princess cruise lines gratuities

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How much are gratuities on Princess?

Princess Cruise gratuity pricing: Your guide to understanding gratuities for a relaxing and enjoyable vacation on Princess Cruise.

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One of the details that vacationers frequently ponder before leaving on a lavish cruise is gratuities. Princess Cruises has a clear gratuity policy that protects both the comfort of the paying customers and the welfare of the dedicated crew. Princess Cruises is known for its great service and enthralling ocean voyages. This thorough guide will delve into the nuances of gratuities on Princess Cruises , illuminating its justification, suggested amounts, method of distribution, and overall effect on the cruise experience.

Understanding gratuities

Gratuities, sometimes known as "tipping," are a traditional way to show appreciation for excellent service. They have been a crucial component of the hospitality sector for decades, recognizing service providers' efforts and confirming their commitment to giving visitors a great experience. In the case of Princess Cruises, tips are essential to upholding the excellent standards of service for which the company is known.

The gratuity policy of Princess Cruises

The gratuity policy for Princess Cruises is intended to give guests information about gratuity costs that is clear and transparent. Princess Cruises often adds a daily automatic gratuity charge to each guest's shipboard account. This fee pays the labor of the stateroom stewards, dining room servers, and other crew members, contributing to a relaxing and pleasurable cruise experience.

Automatic gratuities ensure that all deserving crew members, including those who perform unseen work, receive a fair share of gratuities. The process is also streamlined for visitors, thanks to this system, which removes the need to carry cash and tip individuals separately.

Recommended gratuity amounts

Different amounts of recommended gratuities may apply depending on the kind of stateroom you reserve on a Princess Cruise. The cruise line has always offered suggested daily gratuity amounts per passenger, subject to change. The dining room wait staff, the stateroom steward, and other service people are frequently included in these recommended amounts.

It's crucial to remember that while these suggested tip amounts are intended to serve as a general guideline, guests are free to modify the fees in accordance with their level of satisfaction with the provided service. Depending on their particular experiences, some people might decide to enhance or decrease the gratuity.

Distribution and impact

It takes meticulous planning and organization to distribute gratuities. Usually, the automatically charged tips from customers are combined and divided among the qualified staff. This distribution approach guarantees that the numerous teams and departments contributing to the overall visitor experience are acknowledged and paid.

Beyond monetary compensation, gratuities have an impact on Princess Cruises. Crew members are inspired to go above and beyond to meet guests' demands because it promotes a culture of great service. The cruise experience is improved for everyone when there is a symbiotic interaction between the staff and the passengers.

Navigating the gratuities process

Navigating the gratuities procedure can be intimidating for those who are new to Princess Cruises or cruising in general. The cruise line tries to make the journey as seamless as possible, though. Guests are informed of the Princess's proposed gratuity amounts and how they will be charged when making a reservation for a cruise.

Before setting sail, guests have the option to prepay their gratuities, giving them the chance to set aside money for this outlay in advance. A stress-free holiday can also result from prepaying gratuities because passengers won't have to worry about paying the bills onboard.

Princess Cruises also provides an onboard guest services desk where passengers can change their gratuity amounts as needed. Because of the flexibility, passengers can adjust their gratuities by their cruise experiences.

Gratuities and exceptional service

It's important to emphasize that aboard Princess Cruises, tips are about more than just receiving money. They serve as a concrete expression of appreciation for the commitment and effort made by the staff members who enhance the overall cruise experience. The coordinated efforts of numerous departments, including housekeeping, dining, and entertainment, result in the great service that guests experience.

Cruise crew frequently develop long-lasting relationships with passengers, making their voyage special and enjoyable. The gratuities system promotes an atmosphere of appreciation and recognition by reinforcing the crew's and guests' mutual respect.

Also Read:  What is the tipping policy on a cruise ship?

Final words

In conclusion, gratuities on Princess Cruises are a crucial part of the cruise experience since they ensure that the highest standards of service are preserved and that the crew is properly thanked for their contributions. To give visitors a seamless and pleasurable experience, every aspect of the suggested tipping amounts, automatic charges, and distribution method has been meticulously planned. After knowing the gratuity system on Princess Cruise, you must be thinking about planning a cruise. So, book a cruise through www.CruiseBooking.com to get the best deal.

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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?

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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.).

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.

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Tips on Ships: Everything You Need to Know About Cruise Gratuities

What to expect—and what to budget—when it comes to tipping on the high seas

By Tiffany Leigh

Updated February 24, 2023

Figuring out which service employees you should tip—and how much you should give—is a perennial head scratcher in travel. To help remove some of the guesswork, many cruise lines now automatically apply recommended “crew appreciation” amounts to your stateroom account.

But those amounts vary by ship, cruise line, stateroom, and other factors. What’s more, although the gratuity charges are automatically applied to your account in most cases, you can opt out of paying those fees, provided you haven’t purchased a prepaid gratuities package (those are nonrefundable). So confusion remains a possibility. 

To help you sort things out, the following guidelines will give you an idea of what to expect with tipping on cruises and provide some answers to frequently asked questions.  

How much am I expected to tip?

In general, plan on giving $16–$23 in gratuities per day for each passenger. Note that the amount should be tabulated for each individual in your party—don’t try to tip once per couple or group.

So if you’re planning to go on a 7-day cruise, expect to give a total of between $112 and $161 per person in gratuities. Don’t forget to factor those charges into your overall vacation budget. 

How do I tip?

For most cruises—including those operated by Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Princess Cruises, and Disney Cruise Line to name a few—service gratuities in the amounts mentioned above are automatically added to your stateroom account each day.

On top of the daily service rate, you may also see automatic gratuities (often an additional 15%–20%) for specialty services such as spa treatments, alcoholic beverages, specialty dining (at restaurants not included in the overall cruise rate), and other extras you partake in.   

At the end of your cruise, you’ll be given a document (usually slipped under your door) that lists various charges, including gratuities, for your review. Once reviewed and approved with guest services, payment is completed with a credit card before you depart the ship on the final day. 

Do tipping amounts vary by cruise line?

Yup—and the range of your gratuity total depends on the stateroom category you’re staying in, too.

With Princess Cruises , for instance, the current tip amount for each passenger staying in interior, ocean-view, and balcony staterooms is $16 per day; for mini suites it’s $17 per day; and for suites it’s $18 per day.

The gratuities ranges with Celebrity Cruises , meanwhile, start at $17.50 per day for inside, ocean-view, and veranda units; $18 per day for Concierge Class and Aqua Class rooms; and $21 per day for suites in The Retreat area.

On the higher end of the spectrum, Oceania Cruises charges $18 per day in tips for passengers in regular staterooms, $23 per day for customers in suites.

Cruise lines frequently raise those amounts, too. 

How do I find out how much my ship charges for tips?

You should be able to find that info on the cruise line’s website. Below, we’ve linked to the web pages containing the prices and policies relating to service charges and gratuities for some of the most popular companies. 

