Deals & Booking

Royal Caribbean Gratuities: How Much Per Day and Can You Prepay

Published 3 May 2026 · 3 min read · Cruise Questions Canada editorial team

Quick answerRoyal Caribbean adds an automatic daily gratuity of roughly $18–19 USD per person for standard cabins and around $21 for suites (rates as of recent seasons — confirm current figures), charged nightly to your onboard account or prepaid at booking, with prepaying letting Canadians lock the rate and the exchange.

Royal Caribbean's service charge is one of the more predictable lines on a cruise bill — once you know the numbers.

The rates

At recent rates, Royal Caribbean charges roughly $18–19 USD per person per day in standard cabins and around $21 in suites, applied to every guest regardless of age. The line revises the figure periodically, so confirm the current amount on its site before budgeting. A family of four on 7 nights is looking at roughly $500–550 USD.

What it pays for

The charge pools across dining staff, stateroom attendants and behind-the-scenes crew — a real component of their pay, as explained in Cruise Gratuities Explained for Canadians.

Prepaying: the Canadian case

Prepaying at booking locks the rate in force when you pay — useful when lines raise rates — and, booked in CAD, fixes your exchange on that portion. Onboard, gratuities settle in USD and convert at your card's rate, per Paying in CAD vs USD for a Cruise.

Adjusting on board

Guest services can adjust the charge for genuine service problems. Removing it wholesale shortchanges crew who served you well; adjusting for a specific failure is legitimate.

What isn't covered

An automatic 18% is added to bar purchases, specialty dining and spa services separately. Porters at the terminal and excursion guides are tipped in cash by convention.

Promotions that include gratuities

Royal Caribbean periodically bundles prepaid gratuities into fares — several hundred dollars of value for a family. Worth asking whether your dates carry one before paying the fare, as covered in What Are Expedia Extras.

More Royal Caribbean policies

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Locking the tipping budget before you sail

Prepaying, ideally on a sailing where gratuities are bundled, turns the least predictable part of a Royal Caribbean bill into a fixed cost in Canadian dollars — a five-minute ask at booking.

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Frequently asked questions

How much are Royal Caribbean gratuities per day?

Roughly $18–19 USD per person per day in standard cabins and about $21 in suites at recent rates, applied to every guest including children — check Royal Caribbean's current figure before sailing, as the line adjusts it periodically.

Can you prepay Royal Caribbean gratuities?

Yes — at booking or any time before final payment through whoever holds your reservation, which locks the then-current rate and, for Canadians, fixes the exchange rate on that portion of the trip.