Celebrity Cruises Raises Daily Gratuities by $1.50 a Day

Celebrity Cruises increased its fleetwide daily gratuity rates on July 29, 2026, adding $1.50 per guest, per day to every stateroom category. After a same-day customer notice created confusion over whether already-booked guests could still use the former amounts, the line sent a follow-up clarification allowing reservations made before July 29 to keep the old rates if gratuities are prepaid before sailing.

For a seven-night sailing, the increase adds $10.50 per guest before any separate gratuities attached to onboard purchases. Inside, Oceanview and Veranda staterooms now carry a gratuity rate of $19.50 per guest, per day, up from $18. Concierge Class and AquaClass accommodations increased from $19 to $20.50, while The Retreat rose from $23 to $24.50. The increases equal 8.3 percent for standard staterooms, 7.9 percent for Concierge and AquaClass, and 6.5 percent for The Retreat, Celebrity’s suite-only product.

The new standard-stateroom charge is higher than the $19 Retreat rate Celebrity used in late 2021. At that time, Celebrity charged $15.50 per person, per day for standard staterooms and $16 for Concierge and AquaClass.

Royal Caribbean Group, Celebrity’s parent company, said in an emailed statement: “We hear directly from guests that our crew are the ones who help make vacation memories unforgettable.” The company said gratuities are shared and are part of crew compensation “in keeping with industry standards.”

Existing bookings can keep the old rate

Celebrity’s initial message told guests they could prepay discretionary gratuities at the “current rate,” while also saying the new daily charges would begin July 29. In a follow-up email, Celebrity said the new gratuity amounts apply to new reservations booked on or after July 29. Guests with reservations made before that date can prepay gratuities at the former rate, but payment must be completed at least 48 hours before the sailing date. Guests who had already prepaid gratuities are not affected.

If gratuities are not prepaid, Celebrity applies the charges daily to the guest’s SeaPass account. Guests may adjust the amount onboard at Guest Relations before the morning of disembarkation, but changes are not allowed after the cruise has ended.

The daily gratuity is separate from Celebrity’s automatic 20 percent gratuity on spa and salon services, beverages, beverage packages, specialty dining, room service and minibar purchases.

Other lines have also moved gratuity charges

Celebrity’s increase follows several other cruise-line service-charge changes this year. MSC Cruises raised its Hotel Service Charge for Alaska and Caribbean sailings in May, Carnival Cruise Line previously set April increases for daily gratuities and one drink package, and Princess Cruises began introducing a higher Crew Appreciation charge in March.

“You look at the cost of hotels and transportation, fuel and food and everything else,” Danny Genung, CEO of Harr Travel, told USA Today, describing the changes as part of “compensating employees, offsetting costs that have increased.”

Where the gratuities go

Celebrity tells guests that gratuities are shared among dining, bar, culinary and stateroom teams, along with other crew members involved in the onboard experience. Its published policy says prepaid gratuities are pooled and applied toward onboard crew compensation, but it does not specify how the pool is divided among individual crew roles.

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