• Royal Caribbean

• Norwegian Cruise Line

• Disney Cruise Line

• Princess Cruises

• Celebrity Cruises

• Holland America Line

Do the daily tipping amounts apply to every single passenger? Even kids?

Depends on the cruise line. According to Disney Cruise Line, for instance, tipping applies to everyone—even infants.

But other ships do make exceptions for little ones. Passengers ages 2 and younger are exempt from tipping aboard Carnival cruises, for example, while Norwegian excuses kids ages 3 and younger, and Costa Cruises exempts kids ages 4 and younger.

Consult the cruise company’s online FAQ or your travel agent for more info, but, generally speaking, you shouldn’t expect any youngsters older than toddlerhood to get out of tipping. 

Service charges, gratuities, crew appreciation fees—what’s the difference?

The terminology gets confusing because it doesn’t seem to be consistent across cruise lines. Just know that there are usually two types of fees in this area: 1.) the flat daily fee charged to each passenger and then pooled among crew members (including room attendants and waitstaff at restaurants included in your cruise rate) and 2.) service tips (amounting to 15%–20% of the total) automatically added to your account when you opt for extras such as specialty dining, premium alcoholic beverages, spa or salon services, and so on. Obviously, you’ll only be charged the latter type of gratuity for extras you actually participate in.

How are tips divided among crew members?

If you agree to the automatic gratuities, the people who tend to you the most—your housekeeping and dining teams—get the largest share.

When my family of three (two adults and one 16-month-old baby) sailed with Disney Cruise Line in December 2022, we received the following breakdown of who would get what:

• Dining Room Server: $4.75 per person per day

• Assistant Dining Room Server: $3.75 per person per day

• Dining Room Head Server: $1.25 per person per day

• Stateroom Host: $4.75 per person per day

Note that because we didn’t opt for nonrefundable prepaid gratuities for the trip, we were free to visit guest services to change the amounts if we wanted to.

These amounts were also printed on perforated paper and we were supplied with envelopes in case we wanted to tip in cash or give gratuities to attendants in person as a gesture of appreciation.

What if I don’t want to pay the automatically generated tip amount?

If you'd rather have control over how much you tip, stop by the onboard guest services desk at the beginning of your voyage and inform the agents that you want to opt out of electronic gratuities and dole out tips on a case-by-case, à la carte basis. 

Also, if you find that you’re unsatisfied with the service you’re getting, you can ask guest services to modify the amount you’re being charged each day. Royal Caribbean lets you make changes up to the morning of your departure—but to avoid confusion, you should contact guest services as soon as possible to make these types of changes. 

The exception: passengers who purchased prepaid gratuities as part of a package. You can’t get a refund for tips you pay upfront. 

Can I tip in cash?

Cash tips are certainly still welcomed—especially if that’s what you’re more comfortable with or if you don't want to rely on the cruise line’s predetermined amounts.

It’s just important to remember that if you go this route, it's on you to opt out of the ship’s gratuities program by going to guest services at the beginning of your sailing. 

What if I want to tip some crew members more than the automatically generated amounts?

Cash is also a good option if you want to tip some workers extra for service that warrants it. If you’ve dined in mostly one spot every night of the cruise, you might want to give tips to especially attentive waitstaff on the last evening of the cruise. On a recent voyage with our baby, my family gave an additional in-person tip to our stateroom attendant for above-and-beyond service such as helping us set up the baby monitor—not to mention all the times the attendant whisked away potent diapers without so much as a grimace.

Are gratuities included in all prepaid packages for dining, drinks, and other services?

Not necessarily. 

More and more ships now offer passengers prepaid packages for a bundle of specialty dining, top-shelf drinks, Wi-Fi, and other perks (for an example, take a look at prepaid packages available from Princess Cruises ). The advantage here is that you lock in a discounted overall daily rate that throws in several extras that could otherwise add up—though you should calculate ahead of your trip whether you’ll actually use everything in the bundle to justify buying the package.

But don’t assume that gratuities are part of every prepaid package. Some companies, such as Disney, have stand-alone prepaid gratuities packages intended to make your trip relatively worry-free in the tip department because you’ve already paid for all gratuities in advance.

But with other packages, tips are only covered where specified. Royal Caribbean’s dining-and-drinks package, for instance, only covers tips for restaurant and bar staff, not housekeeping crew—so you’ll still have the automatic service charge added to your stateroom account each day unless you purchase a supplementary gratuities package.

Always make sure to review everything that’s included in the package—and what’s not—so you won’t get any unpleasant surprises. 

It’s also important to remember that gratuities included in prepaid packages are nonrefundable, so you won’t be able to modify tip amounts even if you get bad service during the cruise.

Should I tip a porter who helps me with my luggage?

Porters are contracted by the port, not the cruise line. They usually work independently of the ship, unless otherwise indicated. So if you solicit a porter for help toting your luggage from a vehicle to the ship’s check-in area, express your appreciation with $1–$3 per bag, depending on its weight.

Should I tip ship bartenders?

These days, you’ll rarely see a tip jar on the bar, and, as noted above, an automatic service charge of 15%–20% is already added to your account for alcoholic and specialty drinks. However, if you had a go-to bartender who learned your drink by heart or gave you stellar service throughout the voyage, consider expressing your gratitude with $1–$2 per drink. 

Should I tip guides for shore excursions?

The tipping advice we solicited from Princess provides some solid guidelines: For half-day tours, budget $3–$5 per person for guides, and for full-day tours plan on $6–$10 per person. Drivers should get $1–$2 per person.

Do I need to tip for onboard spa and salon treatments?

As previously noted, spa and salon staff members get a portion of the automatic service charge added to your stateroom bill for these treatments. You are free, however, to tip staff members extra if you’re especially impressed with their work.

Do I need to tip the ship's daycare workers and kids’ camp counselors?

There is no gratuity required but, again, you can offer a cash tip if staff members went out of their way to make your kiddo’s sailing extra special.

Are there crew members I shouldn’t tip?

It’s considered poor form to tip the ship’s professional sailing members, such as the cruise director, executive chef, and captain. Giving those folks gratuities would be like tipping your doctor or lawyer. 

Are predetermined tipping amounts calculated in U.S. dollars?

In most cases, though some Europe-based lines, such as MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises, charge in euros. Keep that in mind when calculating your budget.

Are there cruises where you’re not expected to tip?

Bundled package deals seem like a precursor to a future of tip-free cruising. As a matter of fact, many luxury and high-end lines such as Seabourn, Celestyal Cruises, Lindblad Expeditions, Paul Gaugin, Ponant, Regent Seven Seas, SeaDream Yacht Club, Silversea, and Virgin Voyages have already implemented gratuity-free cruises with tips built into the total cost of all-inclusive sailings.

That might make the cruise’s base rate higher, but the practice helps eliminate confusion and awkwardness for passengers and ensures that crew members will get a full wage from their employers rather than relying on customers to make up the difference.

