Cruise Countdown Calculator vs Cruise Tip Calculator

Most major cruise lines (Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, Princess, MSC) require final payment 75-90 days before sailing for cruises 5 nights or longer. For shorter cruises and last-minute bookings, the window narrows to 30-60 days. Miss the deadline and your deposit may be forfeited.

Book popular excursions (Beach Day Pass at Coco Cay, helicopter tours, Bahamas swimming-pig trips) 60-90 days before sailing — they sell out fast. Less popular tours can wait until 30 days out. Most lines also let you book onboard the first day if availability remains.

On most major lines (Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, Princess, MSC), the daily auto-gratuity is automatically billed to your onboard account but technically optional — you can adjust or remove it at guest services. Disney and some MSC markets don't auto-charge gratuities. That said, the crew earns most of their income from gratuities, and removing them is generally considered poor form unless you've had genuinely awful service.

Auto-gratuity already covers your cabin steward (typically $5-$7/pp/day). Many guests add $20-$50 cash at the end of the cruise as a thank-you for exceptional service. Suites traditionally tip $50-$100 extra to the cabin steward.