Cruises are now charging automatic tips as high as $25 per day, per person — you can get out of paying, but should you?

With some charging as much as $25 per person, per day, those charges can quickly add up. For example, at that rate, a family of four would pay $700 extra in gratuities for a seven-day cruise.

This also doesn’t include onboard service charges, such as gratuities for specialty restaurants, bar purchases, room service and spa and salon services, as well as tour guides and drivers on shore excursions.

Some cruise passengers are feeling nickel-and-dimed by this approach. Harry Evans, 66, an avid cruiser, told The New York Times that it’s hard to trust big corporations. “The costs keep adding up, and if this trend continues, I’m going to go back to tipping cash.”

In many cases, automatic gratuities are recommended and added to your account while you’re onboard the ship. That means you can adjust them at the end of the cruise (or remove them altogether) when you go to pay your final bill.

While you can get out of paying, should you?

Tipping culture on cruises

For first-time cruisers, these extra charges can come as a shock — especially since the charges are on a per person basis, not a per room basis.

Some may not realize the tip is already included, so they end up paying twice. And some might choose to leave an additional cash gratuity to their bartender or cabin attendant for exceptional service.

But some cruise lines have also been bumping up their automatic gratuities. In April, for example, Carnival Cruise Line increased its rate by a dollar, to $17 per person, per day for staterooms and $19 per person, per day for suites.

Its ‘Bottomless Bubbles’ non-alcoholic beverage package for adults (which includes soda and juice) has also increased from $9.50 to $11.99 per day, plus an automatic 20% gratuity. In addition, a 20% service charge is added onto your bill for beverage purchases and all specialty dining venues.

Also in April, Holland America Line, owned by Carnival Corp., raised its automatic daily gratuities — though with no formal communication to guests. The new rates are $18 per person, per day, for standard staterooms and $20 per person, per day, for suites. The onboard service charge has increased from 18% to 20%.

On a Cruise Critic message board, ChristopeR wrote: “If I sail Carnival again I will have no qualms in the future removing the auto gratuities and simply giving cash directly to my room attendant and at the bars if I feel that they deserve it. This constant nickel and diming that’s going on everywhere lately is really getting out of hand.”

In March, Princess Cruises increased its gratuity rates by a dollar, which now ranges from $18 to $20 per person, per day. And in May, MSC Cruises also bumped its rates by a dollar, with gratuities ranging from $17 to $23 per person, per day.

In July, Celebrity Cruises, owned by Royal Caribbean Group, increased its daily gratuity rate — in this case by $1.50. Automatic gratuities now range from $19.50 to $24.50 per passenger, per day. A 20% gratuity is also automatically added to spa and salon services, beverages and beverage packages, specialty dining, room service and mini-bar purchases.

Norwegian Cruise Line charges some of the highest daily gratuities, from $20 to $25 per person, per day, depending on the room category.

Virgin Voyages previously included gratuities in its base fare, but as of October 2025, you’ll pay a daily gratuity of $20 per person, per day (if you prepay before sailing), or $22 per person, per day (if charged to your onboard account).

And while some cruise lines are increasing their service fees, others don’t charge a fee at all. Rather, some high-end cruise operators fold gratuities into their base fare, including Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Scenic Cruises, Seabourn and Silversea, among others.

How to budget for tipping (or not)

If you think you’re getting a great deal on a cruise, it’s important to check the fine print — because extra costs can quickly add up. And that ‘low’ fare might not be so low anymore.

In general, there’s been a tipping blowback in the U.S. In many countries, tipping isn’t part of the culture; rather, employers are expected to pay their employees a living wage. And, in some countries, tipping is actually considered an insult.

But in the U.S., tipping isn’t only customary, it’s expanding beyond waiters and hairdressers to areas where no service is even provided (like self-checkout). That could be why more than two in five Americans think the U.S. should ban tips, according to a new WalletHub survey.

While 80% of respondents think tipping has gotten out of control, the survey found that 55% of Americans often leave a tip due to social pressure rather than good service — which is, ultimately, what a tip is meant for.

If you don’t like having to keep track of all the extra charges on your cruise, including gratuities, you might want to consider paying up for a higher-end cruise where everything is included in the base fare.

For cruise lines that don’t include gratuities in the base fare, you may have the option of paying service charges ahead of time (at the same time you pay your fare). This allows you to lock in the current gratuity rate, which could be beneficial if you’re booking far in advance.