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Princess Cruises – What is Included? Food, Gratuities and More

If you are taking your first cruise with Princess you may be wondering what is included in the cruise fare.

I’ve cruised with Princess multiple times and during this post will be looking at everything that costs extra as well as included so that you can adequately budget for your cruise.

Princess are very keen to offer “Princess Plus” and “Princess Premier “ Fares. If you upgrade to these for an additional daily fee, you get things like included gratuities, drinks and Wi-Fi included.

If you pay the standard fare, none of these things are included.

You may find that your “bargain Cruise” doubles in price if you upgrade to “Princess Plus.”

What is Included In The Standard Fare on a Princess Cruise?

Cruises with Princess include your food, accommodation, and entertainment.

Daily gratuities are not included and are added to your onboard account each day. There are charges for drinks, excursions, speciality meals and some onboard activities. 

Many cruise lines are moving towards including things like gratuities. This hasn’t yet happened with Princess if you pay the standard cruise fare – but they are very keen for you to upgrade to Princess Plus with all the “added extras.”

What is Included on a Princess Cruise?

Is Food Included on a Princess Cruise?

Food is included on a Princess cruise.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be served in the buffet and at a minimum breakfast and dinner will be served in the main dining room for no extra charge.

It is possible to cruise with Princess and not spend anything extra on dining. 

I’ve always found the quality of food on Princess Cruises to be high so I have never felt the need to pay extra for speciality options – although occasionally if I have “free” onboard credit, I might use that on a speciality meal.

Food in The Main Dining Room is Included

The main dining room is usually open for breakfast and dinner. It may also be open during lunch depending on the itinerary of the cruise ship.

The main dining room is often open for lunch on sea days but may not be on port days. This does vary by cruise ship.

Princess have both fixed and flexible dining within their main dining rooms. When booking you’ll be asked if you want to pick early seating, late seating or select ‘anytime’ dining.

I’m personally a big fan of the flexibility of any-time dining as this means you can eat when you’re hungry rather than when it’s your designated dinner time.

Eating in the main dining room on a cruise ship works very similarly to a restaurant on land. The difference is that you don’t have to pay at the end!

Food in The Buffet is Included

On all Princess cruise ships, you’ll find a buffet.

Everything in the buffet is free to eat and you can eat as much as you’d like!

I’d personally recommend the chocolate chip cookies, they’re brilliant.

In the buffet, you’ll find breakfast, lunch and dinner served as well as snacks in between.

The buffet is open from very early in the morning (around 5/6 am) until late at night, usually around 11 pm.

Some of the smaller older ships have relatively small buffets but I never found this to be a problem when finding a seat.

In the buffet, you’ll also find water, tea, and coffee.

These are free and you can come and make sure yourself a drink whenever you’d like. You’ll also find juices here at breakfast.

When I cruise I usually go to the buffet quite frequently to make myself a cup of tea! Tea is offered in the bars around the ship but then it is chargeable

The Bar/Grill/Pizzeria By The Pool is Included

On all Princess ships, you’ll find some sort of bar/grill area by the pool deck.*

Many Princess ships also have a Pizzeria where you can grab a slice of pizza. It’s a great option for lazy days by the pool! Any food here is included in your cruise fare.

There is also a bar here where you can grab a drink but drinks here do cost extra.

* It’s worth noting that Princess used to include meals at Alfredo’s and Gigi’s pizzerias within the standard cruise fare. Now, unless you have purchased the Princess Plus or Princess Premier package, you will be charged extra.

This is around $15 for a set three-course menu, at the time of writing. (Additional items can be bought individually and are priced per item.)

Is Room Service Included on a Princess Cruise?

Sometimes – it depends on the cruise fare you choose.

If you have paid for the Princess Plus or Princess Premier cruise fare, then room service is free.

If you have paid the basic “Princess Standard” fare, you will have to pay a $5 delivery charge.

To maximize the stateroom experience, Princess Plus and Princess Premier participants will have the standard $5 per delivery room service charge waived. That means no extra charges for the ease and luxury of on-demand service anywhere, anyplace or anytime on a Princess ship for Plus and Premier Guests. Princess Cruise Lines

The majority of cruise lines do charge for room service, so if you have paid the Princess Plus or Princess Premier fare, you may as well use it.

If you have a balcony stateroom it is amazing to have room service delivered to eat on your balcony – perhaps during a sail away or an early morning sail-in.

Princess Room service is available 24 hours a day.

Are Drinks Included on a Princess Cruise?

There are some drinks included on Princess cruises but as a general rule these are only available in the buffet or main dining room and the selection is limited to tea/coffee or water.

Drinks served in the bars have an extra charge. 

There are some drinks included on a Princess cruise but these are minimal and I’ve never met anybody who has cruised only drinking the included drinks.

Drinks which are included are:

• Tea and Coffee in the buffet (Whenever open)
• Juices in the buffet (Usually only with breakfast)
• Water in the buffet (Whenever open)
• Tap water with meals in the main dining room

Drinks that aren’t included are:

• Any beer, wine, or spirits.
• Any soft drink, energy drink, or mocktail.
• Tea or Coffee from the bars onboard.

Drinks on a Princess cruise are fairly priced.

They’re similar to that which you’d find in a bar or pub on land. It’s roughly $10 for a glass of wine, $7 for a beer and $3 for a soda.

If you are someone who drinks a lot, it may be worth paying the Princess Plus or Princess Premier fare, as drinks are then included.

This doesn’t work out well for everybody though, so make sure you think about how much you’ll really drink before upgrading.

At the time of writing (Dec 2023) upgrading to Princess Plus is an extra £50 a day, and Princess Premier is £65 a day.

Is Entertainment Included on a Princess Cruise?

Princess cruises include a variety of entertainment on all cruises including theatre productions, live music, trivia, and gameshows.

The activities are varied and take place throughout the day. The entertainment will vary by destination and ship.

Princess Cruises are relatively busy compared to some other cruise lines. On the daily schedule, you may see things like the following:

• Trivia (My mum won Beatles trivia for our team on our Golden Princess cruise!)
• Live Music (A range of music from classical to pop and rock)
• Theatre Shows (Nightly shows, performed twice per night)
• Themed parties (Either on the top deck or inside, weather-dependent!)

Princess has invested heavily in “Ocean Medallion” wearable Technology. Find out more about that in the video below:

If you don’t want to use technology, they still deliver a daily schedule each night which will arrive in your cabin. This will give you all the information that you need about the next day’s activities.

Are Kids Clubs Included on a Princess Cruise?

Princess Cruises has kids clubs for children ranging from 6 months to 17 years.

The kid’s clubs are split into age groups and all have a wide range of activities in which children are invited to take part.

The kid’s clubs are based in their own area on the ship and have lots of amenities for children and teenagers to enjoy. 

Be warned though, if you do take your children on a cruise they might end up like me – writing about cruises on the internet and OBSESSED with cruising …!

