Embarking on a cruise is an exciting adventure. However, amidst the preparation, new cruisers may forget to research one often-overlooked aspect: tipping.
Understanding cruise ship gratuities is as important as pre-purchasing your shore excursions and mastering packing. If you don't budget for cruise tips, you'll likely find yourself caught off guard with a higher-than-anticipated final statement, so it's essential to familiarize yourself with your line's gratuity policy.
Here are 15 common cruise ship tipping mistakes to avoid on your next sailing.
Assume they're included in the base fare
Mainstream cruise lines typically don't include gratuities in their base fares. Instead, they're more akin to a "hidden" fee and added to the advertised price of your cruise vacation. This can catch new cruisers off guard, with some lines charging over $20 per person, per day.
Additionally, gratuities aren't set industry-wide. Instead, each line has its own gratuities dependent on your cabin category. Tips for suites, for example, are almost always more expensive than standard staterooms.
On Carnival Cruise Line, the daily rate is $16/person in standard cabins and $18/person for suites. Norwegian, however, has some of the highest gratuities in the industry, charging $20/person for guests staying in standard and Club Balcony cabins and $25/person for passengers in The Haven.
Before booking a cruise, ensure you're aware of your chosen line's tip policies, so you aren't surprised later in the booking process.
Read more: Guide to Royal Caribbean Gratuities
Only bringing large bills
Though cruise ships don't accept cash as a form of payment, you'll want a few bills handy. Small bills are ideal for tipping crew members like bartenders.
Unlike restaurants and bars, venues on cruise ships can't easily break large bills since access to cash registers is limited and restricted to certain areas, such as Guest Services. Coming prepared with small bills means you can reward crew members at ease.
Smaller bills may also be ideal for those who want to keep track of their gambling. Rather than betting $20+ on a slot machine, you may want to play a few dollars at a time, allowing you to enjoy the casino without overspending.
Read more: 9 important crew members to meet on your cruise ship
Forget to tip the porter on embarkation day
Speaking of small bills, they'll come in handy before stepping foot on your cruise ship. When you arrive at the terminal, you'll be greeted by a porter, who will assist you with the larger suitcases you don't want to carry onboard.
Before they disappear with your luggage, you'll want to tip them for their services. Porters work in all conditions—excessive heat, rain, etc.—to ensure your bags are delivered to the ship.
The amount you give is up to your description. Some cruisers only tip $1-$2 per bag, while others tip anywhere from $5-$10 per suitcase. And while choosing not to tip your porter doesn't mean your bags will end up in the ocean, it's common courtesy.
Read more: Carry-on vs. checked bag on a cruise ship
Remove gratuities
Technically, gratuities aren't required. Nothing is stopping you from going to Guest Services while onboard and having the daily rate adjusted or removed. However, this is strongly discouraged.
Gratuities ensure that all crew members receive compensation for their work, and while many argue that cruise lines should pay them fair wages outright, this is how the system currently works.
Before deciding to remove gratuities, speak with Guest Services about any issues regarding the onboard service. They'll direct your concerns to the appropriate crew member, who can help resolve the problem and make your time onboard more memorable. If you don't speak up, how can anything change?
Tip in the wrong currency
Patiently waiting for your European cruise? Make sure you stop by your bank to exchange U.S. dollars for euros. Tipping a tour guide in Italy with dollars won't do them much good.
Likewise, you'll want the local currency on hand for other purchases, including souvenirs, taxis, etc. For instance, after arriving in Athens, Greece, ahead of my 7-night Greek Isles cruise, my fiancée and I paid for a taxi from the airport to our hotel in euros.
Most destinations in the Caribbean accept the U.S. dollar, but if you're traveling to a different continent—such as Asia, Africa, or Europe—it's best to exchange your money for the local currency.
Skip tipping shore excursion tour guides
Even though your cruise line-sponsored shore excursions will be paid for in advance of your tour, it's customary to tip your guides, who often go above and beyond to provide not only an enjoyable day ashore but also an informative one. Guides do more than simply lead you from Point A to Point B. Instead, they provide insight into the local culture and history you might not have otherwise learned.
Some independent tours allow you to place a deposit when booking and pay the rest when the excursion begins. Even then, you'll want a tip handy for the guide.
For example, a few years ago, my friends and I booked a snorkeling excursion in Aruba through Pelican Adventures. Before disembarking the catamaran, we gave the crew a small tip as a token of appreciation for their services—plus their great bartending skills!
Additionally, my finacée and I booked a private tour of Santorini earlier this year. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the island. Not only that, but he also bought us fresh loukoumades at a small bakery and stopped at a pharmacy when I scraped my knee. Because of our 5-star experience, we gave him a larger-than-usual tip at the end of our day.
Read more: 11 common cruise shore excursion mistakes to avoid
Tip on the last day
You don't have to save your extra tips for the last day of the cruise. If you discover a bartender who makes your drinks just right, don't be afraid to show them appreciation throughout the sailing.
