If you have to pay an automatic gratuity for room service, and then tip the person who brings it to your room, then that first charge is not a gratuity.

@mtownpyro7198

Ай бұрын

yes it is because they said it was.. they should make sure that server gets that gratuity.. that's on them.

I don't think I'll ever understand why they don't include the port fees in the advertised price. They are part of the price. So omitting them for the pitch is literally a lie.

@carolvanstavern845

5 ай бұрын

Port fees can change depending in what that port demands. Also by keeping them celebrate, if a port is missed, they refund what they actually charged. If they were rolled into the price, you would not know how much you actually paid in port fees.

@Harris83

5 ай бұрын

@@carolvanstavern845 you do know they use an itemized invoice/receipt right?

@carolvanstavern845

5 ай бұрын

@Harris83 they wouldn't necessarily if it was an all included price. Why would they? For example, your food for the buffet and MDR are not listed separately in your price you paid for your cabin. So, to say you would get an itemized receipt is not necessarily true if they made it one price covers all costs.

@arokh72

5 ай бұрын

It seems such a weird US thing that many taxes etc aren't included in prices. Not showing port fees as part of the fare seems as ridiculous, to me, as the price tag at a store not showing the total price incl tax. The US is weird, IMO, when it comes to these things.

@Harris83

5 ай бұрын

@@carolvanstavern845 I was on a carnival cruise earlier this month (one and done, I do not reccomend them. But shout out to Lawrence, fantastic cruise director!). On my invoice that I paid in the summer, there is a section for the port fees. During the cruise, one of our ports was canceled due to weather, so my account and final bill (for on-board purchases) shows the credit for the refunded port. Itemized. It is in no way, shape, or form, difficult for them to do an itemized invoice. Leaving it out of the list price is 100% intentional. And yes, carnival did it too for that cruise when I first clicked on it to see the itinerary. Cruise lines are large companies with ample means to proper invoicing and pricing. They just choose to leave things like port fees out of the initial price to make it look like a better deal. Even though the port fees were already negotiated and fixed with the ports before they posted the cruise.

We found the coffee card to be a worthwhile purchase, but it's rarely mentioned in videos or blogs. $31 for basically 15 shots of espresso, which includes specialty coffee drinks and frappes as long as they're not from the Starbucks.

@artssygrl

5 ай бұрын

Thank you for this. We are a family of coffee drinkers so this is helpful.

@heatherhitchens3212

5 ай бұрын

I just got this in October and loved it. Just a heads up one equals a small. If you get a med or iced coffee it counts as two

@ravenzyblack

Ай бұрын

Does a Starbucks gift card work at the Starbucks or is that only on land?

When we go on vacation we don't pay for wifi.. we like to disconnect. However, when we go on the port, we log into the port wifi and do our checking with family before and / or after tours.

As a general rule I look at the room rate and multiply by 3 for the total cost.

@99999myk

5 ай бұрын

Makes sense. I double it.

@Dingdong3696oyvey

5 ай бұрын

If you don’t drink booze that’s a better way to do it.@@99999myk

@dieseldragon6756

2 ай бұрын

I thought budgeting 1,5x the cost of the fare I was quoted would be more than enough. Looks like my first ever cruise is going to drop me right in deep financial P&O... 🚢💩😣 I'm now at the point of not knowing if I should push ahead with it, cancel, or just throw myself under a Class 450 and forget about the whole fc🇬🇧ing thing?... 🤷↘🚆⚰👍

@Dingdong3696oyvey

2 ай бұрын

A lot of that is going to be your booze bill. If you don’t drink alcohol 1.5 is fine. @@dieseldragon6756

WINE....bring a wine key and enjoy it in your room or poor a glass out and go with it where ever you want. You can also get a Hydroflask insulated wine bottle and bring it to the pool.

Yes the fees are ridiculoys. I take the advertised price and about double it to get the actual price. Then add in excursions. I never buy internet, dining, drink packages or photo packages.

Fun fact: automatic gratuities are not, in fact, gratuities since they are almost compulsory. They are service fees excluded from the fair to make the price look cheaper and to pay salaries the cruise lines should be paying. It is a gratuity, I hear you shout angrily. If you can't remove it without being shamed or flamed it is not a gratuity.