I’ve been cruising since I was 11 years old and had so much fun in the Kids and Teen Clubs.

Are Exercise Classes And Use Of The Gym Included On Princess Cruises?

Select exercise classes are included on a Princess cruise but some do cost extra.

Our state-of-the-art fitness centres offer exercise and spinning courses, free and machine weights, treadmills with ocean views and more to energize yourself while on your cruise vacation. And if you like the outdoors, there’s a jogging track a few decks above the waves. Princess Cruises

Find out more about cruise ship Gyms here:

Cruise Ship Gyms: Cost, Opening Times, and Other Things You NEED to Know

Accommodation

As on every cruise, your accommodation is included in your cruise fare. There are a variety of cabins available for you to choose from, ranging from inside cabins to multi-level suites.

I personally am a BIG fan of the Princess cruise cabins. They often have a separate changing area by the wardrobes/closets and this layout gives the cabin lots of storage space.

My parents had an Aft cabin when we sailed on Emerald Princess. This was something they would have never considered, but it was recommended by my partner travel agent.

It had a really big balcony – but there was a slight catch. Find out whether they liked the cabin here:

What is Not Included on a Princess Cruise?:

There are some exercise classes that cost extra. These are usually Boot Camp/Yoga/Pilates workouts – but this does vary by cruise ship and destination.

Gratuities Are Not Included on Princess Cruises

Gratuities are not automatically included in cruises with Princess Cruises if you pay the “Standard” cruise fare.

Gratuities can be prepaid and currently stand at $16 to $18 per person per day, depending on the type of accommodation you book.

Recently many cruise lines have been moving towards a more inclusive pricing structure, but Princess has never included gratuities in their cruise fare.

Instead of including gratuities within the fare, Princess tries to encourage you to buy the more expensive Princess Plus or Princess Premier Fare. This does include gratuities, drinks, WI-Fi and some other perks.

The “Crew Appreciation” (Gratuities) is a daily amount for each guest that will be automatically added to your onboard account for your convenience, to recognize the efforts of a wide variety of crewmembers who contribute to the experiences of all our guests.  The crewmembers eligible to receive these funds work in various departments, many of whom rotate among different ships, throughout our fleet of ships. The amount of the Crew Appreciation will be based on stateroom category, as set out below:

It is possible to remove gratuities by going to the Reception Desk, although I would strongly recommend you do not do this.

The automatic gratuities make sure that all crew members receive a share. Tipping only the staff you see leaves behind-the-scenes stuff such as the people who work in the laundry short.

To learn more about gratuities, including how they also affect drinks and spa treatments, check out this post so that you don’t have any nasty surprises on your cruise:

Cruise Gratuities: A Simple Step by Step Guide For First Time Cruisers

A lot of cruise lines are moving towards a more inclusive structure. To learn more about cruise lines that include gratuities as standard check out this post:

  Which Cruise Lines Include Gratuities? (Cruise Line Guide).

Princess Cruises Don’t Include Shore Excursions

Some luxury cruise lines do include excursions but generally speaking, cruise lines don’t.

When you get to port there are a couple of options available to you. Cruise line excursions are usually the easiest but are the most expensive.

I’m a big fan of doing my own thing when in port. It saves a LOT of money.

I took a British Isles Cruise, and only took one cruise line excursion. That was to see Loch Ness in Scotland, which is so far from anywhere else, it would be tricky – or impossible – to get there by public transport.

Find out about all the interesting sights I saw – without cruise line excursions, here:

Before You Go

Find out whether you should book via a trusted travel agent, or directly with the cruise line in the article below:

Is It Best To Use a Travel Agent or Book Directly With The Cruise Line? (Money-Saving Hints and Tips For Booking, and Much More…)

Find out what you need to think about when planning and packing for your cruise below:

Planning And Packing For Your Cruise, Things to Organise in Advance, Packing Essentials And More

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Princess Increasing Daily Gratuity Charges By Up to 10%

Since cruises have returned, it’s been a steady announcement of price increases onboard by many lines — including hikes in the automatic daily gratuities charged to passengers.

Now Princess is bumping up the daily charge for its passengers by a hefty 10% in some cases.

The cruise line recently updated their website with an increase in the “crew appreciation” across all staterooms. The cost is jumping to as high as $18 per person, per day for suites, though most people on the ship will pay less.

You can see the change below:

As the chart says, beginning on February 20, 2023 the cost on Princess is moving up by $1.50 per person, per day across all cabin types. We’ve broken down the price increases below:

• Balcony Cabins and Below: $14.50 (old) to $16.00 (new) | 10.3% increase
• Mini-Suite and Club Class: $15.50 (old) to $17.00 (new) | 9.7% increase
• Suites: $16.50 (old) to $18.00 (new) | 9.1% increase

So how much will this actually mean in dollar terms on your cruise?

Say a couple takes a 7-day trip aboard Princess in a balcony cabin. Currently, they would each pay $14.50 per day, for a total of $203 in automatic gratuities. With the price increase, that amount would rise to $224 — or $21 higher.

Charges On Par With Other Cruise Lines

It’s unlikely that the extra cost will make or break a cruise for guests. In fact, the new prices are in line with other cruise lines and well below what’s charged by some. For instance, Norwegian Cruise Line just announced a price increase to $20 per person, per day for most cabins and $25 per day for its highest-end suites.

Princess also offers another alternative to paying the extra charge. With its Princess Plus and Princess Premier offers, you can have things like wi-fi, drink package, and the crew appreciation charges all included in your cruise fare.

While these offers do cost more than the baseline cruise fare, it can be ideal for those who want a more all-inclusive experience during their trip instead of having to pay for extras.

And what if you have bad service? “In the unlikely event you remain dissatisfied for any reason, the Crew Appreciation is subject to adjustment, at your discretion, at any time during the cruise up to the time you settle your onboard account prior to disembarkation,” the cruise line’s website says.

Popular: 39 Useful Things to Pack (17 You Wouldn't Think Of)

Read next: park & cruise hotels for every port in america, popular: 107 best cruise tips, secrets, tricks, and freebies, related articles more from author, worth it princess cruise drink packages explained (prices, what is included, and more), princess plus & premier offers: package details and if it’s worth it, must see: 5 wild new cruise ships set to make their debut, review: princess cruises wi-fi service (speed, reliability, cost, and more), princess cruise gratuity (tips) full guide: how much, how they work, and more, explained: major differences between princess & other cruise lines (carnival, royal caribbean, & more), leave a reply cancel reply.

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Princess, Norwegian Increase Daily Gratuities For Passengers — Here’s How Much

• News and Tips
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Your next cruise may cost you more because two major cruise lines are increasing their gratuities starting in 2023. 

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line is upping gratuities for passengers in suites and regular staterooms. The biggest increase comes with the booking of a Haven or Suite room. Those rooms will now run you $25 daily per person, for an increase of $5. All other rooms, including Club Balcony suites, will pay $20 per person per day, a $2 increase for Club Balcony rooms and $4 increase for all others.

“At Norwegian Cruise Line, we are committed to delivering exceptional guest experience at every step of the cruise journey, and with the dedication of our shipboard team, we are able to turn your vacation dreams into reality,” an NCL spokesperson said in an email. “As such, we make it easy for guests to show their appreciation for these vacation heroes with discretionary daily services charges, which provide gratuities to key on-board team members, including room stewards, restaurant servers, and behind-the-scenes support staff.”

Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises is also announcing increased gratuities, which it calls the “crew appreciation” fee. Starting in February 2023, the fee will go up to $16 per person for interior, ocean view, and balcony staterooms. That’s an increase of $1.50. The fee goes up to $17 for guests in mini-suites and Club Class staterooms, also a $1.50 increase. Guests in all other high-end staterooms will pay $18 per person per day.

But gratuities aren’t the only fee to go up on Princess; the daily Wi-Fi charge is also increasing. This one is a bigger jump, with daily prices going from $9.99 to $15 per day for one device. 

Industry Standard

The gratuity increase on NCL and Princess are in line with what other major cruise lines are doing, as a way to combat rising costs around the globe. In September, Royal Caribbean upped its gratuities anywhere from 5–10 percent, depending on the room type. The cruise lines maintain that higher fees are necessary to hire and maintain quality staff. 

Thinking about cruising in 2023? Here’s our guide to what to do and what not to do, plus what to know if you’re looking to book a cruise during hurricane season .

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Princess Cruises Is About to Get More Expensive — Here’s Why

The cruise line is increasing the price of its “Crew Appreciation” fee and daily Wi-Fi fee.

Princess Cruises has become the latest cruise line to increase the cost of service fees for ship crew as well as raise fees on board for other services.

Courtesy of Princess Cruises

Starting in February, the cruise line will implement its new fee structure that will increase the daily "crew appreciation" charge to $16 per guest in interior, oceanview, and balcony staterooms, a spokesperson for Princess confirmed to Travel + Leisure .

Currently, these guests are automatically charged $14.50 per person, according to the company’s website .

Passengers in mini-suite and Club Class staterooms will be charged $17 per guest, an increase from the current $15.50, and travelers in suites will be charged $18 per guest, an increase from the current $16.50.

“This daily charge recognizes our teammates for exceptional service they provide and is shared among many members of our hotel, dining and entertainment teams throughout the fleet,” the Princess spokesperson told T+L. 

In addition to increasing the automatic gratuities, Princess will charge more for Wi-Fi on board. Starting next year, travelers will have to pay $15 per day for one device, or $40 per day for four devices. Currently, Wi-Fi costs $9.99 when travelers purchase it pre-cruise, according to the company .

The increases will go into effect on Feb. 20, 2023, for bookings made on or after Dec.13.

Princess is the latest cruise line to increase its onboard fees. In September, Royal Caribbean increased its gratuities for guests in non-suite staterooms to $16 per person, per day.

Norwegian Cruise Line is also increasing its recommended gratuities, now charging $16 per person, per day for staterooms, according to the company . And for bookings made after Jan. 1, the cruise line will charge $20 per person, per day for travelers in Club Balcony Suites or below, and $25 for travelers in The Haven and Suites.

That is more than some other major cruise lines . Carnival Cruise Line, for example, recommends $14.50 per person for standard staterooms, while Holland America recommends $15.50 for those in standard staterooms.

Other luxury lines, like Regent Seven Seas Cruises, include onboard gratuities in the cost of the cruise fare.

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Travel Codex

Your Resource for Better Travel

Princess Drink Package & Daily Gratuities Increases

Princess Packages New Pricing

Like most cruise lines, Princess offers discounts for bundling services. Cruise fares include the cost of the room and most services onboard, including meals, select beverages, entertainment, pool access, etc. For those who want more, you can upgrade your cruise by including the cost of other items in a package.  These packages tend to include items such as Wi-fi, specialty dining, alcohol, and more.

Currently, Princess Plus packages include the Plus Beverage Package, single-device Wi-Fi plan ($15 daily value) and daily crew appreciation. The cruise drink package ‘ Plus beverage plan’ includes most alcoholic drinks below $12. This includes wine by the glass, fountain sodas, fresh juices and more. Starting Dec 14, the price will increase by $10 to $60 per person, per day.

The new Princess Plus Package expands to include the following new items:

• Two Princess premium crafted desserts per day, as well as unlimited juices.
• Two fitness classes per cruise created under our new partnership with Xponential Fitness, Inc., the largest global franchisor of boutique premium fitness brands, that include Pure Barre, Yoga Six and Stretch Lab classes.
• Free shipping of Medallions to Princess guests (U.S. only) prior to their cruise.

Princess still sees the Princes Plus package as a fantastic deal. With the enhanced Princess Plus you can enjoy $140 of value each day for just $60  – a 57% savings. The current Princess Plus package is a value of $95 per day. These new features racks up the savings. Especially if you want more than just alcohol.

Princess Premier is also changing. The current Princess Premier package includes the Premier Beverage Package, four-device Wi-Fi plan ($40 dollar daily value), daily crew appreciation, two nights of specialty dining, one photo package and Princess Prizes. The premier beverage package cover drinks up to $18. It is truly designed for those who prefer top shelf alcohol.

What’s new:

• Unlimited premium crafted desserts, juices per cruise.
• Unlimited fitness classes created under our new partnership with Xponential Fitness, Inc.
• Reserved seating at the Princess Theater (for all guests in a stateroom)
• Complimentary Medallion accessory exclusively designed for Premier package guests (fulfilled onboard).
• Free shipping (U.S. only) of Medallions to your client’s door prior to their cruise.

Princess Premier’s new cost will be $80 per day per guest. This is an increase of $5, up from $75. The new enhanced Princess Premier can equate to $257 of value each day for just $80 – a 69% savings. 

Both packages include the additional benefit of a 25% discount on the following excluded items: all bottles of wine, large bottles of water and cans of soda.

What’s included in the Princess Cruises Drinks Package?

The Plus Beverage Package is prt of Princess Plus. This Princess Cruise drink package includes beer, spirits, wine by the glass and cocktails up to $15 USD / $22 AUD. There is over 50 spirits, 40 wines by the glass and cocktails to choose from. Plus, all non-alcoholic beverages including bottled water (500ml only), fountain sodas, the new Juice Bar, plus fresh juices (if available), specialty coffees and teas, frappes at Coffee & Cones, milkshakes (if available) and Red Bull energy drinks. Bar service charges are included in this package.

Cruises departing from and returning to Australia and New Zealand will be charged in AUD vs USD.

