Ciao cruise lovers! Today we are going to talk about a much-debated topic in the cruise world: gratuities!
Many people hate them and consider them an unjust charge, while others see them as a reasonable expense.
In this article, we’ll closely examine whether gratuities are obligatory and whether there’s a way to remove them to save money.
Gratuities on Royal Caribbean
First, I want to clarify that Royal Caribbean has two types of gratuities: Automatic or Prepaid gratuities and Service gratuities.
Automatic or Prepaid gratuities
The automatic or prepaid gratuities are “daily tips” that are automatically added to each cruise passenger’s SeaPass account or can be prepaid in full before the cruise.
Basically, for each day of your cruise, Royal Caribbean will add a charge per person that will be divided among the crew of the ship.
In the pic below you can see the gratuities breakdown on Royal Caribbean.
According to the cruise line, they are used to reward the great service passengers receive.
Starting in 2024, the amounts that Royal Caribbean charges are:
- $18 per person, per day for guests staying in classic staterooms.
- $20.50 per person, per day for guests staying in Grand Suites and above.
Service gratuities
On the other hand, service gratuities are added to the price every time you buy something.
For example, you will be charged 18% when you buy a drink and 20% when you buy a massage or spa service.
These ones cannot be removed. However, you don’t have to pay for them if you have one of the Royal Caribbean’s drink packages.
Can I remove gratuities on Royal Caribbean?
Now let’s answer the crucial question: can tips be removed on Royal Caribbean?
The answer is YES, you can remove automatic and prepaid gratuities on Royal Caribbean.
How can you do that?
To have gratuities removed from your account, you simply need to visit the Guest Services desk no later than the morning of your departure and request the removal.
They might inquire about your reasons for this request. In response, you should explain which services did not meet your expectations and why you feel you shouldn’t pay the automatic tips.
While I have never personally requested the removal of gratuities, I know someone who did due to dissatisfaction with her cabin’s cleanliness.
She had reported the issue to the Guest Services desk a few days after setting sail but saw no improvement.
Consequently, she asked for the gratuities to be removed the day before disembarkation, and her request was fulfilled without any additional queries.
Should you refuse to pay gratuities on Royal Caribbean?
I want to stress the importance of using this approach ethically.
If you encounter any issues, report them to the staff, and I assure you that in most instances, your problem will be addressed.
Consider opting out of cruise gratuities only if genuine issues have not been resolved during your journey.
Remember, all gratuities go directly to the staff, constituting a substantial part of their earnings for the hard work they put in to ensure your trip is enjoyable.
Convenient and easy-to-carry for any type of travel
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