Key Aspects:
- Holland America Line is increasing gratuities and service charges for all sailings after June 1, 2026.
- Gratuities will go up $1 per person, per day, while service charges will be 20% instead of 18%.
- The increase follows similar increases on Carnival Cruise Line, a sister line to Holland America Line.
Guests enjoying the great service that Holland America Line provides on every cruise will be paying a bit more in gratuities this summer. Booked guests have noted that pre-paid gratuity options have quietly been increased $1 per day for all guests.
This makes the new “crew appreciation” rates $18 (USD) per person, per day for most staterooms and $20 per person, per day for all suites. This is only a small increase from the previous rates, but small increases can add up in guest budgets.
The increase was not firmly announced but has been noticed on existing bookings as guests seek to pre-pay for gratuities for their upcoming sailings.
Travel agents have confirmed the change will be implemented for sailings departing on or after June 1, 2026. While these charges are added to guests’ onboard accounts for convenience, they remain at the discretion of guests and can be adjusted if desired.
Similarly, the onboard service fees for restaurants and beverages are increasing as well, from 18% to 20% of the various charges. These service charges are not considered gratuities and cannot be adjusted or removed.
Cruise Hive has previously reported on a similar increase for Carnival Cruise Line gratuities that took effect on April 2. On that line, the increase was also $1 per person, per day for all stateroom types.
Both cruise lines are part of the Carnival Corporation & plc family, but they are operated independently and with different policies and budgets.
How Other Cruise Lines Compare
The revised gratuity rates are comparable to those of other cruise lines in the industry. Royal Caribbean is slightly higher at $18.50 per person, per day, while Norwegian Cruise Line is higher still at $20 per person, per day.
Margaritaville at Sea also recently raised gratuities to $22 per person, per day, among the highest rates in the industry. That cruise line’s policy is that gratuities cannot be adjusted or removed.
It is not unusual for gratuity increases to come in waves across multiple cruise lines. Once one line establishes such an increase, other lines typically follow within a few weeks or months.
These types of fees are subject to change at any time, and when they are increased, it is usually only by a dollar or two per person, per day.
Read Also: How Much Should You Tip Crew Members?
Cruise Hive regularly reports on gratuity increases, as guests need to plan appropriately for such costs in their cruise vacation and travelers on a tighter budget might not be expecting the increase. A family of four on a 7-night Holland America Line sailing in a balcony stateroom, for example, will pay $476 in gratuities at the end of May. At the beginning of June, that will increase to $504.
Who Gets Tips on Holland America Line?
Tipping culture and exactly how cruise lines break down which gratuities go to whom can be confusing. While most cruise guests expect their gratuities to go to their stateroom steward and dining team, there are other personnel who benefit from the crew appreciation payments.
Holland America Line describes their policy as the crew appreciation being “pooled to support team members across the ship who contribute to your experience, including roles you see every day, and those working quietly in the background.”
Guests are always welcome to add extra cash gratuities for crew members who make their experiences extra special or who might perform extra services. Crew members keep those extra tips and are always grateful for the acknowledgment.
