Celebrity Increasing Daily Gratuities by 8%
Daily gratuities, or service charges, on cruises are a hot topic. While many people agree that the hard-working staff deserve to be paid, the way the fees are structured and the ambiguity surrounding where the funds go leave a bad taste in many cruisers’ mouths.
But that has not stopped cruise lines from constantly increasing these fees. Carnival, Princess, Margaritaville at Sea, and MSC have already done it this year. Now, it is Celebrity’s turn.
Daily Gratuities Increase Starting July 29
In a letter sent to impacted guests and travel agents, Celebrity announced the change. The cruise line is increasing daily gratuities by an average of 8%.
The fees are charged per person, per day, and the amount varies depending on the type of cabin.
| Cabin Category | Old Rate | New Rate | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inside, Oceanview, and Veranda staterooms | $18.00 | $19.50 | 8% |
| Concierge Class and AquaClass staterooms | $19.00 | $20.50 | 8% |
| The Retreat staterooms (Suites) | $23.00 | $24.50 | 7% |
Celebrity’s website explains how these fees are allocated:
“Consistent with standard hospitality practice, gratuities collected are pooled and applied toward the compensation of onboard crew members, including dining, bar and culinary services staff, stateroom attendants, hotel services teams, and others who work to enhance the overall cruise experience.”
These fees can be prepaid or paid once onboard, but the amount is the same either way.
The letter mentions that guests can prepay at the current amount, but it appears to give today, the day the notice was sent, as the deadline.
It is the first time Celebrity has increased gratuities since July 2023.
My Take: Gratuities Just Keep Increasing
Overall, the increase is relatively nominal, totaling $21 per cabin for a 7-day cruise for two people. However, as the amounts continue to creep up with each increase, daily gratuities are becoming a significant expense.
On my 4-night cruise aboard Celebrity Reflection, daily gratuities represented 8% of the total cruise cost.
The timing is also ironic. Celebrity Cruises’ parent company, Royal Caribbean Group, just held its second-quarter earnings call, where it announced a quarterly profit of $1.13 billion while highlighting strong demand and stating that customers are paying record prices.
No one disputes that the crew deserves to be paid well for the work they do. However, gratuities have essentially become a hidden fee that allows cruise lines to advertise a lower upfront fare while shifting part of the cost of compensating employees directly to guests.
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