June 26, 2026, 3:14 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Do you tip when you’re satisfied with a service? In Germany, it’s common—and mostly voluntary. However, on many cruises, this seems to be changing. According to media reports, more cruise lines are automatically charging guests a so-called “Crew Appreciation,” a service fee that is added daily per person to the onboard account. Learn more about this at TRAVELBOOK.
Debates Over Mandatory “Tips” on Cruises
Rising cruise prices are a hot topic in online forums such as “Reddit.” At the forefront is an unpopular tipping policy under scrutiny. Many users describe the supposedly voluntary contribution as effectively mandatory additional costs, criticizing the lack of transparency. The fees, especially on longer trips, can add up significantly—sometimes to several hundred or over a thousand dollars.
Among others, “Fox News” provides more details on how the so-called Crew Appreciation is calculated. For instance, the cruise line Holland America Line automatically charges this to the onboard account of its cruise guests, making it a fixed daily fee. The amount is approximately 15.50 euros per person per day in standard cabins and around 17 euros in suites.
Interestingly, the cruise line’s website describes an “optional tipping policy.” However, the term “optional” warrants a closer look.
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The Exclusive Islands of Cruise Lines
Payment Is Mandatory—Amount May Be Adjustable
A completely voluntary payment doesn’t seem to be the case. As “Fox News” explains, guests can adjust the specific amount of the mandatory “tip” at their discretion, potentially lowering or increasing it.
At Princess Cruises, passengers have less flexibility. As clearly stated on the cruise line’s website, the Crew Appreciation functions as a daily amount per guest, automatically added to their onboard account. This is intended to honor the services of various crew members who contribute to the “overall cruise experience.”
MSC Cruises and Carnival Cruise Line have also recently increased the controversial fees. While MSC now charges 17 U.S. dollars per person per night for Crew Appreciation on Caribbean and Alaska routes, Carnival charges 17 U.S. dollars in standard cabins and 19 U.S. dollars in suites.
Appreciation for the Crew—Not a Bad Idea?
Among the critical voices on Reddit, some users find financial recognition for the crew fundamentally sensible. It can acknowledge the often demanding work onboard and provide an additional contribution to the employees’ income.
At the same time, some emphasize that they are generally willing to tip for good service—even on a cruise. However, combined with the seemingly mandatory additional fees, this can quickly exceed the vacation budget. There is also criticism that it remains unclear to what extent the automatically collected amounts actually reach the service staff directly or if they are partially used to cover the cruise lines’ operational costs.
Also interesting: Do you have to tip at an all-inclusive hotel?
The general consensus is quite clear. Most users demand that cruise lines include personnel costs directly in the travel price. They should “abolish tips altogether and instead pay the staff properly.”