Though not confirmed, some cruisers swear they get better service when they tip on the first or second day because the crew members are more attentive.
Another advantage of tipping throughout the cruise is that you won't have to worry about budgeting for tips at the end. Perhaps you went overboard in the casino one night or splurged on an expensive trinket ashore. By distributing your tips throughout the cruise, it's easier to manage your finances.
Only tipping for exceptional service
Let's face it: sometimes, the service on cruise ships doesn't meet our expectations, especially first-time cruisers. Unlike boutique hotels or intimate restaurants, cruise ships are constantly attending to thousands of passengers at once.
There have been times I've waited upwards of 30 minutes for a drink, especially during popular activities like sailaway parties. This, however, isn't the fault of the crew. They're hard workers trying to attend to multiple requests, often under significant pressure.
Instead of withholding tips because you weren't served first, give them a $1 or $2 to acknowledge their hard work and the value they bring to the overall cruise experience.
Read more: How to beat the crowds on your cruise ship
Not pre-paying for gratuities
When you place the deposit on your cruise, you can add gratuities to your reservation, allowing you to get a better understanding of the total cost of the fare per person.
If you want until you're on the ship, the daily rate will be charged to your onboard account, resulting in a potentially shocking settlement at the end of your vacation. Families of four, for example, can easily spend over $400 in gratuities on a weeklong cruise.
Plus, if your cruise line happens to increase the daily rate, you are grandfathered into the lower rate that was locked in at the time of booking.
Read more: Worth it or not: Carnival prepaid gratuities
Assume that if you prepay for your gratuities you'll receive subpar service
Crew members don't know which passengers prepaid their gratuities and which opted to have them billed to their onboard account.
As such, you shouldn't worry about receiving unsatisfactory service. Regardless of how gratuities were paid, crew ship crew members are dedicated to providing excellent service to all passengers.
Read more: 28 first time cruise tips that really work
Not adding the service charge to purchases like spa treatments and alcoholic beverages
Though cruise ship souvenir stores are duty-free, certain purchases—including beverages and spa treatments—are subject to a service charge.
This means that a $14 cocktail on the bar menu will automatically come with a service charge, often around 15% to 20%. On Royal Caribbean, for example, the service charge is $18%, so the total cost for most cocktails onboard comes out to $16.52.
The service charge applies to certain add-ons, too, namely drink packages. When you buy your package, whether it's months before your cruise or once onboard, you'll have to pay the service charge.
Tipping extra for drinks
Since beverages, purchased individually and via drink packages, will have the service charged automatically added, you don't have to tip extra for them. Of course, you can leave an additional gratuity if you feel the service warrants it or want to show extra appreciation.
However, if you spend the entire cruise unknowingly adding an extra 15% or 20% to all your drinks, you may spend far more than you budgeted for beverages, especially if you bought a drink package thinking you wouldn't have to allocate any more funds towards drinks on the ship.
On that note, please research what's included in your specific package—they aren't created equally! Royal Caribbean has just one drink package that includes nearly everything imaginable, aside from premium drinks over $14. Celebrity, on the other hand, has two packages. The Classic Drink Package is far more restrictive, covering drinks up to $10, whereas the Premium Drink Package provides a more inclusive experience, with drinks up to $17 included.
Read more: Are cruise drink packages worth it?
Automatically assume you have to tip room service
While it's considerate to tip crew members for delivering room service to your cabin on a cruise, you shouldn't feel obligated to do so.
Many cruise lines automatically apply a service charge to the order outside of the complimentary breakfast, so choosing not to tip won't affect your 1am delivery. That said, as there's no charge for continental breakfast, you may feel inclined to tip.
With so much included food around the ship, I typically don't order room service for lunch or dinner; however, if I have breakfast delivered, I'll tip the crew member a few dollars as a good gesture, especially if it's early on a port day!
Neglecting to leave an extra tip for your cabin steward
Throughout your cruise, your cabin steward will be responsible for maintaining your stateroom.
They'll make the bed, take out the trash, refresh your towels, and more. They can also accommodate certain requests to help make your cabin experience more comfortable, like providing fresh ice and retrieving extra pillows.
At the end of the cruise, most passengers feel inclined to leave their stateroom attendant a tip for their service. $10 to $20 per day is pretty standard; however, the amount left is up to your discretion. If you'd rather leave them a small gift, aim for non-perishable food (i.e., a small box of chocolate) instead of a souvenir. It's essential to remember their living quarters are tight!
Feeling obligated to tip for every additional service
Because you'll either prepay gratuities or have them added to your onboard account, you technically do not have to tip crew members for extra services.
Moreover, since many add-ons have an automatic service charge, you don't need to tip extra for bar drinks, spa services, and specialty meals.
Of course, if the service has been outstanding, crew members will appreciate the extra recognition, but it certainly is not required. For instance, if you choose not to slide your bartender $1 or $2 for every drink, your overall cruise experience won't be impacted; you'll still receive high-quality service.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer.
