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8 Common Tipping Habits Cruise Employees Say Are the Rudest

Tip like you've cruised before.

By Calista Headrick , Edited by Sara Albertelli

Updated Oct. 11, 2026

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From the minute you set foot on a cruise, you don't want to worry about a thing — including money. In many cases, you've paid ahead for the entire experience. The food, the drinks, the stay. Everything is included.

But have you thought about tips?

The hardworking crew members, who are on their feet all day, every day bringing you an experience that's both relaxing and exciting, rely heavily on tips for their income. And if you don't know how or when to tip or you're trying to save money on travel by tipping less? You could end up stiffing the crew members and flagging yourself as one of the rude cruisers on board.

Here are the common tipping habits you should avoid if you want to make sure crew members take home the wages they deserve while also avoiding becoming a rude cruiser.

Ignoring tipping guidelines

Most cruise lines have tipping guidelines in place. Those will tell you whether there is an automatic tip included or you need to bring cash to tip the crew members. For example, Royal Caribbean has a policy that you can prepay tips, or there is an automatic amount added to your daily rate, in addition to percentages attached to meals.

Make sure you brush up on these guidelines before the cruise sets sail. Too many people skip over these tipping guidelines, which, in turn, hurts the crew members, particularly when a cruiser doesn't understand that the crew is relying on their tips as part of their compensation. Also, pay close attention to guidelines when you're cruising overseas. These can vary widely when you look at international cruises.

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Leaving cash at home

It's 2026. Most cruises do have an option to tip on a credit card. But most tips on a card are pooled and distributed amongst the entire staff. That means the extra few dollars you wanted to give to the bartender — the one who kept the drinks coming out to the pool all day long — won't actually go to them. They'll go to the pool, then they may see a few pennies from it. Instead, this is when cash is king. Any cash you hand over to a crew member is typically kept by that person.

Skipping the tip on land

Even if you know to tip the server at dinner, the bartender at cocktail hour, and housekeeping, you may not realize that you also need to tip the guide that takes you on a kayaking adventure or the crew member that helps you find the best spot to go shopping on land.

Excursions are typically a good time to hand over a few dollars in cash as a tip. Start with $5 for a half-day activity, then go up from there. Include a bit more if you feel the crew member went above and beyond to show you the best of the location.

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Removing the automatic gratuity

If you feel like costs are adding up quickly, it can be tempting to start slashing costs. This could start with items like the automatic gratuity, which looks like an extra charge on every bill. But that automatic gratuity is an important part of each crew member's wages and, when it's removed, you're also removing part of their pay.

It might seem like removing it is an opportunity to tip cash directly to a crew member instead, but don't forget there are crew members behind-the-scenes who also benefit from pooled automatic tips. If all the tips are going straight to the servers, what happens to the cooks? The cleaning crew? Your best bet is to leave the gratuity, but offer a few extra dollars in cash to crew members who truly go above and beyond.

Forgetting to tip housekeeping

This one goes whether you're at land or sea. But one person you should never, ever forget to tip is the person tackling the housekeeping. Even when there's an automatic gratuity, it doesn't hurt to leave an extra $1 to $5 daily for the crew member who's keeping your snug accommodations neat and tidy. Remember, this is who you have to thank for a room that is comfortable and pristine when you turn in each evening, and that's worth its weight in gold.

Jumping onto a social media tipping trend

Leaving cash is always appreciated, and some experienced cruisers like to leave one lump sum tip for their cabin steward at the end of a cruise. But somewhere on social media, someone decided it might be fun to start spelling out messages with cash on their bed before leaving. It's cute-ish, and most crew members won't be offended, but avoid jumping onto this social media trend. Gathering up the cash is just another step for crew members who are already busy, and there's always the possibility some cash gets thrown in the laundry with the sheets.

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Buying crew members drinks

You can't pay rent with drinks, and crew members don't want another Bahama mama instead of cold hard cash. While it might seem fun to offer to buy an entertainer a drink when you're at the show, an actual tip is much more appreciated. Plus, some cruise lines don't allow crew members to drink on the job, so they can't take it without breaking their contract.

Neglecting to tip the porters

Porters work shoreside, and they don't always benefit from the pooled tips that other workers see. Make sure they're compensated for their hard (and heavy!) work by tipping each porter $2 for each bag they carry for you.

Bottom line

Cruise crew members work long hours for weeks and months at a time, often far from their hometowns. They work for a base pay, which is supplemented significantly by pooled gratuities and extra cash gratuities. When these gratuities don't come through, it impacts pay for everyone from servers to back-of-house staff. Or, when too many cash tips are given in lieu of automatic gratuities, that also impacts the take-home pay of other staff.

If you're traveling more, the best way to be a cruiser who appreciates the crew members bringing the experience to life is to tip generously, leave the automatic tips, and make sure to thank those who work hard to make your vacation a reality.

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