Customers of Royal Caribbean will face a slight hike in the gratuity fee charged daily from November 1.
Those in suites will be charged $21 per day, and passengers otherwise will see an increase to $18.50 per day. But don’t fret, and still, a traveler can lock in these rates by paying in advance before new rates start to hit.
From Nov 1, 2024, Royal Caribbean International will increase the level of gratuities onboard from $14.50 to $15.00 per person, per day.
The daily gratuities charges will just marginally increase for passengers who book their cruise and sailings after this date to be automatically charged to their onboard account.
The current rate of $20.50 per person per day is to be eliminated and replaced with $21 a person per day for suite customers, while daily rates for all other cabin classes will be increased by $1 each from $18 a day to $18.50 a day.
Old rates cannot go up in case the booking is done together with paid gratuities before the deadline in November.
These gratuities are then dispersed among the crew members who work to make the experience more enjoyable for passengers on board, including dining staff, room attendants, and hotel service teams.
Passengers can still opt to pre-pay these prices before disembarking if they want. The company has announced the decision amid increasing operation costs due to inflation and pressure from the outside economy.
Analysts say it is a traditional response in the hospitality industry since companies are looking to ensure profitability as running costs on fuel, food, and employees’ remunerations rise.
Some other cruise lines have taken the same route. For example, Princess Cruises just increased its crew appreciation fees.
Advance booking is recommended for passengers when dealing with these new rates on their next trip at sea.
