Royal Caribbean Cruises:
Terms and Conditions and FAQs
Can I call home from the ship?
You can make ship-to-shore calls from your stateroom, 24 hours a day. A cost of $15.50 per minute will be automatically charged to your SeaPass account.
Can I change my stateroom after arrival on board?
Subject to availability, you may upgrade to a higher category after boarding or setting sail by paying the difference in the published applicable full cruise fare in cash or traveller's cheques.
Are there facilities for children?
The Adventure Ocean® Youth Programme of supervised activities ensures that children are entertained in five different age groups from 6 months to 17 years.
There are designated areas for smoking and non-smoking on all ships. All theatres and dining rooms are non-smoking.
Guests 18-21 years of age are welcome to enjoy beer or wine but their parents must sign a waiver. Alcoholic beverages purchased ashore or on board at duty free prices will be stored and delivered to your stateroom on the last night of your cruise.
Days on board are relaxed and you'll be most comfortable in sports/casualwear. Bring low-heeled shoes for the deck activities and a few swimsuits (so you'll have a dry one). Ashore you'll need comfortable walking shoes.
- Casual: Sundresses or trousers and blouses for women; shirts and trousers for men.
- Smart Casual: dresses or trouser suits for women: jackets for men
- Formal: cocktail dresses for women; suits and ties or tuxedos for men
Each evening, the ship's main dining rooms feature a different menu and a changing dress code. The following will help you plan your evening attire.
- 3 to 4 night cruises include one formal night and two or three casual nights.
- 5 nights include one formal, one smart casual and three casual nights.
- 7 night cruises include two formal nights, one smart casual night and four casual nights.
- 10, 11, and 12 night cruises include three formal nights and three smart casual nights.
- 14 and 15 night cruises include three formal nights and four smart casual nights.
The Windjammer Café is open every evening for those who prefer a more casual dining experience.
If your cruise holiday will take you to cooler climates for example Alaska, or Northern Europe, be sure to pack a jacket and several sweaters.
Hairdryers are provided on all ships. If your shaver and hairdryer use 110-volt electricity, you will not need an adapter. For any other voltage usage you will need a North American type travel adapter.
Finally, don't forget to pack your travel documents and any medication you may need in your hand luggage.
How do I find out about and book shore excursions?
To get the most enjoyment out of your visit to a port of call, we recommend you select one of our shore excursions, which have been planned by travel experts and are recommended by the authorities for the particular ports. Prices vary for each excursion. Shore excursions can be booked and paid for in advance via our website www.royalcaribbean.co.uk. These must be booked at least 10 days prior to your sailing date. Shore excursions can also be booked on board, however places are limited and therefore we recommend you book online to avoid disappointment. The staff at the Shore Excursion Explorations! Desk on board will be happy to provide you with information to book your shore excursions. The cost will be charged to your SeaPass account. Some of the shore excursions are subject to minimum numbers and may be cancelled if requirements are not met. Proof of certification is required for all scuba tours. Alternatively you are free to explore and make your own arrangements at each port of call. Please note that some shops/museums in various ports may be closed due to local holidays or customs. Subject to our Booking Conditions Royal Caribbean International is not responsible for any injuries or losses sustained whilst guests are ashore, whether on an organised excursion or otherwise.
How do I pay for on-board purchases?
All items onboard ship are priced in U.S Dollars. All Royal Caribbean ships operate on a ‘cashless’ system. Simply validate your SeaPass Account with an acceptable credit card at the cruise check-in desk. Then you can sign all on-board purchases to your account. At the end of your cruise you will receive a completely itemised statement. Guests who pay their SeaPass Account with a credit card issued in a currency other than U.S Dollars, will be charged in the same local currency that the credit card is issued in. For example, a GBP credit card issued in the U.K will be charged in GBP. The transaction value of your spending onboard the ship plus the exchange rate to be applied will appear on your itemised statement. We will carry out the currency conversion at the commercial daily rate of exchange provided by a reputable foreign exchange dealer and a currency conversion charge will also apply. Please note that a currency conversion charge is usually made by credit card companies, but it should not be necessary for your credit card company to charge such a fee when your transaction value has already been converted to your local currency by us. Should you wish to opt out of this system and therefore have your credit card charged in U.S Dollars (with your credit card company applying the rate of exchange and currency conversion charge), please inform our cruise check-in agents at the pier.
