If you are experiencing blank or invalid results, try refreshing your browser. 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. 20102023Regal Sea Media LLC. The exact breakdown of how much each staff member gets isnt published, just like their salary isnt published. On Anthem of the Seas and other Quantum-class ships you can order drinks from the robotic bartender. If youd like to calculate exactly what your gratuity amount will be before you book your trip, then you can use our calculator here. Hi Aoife. 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. Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. Cruise lines rarely use the word free, instead they use included. Hi, I'm Jenni. I Agree, we always opt out and give tips to our steward and waiter/waitress at the end of the cruise. The package covers nearly every beverage on the ship up to $13 per drink. Percentage of cruisers that remove auto gratuities who tell everyone they tip in cash "to those who serve them": 100%. If you dont decide to prepay the tips, then the amount is automatically charged to your onboard account each day. You are charged a set amount (the amount varies depending on the cruise line), per person, per day. Other than that, your gratuity charges cover the housekeeping and dining staff. Its up to you. First of all, if youre feeling a little confused, dont worry you arent alone. A 18% gratuity is automatically added to all beverages, mini bar items, and spa & salon purchases. Select the number of nights for the cruise, from a minimum of two nights to a maximum of thirty nights. These are: Some drinks are free all the time. 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. Its a small 2.25 oz. However, theres a chip inside it which means that it will only work with the machine for a certain period of time. He would hardly be expected to buy the alcohol package too?? Passengers in higher-level suites pay $18. Thats right, each time you order a drink, and 18% gratuity is added on to your bill. Sterilisers? If youre a first-time cruiser, then theres little doubt that you have questions about gratuities and tipping on your cruise. or would i be charged for the whole pina colada with alcohol? If two adults are sharing a stateroom then both people must have the same package. Hello we r doing a three night cruise out of Brisbane in November. The cruise line collects the tips and then distributes them accordingly. !I just cant afford that and i dont see how its justified. Hi Jose. Prices for the non-alcoholic drink packages are obviously much cheaper. Do check out our Royal Caribbean Cruise Refreshment Package Review for more information! 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. However, prices seem to have increased recently, with an upcoming cruise quoting a sale price of $83.99 and an onboard price of $105! Extremely helpful esp0ecially about tipping and what to do. 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. These vouchers expire on the same night that they are issued. Be the first to rate this post. Are tips required? I have a question. We nearly always opt out of tips and tip whom we want directly. When you check in, youll be asked if you wish to set up the account with a credit card or debit card. Royal Caribbean does not require guests under the legal drinking age to buy any kind of drinks package. Before you go ahead and buy the Coffee Card, here are some things youll want to consider: The tap water on Royal Caribbean cruise ships is perfectly safe to drink and tastes okay, although it may not always be very cold, depending on the weather. Hi Anthony. Jenni, Hi Jose, We have decided to use your tip and buy the soda package with the intention of buying shots on board. I rarely drink specialty coffee and prefer a cup of hot tea to end my meals. 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. So no, you wouldnt have to pay any extra gratuities on drinks. In addition, prepaying gratuities locks in the current gratuity rate, even if the rate were to go up later. But, the cup doesnt seal so you have to keep it upright. Absolutely. The exception is in certain markets where tipping is not as ingrained as part of their culture, so Royal Caribbean includes daily gratuities as part of the price of the cruise. Were here to help. While the cruise lines might say differently, we think that gratuities arent included in the headline price for marketing purposes. In fact, your cruise line might leave a few envelopes in your room exactly for this purpose. All rights reserved. The default average cost is per beverage and beverage type and can be edited. Click the button above to compare the prices of cruises from all travel agents. Then, log into the Cruise Planner regularly to watch the price. Guests that booked through a travel agent can request their agent add pre-paid gratuities to the guests' booking prior to sailing. On or after September 7, 2022, regardless of when the booking was created, gratuities paid while onboard are subject to the new, increased rates. This occurs in the Australian cruise market. When we researched tipping policy on a recent Princess cruise, we found that the cruise line pools that money and uses it for bonuses, etc. The actual daily package cost can vary depending on the cruise and ship. The porter stands there counts the luggage and has told the price for a handling fee. Details: Passengers staying in most cabins, including junior suites, pay $16. 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. They recognize that the staff goes above and beyond to make their vacation enjoyable. If you book your cruise during a free drinks offer, then you will get drinks included with your cruise. What is Gratuity Calculator? Be the first to rate this post. You have to call Royal and they will book it for you. I am on Voyagers of the seas in April on repositioning cruise. Both Royal Caribbean and Carnival have slightly different daily gratuities. Royal Caribbean drinks package: Is it worth it? The calculator estimates the total cost for beverages, including the cost of beverage packages, gratuities, and upcharges. 