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. I have another question. All of you have great advice. 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. We just came back from a Cruise to Nowhere aboard the Quantum of the Seas as well. 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. You can use my free drinks package calculator to work out what your bar bill would be with no drink package. On a recent Royal Caribbean cruise, I bought the drinks package and got my moneys worth. If you are uncomfortable standing, just let a staff member know and they will be sure to accommodate you. Some ships may cover up to $13 per alcoholic beverage. They will still go out of their way to make your cruise comfortable and enjoyable. Here's how it works on Royal Caribbean: As of September 7 th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per . I rarely drink specialty coffee and prefer a cup of hot tea to end my meals. So the $99 per day package is free, but you are charged about $20 per day still for the drink package gratuities. Ive just used $USD in this guide to keep things consistent for most readers. I am on Voyagers of the seas in April on repositioning cruise. You have to call Royal and they will book it for you. Again, this normally runs around 18%, but can range from 15% to 20%, depending on the cruise line. We hope you find the gratuity to be an accurate reflection of your satisfaction and thank you for your generous recognition of our staff. Making feeds? With the acquisition of 80 points (equivalent to 80 nights at sea), guests become Diamond members. The service on Royal Caribbean cruises is generally exceptional. At least Ive got time to think about which package to buy. Free Dining Offer FREE SPECIALTY DINING for 2: on select categories, ships and sail dates. Airfare Savings Up to $800 per person . Could you please tell me how I can improve it? Share. If you are experiencing blank or invalid results, try refreshing your browser. How to prepay gratuities. Likewise, carrying large amounts of cash isnt recommended for safety reasons. The actual daily package cost can vary depending on the cruise and ship. If gratuities show on our account when we settle at cruise end, we ask for them to be removed. 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. ? Royal Caribbean drinks prices are on the high end when compared to other cruise lines. Is there a limit in time how many drinks/baverages I can order. Cash isnt used on cruise ships, so all your purchases and gratuities (if not prepaid) will be added to your onboard account. So if youre planning a cruise with Royal Caribbean, read on for everything you need to know about Royal Caribbean gratuities. You can modify the amount until the morning you get off the ship. 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. As far as your trip, likely very little. Royal Caribbeans rules state that each person must have the same package. So the longer the cruise, the higher the gratuities as well. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! But, the cup doesnt seal so you have to keep it upright. Hi Kristin. Hi Jeff. To begin with, the cruise line gave out paper straws which are sadly not fit for purpose when it comes to frozen cocktails. For guests that like to budget their vacations and spread out the total cost of the cruise, this is a popular choice. Having to add in gratuity costs to these advertised rates could make them less attractive to potential cruisers. That said, its unusual to adjust the gratuity amount, and the staff works extremely hard to make your trip enjoyable. That seems pretty good to me. An alternative is to pre-pay the gratuity before the cruise begins. This section of the Royal Caribbean Beverage Package Calculator advises you of the most cost-effective beverage package given your anticipated beverage consumption and pricing inputs. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. 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. 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. 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. Gratuity = n*b*15 / 26. In your article are you saying that on a cruise out of Southampton uk. The default average cost is per beverage and beverage type and can be edited. *Please see all applicable Terms & Conditions for Promotions. We want the people who earned the tip to receive, not the lousy,greedy, uninvolved government! Grand suites and above - $17.50 p.p. However, for the majority of mass market cruise lines the gratuities are extra charges on the price of your cruise. The best way to save money on your Royal Caribbean drink package is to buy it a few days after booking your cruise. On the cruise line side, that money gets cut up to be distributed. Royal Caribbean offers a choice of three all-inclusive drinks packages: Royal Caribbeans alcohol drinks package includes: Royal Caribbeans non-alcoholic drinks package includes: The Classic Soda Packages comes with a refillable souvenir cup which you can use at self-service machines across the ship. 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. 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. In fact, your cruise line might leave a few envelopes in your room exactly for this purpose. 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. The latest increase was in 2018 when gratuities went up by $1 per person, per day. However, the feedback from them is that they always prefer cash. Why do I have to pay gratuities for my toddler? Is a drink package worth it for you? 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. Carnival made changes to its rates in May: Standard staterooms: $14.50, per person, per day (up from $13.99) Suites: $16.50 . As of September 7, 2022,the automatic daily gratuity charge will increase: Royal Caribbean last raised gratuitiesJanuary 2, 2018. No votes so far! Any tips taking a 7 mths old . Do I Need to Tip Anyone Else While On the Ship? Disney Cruise Gratuity Calculator. The daily gratuities is in addition to the18% gratuityautomatically added to all beverages, mini bar items, and spa & salon purchases. For guests booked through travel advisors, their advisor may add pre-paid gratuities to the guests' booking prior to sailing*. If youve never cruised, then there is no doubt that these questions and more might be floating through your head. The calculator will auto-update as you enter information about your cruise. I didnt know I could have the tips removed from my room charges. In April 2022, Carnival Cruise Line raised their gratuities to $14.50 per person, per day for standard staterooms and $16.50 per person, per day for suites. If you prepay your gratuities, youll only ever have to pay the lower rate. All rights reserved. Any frozen drinks too without the alcohol. When this opted into by the guest, then you'll pay the full gratuity amount before the cruise begins at final payment date. If you want to pay extra, we suggest simply handing cash directly to the people you want to recognize for their service. We have two kids. If not, just leave blank, Royal Caribbean increases gratuities for crew members on its cruise ships, Carnival Cruise Line raised their gratuities. I hope that helps, enjoy your cruise! You have entered an incorrect email address! What if service is bad? How To Prepay Gratuities On Royal Caribbean Website. Passengers would then put cash in the envelope for the crew members. Some people like to give gifts such as chocolates or wine to the crew members. If not, just leave blank. The calculator will account for these upcharges. 