October 22, 2026 — Royal Caribbean International says its gratuity rates are unchanged, after a mistake on its website and a fake notice circulating online confused cruisers this week.
What happened
The line’s gratuities FAQ briefly showed a 20% automatic gratuity on drinks, drink packages, specialty dining, dining packages, room service and minibar purchases. Royal Caribbean told Cruise Hive the figure was an error, that “there has been no change to our gratuity rates,” and that the FAQ has been corrected.
| Charge | Automatic gratuity |
|---|---|
| Beverages and beverage packages | 18% |
| Specialty dining and dining packages | 18% |
| Spa and salon services | 20% |
The corrected FAQ also says drink and dining gratuities are optional and can be adjusted or removed at the guest’s discretion. Guests could already change daily SeaPass gratuities; the drink and dining percentages had been less clear.
The fake notice
Separately, a fake “press release” claimed that daily gratuities could no longer be removed or adjusted onboard for sailings departing on or after October 19, 2026. Cruise Hive found it used a Royal Caribbean logo the line retired in September 2024, and the official FAQ still says guests can change or remove gratuities at Guest Relations until the morning of disembarkation.
What it means for travelers
- Budget at the 18% rate for drinks and specialty dining, and 20% for the spa — nothing has gone up.
- Ignore social-media notices about gratuity rules; check the Royal Caribbean website or ask Guest Relations onboard.
- If you want to adjust any gratuity, do it at Guest Relations no later than the morning you leave the ship — sort it out early if you have a tight flight home.
Sources
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