Do I have to pay the automatic gratuity on a cruise?

No — it's technically voluntary and can be removed at Guest Services on most lines. However, it forms a meaningful part of crew compensation. Removing it without replacing it with equivalent cash tips means the crew who looked after you go without.

What does the cruise gratuity actually cover?

Typically: your cabin steward, main dining waitstaff and assistant waitstaff, and sometimes a general crew welfare fund. It does not usually cover bar staff, spa staff, shore excursion guides, or speciality restaurant staff, all of whom have separate tip arrangements.

Do P&O cruises include gratuities?

Yes. P&O Cruises (the UK line) includes gratuities in the fare for all cabin categories. You don't need to add anything to your onboard account. Cash tips to individuals you want to thank personally are always welcome but never expected.

When should I tip on a cruise?

Cash tips to individuals are best given on the last evening of the voyage — to your cabin steward and any dining staff who've been consistently excellent. For shore excursion guides, tip at the end of each excursion, before reboarding. For bar staff or spa staff, tip at the time of service if you want to.

How much do I tip my cabin steward on a cruise?

If the automatic gratuity is in place, the cabin steward's share is built in. An additional cash tip of $20–50 at the end of the voyage is a genuine thank-you for someone who's been exceptional — making beds twice daily, keeping your ice stocked, leaving those towel animals. On lines where gratuities are included in the fare, $20–30 cash is appropriate for a week-long voyage with good service.

Is it rude not to tip on a cruise?

Not tipping at all — removing the gratuity and leaving no cash — is considered poor form in cruise culture. Crew members work extraordinarily long hours (often 12–14 hour days, seven days a week, for contracts of six to ten months) and the gratuity system is built into how their compensation works. If you have specific service complaints, address them with Guest Services rather than expressing them silently via the tip line.

Do I tip on a drinks package?

An 18–20% gratuity is usually included in the price of drinks packages on major lines. Check your package details — if it says "gratuities included," you don't need to add more for individual drinks. Cash tips to a favourite bartender at the end of the voyage are a different thing entirely and always appreciated.

Tipping on a Cruise: The Complete Guide (2026)

Most major cruise lines add an automatic daily gratuity to your onboard account — typically $15–22 per person per day depending on cabin class. This covers your main dining waitstaff and cabin steward. It does not cover bar staff if you're on a drinks package, shore excursion guides, speciality restaurant servers on some lines, or anyone in the entertainment team. Cash tips to individuals you want to thank specifically still matter, and are the norm on every major line.

✈️ The honest bit

The automatic gratuity on most cruise lines sounds like you've covered everything. You haven't. It typically doesn't reach bar staff you tipped on a drinks package, entertainment crew, shore excursion guides, or speciality restaurant servers on lines where those venues are charged separately. The people who made your cruise memorable are often the ones outside the standard gratuity pool.

Automatic gratuity rates by cruise line (2026)

Cruise line	Daily gratuity	Cabin class	Can you remove it?
Royal Caribbean	$18–23 per person/day	Higher for suites	Yes, at Guest Services
Celebrity Cruises	$18–23 per person/day	$23 for suites	Yes, at Guest Services
Norwegian Cruise Line	$20–25 per person/day	Higher for Haven suites	Yes, at Guest Services
Carnival	$16–18 per person/day	Higher for suites	Yes, at Guest Services
Princess Cruises	$16–18 per person/day	Higher for suites	Yes, at Guest Services
P&O Cruises (UK)	Included in fare	All cabins	N/A — built into price
Cunard	$15–16 per person/day	Higher for Grills class	Yes, at Guest Services
MSC Cruises	€10–15 per person/day	Varies by region	Yes, at Guest Services
Viking Ocean	Included in fare	All cabins	N/A — built into price
Silversea	Included in fare	All cabins (ultra-luxury)	N/A — built into price

Note: Rates change. Always verify with your cruise line before sailing.

What does the automatic gratuity actually cover?

The daily gratuity pool on most cruise lines is split between your main dining room waitstaff and assistant waitstaff, your cabin steward, and sometimes a general crew welfare fund that benefits kitchen and behind-the-scenes staff. What it does not typically cover: bar staff (who receive a separate 18–20% gratuity added to each drink, whether you're on a drinks package or paying individually), speciality restaurant staff on lines where those venues involve a cover charge, shore excursion guides (who are almost always independent operators), and spa and salon staff (who add a gratuity to each service automatically).

P&O Cruises, Viking, Silversea, and a handful of premium and luxury lines have moved to an all-inclusive model where gratuities are built into the fare. If you're sailing with one of these, the auto-gratuity conversation doesn't apply — but cash tips to individuals you want to thank personally are still very much appreciated and very much part of the culture.

Should you remove the automatic gratuity?

