Tipping on a cruise sounds simple. It isn’t.
Even experienced cruisers get it wrong. And when they do, it can lead to awkward moments, unexpected charges or accidentally offending the crew.
The tricky part is that the rules aren’t always obvious. What’s normal on one cruise line can be completely different on another.
So before you sail, it’s worth knowing the tipping mistakes that catch people out again and again. Are you making one of them without realising?
1. Assuming Gratuities Are Included
One of the biggest mistakes new cruisers make is assuming that gratuities are already included in the fare.
In reality, most mainstream cruise lines add gratuities as an additional fee, which means they’re tacked onto your bill at the end of your trip. You can pre-pay them when you book, but if you don’t, they’ll be added to your onboard account along with your onboard purchases.
Even after paying your automatic gratuities, many cruisers (particularly those from the United States) like to tip extra in cash. This may be $5 to the porter who handles your bags at the cruise terminal, $5 to the person who delivers your room service, or even $100 to the person who has cleaned your room all week.
To facilitate this, some cruise lines like Disney will leave you envelopes to add cash to and tip particular crew members extra on top of the auto gratuities.
Not every cruise line charges gratuities separately, though.
Cruise lines that include gratuities in the fare that you pay include:
- P&O Cruises
- Marella Cruises
- Seabourn
- Silversea
- Scenic Ocean Cruises
- Emerald Cruises
- Azamara
- MSC Cruises (on European sailings)
And then there are the cruise lines, which include gratuities if you pay a certain fare, such as Princess Cruises with the Plus or Premier fares.
Sometimes, people ask me if gratuities are mandatory or if they can remove them. While technically you can remove gratuities, I definitely wouldn’t recommend that. You can read more about that later in this article, or here: Can You Refuse Cruise Gratuities? Rules, Exceptions and What Happens
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2. Only Bringing Large Bills
While you won’t need cash for most onboard expenses, you will need small bills if you wish to tip people. They also come in handy if you want to buy small items ashore.
Bringing nothing but $50 notes might leave you in an awkward spot when you want to show your appreciation without handing over a fortune.
Imagine trying to tip a bartender with a crisp £50 – you might get great service all cruise, but your wallet won’t thank you!
Make sure you head to the bank or bureau de change before you head for the port, and grab yourself some smaller bills.
3. Forgetting to Tip the Porter at Embarkation
Porters work hard, lugging your suitcases on board, often in all kinds of weather. A small tip – think $1-2 per bag – is a simple way to show your appreciation.
This isn’t the norm in the UK or Europe, as port workers receive a decent wage. But if your cruise departs from the United States, you can expect that porters rely on tips to survive.
When I got on a transatlantic cruise in Southampton, I noticed that all of the Americans were tipping the porters, while the British people weren’t. I bet the British porters love it when they load up the ships full of Americans!
Forgetting tips can leave you feeling like a bit of a Scrooge before you’ve even stepped onboard. Yes, your bags will likely make it to your cabin either way, but a little kindness goes a long way.
4. Removing Automatic Gratuities Without Good Reason
Sure, you can ask Guest Services to remove the automatic gratuities from your account, but this is strongly discouraged.
Those tips go towards the hardworking crew members who make your cruise experience enjoyable.
If you’ve had an issue with service, it’s always better to speak with a manager first – cancelling gratuities because your drink took an extra minute is a bit like burning down the house because you found a spider.
And it is hugely unfair to a lot of the behind-the-scenes crew who also rely on those tips.
Read more: Can You Refuse To Pay Gratuities On A Cruise?
5. Tipping in the Wrong Currency
If you’re cruising in Europe, tipping your tour guide in US dollars isn’t particularly helpful – although some may not mind, as long as it’s paper money, not coins.
Still, it’s always best to check the local currency for your destinations and have some on hand.
Most Caribbean destinations are happy with US dollars, but this isn’t true everywhere.
In some countries, like Turkey, which uses the Turkish Lira, most of the shops and taxis will accept Euros. However, they’ll give you a really poor exchange rate, so it’s not advised to do this.
6. Skipping Tips for Shore Excursion Guides
Even if your shore excursion is booked through the cruise line, it’s customary to tip your guide separately if they’ve provided an excellent experience.
These guides often work hard to give you a memorable day – a little recognition goes a long way.
Think of them as your adventure sidekicks – and every great sidekick deserves a thank you.
I often like to take ‘free’ walking tours in cities. While these are advertised as being free, they’re not, as you’re expected to pay what you feel the tour is worth at the end. The guides have to pay a fee to the company, usually around $5 per person. Anything after that is theirs to keep. So if you only pay $5, they’re effectively working for free, which isn’t fair.
7. Saving All Your Tips for the Last Day
It’s a classic mistake – waiting until the last day to hand out tips.
Not only does this make it feel like a financial punch all at once, but you also miss the chance to show appreciation to a standout bartender or cabin steward throughout your cruise.
