SEATTLE, June 14 (Our Washington Times) — A Times Media Service review of Holland America Line’s public booking and onboard FAQ pages shows the cruise line now lists automatic daily “Crew Appreciation” charges of $18 per guest for non-suite staterooms and $20 per guest for suites — a cost Washington travelers need to factor in when comparing cruise prices.
Holland America’s booking FAQ says those charges are added per guest, per day. Its onboard FAQ describes Crew Appreciation as “a daily gratuity automatically added to your onboard account” and says it is meant “to recognize the many Holland America Line team members who make your cruise feel effortless.”
The same onboard FAQ says the money is pooled across the ship, covering workers passengers see and those “working quietly in the background.” Holland America’s booking FAQ also says Crew Appreciation rates are subject to change.
The company pages reviewed for this story confirm the current $18 and $20 rates, but the FAQ snippets do not spell out when the increase began or what the prior amounts were. Fox News, citing Holland America policy and a company spokesperson, reported the new rates took effect June 1 and rose by $1 per person, per day, from $17 to $18 for non-suite cabins and from $19 to $20 for suites.
Fox News also reported that guests may adjust the daily gratuity amount while onboard. In the same report, a Holland America spokesperson said “100% goes directly to our shipboard team” and called the charge “in line with the cruise industry competitive standards.”
The size of the charge matters because cruise gratuities are generally assessed per person, not per cabin. In a February cruise tipping roundup, national travel outlet The Points Guy said some cruise lines’ automatic gratuity charges can reach $25 per person, per day. That same roundup listed Holland America at the then-lower range of $17 a day for most cabins and $19 for suites.
Several travel reports reviewed for this story also said Holland America raised automatic service charges on some onboard purchases, including bars, spa services and specialty dining, from 18% to 20%. But that change was not confirmed in the official Holland America FAQ pages reviewed for this article.
What the company’s own records do show is clear: Holland America currently lists automatic Crew Appreciation charges of $18 a day for non-suite guests and $20 a day for suite guests, and its booking FAQ says those rates are subject to change.
