The Jimmy Buffet-owned cruise line, Margaritaville at Sea, hiked its gratuities by up to 11% beginning February 1, 2025.
The change affects gratuities for staterooms, suites, and onboard services such as drink packages and specialty dining.
New Gratuities for Staterooms and Suites
Passengers now have to pay $2 more daily regardless of their accommodations. From $18, daily gratuities for staterooms have been raised to $20, reflecting an 11% price hike. Meanwhile, occupants of suites will be charged $24 per day instead of the former $22. The new rate for suites is 9% higher than before.
| Previous Rate | New Rate | Percent Change | |
| Staterooms | $18 | $20 | 11% |
| Suites | $22 | $24 | 9% |
Before the February 2025 increase, Margaritaville at Sea last adjusted its gratuities in 2024. At that time, daily gratuities for staterooms rose from $14.95 to $18.00, while gratuities for suites increased from $19.95 to $22.00 per day.
New Gratuities for Onboard Services
Based on the updated rates, onboard services also cost 11% more. The cruise line, which used to charge an 18% service fee, has begun charging 20% for bar orders, drink packages, salon services, and specialty dining.
Margaritaville has subtly yet definitively included the new rates on its website FAQs. The site reads, “For your convenience, gratuities of $20.00 per person, per night for staterooms and $24.00 per person, per night for Suites (as of February 1, 2025) are also additional and automatically added to your stateroom account during your voyage.”
Regarding onboard services, the company added, “As a standard in the cruise industry, please note a 20% service charge (as of February 1, 2025) will be included on all bar, drink packages, specialty dining, and St. Somewhere Spa & Salon tabs.”
Major Cruise Lines Hike Gratuities From 2023 to 2024
Raising gratuities is a longstanding practice across the cruise industry. Disney Cruise Line, for example, recently raised its stateroom gratuities by up to 16% in January.
Other major cruise operators like Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line made similar adjustments in 2023, while Royal Caribbean updated its rates in November 2024.
These changes are part of the industry’s ongoing efforts to keep up with operational costs and improve the quality of onboard services while offering their crew members competitive rewards.
