HIDDEN FEE
Cruise gratuities
Daily service chargeAuto-gratuityCrew appreciation
Most cruise lines add a fixed gratuity or service charge per guest per day, billed to your onboard account and separate from the cruise fare. Over a longer sailing for a family it becomes a meaningful sum, and it is rarely part of the advertised fare.
Where it applies
How to avoid or shrink it
- Some fares and promotions include or prepay gratuities — check whether yours does.
- You can sometimes prepay at a fixed rate before sailing, protecting against onboard increases.
- Budget it as a near-certain cost per person per day, not an optional tip.
THE HONEST CAVEAT
These fund crew pay and are effectively expected, not truly discretionary at most lines. The honest move is to treat them as part of the fare from the start.
Count it in your true total
Run a specific booking through the calculator and this fee is counted — sourced, dated and confidence-graded alongside everything else the headline price leaves out.
Back to the full fee glossary, or browse the Hidden-Fee Index.