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% . Some muster stations are outside, some are inside with seats. There are also lots of free drinks available including flavoured water, water and milk as well as fruit juices at breakfast time. It varies depending on the sailing, and prices also go up and down as the sailing date nears. However, its always cheaper to buy it before you board. No, it doesnt. I have another question. We have two kids. Posted 3 hours ago. You can opt into prepaying gratuities at any time, up to 48 hours prior to your sail date. If not, just leave blank. Where did you see the cheaper prices for the new cruise bookings? I'm so sorry that this post wasn't useful for you! Doing this is a good way to ensure that youre served first next time! So not sure buying a drink package would be worth it. The daily gratuities are shared among dining, bar . Royal Caribbean Cruises Tipping Policy. That said, in theory you could request that tips be removed from your account and not tip at all. Why Arent Gratuities Just Included in the Price of the 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. So what will happen? Cash isnt used on cruise ships, so all your purchases and gratuities (if not prepaid) will be added to your onboard account. So Im noticing all the cool mixed cocktail drinks are priced. When you check in, youll be asked if you wish to set up the account with a credit card or debit card. One of the benefits of a drinks package is that if you dont like a drink you dont have to drink it. Norwegian Cruise Lines doesnt charge gratuities for kids under three. ), Can You Work Remotely While Taking a Cruise? Is is possible to buy the package for less days than those of your cruise? Royal Caribbean charges a gratuity of $16.00 per person, per day. 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. 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. ? Great advice. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! Complimentary is just regular coffee whereas premium includes cappuccino, latte, espresso etc. They will set up the travel cot (pack n play) each night, puree food as requested, clean up at mealtimes and much more. If tips are not required, do their supervisors know about this up charge? Tea and coffee are always available for free and you can get sweeteners as well. Share. We hope you find the gratuity to be an accurate reflection of your satisfaction and thank you for your generous recognition of our staff. Drink Package Calculator. Take a look: Royal Caribbean drinks menus with prices. So the $99 per day package is free, but you are charged about $20 per day still for the drink package gratuities. drink with blended scotch and Drambuie on ice. February 11, 2023 Randy Young Bar Menu, drink package, Royal Caribbean. Royal Caribbean drinks packages include all tips (also known as gratuities). Some people like to give gifts such as chocolates or wine to the crew members. 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. That seems pretty good to me. You simply pay this extra amount in full for your cruise as part of your cruise fare. My hubby-to-be is a non-drinker and he would only want the refreshment package. So, dont pay the gratuities in advance and wait for the onboard credit to be applied. 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. Instructions and details are included below the calculator. This will reduce the overall balance you have available to spend. Do you plan to buy a drinks package on your next cruise? To begin with, the cruise line gave out paper straws which are sadly not fit for purpose when it comes to frozen cocktails. Just like the price of anything else, you should expect over time for these rates to continue to rise slowly but surely. Ive just used $USD in this guide to keep things consistent for most readers. However, theres a chip inside it which means that it will only work with the machine for a certain period of time. These are: Some drinks are free all the time. Classic Soda Package. Enjoy! Sterilisers? 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. Good luck! You can also get cold coffee drinks at the coffee bars. No votes so far! I am on Voyagers of the seas in April on repositioning cruise. So you wont have to pay any more for your drinks unless you order something really specialist. 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. Free Dining Offer FREE SPECIALTY DINING for 2: on select categories, ships and sail dates. If you paid $13 for a cocktail and didnt like it, youd be pretty annoyed at yourself for choosing it. 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 booked directly with Royal Caribbean, you can either call Royal Caribbean . However, prices seem to have increased recently, with an upcoming cruise quoting a sale price of $83.99 and an onboard price of $105! Under certain circumstances, you may be able to buy the Deluxe Beverage Package for one guest and the Refreshment Package for another guest. They recognize that the staff goes above and beyond to make their vacation enjoyable. We offer you this handy calculator tool for determining the appropriate gratuities for the crew members that help make your Disney cruise magical. 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. What should I do to highlight this so as not to embarrass him on board. The staff works hard to ensure that your vacation is a great one. 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. For staff members that rely on these dollars, that can be a major blow. Jenni. On a recent Royal Caribbean cruise, I bought the drinks package and got my moneys worth. 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. For example, you have worked with the XYZ company for a period of 15 years. Whichever package you choose, you must buy it for every adult passenger for every day of your cruise. 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. By scorpluvsdolphins, August 20 in Royal Caribbean International. When you book your cruise, youll be given the opportunity to prepay the gratuities. The tip applies to individual guests of all ages and stateroom categories. What is Royal Caribbean's service gratuities (tips) price and policy? Then if I pay another $5 per person each day for room clean-up, thats another $140, for a total of $280. 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. 