What's included, and what costs extra
Your cruise fare covers more than most people expect, but not everything. Here's what's covered on Royal Caribbean, what isn't, and which add-ons are worth the money.
The basics
What your fare covers
Taxes and port fees are part of the price you pay when you book. Onboard, these are the big buckets.
Included
- Your stateroom, cleaned once a day
- The main dining room, the Windjammer buffet, and several casual spots
- Water, iced tea, lemonade, basic coffee and tea, and juice at breakfast
- Most shows, live music, and evening entertainment
- Pools, hot tubs, waterslides, and most onboard activities
- The fitness center
- Basic Wi-Fi for the Royal Caribbean app
- Kids clubs during daytime and evening hours
Costs extra
- Alcohol, soda, specialty coffee, and bottled water
- Specialty restaurants
- Internet access (VOOM)
- Daily gratuities
- Shore excursions
- Spa treatments and most fitness classes
- Photos, the casino, the arcade, and laundry
- Most room service (continental breakfast is free)
Drink packages
Should you buy a drink package?
Packages are priced per person, per day, for every day of the cruise. Prices change by ship and sailing, and they're usually cheaper when you buy before you sail.
Classic Soda
Fountain soda in a souvenir cup. Good for kids and soda drinkers who don't need coffee drinks.
Refreshment
Everything non-alcoholic: soda, specialty coffee, fresh juice, bottled water, and mocktails. Popular with non-drinkers and coffee lovers.
Deluxe
Beer, wine, cocktails, and spirits up to a set price per drink, plus everything in the Refreshment package. Guests 21 and over only.
The rule that surprises people: if one adult in a stateroom buys the Deluxe package, every adult in that stateroom has to buy it too. There are exceptions for an adult who doesn't drink, but they need to provide documentation and must buy the Refreshment package instead. Plan this before you book cabins for a group.
Is it worth it? Add up what you'd normally drink in a day at sea. If you'll have five or six alcoholic drinks a day, plus coffee, energy drinks, or soda, the Deluxe package can pay for itself. If you're a two-drinks-a-day person, you'll likely save by paying as you go.
More add-ons
Wi-Fi and specialty dining
Wi-Fi
Basic Wi-Fi is free, but it only gives you access to the Royal Caribbean app, which is still handy for the daily schedule, reservations, and your bill. iMessage also works on it, iPhone to iPhone only. For real internet, VOOM is the paid package, and it covers WhatsApp, Facebook, email, and Wi-Fi calling. It's priced per device, and one person can buy it for up to four devices and share the code with anyone, even people in a different stateroom. Buy it before you sail for the best price.
Specialty dining
The included dining is good. Specialty restaurants like Chops Grille steakhouse, Giovanni's Italian Kitchen, and Izumi sushi are a step up and a fun night out. Pay per meal, or buy an Unlimited Dining Package if you'll eat at specialty restaurants most nights. Reserve popular times before you sail.
Gratuities, explained
How tipping works onboard
This is the part that confuses first-timers most. There are two automatic gratuities, plus optional extra tips.
1. Daily gratuities
Every guest is charged a daily gratuity. It covers your dining room servers, your stateroom attendant, and the back-of-house crew you never see. You can prepay it when you book, or it's added to your onboard account each day and paid at the end of the cruise. Either way, the amount is the same.
2. Gratuities on packages
Beverage and dining packages have an 18% gratuity added when you buy them. This is in addition to the daily gratuities, not a replacement for them.
3. Extra tips (optional)
Many guests also tip their stateroom attendant, servers, and bartenders a little extra for great service, often in cash. It's appreciated, but it isn't required. Here's what we typically hear clients give, on top of the daily gratuities:
- Stateroom attendant: $50 to $150 per stateroom for the cruise
- Dinner servers: about $20 per meal, less for lunch
- Bartenders: $1 to $2 per drink
Example: two adults in a balcony stateroom on a 7-night cruise pay 2 × 7 × $18.50 = $259 in daily gratuities. If they also buy drink packages, 18% is added to the package price on top of that.
Gratuity rates are set by Royal Caribbean and can change. We'll confirm the current rate for your sailing.
Our advice
How to avoid a surprise bill
- Buy packages before you sail.Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner runs frequent sales on drink, Wi-Fi, and dining packages. Prices onboard are usually higher.
- Keep watching after you buy.Add-ons can be cancelled and repurchased if the price drops. The refund can take up to 10 days to reach the card on file.
- Compare the price per day, not the percent off.The starting price changes, so a bigger percent off can actually be a worse deal. The daily price tells you what you'll really pay.
- Prepay gratuities when you book.They're paid off before you sail, so your final bill is smaller.
- Check your account in the app every day.Charges show up as you go, so nothing is a surprise on the last night.
- Use your onboard credit first.If your booking came with onboard credit, it applies to most purchases automatically.
- Set a spending budget with the family.Arcade games and souvenir cups add up quickly when kids have their own SeaPass cards.
Packages, prices, and policies change often and vary by ship. We'll confirm the current details for your sailing.
Not sure which add-ons you need?
Tell us how you like to travel and we'll tell you honestly which packages are worth it for your group, and watch for sales on the ones that are.
Start a Cruise Inquiry →