How Does Tipping Work on a Disney Cruise?  Your Guide to Gratuities

Tipping is often a source of confusion on Disney cruises. Does gratuity come with the fare? If not, when should you tip, and how much? How does tipping work on a Disney Cruise?  Here are the answers you need to know.

Note: Disney updated its recommended gratuity amounts in January 2025.  This article has been updated to reflect the new amounts.

Is Tipping Included in the Cost of a Disney Cruise?

The cost of a Disney cruise covers your stateroom, activities, and dining experiences (except for specialty dining). But gratuities (tips) are not included in the base price of your cruise.

Even though gratuities are technically optional, they are customary and you're generally expected to tip. Here are the three scenarios you'll face most often:

• Recommended gratuities for certain Crew Members who serve you during the entire cruise—these apply to all passengers regardless of age, and will be automatically charged at the end of the cruise unless you instruct otherwise
• Gratuities automatically added to the bill for optional services, such as spa treatments or specialty meals
• Other gratuities which are solely at your discretion and not automatically charged

We'll start by covering the so-called "Recommended Gratuities" which are customarily paid by every passenger on the ship.

How Much are the Recommended Gratuities on a Disney Cruise?

If you have not made other arrangements, Disney will automatically charge the following amounts to your shipboard account:

• Most Staterooms: automatic gratuities of $16.00 per passenger, per night
  • 3-Night Cruise: $48.00 per passenger
  • 4-Night Cruise: $64.00 per passenger
  • 7-Night Cruise: $112.00 per passenger
• Concierge Staterooms: automatic gratuities of $27.25 per passenger, per night
  • 3-Night Cruise: $81.75 per passenger
  • 4-Night Cruise: $109.00 per passenger
  • 7-Night Cruise: $190.75 per passenger

Which Crew Members Are Covered by Recommended Gratuities?

The recommended gratuities cover a small group of Crew Members who serve you for the entire duration of your cruise.

Here's who receives a share of the total nightly recommended gratuities listed above:

Server

$5.25 per passenger, per night goes to your dining room Server. They're the Crew Member responsible for taking care of table service during dinner at the rotational dining restaurants.

Assistant Server

$4.25 per passenger, per night goes to your dining room Assistant Server. They assist your primary server with drinks, food, and cleanup.

Dining Room Head Server

$1.25 per passenger, per night goes to the Head Server. They act as a maître d' of sorts, overseeing the other servers and ensuring you are satisfied with your dining experience.

Stateroom Host

$5.25 per passenger, per night goes to your Stateroom Host. They clean your stateroom every day, make your bed in the morning and turn it down at night, leave chocolate on your pillow, etc.

Assistant Stateroom Host (Concierge rooms only)

For guests sailing at the concierge level, $1.25 per passenger, per night goes to the Assistant Stateroom Host/Hostess. They provide additional stateroom service beyond that provided by the primary Stateroom Host.

Concierge Lounge Team (Concierge rooms only)

For guests sailing at the concierge level, $10.00 per passenger, per night is divided among the group of Crew Members who staff the Concierge Lounge.

Remember—all of these Crew Members are there to make your cruise as enjoyable as possible, so don't hesitate to give them a little extra if they go above and beyond.

Calculating Gratuity Amounts

You can calculate these tips by hand, or use our convenient automated tool.

Gratuity Calculator

The easiest way to determine how much you're expected to pay in recommended gratuities is to use our Disney Cruise Line Tip Calculator.

Just answer three simple questions and we'll show you exactly how much you should plan to pay.

Calculating Gratuity Manually

If you prefer to calculate your suggested gratuity by hand, it's a three step process.

First, take the total nightly tip amounts for your room category.

• Most Staterooms: $16.00
• Concierge Staterooms: $27.25

Second, multiply that by the number of people sailing (regardless of age—yes, even infants pay tips).

Third, multiply it by the number of nights your cruise will last.