@tduck828

5 ай бұрын

You can actually remove them if you choose. My last cruise I paid up front and wish I hadn't ...service was awful and I would have liked to remove. I tipped room steward extra as he was fantastic!

@blargblarg5657

5 ай бұрын

@@tduck828 I didn't say you can't remove them. But if you do remove them most people will flame you because how could you do that to the poor, hard working staff? 😁

@tduck828

5 ай бұрын

​@blargblarg5657 yep I get it.

@ProtectiveDadPranks

5 ай бұрын

I TIP! But I do it on my own. I ask for envelopes when I cancel my auto gratuities. And I tip my room attendant, wait staff etc. They probably get more money given to them this way. I also carry cash and tip workers on the ship when I get above and beyond service.

@emjayvick511

3 ай бұрын

I ALWAYS remove automatic gratuities

I honestly don't see the point in specialty dining when I have paid for food in my cruise fare. That would be redundant. The price of the cruise is plenty expensive. Enjoy the food you have already paid for. On the cruise I took before I was never hungry and had very good food.

@PatrickWagz

2 ай бұрын

Yea exactly. I spend "half" on each cruise and go on "twice" as many, as I would otherwise.

Royal Caribbean misplaced our luggage (on their mistake) AND charged us a $50 “Security” Fee because we requested them to watch the security camera footage to figure out where THEY misplaced our luggage. My Wife and I were salty after seeing that Fee, especially when it was during our Honeymoon too.

my wife likes the coffee card option it get you 15 fancy coffees for the week. on my most recent wonder of the seas cruise they also sold a card for 15 alcohol drinks so that is an option for mild drinkers.

@ronaldpehlke7257

2 ай бұрын

Approximately what would the 15 alcohol drinks cost?

@JuanPabloDj88

Ай бұрын

Lol i drink like 15 drinks a day when im on a cruise ship

These fees are one of the reasons I won't take my family on a cruise again. It's just one gigantic upcharge everywhere you turn. I also despise the dynamic pricing model. Water park at CocoCay can range from $48 per person up to $200 per person, depending on the day. You really think I want to pay $1,200 for my whole family to go to a waterpark after already paying for the cruise?

@tommon02

5 ай бұрын

This! I was in for a rude awakening after paying my deposit for our first ever cruise and finding out the Thrill Waterpark at CocoCay was not only extra, but how crazy expensive it was. Not a biggie, we just won’t do the water park. Even my teens objected. But that was one of the main reasons I booked an itinerary that included the private island.

Nice name drop with Emma Cruises. :) Quick note about the soda package. It does NOT include cans of soda, only the machines or from the dispenser at a bar. We found this out the hard way when my son asked for a soda and was charged for the can. The first day we went to a bar and the bartender gave them all cans of soda without charging us so I was surprised to see it show up on the bill.

@slickracoon6408

5 ай бұрын

I just cruised on Adventure OTS two weeks ago and got soda cans on several days at the no-name coffee stand on the Promenade (not Starbucks) and there was no charge. I just checked my invoice again to make sure I didn't miss a charge and nope, no soda can charges with my soda package. I did notice that on another cruise on Independence OTS where there was an actual Starbucks stand, everything at that venue was a charge. I don't know if that makes any difference.

I won't be doing any RC shore excursions anymore. They were a rip off. The hop-on hop-off bus in Canada could barely move, was crowded and cold. Wasn't worth it in the least. And that wasn't the only one that was a joke.

And if you do use the coke freestyle machines, you have to get a special drink mug to make them work (see 7:45 ), so you have to carry that mug around with you.

Friendly Reminder to 🇦🇺 ALL AUSTRALIAN 🇦🇺 tickets purchased through the Australian website in AUD - Port Fees are included in the ticket price - Gratuities are included in the ticket price (except for when purchasing a drink at the bar if you do not have the drinks package)

I love the mini shout out to EmmaCruises! Been watching her for a while 😊

We always get the ultimate drink package. I watch the pricing on it weekly and when it drops, which it does, that's when I purchase. We are going on Jan 7, 2024 on the Symphony of the Seas, and for the first time purchased a 3 night specialty dinning package. Usually only do the Izumi Tappenyaki. Also. Have never taken advantage of the room service, will be doing that on this trip. It's a minimal cost for a nice perk. We are loyal Royal Caribbean ❤. Keep cruising 🛳️❤️🍹

It's called "the Shaft Pricing Model". You book the cruise at one low price but when it comes time to pay you get the shaft.

