So you might be charged $15 in tips for a day. Any frozen drinks too without the alcohol. Wines are available to purchase by the bottle. 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? I gave always given them money to take my bags to the ship. This also applies to sailings departing from Australia and New Zealand. However, to do so, you must go to Guest Services, before the last evening of the cruise and request that t. If you wish to recognise outstanding service by adding extra gratuities onboard the ship, you are welcome to do so. They scan your bags. 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. Weve seen instances of multiple increases in a year and other times when rates wont change for a year or two. A cruise which ordinarily costs 699 might go up to 999 with drinks included. You simply pay this extra amount in full for your cruise as part of your cruise fare. You can add an additional tip on to your receipt if you wish. Specialty dining experiences, which are outside the included meal packages and can include steakhouses, sushi/seafood restaurants and many more. 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. Alternatively, you may get some free onboard credit to spend. How much is charged? There are three of us going on the cruise May 22nd my self, my wife, and a cousin. For this reason, a drinks package may be better value on a cruise with lots of sea days, such as a transatlantic sailing. If you are caught sharing your drinks with someone who doesnt have a package, you risk having your drink package cancelled without a refund. The calculator will account for these upcharges. That said, in theory you could request that tips be removed from your account and not tip at all. When it comes time to settle your final bill at the end of the cruise, youll have the gratuity charges to pay as well. When you log into Royal Caribbeans cruise planner, look out for special offers like this one. Great advice. Is that the Same Thing? 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. 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. 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 . Tipping is out of control everywhere. Just like the price of anything else, you should expect over time for these rates to continue to rise slowly but surely. Royal Caribbean Cruises Tipping Policy. In fact, Royal Caribbean almost always has some kind of special offer to encourage people to book cruises. You are charged a set amount (the amount varies depending on the cruise line), per person, per day. Most recently, Disney Cruise Line increased the rate to $14.50 in July 2022. 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. In your article are you saying that on a cruise out of Southampton uk. The tip applies to individual guests of all ages and stateroom categories. We always hand our tips in cash to the person whose service we wish to commend. So you wont have to pay any more for your drinks unless you order something really specialist. If the price does drop, you can always call Royal Carribbean to cancel it and book it again at the lower price. You can usually pay your gratuities in advance of your cruise, or choose to receive a bill on the last day of your cruise. Lets say the drinks package costs an average of $75 per day. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. 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. On a recent Royal Caribbean cruise, I bought the drinks package and got my moneys worth. 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 thats the case and you decide you want to change the amount you are charged for tips then you can do that. They will still go out of their way to make your cruise comfortable and enjoyable. This will reduce the overall balance you have available to spend. However, prices seem to have increased recently, with an upcoming cruise quoting a sale price of $83.99 and an onboard price of $105! Is this due to the situation at the moment or have they stopped selling drinks package online. You can see a full list of those here: List of Free Drinks on Royal Caribbean Cruises. And you also have to wash it yourself so be sure to bring dish soap and a sponge. All rights reserved. Most cruise lines require that EVERYONE who is in the cabin and 21 or older to purchase the package. For example, a family of four who is taking a seven-night cruise would owe $406 for gratuities. The bar service personnel still gets their 15% tips from each bar sale. While the cruise lines might say differently, we think that gratuities arent included in the headline price for marketing purposes. 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 calculator estimates the savings achieved by selecting the most cost-effective beverage package versus Pay As You Go. For cruises that start elsewhere, its 18. The exact breakdown of how much each staff member gets isnt published, just like their salary isnt published. Paying a tip twice C. Paying a standardized tip for poor service. To do so, simply head down to Guest Services on the ship to tell them that you want to change your tip amounts. Cash isnt used on cruise ships, so all your purchases and gratuities (if not prepaid) will be added to your onboard account. Drink Package Calculator. Could you please tell me how I can improve it? Again, this normally runs around 18%, but can range from 15% to 20%, depending on the cruise line. Bottom line is that it comes down to personal preference. 