Princess Joins Trend Toward Higher Service Fees

With the New Year, Princess Cruises will join the ranks of lines tinkering with their gratuity charges. Princess will lift its daily charge for guests by 13% and for suite guests by 16% effective Jan. 1. Non-suite guests will pay $12.95 per person, per day in 2016, and suite guests will pay $13.50.

Norwegian and Holland America also recently adjusted their service-fee policies. Norwegian last month began requiring guests to wait until the end of their cruise to adjust or remove the daily service charge on their accounts. Holland America last week rolled out a $1 increase for non-suite passengers and a $1.50 increase for suite passengers.