Another cruise line has raised its daily gratuities, and this time it’s Celebrity Cruises.
Effective July 29, 2026, Celebrity increased its automatic gratuity charge by $1.50 per guest, per day across every stateroom category. That may not sound like much at first, but as with most cruise price increases, multiply it by two people and seven nights and it begins to add up.
Celebrity’s new daily gratuity rates are:
- Inside, Oceanview and Veranda staterooms: $19.50 per guest, per day, up from $18
- Concierge Class and AquaClass: $20.50 per guest, per day, up from $19
- The Retreat: $24.50 per guest, per day, up from $23
For two people taking a seven-night cruise, the increase adds another $21 to the total cost of the trip. A family of four will pay an additional $42.
No, that’s probably not enough to make anyone cancel a cruise. But it’s another example of the small increases that continue to push the actual cost of cruising higher.
Celebrity Joins the 2026 Gratuity Increase Club
Celebrity certainly isn’t alone. Several cruise lines have already adjusted gratuities or service charges during 2026.
Carnival Cruise Line raised its daily gratuities in April, increasing the charge to $17 per guest, per day in standard staterooms and $19 for suites. That increase also came alongside a price hike for its Bottomless Bubbles soda package.
MSC Cruises followed in May, raising its Hotel Service Charge for Caribbean and Alaska sailings to $17 per day in standard staterooms and $23 per day for Yacht Club guests.
Princess Cruises also made a change, although that one involved the service charge applied to onboard purchases rather than the automatic daily gratuity. Princess increased that charge from 18% to 20% on drinks, specialty dining and other optional purchases.
Then there’s Margaritaville at Sea, which raised its daily gratuities earlier this year to $22 for standard accommodations and $25 for suites, putting it near the top of the industry – a total shocker for a budget line with the oldest cruise ship still in service.
One cruise line raises a fee, another follows, and it won’t be long before Royal Caribbean ups their rates as well, considering Celebrity is part of the overall Royal Caribbean Group.
Celebrity Is Now Among the Most Expensive for Gratuities
With this latest increase, Celebrity now takes the number-three spot among the cruise lines with the highest daily gratuity charge for a standard stateroom.
The three highest standard stateroom rates are now:
- Margaritaville at Sea: $22 per guest, per day
- Virgin Voyages: $22 per guest, per day
- Celebrity Cruises: $19.50 per guest, per day
Virgin Voyages is a little different. The cruise line previously included gratuities in its advertised fare, but changed that policy for new bookings beginning October 7, 2025. Gratuities are now listed separately at $20 per guest, per day when prepaid or $22 when paid onboard. Unlike most cruise lines, however, Virgin doesn’t add additional gratuities to drinks, dining or other onboard purchases once that daily charge has been paid.
When it comes to suites and premium accommodations, the three highest daily rates are:
- Disney Cruise Line Concierge and Suites: $27.25 per guest, per day
- Margaritaville at Sea Suites: $25 per guest, per day
- Celebrity Cruises’ The Retreat: $24.50 per guest, per day
Disney’s $27.25 rate applies to guests staying in Concierge accommodations and suites, while its standard recommended gratuity remains considerably lower.
Where Do Cruise Gratuities Go?
Celebrity says these gratuities are shared among dining, bar and culinary teams, stateroom attendants and other crew members who contribute to the onboard experience.
That’s an important point because the money doesn’t go only to the crew members you interact with every day. Automatic gratuities are generally pooled and distributed among a much larger group, including some of the behind-the-scenes employees who keep the restaurants, cabins and hotel operation running.
You can usually prepay gratuities before your cruise or allow them to be added to your onboard account each day. Some cruise fares and packages may already include them, so check your booking before paying twice.
Guests can also visit Guest Relations onboard to discuss or adjust automatic gratuities. Personally, unless there’s a serious and unresolved service issue, I leave them in place. Removing gratuities can impact crew members who had absolutely nothing to do with whatever problem occurred.
I’ll also give additional cash directly to a crew member when someone provides service that goes above and beyond.
Calculate Your Cruise Gratuities Before You Sail
Daily gratuities are one of those expenses people sometimes forget when looking at a cruise fare. On a short sailing, they may not seem like much. On a seven-, ten- or fourteen-night cruise, especially with several people in a stateroom, the total can become significant.
Our Cruise Gratuity Calculator lets you select your cruise line, stateroom type, number of guests and cruise length to estimate how much you’ll pay before boarding. It’s an easy way to add this expense to your vacation budget rather than discovering it on the final morning when the onboard statement arrives.
Celebrity’s increase is only $1.50 per day, but it’s also another reminder that the cruise fare is just the beginning. Between gratuities, service charges, drinks, specialty dining, Wi-Fi and everything else, knowing the real cost of the trip before you book has never been more important.
