Celebrity Cruises Raises Daily Gratuities Effective Immediately

Cruising with Celebrity Cruises just became a little more expensive. The premium cruise line has announced an increase to its automatic daily gratuities, marking the latest in a growing industry trend of higher onboard service charges.

Effective July 29, 2026, guests who do not prepay gratuities will see higher daily charges automatically added to their onboard SeaPass account. While the increase amounts to just $1.50 per person, per day, the cumulative impact can be noticeable—especially for families or anyone sailing on longer itineraries.

Celebrity isn’t alone. Nearly every major cruise line has raised gratuities or service charges over the past year as operators continue to deal with rising labor costs, inflation, and increasing crew compensation. For frequent cruisers, these annual adjustments are becoming almost as predictable as itinerary changes.

How Much Are Celebrity Cruises Gratuities Now?

Celebrity Cruises now charges the following automatic daily gratuities:

• $19.50 per guest, per day for Inside, Ocean View, and Veranda staterooms.
• $20.50 per guest, per day for Concierge Class and AquaClass staterooms.
• $24.50 per guest, per day for guests staying in The Retreat.

A family of four would pay $546 a seven-night cruise if they leave the automatic gratuities in place. For a couple staying in the Retreat, the same cruise would cost an extra $343 in gratuities.

According to Celebrity Cruises, guests who choose not to prepay gratuities at the time of booking will automatically have these amounts charged to their SeaPass account each day of the cruise. However, these may be removed or adjusted at the guest’s discretion by visiting Guest Services before the final day of the cruise.

In addition to the daily gratuity, Celebrity also automatically applies a 20% gratuity to many onboard purchases. That includes:

• Spa and salon services
• Beverages and beverage packages
• Specialty dining and specialty dining packages
• Room service
• Mini-bar purchases

Unlike the daily gratuities, these service charges are mandatory and cannot be removed or adjusted.

When Was Celebrity’s Last Gratuity Increase?

This isn’t the first time Celebrity Cruises has increased gratuities.

The previous adjustment took effect in late 2023, when the cruise line raised automatic gratuities by $1.00 per guest, per day across most cabin categories. At that time, standard staterooms increased from $17.00 to $18.00 per day. The newest increase raises those same cabins from $18.00 to $19.50, an increase of 8.3%.

Where Does the Money Go?

According to the Celebrity’s official policy, gratuities collected are pooled and applied toward the compensation of onboard crew members, including dining staff, bar and culinary teams, stateroom attendants, hotel services employees, and numerous other crew members working behind the scenes. However, Celebrity does not elaborate on how specifically the gratuities are distributed, or how they affect each crew member’s final paycheck.

Are Cruise Gratuities Mandatory?

Technically, no.

Celebrity Cruises’ policy states that guests may modify their gratuities at their sole discretion by visiting the Guest Relations desk onboard at any time before the morning of disembarkation. Once the cruise has ended, gratuities can no longer be adjusted. That means passengers can reduce, remove, or increase the automatic gratuities if they choose. The process is quite simple and Celebrity staff are trained to handle any requests professionally.

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