The option to, Royal Caribbean has announced it will raise itsrecommended gratuities for sailings that depart on or after May 01,, Royal Caribbean will be raising its recommended gratuities for sailings that depart on or after July 1, 2015.The new, Royal Caribbean Australia announced today a new fare structure that includesgratuities for stateroom attendants and, When you take a Royal Caribbean cruise, one of the costs to passengers are gratuities (tips) to crew members during. 3 hours ago, Husky1987 said: Percentage of cruisers that remove auto gratuities: 10%. No, it doesnt. Suggested read: 56 amazing examples of Royal Caribbean customer service. You simply pay this extra amount in full for your cruise as part of your cruise fare. The gratuity is added on at the final checkout so you will see the final price before you commit to buy it. Use this section of the Royal Caribbean Beverage Package Calculator to adjust assumptions and default pricing for beverage packages. Then, contact one with a best-price guarantee and have them beat it! The automatic daily gratuity is based on customary industry standards. Royal Caribbean doesnt offer free drinks packages. When you book the cruise youll have the ability to prepay gratuities. Royal Caribbean Beverage Package Calculator: Most Cost-Effective You definitely dont need a drinks package. While the name sounds fancy, gratuities are nothing more than a tip paid to the staff members for service during the cruise. If you wish to reward one or two crew members in particular, you could pay the standard gratuity fee and also hand cash to any crew members who you feel are particularly deserving. Included here are the baseline (i.e. If I bought the premium beverage drink do I have to pay an additional gratuites? If you prepay your gratuities, youll only ever have to pay the lower rate. We offer you this handy calculator tool for determining the appropriate gratuities for the crew members that help make your Disney cruise magical. Use the Royal Caribbean Beverage Package Calculator to determine the most cost-effective beverage package to purchase for a cruise, based on anticipated beverage consumption/habits and pricing. Royal Caribbean no longer offers a wine package. Heres how I get the lowest price when I book a cruise. However, if you appear to be too intoxicated, the staff wont serve you any more drinks. We never use a credit card for our on ship account. The gratuities go to staff that provide passenger-facing services. $16.50 per person, per day for guests in suites. Take a look: Royal Caribbean drinks menus with prices. Jenni. How Often Do the Gratuity Rates Increase? Instructions and details are included below the calculator. So do you have to buy a drink package for every day of your trip or can you buy for just 3 days of your trip. Why do I have to pay gratuities for my toddler? On the other hand, many people choose to instead pay the gratuity charges automatically through their onboard account once on the ship. They all end up being the same thing a set daily charge to passengers thats passed on to the crew. would i be charged the difference between a virgin pina colada and a pina colada with alcohol? Your positive feedback will go on their permanent file, which can help them to get promotions and pay rises. While this is intended to make things easier, the honest truth is that having automatic gratuities can actually lead to more questions. If you booked directly with Royal Caribbean, you can either call Royal Caribbean . Applying this charge automatically helps to streamline the recognition process for the crew members that work to enhance your cruise. Like what you see? Are you able to advise how much shots were roughly? Guests under 2 years old don't pay gratuity. So when youre on the ship, its one less charge to worry about. Jenni. Do you have to pay gratuities on Royal Caribbean Australia? That means people like the room steward who cleans your cabin and the dining staff. Coca-Cola (including diet, zero, caffeine-free and many different flavours like strawberry, cherry and lime), Fanta, Sprite and Dr Pepper (and zero versions), Powerade (and zero version), Vitamin water and Hi C, Barrys root beer and creme soda (and diet versions), Minute Maid orange and lemonade (and light versions), You cannot use a Coffee Card in Royal Caribbeans Starbucks cafes, Brewed coffee is always free from the Windjammer buffet, Specialty coffee is included in both the alcohol and no alcohol drink packages, On the first formal night of the cruise, attend the, Guests who have spent more than 30 nights at sea with Royal Caribbean (Platinum members and above) can attend a, Guests who have spent more than 80 nights at sea with Royal Caribbean (Diamond members and above) get free drinks between 5 pm and 8.30 pm for. I am curious why some of the same drinks are over $13 in one location and $12 or less in another. Carnival made changes to its rates in May: Standard staterooms: $14.50, per person, per day (up from $13.99) Suites: $16.50 . MIAMI - February 13, 2023 - Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL) (the "Company") today announced that it has closed its private offering of $700 million aggregate principal amount of 7.250% . Yes, except if you are sailing in the U.S., then NCL tacks on the gratuities on the amount of the beverage package even though the package is free. If youd like to calculate exactly what your gratuity amount will be before you book your trip, then you can use our calculator here. How To Prepay Gratuities On Royal Caribbean Website Pre-paid gratuities can be added to an individual reservation at any time outside of 48 hours of the sail date. Must Read Royal Caribbean Drink Package Guide - Cruise Hive With MyTime dining you will sit at a different table each night and be served by different crew members. Add them on to the total cost of your cruise when you book, Log on to the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner before your cruise, Ask your travel agent to arrange to take a payment from you. Is it true that each individual drink purchased an additional 18% is added? Thats right, each time you order a drink, and 18% gratuity is added on to your bill. Is the Drink Package Worth it on a Cruise? - High Seas Cruising You are charged a set amount (the amount varies depending on the cruise line), per person, per day. The daily gratuities are shared among dining, bar . We have decided to use your tip and buy the soda package with the intention of buying shots on board. February 11, 2023 Randy Young Bar Menu, drink package, Royal Caribbean. So, dont pay the gratuities in advance and wait for the onboard credit to be applied. These days, everything is automatic. When we researched tipping policy on a recent Princess cruise, we found that the cruise line pools that money and uses it for bonuses, etc. Royal Caribbean is a trademark of Royal Caribbean Group. You can also take a quick look at the Royal Caribbean Beverage package prices: Deluxe Beverage Package - $44 to $55 per day ($63-$70 for 2019 sailings) Premium Refreshment Package - $26 per . Guests over 2 years old and under 12 years old pay $7 per day. Royal Caribbean shares the gratuities between various crew members including stateroom attendants, waiters, bar staff, culinary staff and other hotel services team members. How Can I Know How Much I Will Be Charged in Tips? I am going on my first cruise in February and found your information very helpful thank you. There are two ways to buy a Royal Caribbean drink package: Royal Caribbean drink package sharing is not allowed. Royal Caribbean drinks packages include all tips (also known as gratuities). If purchasing beverages la carte (without a package) is the recommended option, then the calculator estimates the savings achieved by Pay As You Go versus the lowest-cost beverage package, factoring in gratuities and upcharges. Superb article, i am new to cruising and only used NCL which seems to have cheap drink package and this helps me no end, thanks a million, Im so pleased that you found this helpful Jenni. I'm so sorry that this post wasn't useful for you! In fact, there are a couple of instances where paying additional gratuity is recommended or automatic. Extra envelopes are available at guest services. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Royal Caribbean last raised its gratuity fee on Jan. 2, 2018. Royal Caribbean always price in US dollars no matter the itinerary. Tea and coffee are always available for free and you can get sweeteners as well. Drink is 15 Dollars so do i have to pay 3 Dollars or 15? The option to prepay gratuities means locking in the current gratuity rate, along with spreading out the overall cost of the cruise by integrating it into the cost of the cruise. Free Dining Offer FREE SPECIALTY DINING for 2: on select categories, ships and sail dates. Id suggest asking Royal Caribbean, theyre usually very quick to reply on Facebook. So, if you dont have a credit card, then you should prepay your gratuities to avoid running out of money in your bank account or having to carry a lot of cash. Do I Need to Tip Anyone Else While On the Ship? Cheers. Whichever package you choose, you must buy it for every adult passenger for every day of your cruise. Should guests opt not to pay gratuities until onboard, they will be subject to the newly suggested gratuity amounts. If I am having a soda can i order another right after 10 minutes or to I have to wait a certain time. Royal Caribbean offers a choice of three all-inclusive drinks packages: Royal Caribbeans alcohol drinks package includes: Royal Caribbeans non-alcoholic drinks package includes: The Classic Soda Packages comes with a refillable souvenir cup which you can use at self-service machines across the ship. In your article are you saying that on a cruise out of Southampton uk. That said, its unusual to adjust the gratuity amount, and the staff works extremely hard to make your trip enjoyable. Here are the others: 4 Ways That People Cheat The Royal Caribbean Drink Package. If you booked your Royal Caribbean cruise with a travel agent, you just need to contact them and ask for gratuities to be added to your reservation. RCCL currently applies an automatic gratuity amount on your onboard account, on a daily basis. For most sailings, when you buy a drinks package online, an 18% gratuity charge is added at the checkout. Great advice. However, you can get all-inclusive cruise package deals that have drinks included. Are the drink prices in US dollars or Australian while on an Australian run. We always hand our tips in cash to the person whose service we wish to commend. Each guest, regardless of age, will be assessed the daily gratuity as recognition for the hard work crew members do each day. Other than that, your gratuity charges cover the housekeeping and dining staff. Pre-existing bookings confirmed prior to September 7th , 2022 will not be subject to the increased guidelines as long as gratuities are paid in advance of sailing. So, you can get an alcohol or soft drink package for the adults without being required to buy any kind of package for your children. If you have a major issue, however, you can change your gratuity amount accordingly. I know that some people get away with putting one bottle in the main suitcase and one in hand luggage. You can buy a Royal Caribbean drinks package either before you sail via Royal Caribbeans Cruise Planner, or on board the ship on the first day of your cruise. How much is the Royal Caribbean drink package? Started in 2010, Royal Caribbean Blog offers daily coverage of news and information related to the Royal Caribbean cruise line along with other relevant topics of cruising, such as entertainment, news, photo updates and more. Any tips taking a 7 mths old . For example, of a $15 charge, $7 per day may be distributed to your room steward, $5 to the dining staff, and the remaining $3 is spread among other customer-facing positions on the ship. Overpayment of gratuities is allowed but is not expected. If you celebrate a milestone birthday mid-way through the cruise, you should ask the Guest Services Manager to modify your record to allow you to drink alcohol after your birthday. They will still go out of their way to make your cruise comfortable and enjoyable. Keep in mind that Royal Caribbean generally requires that if one adult purchases the Deluxe package, that all other adults over the age of 21 traveling in the same cabin purchase the Deluxe package; this requirement may be waived if you contact Royal Caribbean, explain the other adult(s) does not consume alcohol, and request to downgrade the additional package to Refreshment. There are some exceptions to this rule. So a couple traveling together will see about $30-$40 per day in gratuities, or about $200+ over the course of a week-long cruise. What is Royal Caribbean's gratuity price and policy? They also do not include the charge for special souvenir or commemorative beverage containers. Prepaying gratuities before your cruise means you pay off that balance early, instead of accruing a higher balance that is owed at the end of the cruise. We are sailing on Anthem of the seas June for two weeks going for the de lux drinks package offered us 43 per day is that fair price or should I wait in case prices go down. Guests who booked prior to September 7, 2022 can opt to prepay gratuities prior to sailing to take advantage of the current rates. The latest increase was in 2018 when gratuities went up by $1 per person, per day. Royal Caribbean drinks prices are on the high end when compared to other cruise lines. If you prefer to keep some bottled water in the fridge in your room, you can order 6, 12 or 24 cans of water to be delivered to your stateroom. If you booked directly with Royal Caribbean, you can either call Royal Caribbean or log onto their website and access your account to prepay gratuities. Gone are the days of simply slipping a waiter some cash or leaving a couple of bills for the room steward at the end of your trip (although you can still do that if you want). List of Free Drinks on Royal Caribbean Cruises, 56 amazing examples of Royal Caribbean customer service, The Best Time to Buy A Royal Caribbean Drink Package, 15 Ways To Use Your Royal Caribbean Onboard Credit Like A Pro, https://www.cruisemummy.co.uk/taking-a-baby-on-a-cruise-ship/, https://www.cruisemummy.co.uk/royal-caribbean-drinks-menus-with-prices/, Royal Caribbean Cruise Refreshment Package Review, https://www.cruisemummy.co.uk/can-you-take-drinks-on-a-cruise-ship/, https://www.cruisemummy.co.uk/how-to-sneak-alcohol-on-a-cruise-ship/. For this reason, a drinks package may be better value on a cruise with lots of sea days, such as a transatlantic sailing. Extremely helpful esp0ecially about tipping and what to do. That seems pretty good to me. Below, weve listed the current tip amounts charged by major cruise lines as of the time of this writing: How do you actually pay tips on the cruise ship? Do check out our Royal Caribbean Cruise Refreshment Package Review for more information! All rights reserved. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Simply enter the cruise line, length of trip, and the number of passengers and it will show you precisely how much youll be charged. This is because the drinks packages are not actually free, its just that the ticket price is adjusted to include drinks. However, the feedback from them is that they always prefer cash. Royal Caribbean charges a gratuity of $16.00 per person, per day. Drink Package Calculator. Do you know the difference in the tea? Kids Sail Free Guest 12 & under SAIL FREE: (select 3 night or longer sailings) Extra Instant Savings up to $650 Instant Savings: per stateroom on select sailings & categories. After 23 Royal Caribbean Cruises, What I've Learned About Tipping Any frozen drinks too without the alcohol. Drink Package Calculator - Cruise Spotlight Since 2019, Royal Caribbean has been cutting down on single-use plastics onboard its ships. If a drink is over 12 Dollars to I have the entire price or just the difference. Rather than guests tipping each member of staff, Royal Caribbean charges a set fee per day to reward crew members for their service. Could you please tell me how I can improve it? Some people like to give gifts such as chocolates or wine to the crew members. Some lines also pool the tips altogether and then distribute them throughout the year. But I have one question. We use prepaid drink cards to purchase beverages. If you book a cruise with free gratuities, it means that Royal Caribbean will pay the gratuities to the staff members for you, so you dont need to worry about paying them. For cruises that start in North America, the minimum drinking age is 21. Is that the Same Thing? In my former job managing cruise websites for a travel agent, I saw cruise line campaigns change regularly and prices fluctuate almost daily. Norwegian Cruise Lines doesnt charge gratuities for kids under three. As of September 7th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per person, per day for guests in non-suites staterooms, or $18.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Suites, will be applied to each guest's SeaPass account on a daily basis. If two adults are sharing a stateroom then both people must have the same package. 2023 Cruzely.com | Laisman Publishing, LLC. Suggested read: How to pay for a cruise in instalments. I have some tips for you here: https://www.cruisemummy.co.uk/taking-a-baby-on-a-cruise-ship/ Jenni, Many thanks, very useful. Use this section of the Royal Caribbean Beverage Package Calculator to enter information about anticipated beverage consumption and pricing information.