Another Carnival-Owned Cruise Line Increasing Service Charges

Guests booked on upcoming Cunard Line sailings, including the new Queen Anne, will be paying a bit more for hotel and dining service charges within the next few weeks.

Cunard Line has updated its official website with information about the forthcoming rate increase for these gratuities, which will begin at the end of April 2024.

Cunard Line Gratuity Increase

Cunard Line is increasing the hotel and dining service charges automatically added to guests’ accounts in April 2024. The exact date of the change depends on the individual sailing schedules of different ships, while the amount varies based on stateroom type.

“For voyages departing up until April 25, 2024 for Queen Elizabeth, and April 27, 2024 for Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, the service charge for Queens and Princess Grill Suites will be $16.50 per person per day, and Britannia Staterooms will be $14.50 per person per day,” the website explains.

After those dates, the service charge for Queens and Princess Grill Suites will increase to $18 per person, per day, while Britannia Staterooms will increase to $16 per person, per day.

These increases calculate to 9% and 10%, respectively. While this is not an exorbitant increase, it can certainly add up over the course of a longer sailing or for family groups. Service charges apply to all guests, regardless of age or loyalty status.

The daily service charges are divided amongst different crew members who provide service to all travelers, including cabin attendants, wait staff, and behind-the-scenes crew members who provide invaluable support to ensure all guests have amazing cruise experiences.

It should be noted that the upcoming Queen Anne will debut in early May, and therefore her gratuity charges will always be assessed at the higher rate.

At the time of the increase, Queen Elizabeth will be offering outstanding voyages from Tokyo, while Queen Mary 2‘s first voyage at the new rate will be a transatlantic cruise from Southampton to New York. Meanwhile, Queen Victoria will be departing from Southampton on a 7-night “Cities of Western Europe” tour.

Second Carnival-Owned Cruise Line to Raise Gratuities in 2024

The upcoming increase will be the second Carnival-owned cruise line to raise automatic gratuity rates in 2024, following a similar rate hike from Holland America Line that is just days away from taking effect.

Cunard Line’s increase is still lower than the new gratuity rate aboard Holland America Line ships, but may signal that other Carnival-owned lines could similarly raise gratuities in the coming weeks.

As of this writing, gratuity rates for other Carnival-owned brands are as follows:

• Carnival Cruise Line – $16 for standard staterooms; $18 for suites
• Holland America Line* – $17 for non-suites; $19 for suites (*from February 14, 2024)
• Costa Cruises – $12 for all stateroom types
• Princess Cruises – $16 for interior, oceanview, and balcony cabins; $17 for mini-suite and Reserve Collection; $18 for suites

It should be noted that Carnival Corporation & plc also owns luxury line Seabourn, but gratuities are not required or expected on that line as it is a full-service line with an onboard “no tipping” practice. Similarly, P&O Cruises does not add a daily service charge or gratuity, while AIDA Cruises has a completely different pricing model based on the level of service guests choose when booking.

Read Also: What Cruise Lines Does Carnival Own?

No other major cruise lines have yet announced gratuity increases in 2024, but such changes are undoubtedly coming. When one cruise line begins to make such changes, others typically follow within a few weeks or months with similar adjustments.

Depending on the cruise line, rates may vary based on the type of stateroom as well as guests’ ages, with some lines not charging gratuities for very young travelers.