SouthernWorldwide.com – Cruise passengers are encountering a common vacation surprise: bills that continue to increase long after the initial booking.
Daily gratuities, service charges on drink packages, specialty dining fees, and other automatic additions have become a contentious issue for travelers. They argue that cruise vacations are advertised with one price, but the actual cost turns out to be significantly higher.
Frustration appears to be growing as several cruise lines have recently increased their gratuity or service charges, with some changes set for 2026.
Holland America Line is the most recent cruise company to revise its gratuity structure.
Effective June 1, guests on Holland America ships will incur daily “crew appreciation” charges. These will amount to $18 per day for those in non-suite staterooms and $20 per day for guests in suites.
The cruise line states that this gratuity is automatically added to each guest’s onboard account.
Guests have the option to adjust this daily amount according to their own discretion while onboard, the company advises.
Furthermore, an 18% service charge is automatically applied to specific purchases. This includes beverage items, retail items from the bar, cover charges for specialty restaurants, à la carte menu items available for purchase, and services at the spa and salon.
These charges are subject to change without prior notification, according to the company. Guests are encouraged to contact customer service for the most current details before their voyage.
Regarding the “crew appreciation” fees, a Holland America spokesperson clarified that “100% goes directly to our shipboard team.” They also noted that the charge is “in line with the cruise industry competitive standards.”
MSC Cruises has also recently updated its daily service charges.
This adjustment increases the charge by $1 per person per night for standard staterooms on Caribbean and Alaska sailings, bringing the rate to $17. Guests in the MSC Yacht Club will experience a larger increase, with charges set at $23 per person per night, the company reported.
“This update supports our dedicated crew members who deliver the exceptional onboard experience our guests expect,” a spokesperson stated.
Carnival Cruise Line also implemented an increase in its gratuities earlier this spring.
Following this change, Carnival’s daily gratuities rose to $17 for standard staterooms and $19 for suites.
On the same day, Carnival also increased the price of a popular onboard package.
The price for the Bottomless Bubbles package for adults was raised to $11.99 per day, up from $9.50 per day.
A 20% service charge is applicable to this package, as indicated on the company’s website.
“Our shipboard team members work hard to provide exceptional service,” a spokesperson commented. “We believe our guests will agree this slight increase is well-deserved.”
Carnival has stated that guests still retain some control over these charges.
While gratuities are automatically added to guests’ shipboard accounts, the amount can be adjusted onboard at the guest’s request, according to the spokesperson.
Cruise lines have traditionally relied on automatic gratuities. However, in recent years, a growing sense of “tipping fatigue” has emerged across various service industries, including restaurants and coffee shops, particularly those utilizing self-checkout systems.
Earlier this year on Reddit’s cruise forums, travelers expressed their dissatisfaction with additional gratuities.
“I honestly feel the gratuity thing is going out of control,” one user posted.
Another participant responded, “Gratuity everywhere is out of control. At self-checkouts, the machine asks for a tip. For who, exactly? The only correct answer is to tap ‘0%.'”
A third user commented, “I just wish they’d pay the staff decently and include that in the fare. I hate tipping culture.”
This discussion has also extended to Facebook.
In one Facebook group, a cruiser argued that companies should be more transparent about the total cost of a trip.
“I think they don’t include [specific item charges] to keep advertised prices looking lower,” the user wrote.