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. Classic Soda Package. In fact, we cant think of a place where gratuities are handled the same way as they are on a cruise ship. Royal Caribbean does not require guests under the legal drinking age to buy any kind of drinks package. So not sure buying a drink package would be worth it. 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). The gratuity is applied automatically to all average beverage costs and beverage packages, as well as applicable upcharges for beverages whose cost is not fully covered by a package. While the cruise lines might say differently, we think that gratuities arent included in the headline price for marketing purposes. No, you would have to buy it for every day of your cruise. !I just cant afford that and i dont see how its justified. There are two ways to buy a Royal Caribbean drink package: Royal Caribbean drink package sharing is not allowed. 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. Are tips required? Simply enter the cruise line, length of trip, and the number of passengers and it will show you precisely how much youll be charged. Is that the Same Thing? Current gratuities breakdown - Royal Caribbean International - Cruise Critic Community. 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. The tip applies to individual guests of all ages and stateroom categories. That adds up. 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. They recognize that the staff goes above and beyond to make their vacation enjoyable. Do you plan to buy a drinks package on your next cruise? The staff works hard to ensure that your vacation is a great one. Featured Royal Caribbean Cruise Deals. 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. Should you prepay gratuities for a Royal Caribbean cruise? Royal Caribbean drinks package: Is it worth it? 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. Each guest, regardless of age, will be assessed the daily gratuity as recognition for the hard work crew members do each day. You can usually pay your gratuities in advance of your cruise, or choose to receive a bill on the last day of your cruise. 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. How much is charged? Then if I pay another $5 per person each day for room clean-up, thats another $140, for a total of $280. This calculator is not endorsed by Royal Caribbean Group. Where did you see the cheaper prices for the new cruise bookings? The lowest prices can often be found during the Black Friday sale period. The calculator is powered by JavaScript. Tea and coffee are always available for free and you can get sweeteners as well. The calculator will add the mandatory gratuity to the package cost in its calculations. 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. 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. A cruise which ordinarily costs 699 might go up to 999 with drinks included. Great observation, Michelle. When you log into Royal Caribbeans cruise planner, look out for special offers like this one. How many of each do you think you'll have a day? Thanks bunches for this. Answer (1 of 7): Yes, you can. The formula used by our online gratuity calculator is: G = n*b*15/26. We use prepaid drink cards to purchase beverages. Not to split them across all the employees equally. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! Coca-Cola (including diet, zero, caffeine-free and many different flavours like strawberry, cherry and lime), Fanta, Sprite and Dr Pepper (and zero versions), Powerade (and zero version), Vitamin water and Hi C, Barrys root beer and creme soda (and diet versions), Minute Maid orange and lemonade (and light versions), You cannot use a Coffee Card in Royal Caribbeans Starbucks cafes, Brewed coffee is always free from the Windjammer buffet, Specialty coffee is included in both the alcohol and no alcohol drink packages, On the first formal night of the cruise, attend the, Guests who have spent more than 30 nights at sea with Royal Caribbean (Platinum members and above) can attend a, Guests who have spent more than 80 nights at sea with Royal Caribbean (Diamond members and above) get free drinks between 5 pm and 8.30 pm for. That doesnt seem fair. 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. It is applicable to all guests, regardless of age. I find this to be an outrageous ploy to hide the true costs of a cruise. 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? Like what you see? Are the drink prices in US dollars or Australian while on an Australian run. If the price does drop, you can always call Royal Carribbean to cancel it and book it again at the lower price. Tipping is out of control everywhere. Royal Caribbean gratuities are a set amount per person, per day. Additionally, package holders receive a 40% discount on wines priced up to $100 and a 20% discount on wines priced above $100. We always hand our tips in cash to the person whose service we wish to commend. Beverage packages may not be available for purchase for cruises of less than four nights departing from Southampton, England. 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). Not sure if Id risk it though! Thanks for this . If it drops, cancel the package and re-buy it at the lower price. The cocktails in the Bamboo Lounge are a little different to the poolside cocktails, the have fancier glasses and the ingredients may be different too. What sucks is the workers then have to pay a tax on the tip where we would rather give the workers a gift of cash. I detest the idea of: A. not knowing who my tip is going to B. Whichever package you choose, you must buy it for every adult passenger for every day of your cruise. 2 bottles of wine and 12 cans of soft drinks per stateroom. These can be a surprise to some people, especially first-time passengers. I too pay in cash and at times have given extra. Beverage packages do not cover certain specialty beverages, particularly those purchased at an onboard Starbucks. At the end of your cruise, youll receive an envelope that you can use to give extra cash tips if you wish.
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