Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Carnival state a fixed gratuity amount per person per day for each cabin type. MSC's depends on the cruise region and your age. All four lines run kids programs for ages 3 and up. Royal Caribbean and Norwegian state a minimum sailing age for babies, and MSC's pages carry no cancellation scale. This guide does not rank the lines or name a cheapest one, and it gives no fares or package prices.
Daily service gratuities
| Line | Daily amount, per person | Who pays | Change it on board? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean | USD 18.50; USD 21.00 on any suite. Added to your SeaPass account if you do not prepay. | The page gives no child or infant rule. | Yes, at Guest Relations before the morning of disembarkation. |
| MSC | Depends on region and age; see the next table. | Everyone aged 2 and over; nothing for children under 2. | The page does not say. It calls the charge mandatory and part of the total price. |
| Norwegian | For bookings made on or after January 1, 2023: USD 25.00 for The Haven and Suites; USD 20.00 for Club Balcony Suite and below. | All guests aged 3 or older. | The page says a service issue goes to the guest services desk, and you can adjust the charges if it is not resolved. |
| Carnival | Recommended USD 17.00 for standard staterooms; USD 19.00 for suites. Posted to your Sail & Sign account if you do not prepay. | All guests except children under 2. | Yes, at Guest Services during the cruise; final after you disembark. |
Add-ons on the same pages:
- Royal Caribbean's US-site page opens by saying gratuities are optional, and says a 20% gratuity is added automatically to spa and salon services, beverages and beverage packages, specialty dining and packages, room service and minibar purchases. The page calls this 20% gratuity optional too: you can adjust or remove it. The page adds "Not applicable wherever expressly prohibited by law."
- Carnival adds a 20% service charge to beverage purchases and specialty-dining reservation fees. You can prepay on carnival.com up to 11:59pm ET, 2 days before sailing, and a prepaid gratuity is refunded if you cancel.
- Norwegian lets you prepay up to 24 hours before sailing, calls the charge 100% refundable if the cruise is cancelled, and adds a 4.275% Pre Paid Service Charge GET Tax for Hawaii.
MSC by region
MSC's page lists these rates for new bookings from July 2, 2026. The page heading says the table is valid for all new bookings from that date, while its change list gives May 11, 2026 for the Caribbean, Alaska, USA and Canada. Bookings confirmed before the change date keep the older tables, which the page also shows.
| MSC region | Standard, per night | MSC Yacht Club, per night |
|---|---|---|
| Mediterranean, Canary Islands, Northern Europe (the page also lists Antilles, Dubai/Abu Dhabi/Qatar, Egypt, MSC World Cruise) | Adults 18+ EUR 12; children 2 to 17 EUR 10 | Adults EUR 16; children EUR 13 |
| Caribbean, Alaska, Bermuda, Canada, New England | USD 17 from age 2 | USD 23 |
| Asia (China, Japan, Republic of Korea) | USD 18 from age 2 | USD 21 |
Children under 2 pay nothing in every table. South Africa, South America and MSC Grand Voyages have their own tables on the page; do not borrow a number from the rows above.
What the fare includes
| Line | Listed as included | Listed as extra or not included |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean | Stateroom with daily housekeeping; dining in the Main Dining Room, Windjammer buffet and casual venues; water, tea, select juices and classic coffee; entertainment; pools; fitness center; Adventure Ocean; continental breakfast by room service; private destinations on applicable sailings. | Beverage packages, specialty dining, shore excursions, Wi-Fi, spa, arcade, bingo, casino. Activities vary from ship to ship. |
| Norwegian | Accommodation; complimentary dining venues; kids and teen programming for ages 3-17; entertainment (not dinner or lunch theatre); pools and fitness facilities. | Service charges, specialty restaurants, alcoholic drinks, sodas and some other non-alcoholic drinks, spa, shore excursions, internet and Wi-Fi, babysitting, government taxes, port expenses and fees. |
| Carnival | Its help page lists non-bottled water, lemonade, unsweetened iced tea, hot chocolate and non-specialty coffee and tea in the main dining room and 24/7 in the Lido Restaurant, and marks Camp Ocean, Circle "C" and Club O2 as included. | It marks the infants-and-toddlers program and Night Owls as additional. The help page has no full fare list; that is on Carnival's "What does the price of my cruise include?" page. |
| MSC | The kids-clubs page says club activities are included in the fare. The Yacht Club page lists butler service, priority check-in and check-out, the Premium Extra drink package, the Browse internet package for two devices per person and unlimited thermal-area access. | MSC Baby Care carries a charge. The MSC pages cited here have no fare-inclusion list for standard cabins. |
Norwegian Free at Sea. Norwegian's FAQ says it offers unlimited premium beverages, specialty dining, shore excursion credits and Wi-Fi, and tells you to prepay gratuities. The Canada-site promotion terms ("Booking Window: 26/8/26 – Cap Controlled") cover 2+ night sailings departing on or after May 1, 2026, and add that the offer can be withdrawn at any time, you pick your offers at least 24 hours before sailing and cannot change them on board, every guest in the stateroom must choose the same offer, anything consumed above the promotional benefit is paid by the guest, and discretionary onboard service charges and optional packages cost extra. Bookings made within 24 hours of departure can choose the promotion at booking.
