I believe so, yes. You can then compare this total with the exact price of the drinks package for your cruise (shown on your Royal Caribbean cruise planner) to easily work out whether the drinks package is worth it or not. You could always pour it from a cup into your own bottle I suppose. Just like sneaking your own alcohol on board the ship, this isnt technically allowed, but people do it. Note that if you live in the UK, youll see your drink packages prices in GBP on the Cruise Planner. For most sailings, when you buy a drinks package online, an 18% gratuity charge is added at the checkout. Guests who have pre-paid their tips will not see a daily charge during their cruise. I find this to be an outrageous ploy to hide the true costs of a cruise. For guests that like to budget their vacations and spread out the total cost of the cruise, this is a popular choice. The advantage is that you get your payment out of the way ahead of time. There are pros and cons to paying your gratuities before or after your cruise, and its very much a personal choice. Tipping is out of control everywhere. Royal Caribbean always price in US dollars no matter the itinerary. That adds up. Note the wording used. Details: Passengers staying in most cabins, including junior suites, pay $16. If you wish to recognise outstanding service by adding extra gratuities onboard the ship, you are welcome to do so. Another way to pay extra gratuities is when you buy a drink. So you would need to let someone else be served and then order again. Weve never bought a drink package, always paid per drinkbut are considering this trip. Hi Natalie. As far as your trip, likely very little. Starting Sept. 7, Royal Caribbean will charge guests in non-suite staterooms . Whilst they dont call it a sale, the prices do go up and down. 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. Like what you see? Whilst you are free to do this, it isnt recommended. 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. Additionally, an 18% gratuity is added to bills at bars, minibars, salons and spas. So what will happen? This is because the drinks packages are not actually free, its just that the ticket price is adjusted to include drinks. It is applicable to all guests, regardless of age. By scorpluvsdolphins, August 20 in Royal Caribbean International. Theres little doubt that the extra tips can be expensive. Guests that booked through a travel agent can request their agent add pre-paid gratuities to the guests' booking prior to sailing. This may be a Kids Sail Free offer, free gratuities or buy one cruise fare get one half price. Its not a great idea to link a debit card to your cruise account because Royal Caribbean will place a hold on some of the money. Can I buy unlimited beverage package for 2 days only in a four days cruise , or it has to be for all days ? They worked for about half a drink before they collapse. Royal Caribbean will be raising its automatic daily gratuity amountthat guests pay night of their cruise beginning on, Royal Caribbean offers guests the choice of prepaying gratuities for select crew members on its ships. Thanks! Let me know in the comments below. This information is brill thanks. Overpayment of gratuities is allowed but is not expected. 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. Hi Aoife. Does the deluxe drink package include adding items to your mini bar? What If I Dont Pay Gratuities on my Cruise? 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. Thats right, each time you order a drink, and 18% gratuity is added on to your bill. However, the feedback from them is that they always prefer cash. You can opt into prepaying gratuities at any time, up to 48 hours prior to your sail date. Yet with a drinks package, youre free to work your way down the menu, trying new things. If gratuities show on our account when we settle at cruise end, we ask for them to be removed. For guests staying in Grand Suites and above, the fee is $18.50 per person, per day. Royal Caribbeans Crown & Anchor Society awards loyalty points for every night that guests spend on-board Royal Caribbean ships. The package covers nearly every beverage on the ship up to $13 per drink. However, if you appear to be too intoxicated, the staff wont serve you any more drinks. 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. 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). As a thanks for their service, its customary to provide a tip. I think these amounts are reasonable. 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/. Hi Kristin. Should you prepay gratuities for a Royal Caribbean cruise? She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 20 cruises. Royal Caribbean Beverage Package Calculator: Most Cost-Effective, Calculate Your New December 2020 COVID-19 Stimulus Payment, Celebrity Cruises Beverage Package Calculator: Most Cost-Effective. Alcoholic beverages that exceed this amount will be charged the difference plus gratuity on the difference. or would i be charged for the whole pina colada with alcohol? The actual daily package cost can vary depending on the cruise and ship. With the acquisition of 80 points (equivalent to 80 nights at sea), guests become Diamond members. On the other hand, many people choose to instead pay the gratuity charges automatically through their onboard account once on the ship. Princess: $14.50 per person, per day. 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. Prices for the non-alcoholic drink packages are obviously much cheaper. 