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. This calculator is not endorsed by Royal Caribbean Group. Hi Rebecca. There are several ways to prepay your gratuities: When you check in for your cruise, your onboard account will be set up. All non-alcoholic beverages are covered in full, regardless of price, unless otherwise excluded from all beverage packages. However, theres a chip inside it which means that it will only work with the machine for a certain period of time. How strict are they on how much bottles you can bring on board? You can opt into prepaying gratuities at any time, up to 48 hours prior to your sail date. Rather than guests tipping each member of staff, Royal Caribbean charges a set fee per day to reward crew members for their service. It will show up as a line item on your final payment. Hi Jose. Is there a limit in time how many drinks/baverages I can order. Could you please tell me how I can improve it? My hubby-to-be is a non-drinker and he would only want the refreshment package. With MyTime dining you will sit at a different table each night and be served by different crew members. I rarely drink specialty coffee and prefer a cup of hot tea to end my meals. That doesnt seem fair. 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. Waiting until the end of your cruise will give you a few more paydays to save up the money. Click the button above to compare the prices of cruises from all travel agents. Do Royal Caribbean offer drink packages on three night cruises? If you get some free onboard credit as an incentive when you book your cruise, then you can use this to pay your gratuities. 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. Ive worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and now my blog helps over a million people to plan their cruises each month. The Royal Caribbean alcohol drinks package costs between $63 and $89 per person, per day and includes unlimited drinks worth up to $12 or $13 each (depending on the ship). Theres not a time limit between drinks with Royal Caribbean, but you can only order one drink per person at a time. One thing which I noticed is that the bigger the freebie, the higher the base price. 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. This costs $31 and gives you 15 specialty coffees throughout your cruise. Good luck! The tips are spread out between the room steward, dining staff, and others. ), Can You Work Remotely While Taking a Cruise? The default average cost is per beverage and beverage type and can be edited. Are there ways to request a drink like a Bloody Mary but in a $12 or less version? I am on Voyagers of the seas in April on repositioning cruise. But you would still have your standard daily gratuity to pay which covers all other staff members. Hi Natalie. Royal Caribbean's Deluxe Beverage Package is their highest-tier beverage package. Making feeds? Royal Caribbean states the current pricing for 2022 sailings is between $12.99 and $15.00 per day of the cruise. If you order a drink that cost more than $12, youll just pay the difference. With millions of passengers sailing every year, theres inevitably going to be someone who feels they received poor service. Thanks for all the great info. 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. Im sure intentionally just over the 12.00 limit for the ultimate drink package. So, in order to calculate the amount your family will owe for gratuities, you would multiply: $14.50 X Number of People in Cabin X Length of Cruise = Amount You Owe. I detest the idea of: A. not knowing who my tip is going to B. Tea and coffee are always available for free and you can get sweeteners as well. Take your pick of 7 world-class ships sailing weeklong adventures to the top-rated shores of the western, eastern, & southern Caribbean. 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. 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. Here's how it works on Royal Caribbean: As of September 7 th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per . That said, some cruise lines make exceptions for small kids. By scorpluvsdolphins, August 20 in Royal Caribbean International. Why wouldnt they have the limit at $13 or do I have incorrect info? 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. Royal Caribbean last increased gratuities in 2018 and, before that, was in 2016. Can I ask there is a limit of bringing drinks on board yourselves but how do they actually know if you have brought more than the allowance? If I bought the premium beverage drink do I have to pay an additional gratuites? My gf is a big tea drinker and is considering the package purely for that. Other than that, your gratuity charges cover the housekeeping and dining staff. Posted 3 hours ago. Its up to you. Prices for the non-alcoholic drink packages are obviously much cheaper. When you check in, youll be asked if you wish to set up the account with a credit card or debit card. If you plan to be off the ship exploring ports most days, then not only will you not have as much time on board to drink your drinks, but youre also less likely to want a hangover! It is applicable to all guests, regardless of age. You should think about how much time you plan to spend on the ship. If you prepay your gratuities, youll only ever have to pay the lower rate. The latest increase was in 2018 when gratuities went up by $1 per person, per day. Free Dining Offer FREE SPECIALTY DINING for 2: on select categories, ships and sail dates. Royal Caribbean does not require guests under the legal drinking age to buy any kind of drinks package. 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. Daily gratuities: Junior suites or below - $14.50 p.p. These daily gratuities go towards your dining room staff, as well as your stateroom attendant. However, its always cheaper to buy it before you board. The amount you pay will vary by cruise line, but they are all in the same ballpark. So well have to pay the difference of $1 on almost every drink. No votes so far! Do you know about when you'd like to sail? Airfare Savings Up to $800 per person . All rights reserved. 