Also, one thing youu left out (unless I missed it), if youu prepay gratuities, the specialty dining restaurants gratuities are not included so that’s extra as well.

@JuanPabloDj88

Ай бұрын

Same if you buy the drinking package they are not included

This was excellent info. Thank you

Australian laws require ALL compulsory fees to be included in an advertised price. A person MUST be able to board and travel at the advertised price with no compulsory extra fees. Of course optional extras like WiFi, alcohol and excursions are not included. Cruise lines like showing the fees separately so a passenger can see what the cruise line is collecting and what's going elsewhere. This still happens in Australia. They show the breakdown. USA is different for everything. Eg In a Miami Port bar I asked for the price of a beer. Put down a note to cover it. Nup. Too little. I'd forgotten to add the tax which was NOT quoted! Cruise ships in Australia used to make 'gratuities' optional. Until they learnt that Australians are not used to tipping. We have an entirely different wages / tips setup. We expect staff to be paid a fair rate. Americans understand that tips fill the gap between a low US wage and a fair wage. The 'first' thing Australians used to do was to go to reception and cancel the gratuities. So now they are compulsory and collected with final payment. It IS possible (though difficult) to get them removed on board> Quite rightly the cruise line expects a reason such as bad service. Funnily once paid upfront, Australians don't seem to worry anymore.

I agree with MOST of what you have said, but I still see cruises as all inclusive. Its been years since a cruise booking I made showed taxes and port fees as separate item from the total cost of the cruise. When you begin a booking on Royal's web site the site shows taxes and fees included in the total cost. So they are not something you pay separately. I see gratuities as the only fee that you have to pay that is NOT included in the price of the cruise. The rest of the items that you mentioned are purely optional. I have cruises and after paying my cruise fare and either pre-paying gratuities or having them charged on my on board account, did not have any additional costs. Wife and I bring a bottle of wine each; we bring a 12 pack of soft drinks for our cabin; we don't eat at specialty restaurants; we order basic room service breakfast foods; we take our own photos around the ship; and we know how to grab a taxi to a beach, vs paying for a ship's tour. WE have cruises and the only charges on our on-board account at the end of the cruise is for gratuities.

@jimf710

5 ай бұрын

I'm like you brother. MDR is plenty good for me. Seems silly to pay so much extra for specialty dining.

@james-rd4dq

5 ай бұрын

Its like Chops grill why pay 60 per person when you can order that same chop grill filet mignon steak in MDR for only 19 bucks. don't make since. @@jimf710

@carolvanstavern845

5 ай бұрын

Not sure which cruiselines you use. I have two booked in 2024. One Carnival and one Royal Carribean. Both have taxes and port fees listed separately. Both were booked through the cruiseline.

@edwesby5752

5 ай бұрын

@@carolvanstavern845 : YES, they do list the port fees and taxes separately BUT when you pay for your cruise those costs are included in the price, not a separate fee that you pay after you board the ship.

@PatsyMellen

5 ай бұрын

We do the MDR, no WiFi and quit do anything at the spa. Funny how we enjoyed rooms with a balcony but they have gotten so expensive that we’re going back to an interior room.

I guess if you have never been on a cruise this is new...but this is something everyone learns while booking

We often get complimentary wine and champagne during our sailing being Diamond and Diamond Plus members. Don't ever recall being charged a corkage fee, but we always tip extra to our Servers at the end of our cruise. Lots of great tips Matt and always appreciate them!

As for the wifi... this happened for us. We were connected to the free wifi and occasionally, messages would come through but we couldn't reply. Well, one of my friends thought something happened at my work and thought I might be out of the job. It was the last day so I just went and got the 1 day wifi for about $28 usd. Worked decently good on the main decks of the ship but inside our room, it wasn't making it past the door too well. The rooms are constructed of metal and wifi signal just doesn't make it too far in. They should do a proper heat mapping of the wifi.

