Celebrity Cruises hikes gratuity rate — how it compares to others
Celebrity Cruises hikes gratuity rate — how it compares to others
Alisha dos SantosWed, July 29, 2026 at 10:28 PM UTC
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Cruise travelers booked on a Celebrity Cruises sailing this year should budget for a slightly higher onboard tab.
The premium cruise line owned by Royal Caribbean Group raised its daily gratuity rate without warning on July 29 — the latest in a string of 2026 increases spanning several cruise brands — from Princess Cruises and Holland America Line to Carnival, MSC, and Margaritaville at Sea.
Celebrity Cruises raises standard daily gratuity rate to $19.50
Celebrity Cruises announced the change through an email to booked guests, which a passenger shared in the Celebrity Cruises Reddit community.
“As you get ready to sail, we'd like to share an update regarding gratuity charges,” the cruise line wrote in the email. “These gratuities are thoughtfully shared among our dining, bar and culinary teams, stateroom attendants, and the many crew members who help create the elevated experience you'll enjoy onboard.”
The email outlined that as of July 29, Celebrity is raising its automatic daily gratuities — what the line calls “discretionary” charges, though they function as a customary part of the total cruise cost — by $1.50 per person, per day across the board:
Inside, Oceanview, and Veranda staterooms: $19.50 per person, per day (up from $18)
Concierge Class and AquaClass staterooms: $20.50 per person, per day (up from $19)
The Retreat: $24.50 per person, per day (up from $23)
At the new $19.50 daily rate, two passengers sailing in an inside stateroom will pay $273 in gratuities on a seven-day Celebrity cruise rather than $252 at the previous rate — an increase of $21.
Although passengers didn’t get a window to lock in lower pricing before the rate change took effect, those who prepaid gratuities for a future sailing are grandfathered in at the previous rate.
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Cruise gratuities are shared among cabin attendants, dining staff, and other crew members.Alisha dos Santos &sol TravelHostHow does Celebrity’s gratuity rate compare to other lines?
Celebrity’s new $19.50 standard rate places the premium cruise line's gratuity charges above several other lines, though it still trails the industry’s highest daily rate.
Here’s how standard per-person daily gratuity rates stack up across the industry as of summer 2026:
Margaritaville at Sea: $22 (raised in February) — currently the highest rate in the industry
Virgin Voyages: $20 when pre-paid, $22 when paid on board
Norwegian Cruise Line: $20
Celebrity Cruises: $19.50
Royal Caribbean: $18.50
Holland America Line: $18 (raised in April)
Princess Cruises: $18 (raised in March)
Carnival Cruise Line: $17 (raised in April)
MSC Cruises: $17 for Caribbean and Alaska cruises (raised in May)
Disney Cruise Line: $16
Related: Renewed Celebrity Solstice to sail full Japan cruise season
Although cruise gratuities are customary, most cruise lines, like Celebrity, allow passengers to adjust the amounts, if they choose. Passengers can request adjustments at the guest services desk on board at any time before the morning of disembarkation.
How much should you tip on a cruise? That’s a question TravelHost’s Come Cruise With Me Editor in Chief Dan Kline gets often.
“We all know there’s the built-in gratuities, and we feel strongly you have to pay those,” Kline explained in a video about appropriate cabin steward tipping amounts. “But I know that if I’m on a three- or four-nighter, I usually leave my room attendant a $20 bill.”
(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.)
Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me’s Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@postcardtravelplanning.com or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
This story was originally published by TravelHost on Jul 29, 2026, where it first appeared in the Come Cruise With Me section. Add TravelHost as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Money”
