Trip Bacon โ€” The secret ingredient to the perfect getaway logo
Trip Bacon

The HIDDEN TRUTH About Cruise Gratuities: Why Cruisers Are REFUSING to Pay!

Wandering Hewitts
Wandering Hewitts
๐ŸฅˆExpert
๐Ÿ‘๏ธ 7K views๐Ÿ“… 6 months agoโฑ๏ธ 10:03
What This Creator Said
Creator Had Mixed FeelingsTips & Advice๐ŸฅˆExpert Creator

Source: Our analysis of the creator's lived experience, based on what they said in this video.

Creator's Key Takeaways

Tipping on cruise ships used to be handled by passengers giving cash directly to the employees for providing great service.

In 2025, the typical daily gratuitities per person range from $16 to $20 depending on the cruise line and cabin class.

According to Carnival's brand ambassador, John He, if you write a gratuitity on the receipt, that gratuitity is shared equally between all the bartenders on the ship.

Crew members across many cruise lines report that positive comments on the surveys directly impact their compensation when the employee is mentioned by name.

Creator's Tips & Advice

โœ“Check your cruise line's tipping policy upfront to see if gratuities are included or charged separately.
โœ“Prepay gratuities at booking to lock in a price and avoid future increases.
โœ“Remove automatic gratuities at guest services and tip with cash if preferred.
โœ“Fill out post-cruise surveys and mention employees by name to help their compensation.

๐Ÿ†•New to Cruising? This Creator Addresses:

Confusion about how gratuities work โ€” Understand that gratuities are mandatory fees, not optional tips, and check policies upfront.
Unexpected costs on final bill โ€” Prepay gratuities or remove them at guest services to control expenses.

Questions This Creator Answers

QWhy has tipping on cruise ships become so confusing?
QWhere does the automatic gratuity money actually go?
QDo crew members see the gratuity money?
QHow can cruisers save money on gratuities?

Topics Covered

Service Crew1ยฝ Happy BaconValue Pricing1 Sad Bacon
How to read the Trip Bacon Score
Happy Bacon โ€” creators loved this aspect
Sad Bacon โ€” creators took issue with this
Meh โ€” no strong opinion either way

Scale: 0โ€“5 strips in half-step increments. 0 = โ€œmehโ€, 5 = โ€œbacon blissโ€. Aggregated from creator-review sentiment, weighted by channel expertise.

About our Bacon Score methodology
YouTube Video Descriptionโ†“

Confused about Cruise Ship Gratuities? Wondering if you HAVE to pay those Automatic Cruise Ship Gratuities? You're not alone! In this video, we dive deep into the controversial topic of automatic cruise gratuities (also known as prepaid gratuities or service charges) and explain exactly how to remove automatic gratuities from your onboard account. We explore the TRUTH about cruise tipping policies across major lines like Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, and MSC Cruises. Discover why more cruisers are choosing to cancel gratuities or adjust gratuities at Guest Services and opt for cash tips instead. Is the automatic gratuity system fair? Where does the money really go? We discuss the cruise gratuity controversy, look at whether these charges subsidize crew salaries, and share our personal strategy for handling cruise ship tipping to ensure the hard-working crew members are rewarded directly. Learn the facts about removing automatic gratuities and decide the best approach for your next cruise vacation. We cover everything you need to know about cruise line tips, from the old system of envelopes to the new system of daily charges, and why understanding the process can help you potentially save money on your cruise. Key Topics Covered: Remove automatic gratuities cruise How to cancel prepaid gratuities Adjust cruise ship service charge Cruise tipping explained Automatic gratuities controversy Are cruise tips mandatory? Tipping crew in cash vs automatic Guest Services gratuity removal Cruise line tipping policy (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, NCL, Princess, HAL, MSC) Prepaid gratuities refund Cruise gratuity scam (discussion) Crew salary and tipping Save money cruise tips What's YOUR take on automatic gratuities? Let us know in the comments below! ๐Ÿ‘‡ V I D E O S T O W A T C H N E X T Cruise Tips! ๐Ÿ‘‰ Click HERE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYHnp2zo4PNcxQRNr7ejwQ12Mn1T0-a92 If youโ€™ve enjoyed this video please give it a ๐Ÿ‘ ! If you are new to our channel, please Subscribe and ring the notification ๐Ÿ”” for all of our upcoming videos! Visit our Amazon Storefront to shop all our favorite cruise essentials and gear up for your next adventure at sea! https://www.amazon.com/shop/wanderinghewitts Disclosure: As Amazon associates, we earn from qualifying purchases. Email us for any questions or Inquires: WanderingHewitts@gmail.com ๐Ÿ“ธ Follow Us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/wanderinghewitts Follow Us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/WanderingHewitts/ Support our Channel! https://venmo.com/u/wanderinghewitts #CruiseTips #CruiseGratuities #CruiseTipping #AutomaticGratuities #CruiseLife