First time cruiser for royal

Hi we are sailing on the Explorer in dec out of sydney. We have never sailed with them n i cant seem to find answers. I dont own a credit card am i able to put cash on my card? When it comes to tips we included that in our total cost when we paid for our cruise. Will we have to pay extra during the cruise i dont have a problem paying it but i dont want to pay it if someone doesnt deserve it either? I have sailed carnival n p&o n both times we have seen or come across some rude staff. How many free restaurant n how many pay for restaurants are there? Also is there any other things i need to know we aretraveling with 4 adults n 4 kids. Thanks heaps.

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Hi we are sailing on the Explorer in dec out of sydney. We have never sailed with them n i cant seem to find answers. I dont own a credit card am i able to put cash on my card? When it comes to tips we included that in our total cost when we paid for our cruise. Will we have to pay extra during the cruise i dont have a problem paying it but i dont want to pay it if someone doesnt deserve it either? I have sailed carnival n p&o n both times we have seen or come across some rude staff. How many free restaurant n how many pay for restaurants are there? Also is there any other things i need to know we aretraveling with 4 adults n 4 kids. Thanks heaps.

 

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Yes you can use cash. They will want a deposit on check in.

Tips will be added to your account daily. You can give more if you get great service, nut that's up to you.

Prices on board will be US$, you can pay in $Aus, but the exchange rate can be nasty.

Never had rude staff, a few who were a bit disinterested but never rude.

I understood that if you paid gratuities upon booking, you didn't then get the daily gratuities charged to your account. I could be wrong. However, what you can do is, immediately upon boarding, go to the Purser's Desk and request that daily gratuities are not placed on your account. We do this each time. Gratuities remain on alcohol. That can't be removed.

You have the main a la carte restaurant and the buffet for free. There's also a free cafe which is, I think, 24hr. There you can get pizza, great quality sandwiches, cakes, tea, coffee and iced water.

Thanks for that. We knew that it was us $ n we were just trying to work out how much money to have knowing we will lose some with the exchange.

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Yes, you really have to be prepared for the combination of exchange rates and gratuities (15%?) on drinks. My wife and I don't drink a great deal – maybe two drinks a day each. All the same, the cost can escalate.

A drink listed on the menu as US$10 will cost, at present, something like $A13.33. Add 15% gratuities to the US dollars and the $10 drink will cost more like $14.83.

Personally, we don't complain. Cruising is still a great vacation. For your money, you get accommodation, food, sightseeing, entertainment and more.

Forgot to add two things

You can pre pay tips

And check what they are offering on OBC sometimes it's a better exchange rate by far, than you'll get if you just pay once on board.

Hi we are sailing on the Explorer in dec out of sydney. We have never sailed with them n i cant seem to find answers. I dont own a credit card am i able to put cash on my card? When it comes to tips we included that in our total cost when we paid for our cruise. Will we have to pay extra during the cruise i dont have a problem paying it but i dont want to pay it if someone doesnt deserve it either? I have sailed carnival n p&o n both times we have seen or come across some rude staff. How many free restaurant n how many pay for restaurants are there? Also is there any other things i need to know we aretraveling with 4 adults n 4 kids. Thanks heaps.

 

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if you have pre paid your tips when you booked the cruise you dont have to pay anymore unless you want to give extra

if you have pre paid your tips when you booked the cruise you dont have to pay anymore unless you want to give extra

Agreed. As the tips have already been paid, they won't appear again.

They are also included in the price of the drinks, so you don't need to pay any more there either. I believe the spa is the only place where tips are additional.

IF you have prepaid your gratuities as part of your cruise price then obviously you will not get charged again. Naturally if you purchase drinks etc during the cruise they will have the "tip" added to the price you get on your account.

You will not be asked to pay any cash in advance ( a deposit ) at check in. Your sea pass will be "loaded " with a $400 advance so that until you spend that $400 advance there is no need to pay anything.If you went the whole cruise and did not spend more than $400 then you could just pay them whatever amount you use at the end of the cruise.If you happen to spend more than the $400 on the first night, for instance, they would " knock on your door" and ask you to pay your account.....only fair. EXtra tipping is optional but not compulsory and entirely up to you.

IF you have prepaid your gratuities as part of your cruise price then obviously you will not get charged again. Naturally if you purchase drinks etc during the cruise they will have the "tip" added to the price you get on your account.

You will not be asked to pay any cash in advance ( a deposit ) at check in. Your sea pass will be "loaded " with a $400 advance so that until you spend that $400 advance there is no need to pay anything.If you went the whole cruise and did not spend more than $400 then you could just pay them whatever amount you use at the end of the cruise.If you happen to spend more than the $400 on the first night, for instance, they would " knock on your door" and ask you to pay your account.....only fair. EXtra tipping is optional but not compulsory and entirely up to you.

Thanks Graeme never used a cash only account and had been told that you needed s deposit, thanks for clearing that up.

Yes, you really have to be prepared for the combination of exchange rates and gratuities (15%?) on drinks. My wife and I don't drink a great deal – maybe two drinks a day each. All the same, the cost can escalate.

 

A drink listed on the menu as US$10 will cost, at present, something like $A13.33. Add 15% gratuities to the US dollars and the $10 drink will cost more like $14.83.

 

Personally, we don't complain. Cruising is still a great vacation. For your money, you get accommodation, food, sightseeing, entertainment and more.