@ronaldpehlke7257

2 ай бұрын

Would the free wifi on the balcony of our room?

@walkwgod7

2 ай бұрын

@@ronaldpehlke7257barely made it past the room door. Maybe the bathroom.

Good to know thank you for the video!! I am going in June on royal I bought the alcohol package. Didn’t realize drinks like sodas are not included! Only been on dcl and drinks were always included! (Sodas,coffees, and juices)

@arthurmatthewf5406

5 ай бұрын

I believe if you go to a bar and ask for a rum and coke with the rum 'on the side', you will get the coke with no problem. It is only on the coke machine that you can't use the package since that is automated, but we never buy either since our drinks are free so I could be wrong. But I can't see the bar refusing to give you a soda without the alcohol since you paid for both already. Coffee can be gotten on the promenade, just not at the separate Starbucks vendors. You can also get in MDR, including juices.

One thing people need to be aware of is that RCL now includes tip for everything that's not part of your fare. So whenever you go to the bar or a specialty restaurant, the tip is automatically included.

@emjayvick511

3 ай бұрын

Automatically take it off

Sailing from Australia, all port fees, taxes, and gratuities, are included in the fare.

Port fees are shown separately because they are pass-through items, not RCL revenue. This is required by the SEC for accurate gross revenue reporting. They are also an estimate based on expected passenger count. On our last sailing on Mariner, RCL actually rebated a portion of the port tax since more people sailed than expected so reduced the per person charge.

@james-rd4dq

5 ай бұрын

i would like to see a port charge breakdown, a few years ago 60 minutes did a special on cruise in Belize and the tourist minister said they receive around $3 per per person from the cruise line. so If (WE) cruisers are paying around 150 dollars in port taxes for lets say a 3 port stops on a 7 day cruise at 3 to 5 dollars ahead, why do we pay so much. i've also look at two different cruise lines, with came port stops, and the fees are different WHY

@arthurmatthewf5406

5 ай бұрын

@@james-rd4dq Excellent questions

I've always heard that corkage fees only apply if you have them open the bottle for you. If you bring your own corkscrew, no fee. We always just drink ours in the room, so I'm not positive...

@micahrhude4174

5 ай бұрын

I have done a few sailings where I had brought a two bottles at a time. Over the 4 cruises I did this, I was never charged a corkage fee. While I would not be against it, Im not sure they really enforce the corkage fee policy.

An alternative--cruise an "almost all inclusive" line. Unfortunately, the cruise fare on my favorite has increased significantly. My last 3 cruises have cost under $100 per person per night in a balcony cabin on a premium line...and included wifi, gratuities, exercises classes, sodas, water, brewed coffee and tea, ALL entertainment on board, ALL restaurants, etc. Since I had a bar tab and some onboard credit included, my maximum credit card charge was $8. Unfortunately, those cruise fares have tripled for new bookings in 2024 and 2025. It is impossible to compare "apples to apples," but if you are feeling too many on board charges, there are "almost all included" lines and "add on" packages that move in that direction.

I have cruised 4 times, but will never go again, cruise industry just keeps raising rates adding more fees and company greed has become the norm

Does any of the RCC have Johnny Rockets which one, and does we have a fuel fee?

We just went on the Quantum last year and I don't remember half of these fees. Wifi may be because we we close to the shore so had spotty internet, or maybe I just didnt bother with it. But I don't remember spending $20 a day. Then again we may have pre purchased it. Same with port fees, I don't remember port fees being tacked on to our cruise especially since they had to change the itinerary and I am tight as a drum so I sure would remember these things. But then again we were there to have fun so maybe we let loose a little. Actually as I writer I think there was something about the internet where if you purchase at the start of the cruise it was one price and if you purchased it later it got stupid expensive for the time you had it. So maybe we did buy it. I do know it is a lot cheaper than it used to be.

I put some extra things in my cart as I was waiting on the Caribbean cruise credit card to earn points on my purchase. I received the card in about 10 days. I went to my cart to make my purchase and it was empty. I discovered they had raised the prices a lot on the items I wanted. I had to pay the raised prices or not get the items. My cruise is several months away and felt I had been scammed on my purchases. This is my first and probably last cruise for this reason.

