Princess Cruises Raises Mandatory Service Charge to 20%
Princess Cruises has quietly increased the automatic service charge added to many onboard purchases.
The service charge has increased from 18% to 20% and will go into effect this month. Rather than a single announcement date, the new rate appears to be rolling out as ships begin each new voyage in March.
For passengers ordering drinks, specialty dining, or other add-ons onboard, that means the total price will now be slightly higher than it was previously.
What the New 20% Service Charge Applies To
According to the Princess website, the updated policy applies to many optional purchases made during a cruise. Princess describes the charge this way:
A nonrefundable Service Charge of 20% of purchase will be automatically added to optional purchases of drinks, dining room and specialty dining, private group functions, and other elected products, services or amenities provided to guests that are not included in the cruise fare.”
In practical terms, the 20% service charge now applies to things like:
- Drinks purchased at bars and lounges
- Specialty dining restaurants
- Dining room wine purchases
- Spa services
Note: This charge is mandatory and automatically added at checkout. It is completely separate from the daily crew appreciation charge that Princess also applies to most staterooms.
Guests Who Prepaid Online Will Not See the Increase
Passengers who already prepaid for drinks, dining packages, or other add-ons through Princess before their cruise should not see the higher service charge applied retroactively.
That means if you bought packages or experiences online ahead of time under the previous 18% charge, your total should remain the same.
My Take: A Minor Change but Part of a Larger Pattern
Cruise lines have been slowly increasing service fees and gratuities over the years. Daily gratuities and service charges continue to rise, increasing the overall cost of cruising while the base cruise fare often remains the price guests focus on.
While this change is relatively minor ($0.30 on a cocktail or about $4 on a $200 spa service), the broader pattern of quietly adding more fees for guests is becoming clear.
| Cruise Line | Service Fee |
|---|---|
| Carnival | 20% |
| Celebrity | 20% |
| Disney | 18% |
| Margaritaville at Sea | 20% |
| MSC | 18% |
| Norwegian | 20% |
| Princess | 20% |
| Royal Caribbean | 18% |
| Virgin Voyages | None (included) |
With this change, Princess did not make a formal announcement. Instead, the company updated its website and left letters in cabins for guests on affected sailings. Sister cruise line Carnival made a similar change just three months ago and handled it in much the same quiet way.
While cruise ship staff work hard and deserve to be rewarded for their exemplary service, it is not guaranteed that crew members will directly benefit from these increases. Critics argue that cruise lines may keep overall crew compensation the same while shifting more of that cost onto passengers through service charges, effectively padding their own bottom lines.
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