Princess Cruises drinks package – Premier

The premier beverage package is part of princess premier. it’s the highest category of drinks. this leap grgich hills and cattier champagne or private woodford reserve bourbon selection created exclusively for princess. it includes a premium selection of beer, spirits, wine by the glass and cocktails $20 usd / $30 aud. this package will cover the cost of more than 75 spirits, 40 wines  by the glass and cocktails onboard. in addition, all non-alcoholic beverages including bottled water (500ml only), fountain sodas, the new juice bar, plus fresh juices (if available), specialty coffees and teas, frappes at coffee & cones, milkshakes (if available) and red bull energy drinks. bar service charges are included in this package. the package includes the additional benefit of a 25% discount on the following excluded items: all bottles of wine, one-liter bottles of water and bottled juices. the package has a daily limit on alcoholic beverages of 15 beverages over a 24-hour period (6 a.m. to 6 a.m.)..

If you want to enjoy top shelf spirits, reserve wines by the glass, and cocktails this Princess cruises drink package is ideal for you!

Princess Daily Gratuities Increasing

With the increase in costs of Princess Plus and Premium packages, Princess Cruise Line is also increasing the mandatory gratuities for staff. These gratuities are split between your room attendant, entertainment, and restaurant staff.

The daily crew appreciation charge is based on the stateroom category. Effective Dec 14, 2022 daily appreciation will increase by $2.50 for all guests in all cabins. The new daily charge will be:

• $16 per guest in Interior, Oceanview and Balcony
• $17 per guests in Mini-Suite and Club Class
• $18 per guest in Suites

Existing bookings have the opportunity to pre-pay the crew appreciation for their cruise at the current rate until Dec 13, 2022. Otherwise expect a 7-day cruise for two to cost $35 more in gratuities. For those who purchase Princess Plus or Princess Standard, there are no additional staff appreciation charges. The packages include pre-paid gratuities which further makes adding a Princess cruise package ideal. Saving you money and taking the stress out of worrying about running up additional charges while onboard. 

Bottom Line

Price increases are never easy to spin. The crew works hard and the additional daily gratuities go directly to the staff to perform the work they do. Some consider this wage subsidization and I understand that sentiment. The increased cost of Princess Plus and Princess Standard will make Princess Cruises more expensive, but at least they also are adding new additional  perks. Some of these new perks add very little value. Not everyone will indulge in a specialty dessert or take a gym class. Especially on port days. Thankfully though you can always opt for princess standard and pay separately for items such as drinks, Wi-fi, fresh juices and healthy smoothies juice bar and all the other items as you choose to utilize.

If you are going to take a Princess Cruise soon, or any cruise, please reach out to me at Scott & Thomas Travel and let me help book your next vacation. ust ask for Rocky! A travel agent can not only save you money , but we get free perks that we can pass on to you too! Contact me today and get your cruise on. ruise soon, please reach out to me at Scott & Thomas Travel and let me help book your next vacation. Just ask for Rocky!

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Rocky started blogging on his own website When Doublewides Fly to share information about flying around the world on a dime. By maximizing miles and points, cheap deals, sales, backpacking, and couchsurfing Rocky has traveled to 75 countries and still counting.

• Princess Cruises

Question about gratuities...

By Greytgrey , September 17, 2023 in Princess Cruises

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I've never cruised Princess before, but on other cruise lines have consistently paid the "suggested" gratuity, and then also tipped as compelled beyond that. Someone over on the Princess subreddit said that they'd talked to Princess crew and been told that the gratuities that are paid through guest services (pre-paid/suggested/mandatory whatever you want to call it) are all factored into their salary and they don't get more if you leave the tips on or less if you don't. So this person worked out a system in which they took off the suggested gratuities and instead paid the individual people they had face-to-face interactions with a certain amount per day, which they said worked out to be a lot less than the suggested gratuities, and plus it made sure that the crew member actually got the cash. 

From what I've read, the suggested gratuities are pooled and distributed among crew that includes folks like kitchen and laundry crew, who never or rarely see the public but who also contribute to the positive cruise experience. This person with "the system" said it's not their job to make sure that cruise lines pay people a reasonable wage (which is the same thing people who don't want to tip at restaurants say, and while it's true that corporations should pay their employees a living wage that's neither here nor there when you're actively participating in the business as it presently operates). 

What say you, experienced Princess cruisers? How do you handle taking care of the people who take care of you when you're on vacation?

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Rick&Jeannie

First of all...be prepared for a firestorm!  This is one of those topics that absolutely get people riled up.

We pay the gratuities as part of our cruise fare and then (almost always) pay our room steward an extra (nice) tip at the end of the cruise (assuming he/she did a good job.)  We can't possibly support (directly) all of the people who work in the background...so we just trust Princess to "do the right thing" with the tip pool.  Maybe they do, maybe they don't.  (I hope they do.)  But yes, the tips are supposedly pooled fleetwide.  (I don't know the detail of how that works.)

  @Greytgrey  If you book a 'package' - either PLUS or Premier - the CA (crew appreciation) is included in that fare and can not be removed

Just now, voljeep said:   @Greytgrey  If you book a 'package' - either PLUS or Premier - the CA (crew appreciation) is included in that fare and can not be removed

Thank you. I was going to ask about this separately. I haven't bought a package and don't really plan to but I couldn't tell exactly what the Crew Appreciation was. Actually, knowing that it is the suggested gratuities makes the packages MORE appealing to me, so I might need to run some numbers on that. 

We are not big drinkers...but we prefer to book the Plus package mainly because it bundles the things that we would be doing anyway.  We will generally not drink much at all if we are "paying as we go" but since it's included we will branch out and experiment a bit with drinks that we've never tried.  I will ALWAYS go for the internet...we're going to do the gratuities and that pretty much covers it for us.

We most always get the Plus package, so gratuities are included.  We also tip extra cash to those crew members who provide extra or special services.   This is at your own discretion, of course.

I don’t think about how the prepaid gratuities are allocated.  That’s between Princess, the employer, and the crew, the employees.  Both parties have agreed to the terms of their contract.   

blizzard44ca

We typically purchase a package that has standard CA included. (We wouldn’t adjust it if we could)

In addition, we will either (sometimes both) leave additional cash tip, or specific mention by name on the survey, for those who go out of their way to enhance our cruise experience. This is dependent on the length of the cruise, and how they assisted.

First off despite what those who claim to be in the know say I doubt that anyone on here knows definitively how the crew are paid and how tips, be they paid via your account or given to individuals, are dealt with. There will be 1001 different stories on the internet that claim to have been told to various people by crew members - whether any of them are true or not remains uncertain.

You will also find that the responses will vary considerably based on the geographic location of those posting - USA having a totally different view on tipping to the majority of the rest of the world.

My view is that I pay what is asked of me with an additional tip for exceptional service and what happens after that is of no concern of mine - I have more important things in my life to worry about!

I really don't care what the crew makes. They all work very hard and deserve everything they get. I don't believe the tips are a part of their salary, and will continue to pre pay the tips at the going rate, and tip additionally as I see fit.