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 said, its unusual to adjust the gratuity amount, and the staff works extremely hard to make your trip enjoyable. Royal Caribbean is a trademark of Royal Caribbean Group. recommended) gratuities, and the ability to increase or decrease the amounts as you desire. The drinks prices vary slightly by ship, with around a $1 difference on some ships. The advantage is that you get your payment out of the way ahead of time. However, the cruise line no longer offers these discounts. 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. Tipping is out of control everywhere. However, you can get all-inclusive cruise package deals that have drinks included. Notice of suitability: This tip calculator is designed to help you with the cruise tipping recommended by the line. However, you can order a bottle of water at the bar and put it in your mini bar fridge for later if you like. 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! They all end up being the same thing a set daily charge to passengers thats passed on to the crew. Airfare Savings Up to $800 per person . If it doesnt, then Im sorry I dont know about that particular drink. Beverage packages do not cover certain specialty beverages, particularly those purchased at an onboard Starbucks. Hi, I'm Jenni. This costs $31 and gives you 15 specialty coffees throughout your cruise. The tip applies to individual guests of all ages and stateroom categories. 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. So when you leave the room you dont have to put down any extra cash (unless you want to). Is it worth it to by a drink package? 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. Royal Caribbean doesnt offer free drinks packages. You would think that paying a hefty daily tip would cover everyone on the ship. 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. Answer (1 of 4): Fares purchased on the Australian website will always include pre-paid gratuities. Want to tip more? I rarely drink specialty coffee and prefer a cup of hot tea to end my meals. All service isnt created equally. Then, log into the Cruise Planner regularly to watch the price. The discount is increased by up to 30% during promotional periods such as Black Friday. Like what you see? All rights reserved. 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. If you like to pay for your cruise monthly, then you can add the gratuities to your monthly payment. All non-alcoholic beverages are covered in full, regardless of price, unless otherwise excluded from all beverage packages. They also do not include the charge for special souvenir or commemorative beverage containers. Royal Caribbean shares the gratuities between various crew members including stateroom attendants, waiters, bar staff, culinary staff and other hotel services team members. Im not saying do it, but people do it. Feb 23. Royal Caribbean allow you to bring one bottle of wine per person on-board and theyre very strict about that. You are free to adjust the amount to whatever you think is fair. Not sure if Id risk it though! The daily gratuities is in addition to the18% gratuityautomatically added to all beverages, mini bar items, and spa & salon purchases. Current gratuities breakdown - Royal Caribbean International - Cruise Critic Community. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! Lets say the drinks package costs an average of $75 per day. Are you able to advise how much shots were roughly? Then, contact one with a best-price guarantee and have them beat it! Suggested read: 56 amazing examples of Royal Caribbean customer service. Like what you see? With millions of passengers sailing every year, theres inevitably going to be someone who feels they received poor service. If two adults are sharing a stateroom then both people must have the same package. 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. 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. We nearly always opt out of tips and tip whom we want directly. The tipping rates charged change from time to time. If youd like to calculate exactly what your gratuity amount will be before you book your trip, then you can use our calculator here. If you have the Deluxe Beverage Package, youll get a 40% discount on bottled wines priced up to $100 and a 20% discount on wines priced over $100. Jenni. In fact, your cruise line might leave a few envelopes in your room exactly for this purpose. Hi, I would Like to know something. The number of nights affects the total cost of beverage packages. 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. Royal Caribbean offers guests the choice of prepaying gratuities for select crew members on its ships. If you have a package, gratuities are already included in that, you wont pay any more per drink. 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. 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/. Click the button above to compare the prices of cruises from all travel agents. You can use my free drinks package calculator to work out what your bar bill would be with no drink package. Included here are the baseline (i.e. I had it on a 4-night cruise. 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. The onboard prices are inflated, and its still always cheaper to buy your package before your cruise. 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. If gratuities show on our account when we settle at cruise end, we ask for them to be removed. 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. For example, a family of four who is taking a seven-night cruise would owe $406 for gratuities. How To Prepay Gratuities On Royal Caribbean Website. 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. For cruises that start in North America, the minimum drinking age is 21. 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 . How much are gratuities on Royal Caribbean cruises? Is this due to the situation at the moment or have they stopped selling drinks package online. When you are a salaried employee, your employer pays you an amount of money when you either retire from the company or quit after 5 years of service as per the Payment Gratuity Act of 1972. Both Carnival and Norwegian raised gratuity rates earlier this summer. We have decided to use your tip and buy the soda package with the intention of buying shots on board. Not to split them across all the employees equally. 