Cruise Gratuity Calculator: Estimate Your Daily & Total Cruise Tips
Gratuities are one of those cruise costs that can sneak up on you if you’re not paying attention. While the daily rate might not seem like much at first glance, once you factor in the number of people in your stateroom, the length of your sailing, and your cabin category, the total can add up quickly. Most major cruise lines automatically add daily gratuities to your onboard account, covering your stateroom attendant, dining team, and behind-the-scenes crew who help make your vacation run smoothly.
Our Cruise Gratuity Calculator makes it easy to see exactly what you’ll be paying before you ever step onboard. Just enter the number of guests, the number of cruise days, and your stateroom class, and you’ll get a clear breakdown of what your daily and total gratuities will cost. Whether you’re budgeting for a quick weekend getaway or a longer sailing, this tool helps you plan ahead so there are no surprises at the end of your cruise.
| Cruise Line | Standard | Suite |
|---|---|---|
| Carnival Cruise Line | $17.00 | $19.00 |
| Celebrity Cruises | $18.00 | $23.00 |
| Cunard Line | $16.00 | $18.00 |
| Disney Cruise Line | $16.00 | $27.25 |
| Holland America Line | $17.00 | $19.00 |
| Margaritaville at Sea | $22.00 | $25.00 |
| MSC Cruises | $16.00 | $20.00 |
| Norwegian Cruise Line | $18.00 | $20.00 |
| Princess Cruises | $17.00 | $18.00 |
| Royal Caribbean | $18.50 | $21.00 |
| Virgin Voyages | $22.00 | $22.00 |
What Your Cruise Gratuities Actually Pay For
If you’ve ever looked at that daily per-person charge and thought, “Where exactly is this going?” you’re not alone.
Cruise gratuities aren’t just a tip for one person. They’re a pooled system designed to compensate a wide range of crew members who help deliver your vacation experience, both front-facing and behind the scenes.
That includes your stateroom attendant who makes your bed, refreshes your towels, and somehow always seems to appear right after you leave the room. It includes your main dining room servers and assistant servers who handle your meals each night. It also supports crew members you may never meet directly, such as laundry staff, galley teams preparing food, buffet attendants, and other hotel operations crew who keep the ship running smoothly.
On many cruise lines, these daily gratuities make up a significant portion of crew compensation. For some entry-level positions, gratuities represent a large percentage of overall earnings. The system is structured so that tips are pooled and distributed across departments, rather than handed to one specific individual.
The exact breakdown varies by cruise line, but generally the funds are shared among housekeeping, dining, bar service, and other guest service teams.
Can You Remove or Adjust Cruise Gratuities?
This is where things can vary depending on the cruise line you’re sailing with.
On many major cruise lines, daily gratuities are automatically added to your onboard account, but guests may have the option to visit Guest Services to adjust or remove them. Some cruisers prefer to tip in cash directly to crew members they’ve interacted with, while others simply leave the automatic system in place.
However, not every cruise line offers the same flexibility. Certain lines treat gratuities as mandatory service charges that are not adjustable once onboard. In those cases, the fees are presented as non-optional and are distributed according to the cruise line’s internal compensation policies.
Because policies can change and vary by brand, it’s always a good idea to check your specific cruise line’s current gratuity rules before sailing.