Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean will have some changes to its pricing onboard its ships, starting in just a few weeks.
Norwegian will be increasing its gratuities while Royal Caribbean will be slapping on a room service charge on its passengers.
As of April 1, gratuities fleetwide on standard cabins are currently US$13.50 per person, per day. The amount for ships will be adjusted to US$13.99 which is a 3.6 per cent increase.
But passengers on the Norwegian Sky will be slapped with a bigger increase. The gratuities for standard cabins on the Sky are increasing to US18.99 – a 41 per cent increase.
Gratuities for suites are $21.99 for the Sky and $16.99 for the rest of the fleet.
Norwegian said for any guest that has made a booking by March 31, 2017 will have the option of prepaying their service charges at the current rate if done prior to sail date.
The amounts are automatically added to a guests’ shipboard account and guests can adjust the rate upward and downward.
Royal Caribbean also announced earlier this month it would be changing its policy of room service offerings. Guests will be charged a fee of US$7.95 per order of room service from the All Day Menu and the American Section of the breakfast menu.
But the continental breakfast options will remain complimentary so guests can still take advantage of room service without any fees. Guests staying in a Grand Suite category or above will still get complimentary room service.
The change goes into effect on sailings after March 27, 2017.
Greetings! Really helpful guidance on this post!
It’s the little changes that make the biggest changes.
Thanks a lot for sharing!
Rather than have these stupid "gratuities", why don't they just be honest and add them to the room prices to begin with? I sailed once with Norwegian. Every drinks account had something like 19% automatically and compulsorily added. These costs should be included in the advertised drink cost. I won't be sailing with them again..
Australians are not use to tipping, graturities or whatever you like to call it. Why can’t these be included in the price of the trip. I do notice that Carnival in particular advertise the cruise and then give you a further price which includes taxes etc. that is something else that needs to be changed.
We always pay the Service Desk a visit as soon as we board and declare that we will pay our own graturities. I am waiting for this to be stopped as there are more and more passengers deciding to do this.
If all Cruise Lines were forced to include Graturities there would be no discrepancy it would be a fair playing field for all cruise lines.
Gratuities should be left up to the passengers as it is something given to an individual freely for good service. Otherwise this is a com by the cruise companies in an attempt to make there prices look cheaper and then RIP to passenger off for more .I always tell cruise companies overseas to take it of my bill and I will give an amount to the person or persons that I wish to reward.
They do not like this as the company does not get any thing from this method
Note Princess or carnival add anything to cruise quoted in Australia or New Zealand
Rather than have these stupid “gratuities”, why don’t they just be honest and add them to the room prices to begin with? I sailed once with Norwegian. Every drinks account had something like 19% automatically and compulsorily added. These costs should be included in the advertised drink cost. I won’t be sailing with them again.
I’ve got no problem with charging a small fee for room service, and they can put up their gratuities all they like. I cancel my automatic gratuities and pay the appropriate people the appropriate amount as I see fit. I realise this means that some people like the maitre’ d miss out, but I am sure they are on a better wicket than the people who actually serve you.