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 rock-climbing walls.
Related: Royal Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line plan smaller ships
Disney Cruise Line typically charges a higher cruise fare for what some consider to be a more premium cruise experience with higher-quality food and Disney’s unparalleled live entertainment and high standard of service.
Not every aspect of a Disney cruise is more expensive than Royal Caribbean though. Some of Disney Cruise Line’s onboard fees are actually lower than Royal Caribbean’s.
However, Disney Cruise Line did just follow Royal Caribbean’s lead in increasing one key onboard charge that applies to all passengers.
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Image source: Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line increases daily gratuity rate
Despite its high standard of service, Disney Cruise Line has set its suggested daily gratuity rate for most stateroom categories at a lower amount than industry standards in recent years. The cruise line does follow Royal Caribbean and other cruise lines in increasing it periodically, but the Disney Cruise Line gratuity rate continues to be lower than some cruise line's rates.
In November, Royal Caribbean raised its daily gratuity amount from $18 per passenger to $18.50 per passenger for most stateroom categories. For passengers staying in suites, the daily gratuity amount increased from $20.50 to $21 per passenger.
With a recommended daily gratuity rate set at $14.50 per passenger for the past couple of years, Disney Cruise Line has been charging its passengers significantly less for onboard service gratuities than Royal Caribbean.
Related: Disney Cruise Line cancels sailings, shares new ship update
But now Disney Cruise Line is bringing its rate closer in line with industry standards.
Disney Cruise Line just increased its recommended gratuity rate from $14.50 per passenger per night to $16 per passenger per night for non-concierge staterooms. For passengers staying in concierge staterooms and suites, the recommended gratuity amount increased from $23.50 per passenger per night to $27.25 per passenger per night.
Disney Cruise Line's gratuity 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 for gratuities than Royal Caribbean passengers.
At the new $16 per-passenger daily gratuity rate, a family of four in an inside stateroom will pay $448 in gratuities on a seven-night Disney cruise rather than $406 at the previous rate, an increase of $42. The same family would pay $518 in gratuities in the same stateroom category on Royal Caribbean however, so sailing with Disney Cruise Line still saves them $70 in onboard fees.
Service gratuities are customary on cruises and these suggested amounts are automatically added to stateroom bills for all passengers in a stateroom, including infants and children. Passengers are free to modify the amounts at their discretion during their cruise by visiting the guest services desk.
Related: Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruises embrace new beverage trend
For convenience, you can typically choose to prepay gratuities at the recommended rate when booking your cruise. If you’ve already prepaid gratuities for an upcoming Disney cruise, you’re locked in at the previous, lower gratuity rate but you can increase your gratuities if you choose by visiting the guest services desk once on board your cruise.
On Disney Cruise Line, these prepaid gratuities are distributed to your dining room server, dining room assistant server, dining room head server and stateroom host.
Keep in mind that prepaid gratuities do not include gratuities on extras like room service, alcoholic beverages, and adult dining locations, which are not part of Disney Cruise Line’s regular rotational dining. There is an 18% gratuity charged for bar, beverage, wine, deck service tabs and spa services.
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