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. That said, if you dont pay gratuities, then its the staff that will be hurting not the cruise line. The tipping rates charged change from time to time. It was quite good to fill up and take off the ship with me. 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. bit.ly/CruiseSchedule. 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. Good luck! Whether you pay gratuities before or after your cruise is your choice, but its never recommended to remove them. If you have a major issue, however, you can change your gratuity amount accordingly. 2023 Cruzely.com | Laisman Publishing, LLC. If traveling with others, enter each guests information separately, resetting the calculator as needed. Typical increases are around $1 per person, per day and seem to happen about once a year. I did wonder whether you could keep the cup and use it on your next cruise. With MyTime dining you will sit at a different table each night and be served by different crew members. Carnival made changes to its rates in May: Standard staterooms: $14.50, per person, per day (up from $13.99) Suites: $16.50 . However, you can order a bottle of water at the bar and put it in your mini bar fridge for later if you like. However, for the most part you can expect that every passenger on your trip will see a charge. Jenni. Royal Caribbean last increased gratuities in 2018 and, before that, was in 2016. At the end of your cruise, youll receive an envelope that you can use to give extra cash tips if you wish. 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 will add the mandatory gratuity to the package cost in its calculations. You have to wait 15 minutes between each drink, so it is technically possible to get drinks for the kids then 15 minutes later, go and get drinks for yourselves. They worked for about half a drink before they collapse. 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. Likewise, carrying large amounts of cash isnt recommended for safety reasons. Hi Michael. If you get free gratuities thrown in as an incentive for booking a cruise, then these will be automatically prepaid. For this reason, a drinks package may be better value on a cruise with lots of sea days, such as a transatlantic sailing. The amount you pay will vary by cruise line, but they are all in the same ballpark. . This depends on your muster station. Thanks! You should think about how much time you plan to spend on the ship. Do I Need to Tip Anyone Else While On the Ship? If you like to pay for your cruise monthly, then you can add the gratuities to your monthly payment. These days, the gratuities are set daily amounts paid by each passenger. We are cruising with NCL later this year & we have a beverage package included & gratuities included does that mean we will not pay any more gratuities at end of cruise? Whichever package you choose, you must buy it for every adult passenger for every day of your cruise. Can I buy unlimited beverage package for 2 days only in a four days cruise , or it has to be for all days ? Gratuities, which on Royal Caribbean for the standard rooms is $14.50 a day, per person (suites are $17.50 a day, per person). In this section, Ill answer the most commonly-asked questions about Royal Caribbean drink packages. Enjoy! Your drinks package will include gratuity on all drinks. It varies depending on the sailing, and prices also go up and down as the sailing date nears. A cruise which ordinarily costs 699 might go up to 999 with drinks included. 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. Guests who have pre-paid their tips will not see a daily charge during their cruise. Thank you for answering all these questions! Thats just one of the ways that people try to cheat. If purchasing beverages la carte (without a package) is the best option, the calculator will recommend Pay As You Go.. So you would need to let someone else be served and then order again. Hi Sue. You can use my free drinks package calculator to work out what your bar bill would be with no drink package. February 11, 2023 Randy Young Bar Menu, drink package, Royal Caribbean. It will show up as a line item on your final payment. Second, any time that you purchase anything service related such as dinner at a specialty restaurant or a service at the spa expect there to be a tip added on to the cost. Great advice. Tea and coffee are always available for free and you can get sweeteners as well. For most people, the service they receive on a cruise is outstanding. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. 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. Royal Caribbean charges a gratuity of $16.00 per person, per day. 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. Instructions and details are included below the calculator. hi.We leave from Southampton next month.We can only bring 2 bottles of wine at first day,not allowed any after that apparently.Also for 14 nights for the drinks package for my wife and i is nearly 2000!! These can be a surprise to some people, especially first-time passengers. All I can see is my cruise planner prices which are $95+ per day!! These days, everything is automatic. The tip applies to individual guests of all ages and stateroom categories. So when you leave the room you dont have to put down any extra cash (unless you want to). 