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Celebrity Cruises passengers are expressing frustration after the company increased automatic gratuity charges with virtually no advance warning, prompting some travelers to consider bypassing the formal fee structure in favor of direct cash tips to crew members. The change took effect July 29, leaving customers who learned of the adjustment on that same date with no opportunity to plan accordingly or lock in previous rates.
Under the revised gratuity schedule, passengers who do not prepay will be charged between $19.50 and $24.50 daily per person, contingent upon their cabin classification. The $1.50-per-person daily increase applies uniformly across all stateroom categories, with standard accommodations set at $19.50, Concierge Class and AquaClass at $20.50, and The Retreat at $24.50.
A spokesperson for Miami-based Royal Caribbean Group, Celebrity Cruises’ parent company, characterized the gratuity program as standard industry practice that supports crew compensation. The cruise line additionally applies a 20 percent automatic gratuity to bar tabs, beverage packages, specialty dining, in-cabin meals, minibar charges, and spa and salon services.
Social media users criticized the timing of the announcement, with many expressing they would have prepaid at the previous rate had they received adequate notice. Several passengers suggested the cruise line incorporate gratuity costs directly into published fares rather than applying them as separate charges, a practice some luxury lines follow.
Some travelers indicated they plan to reject the automatic gratuity system and provide cash payments directly to service staff instead. One passenger noted they were removing the automatic charges and tipping crew members comparable amounts or more in cash to ensure compensation reached the workers directly.
Not all feedback proved negative, with certain passengers defending crew members and expressing willingness to support higher gratuities. However, even those sympathetic to increased crew compensation acknowledged the company could have executed the rollout with greater consideration for its customer base.
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