Disney Cruise Line Modifies its Gratuity Guidelines

The recommended minimum gratuity guideline for tipping on Disney Cruise Line has increased. Additionally, for the first time, guidelines are provided for guests sailing in Concierge.

Gratuities on Disney Cruise Line

It is customary for guests to give gratuities in recognition of exceptional service while sailing aboard Disney Cruise Line. However, often times guests are not quite sure as to how much tipping is recommended and who is to be tipped. Luckily, Disney Cruise Line provides a gratuity guideline.

After two years, Disney Cruise Line modified and increased the tipping amount recommended by their gratuity guidelines.

New Gratuity Recommendations

As of July 2022, Disney recommends a gratuity amount of $14.50 per night, per stateroom guest, including infants and children—which will be dispersed to the Crew Members who serve guests daily in the rotational dining restaurants and in guest staterooms:

• Dining Room Server – $4.75 per person/per day
• Assistant Dining Room Server – $3.75 per person/per day
• Dining Room Head Server – $1.25 per person/per day
• Stateroom Host – $4.75 per person/per day

For a family of four sailing on a 7 day cruise, the total gratuities paid per Disney Cruise Line guidelines would come to a total to $58 a day and $406 for the entire cruise.

Guests Sailing in Concierge

For the first time, Disney’s Frequently Asked Questions references Concierge guests. In the past it was confusing for guests to appropriately tip while sailing Concierge. There were no recommended guidelines. You can read about my experience HERE.

The new guidelines are the following:

• Concierge Lounge Team: Guests staying in Concierge accommodations are recommended a gratuity amount of $8.00 per night, per stateroom Guest. However, it is always up to the Guest to determine what they feel is appropriate.
• Stateroom assistant host: Guests staying in Concierge Staterooms and Suites are recommended a gratuity amount of $15.50 per night, per stateroom Guest. This includes gratuity for the Stateroom assistant host, who services the Concierge accommodations, in addition to the rotational dining team.

For a family of four sailing on a 7 day cruise, the total gratuities paid per Disney Cruise Line guidelines for the Concierge Lounge Team would $224 for the week and $434 for the Stateroom assistant host.

Additional Tipping

Pre-paying gratuities is available by contacting the Disney Cruise Line Contact Center. Guests who have booked their Disney cruise with a travel agent must contact them to apply payment. If guests do not get a chance to pre-pay before boarding the ship, Disney Cruise Line will automatically charge guests onboard account the suggested gratuity amount.

Once on the ship, guests can adjust the amount of their Pre-Paid Gratuities by using their Disney Cruise Line Navigator app to book an appointment with the Guest Services desk prior to the end of their cruise.

On the final night of the cruise, all guests are provided with envelopes to disperse to stateroom hosts and the rotational dining team. Guests who have prepaid gratuities are also welcome to add an additional tip that can be provided inside the envelopes or pre-paid at Guest Services.

What are your thoughts on the $1 increase for Disney Cruise Lines gratuity guidelines? When you sail do you provide an additional tip?  Let us know in the comments on Facebook and in our Facebook group.