Feb 23. Tipping is out of control everywhere. 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. You simply pay this extra amount in full for your cruise as part of your cruise fare. Automatic gratuity charge: $16 to $18.50 per person, per day. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 20 cruises. The drinks package is active on the island as well as the ship and we spent a lot of time on-board drinking cocktails in the hot tub. Instead of handing over the charges well in advance of your sailing, you can keep it until youre actually on your cruise. In addition to this, an 18% gratuity is automatically added to all drinks, spa and salon services. How to prepay gratuities. Here are the average Royal Caribbean drinks prices: If youd like to know exactly which drinks are available on Royal Caribbean cruise ships and how much they cost, I have taken photos of the bar menus on board Mariner of the Seas. Should you prepay gratuities for a Royal Caribbean cruise? Thanks for the great information. Each guest, regardless of age, will be assessed the daily gratuity as recognition for the hard work crew members do each day. The daily gratuities are shared among dining, bar & culinary services staff, stateroom attendants and other hotel services teams who work behind the scenes. If tips are not required, do their supervisors know about this up charge? Take your pick of 7 world-class ships sailing weeklong adventures to the top-rated shores of the western, eastern, & southern Caribbean. For this reason, a drinks package may be better value on a cruise with lots of sea days, such as a transatlantic sailing. Disney Cruise Gratuity Calculator - DreamFinder Travel The latest increase was in 2018 when gratuities went up by $1 per person, per day. 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? We had a short four-night cruise to Royal Caribbeans private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, in the Bahamas. 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. Jenni. Royal Caribbean Beverage Package Calculator: Instructions and Explanations . There are three of us going on the cruise May 22nd my self, my wife, and a cousin. In this case, youd be charged for the whole drink. Were here to help. I just purchased the Deluxe Beverage package, for myself, and the refreshement package for my wife. The calculator will add the mandatory gratuity to the package cost in its calculations. The number of nights affects the total cost of beverage packages. Suggested read: 56 amazing examples of Royal Caribbean customer service. On the cruise line side, that money gets cut up to be distributed. This may be a Kids Sail Free offer, free gratuities or buy one cruise fare get one half price. I have some photos of the drink menus here: https://www.cruisemummy.co.uk/royal-caribbean-drinks-menus-with-prices/ This may help you to find the answer to your question. A gratuity calculator is a tool to estimate the amount of gratuity that one will earn once he/she leaves a job after completing at least five years in the service of a company. Related: TPG's ultimate guide to cruise ship gratuity charges and tipping Again, this normally runs around 18%, but can range from 15% to 20%, depending on the cruise line. 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? The calculator recommends the most cost-effective beverage package. After 23 Royal Caribbean Cruises, What I've Learned About Tipping We never use a credit card for our on ship account. A daily automatic gratuity rate of$16.00 USD per person, per day for guests in Junior Suites and below, or $18.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Grand Suites and above, is applied to each guests SeaPass account on a daily basis. Both Carnival and Norwegian raised gratuity rates earlier this summer. The staff works hard to ensure that your vacation is a great one. No, you would have to buy it for every day of your cruise. 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. The breakdown of gratuities is carefully worked out to be fair for all crew members. 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. The calculator was last updated in August 2020. While the name sounds fancy, gratuities are nothing more than a tip paid to the staff members for service during the cruise. Be the first to rate this post. So Im booked and considering the drinks package. Royal Caribbean offers a discount when you pre-book your drinks package on the cruise planner before you sail. Complimentary is just regular coffee whereas premium includes cappuccino, latte, espresso etc. If you dont, then youll need to settle the account with a credit, debit card or with cash before you disembark at the end of your cruise. Thank you in advance. 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. That said, in theory you could request that tips be removed from your account and not tip at all. There are two ways to buy a Royal Caribbean drink package: Royal Caribbean drink package sharing is not allowed. We offer you this handy calculator tool for determining the appropriate gratuities for the crew members that help make your Disney cruise magical. The price of Royal Caribbeans Deluxe Beverage Package is not fixed. My question is, what happens if I buy the beverage package of only soft drinks and non-alcoholic beverages, and at some point during the trip I want to order, for example, a pina colada with alcohol? 