Drink-package rules
| Rule | Royal Caribbean | MSC | Norwegian Free at Sea | Carnival CHEERS! |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Same stateroom | If one guest buys an alcoholic package, every guest of legal drinking age in the stateroom must buy one. | All guests in the cabin must book; minors take a Minors Package; infants not obligatory. | All guests in the stateroom choose the same offer. | Each adult in the stateroom must buy it. |
| Age | Legal drinking age: 21 on cruises from North America, the Caribbean and Dubai; 18 from South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. | Minors take the Minors Package; the page says the minor age depends on the country or operating area. | Guests 1 and 2 must be 21; under 21 they get the Soda Package. Guests 3 to 8 under 21 get neither package. | 21 or older to buy. |
| Daily limit | The page does not give one. | Up to 15 alcoholic drinks per day. | The page gives no daily limit; it allows "two beverages per person per transaction." | Up to 15 alcoholic drinks per 24 hours (6:00am to 6:00am). |
| Timing | Onboard purchase needs at least 4 days remaining and covers the rest of the cruise. All Royal Caribbean packages are for one guest and cannot be shared. | Sold per cruise; cannot be ended or refunded once activated on board. | Offers chosen before sailing. | Whole cruise; on sailings from Texas, New York and Virginia, CHEERS! starts at 6:00am on day 2 and is charged for the remaining days only. Prepurchase refundable until 10:00pm ET the evening before departure. Not offered on 2-day cruises. |
| Excluded | Room service, minibar. | Tobacco, souvenir glasses, minibar, room service; Premium Extra excludes drinks priced over EUR 14 or USD 16 (set by sailing region). | Room service, minibar, bottled water, Connoisseur's Collection and Signature Selection drinks, among others. Not available on Pride of America. | Bottles of liquor, room service drinks, souvenir-glass drinks, drinks bought ashore. |
MSC's drinks-packages page says the packages it shows are available from Summer 2026 and include beverage gratuities. Its Easy and Alcohol-Free packages are not accepted in specialty restaurants or on private islands. The MSC Yacht Club page says its included Premium Extra Drink package covers beverages priced up to EUR 14 or USD 16 and sets a daily limit of 15 alcoholic drinks per guest. Royal Caribbean says that from March 15, 2026 the Deluxe Beverage Package and Refreshment Package no longer include the Coca-Cola Freestyle cup. Carnival's non-alcoholic CHEERS! Zero Proof package has no same-stateroom rule, but adults in one stateroom cannot mix it with CHEERS!.
