Answer (1 of 7): Yes, you can. But thats not always the case. Simply enter the cruise line, length of trip, and the number of passengers and it will show you precisely how much youll be charged. You can see a price comparison of drinks across all cruise lines here. Weve never bought a drink package, always paid per drinkbut are considering this trip. 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. If you wish to recognise outstanding service by adding extra gratuities onboard the ship, you are welcome to do so. We want the people who earned the tip to receive, not the lousy,greedy, uninvolved government! Im not sure actually. Is a drink package worth it for you? They recognize that the staff goes above and beyond to make their vacation enjoyable. Thanks for this . 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? Jenni. Cruise lines rarely use the word free, instead they use included. If purchasing beverages la carte (without a package) is the best option, the calculator will recommend Pay As You Go.. Whilst they dont call it a sale, the prices do go up and down. If a drink is over 12 Dollars to I have the entire price or just the difference. Is it true that each individual drink purchased an additional 18% is added? I have a general question I am booked on the Adventure of the Sea in February wondering if the muster station is done outside standing or inside able to sit down.. Hi Jill. I believe so, yes. Heres Everything to Know, 21+ Best Cruise Cabin Tips, Secrets, & Things to Know (Read Before Sailing), 25+ Fun Must-Do Things on a Norwegian Cruise, 29 Must-Have Things to Pack for an Alaskan Cruise (11 Youd Never Think Of), Carnival Is Fixing a MAJOR Issue With Sailing from Galveston, Princess Cruise Gratuity (Tips) Full Guide: How Much, How They Work, and More, Hotels With Cruise Shuttles For Every Major Port in America, 107 Best Cruise Tips, Tricks, Secrets, and Freebies, 39 Useful Things to Pack For Your Cruise (Including 17 Youd Never Think Of). Could I buy only 4 of the 8 days of my trip, for example? Waiting until the end of your cruise will give you a few more paydays to save up the money. However, for the most part you can expect that every passenger on your trip will see a charge. All rights reserved. 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. If two adults are sharing a stateroom then both people must have the same package. While this is intended to make things easier, the honest truth is that having automatic gratuities can actually lead to more questions. Note that if you live in the UK, youll see your drink packages prices in GBP on the Cruise Planner. Is Every Passenger Charged Gratuities? 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. Who gets the tips? 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. Yes, except if you are sailing in the U.S., then NCL tacks on the gratuities on the amount of the beverage package even though the package is free. Should guests opt not to pay gratuities until onboard, they will be subject to the newly suggested gratuity amounts. Why do I have to pay gratuities for my toddler? The porter stands there counts the luggage and has told the price for a handling fee. Great observation, Michelle. We hope you find the gratuity to be an accurate reflection of your satisfaction and thank you for your generous recognition of our staff. How Often Do the Gratuity Rates Increase? I had it on a 4-night cruise. The gratuities go to staff that provide passenger-facing services. On certain cruises, Royal Caribbean requires that gratuities are prepaid to be able to request MyTime dining. My hubby-to-be is a non-drinker and he would only want the refreshment package. 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. Im guessing it does not? If you book your cruise during a free drinks offer, then you will get drinks included with your cruise. Were booked on the Liberty of the Seas cruise in November 2020. Then, contact one with a best-price guarantee and have them beat it! In addition to this, an 18% gratuity is automatically added to all drinks, spa and salon services. 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% . Suite gratuity rate will change from $17.50 to $18.50 per day per person. The best way to save money on your Royal Caribbean drink package is to buy it a few days after booking your cruise. Then, contact one with a best-price guarantee and have them beat it! Is this due to the situation at the moment or have they stopped selling drinks package online. Specialty dining experiences, which are outside the included meal packages and can include steakhouses, sushi/seafood restaurants and many more. So you cant get the Royal Cribbean alcohol package for one person and the soft drink package for another. I'm so sorry that this post wasn't useful for you! The cost for two people on a week-long cruise can be well above $200. Royal Caribbean always price in US dollars no matter the itinerary. These can be a surprise to some people, especially first-time passengers. Just like sneaking your own alcohol on board the ship, this isnt technically allowed, but people do it. 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. Making feeds? 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. Hi Aoife. Guests still have some decisions to make about whether to pay the gratuities before or after the cruise, and whether to tip any extra on top. The automatic daily gratuity is based on customary industry standards. This also applies to sailings departing from Australia and New Zealand. 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. Share. Is there a limit in time how many drinks/baverages I can order. 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? Be sure to join my email list for my best cruise tips and handpicked deals each week. Dont do this. Bottom line is that it comes down to personal preference. The calculator will also treat nights as equivalent to days for the purposes of per-day beverage calculations. In my former job managing cruise websites for a travel agent, I saw cruise line campaigns change regularly and prices fluctuate almost daily. 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. Royal Caribbean Junior Suite perks: Is it worth the upgrade? Years ago, you could buy five bottles of wine for $165, 7 bottles for $220 and 10 bottles for $300. 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. Great blog exactly the sort of information I was looking for to make in informed decision. Automatic gratuity charge: $16 to $18.50 per person, per day. Note the wording used. The breakdown of gratuities is carefully worked out to be fair for all crew members. I have some tips for you here: https://www.cruisemummy.co.uk/taking-a-baby-on-a-cruise-ship/ Jenni, Many thanks, very useful. 