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. Then if I pay another $5 per person each day for room clean-up, thats another $140, for a total of $280. Dont do this. So, dont pay the gratuities in advance and wait for the onboard credit to be applied. For cruises that start elsewhere, its 18. Royal Caribbean is a trademark of Royal Caribbean Group. Must Read Royal Caribbean Drink Package Guide - Cruise Hive 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 automatic daily gratuity is based on customary industry standards. There are several places where youll find free drinks during your Royal Caribbean cruise. In fact, your cruise line might leave a few envelopes in your room exactly for this purpose. Full Guide to Cruise Ship Gratuities for 2021 (Amounts, Etiquette, and Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays. 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 Caribbeans standard gratuity rate of $16.00 per day ($18.50 for suites) applies to guests of all ages, including children and infants. Alcoholic beverages that exceed this amount will be charged the difference plus gratuity on the difference. Gratuity Calculator - Calculate Gratuity Online for 2023 - ClearTax Thanks for the comprehensive review! Passengers in higher-level suites pay $18. Waiting until the end of your cruise will give you a few more paydays to save up the money. 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. Hi Sue. You can also get cold coffee drinks at the coffee bars. I was wondering. However, you can get a drink every 15 minutes so it is possible to get the occasional drink for your child on the sly. Hi Carmen. Do you know the difference in the tea? How many of each do you think you'll have a day? The calculator estimates the total cost for beverages, including the cost of beverage packages, gratuities, and upcharges. If you are caught sharing your drinks with someone who doesnt have a package, you risk having your drink package cancelled without a refund. If the price does drop, you can always call Royal Carribbean to cancel it and book it again at the lower price. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? In April 2022, Carnival Cruise Line raised their gratuities to $14.50 per person, per day for standard staterooms and $16.50 per person, per day for suites. 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. But you would still have your standard daily gratuity to pay which covers all other staff members. Here are the others: 4 Ways That People Cheat The Royal Caribbean Drink Package. Other major cruise lines already increased their gratuities this year. . If you dont have a credit card, then youll need to link a debit card to your onboard account, or deposit cash. Let me know in the comments below. On certain cruises, Royal Caribbean requires that gratuities are prepaid to be able to request MyTime dining. Overpayment of gratuities is allowed but is not expected. % of guests who remove gratuities - Page 2 - Royal Caribbean You can usually pay your gratuities in advance of your cruise, or choose to receive a bill on the last day of your cruise. To begin with, the cruise line gave out paper straws which are sadly not fit for purpose when it comes to frozen cocktails. 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. So if youre planning a cruise with Royal Caribbean, read on for everything you need to know about Royal Caribbean gratuities. There are two good reasons to prepay gratuities before your cruise. I'm so sorry that this post wasn't useful for you! Yet with a drinks package, youre free to work your way down the menu, trying new things. This is because the drinks packages are not actually free, its just that the ticket price is adjusted to include drinks. Should you prepay gratuities for a Royal Caribbean cruise? Beverage packages do not cover certain specialty beverages, particularly those purchased at an onboard Starbucks. Id suggest asking Royal Caribbean, theyre usually very quick to reply on Facebook. The calculator will auto-update as you enter information about your cruise. 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. bit.ly/CruiseSchedule. The automatic tip is USD 16.00 USD, or USD 18.50 USD for suite guests, applied to each guest's SeaPass account on a daily basis. Whilst they dont call it a sale, the prices do go up and down. You should think about how much time you plan to spend on the ship. How strict are they on how much bottles you can bring on board? If you dont decide to prepay the tips, then the amount is automatically charged to your onboard account each day. The calculator does not take into account the three beverage vouchers that Crown and Anchor Society members holding Diamond, Diamond Plus, or Pinnacle elite status receive when attending the Exclusive Nightly Diamond Event. While the cruise lines might say differently, we think that gratuities arent included in the headline price for marketing purposes. For most sailings, when you buy a drinks package online, an 18% gratuity charge is added at the checkout. Free Dining Offer FREE SPECIALTY DINING for 2: on select categories, ships and sail dates. Its a small 2.25 oz. 3 ways to get free wifi on your Royal Caribbean cruise. Why wouldnt they have the limit at $13 or do I have incorrect info? One of the benefits of a drinks package is that if you dont like a drink you dont have to drink it. Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours. This depends on your muster station. 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. So you would need to let someone else be served and then order again. 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. 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. Your drinks package will include gratuity on all drinks. What the real deal? 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 . Not to split them across all the employees equally. With the acquisition of 80 points (equivalent to 80 nights at sea), guests become Diamond members. Royal Caribbeans Crown & Anchor Society awards loyalty points for every night that guests spend on-board Royal Caribbean ships. However, you can order a bottle of water at the bar and put it in your mini bar fridge for later if you like. For guests staying in Grand Suites and above, the fee is $18.50 per person, per day. I know that some people get away with putting one bottle in the main suitcase and one in hand luggage. Royal Caribbean Increases Gratuities Across All Cruise Ships How much is the Royal Caribbean drink package? Theres little doubt that the extra tips can be expensive. Cruise Tip Calculator - Your automated guide to Cruise Tips On my last Royal Caribbean cruise on Anthem of the Seas, it was a seven-night cruise from Southampton so I didnt get a drinks package. The exception is in certain markets where tipping is not as ingrained as part of their culture, so Royal Caribbean includes daily gratuities as part of the price of the cruise. Royal Caribbean Is Raising Onboard Gratuities Next Month I have stepped out of the shuttle seeing the conveyer a short distance away. Making feeds? 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. When you log into Royal Caribbeans cruise planner, look out for special offers like this one. But, the cup doesnt seal so you have to keep it upright. You may be better off opting to pay for drinks as you go as its hard to break even without drinking a lot of alcohol each day. 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. Thank you so much for such useful and great information. As a thanks for their service, its customary to provide a tip. However, prices seem to have increased recently, with an upcoming cruise quoting a sale price of $83.99 and an onboard price of $105! Want to tip more? Royal Caribbean regularly have promotions to encourage people to book cruises. If you do absolutely nothing, then you can expect an automatic charge on your SeaPass account each day of the cruise. 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. For example I drink a lot of water during the day so I will at least have 6 bottles of water. You have to call Royal and they will book it for you. Airfare Savings Up to $800 per person . Additionally, package holders receive a 40% discount on wines priced up to $100 and a 20% discount on wines priced above $100. Their offerings range from classics like a mojito to daiquiri to new takes on traditional cocktails, like a New Fashioned at the Schooner . Jenni. 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. Is that the Same Thing? There are some circumstances in which it would be better to prepay and some in which it would be better to pay at the end of your cruise. You are free to adjust the amount to whatever you think is fair. For cruises that start in North America, the minimum drinking age is 21. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. Really, do they get an hourly wage thats so low they need tip to survive? Are there ways to request a drink like a Bloody Mary but in a $12 or less version? 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. Could you please tell me how I can improve it? Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. February 11, 2023 Randy Young Bar Menu, drink package, Royal Caribbean. If I bought the premium beverage drink do I have to pay an additional gratuites? Jenni. That said, its unusual to adjust the gratuity amount, and the staff works extremely hard to make your trip enjoyable. 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. After that, you can cancel it when you first embark on the ship, but no later. Its up to you. If thats the case and you decide you want to change the amount you are charged for tips then you can do that. Then, contact one with a best-price guarantee and have them beat it! Whilst you are free to do this, it isnt recommended. For guests that like to budget their vacations and spread out the total cost of the cruise, this is a popular choice. You can add an additional tip on to your receipt if you wish. Bottom line is that it comes down to personal preference. That seems pretty good to me. Royal Caribbean drinks prices are on the high end when compared to other cruise lines. Earning Free Cruises with Royal Caribbean - Know Your Slots 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. 