I completely agree with you on not complaining. You get your money's worth and i dont know any where else i could travel at xmas time with 4 ppl for what we pay on a cruise.

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IF you have prepaid your gratuities as part of your cruise price then obviously you will not get charged again. Naturally if you purchase drinks etc during the cruise they will have the "tip" added to the price you get on your account.

You will not be asked to pay any cash in advance ( a deposit ) at check in. Your sea pass will be "loaded " with a $400 advance so that until you spend that $400 advance there is no need to pay anything.If you went the whole cruise and did not spend more than $400 then you could just pay them whatever amount you use at the end of the cruise.If you happen to spend more than the $400 on the first night, for instance, they would " knock on your door" and ask you to pay your account.....only fair. EXtra tipping is optional but not compulsory and entirely up to you.

I like this idea. If you spend over that n go and pay can we use cash cause like i said we dont have credit cards?

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Thank you everyone else. It has given my other half a bit of peace.

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I like this idea. If you spend over that n go and pay can we use cash cause like i said we dont have credit cards?

 

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Yes, you can go and pay cash on to your account any time you want. As you have prepaid your gratuities, you don't need to worry about that again.

If you want to find out about restaurants etc, go to RCL site, click on "Experience", "Ships", find your ship and you can look at all the different venues, restaurants etc.

Yes, you can go and pay cash on to your account any time you want. As you have prepaid your gratuities, you don't need to worry about that again.

 

If you want to find out about restaurants etc, go to RCL site, click on "Experience", "Ships", find your ship and you can look at all the different venues, restaurants etc.

Thank you.

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As others have mentioned, the exchange rate on cash will likely not be in your favour onboard. If you have the temperament to do so, I'd keep an eye on exchange rates at Travelex, Australia Post etc and perhaps buy $US before you go. That way you still pay cash but at a more beneficial rate.

Do keep an eye on your daily account onboard to ensure they are not adding the gratuities. Since you have prepaid they really shouldn't but mistakes happen. Just go to guest services and have them removed if this happens.

In terms of complimentary good, you also have the option of room service free of charge between early morning and midnight (can't remember the exact hours) and keep an eye out for poolside BBQ's and cook offs during sea days. These can be fun and delicious [emoji4]

I like this idea. If you spend over that n go and pay can we use cash cause like i said we dont have credit cards?

 

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Yes ,You can pay your account in cash. Unfortunately if you use Australian dollars to pay the account the ship will convert them to US dollars but the conversion rate will not be the best so if you can get your hands on some US dollars (post Trump:D) before the cruise it may be a good idea.

I am cruising out of Australia for the first time in 2017 so I hope any information I have is really relevant.

Call Royal and find out what the exchangr rate is to purchase on board credit - it may be good or it may not - for UK cruisers Royal are giving about 10c per £1 more than we can buy US$ for anywhere in the UK a lot of cruisers are jumping all over this - it may or may not work for Australians.

The only thing that I havn't see mentioned re tipping is room service usually a dollar or 2 depending on the size of the order, Room service is not covered by prepaid tips.

As I said none of this may be relevant in Australia so feel free to disregard.

A drink listed on the menu as US$10 will cost, at present, something like $A13.33. Add 15% gratuities to the US dollars and the $10 drink will cost more like $14.83.QUOTE]

 

For Royal ships operating downunder, the menu price for drinks INCLUDES the 18% tip, so the US$10 drink will be around $A13.33 ( at current Fx rate) in total ie no extra built-in tip.

I am cruising out of Australia for the first time in 2017 so I hope any information I have is really relevant.

 

Call Royal and find out what the exchangr rate is to purchase on board credit - it may be good or it may not - for UK cruisers Royal are giving about 10c per £1 more than we can buy US$ for anywhere in the UK a lot of cruisers are jumping all over this - it may or may not work for Australians.

 

The only thing that I havn't see mentioned re tipping is room service usually a dollar or 2 depending on the size of the order, Room service is not covered by prepaid tips.

 

As I said none of this may be relevant in Australia so feel free to disregard.

Thanks. They were similarly generous here some time back, but the rate is no longer advantageous.

Royal are currently offering $0.745 for Aussies, not great but not so bad either.

Ah, at least it's better than it used to be.

Now it's better than buying cash from an exchange booth, but not any major saving.

Ah, at least it's better than it used to be.

 

Now it's better than buying cash from an exchange booth, but not any major saving.

True, not a bad rate considering what the banks charge as well.

I feel terrible. I didn't realize that we were supposed to tip the Room Service staff as well. I read an article some time ago where it explained that the gratuities were shared among the whole crew, including Officers. Apart from the MDR waiters, cabin attendant and regular bar staff is there anyone else we should be tipping? :confused:

Firstly the tipping pool doesn't include officers.

Secondly the drinks prices will either include the gratuity or the gratuity will be automatically added to your bill, and if you purchase a drinks package that covers gratuities, so there is no need to tip bartenders and bar waiters any extra unless you want to recognise someone for exceptional service.

Thirdly the automatic gratuities, either posted to your account daily or prepaid if you choose that option, covers all other cases, and is shared out to the appropriate people by the cruise line. You do not need to tip any extra unless you want to recognise someone for exceptional service.

What you should do is note the names and roles of any staff who have given excellent service and mention them in the post-cruise survey.