Can I remove prepaid gratuities on a cruise?
When it comes to cruise fees, prepaid gratuities might be the sneakiest extra charge that can mess with your vacation budget. If you've never booked a big-ship cruise before, you might not realize that cruise lines tack on automatic gratuities that can add hundreds of dollars to your final bill. Booking websites don't always announce those extra fees until you're asked if you want to prepay them in the final steps of the cruise booking process.
Cruisers do have options, albeit limited ones. You can prepay the gratuities when booking or wait to pay them as part of your onboard bill. You may also be able to remove the automatic gratuities — but is it a good idea?
Here, we explore cruise prepaid gratuities and whether you should pay them or not.
What are prepaid gratuities?
Cruise lines use the term "prepaid gratuities" in multiple ways, which makes the concept even more confusing to newbies.
Most frequently, prepaid gratuities refer to the option for travelers to pay the automatically added tips when they book the cruise rather than paying them as part of their onboard bill at the end of the sailing.
However, prepaid gratuities can also refer to a promotion in which a cruise line or travel agent offers to pay your crew tips for you. You get a discount on your final cruise bill because you're not responsible for the gratuities.
Some luxury or more inclusive cruise lines always cover gratuities in their fare, so you never have to worry about a sneaky extra fee.
Related: Tipping on a cruise ship: What to know about cruise ship gratuities
What do prepaid gratuities cover on a cruise?
Prepaid gratuities cover tips for housekeeping and dining room staff members — waiters, room stewards, etc. They supplement the base salaries of the hotel services team members, some of whom you'll interact with on your cruise (like a waiter) and others you won't (like the crew members who wash your sheets).
The prepaid gratuities do not cover tips for bar service or spa treatments, or gratuities for local guides and drivers who lead your excursions in port. While tipping tour guides is left to your discretion, many cruise lines automatically tack a 15% to 20% tip onto bar and spa bills. Some also add automatic gratuities to your check at extra-fee restaurants on board.
Related: Are cruises all-inclusive? What's actually included in your cruise fare
Which cruises have free prepaid gratuities?
Not every line or every sailing requires prepaid gratuities.
Certain lines, usually higher-end ones, include crew gratuities in their cruise fares. Lines like Silversea, Seabourn and Regent Seven Seas Cruises do not charge extra for staff appreciation. Big-ship line Virgin Voyages also includes crew tips in its base prices.
Some lines give you the option to purchase an extra-inclusions package that may cover gratuities. Princess Cruises' Princess Plus and Princess Premier packages and Windstar Cruises' All-Inclusive fares bundle crew gratuities with other complimentary perks (such as drink packages and Wi-Fi access) at a discounted price, compared to purchasing all the components separately.
Additionally, some travel sellers may occasionally offer to pay your gratuities for you on select cruise lines as part of a promotion.
Related: Best all-inclusive cruise lines
Should I prepay cruise gratuities or not?
As with any financial decision, there are pros and cons to choosing prepaid gratuities versus adding them to your onboard bill.
The benefit of prepaying gratuities is that you account for the cost in your initial booking, which might help you get a clearer picture of the actual total cost of the trip. You won't accidentally spend that money before your cruise, leaving you less for fun activities once you're on vacation.
The downside is you hand over more money to the cruise line early. If you wait to pay until your sailing, those dollars will continue to earn interest for you longer (if you keep your vacation funds in an interest-bearing account).
On the other hand, cruise lines report that cruisers who prepay for things like crew gratuities and shore excursions still spend money on board because those previous payments don't feel as immediate. These vacationers spend more on their total cruise vacation than folks who wait to purchase extras once on the ship. Prepaying the automatic gratuities might lead to a higher overall bill for your getaway.
Finally, prepaying gratuities also prevents you from changing the amount once on board if you're dissatisfied with the service.
Related: 11 extra charges on cruise ships that will drive you bonkers — and what you can do about them
What happens if you don't prepay gratuities on a cruise?
If you do not prepay cruise gratuities before sailing, the cruise line will add them to your onboard bill. The cruise line will then charge your credit card for the gratuity amount at the end of the sailing — along with other purchases you made with your cruise card (drinks, souvenirs, spa treatments, tours, etc.).
Can I remove prepaid gratuities on a cruise?
The answer to this question is complicated, so bear with me.
If you have prepaid gratuities during the cruise booking process, you cannot remove them on board. The cruise line has had your money for months, and it won't give it back.
If you have not prepaid gratuities and the service charges show up on your onboard bill, you can go to guest services before the sailing ends and request to have the amounts altered or removed. You'll be asked to explain why you're unhappy with the service you received.
However, even if your room steward was sloppy and your waiter was rude (extremely rare occurrences) or if you come from a non-tipping culture, please reconsider removing the automatic gratuity charges. The tips are not merely goodwill gestures; they're a critical portion of crew members' pay.
Refuse to pay, and these hardworking cruise employees have less to send home to their families. You don't have to like the system, but given that it's the one the cruise companies have chosen, I encourage you not to penalize the crew for it.
You might consider asking to remove the prepaid gratuities so you can personally thank your room steward and dining room waiter with a card filled with cash. While this is a lovely sentiment, you're inadvertently taking away money from the behind-the-scenes crew members who receive tips from the gratuity pool. Instead of changing the automatic gratuities, I recommend that you give a little something extra to your favorite crew members.
Bottom line
If you're cruising on a big-ship line, understand that crew gratuities are an integral part of the cruise cost. You can prepay gratuities when you book or pay them as part of your onboard bill at the end of your sailing. You can look for a package that offers a discount on prepaid gratuities or a promotion offering free prepaid gratuities.
Whether prepaid gratuities are worth it is up to you and how you budget for travel. While you can find ways to avoid giving tips to the crew, you really shouldn't. The crew members work hard to make your vacation amazing in ways you see and in ways you don't, and they deserve that financial thank-you for their service.
Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:
- The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
- A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
- The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
- The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
- A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
- 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
- Top ways cruisers waste money
- The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.