Gratuity Examples

Here are a few real-world Examples of what you'll pay:

• A couple on a 3-night cruise in a non-Concierge Stateroom: $96 ($16.00 x 2 people x 3 nights)
• A family of four on a 7-night cruise in a non-Concierge Stateroom: $448 ($16.00 x 4 people x 7 nights)
• A family of three on a 4-night cruise in a Concierge Level Stateroom: $327 ($27.25 x 3 people x 4 nights)

Most people find that Disney's practice of automatically charging the recommended gratuities helps simplify the tipping process. However, you may wish to do things differently. You can always request to adjust these amounts, pay gratuities in cash, or even pre-pay before your cruise begins (see below).

Paying Recommended Gratuities

When are Gratuities Automatically Added to your Account?

To simplify the tipping process, Disney automatically charges the recommended gratuity amount to your onboard account at the end of your cruise—unless you have prepaid the gratuities or instructed Guest Services not to add them.

How do you Pre-Pay Gratuities on a Disney Cruise?

Some Guests like to have everything squared away before they board, and Disney is happy to oblige. You may pay the suggested tip in advance by contacting either Disney Cruise Line or your travel agent. Just make sure you do so no later than three days before the cruise starts.

Can You Decrease or Remove Gratuities on a Disney Cruise?

Yes, you can reduce or completely remove the suggested gratuities on a Disney cruise. 

If you do nothing, Disney will automatically charge your onboard account the standard tip amounts. But no tip amount is set in stone. Disney allows you to adjust them before the cruise ends—just contact Guest Services onboard your Disney Cruise.

And remember—if any of the service crew members do not provide the quality of service you expect, you should let management know immediately. Disney Cruise Line will do everything it can to rectify the situation.

Can You Tip More Than The Recommended Amount?

Yes, you can tip a larger amount to recognize exceptional service.

The easiest way is to visit Guest Services before the cruise ends. They'll be happy to adjust the amounts for you and charge them to your room folio.

Or, you can simply give cash directly to the Crew Member you'd like to recognize.

Can't I Just Tip With Cash?

Yes, you're free to forego the automatic tipping system and just use cash.

Just make sure that you stop by Guest Services and let them know your intent. Otherwise, they'll automatically charge the recommended amount to your folio at the end of the cruise.

If you have questions about tipping on Disney cruises, want to set up your pre-payments, or wonder how much a Disney Cruise costs, it's time to contact The Vacationeer. They can provide up to $1,000 in FREE Disney onboard credit, Disney's best available pricing, and expert planning advice and assistance.

How Do the Crew Members Know I Tipped Them?

Near the end of your cruise, you will receive special envelopes and a sheet detailing all tips that have been charged to your room folio. This sheet is perforated so you can separate the section relating to each Crew Member and place it in the envelope (along with additional cash should you desire).

You may give these envelopes directly to the serving team on the last night at dinner or at breakfast on your final morning. For your stateroom hostess, you may give the envelope to them in person or leave it in your room.

Don't worry if you don't have a chance to pass a tip envelope to a particular Crew Member—they'll still receive the amount designated for them in your stateroom folio (but of course won't get any actual cash you might have included).

That covers everything you need to know about the Recommended Gratuities for primary Crew Members, but there are several more Crew Members you might wish to tip on a case-by-case basis. Read on for more information.

Are Tips included at Palo, Palo Steakhouse, Remy, or Enchanté?

Specialty dining on Disney cruises is a step above the regular dining room experience and is not included in a Disney cruise's base price. You can choose from such high-end restaurants as Palo, Palo Steakhouse, Remy, and Enchanté. All offer exquisite cuisine and an intimate setting.

Regarding tipping, an 18% gratuity will automatically be applied at dinner at specialty restaurants. However, you can also add additional gratuity if you feel that the service warrants it.

For other meal periods such as brunch, tips are usually included in the dining charge, but you can add additional gratuity if you desire. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide how much to tip, but remember that the staff greatly appreciates the extra gratuity.

How Does Tipping Work at Bars and Clubs?

Bar, beverage, wine, and deck service tabs will be automatically charged an 18% gratuity. Gratuities may be charged to your stateroom folio.

A gratuity of 18% will be automatically added to any drink ordered from a bartender, whether it is non-alcoholic or alcoholic. Sodas, bottled water, and alcohol ordered from room service will also have an automatic gratuity. Additionally, your server will add a gratuity to your bill if you order bottled water, a smoothie, or alcohol in the dining rooms.