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. Royal Caribbeans Crown & Anchor Society awards loyalty points for every night that guests spend on-board Royal Caribbean ships. Royal Caribbean no longer offers a wine package. For guests that like to budget their vacations and spread out the total cost of the cruise, this is a popular choice. This depends on your muster station. This happens automatically and will be tacked on to the price. Gratuity = n*b*15 / 26. 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. Bottom line is that it comes down to personal preference. Prepaying gratuities before your cruise means you pay off that balance early, instead of accruing a higher balance that is owed at the end of the cruise. 15 Ways To Use Your Royal Caribbean Onboard Credit. 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. That doesnt seem fair. Without your contribution, the compensation for the staff members will decrease. Here are the others: 4 Ways That People Cheat The Royal Caribbean Drink Package. 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? All I can see is my cruise planner prices which are $95+ per day!! Hi Aoife. When you book the cruise youll have the ability to prepay gratuities. I did wonder whether you could keep the cup and use it on your next cruise. Is Every Passenger Charged Gratuities? Each guest, regardless of age, will be assessed the daily gratuity as recognition for the hard work crew members do each day. 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. Simply enter the cruise line, length of trip, and the number of passengers and it will show you precisely how much youll be charged. Check your Cruise Planner and see if it comes up to purchase. My husband and i are going on our first cruise later this spring and bought a deluxe package. Just enter your email address below and youll receive a link to it in your inbox asap. There are pros and cons to paying your gratuities before or after your cruise, and its very much a personal choice. Were here to help. On or after September 7, 2022, regardless of when the booking was created, gratuities paid while onboard are subject to the new, increased rates. They scan your bags. 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. The actual daily package cost can vary depending on the cruise and ship. An alternative is to pre-pay the gratuity before the cruise begins. While the name sounds fancy, gratuities are nothing more than a tip paid to the staff members for service during the cruise. 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. You definitely dont need a drinks package. Hello we r doing a three night cruise out of Brisbane in November. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Ive worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and now my blog helps over a million people to plan their cruises each month. Guests who booked prior to September 7, 2022 can opt to prepay gratuities prior to sailing to take advantage of the current rates. $15.50 per person, per day staying in mini-suites. Historically, the onboard price of the Deluxe Beverage Package ranges from $63 to $89 a day (plus gratuity). Royal Caribbean offers a discount when you pre-book your drinks package on the cruise planner before you sail. There are several places where youll find free drinks during your Royal Caribbean cruise. Just pop your email in the form and Ill send you a link to the calculator. Some lines also pool the tips altogether and then distribute them throughout the year. Here's how it works on Royal Caribbean: As of September 7 th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per . I am curious why some of the same drinks are over $13 in one location and $12 or less in another. 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. 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. 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. 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. How much is charged? I have a question. Royal Caribbean regularly have promotions to encourage people to book cruises. When you log into Royal Caribbeans cruise planner, look out for special offers like this one. Years ago, you could buy five bottles of wine for $165, 7 bottles for $220 and 10 bottles for $300. 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. To help explain everything about cruise line gratuities, weve answered a number of common questions that will make everything clearer before you set sail. But, the cup doesnt seal so you have to keep it upright. or would i be charged for the whole pina colada with alcohol? These can be a surprise to some people, especially first-time passengers. Were booked on the Liberty of the Seas cruise in November 2020. If you have a question that isnt listed here, you can add it in the comments section at the end. Thank you so much for such useful and great information. Im guessing it does not? Hi Anthony. All rights reserved. You may get reduced kids prices, included drinks or free gratuities. Royal Caribbean does not require guests under the legal drinking age to buy any kind of drinks package. 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. 3 ways to get free wifi on your Royal Caribbean cruise. 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). The porter stands there counts the luggage and has told the price for a handling fee. Their offerings range from classics like a mojito to daiquiri to new takes on traditional cocktails, like a New Fashioned at the Schooner . For those who drink mostly coffee, Royal Caribbean offers a Cafe Select Coffee Card. I am going on my first cruise in February and found your information very helpful thank you. Disney Cruise Line recommends a gratuity amount of $14.50 per person per night. We are travelling with Royal Caribbean for the first time and are considering purchasing the Deluxe drinks package. Is a drink package worth it for you? Im Diamond and wondered what the upcharge might be since Ill be getting four free drink vouchers per day. On certain cruises, Royal Caribbean requires that gratuities are prepaid to be able to request MyTime dining. Tap the for Winter 2024 Caribbean sailings. When booking a Royal Caribbean cruise, one very important question to consider is Should I get a drinks package or not?. The daily cost is per guest. Use this section of the Royal Caribbean Beverage Package Calculator to enter information about anticipated beverage consumption and pricing information. Example pool vs Bamboo. Starting Sept. 7, Royal Caribbean will charge guests in non-suite staterooms . I find this to be an outrageous ploy to hide the true costs of a cruise. 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).
