About the gratuity fee: Well I've never heard that it was absolutely "mandatory" on Carnival ships. Yes it is on NCL. But essentially you really need to think about the gratuity (tips) as an definite part of the cruise fare. And yes you are charged automatically. The tips are for the services you receive from crew members, not a charge for the use of your onboard account, so using it or not, bares no relation to the tips.
Most cruise lines nowadays, automatically charge approx. $10 per person, per day for crew tips. This is a breakdown of the tipping amounts and who receives them:
* Room steward - $3.50 per person, per day.
Waiter - $3.50 per person, per day.
Assistant waiter - $1.50 to $2.00 per person, per day.
Head waiter - $5.00 per person for the week.
On most ships you may have this charge removed from your account if you feel the service did not warrant the tips, or if you are intending to tip personally. (Tipping in person is the way it used to always be done. There are a few who still prefer to do this.. Unfortunately, your crew member will have to explain to his superiors why their tips were removed from the account. I would hate to see anyone face that without good reason.)
( Remember, the crew members who take care of your cabin and serve your meals work very hard, and the tips amount to most of their pay.)
