💷 LET'S TALK GRATUITIES
What are they? Who gets them? How much are you paying? And why did your £4.99 cocktail just become more expensive? 😂🍹
“Right…one of those things that makes perfectly normal adults suddenly reach for a calculator.
GRATUITIES. 💷
Or…
SERVICE CHARGES.
Or…
TIPS.
Or…
THE MONEY THAT KEEPS APPEARING ON YOUR ACCOUNT. 😂
You book a cruise.
You think:
£999.
Great.
Then suddenly you've got:
💷 Daily service charge
🍹 Beverage gratuity
🍽️ Dining gratuity
💆 Spa gratuity
🛎️ Room service charge
And you're thinking:
“HANG ON… HAVEN'T I ALREADY PAID TO BE HERE?” 😂
And then someone tells you
“You can prepay them.”
Another says:
“They're already included.”
Someone else says:
“Don't worry, it's optional.”
And now…
WE'RE ALL CONFUSED.
So...
WHAT ARE GRATUITIES ACTUALLY FOR?
Who gets them?
How much are you really paying?
When are they included?
When are they extra?
And most importantly…
HOW DO YOU BUDGET FOR THEM WITHOUT GETTING A NASTY SURPRISE?
1️⃣ 🤔 FIRST THING — GRATUITIES AREN'T THE SAME EVERYWHERE
DO NOT ASSUME EVERY CRUISE LINE HANDLES GRATUITIES THE SAME WAY.
They don't.
For example:
🚢 ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Currently applies a daily gratuity of $18.50 per guest per day in standard staterooms and $21 per guest per day in suites when not prepaid. It also automatically adds an 18% gratuity to beverage purchases/packages, speciality dining, room service and minibar purchases. (Royal Caribbean)
🚢 NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
Uses a daily service charge — currently $20 per person per day for Club Balcony Suite and below and $25 for The Haven and Suites for bookings made under its current terms. NCL says that this charge supports crew compensation and certain behind-the-scenes roles. (NCL)
🚢 MSC
For UK customers, MSC currently states that service charges/gratuities are included in the cruise fare, and says it does not recommend tipping individual staff members. (MSC Cruises)
🚢 P&O CRUISES
P&O says tipping isn't needed, describing it as part of its service philosophy. (P&O Cruises)
So…
FOUR CRUISE LINES.
FOUR DIFFERENT APPROACHES.
That's why:
“DO I HAVE TO TIP?”
doesn't have one universal answer.”
2️⃣ 💷 SO WHAT ARE YOU ACTUALLY PAYING FOR?
“Let's make this simple.
A daily gratuity or service charge is generally designed to recognise the work of the crew who look after you throughout your cruise.
And that doesn't just mean:
🧑🍳 The person serving dinner
or:
🧹 The person cleaning your cabin.
There are people working:
🍽️ In restaurants
🛏️ In housekeeping
🧺 Behind the scenes
🧑💼 In hotel operations
🍹 In bars
…and plenty of jobs you'll never see.
NCL explicitly explains that its service charge contributes towards compensation for restaurant staff, stateroom stewards and behind-the-scenes support staff. (NCL)
So when you see:
SERVICE CHARGE
it's not simply:
“A tip for your waiter.”
It's much broader than that.”
3️⃣ 🧮 THE MATHS — THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE GET CAUGHT OUT
“Let's say you're on a seven-night Royal Caribbean cruise.
Two adults.
Standard stateroom.
Using the current $18.50 daily rate:
$18.50 × 7 = $129.50
Per person.
Two people:
$259.
And that's before we even talk about:
🍹 Drinks
📱 Wi-Fi
🍽️ Speciality dining
🏝️ Excursions
📸 Photos
💆 Spa
Suddenly your:
“£999 cruise”
doesn't quite feel like £999 anymore.
And this is exactly why I keep saying:
CALCULATE THE TOTAL HOLIDAY COST. 🧮”
4️⃣ 🏨 PREPAID VS ADDED TO YOUR ACCOUNT
“Now…you may be given a choice.
