Understanding the gratuities policy for a cruise line can help you avoid confusion when you set sail. Luckily, Princess Cruises has a straightforward tipping system designed to ensure the entire crew receives fair compensation.
With Princess, a daily amount of $17 to $19 (depending on your room type) is automatically charged to your onboard account. Additional tips of $1 to $20 for specific services and exceptional assistance are also encouraged.
In This Article:
Princess Cruises Gratuity Policies
Princess Cruises uses an automatic gratuity system, which is not included in a standard cruise fare. Princess Cruises calls this universal system their Crew Appreciation and Service Charge Policy, but most people will simply refer to it as Crew Appreciation.
Rather than worrying about paying tips in cash, having random charges added to your final bill, or wondering if all of the crew and staff have been adequately rewarded for their services, Princess Cruises adds this daily fee to every guest’s onboard account.
The crew from eligible stations will then receive these funds, ensuring that all hardworking crew members on the ship are acknowledged and rewarded with gratuities rather than just the passenger-facing staff.
For Princess Cruises, the amount a guest will pay towards the Crew Appreciation Policy depends on which category of stateroom they are staying in. For Princess cruise ships operating in USD, these charges are broken down into three categories:
Crew Appreciation Fee for Suites
A daily charge of $19 per person is charged for guests staying in a suite.
Crew Appreciation Fee for Mini Suites, Cabanas, Club Class, and Reserve Collection Staterooms
A daily amount of $18 is charged per person for guests staying in any of the above-mentioned accommodations.
Crew Appreciation Fee for All Other Types of Staterooms
Guests staying in any of the other types of staterooms pay the minimum daily Crew Appreciation fee of $17. This includes all standard cabin rooms, including balcony and oceanview staterooms.
Why Are There Different Gratuities Rates?
While it may seem odd that passengers paying for more expensive accommodations would also pay a higher daily appreciation fee, this structure ensures that passengers in higher-category rooms contribute more due to the additional services provided with these premium accommodations.
A typical 7-day cruise can total $119 per person in a standard room or $133 for suites, ensuring comprehensive support for the crew across the board. For almost all cruises, the Crew Appreciation fees are charged in USD, but ships operating in AUD (Australian dollars) will also pay the fees in that same currency.
Read Also: How Much Should You Tip Crew Members
Another thing to keep in mind is that all guests, regardless of age, are responsible for the Crew Appreciation daily rate. While some cruise lines do not charge gratuity fees to children under a certain age, Princess Cruises has a set fee that covers all guests, even if they are young children.
So, if your family of four has booked a standard interior cabin, your daily Crew Appreciation fee would be $17 per guest, and your family would be responsible for a combined Crew Appreciation fee of $68 per day, no matter how young your children are at the time of sailing.
Adjusting the Payment and Packages that Include It
Guests can prepay their Crew Appreciation gratuity charges when they book using the Manage Booking feature of the Princess Cruises App. This helps with budgeting and reduces extra charges at the end of the trip.
While Princess Cruises advises guests to participate in this tipping program, as they pride themselves in having an onboard crew and staff that go above and beyond when it comes to customer service, guests do have the option to adjust the payment to a lower amount, but this must be done before disembarkation.
If a guest does not adjust the daily charge before boarding or while on the ship, the payment and charge become non-refundable.
Certain passengers also do not need to pay the Crew Appreciation fee, as they have booked a package that includes gratuities and other upgrades for one set fee.
For example, a Princess Premier Package costs $90 per day per guest, but it includes Wi-Fi for four devices, premium Lavazza coffee drinks, some alcoholic beverages and other drinks, unlimited specialty dining and premium desserts, professional photos, and a fully included Crew Appreciation fee.
There is also the slightly cheaper Princess Plus Package, which is $60 per day and includes slightly downgraded services but also covers the full Crew Appreciation fee.
Where Does My Gratuity Go?
The Crew Appreciation gratuities and related services charges are pooled together. This applies to every ship in the Princess Cruises fleet.
Once these fees are pooled, credit card transaction fees are subtracted. The pooled funds are then distributed across every department on the ship to ensure fair compensation for all crew members, from housekeeping staff to cooks, servers, and other members of the dining teams to every member of the crew who interacts directly with guests or helps assist them behind the scenes.
Rather than a single payment at the end of the voyage, the pooled funds are fairly distributed throughout the year through bonuses and evenly spaced tip-out compensation payments.
Worth Reading: Should You Tip on a Gratuities-Included Cruise?
This means that not only do customer-facing staff members who you see directly receive compensation, but those who are often neglected also work hard to ensure your cruise experience is pleasant, like kitchen staff and those working in the galley, get fairly paid too.
The purpose of the appreciation system and the way the funds are collected and distributed prevents individual crew members from being overlooked while others are overly compensated despite being part of a larger team.
At its core, Princess Cruises is committed to ensuring all employees receive fair wages, which is one of the best ways to do so.
The Potential Controversy Behind Mandatory and Shared Tipping
While we are on the topic of shared tipping, it is worth mentioning that there is some debate about whether cruise lines use these types of gratuity programs to offset wages.
In a sense, the Princess gratuities system and similar systems used by other cruise lines essentially act as a service charge that helps cruise lines supplement the salaries they pay their crews.
Since tips are not tied to individuals’ generosity and are presented as a set, predictable fee all guests will pay, staff can essentially bank on receiving those payments as part of their wages.
While it is up to the individual to decide whether or not they agree with these types of tipping systems, Princess Cruises claims that they do so to ensure that gratuities are evenly distributed.
This is a critical component of ensuring that all guests receive quality service rather than just those willing to splash the cash and reward specific crew members.
