USA TODAY’s guide to cruise ship gratuity fees and service charges

In the world of cruising, gratuities and service charges are the apex controversy.

Many of the biggest cruise lines, including Carnival, Princess and Norwegian, automatically add to passenger bills, saying that money will be passed on to crew members in recognition of their service. 

Fees factored into the bill can range up to $23 per person, per day, and some lines recommend even higher gratuities. 

But while gratuity may seem involuntary if it is added to one’s bill automatically, that doesn’t mean it necessarily is. 

Charlie Sylvia, vice president of membership and trade relations for Cruise Lines International Association, told USA TODAY that cruisers really have a great deal of control over their experience, and that includes fees and tips.

The charge is levied whether or not a passenger feels he or she has experienced good service, though at many lines it can be adjusted or removed while onboard.

“As far as gratuities are concerned, a lot of cruise lines will let you speak to guest services and will let you waive prepaid gratuities because many people like to pay cash directly to the people that have served them throughout the cruise,” Sylvia explained.

The idea is that it is simpler for cruisers to pay an automatic gratuity than to tip crew members individually. Cruise lines also point out that the money is shared with crew members who play an important role in the passenger experience but otherwise might go unrewarded because they operate behind-the-scenes.

Critics of the charges say tipping is a personal matter that should be left to passengers. Some people see the practice as a thinly disguised method for cruise lines to have guests fill their employees’ paychecks. Cruise industry watcher CruiseCritic has reported that some lines now pay housekeeping and dining department workers on ships as little as $2 per day in base wages, relying on the automatic gratuity to provide the bulk of their compensation. As much as 95% of pay for some cruise ship workers now comes from automatic gratuities, according to CruiseCritic.