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. That adds up. As a way to reward our crew members for their outstanding service, tips are shared . Also, should I bring my own sweetener or do they supply that? So when youre on the ship, its one less charge to worry about. RCCL currently applies an automatic gratuity amount on your onboard account, on a daily basis. Is it worth it to by a drink package? The bar service personnel still gets their 15% tips from each bar sale. If you dont have a lot of money available when you come to pay for your cruise, then dont worry about paying the gratuities right away. So, dont pay the gratuities in advance and wait for the onboard credit to be applied. Can I please get the link to the calculator? On top of what I already paid for the two unlimited packages? Plus, as we were sailing from the UK it was easy to bring our own wine and cans of pop on board so we didnt need to buy many drinks on the ship. The formula used by our online gratuity calculator is: G = n*b*15/26. Im Diamond and wondered what the upcharge might be since Ill be getting four free drink vouchers per day. Applying this charge automatically helps to streamline the recognition process for the crew members that work to enhance your cruise. Its possible to make a saving by doing this if you have the time and energy to track the prices. recommended) gratuities, and the ability to increase or decrease the amounts as you desire. Thank you so much for such useful and great information. Let me know in the comments below. The number of nights affects the total cost of beverage packages. Should you prepay gratuities for a Royal Caribbean cruise? Meanwhile, cruise fares are often shown as dirt-cheap prices. Mailbag: Why do I have to pay gratuities for my toddler? If you wish to recognise outstanding service by adding extra gratuities onboard the ship, you are welcome to do so. They all end up being the same thing a set daily charge to passengers thats passed on to the crew. Use this section of the Royal Caribbean Beverage Package Calculator to enter information about anticipated beverage consumption and pricing information. Royal Caribbeans rules state that each person must have the same package. 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. Hi, I'm Jenni. 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). Be sure to join my email list for my best cruise tips and handpicked deals each week. That doesnt seem fair. Gratuities, which on Royal Caribbean for the standard rooms is $14.50 a day, per person (suites are $17.50 a day, per person). February 11, 2023 Randy Young Bar Menu, drink package, Royal Caribbean. So no, you wouldnt have to pay any extra gratuities on drinks. Suggested read: 56 amazing examples of Royal Caribbean customer service. You can usually pay your gratuities in advance of your cruise, or choose to receive a bill on the last day of your cruise. The tip applies to individual guests of all ages and stateroom categories. Gratuity = n*b*15 / 26. They scan your bags. Other than that, your gratuity charges cover the housekeeping and dining staff. Royal Caribbean is a trademark of Royal Caribbean Group. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. You can use my free drinks package calculator to work out what your bar bill would be with no drink package. On or after September 7, 2022, regardless of when the booking was created, gratuities paid while onboard are subject to the new, increased rates. I detest the idea of: A. not knowing who my tip is going to B. 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. 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. If thats the case and you decide you want to change the amount you are charged for tips then you can do that. Royal Caribbean offer discounts to people who buy their drinks packages online in advance of their cruise. We have decided to use your tip and buy the soda package with the intention of buying shots on board. In addition to this, an 18% gratuity is automatically added to all drinks, spa and salon services. Crown & Anchor Diamond status entitles you to attend an Exclusive Nightly Diamond Event between 5 pm and 8 pm each evening where you can receive three free drinks from a list of beers, wines, spirits and sodas. 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. At the end of your cruise, youll receive an envelope that you can use to give extra cash tips if you wish. You can also get cold coffee drinks at the coffee bars. Beverage packages do not cover certain specialty beverages, particularly those purchased at an onboard Starbucks. If you order a drink that cost more than $12, youll just pay the difference. There are some exceptions to this rule. Click the button above to compare the prices of cruises from all travel agents. Why Arent Gratuities Just Included in the Price of the Cruise? This occurs in the Australian cruise market. 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. 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/. 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. Hi, I would Like to know something. Royal Caribbean regularly have promotions to encourage people to book cruises. I know that some people get away with putting one bottle in the main suitcase and one in hand luggage. 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 allow you to bring one bottle of wine per person on-board and theyre very strict about that. This makes paying for your cruise more manageable. This depends on your muster station. If you do absolutely nothing, then you can expect an automatic charge on your SeaPass account each day of the cruise. Passengers would then put cash in the envelope for the crew members. Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. drink with blended scotch and Drambuie on ice. 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? Why wouldnt they have the limit at $13 or do I have incorrect info? The gratuity is added on at the final checkout so you will see the final price before you commit to buy it. Great advice. Last time I cruised with Royal Caribbean in December 2019 you could do both options. We just came back from a Cruise to Nowhere aboard the Quantum of the Seas as well. Do you know the difference in the tea? So you wont have to pay any more for your drinks unless you order something really specialist. That said, its unusual to adjust the gratuity amount, and the staff works extremely hard to make your trip enjoyable. However, its always cheaper to buy it before you board. 3 ways to get free wifi on your Royal Caribbean cruise. This costs $31 and gives you 15 specialty coffees throughout your cruise. 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?
