Some cruise lines eschew the practice of tipping. It may also be awkward if guests continue to attempt to tip after a worker has politely declined. Royal Caribbean spokesperson Susan Lomax explains that gratuity systems onboard their ships are modeled after land-based resorts, adding that “guests are welcome to tip anyone,” but that “officers, the medical team, and security team are a hard ‘no’.” She also noted that some officers and crew may decline tips, and guests shouldn’t take offense. There are also staff onboard for whom it is not customary to tip. The amounts, starting around $11.50 to $16, are generally paid per passenger, per day, and vary among cruise lines and stateroom categories (larger staterooms and suites are generally a couple dollars per day more than standard accommodations). Standard tipsĪ large number of cruise lines, including Carnival, Celebrity, Cunard, Disney, Holland America, Princess, Norwegian, MSC Cruises, and Royal Caribbean include gratuities for stateroom attendants and dining room staff in onboard charges on a passenger’s stateroom account. Below, what you need to know about tipping on a cruise, and how to make sure no onboard tip gets lost in the shuffle.

For example, not all crew is included in the general tip-some are actually forbidden from accepting gratuities-and sometimes, currency matters. But nowadays, many large lines are both cash-free and have automated tipping as part of the daily dues, meaning passengers no longer need to carry around a wad of bills. Cash used to be king, dispensed at a passenger’s whim. Tipping on cruise ships has changed over the years.

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