Could you please tell me how I can improve it? No votes so far! Im Diamond and wondered what the upcharge might be since Ill be getting four free drink vouchers per day. That means people like the room steward who cleans your cabin and the dining staff. With the acquisition of 80 points (equivalent to 80 nights at sea), guests become Diamond members. Free Dining Offer FREE SPECIALTY DINING for 2: on select categories, ships and sail dates. As a thanks for their service, its customary to provide a tip. Without your contribution, the compensation for the staff members will decrease. But RCCL wants to charge $448. First of all, if youre feeling a little confused, dont worry you arent alone. So when youre on the ship, its one less charge to worry about. Your last drawn basic salary along with dearness allowance was Rs 30,000. Cruise lines rarely use the word free, instead they use included. However, for the majority of mass market cruise lines the gratuities are extra charges on the price of your cruise. 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. However, if you appear to be too intoxicated, the staff wont serve you any more drinks. The daily gratuities are shared among dining, bar . You should think about how much time you plan to spend on the ship. The calculator estimates the savings achieved by selecting the most cost-effective beverage package versus Pay As You Go. The automatic tip is USD 16.00 USD, or USD 18.50 USD for suite guests, applied to each guests SeaPass account on a daily basis. One of the benefits of a drinks package is that if you dont like a drink you dont have to drink it. If you wish to recognise outstanding service by adding extra gratuities onboard the ship, you are welcome to do so. 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. This equates to: Obviously, if you like to drink cocktails, it will be much easier to break even than if you drink beers and soft drinks. Automatic gratuity charge: $16 to $18.50 per person, per day. If you paid $13 for a cocktail and didnt like it, youd be pretty annoyed at yourself for choosing it. Hi Rebecca. 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. My hubby-to-be is a non-drinker and he would only want the refreshment package. The tipping rates charged change from time to time. What if service is bad? I want the employee to know they received a tip from me. If you want to pay extra, we suggest simply handing cash directly to the people you want to recognize for their service. Last time I cruised with Royal Caribbean in December 2019 you could do both options. 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. Is it true that each individual drink purchased an additional 18% is added? Royal Caribbean offers a discount when you pre-book your drinks package on the cruise planner before you sail. Ive just used $USD in this guide to keep things consistent for most readers. Royal Caribbean offers guests the choice of prepaying gratuities for select crew members on its ships. Does anyone know what the difference is between the complimentary coffee and tea vs the premium coffee/tea you get when you buy the Refreshment Package? 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. Current gratuities breakdown - Royal Caribbean International - Cruise Critic Community. Royal Caribbean. This reduces the price of each coffee from around $4 to around $2. We use prepaid drink cards to purchase beverages. 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. Royal Caribbean last raised gratuities January 2, 2018. Then, contact one with a best-price guarantee and have them beat it! We rarely buy anything on the ship of value. So you might be charged $15 in tips for a day. Where n = Tenure of service completed in the company. At least Ive got time to think about which package to buy. Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours. Related: TPG's ultimate guide to cruise ship gratuity charges and tipping How to prepay gratuities. The onboard prices are inflated, and its still always cheaper to buy your package before your cruise. If traveling with others, enter each guests information separately, resetting the calculator as needed. Thanks for the comprehensive review! The staff works hard to ensure that your vacation is a great one. The exact breakdown of how much each staff member gets isnt published, just like their salary isnt published. 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. Note the wording used. Thanks for the great information. N/n. If youre a first-time cruiser, then theres little doubt that you have questions about gratuities and tipping on your cruise. Tap the for Winter 2024 Caribbean sailings. Passengers would then put cash in the envelope for the crew members. Lets say the drinks package costs an average of $75 per day. Royal Caribbean states the current pricing for 2022 sailings is between $12.99 and $15.00 per day of the cruise. The gratuity applies to individual guests of all ages . If you have a question that isnt listed here, you can add it in the comments section at the end. . Hi Natalie. Mailbag: Why do I have to pay gratuities for my toddler? Use this section of the Royal Caribbean Beverage Package Calculator to enter general information about the cruise. Are tips required? Royal Caribbean drinks packages include all tips (also known as gratuities). Your positive feedback will go on their permanent file, which can help them to get promotions and pay rises. Weve never bought a drink package, always paid per drinkbut are considering this trip. Other major cruise lines already increased their gratuities this year. For most sailings, when you buy a drinks package online, an 18% gratuity charge is added at the checkout. 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! You may also wish to give some cash to porters who help with your luggage outside of the ship, particularly if you start your cruise in the United States where this is customary. Royal Caribbean last raised its gratuity fee on Jan. 2, 2018. This depends on your muster station. 