Let me start off by saying, these are my views and you may have your own opinions. This topic is so heavily debated and there are many different perspectives, so I wanted to share my own beliefs.

Most cruise lines automatically add the gratuities to your bill, usually between $12-$15 USD per day per person for non-suite staterooms. Some will exempt infants and toddlers, while others will not. These gratuities are removable by visiting Guest Services and requesting they be taken off.

But should you?

Crew that typically receive these gratuities are your wait staff (head waiter, assistant waiter, sommelier, maitre’d) and cabin steward. But did you know that they are also shared among others including buffet servers and behind the scenes staff?

Because cruise lines are almost always registered in a foreign country, they can get away with paying their staff subpar wages. These men and women are away from their families for long periods of time (usually 4-9 months) and work long hours, typically 7 days a week. They rely on the generosity of their passengers to supplement their low wages. Most are sending their hard earned money back home to their wives, husbands, parents and children.

Why not think of gratuities as part of your cruise fare, and tip extra for outstanding service?

Extra tipping can be done at the beginning of the cruise, as a gesture to receive extra special service, during a cruise for an extraordinary service (i.e., specialty dining), or at the end to say thank you for the wonderful service you’ve received.

Of course, there are others who aren’t so lucky to receive part of the automatic gratuity and should be compensated with cash. These can include tour operators, porters, kids’ club counselors and casino dealers. (Staff that are already compensated with tips ranging from 15-20% are bartenders and spa attendants.)

So until the cruise lines pay their staff a fair wage, or they make our gratuities mandatory, please consider leaving them on your bill.

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But should you?