Money
Tipping on an Alaska Cruise
Cruise tipping is mostly automatic and mostly predictable. What confuses people is the layering: a daily service charge, plus percentage gratuities on discretionary purchases, plus optional cash, plus entirely separate expectations ashore.
The short answer
Expect an automatic daily gratuity of 16 to 25 dollars per person, charged to your onboard account, plus 18 to 20 percent added to drinks, spa and specialty dining. Ashore in Alaska, tip 15 to 20 percent in restaurants and 5 to 20 dollars per person to excursion guides depending on trip length.
Key points
- Daily gratuities of 16 to 25 dollars per person are charged automatically.
- Beverages, spa and specialty dining add a further 18 to 20 percent.
- The gratuity on a promotional drinks package is still charged to you.
- Excursion guides are tipped separately, 5 to 20 dollars per person.
- Alaska is part of the United States, so normal American tipping applies ashore.
Cruise tipping is layered rather than complicated. Once you can see the layers it becomes entirely predictable.
Layer one: the daily service charge
Every mainstream line adds a daily gratuity to your onboard account.
| Line | Standard cabins | Suites |
|---|---|---|
| Carnival | $16 to $20 | $18 to $22 |
| Disney | $16 to $19 | $16 to $19 |
| Holland America | $17 to $21 | $19 to $23 |
| Princess | $18 to $23 | $21 to $27 |
| Royal Caribbean | $18 to $23 | $21 to $27 |
| Celebrity | $18 to $25 | $23 to $30 |
| Norwegian | $20 to $25 | $25 to $32 |
| Luxury lines | Usually included | Usually included |
For two people over seven nights that is $220 to $350. Budget it at the point of booking rather than discovering it on the final night.
Who it goes to: cabin stewards, dining room servers and assistants across all complimentary venues, buffet staff, and behind the scenes crew including galley, laundry and cleaning teams who never meet passengers.
Layer two: percentage gratuities on purchases
| Purchase | Automatic gratuity |
|---|---|
| Individual drinks | 18 to 20% |
| Drinks packages | 18 to 20% of the package price |
| Specialty dining | 18 to 20% |
| Spa and salon | 18 to 20% |
| Room service | Often $5 fixed plus optional |
The one that catches people out: when a beverage package is included as a promotion, the 18 to 20 percent gratuity on its value is usually still charged to your account. For two people over seven nights that is commonly $300 to $500 for something advertised as free.
Read the promotion terms. This is the single most common cruise billing surprise. See drink packages.
Layer three: optional cash
Entirely discretionary. If a cabin steward or server has been genuinely exceptional, cash handed to them directly on the final evening goes to that person rather than into the pool.
Typical amounts for a week of outstanding service are $20 to $50 per person. There is no expectation and nobody will treat you differently for not doing it.
Layer four: ashore
Alaska is part of the United States, so standard American tipping practice applies.
| Situation | Typical amount |
|---|---|
| Restaurant | 15 to 20% |
| Bar | $1 to $2 per drink, or 15 to 20% |
| Excursion guide, half day | $5 to $10 per person |
| Excursion guide, full day | $10 to $20 per person |
| Boat crew, wildlife trip | $5 to $10 per person, often a shared jar |
| Taxi | 10 to 15% |
| Hotel housekeeping | $3 to $5 per night |
Victoria is in Canada, where norms are broadly similar.
Ship booked excursions do not add gratuity automatically, so guides on those trips depend entirely on cash.
Can you remove the daily charge?
On most mainstream lines, yes, at guest services before the end of the cruise. Some lines have made it non removable on promotional fares where gratuities were prepaid.
Whether you should is a different question. The charge is pooled across staff including people you never meet, and it forms a significant part of crew compensation. If service was genuinely poor, raising it with the hotel director during the cruise is more productive than removing the charge silently at the end.
Prepaying
Most lines let you prepay gratuities before sailing. Two advantages: it removes the charge from your onboard account, and it locks the rate if the line raises it before you sail.
Our view
Treat the daily gratuity as part of the fare rather than as a discretionary payment, and budget accordingly from the outset. It is $220 to $350 for a couple on a seven night cruise, it is entirely predictable, and building it into the number at booking removes the only genuinely unpleasant part of the final bill.
Full detail in our gratuities guide and hidden fees.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I tip on an Alaska cruise?
Do I have to pay the daily gratuity on a cruise?
Should I tip my cabin steward extra?
How much do I tip an Alaska excursion guide?
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