Royal Caribbean Policy Change Upsets Many Louisiana Cruisers

It is no secret that vacationers in Louisiana love the water. Sometimes we go to the bayou. Sometimes we go to the beach. And then sometimes we board a giant ocean-going vessel and sail away to far-off lands and destinations. Okay, most of us only make it as far as Mexico, Honduras, and maybe Belize. But we still love cruising. 

Cruising and changes to cruise vacations have been in the news a lot here lately. The late winter months are when most of the major cruise lines revamp and restructure itineraries and onboard policies ahead of the spring cruising season. But one policy change recently announced by the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines is not sitting well with passengers at all.

And yes, it has to do with money but it's not a policy change that will increase the cost of your ticket but it will affect how much money you spend on board. Before we go into the details of what Royal Caribbean will be asking of you let's give you some background so you can see why many Louisiana cruise guests and guests from around the world have taken to social media to decry this "nickel and dime" effort by Royal Caribbean.

As you know, COVID-19 really did a number on the cruise industry. But, that industry is back and has never been more robust. Royal Caribbean recently announced that their net income had rebounded substantially since COVID. In fact, the line reported a net income of $33 million this time last year to earnings of more than $1 billion dollars in Q3 of 2023.

So, they appear to be making money, right?

Then why has Royal Caribbean increased the daily onboard gratuities that passengers pay to have their staterooms and suites cleaned and maintained? Let me clarify something for you. If you've never cruised part of your daily onboard expenses are the gratuities that are paid to room stewards and other support personnel. Up until recently, that charge was $16 per day. Or, if you are on a five-day cruise that's an additional $80 dollars added to your onboard charges.

As of November 11th, those daily gratuities will jump to $18 dollars a day. No, it's not a huge jump but that's not the issue. The issue is this. Royal Caribbean just announced a billion dollars in earnings for Q3 and they need me to pay their cabin stewards an extra two bucks per day?

The cruise line explained the increase in gratuities was needed so they could offer their workers more money. What they meant to say was "We want to give our crew more of your money, we're keeping ours for ourselves". This truly is a matter of principle.

Most people I know who go on cruises regularly have no problem with the extra $2. Those of us who have an issue simply want to know why Royal Caribbean doesn't just pay their people better. The cruise line made a billion dollars in three months and bookings are growing. Come on RCL, pay your people. You're going to get it back from passengers by jacking up your Wi-Fi prices anyway.