If you’re used to cruising with P&O or MSC from the UK, tips and gratuities can come as a bit of a surprise the first time you sail with an American cruise line. Many of them add a daily charge for every person onboard, and for a family on a week long cruise, it can easily add up to a few hundred pounds.
I wanted an easy way to see exactly what I’d be paying before booking, so I’ve made this gratuities calculator to help figure it out. All you have to do is choose your cruise line and cabin type, add everyone who’s sailing (including the kids, as some cruise lines charge less for children) and it’ll work out your total for you. It’ll also show you how every other cruise line compares, and if any packages include your tips and gratuities.
Cruise gratuities calculator by Roost & Roam © 2026
Don’t Forget the Drinks!
Trying to decide whether to add a drinks package too? Use my cruise drinks package calculator to see whether it’ll save you money on your cruise. And if you haven’t yet booked your cruise, it’s worth checking if Cruisenation have any good deals as they sometimes include drinks packages and other perks!