PREPAY YOUR GRATUITIES
or:
PAY THEM THROUGH YOUR ONBOARD ACCOUNT.
What's the difference?
Often…
THE AMOUNT ISN'T MAGICALLY DISAPPEARING. 😂
Prepaying simply means you've dealt with the charge ahead of time.
It can make budgeting easier because you know you've already covered it.
Royal Caribbean allows guests to prepay gratuities before sailing, while NCL says service charges can also be prepaid through a travel professional. (Royal Caribbean)
So ask yourself:
“Would I rather pay this now…
or have it appear during the cruise?”
Personally…
I LIKE KNOWING.
Because I don't want to spend seven days thinking:
“I've only spent £400…”
when actually:
THE CRUISE ACCOUNT IS DOING SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT. 😂”
5️⃣ 💳 DON'T CONFUSE DAILY GRATUITIES WITH EVERY OTHER SERVICE CHARGE
“Now here's where the language gets REALLY confusing.
You may have:
💷 Daily service charge
AND:
🍹 Beverage gratuity
AND:
🍽️ Speciality dining service charge
AND:
💆 Spa gratuity
And potentially:
🛎️ Room service fees.
These can be separate.
For example, Royal Caribbean currently adds 18% to beverage purchases/packages, speciality dining, room service and minibar purchases, while spa and salon purchases attract 20%. (Royal Caribbean)
NCL currently applies a 20% gratuity/service charge to beverage purchases and speciality restaurant dining, with its FAQ noting some package exceptions. (NCL)
So when you see:
£4.99 COCKTAIL
don't automatically assume:
£4.99 FINAL COST.
It might be:
£4.99
18%
=
KERCHING! 💷
And you've just paid more than the menu suggested.
CHECK THE SMALL PRINT.”
6️⃣ 🍹 THE “KERCHING!” EFFECT
“Let's make this really simple.
You order:
🍹 £4.99 cocktail.
Depending on the cruise line and its current charges…
there may be an additional service/gratuity amount.
And then you order:
🍹 Another.
KERCHING! 💷
Another:
KERCHING!
A speciality coffee:
KERCHING!
Speciality dinner:
KERCHING!
And now your onboard account is looking at you like:
“SURPRISE!” 😂
This is why I want you to understand:
THE COST OF THE CRUISE
is different from:
THE COST OF BEING ON THE CRUISE.”
7️⃣ 👀 “BUT THE SERVICE WASN'T THAT GOOD!”
“Now we're getting controversial.
What if the service was awful?
What if:
🍹 Your drink took 20 minutes
🍽️ Your food was cold
🧹 Your room wasn't cleaned properly
😤 Something went wrong
DO YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY THE SERVICE CHARGE?
And…
THIS IS WHERE YOU NEED TO CHECK YOUR CRUISE LINE'S POLICY.
For example, Royal Caribbean says its daily gratuities can be modified at the Guest Relations desk before the morning of disembarkation. (Royal Caribbean)
But don't assume that means:
“I didn't like my waiter, therefore I can simply delete everything.”
A service charge can contribute to a broader crew-compensation system.
And if something genuinely isn't right:
SPEAK UP.
Go to Guest Services.
Explain the problem.
Give the cruise line a chance to fix it.
DON'T JUST SIT THERE FUMING FOR SIX DAYS. 😂”
8️⃣ ❤️ THE CREW AREN'T THE SYSTEM
“This is an important one.
Sometimes passengers become frustrated with:
THE GRATUITY SYSTEM
and accidentally take it out on:
THE CREW.
Please don't.
The waiter didn't invent the pricing model.
Your cabin steward didn't decide the service charge.
The bartender didn't decide whether gratuity was included.
They're doing their jobs.
And as we've discussed in our Cruise Pain Points…
sometimes they're also massively overworked.
One person is trying to serve:
👥 30 people
🍹 20 drinks
🍽️ 15 food orders
💳 Payments
and you're thinking:
“WHERE'S MY PINA COLADA?” 😂
Have a little patience.