Kids programs and age rules
| Line | Programs and ages | Babies | Sailing without an adult |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean | Adventure Ocean, ages 3-17 (kids 3 to 11, teens 12 to 17). Late Night Party Zone, ages 3-11, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. | At least 6 months old on the first day, or 12 months for transatlantic, transpacific, Hawaii, select South American and other selected cruises and any cruise with 3 or more consecutive days at sea; otherwise you are denied boarding. Free cribs on request before your cruise (up to 30 pounds/14 kg and 35 inches/89 cm). The family page names Royal Babies & Tots, and lists nursery services on select ships for ages 6 to 36 months at an additional fee. | Minimum age 21 on North America sailings; 18 on sailings from South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. On North America sailings the age-21 rule is waived for children with parents or guardians in connecting, adjacent or directly opposite staterooms, married couples with proof, and active-duty US or Canadian military. |
| MSC | Baby Club (under 3); Mini Club 3-6; Young Club 12-14; Teen Club 15-17. The page says five clubs for ages 0 to 17; its text gives the ages of four and not of the fifth. | Baby Time: parents play with babies under 3. Baby Care: ages 6 months to 3 years, 8 hours per day, charges apply; the page's footnote requires babies to be more than 6 months old for drop-off care. | The MSC pages cited here state no rule. |
| Norwegian | Splash Academy 3-12 (not while the ship is docked or anchored) and Entourage 13-17, complimentary. Late Night Fun Zone (3-12, 10 p.m. to 12 a.m.) has an hourly fee. Norwegian Spirit has no youth programs. | At least 6 months old on boarding day, or 12 months with 3 or more consecutive days at sea. "Guppies drop-off is not available"; Guppies Open Play lets parents play with children aged 6 months to 3 years. | Under 21 must share a stateroom (or a connecting or adjoining one) with a guest 21 or older, per the Canada-site page. Exceptions, for guests aged 18 to 20 only: married couples with proof; US or Canadian military with a verified ID.me account. |
| Carnival | Camp Ocean 2-11 (Penguins 2 to 5, Stingrays 6 to 8, Sharks 9 to 11), included. Circle "C" 12-14 and Club O2 15-17, included. Night Owls, 6 months to 11 years, until 1 a.m., additional. | Infants-and-toddlers program, 6 months to 1 year, additional. | The Carnival pages cited here state no rule. |
For Royal Caribbean, the baby page also says formula is not available onboard, car seats are not provided, diapers are not sold and strollers cannot be borrowed. For MSC and Carnival, where a page states no infant minimum or no rule for guests without an adult, check that line's own age-policy page.
What each line charges if you cancel
Percentages are the share of the total price charged.
Royal Caribbean (the page applies to bookings made in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico):
| Days before the first day | 1-4 nights | 5-14 nights | 15+ nights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120 or more | None | None | None |
| 119 to 90 | None | None | 25% |
| 89 to 75 | None | 25% | 25% |
| 74 to 61 | 50% | 50% | 50% |
| 60 to 31 | 75% | 75% | 75% |
| 30 or less | 100% | 100% | 100% |
"None" excludes any non-refundable deposit on select fares. For reservations created on or after September 29, 2026 on Alaska, Hawaii, Transpacific, Panama Canal or Pacific Coastal sailings departing on or after April 11, 2028, the page gives a different schedule: 50% from 89 to 61 days on 5-9 night cruises, and from 119 to 61 days on cruises of 10 nights or longer. Promotional fares can modify the schedule, the charges vary for single occupancy, for third and further guests in a stateroom and for groups, and bookings outside the United States and Canada may have a different policy.
Norwegian (the Canada-site terms page):
| Days before departure | Club Balcony Suite and below | The Haven, Suites and Garden Villas |
|---|---|---|
| 119 to 106 | 25% | 25% |
| 105 to 91 | 25% | 50% |
| 90 to 61 | 50% | 75% |
| 60 to 31 | 75% | 100% |
| 30 or less | 100% | 100% |
Name changes and departure-date changes count as cancellations. No-shows get no refund. Refund processing takes about 3 to 4 weeks. Group policies may differ.
Carnival (the cancellation page):
| Days before departure | 6+ day cruises and all Alaskan, European, Transatlantic, Panama Canal | 2-5 day cruises (others) |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 91 (6+ day) / up to 76 (2-5 day) | None | None |
| 90 to 56 / 75 to 56 | The deposit | The deposit |
| 55 to 30 | Deposit or 50% of total fare, whichever is greater | Same |
| 29 to 15 | Deposit or 75%, whichever is greater | Same |
| 14 or less | 100% | 100% |
"None" excludes cruise charges with non-refundable payments. Government taxes and fees and any prepaid gratuity are refunded. Promotional fares such as Early Saver have their own terms, and a full ship charter or a group contract may set its own schedule.
MSC. MSC's service-charge, drink-package, kids-club and Voyagers Club pages state no cancellation scale. MSC publishes it in its booking terms; read the terms for your market before you pay.
