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Celebrity Cruises is facing backlash from cruise passengers after raising its gratuity charges with no notice this week.
The cruise line emailed passengers setting off on summer holidays on 29 July to announce that its automatic gratuities or tips are being increased the same day.
From 29 July, Celebrity Cruises said tips have been raised for Inside, Oceanview, and Veranda staterooms from $18 (£13) per person per day to $19.50 (£14.50).
Passengers staying in the high-end Retreat suites will pay $24.50 (£18) per person per day, up from $23 (£20) previously.
That means a family of four staying in an Inside cabin for seven days will face paying an extra £42 in tips at $546 (£410).
A family of four in a Retreat suite will pay $686 (£510) instead of $644 (£480) over seven days.
The move has sparked criticism on Facebook and Reddit forums, with passengers complaining about the lack of lead time and suggesting they may just remove the charges.
One user said: “I used to be all good with paying these fees and additionally tipping my servers and room attendant separately for exceptional service. But this has become so egregious across all the lines that I’ve started removing them and spending the exact same amount or more in direct tips.
“At least then I know what I’m paying is going directly to the workers that have earned them taking care of me while on board.”
Another said: “With every increase you can expect more people to remove them.”
The charges are automatically added to each guest’s bill in dollars during the cruise.
It is possible to remove and adjust the charges by visiting guest services on the ship.
Guests can also prepay their tips when booking their cruise. Anyone who prepaid at the old rate won’t be charged the higher fees.
A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean Group, parent company of Celebrity Cruises, said: “We hear directly from guests that our crew are the ones who help make vacation memories unforgettable. In keeping with industry standards, gratuities are shared and are a part of crew compensation, reflecting their exceptional work.”
Cruise tips are daily charges for each passenger to show appreciation for crew such as room stewards, cleaners, bar and waiting staff.
The amount can vary depending on the cruise line and cabin type.
Celebrity Cruises isn’t the only cruise line to have raised tips recently.
Holland America Line raised its automatic gratuities in June by a dollar in standard cabins to $18 (£13) per person per day and to $20 (£15) in suites.
Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Princess Cruises add tips to guest bills each day.
Other cruise lines such as MSC Cruises, P&O Cruises and Marella include tips in the fare, leaving it up to passengers to pay more to individual crew members.
Read more: How to avoid shock charges of up to £105 on your next cruise