Do you Tip for Room Service on a Disney Cruise?

Room service is one of the many perks of being on cruising with Disney. You can order anything you want, and it will be brought right to your stateroom door. Best of all, with the exception of a few packaged items and drinks, room service is complimentary. However, even though there is no charge for the food, it is customary to tip the person who brings it to your room.

You can add a tip via your onboard account when you sign the ticket (similar to how you would add a tip at a restaurant on land when paying with a card), or you can simply give a cash tip. Most people leave a tip of at least $5. Whether or not you choose to tip is up to you — just remember you had a crew member bring buffalo wings to your door at 3AM.

Do you have questions about gratuities on the Disney Cruise Line? Contact the DCL experts at The Vacationeer for answers.

They can also advise you on the best Disney cruise ships, tell you which Disney Cruises depart from Florida, share their favorite Castaway Cay tips, and give you helpful ways to save money on a Disney cruise.

Contact The Vacationeer for a free, no-obligation quote today!

Are Gratuities Included for Spa Services?

Senses Spa & Salon offers a wide range of spa services, including massages, facials, and other pampering services. Unfortunately, the cost of spa services is not included in the Disney cruise nor its per-night automatic gratuities (though we still consider spa treatments at Senses to be a worthy splurge).

That said, an 18% gratuity will automatically be applied to all spa services you receive. You do not need to add more unless you are so inclined. 

Can you use Cash on a Disney Cruise Ship?

When planning a Disney cruise, one question that often arises is whether you can use cash onboard the ship. The answer is that all onboard purchases are charged back to your stateroom folio, but you can use cash to pay that folio.  You can also give tips via cash if you wish.  Here are a few things to keep in mind.

To begin with, you may use the credit card on file, American Express Travelers Cheques denominated in USD (United States Dollars), or pay with cash. Secondly, you must settle all charges before you leave the ship. This means that if you plan on using cash, you'll need to have enough to cover your entire bill (or at least have a second payment method to use as well). Lastly, remember that gratuities are not included in your cruise fare, so you'll need to have cash on hand to tip bus drivers, porters, tour guides, etc.

When you're off the ship at a port (except for Disney's private ports such as Castaway Cay or Lookout Cay), your shipboard folio is no good for payment. Local currency or a credit/debit card is needed.

It's generally best to bring a mix of cash and other forms of payment when cruising with Disney. That way, you'll be prepared for anything.

How Much Do you Tip a Porter on a Disney Cruise?

Remember to bring small bills with you. This will make it easier to tip porters and bus drivers without breaking larger bills.

If you use Disney transportation (or any other transportation services), consider giving your bus driver a few dollars after arriving. If you're in private transport such as a town car, a larger tip may be justified.

You should also tip people who assist you with your luggage, such as those unloading your bags from a bus or taking them onto the ship. It's up to you how much you tip — most folks seem to do around $1-$2 per bag, though I know some who prefer to do a flat rate of around $5-$10 (or more if you have a large group or a ton of luggage).

Should you Tip the Tour Guides on Port Adventures? 

If you're taking a Disney cruise, consider bringing some cash to tip your tour guides and drivers. While it's not required, it's good etiquette to show your appreciation for their service with a gratuity.

Most guides and drivers are very familiar with the customs of their home country, so they can be a valuable resource for information about what to see and do during your trip. They may also be able to provide insights into the culture that you wouldn't get from reading a guidebook.

Tipping is generally done in cash, and US dollars are widely accepted in many foreign ports, so if you're planning to take an excursion while on your cruise, be sure to bring some cash to show your appreciation for your guides and drivers.

Are you expected to Tip for Disney Babysitting Services?

On a Disney Cruise, gratuity is not expected for babysitting services provided at it's a small world nursery. However, if you feel that the babysitter did an exceptional job and you would like to show your appreciation, you may do so at your discretion.

Do you have questions? Are you ready to book your Disney Cruise? The Vacationeer can help!

If you need help planning and booking your magical Disney Cruise Line vacation, please contact our friends at The Vacationeer. Their services are always helpful and free of charge!