Loyalty programs
| Program | How you earn | Tiers |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor Society | Free to join; points never expire. 1 cruise point per night; 2 for suite or solo bookings. Added within 30 days after the cruise. | Thresholds of 3, 30, 55, 80, 175 and 700 cruise points; the page does not put tier names next to these thresholds. Points Choice lets members aged 18 and over transfer points earned on sailings departing on or after January 30, 2026 to Captain's Club or Venetian Society. You must already be enrolled in the receiving program and submit the request before sailing or within 14 days after disembarkation. |
| MSC Voyagers Club | Free with an MSC account. The page says you earn points each time you cruise, with extra points for Voyagers Exclusives or World Cruises bookings and 100 bonus points for updating contact details up to 72 hours before sailing. | Welcome 0 points; Classic 1 to 2,199; Silver 2,200 to 4,299; Gold 4,300 to 9,999; Diamond 10,000 to 24,999; Blue Diamond from 25,000. Classic lists a 5% Voyagers Club discount; Silver lists a EUR/USD 50 shipboard credit on Voyagers Exclusives bookings confirmed more than 12 months before departure. |
| Norwegian Latitudes Rewards | Automatic after your first cruise. 1 point per night; 1 more for a full-fare suite booked when the reservation was originally made (not Club Balcony Suites) or The Haven; 1 more with a Latitudes Rewards Insider Offer (not for suites or The Haven). | Bronze 1 point, Silver 20, Gold 45, Platinum 75, Sapphire 150, Diamond 350, Ambassador 700. |
| Carnival Rewards | Replaced the VIFP Club on September 1, 2026. Enroll and accept the terms. 3 Points and 3 Status Qualifying Stars per USD 1 on eligible purchases; government taxes and fees do not earn. | Stars decide status: Red, Gold, Platinum or Diamond; the page gives no thresholds. Points go toward cruise fare at booking or onboard purchases through the Carnival HUB app. |
Royal Caribbean and Norwegian count nights, Carnival counts dollars spent, and MSC's page says you earn points each time you cruise.
Which should you choose
The published rules point to different lines in different situations; they do not make one line better overall.
- A baby under 6 months. Royal Caribbean and Norwegian both set a 6-month minimum. MSC and Carnival pages cited here state no sailing minimum. Carnival's infants-and-toddlers program starts at 6 months; MSC Baby Care requires babies to be more than 6 months old for drop-off care. MSC Baby Time, where parents stay with the baby, sets no lower age.
- A baby of 6 months or older, and you want drop-off care. MSC Baby Care (6 months to 3 years, charges apply, with babies required to be more than 6 months old for drop-off care) and Carnival's infants-and-toddlers program (6 months to 1 year, additional) state drop-off ages. Royal Caribbean's family page lists nursery services on select ships for ages 6 to 36 months at an additional fee. Norwegian says Guppies drop-off is not available.
- Children aged 3 to 11 who need a daily club. Royal Caribbean (Adventure Ocean, 3-17, listed as included in the fare), Norwegian (Splash Academy, 3-12, complimentary) and Carnival (Camp Ocean, 2-11, included) each cover the whole range. MSC's text names a Mini Club for 3 to 6 and five clubs for ages 0 to 17, but does not give the ages of the fifth club.
- Adults who want a drink package. On all four lines the drink-package rule reaches past one guest: Royal Caribbean covers every guest of legal drinking age in the stateroom, Carnival every adult, MSC every guest in the cabin (minors take a Minors Package), and Norwegian's Free at Sea needs the same offer for everyone in the stateroom, so ask any quote to show the package for every guest. Carnival and MSC state a 15-drink daily limit; Royal Caribbean's page does not give one.
- A suite or Yacht Club cabin. Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Carnival charge a higher daily gratuity for suites, and MSC's Yacht Club rate is higher in every region for guests aged 2 and over. Norwegian's suite cancellation schedule reaches 100% earlier. Royal Caribbean gives 2 cruise points per night for suites, Norwegian 1 extra Latitudes point for full-fare suites (not Club Balcony Suites).
- A predictable daily gratuity. Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Carnival give a fixed amount per person per day for each cabin type. MSC's depends on region and age, so read its table for your sailing.
Need a cruise quote?
Send us your sailing, dates and number of guests, and we will come back with a quote. Ask it to show the cabin category, the daily gratuity, the cancellation schedule for your sailing and any drink or Wi-Fi package included. Contact us.