Can u purchase a 1 day or just a few hours package? I have one 2-hr meeting I need to attend.

The corkage fee is easy to get around. Bring your own corkscrew if it is a real cork. Open in your room. Pour everyone a glass and then bring the glass, not the bottle, to the MDR. Nobody cares. And if having a wine glass is essential, most bars will give you one, or order 1 glass of wine and just bring the glass to your cabin and rinse the empty and save.

@RoyalCaribbeanBlog

5 ай бұрын

There’s no fee for opening in your room as-is, and your stateroom attendant can provide a corkscrew for no fee. The issue is if you bring the bottle to a restaurant or bar.

@arthurmatthewf5406

5 ай бұрын

@@RoyalCaribbeanBlog Exactly my point. No need to bring the bottle; just bring the wine in a glass. We always bring our own corkscrew just in case none available. And, as Diamond level, we get a glass of wine free at start of cruise and just keep the glass. Usually bring a much better quality of wine than offered in MDR. :-)

@GLeon-ov9yu

4 ай бұрын

Bring a screw on cap wine.

This is one of the reasons we choose all-inclusive resorts over cruising in recent years. The nickel and diming of Cruise lines have gotten rediculous following Covid. The now MANDATORY 18% gratuity on EVERYTHING, regardless of service is, well, its gratuitous. Our experience has always been worthy of the 18%, but not having say is a little bothersome. Why is there a charge of $20 per day, per person for WiFi? Not to mention a gratuity added to it? That makes 0 sense.

@arthurmatthewf5406

5 ай бұрын

The gratuities and all other 'fees' are not mandatory. All you have to do is go to Guest Services mid-cruise and ask they be removed and they do it with one simple form. Takes 5 minutes. Most people just don't know that they can or are afraid to. The staff actually prefers you remove them and tip in cash.

@kmac8101

5 ай бұрын

@arthurmatthewf5406 This is interesting, I've yet to hear of this. I guess I assumed when you buy a drink package, dining, or anything for that matter, the 18% is added automatically, which is how it works when you purchase these packages prior to the cruise. I absolutely believe these hard-working cruise employees deserve gratuities, I just like the idea of having input.

@arthurmatthewf5406

5 ай бұрын

@@kmac8101 Yes, on some items it is automatic. On others not. The per person per day fee is at your discretion. My point is since you have some auto gratuities for the 'extras', why then should you tip $36/day additional? That is (if you assume 18%) the equivalent of $200/day in extra purchase. But, if you go to Guest Services and have an issue with ANY gratuity based on the service rendered by an employee, they will remove or adjust it. And any service person will tell you cash is always preferred.

@99dougjones

4 ай бұрын

I have been interested in that too. How much did your last resort cost total? Details please

@kmac8101

4 ай бұрын

@99dougjones There is a broad spectrum, from $1,500 to 20K. For a couple, you can get many all-inclusive (including flights) for 7 days at around 2.5K to 3K on Costco Travel. We spend around 4K, but again, there are many options, some more than others. We love it...Drink package? There isn't one- it's all-inclusive! Most have many options for dining too. The Excellence, our preferred choice, has 10 restaurants. Room accommodations are normally a sprawling area, definitely not like a cruise ship room.. Like anything, you get what you pay for, so check reviews thoroughly. Cruises are going to be a thing of the past for us...I just had to go again to remember why I opted for all-inclusives. Let me know if you have more questions.

This cruise is the most expensive trip we've taken since our honeymoon and we go to Disney every year so that's saying something.

@dawnpowers7626

5 ай бұрын

That's funny, because I priced a 7 night Bos-Bermuda cruise for two and a trip to Disney World for two for the same time and there was no contest. We took the cruise. (Note: no airfare for the cruise.)

Does the unlimited dining package include the premium foods in the main dining room?

