Starting September 7, RCI-Royal Caribbean will increase the onboard gratuities that passengers will pay for the service they receive from crew members.
Gratuities for passengers occupying standard staterooms (Junior Suites/below) range from US$14.50 to US$16.00 per day per guest. The previous Suite gratuity rate of US$17.50 will increase to US$18.50 per day per guest.
According to the Royal Caribbean statement, service charges are shared among the bar, restaurant, and culinary staff, cabin attendants, and other hotel service teams who are working behind the scenes.
For new bookings, adjusted gratuities are effective September 7, 2022.
Passengers booked before September 7 may choose to pre-pay gratuities before departure to take advantage of current rates. On/after September 7, regardless of when the booking was made, gratuities paid onboard will be subject to the increased rates.
Pre-existing reservations confirmed before September 7 will not be subject to the increased guidelines as long as tips are paid before departure. If passengers choose not to pay gratuities until boarding, they'll be subject to the newly proposed gratuity amounts.
Other gratuity policies remain the same like the 18% gratuity automatically added to drinks, mini bar items, spa and salon purchases.