This is the most debated topic in cruise travel forums, and the honest answer is: you can, but you probably shouldn't. The gratuity pool is how cabin stewards, dining staff, and behind-the-scenes crew are compensated — crew members sign contracts that account for this income. Removing the gratuity because you intend to tip in cash is fine, but you need to actually follow through with cash amounts that match or exceed what you would have paid automatically. Removing it and not replacing it means crew members who looked after you go without, even if you never directly interacted with most of them.

The only reasonable case for removing the automatic gratuity is if service was genuinely and consistently poor — not one bad meal or one slow cabin turnover, but a pattern of poor service across your stay. In that case, report it to Guest Services alongside the removal, so the feedback reaches the right place.

When and how to tip in cash on a cruise

Cash tips on a cruise go to individuals, on top of (or instead of) the automatic gratuity. The right moments: the last evening of the cruise for your regular dining room waiter and cabin steward if they've been exceptional; immediately after a shore excursion for your guide; at the end of a spa or salon treatment; for room service, $1–3 per delivery depending on what you ordered.

Some cruise veterans use the envelope system: on the last evening, prepare envelopes with cash for the specific people who made the trip — your favourite bartender at the pool bar, the dining room assistant waiter who always remembered your preferences, the cabin steward who folded your towels into swans and kept it stocked with ice. These envelopes are handed over with a genuine word of thanks. It takes ten minutes to prepare and is remembered.

Tipping on shore excursions

Shore excursion guides are almost always independent operators or local company employees — not cruise line staff and not in the automatic gratuity pool. Tip them as you would any other tour guide: 10–15% of the excursion cost, or around $10–15 per person for a half-day tour. Do it in cash, before you reboard. If the guide was exceptional — went off-script in a way that benefited the group, dealt gracefully with the inevitable logistical challenges of getting 20 cruise passengers somewhere on time — tip towards the higher end.

Tipping at the spa and speciality restaurants

Cruise spa and salon services automatically add an 18–20% gratuity to the bill — you'll see it on the receipt. You are not obliged to add more, and most therapists understand this. If the service was exceptional, a few dollars in cash handed directly to the therapist is a genuine additional thank-you.

Speciality restaurants (the steakhouse, the sushi bar, the chef's table) handle gratuities differently by line. On some lines, the cover charge includes service. On others, the standard daily gratuity covers it. On others, a separate 18% is added at the table. Check before you sit down if you're uncertain.

River cruises vs. ocean cruises

River cruises typically include gratuities for the ship's crew within the fare — this is standard across most European river cruise operators including Avalon, Scenic, and Viking River. What isn't covered: local guides and drivers on shore excursions (tip as you would any other guide), and hotel staff if your package includes pre- or post-cruise hotel nights. On some Asia river cruises, gratuities for crew are not included — check your cruise documentation carefully.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to pay the automatic gratuity on a cruise?: No — it's technically voluntary and can be removed at Guest Services on most lines. However, it forms a meaningful part of crew compensation. Removing it without replacing it with equivalent cash tips means the crew who looked after you go without.
What does the cruise gratuity actually cover?: Typically: your cabin steward, main dining waitstaff and assistant waitstaff, and sometimes a general crew welfare fund. It does not usually cover bar staff, spa staff, shore excursion guides, or speciality restaurant staff, all of whom have separate tip arrangements.
Do P&O cruises include gratuities?: Yes. P&O Cruises (the UK line) includes gratuities in the fare for all cabin categories. You don't need to add anything to your onboard account. Cash tips to individuals you want to thank personally are always welcome but never expected.
When should I tip on a cruise?: Cash tips to individuals are best given on the last evening of the voyage — to your cabin steward and any dining staff who've been consistently excellent. For shore excursion guides, tip at the end of each excursion, before reboarding. For bar staff or spa staff, tip at the time of service if you want to.
How much do I tip my cabin steward on a cruise?: If the automatic gratuity is in place, the cabin steward's share is built in. An additional cash tip of $20–50 at the end of the voyage is a genuine thank-you for someone who's been exceptional — making beds twice daily, keeping your ice stocked, leaving those towel animals. On lines where gratuities are included in the fare, $20–30 cash is appropriate for a week-long voyage with good service.
Is it rude not to tip on a cruise?: Not tipping at all — removing the gratuity and leaving no cash — is considered poor form in cruise culture. Crew members work extraordinarily long hours (often 12–14 hour days, seven days a week, for contracts of six to ten months) and the gratuity system is built into how their compensation works. If you have specific service complaints, address them with Guest Services rather than expressing them silently via the tip line.
Do I tip on a drinks package?: An 18–20% gratuity is usually included in the price of drinks packages on major lines. Check your package details — if it says "gratuities included," you don't need to add more for individual drinks. Cash tips to a favourite bartender at the end of the voyage are a different thing entirely and always appreciated.