@RoyalCaribbeanBlog

5 ай бұрын

No

I’m on a waitlist for my time dining and looking at the reservations for the main dining room. There’s nothing before 8:15 for the rest of my cruise already 37 days out. Am I stuck at the windjammer the whole cruise? 😢 because my kids can’t wait till 815 to eat

i would like to see a port charge breakdown, a few years ago 60 minutes did a special on cruise in Belize and the tourist minister said they receive around $3 per per person from the cruise line. so If (WE) cruisers are paying around 150 dollars in port taxes for lets say a 3 port stops on a 7 day cruise at 3 to 5 dollars ahead, why do we pay so much. i've also look at two different cruise lines, with came port stops, and the fees are different WHY Reply

Beverage package for me. It allows me to stock up on bottled water. Wife gets an initial 12 pack of bottled water.

all news to me. i usually cruise disney for 4-5 days and a friend usually tags along. my treat since it's just tax. but they always pay for charges onboard. so i knew we had tips and stuff but didn't know how much worse it would be for an 8 day royal carribean my friend treated for and i'm now seeing my part will be much worse. eek.

Question: If you have an alcoholic drink package, does that count for the non-alcoholic drinks as well?

@RoyalCaribbeanBlog

4 ай бұрын

Yes

With the daily gratuity being said to be split amongst all crew members I was wondering do they split it with the bar staff crew as well? Asking because if you get the drink package or buy drinks a la carte there is an additional gratuity. Does the drink gratuities get split just amongst the bar staff or are they also split among all crew members? Just curious considering it's only the bar staff that makes drinks so why should they split it.

@jeffmoore8776

5 ай бұрын

its all split

So when you order room service do you have to pay for the food ? Or is it’s just the service fee and gratuity ?

@grandglove

5 ай бұрын

Service fee and gratuity. With the service fee, you're effectively paying for room service. Continental breakfast is the only included( or free) room service. You CAN order as much as you want but tbh, the quality is hit or miss. Mostly miss. And one thing I have found weird is that they list the fee as being $7.95( or it has on the last 4 cruise I have been on; all different class ships) but when I order room service, its actually $9.95. And ofc you're then lowkey guilt tripped into giving the food deliverer a tip as they give you a receipt to sign and stand their while you're doing it. Nothing against them ofc but that "fee" should be their tip

Do you need to purchase a group lesson to try the Flow Rider?

@RoyalCaribbeanBlog

3 ай бұрын

No

Excelencia

can I get any onboard credits

How many devices are covered when you sign up for the internet package? Can I hook my ipad and iphone both into my wifi plan?

@tonycollrin3377

7 күн бұрын

Just one

I didn’t realize you had to pay extra for steak and lobster in the main dining room. Are all extra items well marked on the menu or is it a surprise?

@mlthg81

5 ай бұрын

The prices are given on the menu. So it is not a surprise. They do have a night where you can get lobster for free

@tduck828

5 ай бұрын

Lobster is extra but on sailings of 7 nights or longer there is 1 night with free tail. If you want extra, you pay that $16.99 or so.

does anyone know how to purchase the packages like dinner, drinks and wifi before the cruise? Thanks!

@SelbyPhotography

3 ай бұрын

Through your account on their website

so if i were to book a cruise and pay for everything before hand online, i still have to cough up a couple hundred bucks for port fees at the end of the boat ride?

@debraweaver7416

5 ай бұрын

No, they're charged in advance. If you're booking online, it will show up amongst the charges.

We do not find the refreshment or the Deluxe Beverage package worth the money.

I thought you could get filet or 1 lobster tail complementary?

Gratuities are NOT mandatory. If you go to the Services desk during the cruise, you can adjust the gratuity to any amount you like. We always reduce ours to $10/day. Then we tip CASH to the personnel with whom we directly interact. This gives the person more money. e.g. From my auto $18 my room steward might get 25cents. Instead, we give $10 upon arrival and let him know we leave him $5/day in cash and he is much happier and we get much better service.

@DanGilleland

5 ай бұрын

Do you recommend not pre paying for gratuities? We are first time cruisers in April.