So, not only does it balance out compensation and make it fair for all crew members, but it also prevents situations of preferential treatment, where guests more willing to tip get better service at the expense of those on a tighter budget.
Can I Tip Extra for Exceptional Service?
That brings us to the next question: Can you still tip extra if you feel an individual crew member provided you with service that went above and beyond the standard?
While it is not required, for guests who would like to reward a particular member of the crew that they felt went above and beyond, extra tipping is completely acceptable.
In most cases, cash tips are the most popular option for those hoping to reward a staff member directly. For ships operating in USD, bringing small denominations of American bills can greatly reward the staff. If the ship is operating in another currency, like AUD, you can bring small bills in that particular currency.
Suggested Additional Fees
Again, it is not required or even expected, but some general suggestions for extra tipping rates would include the following:
Tipping $1 or $2 in cash per drink at a bar or nightclub. By bringing some cash, you can do this in addition to the daily Crew Appreciation rate, as well as any automatic beverage package service fee you are paying.
For specialty dining restaurants or any venue where you feel like the service was exceptional, leaving anywhere from a couple of bucks to a $20 bill would be highly appreciated by the staff.
Unlike a restaurant on land, do not worry about tipping a percentage of the cost of the meal, as the staff are already receiving a gratuity as part of your daily Crew Appreciation fee. In this sense, anything you feel like leaving behind will be appreciated.
For cleaning staff, many guests find that leaving $5 to $10 for the staff can be a way to express your satisfaction with their efforts. Like a hotel or resort, you do not have to worry about tracking the cleaning staff down, as a simple cash tip left in your stateroom with a note saying “thank you” or “for the staff” will do the trick.
Once again, it is worth stating that additional tips are not required, but they are certainly appreciated.
If you feel like you will want to tip but are unsure what to bring, a good suggestion is to bring $50 to $100 in small denominations of cash, which should be more than sufficient. If you do not find a reason to use it, you can always bring this money home or use it during a port-of-call visit.
It is also worth mentioning that tipping staff in person using cash does not mean you will no longer have to pay the Crew Appreciation fee unless it is included in a package you have booked or opted out of before embarkation.
In other words, cash tips are just another form of compensation that does not replace any mandatory gratuities you are required to pay.
You should also remember that plenty of services are provided on a cruise ship where tips are not expected or required. In these cases, it is better to avoid tipping and allow the Crew Appreciation fee to compensate the staff holding those positions.
When Do I Pay the Gratuities Charge?
As mentioned above, all passengers can pay the Crew Appreciation before boarding through the Manage Booking portal on the Princess Cruises App, which can be found by checking the Onboard Account section.
Doing so would allow you to adjust the amount that you pay if you feel the daily amount is too high, but Princess Cruises does encourage guests to keep the original amount, as it is used to reward the hardworking passenger-facing crew and behind-the-scenes staff directly.
You can also pay following disembarkation, but at this point, the fee is mandatory and non-refundable, so you will no longer be able to adjust it.
If you choose to pay your gratuities fees beforehand, you will notice them as a subheading when you look at your final cruise fare total.
If, on the other hand, you would prefer to pay during or at the end of your vacation, you can pay in person by visiting guest services or just when you go to settle up the final costs of your vacation.
Again, if you choose to wait until the end of the trip, you cannot adjust the amount that you pay, so you will have to pay the Crew Appreciation fee that correlates to your room type in full.
What Other Services Have Gratuities Added?
In addition to Princess Cruises’ daily Crew Appreciation charge, certain optional onboard services have their own automatic service charge, which functions as an additional gratuity.
These tend to be for more premium services and upgrades, and they help reward staff beyond the standard level of service all guests enjoy. Here are services where you might be required to pay an additional service fee:
Bar and Beverage Packages
There is a non-refundable and mandatory service charge of 18% of the cost of any optional beverage packages. This fee is automatically applied to these packages, so it will be listed as a subheading when you look at the pricing breakdown.
Specialty Dining and Private Functions
The same 18% gratuity is added to all specialty dining meals and private group functions you have booked. Again, this goes directly to the staff to reward them for providing services not included in a guest’s standard cruise fare.
Whether it is a formal or casual dining establishment, the same 18% fee is added if it is paid specialty dining.
Spa Services
All onboard spa services and treatments, including massages and beauty services, also include a mandatory 18% gratuity, which is automatically applied to the final cost of the service.
So, if you plan on visiting the onboard Lotus Spa for any treatment or service, you should remember that you will need to consider that additional 18% fee on top of the cost of anything you book.
Excursions
While there is no set fee for excursions, even if they are booked directly through Princess Cruises, you should remember that many local shore excursion providers depend heavily on tips to make a living.
For this reason, most cruise passengers bring a small amount of cash with them that they can use to tip the tour guide, instructor, driver, or excursion organizer.
Final Say on Princess Gratuities!
While Princess Cruises’ gratuity system might seem a little odd to those who would prefer to tip at their own leisure for services rendered, many guests actually prefer how simple it makes it to budget a trip.
Rather than being unsure how much you will spend on tips and gratuities, you know ahead of time, as you will pay a simple dollar amount for each day of your vacation.
Read Also: Cruise Myths Debunked – What You Truly Should Know
Whether you decide to prepay the Crew Appreciation fee, choose a package deal that covers the fee for you, or wait until your voyage has concluded to pay everything as one fee, Princess Cruises’ simplified tipping system will make things simple and the fees transparent.
While extra tips are always appreciated by those who provide all of your onboard services, you are not required to pay them, so you should view these types of tips as an additional reward that you can use to recognize outstanding service.
