Everything You Need to Know About Tipping on a Cruise

The question of tipping—how much and to whom—is always a hot topic among travelers, especially when it comes to cruise gratuities. The cruise industry has tried to make tipping less stressful and less complicated by incorporating automatic tipping on mainstream lines and instating a “no gratuities required” policy on most luxury ocean lines. Unlike the cruising days of yore, these policies mean that cruisers don’t have to spend the last day of their voyage crunching numbers and running around the ship handing out envelopes of cash to every room steward, waiter, and bartender they met during the voyage.

Still, tipping etiquette on cruises can be a little confusing. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

Lots of luxury lines don’t require tipping.

You’ll see a lot of luxury lines stating a no-tipping policy—because the fee is included in the per-passenger cruise fare. You may tip additionally at your discretion, but it is not expected (with the exception of spa services, which typically tack on a supplemental, automatic gratuity). No tipping of waitstaff, bartenders, or stewards is required on Azamara, Crystal Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Paul Gauguin Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line, SeaDream Yacht Club, and Silversea Cruises.

On some ships, many gratuities are automatically included.

Most major cruise lines automatically add gratuities to your onboard account. The fee is usually between $12 and $15 per passenger, per day, and the cruise line then divvies up that money between all service-oriented crew. Worth noting: Almost every cruise line includes an automatic 15 to 20 percent gratuity on all bar bills (listed on their websites, if you’re curious), and 18 to 20 percent on spa services, so there is no need to tip extra unless you want to.

Still, if you’d like to contribute more or less toward the daily gratuity charge, just head to the onboard customer service desk. Note, also, that there are some additional times when a little cash on hand could come in handy: for porters at the terminal, for instance, or shore excursion guides, and kids’ club counselors. In those cases, do some research on your cruise lines’ policies in advance, and set aside some cash for those situations if needed.

Find a full list of cruise lines with auto-tipping policies below.

In recent years, most major ocean lines have moved toward auto-tipping policies. Here’s an overview of what to expect with cruise tips on these lines. (Rates are for adults; kids’ suggested gratuity rates can vary by cruise line.)

Carnival Cruise Line: $13.99 per person, per day, in staterooms; $15.99 per person, per day, in suites.

Celebrity Cruises: $14.50 per person, per day, in staterooms; $15 per person, per day, in Concierge Class and AquaClass staterooms; and $18 per person, per day, in suites.

Costa Cruises: Costa calculates its auto-gratuities based on the length of your voyage, the destination, and your ship, but you can expect a charge of $12.50 per person, per day, for cruises originating in the U.S.

Cunard: Britannia passengers are charged $11.50 per person, per day, and Grill Class passengers pay $13.50 per person, per day.

Disney Cruise Line: $4.50 per person, per day, for the dining room server; $3.50 per person, per day, for the assistant server; $1 per person, per day, for the head server; and $4.50 per person, per day, for the cabin steward.

Holland America Line: $14.50 per person, per day, for those staying in staterooms and $16 per person, per day, for suite guests.

MSC Cruises: MSC charges different gratuity rates based on the voyage destination; a typical Caribbean cruise carries a $12.50 per person, per day, fee.

Norwegian Cruise Line: $15 per person, per day, in staterooms; $18 per person, per day, for The Haven, Concierge, and suites.

Oceania Cruises: $16 per person, per day, for staterooms and $23 per person, per day, for guests staying in a Penthouse, Oceania, Vista, or Owner’s suites.

Princess Cruises: $14.50 per person, per day, for those staying staterooms; $15.50 per person, per day, for mini-suites; and $16.50 per person, per day, for suite guests.

Royal Caribbean International: $14.50 per person, per day, for stateroom and Junior Suite guests and $17.50 per person, per day, for Grand Suite and higher passengers.

Viking Ocean Cruises: $15 per person, per day.

Windstar Cruises: $13.50 per person, per day.

Source:cntraveler.com