If you run the numbers for the plus fare you will find that if you drink 2, maybe 3 alcoholic beverages per day you break even. It all depends on how many non-alcoholic beverages you consume. Almost all non-alcoholic beverages are included and unlimited, including specialty coffees and espresso drinks, fountain sodas, juices, bottled water and so on. Coffee & tea is free all day in the buffet and in the DRs. Juice is free during breakfast hours. You will also receive 2 casual dining meals per cruise, unlimited wifi/internet and some other things. The plus fare also covers the new one month old fees, the one time $15 Ocean Now app access and the new room service fee of $5/call. The plus fare is $60/day extra.

For information I have always let the auto-tip in place and provided extra cash to the cabin steward at the end of the voyage. That's me. Makes me feel good and I'm certain the cabin steward feels good also.  

My wife and I will continue to pay the suggested tips along with extra tips for good dining room servers and assistants along with our room steward.  We even tipped a casino worker since she was always so nice during our last cruise.  We appreciate their hard work.  I feel that some people just don't like to tip but this is part of cruising.  Some people are probably just cheap.

sunviking90

Here we go….. The thread is officially “hot”

charliedalrymple

Your tipping choices are probably going to depend on where you are from.  Europeans and Australians don't have a culture of tipping like the Americans.  Of course, we pay service workers a living wage.

SargassoPirate

I cruise with the standard/steerage booking mostly because I can't make the math work for the packages.  I pay the standard gratuity once I'm onboard as part of my daily expenditures.  I don't use the app on board and prefer to order my evening drink(s) from a human.  If that human has it on the ball, I'll tip them a little extra - especially when my butt and my drink start getting to the table at the same time.

It's low stress, old school cruising and I enjoy it.

We are probably about the same as the majority of PCL cruisers.  We pay the suggested tipping amount charged daily on our folio and tip extra when warranted by excellent service!  We still think PCL has the best crews out of all the lines we’ve sailed.

Always a hot and controversial topic!

Cruise Raider

Being from the US, we would never consider removing the crew appreciation as we believe there are those behind the scenes that contribute to experience while onboard.  I understand there are cultures where tipping is not the norm and I can respect that, as well.  But while in Rome (or on a cruise), do as the Romans do.  We always get at least the Plus Package.   We also tend to bring goodie bags of treats (individually packaged bags of chips, chocolates, nuts, protein bars, trail mix, etc) for those that have made our trip extra special, but usually only if we leave out of our home port as we are able to easily take an extra piece of luggage.  Some staff may also get an extra cash tip, which they are able to keep but we’ve noticed that, at least at the bars, it goes into a jar to be shared with the crew at that specific bar.  We don’t go overboard with cash tipping, though. For room service, we leave between $3-$5 per delivery.  We usually distribute no more than $100 overall for a 10 day cruise for our favorite waiters, bartenders and room steward  …. some passengers leave a lot more, some leave nothing extra and the choice is always personal.  I’ve never seen waiters complain or give lessened service if people do not leave them extra.   Oftentimes, we will just ask what they want or need from in port if they don’t get a chance to get off the ship .. they are always hesitant to tell us but we convince them they will just get something they may not want.   😉  

Most important, we always fill out the survey post cruise.  We learned they only get to recognized onboard if we do so within 3 days at the end of the cruise.   I text myself all the names of the staff that we’ve gotten to know to make sure I don’t forget anyone that gave us extra special care.  

Although I've toyed with the idea if adjusting CA I keep them as-is, add as needed (setting up my elite tea, same table wait staff inc HW [special diet], steward), and add in a bowl of Ghirardelli chocolates for them to take one as desired (yes that bowl gets smaller and it's not just me).

3 minutes ago, charliedalrymple said: Your tipping choices are probably going to depend on where you are from.  Europeans and Australians don't have a culture of tipping like the Americans.  Of course, we pay service workers a living wage.

As do we in California.  Minimum wage $16 hr [service workers $20 hr next year], company heathcare insurance mandatory, & 401k optional. USA is unfortunately a collection of 50 states with very different ideas

we leave the CA in place as we have PLUS, then Premier

we are working on a 'bribe bag' to give our steward upon meeting him / her the on embarkation day.

for a little 5 day cruise - so far it contains (and my wife was working on this bag this morning) a thank-you in advance for ... with a $20 inside.  It also contains a nice fingernail clipper set, a mini flashlight, some lip balm, some candies and whatever else she may pick up between now and then.

we/she also made up some little bags for certain crew members we come across (Vines, for sure) that include the mini flashlight, lip balm and whatever else she comes across between now and then.  Those people I will tip directly as warrants.

Just to be clear, any bags are in addition to cash tips - not in lieu of 

Ken the cruiser

1 hour ago, Greytgrey said: I've never cruised Princess before, but on other cruise lines have consistently paid the "suggested" gratuity, and then also tipped as compelled beyond that.

I'm just curious, which specific cruise lines have you sailed with in the last 8 years or so have allowed you the option of paying their "suggested" gratuity? We have cruised with HAL, PCL, Celebrity, Crystal, NCL, Oceania, and Disney, and none of these lines simply handed out envelopes anymore for you to optionally pay their suggested gratuity amount.

However, I do remember having that option back in 2012-2015 to do so, until the major cruise lines started applying predefined gratuities, based on cabin category, to our shipboard account. The only exception to that policy was Crystal. With them gratuities were automatically included in the cruise fare, and thus could not be removed by disgruntled passengers while on the cruise.

Guest Snaxmuppet

My starting position is one of being a Brit... that is that as a Brit I subscribe to the concept that a tip or gratuity should be an optional payment given because someone did something over and above what would normally be expected of them. It should not be that they have to rely on them to be able to earn a decent wage.

OK... with that out of the way you might think that I am one of those that want to withhold automatic Crew Appreciation but I am not. Neither am I one of those that don't tip when abroad such as the USA. No, I tip and I tip well, especially in the USA, because although I wouldn't necessarily tip automatically here in the UK when I am in the USA (or elsewhere abroad) I recognise that theirs is a different system. They rely on those tips and just because I don't think they should have to rely on them they do so I am not going to remove part of their income just because we do things differently here in the UK.

So back to crew appreciation... I say to everyone who is considering removing it and tipping individually please don't do that. I do understand why you might want to do that but remember, the crew look after us when we are at sea and for the most part they do it brilliantly. Don't take away their income. If someone does something extra then yes, tip them privately as well. I always leave a decent tip for the room steward and also the bar staff if they look after me. If you feel the urge to remove the CA because of bad service then just think about how much the crew are paid and you might think twice.

6 hours ago, PacnGoNow said: We are probably about the same as the majority of PCL cruisers.  We pay the suggested tipping amount charged daily on our folio and tip extra when warranted by excellent service!  We still think PCL has the best crews out of all the lines we’ve sailed.   Always a hot and controversial topic!

Ditto on the best crew.  While we sail for the itinerary most of the time, with all things being equal we choose Princess.  

