Disney Cruise Line: Gratuities
I see a lot of questions regarding gratuities and how this works and who gets tipped. Each cruise line has a suggested tip amount per passenger per day.
*DCL’s suggested tipping amount is $16.00 per person per day for non concierge staterooms. (yes babies included!)
*You can choose to pre-pay the $16.00 per person per day OR have $16.00 per person per day AUTO CHARGED to your stateroom account once on board.
– Either way you choose, it works out to be the same amount of money !
-The only way to NOT be auto charged on board is to pre-pay the gratuities OR go to guest services once onboard and ask to change the amounts you are tipping. Please only do this if you would like to tip MORE than 16.00 per person per day or you would like to give CASH to your crew in the amount they would have received otherwise.
-On the last night of your cruise your room host will leave envelopes with a sheet of perforated paper with each tippable crew members name and position on it. This will happen if you pre-paid or were auto charged once on board. This is just a gesture – the paper doesn’t hold any value. It’s just so you can let the staff know you tipped the suggested amount.
Many people, like myself, use envelopes to slip extra tips to the staff on the last night of their cruise and if they feel they had superior service.
* So, who does the $16.00 per person per day go to?
- Room Host
- Head Server
- Main Server
- Assistant Server
*Who does it not go to?
- Room service delivery person
- Bar /Lounge Staff
- Spa staff
- Specialty Restaurant staff
Guests staying in Concierge Staterooms and Suites are recommended a gratuity amount of $27.25 USD per night, per stateroom Guest. This includes gratuity for the assistant stateroom host, who services the Concierge accommodations, and the Concierge Lounge team, in addition to the positions listed above.
Easily pre-pay optional gratuities online to create a carefree experience by visiting My Reservations in your Disney account and following the prompts for Pre-Paid Gratuities. If you booked your Disney cruise with a travel agent, please contact them to apply this payment for you.
For Guest convenience, if you did not get a chance to pre-pay before boarding the ship, the optional gratuity amount will be added to your onboard account. Once on board the ship, if you wish to remove or adjust the amount of your optional gratuities, please visit Guest Services for assistance.
Requests to refund pre-paid optional gratuities may only be processed in full back to the original form of payment, which may include forms of payment made by a travel agent.
Not Included
Pre-paid optional gratuities do not include the following gratuities:
- Extras added to rotational dining meals such as alcoholic beverages
- Adult and premium dining locations which are not part of rotational dining
- Food or drink in shops and outdoor or poolside eateries
- Room service
- Port Adventures
- Senses Spa & Salon
- Any other additional services
There is an 18% gratuity charged for bar, beverage, wine, adult and premium dining, deck service tabs and spa services. All gratuities can be charged to your onboard account.