Can I remove gratuities on Royal Caribbean?

You can remove the auto gratuities You can go to Guest Services at any point in your cruise and have them reduced or removed from your account if you would prefer to tip a different amount.



Yes, you can technically adjust or remove the daily automatic gratuities on a Royal Caribbean cruise by visiting the Guest Services desk once you are onboard. These charges—which typically range from $16.00 to $18.50 per person, per day in 2026—are automatically added to your "SeaPass" account to compensate your stateroom attendant and dining staff. While the cruise line allows you to modify these if you feel the service did not meet your expectations, they strongly discourage full removal as these tips form a significant portion of the crew's income. Most 2026 travelers find it more convenient to pre-pay these gratuities before the cruise to avoid a large surprise bill at the end. If you do choose to remove them, it must be done before you disembark on the final morning of the cruise; once the voyage has ended and the final statement is processed, the charges cannot be reversed.

Yes, you can remove or adjust the daily automatic gratuities (also called “service charges”) on Royal Caribbean, but there are important procedures and considerations.

Here’s what you need to know:

How to Remove or Adjust Gratuities

You must make the request before disembarking at the end of your cruise.

  1. Onboard at Guest Services: The most direct method is to visit the Guest Services desk. You can request to remove the charges entirely or adjust them to a custom amount. Be prepared for staff to ask why, as feedback is valued.
  2. Via the Royal Caribbean App: On some ships, you may be able to adjust gratuities through the app’s guest services section.
  3. Pre-Cruise: If you prepaid gratuities and wish to cancel them, you must do so at least 48 hours before your sail date by contacting Royal Caribbean or your travel agent.

Key Considerations & Consequences

  • Who It Affects: The daily gratuity is pooled and distributed to the service staff who support your vacation behind the scenes—including your stateroom attendants, dining room waiters, and other hotel services team members. Removing tips directly impacts their compensation.
  • “Envelope” Tipping Alternative: If you remove the automatic charges, it’s customary to tip the crew members who served you directly in cash on the last night. This requires planning and having small bills on hand.
  • Service Expectations: Removing gratuities does not exempt you from receiving the standard services onboard.
  • Bar & Spa Charges: Note that an automatic gratuity (usually 18%) is added to individual purchases like bar drinks, spa services, and specialty dining. This charge is separate and generally non-negotiable per transaction.

Why Royal Caribbean Uses Automatic Gratuities

The system is designed to: Ensure fair compensation for all service crew,

People Also Ask

If you do not prepay gratuities and are instead being charged a daily amount onboard, you can go to Guest Services and request to remove or modify this daily charge.

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On most cruise lines, you can refuse to pay or opt out of the automatically charged gratuities.

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Your client's Future Cruise Credit will be equal to 100% of the cruise fare (commissionable and non- commissionable cruise fare) paid to Royal Caribbean. Any taxes & fees, refundable air, pre/post hotels, transfers, prepaid gratuities, and taxes/fees will be refunded to the original form of payment.

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As mentioned above, not all members of the ship staff receive a share of the gratuities paid by passengers. Bartenders, main show entertainers and third-party shop employees are some of the more obvious ones, but they're not the only ones.

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Again, cash might be the only thing they will take, and in most of the Caribbean you can tip in U.S. currency. As a side note, it can be nice to have some cash on your cruise so you can also tip people like street performers while in port.

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There aren't any hard-and-fast guidelines for this type of tip since it's contingent on your experience, but $25 to $40 on behalf of a couple roughly works out to an extra $2 to $3 per person, per day, for a seven-night cruise.

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Should you choose to, for a seven-night cruise, consider tipping about $2 to $3 per person, per day. If you are in a suite or aboard a luxury cruise, you may have a butler assigned to your room. Since they typically have more duties to meet, a good guideline, is a supplementary tip of $3 to $5 per night, per person.

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If your bill is not paid, as you try to leave the ship, your SeaPass card will bong, and someone from Guest Services will take you aside to make provisions for payment. Maybe you have friends with you that can lend you some cash or a credit card. You may have to call someone to get a valid credit card number.

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Just like some land-based hotels, guests can expect to see an initial $99.75 pending charge or authorization on their credit card. This pending amount is used to secure funds for anticipated onboard purchases. Purchases made onboard over the initial $99.75 will generate additional holds.

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No. If the tip is already included, no further gratuity is needed. Just as in a restaurant when the tip is already included, you're free to include more if you'd like. But it's not necessary.

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In general, plan on giving $16–$23 in gratuities per day for each passenger. Note that the amount should be tabulated for each individual in your party—don't try to tip once per couple or group. So if you're planning to go on a 7-day cruise, expect to give a total of between $112 and $161 per person in gratuities.

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Because they are charged on a daily basis, you do not have to worry about tipping each crew member yourself. Many passengers, however, still like to leave extra tips for their stateroom attendant and dining room waiters at the end of the cruise.

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For bartenders and housekeepers, you may also want to offer a generous tip at the beginning of the cruise (again, $20 or more, depending on your needs) to ensure great service while on board.

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Benefits of Prepaying Gratuities Another advantage is that cruise lines regularly raise gratuity amounts. So if you book a cruise for a year from now, the gratuity price may be higher when you sail. People that pay beforehand are grandfathered in under the rate they've already paid.

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If you have not prepaid gratuities and the service charges show up on your onboard bill, you can go to guest services before the sailing ends and request to have the amounts altered or removed. You'll be asked to explain why you're unhappy with the service you received.

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How to Hack (and Share) the Royal Caribbean Drink Package
  1. 1 Buy your drink package before the cruise.
  2. 2 Share the drink package with someone else.
  3. 3 Order top-shelf liquor at the bar.
  4. 4 Take advantage of the non-alcoholic drinks.
  5. 5 Take bottled water with you on excursions.


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Whether you order from the bar, main dining room, or a specialty restaurant, soda will cost extra on all Royal Caribbean cruise ships. Currently, the price for a can of soda is $3.50, before the 18% gratuity. Additionally, cruisers wanting juice from a bar or during other meals will also be charged $3.50.

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Does everyone in my stateroom need to buy the Deluxe Beverage Package? The Deluxe Beverage Package policy requires all guests wishing to purchase the Deluxe Beverage Package to do so for ALL guests of legal drinking age in the same stateroom.

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