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. So a $10 menu price on a cocktail is actually around $12. Can I please get the link to the calculator? When it comes time to settle your final bill at the end of the cruise, youll have the gratuity charges to pay as well. It varies depending on the sailing, and prices also go up and down as the sailing date nears. We are travelling with Royal Caribbean for the first time and are considering purchasing the Deluxe drinks package. The bar service personnel still gets their 15% tips from each bar sale. All rights reserved. #36. *Please see all applicable Terms & Conditions for Promotions. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. In major fee increase, cruise giant Royal Caribbean to hike gratuity On cruises departing from the UK, the gratuity is included in the price of each drink as shown on the menu, so the menu prices may appear higher. b = Last drawn basic salary + dearness allowance. In your article are you saying that on a cruise out of Southampton uk. But I have one question. In my former job managing cruise websites for a travel agent, I saw cruise line campaigns change regularly and prices fluctuate almost daily. Is is possible to buy the package for less days than those of your cruise? Is it true that each individual drink purchased an additional 18% is added? drink with blended scotch and Drambuie on ice. Could I buy only 4 of the 8 days of my trip, for example? Be the first to rate this post. Some ships may cover up to $13 per alcoholic beverage. Finally, if you order anything from room service, then its expected that you give a couple of bucks to the staff member that delivers the food. So when you leave the room you dont have to put down any extra cash (unless you want to). Since they are not . When you book the cruise youll have the ability to prepay gratuities. All non-alcoholic beverages are covered in full, regardless of price, unless otherwise excluded from all beverage packages. I have cruised many times before and I always order the royal caribbean premium drink package. This is extremely helpful. If youd like to calculate exactly what your gratuity amount will be before you book your trip, then you can use our calculator here. Royal Caribbean is increasing its automatic daily gratuities by more than 10% next month for passengers in staterooms. You have entered an incorrect email address! Rather than guests tipping each member of staff, Royal Caribbean charges a set fee per day to reward crew members for their service. It comes with fancy coffees, smoothies etc as well as alcohol. 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. What If I Dont Pay Gratuities on my Cruise? Hi Michael. Royal Caribbean Drink Packages. Meanwhile, cruise fares are often shown as dirt-cheap prices. How Often Do the Gratuity Rates Increase? The calculator is powered by JavaScript. Daily gratuities: Junior suites or below - $14.50 p.p. This costs $31 and gives you 15 specialty coffees throughout your cruise. They also do not include the charge for special souvenir or commemorative beverage containers. Be sure to join my email list for my best cruise tips and handpicked deals each week. Disney Cruise Gratuity Calculator. The gratuity is added on at the final checkout so you will see the final price before you commit to buy it. On the other hand, many people choose to instead pay the gratuity charges automatically through their onboard account once on the ship. 15 Ways To Use Your Royal Caribbean Onboard Credit. Another drink package option for Royal Caribbean cruisers is the Classic Soda package, which includes fountain soda and refills at any venue, Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages and even a Coca-Cola souvenir cup. Thats just one of the ways that people try to cheat. If a drink is over 12 Dollars to I have the entire price or just the difference. How much extra does Royal Caribbean charge for a double? Just pop your email in the form and Ill send you a link to the calculator. Ive worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and now my blog helps over a million people to plan their cruises each month. Royal Caribbean Gratuities,Tipping Policy,Tips | CruiseMapper Use this section of the Royal Caribbean Beverage Package Calculator to enter information about anticipated beverage consumption and pricing information. Paying a tip twice C. Paying a standardized tip for poor service. If purchasing beverages la carte (without a package) is the best option, the calculator will recommend Pay As You Go.. Whilst you could easily drink five cocktails by the pool and then a couple of glasses of wine in the evening on a sea day, how much would you drink if you were off the ship from 9 am until 6 pm most days? 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. Other than that, your gratuity charges cover the housekeeping and dining staff. If youre a first-time cruiser, then theres little doubt that you have questions about gratuities and tipping on your cruise. Whilst some other cruise lines limit the number of drinks you can order to 15 in any 24-hour period, Royal Caribbean has no daily limit. Size of travel cots? The gratuities go to staff that provide passenger-facing services. In the formula, the values are the following. I'm so sorry that this post wasn't useful for you!