The fare is not the whole bill. Here is what it covers, the extras that surprise first-timers, typical price ranges, and how to budget so the final number does not sting.
Reviewed October 2026 · Justin RasmussenThe base fare buys more than people expect. On Royal Caribbean, that generally means:
What is included depends on the ship, so check your ship’s page. I cover how the bigger ships differ in Icon vs. Star vs. Utopia.
Here are the main items first-timers run into. Prices are typical ranges from Royal’s published information and third-party trackers. They vary by ship, sailing, season and when you buy, so use them for planning, not as a quote.
| Extra | Typical cost | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Gratuities | $18.50 per person per day ($21 for suites), per Royal’s current policy | Added to your onboard account unless you prepay. Royal says they are optional and you can adjust them at Guest Relations before the last morning. |
| Drink packages | Often quoted from roughly $50 to $120 per adult per day, plus an 18% service charge | Everyone of legal drinking age in the cabin generally has to buy it. Usually cheaper to prepay than onboard. |
| Wi-Fi | Roughly $18 to $39 per device per day | Priced per device, so a family can add up fast. Check what your phone needs. |
| Specialty dining | Often around $40 to $50 per person for a steakhouse or Italian dinner | Optional. The main dining room and buffet are included. |
| Spa and salon | Varies | Royal adds a 20% gratuity to spa and salon services. |
| Perfect Day CocoCay extras | Varies | No admission fee, but the Thrill Waterpark, Hideaway Beach, cabanas and other headline experiences are extra. |
| Shore days | Varies | Port days are your own call and your own budget. I do not book tours or shuttles. |
| Photos, casino, arcade, shopping | Varies | The easy ones to overspend on. |
Sources: Royal Caribbean’s gratuity and drink-package pages, plus third-party price trackers for recent sailings. Third-party prices move, so I’m calling them typical ranges. Royal adds an 18% gratuity to drinks, specialty dining, room service and minibar purchases. Check the exact figures on your sailing.
This is the biggest swing. Say a package is about $82 a day before the 18% charge. That is roughly $97 a day per person after the charge. If your average drink runs about $14 with its own service charge, you break even around six or seven drinks a day. Light drinkers lose money on the package. People who like cocktails, wine with dinner and a few beers by the pool can come out ahead.
Two rules help. First, Royal generally requires every adult in the cabin to buy the same package. Second, it is usually cheaper to prepay than to buy on board. If you are unsure, skip the package and pay as you go for a day or two to see how you drink on vacation. Do not buy it just because it is on the first-day sales screen.
Royal sells Wi-Fi through VOOM, priced per device per day. A family with four phones and two tablets can spend more on internet than on a nice dinner. A few ways to trim it: keep phones in airplane mode and use the ship’s app for plans, download shows and maps before you sail, and only buy for the person who really needs to be online. Check the current plan options before you decide.
The included dining is good and varied. Specialty restaurants are a treat, not a requirement. I tell people to choose one dinner for an occasion, not a plan for every night. Look at the menu, not just the price. If the restaurant is not a place you would pay for at home, skip it.
Here is an example for two adults on a 7-night sailing. It is illustrative, built from the typical ranges above. Your numbers will differ.
| Item | Low spender | Everything on |
|---|---|---|
| Gratuities ($18.50 × 2 × 7) | $259 | $259 |
| Drink packages (2 adults) | $0 | about $1,355 |
| Wi-Fi (one device each) | $0 | about $250 to $550 |
| Specialty dinners (two nights, two people) | $0 | about $180 |
| Rough extras total | about $259 | about $2,000 to $2,350 |
Illustrative only. Drink figure assumes about $82 a day before an 18% charge. Prices change, and your fare, taxes and port fees are separate.
That range is the point. Two couples on the same ship can have a $259 week and a $2,300 week on top of the fare. Decide which one you want before you book, and set the budget with your travel partner so there are no surprises at the end.
Sometimes a sailing comes with promotions: onboard credit, a drinks or Wi-Fi offer, or free gratuities. Whether there is anything depends on the sailing and the promotion, and sometimes there is nothing. I tell you either way. For the longer version, see does a cruise travel agent cost extra?
Your onboard purchases go on the card tied to your cruise account, so it is worth using one that earns something on everyday spending. A flat-rate, no-annual-fee card is a fine default for the onboard bill. The one I use for this kind of spending is the Chase Freedom Unlimited, which as of October 30, 2026 shows 1.5% back on most purchases, 3% on dining and drugstores, and no annual fee on Chase’s public page. Offers and rates change, so check before you apply. My thinking on cards for family travel is in turning everyday spending into a family vacation.
One card, one purpose: a simple everyday earner for the extras.
Generally your stateroom, main dining and the buffet, pools and most activities, entertainment and kids’ programs. What is included varies by ship, so check your ship’s page.
Not in the fare. Royal adds $18.50 per guest per day ($21 for suites) to your onboard account unless you prepay. Royal says gratuities are optional and can be adjusted or removed at Guest Relations before the morning of disembarkation.
It depends on how much you drink. Assuming a package near $82 a day plus an 18% charge, you need roughly six or seven drinks a day to break even. Light drinkers usually do better paying as they go.
No. It is a paid add-on priced per device per day, typically around $18 to $39. Prices vary by ship and sailing.
There is no admission fee, but some experiences such as the Thrill Waterpark, Hideaway Beach and private cabanas cost extra.
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