Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Royal Caribbean to Raise Daily Gratuity Charges Starting November 2024
Starting November 1, 2024, Royal Caribbean International will implement an increase in its daily gratuity charges, as confirmed in a statement to travel advisors.
For passengers staying in standard staterooms, including Junior Suites, the daily gratuity will rise from $18.00 to $18.50 per guest, per day. Suite guests will see a change from $20.50 to $21.00 per guest, per day.
The daily gratuity is distributed among key service teams, including dining, bar, culinary staff, stateroom attendants, and other hotel service personnel. Passengers have the option to pre-pay gratuities at the current rate until October 31, 2024. After that date, those opting to pay onboard will have the new rates automatically applied to their accounts.
Royal Caribbean clarified that while the daily gratuity rate is increasing, other gratuity policies will remain the same. An 18% gratuity will continue to be added to purchases like bar service, room service, mini-bar items, and specialty dining. Additionally, a 20% gratuity is automatically charged for spa and beauty salon services, with all charges itemized on receipts at the time of purchase.
This is Royal Caribbean’s first adjustment to gratuity rates since November 2013, when gratuities for regular cabins were raised from $16.00 to $18.00 per guest, per day, and suite charges increased from $18.50 to $20.50.
Royal Caribbean’s change follows Carnival Cruise Line’s April 2023 gratuity hike, where rates for U.S. and European departures were increased by $1.50 per guest per day, with standard cabin guests now paying $16 and suite guests paying $18 per day.
Passengers planning upcoming voyages may want to consider pre-paying their gratuities to lock in the current rates before the November 2024 increase.
