The short and simple answer is no.
While the base price covers a lot of basic amenities, you often have to pay extra for specialty drinks, dining, WiFi, and certain activities.
Thankfully, these costs are optional.
Royal Caribbean lets you customize your experience, so you only need to pay for what you want.
What’s Included in the Cruise Price?
Your cruise fare covers the basics, including accommodations, meals, entertainment, and activities.
Here’s what you get at no extra charge:
Your Stateroom. This includes a comfortable bed, bathroom, and housekeeping services.
Complimentary Dining. Enjoy meals at the main dining room, Windjammer buffet, and select casual spots.
Entertainment. Your fare is inclusive of Broadway-style shows, live music, and comedy performances on deck.
Pools & Water Activities. Guests can swim in pools, relax in hot tubs, or splash around in general water play areas.
Fitness Center. Most (if not all) of the gyms onboard – including workout equipment and space – are available for guests to use without needing to pay extra.
Kids & Teen Programs. Royal Caribbean has the Adventure Ocean program that provides free supervised activities for kids and teens.
Sports & Recreation. Try rock climbing, mini-golf, zip-lining, and basketball at no cost.
Basically, with all these things included, you can fully enjoy a Royal Caribbean cruise without spending extra.
The only time you’d shell out extra is if you want to upgrade your experience.
What Costs Extra on a Royal Caribbean Cruise?
Now that you know the answer to are Royal Caribbean cruises all inclusive? is no, let’s discuss what’s not covered by your base fare.
Specialty Dining. Some restaurants onboard – like Chops Grille, Wonderland, and Izumi – will require extra fees.
Alcohol & Soft Drinks. The drinks dispensed at self-serve machines in casual dining venues and the Main Dining Room – like ice water, flavored water, hot chocolate, iced tea, lemonade, etc. – are free.
However, specialty drinks like soda, cocktails, alcohol, and bottled water are not included in the base fare.
You’ll need to buy one of Royal Caribbean’s drink packages for unlimited beverage options.
WiFi Access. Internet is not included on the cruise, but Royal Caribbean does offer paid WiFi packages for those who need to connect.
Spa & Salon Services. If you want to get any beauty or relaxation treatments done – i.e., massages, facials, and hairstyling – you’ll have to pay extra.
Shore Excursions. Guided tours, zip-lining, and snorkeling trips require separate booking and payment.
If you’re working with a travel advisor or travel agent to book your cruise, they may be able to get you discounts or special package deals for shore and/or port excursions.
Fitness Classes. General fitness areas and equipment are free to use, but fitness classes like yoga, pilates, and cycling charge a fee.
Casino & Arcade. Royal Caribbean offers games and gambling for an extra cost.
Gratuities. Royal Caribbean adds daily service charges to your bill.
These extras let you personalize your cruise and choose what you believe is worth paying for.
Are There Any All-Inclusive Cruises?
If you want a cruise that feels all-inclusive, Star Class Suites on Oasis and Quantum Class ships offer the closest experience.
Guests in Star Class can enjoy:
- Complimentary Drinks. The Deluxe Beverage Package is included.
- Free Specialty Dining. Unlimited meals at premium restaurants.
- WiFi Access. Stay connected with free high-speed internet.
- Personalized Concierge. A Royal Genie arranges reservations, activities, and priority boarding.
It’s worth noting that cruises are rarely all-inclusive.
Even with Star Class, you’ll still need to pay for shore excursions, spa services, and gratuities.
What Are Royal Caribbean’s Drink Packages?
Since drinks aren’t included, many guests purchase a beverage package.
Royal Caribbean offers three drink packages:
- Deluxe Beverage Package. This package covers unlimited cocktails, beer, wine, soda, specialty coffee, and bottled water for $62-$78 per day.
- Refreshment Package. For $30-$38 a day, you can enjoy unlimited non-alcoholic drinks like fresh juices, premium coffee, and sodas.