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. Does the deluxe drink package include adding items to your mini bar? Celebrity Cruises Perks Calculator: Are Perks Worth It. The breakdown of gratuities is carefully worked out to be fair for all crew members. Since they are not . On the other hand, many people choose to instead pay the gratuity charges automatically through their onboard account once on the ship. If you are uncomfortable standing, just let a staff member know and they will be sure to accommodate you. The automatic daily gratuity is based on customary industry standards. 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. We can take on wine and sift drinks ??. I believe so, yes. 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. Another drink package option for Royal Caribbean cruisers is the Classic Soda package, which includes fountain soda and refills at any venue, Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages and even a Coca-Cola souvenir cup. We were exploring ports almost every day. That doesnt seem fair. 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? Hi Gilbert, youll find that Royal Caribbean crew members are all very friendly and helpful, so if your cousin requires any further assistance from what you can provide, just ask him to let them know and theyll be glad to help. So well have to pay the difference of $1 on almost every drink. 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. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. Available beverage packages include (in descending order of cost): The default pricing for beverage packages can be adjusted to account for price increases or discounts. When you take a Royal Caribbean cruise, as well as your cruise fare, youll be expected to pay a little extra to the crew members. 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. Just pop your email in the form and Ill send you a link to the calculator. From the passenger perspective, the gratuity amount is simple pay a set amount per person, per day, and be done. Got it for 39 pppd day! 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! They also do not include the charge for special souvenir or commemorative beverage containers. However, its always cheaper to buy it before you board. No, it doesnt. Ive worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and now my blog helps over a million people to plan their cruises each month. Where did you see the cheaper prices for the new cruise bookings? Could you please tell me how I can improve it? You can buy a Royal Caribbean drinks package either before you sail via Royal Caribbeans Cruise Planner, or on board the ship on the first day of your cruise. We are no spring chickens the three of us are just under 70. There are two ways to buy a Royal Caribbean drink package: Royal Caribbean drink package sharing is not allowed. I am curious why some of the same drinks are over $13 in one location and $12 or less in another. Royal Caribbean. Starting September 7, 2022, Royal Caribbean International will increase the onboard gratuities that guests will pay for the service they receive from crewmembers.Gratuities for guests occupying standard cabins (Junior Suites and below) range from $14.50 to $16.00 per day per person. The tip applies to individual guests of all ages and stateroom categories. In Miami the worst place to board the ship. 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. If you order a drink that cost more than $12, youll just pay the difference. Be sure to join my email list for my best cruise tips and handpicked deals each week. To save you the headache, Ive created a handy tool that does the maths for you. They are often expressed as the rate for a single person (despite having to pay for double occupancy) and dont include port fees or taxes. May 29, 2022. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? To help explain everything about cruise line gratuities, weve answered a number of common questions that will make everything clearer before you set sail. 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? You can get the charge out of the way early, or hold onto your money until you actually sail. Can I please get the link to the calculator? Ive just used $USD in this guide to keep things consistent for most readers. The option to, Royal Caribbean has announced it will raise itsrecommended gratuities for sailings that depart on or after May 01,, Royal Caribbean will be raising its recommended gratuities for sailings that depart on or after July 1, 2015.The new, Royal Caribbean Australia announced today a new fare structure that includesgratuities for stateroom attendants and, When you take a Royal Caribbean cruise, one of the costs to passengers are gratuities (tips) to crew members during. The cost for two people on a week-long cruise can be well above $200. Paying a tip twice C. Paying a standardized tip for poor service. Beverage packages can be used at CocoCay, Royal Caribbeans private island in the Bahamas and at Labadee, Royal Caribbeans private beach in Haiti. Answer (1 of 7): Yes, you can. This may be a Kids Sail Free offer, free gratuities or buy one cruise fare get one half price. Answer (1 of 4): Fares purchased on the Australian website will always include pre-paid gratuities. Your last drawn basic salary along with dearness allowance was Rs 30,000. 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. Suggested read: 56 amazing examples of Royal Caribbean customer service. 3 hours ago, Husky1987 said: Percentage of cruisers that remove auto gratuities: 10%. Years ago, you could buy five bottles of wine for $165, 7 bottles for $220 and 10 bottles for $300. Simply enter the cruise line, length of trip, and the number of passengers and it will show you precisely how much youll be charged. Your positive feedback will go on their permanent file, which can help them to get promotions and pay rises. They scan your bags. This figure reflects the maximum per-alcoholic-beverage cost that is covered with a Deluxe (alcohol) package. Any frozen drinks too without the alcohol. 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.