@arthurmatthewf5406

5 ай бұрын

@@DanGilleland I NEVER pre-pay them. No reason to. There is no discount. And, as I said, you get much better service by tipping cash, if it is deserved. Go to the Guest Services desk mid-cruise (too crowded first day/last day and you don't want to wait until they issue the bill because then it has to be adjusted, which is much harder). Tell them you wish to reduce the gratuity from $18/pp to whatever you want. We do $10/day. We tip the room steward $5-$10 on arrival and get treated wonderfully. Then upon leaving. And we tip our waiter if s/he deserves it. Plus all your drinks are going to have extra gratuity automatically, so it really is a lot more than $18/pp/day. Happy to answer any other questions. We have been on 20+.

You didn’t mention the coffee punch card -$31.

2:23 is that Emma Cruises?

UP NEXT! HE SAID IT, YAY

It’s sorta wild to charge $16 for a lobster on top of everything else. Especially in the middle of the ocean. I live in Ohio and I would pay $16 easily for a live lobster. However, I’m landlocked obviously. I have only been on cruises as a kid but….. it’s starting to lose its luster for me since it’s so effing expensive compared to what my parents paid for us all to sail

For a family of 5 it was just to much I don’t think we will do it again. 😢 paying for soda packages per kid plus being forced to buy 2 liquor packages because they don’t let only one even though my husband was the only one who was going to be drinking.

@tommon02

5 ай бұрын

You could’ve disputed that. I don’t have personal experience but I’ve seen others online say that you don’t have to buy 2 deluxe packages if only one drinks alcohol.

@arthurmatthewf5406

5 ай бұрын

You don't have to buy both, most people don't know this. If you tell them you are allergic/non-drinker/reformed alcholic or any other medical reason, they will forego the package for the extra person. Just don't get caught drinking alcohol or they will get really 'royally' pissed at you.

@Clothigami

5 ай бұрын

@@arthurmatthewf5406 I wish I new this before

Has anyone here ever been charged the corkage fee? We do it every cruise and never been charged.

Can you explain better the wine and cork fees? Tks!!!

3:37 So 5000 passengers pay 200 each just to park in the port and we spend money there.. hummm..how much is that.. id rather stay at sea.. thats 1 million dollars worth of fees

I'm confused by port fees. So you're saying I'm going on Allure of the seas for 3 days, you're saying I'm going to have to pay port fees if I get off the ship? And those fees will be billed to me at the end of the trip?

@tduck828

5 ай бұрын

No. They are added at time of booking.

@daiesison

5 ай бұрын

@@tduck828 so what is the video talking about? Wi-Fi I understand I have to pay for. The video is very poorly done.

@teambabeable

5 ай бұрын

Port fees are fees that the ship has to pay to dock in a port. The cost is passed on to the passengers. So the more ports on an itinerary, the greater total port fees you'll pay. These are added to your total cruise charge at the time of booking and are due by final payment, before your cruise. They apply regardless of if you get off the ship or not.

@tduck828

5 ай бұрын

​@daiesison agreed. The comment above explained it well. Also... sometimes port fees can increase prior to cruise and you will owe the extra prior to boarding.

@daiesison

5 ай бұрын

@@teambabeable thanks. So it’s not a hidden additional fee I will see later. Such a confusing video.

Just don't understand why Cruise Lines charge Port Fees on Their Private Islands. Yes cruise lines Bought/Leased these Islands. Why do passengers have to pay there repeat there bill? Just saying.😢

@james-rd4dq

5 ай бұрын

your paying for the people that live and work on that island

@RoyalCaribbeanBlog

5 ай бұрын

Because they lease the island, they don’t own it.

I just booked a cruise and my port fees were included

The lobster tail isn’t worth it, it’s small and actually overcooked, so skip that.

@ProtectiveDadPranks

5 ай бұрын

💯 agree

@wnddyer

5 ай бұрын

So was Carnival. I was so disappointed. I paid all that extra for dried up lobster

@artssygrl

5 ай бұрын

Do they no longer offer a lobster night?

@Jmittle101

5 ай бұрын

@@artssygrl yes, but what’s the big deal about a three ounce lobster tail? It’s not a full lobster, it’s just a nibble. Probably Lobster Night was worth the hype years ago. But now it’s a token event. And as an add on to your meal, it’s not worth $16.99.

@ProtectiveDadPranks

5 ай бұрын

@@artssygrl Yes. It’s usually on the second formal night. But it’s so tiny. If your like me and have someone in your party that doesn’t like lobster. You make out!

