Mrs

[Benbilly]

Hi,

Just wondering about gratuities when travelling with children on a Royal Caribbean cruise. 

Do we need to pay them for Children?  My travel agent has said not to pay for any gratuities up front and then they will be added

to our account when we board.  We can then go to the Reception on board and say we want the gratuities removed for the children.

Is this correct?

[Emrys]

Hi @Benbilly, gratuities does apply to all guests, including the younger ones. I would not recommend removing gratuities. This much needed fund will go to the crew members that have serviced you through the cruise.

[maryred]

Why remove the gratuities, unless you get less than satisfactory service and then you would of course remove them for your whole party not just the children. On a cruise a child, even an infant, is still a passenger that the crew will cook, clean-up after, and provide some basic entertainment activities, so why not allow them the auto-gratuity they are usually expecting.

I can understand not wishing to prepay the gratuities until you have seen what services the crew preforms, but many do just it so it's not an added expense on their on board room account. Remember even if traveling with an infant that's still on formula or eating baby food some of the crew will need to preform duties that they otherwise would not have to such as disposing of soiled diapers, extra linen changes on the porta crib or trundle bed, providing you with bowls of boiled water to warm the baby's/toddler's food, etc. Plus even if the child is not eating the menu food at restaurant venues you will see the staff try to entertain the child that you may get a few courses down unencumbered of having to fulfill that task yourself.