Norwegian Cruise Line Gratuity Calculator
Estimate the auto-applied daily crew gratuity for your sailing
Total daily gratuity
$280.00
2 guests × 7 nights × $20.00/person/day
Per day (all guests)
$40.00
Suite tier costs
+$70.00
+$5.00/person/day vs standard
Prepay savings
Same rate
Prepay locks the rate, no discount
Who gets it
Pooled across stateroom stewards, dining and other behind-the-scenes hospitality crew.
Removing or adjusting it
DSC can be adjusted or removed by contacting Guest Services onboard; NCL frames it as discretionary/adjustable. Removal handled at Guest Services.
Prepay vs onboard
Can prepay; prepaying locks the current rate. No standing per-day discount for prepaying the DSC itself (unlike the FAS bar service-charge bundle). Same dollar rate either way.
Children
Same daily rate as adults; only guests under age 3 are exempt (charged age 3+).
Note: this calculator covers the daily crew gratuity only. The separate 18-20% service charge auto-added to drink packages and individual bar, dining and spa purchases is not included here (a planned future enhancement).
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Related guides
- Do You Tip on a Cruise if Gratuity Is Included? 2026The daily auto-gratuity most cruise lines charge already covers your standard service, so you are not obligated to tip extra. But it is a separate thing from the 18-20% added to drinks and spa, and a few lines bundle it into the fare entirely. Here is exactly what is and is not covered.
- NCL's Great Tides Waterpark: What a Day Really CostsGreat Tides Waterpark opened at Great Stirrup Cay on September 4, and the day pass starts at $99.99 per person with no discount for children. For a family of four that is one island day costing more than a full week of Free at Sea for two adults. Here is the math on what you are actually buying.
- Should You Prepay Cruise Gratuities? The Real AnswerPrepaying gratuities almost never saves you money outright. What it does is lock your daily rate against the increases that hit several lines in 2026. Here is the math on when the rate lock pays off, when prepaid money is stuck, and the one line where prepaying genuinely costs less.