Another year, another gratuity increase. Passengers sailing Royal Caribbean will see gratuity charges rise for all cabins, almost exactly one year after the previous increase.
It’s become a seemingly annual tradition for many cruise lines to bump up the price of onboard gratuities. Now, Royal Caribbean is getting in on the action for 2024.
In a change we noticed on the cruise line’s website, Royal Caribbean updated the cost of the daily service gratuity for all cabins. The charge will now be $18.50 per person, per day for most cabins including interior, oceanview, and balcony rooms. The cost will be $21.00 per person, per day for passengers in suites:
The increase goes from a previous level of $18.00 per person, per day for most cabins, making for a modest 2.8% hike. For those staying in suites, the previous level was $20.50 per person, per day, meaning a 2.4% increase.
In total terms, a couple staying in a balcony cabin for a 7-day cruise will now see a total cost $259 in gratuities for the trip. That compares to a previous $252.
Typically, passengers who have prepaid gratuities are able to have their rate locked in at the lower rate. So if you have a cruise coming up and have already prepaid, then you should be grandfathered in at the previous rate.
A Modest Increase, Though Gratuities Have Jumped
Thankfully for cruise passengers, this latest increase in gratuity charges is relatively modest. However, the charges have jumped considerably in recent years.
Royal Caribbean last increased the gratuity charge in November 2023. At that time, the charge increased from $16.00 per person per day to $18.00 for most cabins and from $18.50 to $20.50 per day for suites.
The previous increase in September 2022 raised the charge from $14.50 per person, per day for most cabins to $16.00.
In other words, in just over two years the daily gratuity charge on the ship has risen from $14.50 per day to $18.50 per day for most cabins. That’s an increase of 27.5%.
Royal Caribbean Not Alone in Bumping Charges
While Royal Caribbean has steadily increased gratuity charges the past couple of years, they are far from alone. All the major lines have bumped up rates following the return to cruising, often multiple times.
The gratuity rates for typical cabins (non-suites) now run between $16.00 to $20.00 per person, per day, depending on the cruise line.
In other words, even with this increase, Royal Caribbean is still in line with what others in the industry charge.
Meanwhile, cruising continues to roar and is now seeing occupancy rates above 100% even at higher fares.
Bottom line: It’s doubtful this small increase is going to significantly impact passenger budgets, but it’s something they should be aware of when sailing.
I have heard that people tip their Housekeeper in cash every day and then dispute the Gratuity charge with Guest Services at the end of the Cruise and they will remove it. Is that true?
Yes, some people do that. The gratuities are automatic, but can be removed.