Disney Cruise Line is generally considered to be more expensive than its main competitor, Royal Caribbean.
Although their styles and costs differ, both cruise lines design their ships with family vacations in mind and offer a variety of family-friendly amenities. While Disney Cruise Line adds magic with Broadway-style Disney shows, character experiences and fireworks at sea, Royal Caribbean amps up the adventure with kid-friendly attractions like thrilling water slides, FlowRider surf simulators and climbing walls.
Related: Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Line plan smaller ships
Disney Cruise Line typically charges a higher cruise fare for what some consider a more premium cruise experience with higher quality food and Disney's unparalleled live entertainment and high level of service.
However, not all aspects of a Disney cruise are more expensive than Royal Caribbean. Some of Disney Cruise Line's onboard rates are actually lower than Royal Caribbean's.
However, Disney Cruise Line simply followed Royal Caribbean's lead by increasing a key onboard charge that applies to all passengers.
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Image Source: Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line increases daily tip
Despite its high level of service, Disney Cruise Line has set its suggested daily gratuity rate for most stateroom categories lower than industry standards in recent years. The cruise line follows Royal Caribbean and other cruise lines in raising it periodically, but Disney Cruise Line's tip rate is still lower than some cruise lines' rates.
In November, Royal Caribbean increased its daily gratuity from $18 per passenger to $18.50 per passenger for most stateroom categories. For passengers staying in suites, the daily tip amount increased from $20.50 to $21 per passenger.
With a recommended daily gratuity rate set at $14.50 per passenger for the past several years, Disney Cruise Line has been charging its passengers significantly less for tips for onboard services than Royal Caribbean.
Related: Disney Cruise Line cancels trips, shares new ship update
But now Disney Cruise Line is bringing its rates closer to industry standards.
Disney Cruise Line just increased its recommended gratuity rate from $14.50 per guest per night to $16 per guest per night for non-concierge staterooms. For guests staying in concierge staterooms and suites, the recommended tip amount increased from $23.50 per guest per night to $27.25 per guest per night.
This change comes after Disney Cruise Line increased the suggested gratuity rate for concierge guests from just $15.50 per guest per night to $23.50 per guest per night in October.
Disney Cruise Line's tip rate is still lower than Royal Caribbean's
Although concierge guests are seeing their costs increase significantly, Disney Cruise Line passengers in other stateroom categories will continue to pay less in tips than Royal Caribbean passengers.
With the new daily tip rate of $16 per passenger, a family of four in an inside stateroom will pay $448 in tips on a seven-night Disney cruise instead of $406 under the previous rate, an increase of $42. However, the same family would pay $518 in tips in the same stateroom category on Royal Caribbean, so sailing with Disney Cruise Line still saves them $70 in onboard fees.
Service gratuities are common on cruise ships and these suggested amounts are automatically added to stateroom bills for all passengers in a stateroom, including infants and children. Guests are free to modify amounts at their discretion during their cruise by visiting the guest services desk.
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For your convenience, you can usually choose to pay gratuities in advance at the recommended rate when booking your cruise. If you have already paid gratuities in advance for an upcoming Disney cruise, you are subject to the lower tip rate above, but you can increase your tips if you wish by visiting the guest services desk once aboard your cruise.
On Disney Cruise Line, these prepaid gratuities are distributed to the dining room server, assistant dining room server, head dining room server, and stateroom host.
Please note that prepaid gratuities do not include tips for extras such as room service, alcoholic beverages, and adult dining, which are not part of Disney Cruise Line's regular rotating dining schedule. An 18% gratuity is charged for bar services, beverages, wine, terrace service and spa services.
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