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. This may be a Kids Sail Free offer, free gratuities or buy one cruise fare get one half price. In fact, we cant think of a place where gratuities are handled the same way as they are on a cruise ship. If you have a major issue, however, you can change your gratuity amount accordingly. Be the first to rate this post. Australians typically do not tip because the minimum wage in Australia is $20.33 AUD/hr ($14.56 USD/hr). I leave from Miami and happy to pop to a Walmart beforehand to pick up some things to save money on board. 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. 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 daily cost is per guest. 2 bottles of wine and 12 cans of soft drinks per stateroom. Does that include the 16.36% gratuity or will I be charged another 16.36% of 856, which would be another 140 approx ? No votes so far! Ditch winter blues for tropical hues on a warm-weather escape. 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. Without your contribution, the compensation for the staff members will decrease. When this opted into by the guest, then you'll pay the full gratuity amount before the cruise begins at final payment date. Yet with a drinks package, youre free to work your way down the menu, trying new things. They will set up the travel cot (pack n play) each night, puree food as requested, clean up at mealtimes and much more. There are pros and cons to paying your gratuities before or after your cruise, and its very much a personal choice. Hi, I'm Jenni. Where n = Tenure of service completed in the company. Sterilisers? It varies depending on the sailing, and prices also go up and down as the sailing date nears. Beverage packages may not be available for purchase for cruises of less than four nights departing from Southampton, England. You can get the charge out of the way early, or hold onto your money until you actually sail. The tip applies to individual guests of all ages and stateroom categories. Im going on a cruise in October and would like the full drinks package for myself. Classic Soda Package. Since 2019, Royal Caribbean has been cutting down on single-use plastics onboard its ships. 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. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. 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. Select the number of nights for the cruise, from a minimum of two nights to a maximum of thirty nights. 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. 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. Dont do this. Meanwhile, cruise fares are often shown as dirt-cheap prices. Royal Caribbean Australia introduces streamlined cruise fares that include gratuities. In the past, the process used to be that the cruise line would put envelopes in your room on the last day of the cruise. Got it for 39 pppd day! The cruise line collects the tips and then distributes them accordingly. Hi, I'm Jenni. What If I Dont Pay Gratuities on my Cruise? 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. 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. Its a small 2.25 oz. Theres little doubt that the extra tips can be expensive. Thanks bunches for this. If you paid $13 for a cocktail and didnt like it, youd be pretty annoyed at yourself for choosing it. 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% . Extremely helpful esp0ecially about tipping and what to do. If you dont decide to prepay the tips, then the amount is automatically charged to your onboard account each day. How to prepay gratuities. N/n. Can I buy unlimited beverage package for 2 days only in a four days cruise , or it has to be for all days ? You can see a price comparison of drinks across all cruise lines here. Hi, I would Like to know something. For example, Carnival does not charge tips for kids under two years old. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? On most cruises, including cruises departing from the US, an automatic gratuity of 18% is added to the cost of each drink when you receive the bill. The slight problem we have is my cousin has stability problems, his hands are very shaky , and he is unstable on his feet , dont get me wrong he gets about on his, but he could not serve himself for coffee or breakfast and the like. If you get free gratuities thrown in as an incentive for booking a cruise, then these will be automatically prepaid. When you take a Royal Caribbean cruise, one of the costs to passengers are gratuities (tips) to crew members during, Royal Caribbean will be raising its recommended gratuities for sailings that depart on or after July 1, 2015.The new, Royal Caribbean will be raising its automatic daily gratuity amountthat guests pay night of their cruise beginning on, Royal Caribbean has announced it will raise itsrecommended gratuities for sailings that depart on or after May 01,, Royal Caribbean provides excellent service to guests of all ages, and with that service comes an automatic gratuity, Royal Caribbean Australia announced today a new fare structure that includesgratuities for stateroom attendants and. I am considering the deluxe drink package for us both but I am a little concerned that most fun drinks on the menus cost $13 and the limit is $12. This occurs in the Australian cruise market. We have two kids. So no, you wouldnt have to pay any extra gratuities on drinks. 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