- Classic Soda Package. This package offers unlimited fountain sodas and a Coca-Cola souvenir cup for $13-$15 per day.
If you plan on drinking several sodas or cocktails every day, a package could save you money.
How Does Paid & Complimentary Dining Work?
Are Royal Caribbean cruises all inclusive?
No, but they do come with very generous complimentary dining.
You can also upgrade to specialty restaurants for a fee.
Included Dining. Under the base fare, you can eat at the Main Dining Room, Windjammer Buffet, and select grab-and-go spots are free.
Specialty Dining. Upscale venues like Wonderland, Jamie’s Italian, and Hooked Seafood require an extra charge.
Dining Packages. You also have the option to buy dining packages to enjoy multiple specialty restaurants at a lower cost.
If you enjoy gourmet meals and unique dining experiences, specialty restaurants on Royal Caribbean cruises are worth considering.
How Much Are Gratuities?
Gratuities are not included in the base price of a Royal Caribbean cruise.
The cruise line automatically adds daily service charges to your onboard bill.
- Standard Cabins. $16 per person, per day.
- Suites. $20.50 per person, per day.
- Additional Gratuities. An 18% service charge applies to drinks, spa treatments, and specialty dining.
Guests can prepay gratuities or have them added to their bill daily.
Should You Buy Add-Ons Before the Cruise?
Purchasing add-ons before boarding can save you money and guarantee availability.
For instance, popular shore and port excursions sell out quite quickly.
Booking in advance guarantees you’ll have something to do when the ship docks.
Drink packages are also a great way to save money if you know you’re going to drink upwards of 3 specialty drinks a day.
If you have the budget for it, specialty dining on a Royal Caribbean cruise is quite the experience.
So be sure to purchase a package if you’re interested, as reservations can fill up quickly.
And if you absolutely need to stay connected, pre-purchasing a WiFi package before your departure date can help you save more.
If you know you’ll use these extras, booking ahead is a smart move.
If you’re working with a travel agent, you can ask them to help you choose the best add-ons for your ideal cruise experience.
What Are the Most Popular Cruise Add-Ons?
Are Royal Caribbean cruises all inclusive?
No, but you can upgrade your cruise experience with different add-ons.
Here are some of the most popular choices:
- Beverage Packages for unlimited soda, cocktails, specialty drinks, and bottled water.
- Specialty Dining Packages for access to fine dining at a lower price.
- Shore Excursions to try adventures like snorkeling, zip-lining, and cultural tours.
- WiFi Packages so you can stay connected throughout the trip.
- Spa & Wellness Services like massages, facials, and thermal spas for more options to help de-stress.
While these are optional, they can certainly level up your cruise experience.
How Do Royal Caribbean’s Extras Compare to Other Cruise Lines?
Royal Caribbean offers a flexible approach to add-ons, while some cruise lines lean more toward all-inclusive pricing.
- Carnival Cruises. More budget-friendly drink packages but fewer upscale dining options.
- Norwegian Cruise Line. Their “Free at Sea” promotion includes drinks, WiFi, and specialty dining for some guests.
- Celebrity Cruises. More all-inclusive pricing, with some fares covering drinks and WiFi.
Royal Caribbean keeps base fares low, letting guests pay only for what they want.
Plan Your Royal Caribbean Cruise with Team Thompson Travel
Are Royal Caribbean cruises all inclusive?
No, but they don’t need to be.
Getting to choose different add-ons allows you to customize your personal cruise experience.
You can decide what extras fit your vacation style without worrying that anything you paid for will go to waste.
Whether you want a simple sea getaway or a full VIP experience, you can personalize your trip to match your budget.
At Team Thompson Travel, we make cruise planning easy.
We can help you choose the right Royal Caribbean ship, book the best cabin, and select the perfect add-ons for you.
Best of all, our services are free—we earn our commission directly from the cruise line.
So contact us today, and let’s plan your Royal Caribbean adventure!