Confused about gratuities on Royal Caribbean Cruises? Know all about the tipping policy on the Royal Caribbean Cruise line.
Cruising with Royal Caribbean means embarking on a vacation filled with adventure, luxury, and top-tier service. While many aspects of a cruise are included in your fare, one element that often raises questions among travelers is gratuities. These service charges are an essential part of the cruise experience, helping to compensate the hardworking crew who make your journey seamless and memorable. If you're planning a trip with Royal Caribbean, understanding their tipping policy is important for both budgeting and appreciating the service you'll receive.
In this blog, we’ll break down everything you need to know about gratuities on Royal Caribbean cruises, including how much to expect, who gets tipped, whether you should prepay, and how gratuities impact your cruise experience.
Gratuities are part of cruising. Gratuities on Royal Caribbean Cruises are service charges automatically added to your account to appreciate the people providing the services, and the amount is shared among staff, including service teams, stateroom attendants, culinary service staff, and bar.
Royal Caribbean gratuities reflect the cruise line’s commitment to high standards of service. These charges are designed not only to maintain fairness but also to encourage excellent service throughout your voyage.
As of the most recent update, Royal Caribbean has raised its daily gratuity rates slightly—a trend consistent with the cruise industry's inflation-driven changes.
Here’s the current breakdown of gratuities on Royal Caribbean cruises:
For guests staying in Junior Suites and below:
For guests staying in Grand Suites and above:
These charges apply to both adults and children and are automatically posted to your SeaPass account unless you've prepaid them in advance.
In addition to the daily gratuity, Royal Caribbean automatically adds a 20% gratuity on individual purchases, such as:
These are not included in your daily gratuity charge and are separate. So, if you’re booking a massage or enjoying a cocktail by the pool, expect a little extra added to your bill.
This is an option that allows you to dine any time you want, unlike traditional dining, where you will be assigned a time for dining. This option is available at the time of booking. In My Time Dining, gratuities are added to your dining bill automatically. This includes tips for all attendants and dining staff.
Since you might be served by different members of the same service teams, this automatic gratuity ensures fair distribution of the gratuity and appreciation.
When booking your cruise, you’ll have the option to prepay your gratuities. This can be done through the cruise line directly or your travel agent.
Here are a few compelling reasons why prepaying Royal Caribbean prepaid gratuities are a smart move:
The gratuities on Royal Caribbean Cruises are automatically added to the SeaPass account of the guests if they have not been pre-paid prior to boarding. You can adjust the daily gratuity at guest relations.
The people providing the services work hard throughout the cruise to ensure you have a stress-free vacation. Gratuities show your appreciation for all they do. Should you prepay the gratuities?
Prepaying gratuities comes with a lot of benefits. You can prepay gratuities while booking a cruise with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. Prepaying gratuities can help you relax onboard as you don't get the daily gratuities added to every purchase you make. Hence, your bill does not go higher with the added gratuities onboard.
Yes, Royal Caribbean allows you to adjust or remove gratuities, but this is subject to the discretion of Guest Relations. They will often ask you for a reason if you wish to remove or lower the amount.
Keep in mind that removing gratuities may negatively impact the staff, as the system is designed to distribute tips equitably.
Even with gratuities included, many guests choose to tip additional cash to specific crew members who go the extra mile. This is entirely optional and appreciated by the crew.
Popular recipients of additional tips include:
Paying gratuities on Royal Caribbean comes with several clear benefits:
Some travel agencies and websites include prepaid gratuities as part of special packages or promotions. CruiseBooking.com is a great place to look for deals that bundle gratuities with other perks like onboard credit or specialty dining.
All cruise lines have gratuities added to the cruise fare. Gratuities are not just money but a token of appreciation for all who work relentlessly to make your cruise experience memorable.
Whether you choose to prepay your Royal Caribbean gratuities or have them automatically added to your account onboard, they ensure that every staff member—from the server at your favorite restaurant to the housekeeping staff—feels recognized and valued.
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