Is it just me or was this difficult to understand? What I did hear was informational, this will be my first cruise so I'm reallying trying to learn what to do and not do.

@WAWG716

3 ай бұрын

Pay gratuities before you board. Look at videos about your cruise ship. There are lots online. Depending on how many days you go, don’t try to do everything. Look at videos about your ports too.

Bait and switch model - advertise a very low price that can never be achieved.

Err...As a person who's just booked his first ever cruise with a different company (A British one 🇬🇧) I *really* hope the _all-inclusive_ assurances given to me by their staff, website, and a neighbour who's been a customer of theirs several times over hold out as I've been led to believe. If I find those _Port fees_ at 00:47 being added to my bill when they could easily have been included in the price I've agreed to pay before I agreed to pay it, then I am *not* going to be a happy bunny in the slightest. 😠 Well...Thank goodness for the _UK Consumer Credit Act 1974._ *Definitely* using a credit card to settle the balance if there's a chance my bill might double or even triple through hidden charges without my awareness or consent. I'm already starting to get rather nervous after seeing the disproportionately large number of passengers reporting infection by Covid or Norovirus while on board... 🚢☣😱 Fc🇬🇧...Why didn't I just book with Eurostar like I always used to?... 🚄❤‍🔥😭

honestly all this does is make me not want to go on a cruise, why the hell am i paying gratuities on a ship im already paying to be on and the drink packages are crazy. Ill just stick to all inclusive resorts where thats included...

Tell me please why are port fees not refunded when a ship can not make it into port. This should be a class action lawsuit

@RoyalCaribbeanBlog

5 ай бұрын

They are refunded if your ship doesn’t get to port. Happened to me a few times.

@jimward7881

5 ай бұрын

Not to me, I was told at guest services ( on board) it had to be refunded on shore. Of course I called and was told it had to be done on the ship. Royal is horrible guest service on shore! The ship staff are great, I love them!! The latest issue happen about 2 weeks ago. I’m going on Symphony of the seas on 1/13. The price went down about $250. I called my travel agent and they called Royal. I was told because it was paid in full I was not eligible for the cheaper price. I could go on and on

@jimward7881

5 ай бұрын

@@RoyalCaribbeanBlog no refund for regular people. They wouldn’t mess with you

Coffee cards with Princess Think they have stopped them. They were transferrable between ships. Princess Australia denied this even though I had a part used card which said so. Took many emails before they must have realized I knew more about their cards than they did. History: Transferrable cards came first. Then non-transferrable. Then none. I was offered a full 'ex gratia' refund. Told them it wasn't an 'ex gratia' situation and declined. A no time did they admit they were wrong. If they want to insult me, waste my time, fail to admit mistakes, etc, then they can keep their money and their future cruises. I like iced coffee, so I take my own Arabica instant with me and make them myself using the milk onboard. Suppose I could get some ice cream on board and take my own chocolate sprinkle too. But if you like expresso coffee . . .

One correction. If your toddler is 36 + months but not 100% potty trained they must still go to tots and babies.

@RoyalCaribbeanBlog

5 ай бұрын

Are you sure they’ll take kids older than 36 months? I would assume in that scenario they child would be out of luck for child care

@sharonstockman1080

5 ай бұрын

@@RoyalCaribbeanBlog yes. My grandson is 3 1/2 and stayed there on Harmony

Ridiculous in this day to charge so much for internet.

When you complain about fees, try flying. Aisle seat? No problem $20 please. Window seat $15. Seat that reclines $15. You want to check a bag $25. And every airline that lands in a country outside the U.S. charges you 'port fees', it's just called something else. All countries impose fees on any foreign vessel whether it floats or flies. At least in RCL, nobody forces you to buy their WiFi, or excursions, or the silly drink package, or to tip if you don't want to.

Royal Caribbean is famous for nickel and dimming you to death !

None of these fees are hidden. Everything is disclosed. #nonsenseclickbait

nice video

So when you order room service do you have to pay for the food ? Or is it’s just the service fee and gratuity ?

@SelbyPhotography

3 ай бұрын

Just the service fee and gratuity