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. I was wondering. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Unless you are feeling generous, theres no need to tip more. Im going on a cruise in October and would like the full drinks package for myself. Passengers in higher-level suites pay $18. over all its ships, not just the cruise we were on. 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. For example I drink a lot of water during the day so I will at least have 6 bottles of water. Their offerings range from classics like a mojito to daiquiri to new takes on traditional cocktails, like a New Fashioned at the Schooner . First, any time that you buy a drink from the bar, you will be charged an extra tip, usually 18%-20% of the menu price, depending on the cruise line. The package covers nearly every beverage on the ship up to $13 per drink. Gratuity = n*b*15 / 26. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Royal Caribbean Blog. To work out if a drinks package is worth it, you need to work out how many drinks you would need to drink each day to break even. These vouchers expire on the same night that they are issued. Guests that booked through a travel agent can request their agent add pre-paid gratuities to the guests' booking prior to sailing. What is Royal Caribbean's service gratuities (tips) price and policy? That adds up. You would think that paying a hefty daily tip would cover everyone on the ship. So, dont pay the gratuities in advance and wait for the onboard credit to be applied. #36. That said, its unusual to adjust the gratuity amount, and the staff works extremely hard to make your trip enjoyable. Does the menu price already include the per drink gratuity? She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 20 cruises. Instead of one passenger paying a lot and another paying hardly anything, these set amounts ensure that everyone pays their fair share. If you are caught sharing your drinks with someone who doesnt have a package, you risk having your drink package cancelled without a refund. Dont do this. If thats the case and you decide you want to change the amount you are charged for tips then you can do that. In fact, the staff will love that you want to give them more money. Also, should I bring my own sweetener or do they supply that? 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. How Can I Know How Much I Will Be Charged in Tips? I have a question Ive not seen answered. For guests staying in Grand Suites and above, the fee is $18.50 per person, per day. Here are the others: 4 Ways That People Cheat The Royal Caribbean Drink Package. When you check in, youll be asked if you wish to set up the account with a credit card or debit card. Here's how it works on Royal Caribbean: As of September 7 th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per . In your article are you saying that on a cruise out of Southampton uk. If you get free gratuities thrown in as an incentive for booking a cruise, then these will be automatically prepaid. 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. 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. A 18% gratuity is automatically added to all beverages, mini bar items, and spa & salon purchases. Under certain circumstances, you may be able to buy the Deluxe Beverage Package for one guest and the Refreshment Package for another guest. Royal Caribbean last increased gratuities in 2018 and, before that, was in 2016. I didnt know I could have the tips removed from my room charges. However, you can get a drink every 15 minutes so it is possible to get the occasional drink for your child on the sly. With millions of passengers sailing every year, theres inevitably going to be someone who feels they received poor service. 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. MyTime dining is when you dont have a set dining time and instead, you can arrive at the main restaurant whenever you like. Yes, thats correct. 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. B/b. 20102023Regal Sea Media LLC. The actual daily package cost can vary depending on the cruise and ship. So well have to pay the difference of $1 on almost every drink. 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. We offer you this handy calculator tool for determining the appropriate gratuities for the crew members that help make your Disney cruise magical. The tips are spread out between the room steward, dining staff, and others. recommended) gratuities, and the ability to increase or decrease the amounts as you desire. 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. However, its always cheaper to buy it before you board. Doing this is a good way to ensure that youre served first next time! 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. This is because the drinks packages are not actually free, its just that the ticket price is adjusted to include drinks. The best way to save money on your Royal Caribbean drink package is to buy it a few days after booking your cruise. The breakdown of gratuities is carefully worked out to be fair for all crew members. Absolutely. The default average cost is per beverage and beverage type and can be edited. Heres how I get the lowest price when I book a cruise. Disney Cruise Line recommends a gratuity amount of $14.50 per person per night. There are several places where youll find free drinks during your Royal Caribbean cruise. To make tipping simpler and fairer, Royal Caribbeans tips policy is to collect this money from all the guests and automatically share it between the crew members. Just enter your email address below and youll receive a link to it in your inbox asap. Does the deluxe drink package include adding items to your mini bar? Then if I pay another $5 per person each day for room clean-up, thats another $140, for a total of $280. You can add an additional tip on to your receipt if you wish. Is that the Same Thing? Hi, I would Like to know something.