Gratuities on a cruise and when to plan for them

Most cruise lines add gratuities for shipboard staff to your onboard account as a set daily amount for each guest. On many bookings that charge is not part of the fare, so it has to be planned as a separate cost. Whether you keep it, adjust it or pay it in advance depends on the policy of your line and the terms of your booking. Amounts and rules differ between lines and can change, so the terms in your booking and the guest information on board are the reference that counts.

For planning purposes, treat the daily charge as a fixed cost for every guest on every charged day, and treat cash tips for tours and independent drivers as a separate item that depends on the excursions you choose. That split keeps the budget honest, because the automatic charge is predictable while the cash tips vary with your plans.

What the automatic daily charge covers

The daily charge is usually shared among the people who look after your cabin and your meals, such as cabin stewards, dining room staff and behind-the-scenes hotel and galley staff. Because it is applied per guest per day, the total grows with both the length of the cruise and the number of people in the cabin. A couple on a week-long sailing pays the daily amount for each guest on every day of the trip, which is easy to underestimate when the figure looks small on its own.

Some bar and spa charges carry a separate service charge. These are often calculated as a percentage of the bill and are shown on the receipt or the account statement. Check the policy for each service, because some lines apply the charge automatically and others leave it to the guest. Before you add a tip on top of any bill, look at whether a service charge is already included.

Check whether the daily charge also applies to the embarkation and disembarkation days, since the line's count of charged days may differ from the number of nights you spend aboard. Check the first statement early in the cruise, and again before you leave the ship, to confirm both the number of charged days and the number of guests. Errors in either figure are easier to fix while you are still on board.

Two details can change the total. Check whether the daily charge applies to children in the cabin and at what rate, since some lines charge a reduced amount or none for younger guests. Also ask whether a drink package carries its own service charge, because some lines add one to package purchases on top of the daily amount.

A common mistake is to treat the daily charge as optional spending that can be left out of the budget. Unless you change it, it is a fixed charge, so it belongs alongside the fare in your total. Another mistake is to assume that one line's policy applies to every line. Rules on the daily amount, service charges and changes differ, so a habit formed on one sailing does not carry over to the next.

Changing or paying gratuities in advance

Many lines let you change the daily amount, reduce it or remove it through the guest services desk, the guest app or the booking page. Some also let you pay in advance before you sail. The option, the timing and the rules differ by line, and some lines restrict changes once the cruise has started, so check early rather than on the last day. If you are happy with the standard amount, you do not need to take any action.

Planning for gratuities is mostly a budgeting task. Add the daily amount for every guest and every charged day to your total, and include it alongside the onboard spending you expect. If you want to thank a steward or waiter who went out of their way for you, set aside a small amount in cash for that purpose as well, and keep it separate from the account so the total stays clear.

If you change the automatic amount, ask when the change takes effect, because some lines apply it from the next charge rather than to days that have already been posted. The early statement check described above is where to confirm the new figure.

Tipping for tours and small services

Shore excursions and independent drivers follow the customs of each port, and those customs vary. Some ports expect a tip for a guide or driver, some include the service in the price, and others do not expect tips at all. Tour operators often state their policy in the booking confirmation or in the briefing before the tour, and that is the easiest guide to follow.

When you book a tour, ask the operator whether the guide or driver expects a tip and roughly what is customary for that service. A question at booking is far easier than an awkward one at the end of the day, when the group is waiting by the bus and you are unsure what is expected.

When cash is expected, carry small bills in the local currency. Handing over the right amount is simpler than asking for change, and it avoids the awkwardness of offering a large note. Use a card only if the operator clearly accepts card tips, because not all of them do. Keep tips for independent services separate from the ship's account so that you can see what you spent in each place.

If you agree a change with guest services, note the date, the new figure and the name of the staff member you spoke to. A written note makes a later query quicker to settle, whether the figure is corrected on board or after the cruise.