MIAMI, Aug. 2 (Our Florida Times) — Celebrity Cruises has raised its automatic daily gratuity by $1.50 per person across all stateroom categories, adding to the cost of a cruise for guests who did not prepay their gratuities. The new rates took effect July 29, 2026.
The change has drawn criticism from some passengers, who said they may try to remove the automatic charge and give money directly to crew members instead. But the available information does not establish how many guests did so, or whether Celebrity permits passengers to remove the charge under all circumstances.
The dispute has a Florida connection: Celebrity’s parent company, Miami-based Royal Caribbean Group, said the gratuity program helps compensate crew members and reflects practices common across the cruise industry.
How much is the new charge?
Celebrity’s daily gratuity depends on the stateroom category:
- Inside, Ocean View and Veranda staterooms: $19.50 per person, per day
- Concierge Class and AquaClass: $20.50 per person, per day
- The Retreat: $24.50 per person, per day
The charge applies to each guest covered by the cruise line’s gratuity policy. For a seven-day sailing, two guests in an Inside, Ocean View or Veranda stateroom would face $273 in daily gratuities combined, before any additional charges tied to purchases onboard.
Guests who prepaid their gratuities were not covered by the July 29 increase, according to Celebrity’s policy as described in the supplied reporting.
What else carries a gratuity?
Celebrity also automatically adds a 20% gratuity to several purchases. These include beverages, beverage packages, specialty dining, room service, minibar items, and spa and salon services.
That means the daily charge is not necessarily the full amount a passenger will pay in gratuities. A couple buying drinks, booking specialty meals or using spa services could see additional gratuities added to those purchases.
Travelers comparing cruise prices should therefore check both the daily rate and the onboard-service charges before booking. A fare that appears lower at first may not include the same gratuities or service fees as another cruise line’s advertised price.
Why are passengers objecting?
Some Celebrity passengers criticized the higher automatic charge and said they preferred to decide how much individual crew members receive. One passenger quoted in the reporting said they had started removing the fees and spending the same amount or more on direct tips, adding that this made them feel the money went directly to workers.
Those comments reflect individual passenger views, not a survey or an official count. The available information also does not show whether the passengers were able to change their charges under Celebrity’s rules.
Royal Caribbean Group said the gratuity program is part of crew compensation and reflects industry standards. Celebrity’s policy does not, in the supplied material, explain how the daily gratuity is divided among crew members.
Is this happening across the cruise industry?
Several other cruise lines also changed their daily gratuity or service charges in 2026, according to the companies’ policies and statements.
Holland America Line lists daily “crew appreciation” charges of $18 for guests in non-suite staterooms and $20 for guests in suites. MSC Cruises lists $17 per day for standard staterooms on Caribbean and Alaska cruises and $23 for MSC Yacht Club. Carnival Cruise Line lists $17 for standard staterooms and $19 for suites.
The charges differ by line, ship, itinerary and stateroom category. Some companies describe them as gratuities, while others use terms such as “crew appreciation” or “service charge.” Travelers should read the specific policy for their sailing rather than assume that a daily charge is included in the fare or can be removed at the end of the trip.
For Celebrity passengers, the key planning questions are whether gratuities were prepaid, which stateroom category applies, and whether onboard purchases will trigger the separate 20% charge. Those details can materially change the final cost of a cruise departing from Florida or another port.
