Disney Cruise Tip Calculator
Recommended Gratuities:
Understanding Gratuities on a Disney Cruise
Embarking on a Disney Cruise is an unforgettable experience, filled with magic, exceptional service, and world-class entertainment. As you plan your magical voyage, understanding the gratuity system is an important part of budgeting and showing appreciation for the dedicated crew members who make your trip special.
Disney Cruise Line's Recommended Gratuities
Disney Cruise Line (DCL) has a standard recommendation for gratuities that covers the primary service staff you'll interact with throughout your cruise. These gratuities are typically charged per person, per day, and are designed to acknowledge the hard work of your dining team and stateroom host.
The recommended amounts, as of recent guidelines, are generally:
- Dining Room Server: $4.75 per person, per day
- Dining Room Assistant Server: $3.75 per person, per day
- Dining Room Head Server: $1.25 per person, per day
- Stateroom Host/Hostess: $4.75 per person, per day
This totals approximately $14.50 per person, per day, for the standard recommended gratuities. Our calculator above uses these figures to help you estimate your total.
How Gratuities Are Handled
Disney Cruise Line offers a few convenient ways to manage your gratuities:
- Pre-Paid Gratuities: You can choose to pre-pay your recommended gratuities before your cruise begins. This allows you to budget for them in advance and not worry about them during your vacation.
- Onboard Account: If you don't pre-pay, the recommended gratuities will be automatically added to your onboard account. You'll see these charges itemized on your statement.
- Adjusting Gratuities: While the recommended amounts are standard, you have the flexibility to adjust them up or down at Guest Services if you feel the service warranted more or less.
- Gratuity Envelopes: On the last night of your cruise, you'll typically find envelopes in your stateroom. If you wish to distribute cash tips directly, you can use these envelopes. If you've pre-paid or opted for automatic charges, you'll receive vouchers to place in the envelopes, indicating that the gratuities have been taken care of.
Optional Additional Tipping
Beyond the standard recommended gratuities, there are other crew members and services where additional tipping is optional and greatly appreciated:
- Room Service: While there's no charge for room service delivery, it's customary to offer a cash tip (e.g., $1-$2 per item or $5-$10 per delivery) to the crew member who brings your order.
- Palo & Remy (Specialty Dining): These adult-exclusive restaurants have a separate per-person charge. A gratuity is often included in this charge, but you may choose to leave an additional tip for exceptional service.
- Spa & Salon Services: A 15-18% gratuity is typically added to the bill for Senses Spa & Salon services.
- Bar & Lounge Service: A 15-18% gratuity is automatically added to all drink purchases at bars and lounges.
- Concierge Lounge Host/Hostess: If you are staying in a Concierge-level stateroom, you might consider an additional tip for the dedicated Concierge team who provide personalized service throughout your cruise.
- Youth Activities Counselors: While not expected, some guests choose to offer a small token of appreciation to the youth activities counselors who care for their children.
Using the Calculator
Our Disney Cruise Tip Calculator helps you quickly estimate the standard recommended gratuities for your specific cruise. Simply enter the number of adults and children in your party, along with the number of cruise nights. You can also add an optional amount for any additional tips you plan to give for services like room service or exceptional concierge assistance.
Remember, tipping is a personal choice, but it's a wonderful way to acknowledge the outstanding service provided by the Disney Cruise Line crew members who work tirelessly to create magical memories for you and your family.
Example Calculation:
Let's say a family of 2 adults and 2 children is going on a 7-night Disney Cruise. Using the standard recommended rates:
- Total Guests: 4
- Dining Room Server: $4.75/person/day * 4 guests * 7 nights = $133.00
- Dining Room Assistant Server: $3.75/person/day * 4 guests * 7 nights = $105.00
- Dining Room Head Server: $1.25/person/day * 4 guests * 7 nights = $35.00
- Stateroom Host/Hostess: $4.75/person/day * 4 guests * 7 nights = $133.00
- Total Standard Recommended Gratuities: $133.00 + $105.00 + $35.00 + $133.00 = $406.00
If this family also decided to give an additional $20 for excellent room service throughout their trip, their grand total would be $406.00 + $20.00 = $426.00.