SEATTLE, June 14 (Our Washington Times) — Washington travelers pricing a Holland America Line cruise should account for an automatic daily “Crew Appreciation” charge that now stands at $18 per guest for non-suite staterooms and $20 per guest for suites, according to the cruise line’s published FAQ pages.
Times Media Service reviewed two Holland America FAQs updated in June. One says Crew Appreciation is “a daily gratuity automatically added to your onboard account.” Another says the charge is pooled to support workers across the ship, including crew members guests see and others “working quietly in the background.”
The practical cost can add up quickly because the charge is listed per guest, per day. At the posted rates, two passengers sharing a seven-day cruise would pay $252 in Crew Appreciation in a non-suite room and $280 in a suite, before any other onboard purchases.
Holland America says the charge is meant “to recognize the many Holland America Line team members who make your cruise feel effortless.” Its booking FAQ also says the rates are subject to change.
The company pages reviewed by Times Media Service clearly confirm the current $18 and $20 daily rates. They do not, in the text reviewed, spell out when those prices took effect or what the earlier rates were.
A June report by Fox News, citing Holland America materials and a company spokesperson, said the current rates took effect June 1. Travel industry reports reviewed by Times Media Service also consistently described the change as a $1 per person, per day increase, from $17 to $18 for non-suite rooms and from $19 to $20 for suites. Times Media Service did not locate a standalone Holland America notice in the materials reviewed that independently confirmed that earlier pricing history.
Fox News also quoted a Holland America spokesperson saying “100% goes directly to our shipboard team” and that the charge is “in line with the cruise industry competitive standards.”
Times Media Service did not find an official Holland America FAQ excerpt in the materials reviewed that independently confirmed another change described in secondary travel coverage: a reported increase in automatic service charges on some onboard purchases, such as drinks, spa services or specialty dining. What the company’s own records do show is that Crew Appreciation is automatically added to onboard accounts at $18 per guest, per day for non-suite staterooms and $20 per guest, per day for suites, and that those rates are subject to change.
