatments, tours, etc.).

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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.

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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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How much should you tip cruise waiter? The cruise gratuities cover the wait staff, so you're not obligated to give them any more of a cash tip. However, if you received outstanding service from a waiter and would like to show them your appreciation with a cash tip, $5 per day per passenger is the suggested amount.

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No. Customers cannot refuse to pay automatic gratuity since the payment is a service charge. Tips are optional and freely given by customers, but charges on the receipt from the restaurant itself are mandatory fees. Not paying the automatic gratuity is the same as not paying for the food.

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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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But now, on most cruise lines, guests can choose to dine wherever and whenever they like—a tipping pool ensures that everyone who takes care of passengers receives a tip. It's not necessary, but a small tip can be offered for in-room dining.

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If your cruise steward goes above and beyond, a cash tip at the end of your stay to show your appreciation. We recommend tipping your cruise steward $3-5 per person daily.

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Daily service charges are not the only cruise tips you will pay on board. Many cruise lines will tack an automatic gratuity charge onto the bill for extra-fee drinks, restaurant meals and spa treatments. The included tip amount varies by cruise line, but is typically 15% to 20% of the bill.

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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. The daily gratuities is in addition to the 18% gratuity automatically added to all beverages, mini bar items, and spa & salon purchases.

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Bottom Line: In general, we opt to prepay gratuities on a cruise simply because we like not having to worry about them creating a higher bill once on the ship. That said, there's no harm in opting to wait as the gratuities will be charged automatically once on the ship. It all comes down to personal preference.

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If you do not prepay gratuities and are instead being charged a daily amount onboard, you can go to Guest Services and request to remove or modify this daily charge. Passengers can change the daily amount or opt out of gratuities altogether until the morning of departure.

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1. Gratuitites. You can usually use your Carnival onboard credit to pay for gratuities (tips), so long as you haven't prepaid them before you board the ship. However, onboard credit that comes from being a Carnival shareholder can't be applied to gratuities.

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The included tip amount varies by cruise line but is typically 15% to 20% of the bill. Be warned that the receipt often includes a line for an additional gratuity, even when one is automatically added. This can trick many cruisers into tipping twice.

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If you buy a drink package on either cruise line, you pay an 18% gratuity that goes into the pool for all bar staff. The same applies when you buy an individual drink. If, however, you hand a specific bartender an added tip, they either keep it or share it with their coworkers at that bar.

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While the automatic service charges will cover their basic gratuities, it's generally considered good form to tip them a bit extra for a job well done, especially if you have made any special requests. Should you choose to, for a seven-night cruise, consider tipping about $2 to $3 per person, per day.

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Do cruise ship employees actually get the gratuities? The automatic gratuity pool onboard cruise ships covers the housekeeping staff (cabin stewards) and wait staff. If a passenger is staying in a suite which includes butler service, the automatic gratuity is increased to include their butler.

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