About the Cruise Gratuity Calculator
This cruise gratuity calculator adds up everything you are likely to pay in tips on a cruise. Most lines charge a daily gratuity (often called a service charge or crew appreciation) per guest per night, add an automatic percentage to bar, specialty dining and spa bills, and leave extra cash tips for room service, porters or a favourite crew member up to you.
Enter your line’s daily rate, the number of nights and the number of guests who are charged, then an estimate of your onboard drinks and spa spending. You get the total gratuity budget for the trip, the cost per guest and per day, so you can prepay with confidence or set aside the right amount for the end-of-cruise bill.
Rates differ by cruise line, ship and cabin category — suites usually pay more, some lines include gratuities in the fare, and several charge children the same as adults. Check your line’s current published rate before sailing; the defaults here are typical mainstream-line figures, not any specific company’s price.
With the default inputs, the total gratuities for the cruise is $372.00. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the cruise gratuity calculator
- 1Look up your cruise line’s current daily gratuity for your cabin category and enter it.
- 2Enter the number of nights and the number of guests who will be charged.
- 3Estimate what your cabin will spend on drinks, specialty dining and the spa.
- 4Check the automatic service charge percentage your line adds to those purchases.
- 5Add any extra cash tips you plan to give and review the total and per-guest cost.
Formula and method
The daily gratuity is charged per guest for every night of the sailing, so it is multiplied by both the number of nights and the number of guests who are charged. The automatic service charge applies only to discretionary purchases such as drinks packages, bar tabs, specialty dining and spa treatments, so it is the percentage multiplied by that spend.
Extra cash tips are added as a lump sum. Per-guest and per-day figures divide the total by the number of charged guests and by the number of nights. Taxes, port fees and the fare itself are not included.
- rate
- Daily gratuity per guest per night
- service%
- Automatic gratuity added to onboard purchases
- cash tips
- Discretionary extra tips paid in cash
Worked examples
Couple on a 7-night cruise
Two guests at $18 a night for 7 nights pay $252 in daily gratuities. A 20% service charge on $400 of drinks and spa adds $80, and $40 in cash tips brings the total to $372 — $186 per guest or about $53 per day.
Family of four, 5 nights, suite rate
Four guests at $21 per night for 5 nights cost $420. An 18% charge on $600 of onboard purchases is $108, plus $60 cash, for a total of $588, or $147 per person.
14-night solo voyage with a drinks package
One guest at $16.50 a night for 14 nights pays $231. A $1,100 drinks package carries a 20% service charge of $220, so gratuities total $451 — about $32 per day.
Frequently asked questions
How much are cruise gratuities per day?+
Most mainstream cruise lines charge roughly $16 to $25 per guest per night for standard cabins, with higher rates for suites and some premium ships. Luxury lines often include gratuities in the fare. Always check your line’s current published rate, as they change periodically.
Do children pay cruise gratuities?+
On many lines, yes — the daily service charge applies to every guest in the cabin, including children, though some lines exempt young children or offer reduced rates. Set the guests field to the number of people your line actually charges.
Can I remove or adjust cruise gratuities?+
Many lines let you adjust or remove the automatic daily gratuity at guest services, but crew pay often depends on it. Some lines no longer allow removal. The automatic service charge on drinks and spa purchases is generally not adjustable.
Should I prepay cruise gratuities?+
Prepaying locks in the current rate if the line raises it before you sail and keeps your onboard bill lower. It costs the same as paying on board, so it mainly helps with budgeting and protects against rate increases.
Do I need to tip in cash on a cruise as well?+
It is optional. Daily gratuities cover dining, housekeeping and many behind-the-scenes crew. Guests often give a few dollars in cash to porters at embarkation, room-service delivery staff, or a crew member who went above and beyond.