THE CREW ARE NOT THE ENEMY. ❤️”
9️⃣ 🧑🍳 WHO ACTUALLY GETS THE MONEY?
“This is a question people ask all the time.
“Does my waiter get all of my gratuity?”
Not necessarily.
On many cruise lines, these charges are pooled or distributed across different departments and crew roles.
Royal Caribbean says its collected gratuities are pooled and applied toward compensation for dining, bar and culinary staff, stateroom attendants, hotel services teams and others. (Royal Caribbean)
NCL similarly says its service charge supports a team-based compensation model. (NCL)
So don't necessarily think:
£100 gratuity
=
£100 directly to your waiter.
That's not how many cruise-line systems work.”
🔟 🎁 WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND?
“Now…
this is where personal tipping can still come in.
Some roles may provide more individualised service.
NCL, for example, specifically mentions roles such as:
🛎️ Concierge
🛏️ Butler
👧 Youth programme staff
🍹 Beverage service
as positions that may receive additional gratuities because they aren't covered by the general service charge in the same way. (NCL)
And regardless of the cruise line's system…
if someone genuinely goes:
ABOVE AND BEYOND
there's nothing wrong with saying:
THANK YOU.
Whether that's:
💷 Cash
❤️ A sincere thank-you
⭐ Positive feedback
📝 Mentioning them by name in a review
Kindness goes a long way.”
1️⃣1️⃣ 🍹 “BUT I'M ALREADY PAYING A SERVICE CHARGE ON MY DRINK!”
“Exactly.
And this is where people can get confused.
You buy:
£10 cocktail.
Your cruise line adds:
beverage gratuity/service charge.
Then the payment screen asks:
TIP?
And suddenly you're looking at three buttons:
20%..25%..30%
and thinking:
“WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO HERE?!” 😂
First:
CHECK WHETHER A GRATUITY HAS ALREADY BEEN ADDED.
If it has…
you don't necessarily need to feel pressured into tipping again.
That's exactly why it's worth knowing the cruise line's policy before you sail.”
1️⃣2️⃣ 🧮 THE “IS THIS INCLUDED?” CHECK
“Before paying for anything onboard…
ask:
🍹 DRINK
Is gratuity already included?
🍽️ SPECIALITY DINING
Is service charge included?
💆 SPA
Is gratuity added?
🛎️ ROOM SERVICE
Is there a fee?
💳 ONBOARD PURCHASE
Is there another service charge?
This is why:
READ THE RECEIPT.
Don't just tap:
YES.
😂
Because that tiny receipt can sometimes tell you exactly what you've been charged.”
1️⃣3️⃣ 🇬🇧 UK CRUISERS — WHY THIS CAN FEEL SO STRANGE
“Now…
if you're from the UK…
you may be thinking:
“Why am I being asked to tip before I've even received the service?”
And that's understandable.
Cruise gratuity systems are influenced heavily by international hospitality practices.
That's why a British traveller can board one ship and think:
“No tipping. Brilliant.”
Then board another and discover:
“Daily service charge.”
Then another:
“Everything included.”
And another:
“Here's an 18% charge on your drinks.”
😂
So:
DON'T ASSUME YOUR LAST CRUISE WILL WORK LIKE YOUR NEXT ONE.”
1️⃣4️⃣ 🇮🇹 MSC — A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHY YOU NEED TO CHECK
“MSC is a brilliant example.
For UK bookings, MSC currently states:
SERVICE CHARGES / GRATUITIES ARE INCLUDED IN THE CRUISE FARE.
It also says it doesn't recommend tipping individual staff members. (MSC Cruises)
That means if you're used to another cruise line's system…
DON'T AUTOMATICALLY ADD A TIP JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE USED TO DOING IT.
And this is the big lesson:
CHECK THE ACTUAL CRUISE LINE.”
1️⃣5️⃣ 🇬🇧 P&O — ANOTHER VERY DIFFERENT APPROACH
“P&O takes another approach.
Its published UK material says:
TIPPING ISN'T NEEDED.
It describes tipping as already being part of its service model. (P&O Cruises)
So again…
you can see why people get confused.