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. When this opted into by the guest, then you'll pay the full gratuity amount before the cruise begins at final payment date. Norwegian Cruise Line also raised their gratuities in April, when they changed their rates: In July, Disney Cruise Line increased their gratuities to$14.50 per night, per person for standard rooms and $15.50 per night, per person for suite guests. Ive worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and now my blog helps over a million people to plan their cruises each month. 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. What do you do about the porters at the ports. Royal Caribbean has some of the largest cruise ships in the world that can have 15 - 20 different places to get drinks while on board. Why wouldnt they have the limit at $13 or do I have incorrect info? They are often expressed as the rate for a single person (despite having to pay for double occupancy) and dont include port fees or taxes. For cruises that start in North America, the minimum drinking age is 21. But thats not always the case. ? But I have one question. Jenni. If youve never cruised, then there is no doubt that these questions and more might be floating through your head. I was wondering. Id suggest asking Royal Caribbean, theyre usually very quick to reply on Facebook. Wines are available to purchase by the bottle. bit.ly/CruiseSchedule. 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. Royal Caribbean last raised gratuities January 2, 2018. The good thing for passengers about automatic gratuities is that this breakdown is done automatically by the cruise line instead of having to give tips to several different staff members at the end of your cruise. When you book the cruise youll have the ability to prepay gratuities. This reduces the price of each coffee from around $4 to around $2. We rarely buy anything on the ship of value. The daily cost is per guest. The previous Suite gratuity rate of $17.50 will increase to $18.50 per day per person. Where did you see the cheaper prices for the new cruise bookings? 2 bottles of wine and 12 cans of soft drinks per stateroom. 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. 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. So Im noticing all the cool mixed cocktail drinks are priced. Just like the price of anything else, you should expect over time for these rates to continue to rise slowly but surely. Thank you! 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. 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. 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. Do I Need to Tip Anyone Else While On the Ship? If traveling with others, enter each guests information separately, resetting the calculator as needed. 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. Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. Are the drink prices in US dollars or Australian while on an Australian run. When you log into Royal Caribbeans cruise planner, look out for special offers like this one. We always hand our tips in cash to the person whose service we wish to commend. Simply enter the cruise line, length of trip, and the number of passengers and it will show you precisely how much youll be charged. Not sure if Id risk it though! You can still hand out cash to individual members of the staff that you appreciate, although its not required. I am on Voyagers of the seas in April on repositioning cruise. Is that the Same Thing? If youre a first-time cruiser, then theres little doubt that you have questions about gratuities and tipping on your cruise. Your last drawn basic salary along with dearness allowance was Rs 30,000. The default average cost is per beverage and beverage type and can be edited. I have some tips for you here: https://www.cruisemummy.co.uk/taking-a-baby-on-a-cruise-ship/ Jenni, Many thanks, very useful. Whether you cruise multiple times per year or you're new to cruising, the goal of Royal Caribbean Blog is for it to bea useful resource for keeping up to date with what's new and exciting with Royal Caribbean. Dont ask you dont get! Gratuity Calculator. Weve seen instances of multiple increases in a year and other times when rates wont change for a year or two. (Of course Ill be waiting for a discount before booking it as you have advised! The calculator estimates the savings achieved by selecting the most cost-effective beverage package versus Pay As You Go. The calculator will account for these upcharges. 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. I leave from Miami and happy to pop to a Walmart beforehand to pick up some things to save money on board. This makes paying for your cruise more manageable. drink with blended scotch and Drambuie on ice. That said, if you dont pay gratuities, then its the staff that will be hurting not the cruise line. Answer (1 of 7): Yes, you can. The gratuities go to staff that provide passenger-facing services. Where n = Tenure of service completed in the company. Click the button above to compare the prices of cruises from all travel agents. For example, a family of four who is taking a seven-night cruise would owe $406 for gratuities. You can use this to cover the gratuities, or any of the things mentioned in this list: 15 Ways To Use Your Royal Caribbean Onboard Credit, Heres how I get the lowest price when I book a cruise. Ditch winter blues for tropical hues on a warm-weather escape. Royal Caribbean last increased gratuities in 2018 and, before that, was in 2016. Royal Caribbean Drink Packages. In fact, Royal Caribbean almost always has some kind of special offer to encourage people to book cruises. This depends on your muster station. Im guessing they make it cheaper on a longer cruise compared to a 3- or 4-nighter so its really hard to compare with what Ive seen it for on my own cruises. Most recently, Disney Cruise Line increased the rate to $14.50 in July 2022. This costs $31 and gives you 15 specialty coffees throughout your cruise. Take your pick of 7 world-class ships sailing weeklong adventures to the top-rated shores of the western, eastern, & southern Caribbean. Likewise, carrying large amounts of cash isnt recommended for safety reasons. 