01 The daily service charge
Every cruise line auto-bills a daily service charge per guest to your onboard account. It covers the room steward, dining-room staff, and most behind-the-scenes positions. Pre-paying at booking locks in the rate and keeps it off your onboard bill.
- Princess: $18/day interior/oceanview/balcony; $19/day mini-suite, Cabana, or Club Class; $20/day suite. Called "crew appreciation." Rates effective March 8, 2026 ($1/tier increase on the same date).
- Royal Caribbean: $18.50/day regular staterooms and Junior Suites; $21/day full suites. (Rate increased from $18 in November 2024.)
- Norwegian: $20/day Studios, Inside, Oceanview, Balcony and Club Balcony Suites; $25/day Haven and Suites. Called "daily service charge."
- A week-long cruise for two on a Princess interior = $252. Not optional unless you go to Guest Services and opt out (they will ask why).
02 Bar drinks and 18-20% gratuity
Every drink on every line adds an automatic gratuity at the bar, 20% on Princess (raised from 18% on March 8, 2026), 18% on Royal Caribbean, 20% on Norwegian. This is separate from the daily service charge above. If you have a beverage package, the gratuity is usually baked into the package price, except on NCL, where the package itself carries a service charge on top.
- Princess Plus/Premier: package includes drink gratuities. You're done.
- Royal Caribbean Deluxe Beverage: 18% added to the package price at checkout.
- Norwegian Free at Sea Beverage perk: mandatory daily service charge $28.50/guest/day. Not "free."
03 Specialty dining and spa
Specialty restaurants add an automatic gratuity on the cover charge, 20% on Princess (raised from 18% on March 8, 2026), 18% on Royal Caribbean. Norwegian's Free at Sea dining perk has gratuity built into the covered meals. Spa services add 18% automatically.
- Crown Grill ($39 Royal-class / $60 Sphere-class) × 20% = $8–$12 extra. Plan for it.
- Royal Caribbean dining packages include gratuity in the package price.
- A couples massage priced at $299 adds ~$54 gratuity automatically.
04 Pre-paying vs paying onboard
You can pre-pay the daily service charge when you book. Same dollar amount, but it's off your onboard bill and locked in at today's rate (rates creep up). Some booking agents pre-pay gratuities as a booking perk.
- Pre-pay if you're budget-conscious and want a fixed total.
- Pay onboard if you want flexibility to adjust (the line will ask why if you reduce it).
- If a travel agent offers "pre-paid gratuities" as a bonus, accept, it's real money saved.
05 Extra tips beyond auto-gratuity?
The auto-gratuities cover your staff. Additional cash tips are optional and appreciated but not expected. Most cruisers tip extra only for specific staff who went above and beyond, a room steward who handled a special request, a favorite bartender.
- Room steward extra (if you want): $20-$40 cash at end of cruise is generous.
- Dining waiter extra: $20-$40 cash if you had them all week.
- Concierge (suites/Haven): varies widely; $50+ if they handled anything non-standard.