Disney Cruise Tip Calculator
One of the most common sources of confusion aboard Disney Cruises is tipping. And because gratuities are not included in the cost of a Disney Cruise, you’ll need to plan for them when setting your budget.
This page and its dedicated Tip Calculator will help you understand exactly how much you can expect to pay.
Disney Cruise Tipping Guidelines
If you’ve read our complete guide to tipping on Disney Cruise Line, you already know that Recommended Gratuity is Disney Cruise Line’s way of streamlining the onboard tipping process.
This system consolidates tips for several Crew Members—the stateroom housekeeping crew, dining room crew, and concierge lounge crew (if applicable)—into a single fee. Disney will automatically charge this recommended amount to your room at the end of the cruise unless you make other arrangements.
Recommended gratuities say “thanks” to the Crew Member who keeps your stateroom clean
Even though tips are technically not mandatory, they are customary onboard Disney Cruises—even when sailing to or from countries where tipping is not common. Gratuities are a significant source of income for the hard-working Crew Members. And they’re a meaningful way to show appreciation for the high level of service you receive onboard.
To be blunt—they’re not something to omit just because you “don’t tip.” That said, the recommended amounts are just that—recommendations. You always have the right to adjust the amount up or down—and can even completely omit the tips if desired—by visiting Guest Services onboard.
Calculate How Much to Tip on Your Disney Cruise
Disney last updated its recommended gratuity amounts in January 2025. Our calculator is based on the following recommendations from Disney:
- $16.00 per passenger, per night, for Guests in most Disney Cruise staterooms
- $27.25 per passenger, per night, for Guests in Concierge staterooms & suites
To calculate the exact suggested amount for your cruise, just answer three simple questions below…
Gratuities Not Included in Our Calculator
Our Gratuity Calculator focuses solely on the tips that every passenger on the ship is expected to pay—these are tips for Crew Members who serve you for the entire duration of the cruise. The calculator shows which Crew Members are included in the final total, and how much each will receive. Remember: you can adjust these amounts up or down by visiting Guest Services onboard.
The Dining Room Crew benefits from your automatic gratuities.
Some optional experiences and services—such as spa treatments and specialty dining—also incur an automatic gratuity that’s usually around 18% of the experience cost. These tips are not included in our calculator because they don’t apply to all passengers and because these amounts will vary significantly.
Planning a pedicure? Don’t forget to tip! | Image © Disney
Beyond that, there are some customary tips which are not even “enforced” with an automatic charge—such as tipping porters, room service, and tour guides. Those are not included in the calculator either, but you can get some suggested guidelines by reading the tipping guide I linked to earlier in this article.
How to Pay the Recommended Gratuity
The easiest way is to simply do nothing—Disney will automatically add the recommended amount to your folio at the end of the cruise, and will then charge the payment method you have on file. You’ll even get a “receipt” of sorts that you can give to the Crew Members.
Papers showing gratuities paid
Some cruisers prefer to pay in advance so there’s one less “bill” to account for at the end of the cruise. You can do this by contacting DCL or your travel agent at least three days in advance of your sail date. (Prepaid gratuities are 100% refundable if you cancel your cruise.)
If you prefer to tip in cash, you’re free to do so. You’ll even get special envelopes for this purpose just before your cruise ends. But don’t forget to visit Guest Services onboard so they can remove the automatic charge from your account.
Tipping Envelopes are provided at the end of your Disney Cruise
Get Free Funds to Use Toward Gratuities
One of the best ways to save money on a Disney Cruise is to receive an Onboard Credit. Many of the best Disney Travel Agencies offer free funds that you can use for onboard expenses such as gratuities, specialty dining, spa treatments, and alcohol.
We recommend booking through our official travel agency partner, The Vacationeer. They don’t charge any planning fees and offer generous onboard credits of as much as $1,000 depending on the cruise you book.
And as an Earmarked Diamond Level Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, they’ve booked tens of thousands of Disney vacations for families just like yours!
Stress-Free Cruise Planning With The Vacationeer
One-on-One Service
One dedicated agent handles everything from start to finish. No impersonal call centers and no waiting on hold.
Free Onboard Credit
Get up to $1,000 in credits toward dining, excursions, spa treatments, merchandise, tips, and more.
The Best Price
They’ll find the best possible rate for your cruise, and keep searching for new discounts to add as they’re announced.
