Celebrity Cruises Gratuities: Daily Rates and What to Expect
Gratuities are one of the expenses worth understanding before a Celebrity Cruises vacation. While the cruise fare covers many parts of the onboard experience, daily gratuities recognize the crew members who provide service throughout the sailing and can add a noticeable amount to the final cost of a cruise.
The Celebrity Cruises gratuities information shown below provides the daily rates for standard staterooms, Concierge Class and AquaClass accommodations, and The Retreat suites. It also explains how the gratuities are distributed and identifies additional purchases that carry a separate gratuity.
Celebrity Cruises Daily Gratuity Rates
According to the Celebrity Cruises information shown above, the daily gratuity amount depends on the guest’s stateroom category.
The rates shown are:
Standard Stateroom: $19.50 per guest, per day
Concierge Class and AquaClass: $20.50 per guest, per day
The Retreat – Suites: $24.50 per guest, per day
Because these amounts are charged daily, the total cost will depend on the length of the cruise and the number of guests.
For example, using the rates shown in the document, two guests staying in a standard stateroom for seven days would have $273 in daily gratuities:
$19.50 × 2 guests × 7 days = $273
For two guests in Concierge Class or AquaClass over the same seven-day period, the total would be $287.
For two guests staying in a Retreat suite, seven days of gratuities would total $343.
These examples are simply calculations based on the daily rates displayed in the Celebrity Cruises document and can be useful when estimating the total cost of a cruise.
Who Receives the Daily Gratuities?
Celebrity explains that the daily gratuity is shared among several groups of crew members involved in the guest experience.
The document specifically identifies dining and culinary services staff, stateroom attendants, other housekeeping services personnel, and employees from other departments who work behind the scenes to support the cruise experience.
This means the daily charge is not simply a tip for a single stateroom attendant or dining-room server. It is distributed among multiple crew members involved in providing onboard service.
What Happens If Gratuities Are Not Prepaid?
The document states that if the gratuity is not prepaid before sailing, the applicable daily gratuity rate will automatically be applied to the guest’s onboard folio.
This is an important detail when budgeting for a Celebrity cruise. Travelers who do not prepay should account for the daily charge when estimating their onboard expenses.
For a longer itinerary, the total can become substantial, particularly when traveling with multiple guests.
Celebrity Cruises Gratuity Cost Examples
Using the rates displayed in the Celebrity document, here are several examples of what the daily gratuities would cost.
For a standard stateroom:
3 days for two guests: $117
4 days for two guests: $156
7 days for two guests: $273
10 days for two guests: $390
14 days for two guests: $546
For Concierge Class or AquaClass:
3 days for two guests: $123
4 days for two guests: $164
7 days for two guests: $287
10 days for two guests: $410
14 days for two guests: $574
For The Retreat suites:
3 days for two guests: $147
4 days for two guests: $196
7 days for two guests: $343
10 days for two guests: $490
14 days for two guests: $686
These calculations can make it easier to include gratuities in a pre-cruise budget rather than treating them as an unexpected expense at the end of the sailing.
Additional 20% Gratuities
The daily gratuity is not the only gratuity mentioned in the Celebrity Cruises information.
The document also states that a 20% gratuity will be added to all spa and salon purchases and specialty dining packages onboard.
That distinction is important. The daily gratuity associated with the stateroom category should not be confused with the separate percentage-based gratuities that can apply to certain onboard purchases.
Travelers planning to use the spa or salon, or purchase specialty dining packages onboard, should account for that additional 20% when estimating their cruise expenses.
Standard Stateroom vs. AquaClass, Concierge Class and The Retreat
Celebrity’s gratuity structure shown in the document increases according to accommodation category.
Standard stateroom guests have the lowest of the three listed daily rates at $19.50.
Concierge Class and AquaClass share the same listed rate of $20.50 per guest, per day, which is $1 more per person each day than the standard stateroom rate.
The Retreat suites have the highest listed rate at $24.50 per guest, per day. That is $5 more per person, per day than the standard stateroom rate.
The difference may seem relatively small on a daily basis, but it becomes more noticeable over longer cruises or when several people are traveling together.
Budgeting for Celebrity Cruises Gratuities
The easiest way to estimate the gratuity portion of a Celebrity cruise budget is to multiply the appropriate daily rate by the number of guests and the number of cruise days.
For example:
Daily gratuity × number of guests × number of days
A couple staying in a standard stateroom can therefore budget $39 per day for the daily gratuities shown in the document, while a couple in The Retreat can budget $49 per day.
Remember that additional gratuities associated with eligible onboard purchases are separate from these daily amounts.
Knowing these costs ahead of time makes it easier to estimate the overall price of the vacation rather than looking only at the advertised cruise fare.
Celebrity Cruises Gratuities FAQ
How much are gratuities on Celebrity Cruises?
The Celebrity Cruises document shown here lists daily gratuities of $19.50 per guest for a standard stateroom, $20.50 for Concierge Class and AquaClass, and $24.50 for The Retreat suites.
Are Celebrity Cruises gratuities charged per person?
Yes. The amounts displayed are daily gratuity rates for guests, so the total increases according to the number of guests and the duration of the cruise.
How much are Celebrity gratuities for two people?
Based on the rates shown, two guests would generate daily gratuities of $39 in a standard stateroom, $41 in Concierge Class or AquaClass, or $49 in a Retreat suite.
How much are Celebrity Cruises gratuities for a seven-day cruise?
Using the displayed rates, two guests would pay $273 for seven days in a standard stateroom, $287 in Concierge Class or AquaClass, or $343 in The Retreat.
Can Celebrity Cruises gratuities be prepaid?
The Celebrity Cruises document specifically refers to gratuities that are “not prepaid prior to sailing,” indicating that gratuities can be prepaid before the cruise.
What happens if I don’t prepay Celebrity Cruises gratuities?
According to the document, if the gratuity is not prepaid before sailing, the daily gratuity rate will automatically be applied to the guest’s onboard folio.
Does Celebrity Cruises add gratuity to spa services?
The information shown states that a 20% gratuity is added to all spa and salon purchases onboard.
Is there a gratuity on Celebrity specialty dining?
The document states that a 20% gratuity is added to specialty dining packages onboard.
Who gets the daily gratuities on Celebrity Cruises?
Celebrity states that the gratuity is shared among dining and culinary services staff, stateroom attendants and other housekeeping personnel, as well as staff from other departments who work behind the scenes to enhance the cruise experience.
Conclusion
Celebrity Cruises gratuities are an important part of calculating the actual cost of a cruise. Based on the Celebrity information shown here, the daily rate varies by accommodation category, ranging from $19.50 per guest in a standard stateroom to $24.50 per guest in The Retreat suites.
Guests who do not prepay their gratuities should expect the applicable daily amount to be automatically applied to their onboard folio. Travelers should also keep the separate 20% gratuity on spa and salon purchases and specialty dining packages in mind when planning their onboard spending.
For anyone preparing a Celebrity Cruises budget, calculating these charges before departure is a simple way to get a much clearer picture of what the cruise will actually cost.
Before You Book
If you’re planning your cruise, check out:
