If you wish to recognise outstanding service by adding extra gratuities onboard the ship, you are welcome to do so. If you order a drink that costs more than the package limit, you would be charged the difference. 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 . On the cruise line side, that money gets cut up to be distributed. We hope you find the gratuity to be an accurate reflection of your satisfaction and thank you for your generous recognition of our staff. Do check out our Royal Caribbean Cruise Refreshment Package Review for more information! Great blog. If you paid $13 for a cocktail and didnt like it, youd be pretty annoyed at yourself for choosing it. In my former job managing cruise websites for a travel agent, I saw cruise line campaigns change regularly and prices fluctuate almost daily. Take a look: Royal Caribbean drinks menus with prices. The bar staff were always encouraging me to let them make up drinks rather than stick the menu, so Im sure they wouldnt mind you asking. Each passenger pays a daily gratuity that covers the services of the crew members they interact with the most, and this daily rate is charged automatically unless the guest pre-pays it prior to the cruise. If the price does drop, you can always call Royal Carribbean to cancel it and book it again at the lower price. So, strictly speaking they would need their own. Who gets the tips? Royal Caribbean regularly have promotions to encourage people to book cruises. Royal Caribbeans daily gratuity rate increases every one to two years. You can use the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner to cancel your drink package online up to two days before your cruise and receive a full refund. On Royal Caribbean cruises it costs $29 for 24 16-oz cans of water to be delivered to your stateroom, although this price will usually be discounted if you book this service before your cruise. Hi Jose. One thing which I noticed is that the bigger the freebie, the higher the base price. Included here are the baseline (i.e. Where n = Tenure of service completed in the company. Tap the for Winter 2024 Caribbean sailings. Without your contribution, the compensation for the staff members will decrease. My two sons are coming on the cruise with me. 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. The porter stands there counts the luggage and has told the price for a handling fee. Not sure if Id risk it though! The tips are spread out between the room steward, dining staff, and others. Tipping on Royal Caribbean Cruises is straightforward - a standard daily rate is charged for all guests (no matter the age). Here are the others: 4 Ways That People Cheat The Royal Caribbean Drink Package. Thank you so much for this insight definitely helps with planning. Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours. Most cruise lines require that EVERYONE who is in the cabin and 21 or older to purchase the package. So you cant get the Royal Cribbean alcohol package for one person and the soft drink package for another. Hi, I'm Jenni. Good luck! Then, contact one with a best-price guarantee and have them beat it! It is applicable to all guests, regardless of age. Passengers in higher-level suites pay $18. Should you prepay gratuities for a Royal Caribbean cruise? Do you know the difference in the tea? Since they are not . Beverage packages do not cover certain specialty beverages, particularly those purchased at an onboard Starbucks. The tip applies to individual guests of all ages and stateroom categories. So, if you do have any issues, you should head to Guest Services as early in your cruise as you can, so that things can be put right for you before it affects the rest of your cruise. Additionally, package holders receive a 40% discount on wines priced up to $100 and a 20% discount on wines priced above $100. In fact, your cruise line might leave a few envelopes in your room exactly for this purpose. You are charged a set amount (the amount varies depending on the cruise line), per person, per day. If youre a first-time cruiser, then theres little doubt that you have questions about gratuities and tipping on your cruise. Answer (1 of 7): Yes, you can. Is there a limit in time how many drinks/baverages I can order. Can I please get the link to the calculator? Is is possible to buy the package for less days than those of your cruise? Hi, I have harmony of the seas booked for next may but when I have tried to book a drinks package there is no option for this. Applying this charge automatically helps to streamline the recognition process for the crew members that work to enhance your cruise. When you take a Royal Caribbean cruise, as well as your cruise fare, youll be expected to pay a little extra to the crew members. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If you like to pay for your cruise monthly, then you can add the gratuities to your monthly payment. 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. Beverage packages can be used at CocoCay, Royal Caribbeans private island in the Bahamas and at Labadee, Royal Caribbeans private beach in Haiti. You were extremely helpful for my upcoming cruise! Theres not a time limit between drinks with Royal Caribbean, but you can only order one drink per person at a time. The two common rationales for not prepaying are if you have a substantial amount of onboard credit that could offset your SeaPass account charges, or if you prefer to give crew members their automatic gratuity rate in cash. Dont do this. Royal Caribbean always price in US dollars no matter the itinerary. Its up to you. You could always pour it from a cup into your own bottle I suppose. 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. Do you plan to buy a drinks package on your next cruise? If you dont receive good service during your cruise, you can ask for the gratuities to be removed or reduced. . For most sailings, when you buy a drinks package online, an 18% gratuity charge is added at the checkout. A cruise which ordinarily costs 699 might go up to 999 with drinks included. You can use my free drinks package calculator to work out what your bar bill would be with no drink package. Be the first to rate this post. If you get free gratuities thrown in as an incentive for booking a cruise, then these will be automatically prepaid. How To Prepay Gratuities On Royal Caribbean Website Guests can pre-pay gratuities by calling 866-562-7625 or logging into www.royalcaribbean.com before* their sailing. drink with blended scotch and Drambuie on ice. There are two good reasons to prepay gratuities before your cruise. Their offerings range from classics like a mojito to daiquiri to new takes on traditional cocktails, like a New Fashioned at the Schooner . However, if you want to choose the flexible My Time dining, rather than having a set dining time, you must pre-pay your gratuities. I was wondering. The calculator includes the following beverage types: The calculator will add the mandatory gratuity to the average beverage cost for all beverage types in its calculations. Suggested read: How to pay for a cruise in instalments. 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. On the Oasis Class and Quantum Class ships, the drinks package limit is $13 rather than $12 to account for these ships having slightly higher drinks prices. Royal Caribbean charges a gratuity of $16.00 per person, per day. The staff isnt likely to treat you any differently or even know that you arent tipping (after all, some people still like to pay cash at the end of the cruise). Hi Sue. I believe so, yes. Just like the price of anything else, you should expect over time for these rates to continue to rise slowly but surely. Weve never bought a drink package, always paid per drinkbut are considering this trip. 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). If you prepay your gratuities, youll only ever have to pay the lower rate. Cash isnt used on cruise ships, so all your purchases and gratuities (if not prepaid) will be added to your onboard account. Suggested read: 56 amazing examples of Royal Caribbean customer service. Passengers would then put cash in the envelope for the crew members. Meanwhile, cruise fares are often shown as dirt-cheap prices. However, the feedback from them is that they always prefer cash. I have stepped out of the shuttle seeing the conveyer a short distance away. The actual daily package cost can vary depending on the cruise and ship. Check your Cruise Planner and see if it comes up to purchase. Part of the overall cost of a Royal Caribbean cruise is a service gratuity for recognizing the hard work of crew members. Other major cruise lines already increased their gratuities this year. The automatic daily gratuity is based on customary industry standards. On certain cruises, Royal Caribbean requires that gratuities are prepaid to be able to request MyTime dining. What sucks is the workers then have to pay a tax on the tip where we would rather give the workers a gift of cash. The default amount of $12 can be adjusted. I know that some people get away with putting one bottle in the main suitcase and one in hand luggage. Automatic gratuity charge: $16 to $18.50 per person, per day. Jenni, Hi Jose, If you do not opt to prepay gratuities, a daily charge will appear on your SeaPass account every day of the cruise for the daily gratuity rate per guest. The gratuity applies to individual guests of all ages . The staff works hard to ensure that your vacation is a great one. I have a question Ive not seen answered. The gratuities go to staff that provide passenger-facing services. We offer you this handy calculator tool for determining the appropriate gratuities for the crew members that help make your Disney cruise magical. Can I put them into the fridge and save vor excursions? Drink is 15 Dollars so do i have to pay 3 Dollars or 15? The gratuity is added on at the final checkout so you will see the final price before you commit to buy it. That seems pretty good to me. b = Last drawn basic salary + dearness allowance. My hubby-to-be is a non-drinker and he would only want the refreshment package. If you buy your drinks package in advance and then see that the price drops due to a promotion, you can cancel your drinks package, get a refund and then buy it again at the lower price. They worked for about half a drink before they collapse. 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 . 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. No, it doesnt. I have a question about the free drinks thoughcan we bring our own reusable water bottles to fill them up with the free lemonade/ice tea or are cups readily available for us to use? Starting September 7, 2022, Royal Caribbean International will increase the onboard gratuities that guests will pay for the service they receive from crewmembers.Gratuities for guests occupying standard cabins (Junior Suites and below) range from $14.50 to $16.00 per day per person. The calculator will add the mandatory gratuity to the package cost in its calculations. I have some tips for you here: https://www.cruisemummy.co.uk/taking-a-baby-on-a-cruise-ship/ Jenni, Many thanks, very useful. All rights reserved. What if service is bad? Why Arent Gratuities Just Included in the Price of the Cruise? Royal Caribbean is increasing its automatic daily gratuities by more than 10% next month for passengers in staterooms. How Can I Know How Much I Will Be Charged in Tips? How much is charged? If you tip individuals instead, you may be doing a disservice to staff members who you havent met personally, such as the kitchen staff or cleaners. It comes with fancy coffees, smoothies etc as well as alcohol. For the best price, you should always book your drinks package in advance before your cruise and not wait until you get on board the ship. That adds up. By scorpluvsdolphins, August 20 in Royal Caribbean International. I just purchased the Deluxe Beverage package, for myself, and the refreshement package for my wife. If youre caught cheating the Royal Caribbean drink package by giving drinks to people who do not have a package, then you risk having your whole package removed without a refund. February 11, 2023 Randy Young Bar Menu, drink package, Royal Caribbean. Australians typically do not tip because the minimum wage in Australia is $20.33 AUD/hr ($14.56 USD/hr). Royal Caribbean stipulates in the unlikely event that a guest onboard being charged the daily automatic gratuity does not receive satisfactory service, the guest may request to modify the daily amount at their discretion by visiting Guest Services onboard up until the morning of their departure. However, prices seem to have increased recently, with an upcoming cruise quoting a sale price of $83.99 and an onboard price of $105! 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. That doesnt seem fair. I have cruised many times before and I always order the royal caribbean premium drink package. Its a small 2.25 oz. As a way to reward our crew members for their outstanding service, tips are shared between dining,bar& culinary services staff, stateroom attendants and other hotel services teams who work behind the scenes to enhance the cruise experience. Then, log into the Cruise Planner regularly to watch the price. Royal Caribbeans Crown & Anchor Society awards loyalty points for every night that guests spend on-board Royal Caribbean ships. Im going on a cruise in October and would like the full drinks package for myself. Whipped cream etc. You have entered an incorrect email address! That said, some cruise lines make exceptions for small kids. Royal Caribbean Beverage Package Calculator: Instructions and Explanations . 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. If you want to recognise outstanding service by a particular crew member, then head to the Guest Services desk and fill out a WOW card. You are free to adjust the amount to whatever you think is fair. For new reservations, the adjusted gratuity amounts are effective as of September 7, 2022. Guests still have some decisions to make about whether to pay the gratuities before or after the cruise, and whether to tip any extra on top. I am curious why some of the same drinks are over $13 in one location and $12 or less in another. To save you the headache, Ive created a handy tool that does the maths for you. If Im a simple coffee and tea drinker. Jenni. From the passenger perspective, the gratuity amount is simple pay a set amount per person, per day, and be done. All of you have great advice. Suggested read: 56 amazing examples of Royal Caribbean customer service. The calculator recommends the most cost-effective beverage package. In this case, youd be charged for the whole drink. We were exploring ports almost every day. One of the benefits of a drinks package is that if you dont like a drink you dont have to drink it. The daily gratuities are shared among dining, bar & culinary services staff, stateroom attendants and other hotel services teams who work behind the scenes. Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. Cheers. 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. May 29, 2022. Thanks for all the great info. recommended) gratuities, and the ability to increase or decrease the amounts as you desire. How do I purchase a drink package for 1 and a soft drinks package for 1 because of a medical condition, Hi Jill, Im considering booking a drinks package with Royal Caribbean. What do you do about the porters at the ports. Hi Kristin. If you are experiencing blank or invalid results, try refreshing your browser. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? 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. For example, you have worked with the XYZ company for a period of 15 years. I was drinking a Rusty Nail on my last cruise and thats a drink small enough where the bartender poured me doubles to keep me from coming back so much. Note that if you live in the UK, youll see your drink packages prices in GBP on the Cruise Planner. In the unlikely event that a guest onboard being charged the daily automatic tip does not receive satisfactory service, the guest may request to modify the daily amount at their discretion by visiting Guest Services onboard and will be able to do so until the morning of their departure. Just for comparison, by the old RCCL tipping guidelines, the Royal Caribbean suggested tips/gratuities were a total of USD 11,65 per day per passenger (respectively USD 13,90 for suite passengers) and also guests could pay onboard either in cash or via their shipboard account. The number of nights affects the total cost of beverage packages. If youd like to calculate exactly what your gratuity amount will be before you book your trip, then you can use our calculator here. I didnt know I could have the tips removed from my room charges. Share. Guests who booked prior to September 7, 2022 can opt to prepay gratuities prior to sailing to take advantage of the current rates. As of September 7, 2022, the automatic daily gratuity charge will increase: Standard cabin (Junior Suites and below) going from $14.50 to $16.00 per day, per person. Does the deluxe drink package include adding items to your mini bar? Thats right, each time you order a drink, and 18% gratuity is added on to your bill. Answer (1 of 4): Fares purchased on the Australian website will always include pre-paid gratuities. Both Carnival and Norwegian raised gratuity rates earlier this summer. This figure reflects the maximum per-alcoholic-beverage cost that is covered with a Deluxe (alcohol) package. would i be charged the difference between a virgin pina colada and a pina colada with alcohol? There may be other areas for tipping while on a cruise that are not covered by this page, including shore excursions, land tours, sightseeing, land based transportation including taxis, charter busses or limousines, tour guides, luggage handlers, room service delivery, land based . Gratuity = n*b*15 / 26. Whilst it was nice to be able to fill up my drink from the machine, I didnt like that I had to carry the cup everywhere with me. For most people, the service they receive on a cruise is outstanding. RCCL currently applies an automatic gratuity amount on your onboard account, on a daily basis. Note the wording used. However, you can get a drink every 15 minutes so it is possible to get the occasional drink for your child on the sly. Royal Caribbeans rules state that each person must have the same package. Hi Maria, Depending on your cruise line, you might find different language used than the word gratuities. Weve seen these charges called tips, gratuities, crew incentives, or service charges. Automatic gratuity charge: None. To account for this, the drink package limit is matched to it. Jenni. Royal Caribbean offer discounts to people who buy their drinks packages online in advance of their cruise. That said, if you dont pay gratuities, then its the staff that will be hurting not the cruise line. Classic Soda Package. The best way to save money on your Royal Caribbean drink package is to buy it a few days after booking your cruise. If youd like to calculate exactly what your gratuity amount will be before you book your trip, then you can use our calculator here, many people choose to instead pay the gratuity charges automatically through their onboard account once on the ship, 39 Useful Things to Pack (17 You Wouldn't Think Of), Park & Cruise Hotels for Every Port in America, 107 Best Cruise Tips, Secrets, Tricks, and Freebies, Carnival Gratuities (Tips): Full Guide to Cost & How They Work, Explained: Duty-Free Shopping on a Cruise (Is It Worth It? Some ships may cover up to $13 per alcoholic beverage. Overpayment of gratuities is allowed but is not expected. When you check in, youll be asked if you wish to set up the account with a credit card or debit card. Royal Caribbean offers a discount when you pre-book your drinks package on the cruise planner before you sail. Are you able to advise how much shots were roughly? Is this due to the situation at the moment or have they stopped selling drinks package online. If you are caught sharing your drinks with someone who doesnt have a package, you risk having your drink package cancelled without a refund. Use this section of the Royal Caribbean Beverage Package Calculator to enter general information about the cruise. The calculator will also treat nights as equivalent to days for the purposes of per-day beverage calculations. This information is brill thanks. Alternatively, you may get some free onboard credit to spend. Theres little doubt that the extra tips can be expensive. Ditch winter blues for tropical hues on a warm-weather escape. Norwegian just raised its gratuity rate to $16 from $15.50 in April. You would need to buy it for the whole cruise. Celebrity Cruises Perks Calculator: Are Perks Worth It. Be aware that when you sign the receipt there will be another line for an additional tip. Like what you see? If youve never cruised, then there is no doubt that these questions and more might be floating through your head. If thats the case and you decide you want to change the amount you are charged for tips then you can do that. However, its always cheaper to buy it before you board. I hope this helps. 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. Ive just contacted RCI via messenger and asked them why the price on my cruise planner is a lot more than what Ive seen offered for new cruise bookings, and asked if I can have it at the same price. 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. While the cruise lines might say differently, we think that gratuities arent included in the headline price for marketing purposes. Yes, thats correct. I have another question. No, you would have to buy it for every day of your cruise. As a person who rarely drinks and had to buy a package for myself so that my husband could have one, does this mean Im paying an extra dollar or two if I decide Id like to try one of these drinks. If you dont have a lot of money available when you come to pay for your cruise, then dont worry about paying the gratuities right away. So when youre on the ship, its one less charge to worry about. I detest the idea of: A. not knowing who my tip is going to B. But you would still have your standard daily gratuity to pay which covers all other staff members. Making feeds? Could you please tell me how I can improve it? Rather than guests tipping each member of staff, Royal Caribbean charges a set fee per day to reward crew members for their service. Cruise gratuities are also known as tips. The newer Strawfish biodegradable straws are much better, but I would still recommend bringing your own metal straw, such as these collapsible straws that you can clip onto your bag or belt. As of September 7 th, 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 I bought the premium beverage drink do I have to pay an additional gratuites? This is extremely helpful. For some cruise lines (usually luxury lines), gratuities actually are included in the fare you dont pay anything extra apart from your cruise fare. When you buy the Deluxe Beverage Package or the Refreshment Package, you also get the souvenir cup and so have all the benefits of the Classic Soda Package. Jenni. Disney Cruise Gratuity Calculator. On Anthem of the Seas and other Quantum-class ships you can order drinks from the robotic bartender. No votes so far! Specialty dining experiences, which are outside the included meal packages and can include steakhouses, sushi/seafood restaurants and many more. So if youre planning a cruise with Royal Caribbean, read on for everything you need to know about Royal Caribbean gratuities. We want the people who earned the tip to receive, not the lousy,greedy, uninvolved government! Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays. These days, the gratuities are set daily amounts paid by each passenger. Here's how it works on Royal Caribbean: As of September 7 th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per . Instead of one passenger paying a lot and another paying hardly anything, these set amounts ensure that everyone pays their fair share. 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. You can see a price comparison of drinks across all cruise lines here. Each day there will be a gratuity charge or a lump sum added at the end of the trip. You may get reduced kids prices, included drinks or free gratuities. Pre-paid gratuities can be added to an individual reservation at any time outside of 48 hours of the sail date. Were here to help. Cruise lines rarely use the word free, instead they use included. You can opt into prepaying gratuities at any time, up to 48 hours prior to your sail date. We have two kids. However, if you appear to be too intoxicated, the staff wont serve you any more drinks. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If not, just leave blank. Hi, I'm Jenni. Details: Passengers staying in most cabins, including junior suites, pay $16. Hi Michael. Its possible to make a saving by doing this if you have the time and energy to track the prices. 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 Agree, we always opt out and give tips to our steward and waiter/waitress at the end of the cruise. I had the drink package so I didnt get the answer to this. 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. Royal Caribbean to raise gratuity amount for guests, Royal Caribbean raises gratuity amount for guests, Royal Caribbean raises its automatic gratuities, Royal Caribbean Australia introduces streamlined cruise fares that include gratuities, Royal Caribbean Gratuities: What you need to know, Standard cabin (Junior Suites and below)going from $14.50 to $16.00 per day, per person, Suite gratuity rate will changefrom $17.50 to $18.50 per day per person, Balcony and lower cabins:$16.00 per person, per day, Haven and Suite guests: $20.00 per person, per day, Club Balcony Suite guests remains at $18.00 per person, per day. The calculator will add the mandatory gratuity to the package cost in its calculations. Crown & Anchor Diamond status entitles you to attend an Exclusive Nightly Diamond Event between 5 pm and 8 pm each evening where you can receive three free drinks from a list of beers, wines, spirits and sodas. Royal Caribbean last increased gratuities in 2018 and, before that, was in 2016. To help explain everything about cruise line gratuities, weve answered a number of common questions that will make everything clearer before you set sail. Last time I cruised with Royal Caribbean in December 2019 you could do both options. Be sure to join my email list for my best cruise tips and handpicked deals each week. How strict are they on how much bottles you can bring on board? Royal Caribbean's Deluxe Beverage Package is their highest-tier beverage package. Why do I have to pay gratuities for my toddler? In the formula, the values are the following. *Please see all applicable Terms & Conditions for Promotions. Other than that, your gratuity charges cover the housekeeping and dining staff. I am going on my first cruise in February and found your information very helpful thank you. And when you leave the dining room, no need to drop down any money on the table. You have to wait 15 minutes between each drink, so it is technically possible to get drinks for the kids then 15 minutes later, go and get drinks for yourselves. 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.