SeaPass Accounts may be settled in cash. We cannot accept personal cheques and any other currency other than U.S Dollars. Only US currency is accepted on board Royal Caribbean ships with the exception of Legend of the Seas (GBP). A cash machine is available on all Royal Caribbean ships ($5.00 fee per transaction will be levied for this service). Please consult your on board Daily Programme for the opening times of the on-board Bank. Ashore, most credit cards are accepted. In addition you should ensure that you have a small denomination of local currency for incidental expenditure ashore. We also recommend that you take sufficient funds in US$ traveller’s cheques which may be cashed on-board in small amounts. At the time of printing the following credit cards are accepted on Royal Caribbean ships: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discovery and Diners Car
Yes. Friends and family can contact the ship by dialing 00 1732 335 3285. The cost is £5.40 per minute and can be charged to their Visa, MasterCard or American Express. From outside the US, additional long distance charges will apply. Callers must pay by credit card (Visa, MasterCard or American Express). A voice prompt will direct the caller to the ship. For example: "To call the Grandeur of the Seas press 1#, to call the Rhapsody of the Seas press 2#." Charges will start when the call is first answered on board the ship, not when the caller begins speaking with the Guest .
In addition, the ships offer an internet communication centre for guests to send and receive e-mail. Friends and family can e-mail you providing you have an internet e-mail account. Email centres are available on all Royal Caribbean ships. Costs will be charged to your SeaPass Account. Please note that mobile phones with international capability will not work whilst a vessel is at sea.
What you must not take with you
You must not pack in any luggage or bring on board any item specified as dangerous or illegal (e.g. guns, explosives, drugs, animals, flammable items, etc.). In addition, we/the airline may specify other items which you must not bring with you, and may also refuse to allow you to take on board any item which we/the airline, consider being inappropriate. If we or the Master of the Ship have reason to believe that any stateroom may contain any item or substance which should not have been brought on board, the Master or an authorised officer has the right to enter and search the stateroom concerned and seize any such item or substance.
Special Note: Please ensure that any sharp items, including but not limited to scissors, razor blades, nail clippers, tweezers, combs with metal prongs and knitting needles, are packed in your check-in luggage and not your hand luggage due to new and enhanced airport security measures.
What about valuable or important items?
Please make sure that all valuable and important items (for example, medicines, jewellery, fragile items, important travel and other documents, video/camera/computer equipment, etc.) are carried by hand and not packed in your luggage and/or left unsecured in your stateroom or elsewhere on board the ship. Special care must be taken of such items. For your protection once on board, all valuable and important items should be deposited with the Guest Relations Desk or, in your stateroom mini-safe.
You are also strongly advised to take out appropriate and adequate insurance to protect such items. We cannot accept any responsibility or liability for any valuable or important items, which are not deposited with the Guest Relations Desk for safekeeping. For items which are so deposited, the maximum we will pay you if any item(s) is lost or damaged (for any reason) whilst in our care is the maximum which is payable under The Athens Convention (see 5.10) in this situation (currently approximately £1,000.00 per guest, per cruise).
Boarding time varies by itinerary. Please check your cruise ticket booklet for the boarding time relevant to your cruise. If you are not on board at least two hours before the ship's scheduled sailing time, they are entitled to assume that you do not intend to travel. Your booking will then be cancelled, 100% cancellation charges will be payable and no refund will be made. Please note that, for security reasons, you will not be permitted to bring any visitors on board the ship in any port.
How do I check-in when boarding the ship?
In order to make your boarding process as simple as possible, we recommend that you visit this web page to fill out your embarkation forms. If you complete embarkation forms online, you do not need to complete the Guest Clearance Form found within your travel documents. If completing your embarkation forms online is not possible, your embarkation forms will automatically be included with your cruise documents. Please complete these forms before you arrive at the cruise terminal.
In the cruise terminal, simply present your cruise documents and all completed forms at the check in desk. You will be issued with a Guest Cruise Card which will serve as your identification card. This card is your identification for boarding and reboarding the ship in the various ports of call and the key to your stateroom. Please keep this safe and with you at all times. This card is also your SeaPass SM card for all your on board purchases. Printed on the SeaPass card is your dining room seating and table assignment. Please be sure to have all visas/documentation and vaccinations required for your itinerary.
Your stateroom steward will deliver your luggage to your stateroom or suite as soon as possible after boarding. We recommend that items such as medicines are packed in your hand luggage.
