Disney Cruise Line Increases Gratuities Twice in Three Months

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In a surprise move, Disney Cruise Line has once more increased the amount for the recommended gratuities, the second such increase in just three months.

These gratuities are paid to crew members who offer personal onboard services, including the dedicated dining room staff and stateroom hosts.

The new rates, effective from January 22, 2025, are $16 (USD) per person, per day for standard rooms and $27.25 per person, per day for Concierge-level staterooms and suites.

Just days ago, the rates were $14.50 and $23.50, respectively. This latest increase is a hike of roughly 10% for standard staterooms, and 14% for the more luxurious accommodations with more personalized services.

All cruise lines increase gratuity rates periodically, just as all prices increase over time. What is most surprising about this latest gratuity increase, however, is that Disney Cruise Line just raised some of its gratuities in October 2024.

At that time, the rate for standard stateroom categories was not changed, but the concierge and suite gratuity rate was previously $15.50. The October increase brought the rate to $23.50. Now, the further increase to $27.25 is a total of 76% higher than just a few months ago.

This can be a significant budget blow for travelers, especially families. For a family of four on a 7-night Disney cruise traveling in a concierge stateroom, for example, gratuities would now total $763. Just a few months ago, those gratuities would have been $434.

Similarly, in a standard stateroom, gratuities for a family of four on a 7-night sailing will now be $448, rather than the $406 under the previous rate.

The increase to standard gratuities is not so surprising, as those rates were not changed in October. In fact, the new $16 per person, per day rate is the same as the suggested gratuities for Carnival Cruise Line (also $16), slightly lower than Royal Caribbean ($18.50), a good bit lower than Norwegian Cruise Line ($20), and the same as MSC Cruises ($16).

Disney Cruise Line does have the highest gratuity rate for suites and upper level staterooms, however. Comparatively, Carnival Cruise Line suggests $18, Royal Caribbean’s rate is $21, Norwegian Cruise Line is $25, and MSC Cruises is $20.

All gratuity rates are per person, per day. On Disney Cruise Line, this applies for guests of any age – even very young children – while Carnival Cruise Line and MSC Cruises, no service charge or gratuities are applied to children under two years old. On Norwegian Cruise Line, guests under three years old are not charged.

Like Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean does automatically apply gratuities for travelers of all ages.

Are the Gratuity Rates Justified?

While it can be startling for cruisers to see gratuities automatically added to their onboard accounts, there is no doubt that onboard crew members work hard to earn that recognition.

Disney Cruise Line, in particular, is well-known for its exceptional service, bringing the company’s iconic magic to every sailing and ensuring that guests have amazingly memorable cruise vacations.

Disney Dream in the Bahamas
Disney Dream in the Bahamas (Photo Credit: Adam McCullough)

The gratuities are split among each guest’s dining room team – the server, assistant server, and head server. Those crew members move to each successive dining room with their assigned guests on Disney Cruise Line’s rotational dining arrangement, ensuring familiar, personalized service each night.

The stateroom host also receives a portion of the gratuities. This crew member is responsible for cleaning staterooms, refreshing towels, and ensuring that all features of the individual cabins are up to Disney Cruise Line’s high standards.

Read Also: What a Cruise Ship Cabin Steward Really Does

In suites and concierge-level staterooms, the gratuities are also extended to the assistant stateroom host as well as the Concierge Lounge team that provides additional service and personalization for all guests.

Travelers always have the discretion to adjust gratuities at the Guest Services desk if they wish, or extra cash may be offered to crew members who offer a truly exceptional experience.

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Melissa Mayntz
Melissa Mayntz
Melissa has been offering her expertise on cruises since 2017 and reporting on cruise news since 2021. her work has been featured in newspapers, blogs, and websites on a wide range of subjects, but cruises remain her favorite topic to cover. She has been on more than 40 voyages to the Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, and more, and always has at least one more sailing booked on the horizon.

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