Plus, a little generosity early on can sometimes make for even better service.
You’re missing out if you wait – maybe spreading out the tipping love could just swing you a little special treatment during the cruise (though don’t expect it!)
8. Over-Tipping Because You’re Unaware of Service Charges
Some onboard purchases, like spa treatments or drinks, already include a service charge.
Tipping extra on top of this is unnecessary unless you’ve received exceptional service. And yet some people do, because it can be a little bit confusing.
So it’s worth checking the costs whenever you pay for something on the ship – do your research before you sail on, whether your drinks include the tip already. If you’re already paying 18%-20% on top of the menu price for each drink, you may feel that’s more than enough.
Again, there’s no harm in tipping extra if you want to – and the occasional small tip with a bartender could help you get served even quicker the next time you visit.
Just make sure you aren’t overpaying unnecessarily.
9. Assuming Prepaid Gratuities Mean You Don’t Have to Tip Extra
Prepaying your gratuities means you’ve covered the basics – but it doesn’t mean you can’t show a little extra appreciation to crew members who go above and beyond.
A small personal tip to your cabin steward or favourite bartender can make a big difference. And what might not seem like much to you could be what makes their day.
Bring a little extra with you if you can, and reward the good service you get. Trust me, they’ll know whether you’ve already prepaid too, so your extra tips will be appreciated even more.
Read more: Should You Prepay Gratuities On A Cruise? Pros & Cons
10. Feeling Obligated to Tip Room Service
Room service on many cruise lines already has a service charge included, so you’re not required to leave an extra tip. It can feel awkward, since you would always expect to tip a delivery person, but it might be something you’ve already paid for.
Of course, if you receive exceptional service – like a quick late-night delivery – a couple of pounds or dollars as a thank you won’t go amiss.
After all, there’s something magical about a late-night snack in bed on a cruise. And if they’ve gone out of their way to make it happen for you, it might be nice to say a special thanks.
11. Forgetting About Your Cabin Steward
Your cabin steward is the unsung hero of your cruise, keeping your room clean and tidy (and potentially handling quite a few extra tasks for you too…)
A small additional tip is always appreciated and can be a great way to thank them for their hard work.
And like I say, maybe don’t wait until the end of your cruise – a bit of a thank-you every now and then can make sure any requests you have take priority.
Trust me, you’ll miss them when you get home and have to make your own bed again.
12. Tipping Everyone for Everything
With so many crew members working hard to make your cruise amazing, it can be easy to feel like you need to tip everyone for everything.
But remember, many services already include a gratuity, and you don’t need to double-tip unless you want to.
Generosity is great, but let’s keep it within budget. You don’t have to drain your bank account just for tipping’s sake.
Suggested read: What Crew Members Really Think About How Guests Tip On Cruises
13. Using Tips to Jump the Queue
Sometimes, when the bars are busy, you may see someone come to the bar and slide a dollar bill onto the table, in the hope of getting served first.
While that may work, it’s very annoying to everyone else who has been waiting patiently in line. It can feel as though you’re paying to jump the queue.
There’s nothing wrong with the tradition of tipping in cash for each drink. But if you do it, perhaps wait until after you’ve been served? Or if you do get served first, perhaps thanks to your previous cash tips, then the polite thing to do would be to point the bartender towards the person you know has been waiting longer than you.
Final Thoughts
Cruise tipping doesn’t have to be stressful. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can enjoy your holiday without awkward moments or surprise charges.
Before you sail, just check a few things: are gratuities already included, do drinks or spa treatments have a service charge, and do you have some smaller bills with you?
Do that, and you can tip confidently without overthinking it.
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Related Posts
- Should You Prepay Gratuities On A Cruise? Pros & Cons
- Cruise Guest Threatens Gratuity Removal Over Noisy Cabin Neighbours
- 13 Things Your Cabin Steward Secretly LOVES You Doing
- What Cruise Lines Don’t Tell You About Tipping
We have always paid the gratuities when we book the cruise. BUT…… We also tip the men and/or women that have really been very amiable and efficient with making sure our vacation is GREAT! For a 7-day cruise, our chosen “bartender-of-the-cruise” will get at least a $100 bill on the last night, our cabin steward & our dining room attendant will each get anywhere from $50 to $100 each depending on his/her service. (We’ve only had one that was a problem. Told the service deck & a new one was assigned to our cabin within a couple of hours.) And we always do a couple’s body massage on each cruise, so they usually get about $50 each. And any others that have showed us a little extra effort will get a tip as well. Back in the 1970’s and 1980’s, I worked in a caterer in my spare time. I know all too well just how exhausting food service can be. In my opinion, these workers deserve to be tipped generously.
Australian here. We don’t tip for anything in our country and to understand why you should do so on a cruise makes no sense to me. I’d prefer that “tips” be included in the total fare cost prior to day 1 no surprises. Everyone budgets for a holiday and to have the extra cost of daily tipping on top is too much. Australians just don’t get it.