Q. about child gratuities cost

[Bestvalue82]

Hi all,

 

I have called and chatted and gotten a couple different answers.

 

Scenario

 

6 night balcony (anthem) 2 adults , 3 yr old, 7 month old

 

1. Phone Rep A said 16 pp but children dont pay

2. Phone Rep B said 16 pp but only the 3 yr old pays

3. Chat rep said 16 pp and you can ask for the baby not to pay on board

 

Anyone want to share the correct answer if you know it?

 

Thanks

[not-enough-cruising]

Good question.

I don’t know the entire answer, but I do know the three year old will most definitely be charged standard gratuity.

[cruiseguy1016]

I think the correct answer is all guests staying in the stateroom will be charged gratuities. Notice I did not say "pay" gratuities.

[Cruiser_1977]

I was told onboard in 2019 that gratuities apply to all ages. I suppose it is your option to go to guest services and remove them....🤷‍♀️

May I be so bold as to ask why you would think children are exempt from being charged gratuities?

Edited March 21, 2023 by JennyB1977

[TheBucketLister]

I am pretty sure gratuities are for any guest traveling regardless of age.  You can remove gratuities by going to guest services and requesting them being removed, which you can do regardless of them being an infant or not.

[Bestvalue82]

5 minutes ago, JennyB1977 said:

I was told onboard in 2019 that gratuities apply to all ages. I suppose it is your option to go to guest services and remove them....🤷‍♀️

May I be so bold as to ask why you would think children are exempt from being charged gratuities?

Im not concerned if they are exempt or not, i just like to know the full cost of the vacation when i am planning. 

[TheBucketLister]

1 minute ago, Bestvalue82 said:

Im not concerned if they are exempt or not, i just like to know the full cost of the vacation when i am planning. 

Straight from Royal Caribbean (first paragraph):

 

“The gratuity applies to individual guests of all ages and stateroom categories.”

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/onboard-service-gratuity-expense

[Bestvalue82]

1 minute ago, TheBucketLister said:

Straight from Royal Caribbean (first paragraph):

 

“The gratuity applies to individual guests of all ages and stateroom categories.”

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/onboard-service-gratuity-expense

Thanks for that. It gets confusing when people that are directly booking your vacations give different answers.

[little britain]

6n x 4 x $16 = $384

[TheBucketLister]

6 minutes ago, Bestvalue82 said:

Thanks for that. It gets confusing when people that are directly booking your vacations give different answers.

You’re welcome.  Unfortunately the agents at RC like to just make stuff up and not research it.  You ask 3 people the same question, you end up with four different answers. 😉

 

Royal Caribbean FAQs will be your best friend.

 

Edited March 21, 2023 by TheBucketLister

[Old Fart Cruisers]

I don't see why they wouldn't charge for small kids.   With the amount of extra work for dining staff, cleaning up the mess around the table, chairs, floors, (ceilings😁), Etc. with toddlers eating in the dining room.  More work for room stewards, making up pullman beds and cribs and all the extra cleaning involved with children in the stateroom.  More trash, towels, bed linens, Etc. 

[TheBucketLister]

7 minutes ago, Old Fart Cruisers said:

I don't see why they wouldn't charge for small kids.   With the amount of extra work for dining staff, cleaning up the mess around the table, chairs, floors, (ceilings😁), Etc. with toddlers eating in the dining room.  More work for room stewards, making up pullman beds and cribs and all the extra cleaning involved with children in the stateroom.  More trash, towels, bed linens, Etc. 

To be fair I don't think they were wanting to remove the gratuities, just wanting to budget correctly.  But I agree, as long as your infant is utilizing any dining room services or stateroom services (like the ones you mentioned), you should pay the gratuity.

[taglovestocruise]

6 hours ago, Bestvalue82 said:

Hi all,

 

I have called and chatted and gotten a couple different answers.

 

Scenario

 

6 night balcony (anthem) 2 adults , 3 yr old, 7 month old

 

1. Phone Rep A said 16 pp but children dont pay

2. Phone Rep B said 16 pp but only the 3 yr old pays

3. Chat rep said 16 pp and you can ask for the baby not to pay on board

 

Anyone want to share the correct answer if you know it?

 

Thanks

From Royal.

Royal Caribbean gratuities for children and infants

Royal Caribbean's standard gratuity rate of $16.00 per day ($18.50 for suites) applies to guests of all ages, including children and infants.Jan 30, 2023

[DaKahuna]

5 hours ago, Bestvalue82 said:

Im not concerned if they are exempt or not, i just like to know the full cost of the vacation when i am planning. 

 

I would recommend you PLAN to be charged daily gratuities for all four individuals traveling in the room and be pleasantly surprised if you are not charged for the baby.  Not saying this will happen but as other have said, gratuities are per guest of all ages. 

 

[LobsterStalker]

18 hours ago, Old Fart Cruisers said:

I don't see why they wouldn't charge for small kids.   With the amount of extra work for dining staff, cleaning up the mess around the table, chairs, floors, (ceilings😁), Etc. with toddlers eating in the dining room.  More work for room stewards, making up pullman beds and cribs and all the extra cleaning involved with children in the stateroom.  More trash, towels, bed linens, Etc. 

Precisely