Service Charges and Gratuities on Board

On a cruise, service charge, service fee, Crew Appreciation and gratuity can refer to different payments. A service charge is assessed under the cruise line’s terms or bundled into a fare. A personal gratuity is a voluntary additional token of appreciation. The name alone does not show whether an amount is included in the fare or charged later.

Two different charges

When booking, it is worth checking who collects the amount, what service it covers, and whether it is charged per person, per day, per cabin or per purchase. A daily onboard service charge is not the same as a service fee on a single order. Likewise, an amount included in the fare should be distinguished from a gratuity you choose to give. The billing depends on the cruise line’s terms.

Princess uses “Crew Appreciation” to refer to a service charge. Under the terms of Princess Plus, whether it is included depends on when and in which currency the package is purchased: a package bought in advance includes this charge under the stated terms; however, Crew Appreciation is not included when the package is purchased onboard a cruise billed in Australian dollars. Princess also notes that other service fees are not included in the Plus package. This example applies to these package terms and is not a general rule for other cruise lines.

What the booking terms say

A fare overview or booking confirmation shows which charges are included in the price and which are billed separately. Check the exact name of each charge, how it is calculated, and any exceptions based on fare type, purchase date or currency.

An additional gratuity is a separate choice

A service charge that has already been assessed and a personal token of appreciation should be considered separately. Anyone who wishes to give an additional gratuity can decide for themselves; whether and how a cruise line allows a payment to an individual crew member is a specific onboard policy. The name of a daily charge does not indicate how it is distributed internally or whether further payments are expected.

Checking your bill

During the cruise, your onboard account and itemized receipts can help you compare posted charges with the fare details. If a charge is unclear or appears to have been applied twice, you can ask onboard which fee it relates to. For help clarifying a booking, the Guest Services desk onboard is a suitable point of contact. When comparing costs, consider both the stated daily amounts and any services already included or charged separately.