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. 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? You simply pay this extra amount in full for your cruise as part of your cruise fare. For some cruise lines (usually luxury lines), gratuities actually are included in the fare you dont pay anything extra apart from your cruise fare. If you dont have a credit card, then youll need to link a debit card to your onboard account, or deposit cash. That means people like the room steward who cleans your cabin and the dining staff. Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours. 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. While steep on a percentage basis, the increase in gratuity charge at Royal Caribbean is the first at the line in more than four years. Be sure to join my email list for my best cruise tips and handpicked deals each week. If you have a major issue, however, you can change your gratuity amount accordingly. 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. 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. Mailbag: Why do I have to pay gratuities for my toddler? 2023 Cruzely.com | Laisman Publishing, LLC. After four years, Royal Caribbean is increasing the gratuity rate cruise ship passengers will pay for the service they receive from crew members onboard its ships. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? Then, log into the Cruise Planner regularly to watch the price. I didnt know I could have the tips removed from my room charges. For guests staying in Grand Suites and above, the fee is $18.50 per person, per day. If you dont decide to prepay the tips, then the amount is automatically charged to your onboard account each day. What if service is bad? While the name sounds fancy, gratuities are nothing more than a tip paid to the staff members for service during the cruise. Celebrity Cruises Perks Calculator: Are Perks Worth It. However, you can get a drink every 15 minutes so it is possible to get the occasional drink for your child on the sly. If a drink is over 12 Dollars to I have the entire price or just the difference. You can see a full list of those here: List of Free Drinks on Royal Caribbean Cruises. 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. This handy tool lets you see if it's better to pay out of pockets for drinks or to sign up for the drink package. Specialty dining experiences, which are outside the included meal packages and can include steakhouses, sushi/seafood restaurants and many more. To save you the headache, Ive created a handy tool that does the maths for you. Cruise lines rarely use the word free, instead they use included. The lowest prices can often be found during the Black Friday sale period. would i be charged the difference between a virgin pina colada and a pina colada with alcohol? We just came back from a Cruise to Nowhere aboard the Quantum of the Seas as well. The onboard prices are inflated, and its still always cheaper to buy your package before your cruise. There are several ways to prepay your gratuities: When you check in for your cruise, your onboard account will be set up. We have decided to use your tip and buy the soda package with the intention of buying shots on board. RCCL currently applies an automatic gratuity amount on your onboard account, on a daily basis. For example I drink a lot of water during the day so I will at least have 6 bottles of water. This is extremely helpful. Its up to you. Passengers would then put cash in the envelope for the crew members. Jenni. How much is the Royal Caribbean drink package? Both Carnival and Norwegian raised gratuity rates earlier this summer. I too pay in cash and at times have given extra. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. The calculator estimates the total cost for beverages, including the cost of beverage packages, gratuities, and upcharges. Cash isnt used on cruise ships, so all your purchases and gratuities (if not prepaid) will be added to your onboard account. Last drawn basic salary plus Dearness Allowance (DA) G. Gratuity amount you are eligible for. 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. N/n. If you are uncomfortable standing, just let a staff member know and they will be sure to accommodate you. The tip applies to individual guests of all ages and stateroom categories. You can expect to pay about $15-$20 per person, per day. Its possible to make a saving by doing this if you have the time and energy to track the prices. If you order a drink that costs more than the package limit, you would be charged the difference. In Miami the worst place to board the ship. Notice of suitability: This tip calculator is designed to help you with the cruise tipping recommended by the line. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays. This automatic gratuity does not cover other onboard purchases. However, for the most part you can expect that every passenger on your trip will see a charge. What is Gratuity Calculator? Royal Caribbean Gratuities: What you need to know, Royal Caribbean raises its automatic gratuities, Royal Caribbean to raise gratuity amount for guests, Royal Caribbean raises gratuity amount for guests. So the longer the cruise, the higher the gratuities as well. These drinks are included in your drink package, which is great, as on MSC Cruises ships, drinks made by the MSC robotic bartender are not. With millions of passengers sailing every year, theres inevitably going to be someone who feels they received poor service.