Cruise Cost Calculator
Add up what a cruise really costs: the automatic gratuities, whether a drink package pays off, and the extras, per person per night.
Royal Caribbean · 7 nights · 2 guests
$259 in gratuities$18.50 per guest per day × 7 nights × 2 guests. Add the fare, drinks and extras for the real total.
- Gratuities
- $259
- Royal Caribbean adds 18% to drinks and drink packages, so it does not change which is cheaper.
Gratuities checked 2026-09-19 on Royal Caribbean’s own page. Drink package prices vary by sailing: enter the one you are offered.
Quick answer: gratuities are charged per guest per day on top of the fare. For a week in a standard cabin for two, that is $238 on Carnival, $252 on Princess, $259 on Royal Caribbean, $273 on Celebrity and $280 on Norwegian. A drink package pays off only if you would otherwise drink its price every day: at $12 a drink, a package offered at $75 a day needs about 6 drinks a day, each, to break even.
How to use it
Pick your cruise line and cabin, and enter the nights and the guests in the cabin: that gives the gratuities the line adds to your account. To check a drink package, enter the price per person per day you are offered, what a drink usually costs you, and how many a day you expect to have. Add the fare and the extras (Wi-Fi, excursions, port fees) to see the whole trip per person per night.
Gratuities by cruise line
Per guest, per day, in US dollars, from each line’s own page on 2026-09-19.
| Line | Standard cabins | Higher tiers | Added to drinks | 7 nights, 2 guests, standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean | $18.50 | Any suite $21.00 | 18% | $259 |
| Carnival | $17.00 | Suite $19.00 | 20% | $238 |
| Norwegian (NCL) | $20.00 | Suites and The Haven $25.00 | 20% | $280 |
| Princess | $18.00 | Mini-suite, cabana or Reserve Collection $19.00; Suite $20.00 | 20% | $252 |
| Celebrity | $19.50 | Concierge Class or AquaClass $20.50; The Retreat $24.50 | 20% | $273 |
Norwegian charges its service charge for guests 3 and older, and adds a 4.275% Hawaii GET tax on it for Hawaii sailings. Lines change these amounts every year or two, and the tool shows the date each one was checked.
Is the drink package worth it?
The line adds the same percentage (18% on Royal Caribbean, 20% on the others here) to a package and to drinks bought one at a time, so the percentage cancels out. The package wins when your drinks a day times the price of a drink is more than the package price a day. For a package offered at $75 a day:
- at $10 a drink you need 7.5 drinks a day, each, to break even;
- at $12 a drink, 6.3;
- at $14 a drink, 5.4.
Package prices change with the sailing and how early you buy, which is why the calculator asks for the price you are offered.
A worked example
Two guests, 7 nights, a standard cabin on Royal Caribbean, both offered a drink package at $75 a day, each planning 5 drinks a day at $12: the package would be $1,239 with the 18%, drinks one by one $991. Paying per drink saves $248, and with the $259 of gratuities that is $1,250 on top of the fare.
Plan the cruise
New to cruising? Start with first-time cruise tips. Going north: the Alaska cruise guide and what to pack. Leaving from Florida: Florida’s largest cruise port.
FAQ
How much are Royal Caribbean gratuities?
$18.50 per guest per day in inside, oceanview and balcony cabins, and $21.00 in any suite. Royal Caribbean also adds 18% to drinks, drink packages, specialty dining and room service.
How much are Carnival gratuities?
$17.00 per guest per day in standard staterooms and $19.00 in suites, plus a 20% service charge on drinks.
How much are Norwegian’s service charges?
$20.00 per guest per day up to Club Balcony Suites and $25.00 for Suites and The Haven, for guests 3 and older. Drinks get a 20% gratuity and service charge.
Are cruise gratuities included in the fare?
Usually not: the line adds them to your onboard account each day, or you can prepay them. Some promotions include them, so check your booking.
Is a drink package worth it?
Divide the package price per day by what a drink costs you. If you will have more drinks than that every day, the package is cheaper; if not, pay per drink. The service charge applies to both, so it does not change the answer.
How much are Princess and Celebrity gratuities?
Princess: $18.00 per guest per day, $19.00 in mini-suites and $20.00 in suites. Celebrity: $19.50, $20.50 in Concierge Class and AquaClass, and $24.50 in The Retreat.