Royal Caribbean
Daily gratuity.
NCL
Daily service charge.
MSC UK
Included in fare.
P&O
No tipping needed.
SAME HOLIDAY CONCEPT....VERY DIFFERENT SYSTEMS. 😂”
1️⃣6️⃣ 🎁 PREPAID GRATUITIES — COULD THEY ACTUALLY BE A GOOD DEAL?
“Now here's another thing to look out for.
Sometimes you'll see:
FREE PREPAID GRATUITIES. 🎉
That's basically cruise-speak for:
“We'll cover your daily service charges.”
NCL's current 2026 sale, for example, is advertising free prepaid service charges on selected sailings when eligible balcony staterooms or above are booked. (NCL)
Now…
THAT CAN BE WORTH REAL MONEY.
If two people are saving:
$20 × 7 × 2
that's:
$280. 💰
And suddenly the promotion looks pretty interesting.
But…
COMPARE THE WHOLE FARE.
Don't choose a cruise solely because the word:
FREE
appears next to gratuities.”
1️⃣7️⃣ ✅ DON'T FORGET CHILDREN
“Here's another one families need to check.
ARE CHILDREN CHARGED THE DAILY SERVICE FEE?
The answer can vary.
NCL currently says its service charge applies to guests aged 3 and older. (NCL)
MSC currently says its standard hotel service charge applies from age 2, with under-2s exempt.
So if you've got:
👨👩👧👦 Two adults
plus:
👧👦 Two children
don't just multiply the adult rate by four without checking the rules.
DO THE ACTUAL FAMILY MATHS. 🧮”
1️⃣8️⃣ 💷 GRATUITIES & YOUR ONBOARD ACCOUNT
“Here's the easiest way to avoid surprises.
CHECK YOUR ACCOUNT.
Don't wait until the final morning.
Depending on your cruise line, your app or onboard account can show the charges accumulating.
Look at:
💷 Daily service charge
🍹 Drinks
🍽️ Dining
🏝️ Excursions
📸 Photos
💆 Spa
🛍️ Shopping
And if something looks wrong:
ASK.
Because discovering a £500 mystery charge at 6am on disembarkation day…
IS NOT FUN. 😂”
1️⃣9️⃣ 💳 THE BIGGEST MISTAKE — BUDGETING FOR THE CRUISE BUT NOT THE GRATUITIES
“This is the mistake I really want first-time cruisers to avoid.
You calculate:
Cruise — £1,000
Flights — £400
Hotel — £150
Great.
Then onboard:
SURPRISE!
Daily service charges.
OH.
😂
That's why gratuities need to be part of your initial cruise calculation.
Not something you think about:
AFTER YOU'VE BOOKED.”
THAT'S WHY WE COMPARE THE WHOLE PACKAGE.”
“So…
Are they a tip?
Sometimes.
A service charge?
Sometimes.
Included in the fare?
Sometimes.
Added automatically?
Sometimes.
Separate on drinks?
Sometimes.
And that's exactly why:
YOU HAVE TO CHECK. 😂
Don't assume:
“It's a cruise, so gratuities work like they did last time.”
They might not.
Royal Caribbean.
Norwegian.
MSC.
P&O.
They can all handle it differently. (Royal Caribbean)
And here's my biggest advice:
KNOW WHAT YOU'RE PAYING.
Before you sail.
Before you buy the drinks package.
Before you book speciality dining.
Before you hit:
“ADD TO CART.”
And when you're onboard…
BE KIND TO THE CREW. ❤️
Remember:
They didn't create the pricing model.
They're simply doing their jobs.
If someone goes above and beyond…
say thank you.
If something isn't right…
speak up.
And if you've already paid the service charge…
DON'T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT NOT TIPPING AGAIN EVERY TIME A CARD MACHINE FLASHES AT YOU. 😂
Check what's already been added.
Understand the system.
And make your own decision.
Because:
THE GOAL ISN'T TO TIP THE MOST.
THE GOAL IS TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE PAYING FOR. 💷
🚢❤️SEE YOU ON BOARD!
