Is It Best To Prepay Gratuities On A Cruise?

Prepaying gratuities on a cruise can offer several benefits, including budgeting and planning, as well as allowing passengers to have a clearer picture of the cost. Cruise lines often offer the option to prepay gratuities at the time of booking, either with a travel agent or with the cruise line if booked directly.

Prepaid gratuities can be added automatically to your cruise bill or even built into the fare, with most non-luxury cruises ranging upwards of 20 per person. Cruise gratuities are not a permanently fixed price, and for most cruise lines, they typically rise every year. Prepaying your gratuities, when cruising more than a year in advance, could save you money by locking them in at the older rate before any rise is pushed through.

Prepaying gratuities locks in the current rate, but this can be done at any point before sailing. It is much cheaper to prepay the gratuities, as they are divided between the entire crew. In general, people opt to prepay gratuities on a cruise simply because they like not having to worry about them creating a higher bill. Pre-paid gratuities mean that Cruise Specialists have negotiated a special offer for you, and you are not expected nor will you be charged for tips.

In our experience, prepaying gratuities does not negatively affect the service onboard. We have consistently been very pleased with the wonderful service on board. Prepaying gratuities allows you to settle your entire balance before embarking, no surprises during the trip. When you repay gratuity charges, you can enjoy the benefits of prepaying gratuities on a cruise.