For those of you who like to present a baggie of gifts to your cabin steward along with cash, stop doing that.  Give them extra cash instead.  Most of these workers are there to make money to send back home to family. They really do prefer cash and not miscellaneous gifts which they probably already have and the limited space to keep your gifts.  They, of course, will smile and say thank you but like I just said they prefer the extra cash to send home to help support their families.  It is a nice gesture and thoughtful, but it makes you feel good instead.   

Be aware that the gratuities are not shared out amongst the crew on the ship that you are on. They are pooled and shared out fleetwide!

9 minutes ago, 10cruise said: For those of you who like to present a baggie of gifts to your cabin steward along with cash, stop doing that.  Give them extra cash instead.  Most of these workers are there to make money to send back home to family. They really do prefer cash and not miscellaneous gifts which they probably already have and the limited space to keep your gifts.  They, of course, will smile and say thank you but like I just said they prefer the extra cash to send home to help support their families.  It is a nice gesture and thoughtful, but it makes you feel good instead.   

we will continue to do 'US' - you do you

Happiest when cruising

1 minute ago, rosevew said: Be aware that the gratuities are not shared out amongst the crew on the ship that you are on. They are pooled and shared out fleetwide!

Here’s the part that sounds confusing to me. The part that says it forms part of their compensation- separate from bonuses. To me… that sounds like their basic wage.   

I just pre pay them,  or use our OBC, once onboard. I would never consider not paying them. 

It’s easy to add extra cash tips, since it feels “free” if it’s paid through credits.  When Princess removes that option, it will then become a very interesting topic on these boards.   

Here’s their information, copied directly from the website. 

All of the Crew Appreciation and Service Charge payments made by all guests on all ships in our fleet are pooled, net of credit card transaction fees. The pooled funds are distributed throughout the year in the form of compensation, including bonuses, to crewmembers fleetwide who interact directly with guests and/or behind the scenes throughout every cruise, including those in the Bar, Dining, Entertainment, Housekeeping, Guest Services, Galley and Onboard Revenue areas.

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Princess Cruises Introduces Next-Level Connectivity Extending Cruise Vacation Value Over Land-Based Vacations

Game-changing medallionnet max wifi debuts august 31 exclusively with princess plus and princess premier bundles.

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla . (August 7, 2024) – Princess Cruises, the world's most iconic cruise brand, today announced the launch of MedallionNet Max, a new level of onboard Wi-Fi service that will meet the growing demands of today’s intensively digitally-connected travelers and continue to expand the market for cruise vacations. MedallionNet Max will be available exclusively in Princess Plus and Princess Premier packages.

Since 2018, Princess has led the industry on high-performance, onboard Wi-Fi aggressively adopting service new satellite constellations, including a Wi-Fi access point in every stateroom on every ship and ensuring that Wi-Fi service access is simple and hassle-free. Princess is the only cruise operator who has adopted every source of bandwidth spanning the globally deployed fleet including LEO (Starlink), MEO, GEO satellite constellations as well as 5G terrestrial.

Princess will now offer two-tiers of Wi-Fi service - MedallionNet Classic and MedallionNet Max. MedallionNet Classic will offer the same service performance, reliability, and global coverage that Princess guests enjoy today. MedallionNet Max will now be the highest performing service tier with prioritized access to the highest quality and highest performance bandwidth available anywhere in the world which is typically Starlink.

MedallionNet Max will only be available in the brand’s industry-leading bundles – Princess Plus and Princess Premier. These packages are engineered to give guests the maximum experience with the maximum value.

A la carte pricing for MedallionNet Classic remains $24.99 per day for a single device plan and $44.99 per day for a multi-device plan. Consistent with the cruise brand’s relentless focus on personalized and hassle-free service, guests will not have to do anything different onboard to access the different services.

The appropriate service level will be assigned based on each guest’s package, as indicated on the Princess app. A single guest network will remain, reduce guest confusion related to network names or any complications being added to the onboard experience.

To preview the new service tier, Princess Cruises will host the first-ever land/sea custom UGC competition, leveraging a custom Minecraft world - Princess Cruises Nautical Quest. The August 7 match up will feature 32 of the world’s most popular UGC players, with eight of the gamers - Shubble, Krinios, Fruitberries, vGumiho, Sneegsnag, JimmyHere, Smajor, and Hannahxxrose - competing aboard Enchanted Princess in the Caribbean against 24 others who will play from home as millions of fans tune in to watch online.

“Just like we did when we launched MedallionNet Classic almost seven years ago, Princess continues to ensure guests have access to highest performing connectivity available at industry leading value,” said John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises. “By including MedallionNet Max in our incredible bundles we are guaranteeing the best possible onboard experience with the best value anywhere in the world as our guests explore over 330 destinations via our world-class globally deployed fleet.”

A History of Upping the Connectivity Ante

In early 2018, Princess established a new standard of connectivity for guests on its cruise ships by smashing the bandwidth-at-sea world record with the initial launch of its MedallionNet connectivity service aboard Regal Princess. At a time when the industry average was 10-20 Mbps per ship, Regal Princess reached 2.25 Gbps, demonstrating there were no practical limits to progressing shipboard connectivity. Since that time, the connectivity landscape has changed dramatically with Starlink, with onboard Wi-Fi increasingly becoming a commodity. However, Princess will continue to ensure connectivity experience differentiation by making it the best value and most hassle-free experience possible.

While MedallionNet Max will only be available within the inclusive Princess Plus and Princess Premier bundles, guests opting to sail with the standard Princess vacation package still will be able to purchase MedallionNet Classic connectivity with no change to pricing.

In addition to premium connectivity, guests opting for the inclusive Princess Plus and Princess Premier will also enjoy popular amenities like beverages, casual dining, desserts, complimentary room service, fitness classes, crew gratuities and more at an even greater savings of up 65% than when the inclusive package amenities are purchased separately.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel advisor, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS (1-800-774-6237) or by visiting the company’s website at  www.princess.com.

Media Contacts

Contact information for members of the media

Negin Kamali, +1 661-753-1539, [email protected]

Briana Latter, +1 661-753-1538, [email protected]

About Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises is The Love Boat, the world’s most iconic cruise brand that delivers dream vacations to millions of guests every year in the most sought-after destinations on the largest ships that offer elite service personalization and simplicity customary of small, yacht-class ships. Well-appointed staterooms, world class dining, grand performances, award-winning casinos and entertainment, luxurious spas, imaginative experiences and boundless activities blend with exclusive Princess MedallionClass service to create meaningful connections and unforgettable moments in the most incredible settings in the world - the Caribbean, Alaska, Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, Europe, South America, Australia/New Zealand, the South Pacific, Hawaii, Asia, Canada/New England, Antarctica, and World Cruises. The company is part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE:CCL; NYSE:CUK).

Additional media information is available at princess.com/news

Not a member of the media? 

Contact us at: 1-800-PRINCESS (1-800-774-6237) or 1-661-753-0000

More contact information is available on our Contact Us page