20/08/2025
A Tipping Tale: The Great Auto-Gratitude Debate
Ah, the cruise ship. A floating paradise of endless buffets, questionable karaoke, and a hidden layer of financial intrigue. Today, friends, I'm wading into a topic as controversial as pineapple on pizza: auto-gratitude.
For the uninitiated, that's the automatic daily gratuity added to your cruise bill. It's a tidy sum, and for some, the ultimate convenience. No fumbling with cash, no awkward goodbyes with your cabin steward, just smooth sailing from start to finish. It's a system designed for a macro view of appreciation—a rising tide that lifts all ships (and all crew members). The staff who wash the dishes, the deckhands who keep us safe, the many people you never see who make the magic happen—they all get a piece of the pie.
But what about the micro? The specific, shining stars of service? The bartender who remembers your name and your drink order after one day. The server who tells you a joke that actually lands. The cabin steward who meticulously arranges your towel animals into a scene from the Lion King. These are the people you want to show your specific thanks, and that’s where things get tricky with the auto-grat.
I'll admit, I've been considering an act of rebellion on my next cruise: walking to guest services and saying the words, "I'd like to remove the auto-grat."
The gasp from the person behind me would be audible. I'd feel like a villain in a cheesy movie. But here’s the thing—it's not about not tipping. It's about tipping more. It’s about singling out the real MVPs and making sure they know how much their amazing service was appreciated.
So, here's my advice: if you're a fan of the big picture, of supporting the entire cruise ecosystem, then embrace the auto-grat. But if you’re a micro-manager of your gratitude, someone who wants to reward specific people for specific acts of kindness (and maybe give a little extra to the towel-animal artist), then go ahead, consider taking it off. Just be prepared to have some cash on hand and a little courage in your heart.
How do you handle tipping on a cruise? Let me know in the comments!
