The short answer: budget $16 per guest for each night in a standard stateroom, or $27.25 per guest per night in a Concierge stateroom or suite. Disney includes infants and children in the guest count.
Current recommended nightly amounts
| Stateroom | Per guest, per night | Who counts |
|---|---|---|
| Standard stateroom | $16.00 | Every guest, including infants and children |
| Concierge stateroom or suite | $27.25 | Every guest, including infants and children |
These are recommended optional gratuities. If they are not prepaid, the amount is added to the onboard account. Guest Services can adjust or remove it after boarding.
Calculate the amount for your cruise
Multiply the number of guests by the number of cruise nights, then multiply that result by the rate for the stateroom:
Guests × nights × nightly rate = recommended gratuity budget
| Example | Calculation | Budget |
|---|---|---|
| 2 guests, 4 nights, standard | 2 × 4 × $16 | $128 |
| 4 guests, 7 nights, standard | 4 × 7 × $16 | $448 |
| 4 guests, 7 nights, Concierge | 4 × 7 × $27.25 | $763 |
These examples cover only the recommended nightly amount. Drinks, premium dining, spa visits, excursions and other extras can add separate gratuities.
Which crew members are covered
For standard staterooms, the prepaid amount is distributed to the dining room server, assistant server, head server and stateroom host.
The Concierge rate also covers the assistant stateroom host and Concierge Lounge team.
The recommended rate is one per-guest amount covering the listed roles. You do not need to divide the budget among them yourself.
How to prepay or pay onboard
- Open My Reservations.
- Follow the prompts for Pre-Paid Gratuities.
- If a travel agent made the booking, ask the agent to apply the payment.
- If you do not prepay, Disney adds the optional amount to the onboard account.
All gratuities can be charged to the onboard account. That keeps the nightly amount and any separate service charges together on the folio.
How changes and refunds work
Visit Guest Services onboard to adjust or remove the optional gratuity amount. A request to refund prepaid gratuities can be processed only for the full prepaid amount, returned to the original payment method. That original method may include payment made by a travel agent.
Check the onboard account before the cruise ends
Review the folio while Guest Services can still answer questions about the nightly amount and separate service charges.
What the nightly amount does not cover
Prepaid optional gratuities do not cover alcoholic drinks added to rotational dining, adult or premium dining, food or drinks in shops and outdoor or poolside eateries, room service, Port Adventures, Senses Spa & Salon or other extra services.
Disney charges an 18% gratuity on bar, beverage and wine purchases, adult and premium dining, deck service tabs and spa services. Those charges sit outside the nightly calculation above.
Check the official details: Review Disney Cruise Line’s current gratuities policy before sailing. For the meal schedule itself, see our Disney Cruise Line rotational dining guide.
Quick answers
How much are Disney Cruise Line gratuities?
Disney recommends $16 per guest per night for standard staterooms and $27.25 per guest per night for Concierge staterooms and suites.
Are children included?
Yes. The recommended amount applies to every stateroom guest, including infants and children.
Are the nightly gratuities mandatory?
They are optional recommended gratuities. If you do not prepay, the amount is added onboard, and Guest Services can adjust or remove it.
Can I prepay?
Yes. Use My Reservations, or contact the travel agent who made the booking.
Does the nightly amount include drinks and premium dining?
No. Disney adds an 18% gratuity to listed beverage, premium dining, deck service and spa tabs. Several other extra services also sit outside the prepaid nightly amount.