It is easier to compare the deals without gratuities. The gratuities for a seven day cruise are the same no matter what the ship or destination. Royal lists it without gratuities. Don't make this into another tipping thread. It is for comparing deals not how much your total bill will be.
I like Royal and a fan of their ships for the most part but I think being loyal to a corporation that is only out for the immediate dollar at the expense of service and long term loyalty is out of the question. I will sail on smaller ships if I want to but not because they decide to price me out of the nocer ships.
We booked Icon the first day it opened. About $1,300 per person for an ocean view balcony. Star today is almost double that. Sorry Royal that is too much. Thanks Jason Liberty! I'll be looking elsewhere.
I don't think that even it was free that 50% of the guests would go. Many posts I saw when it was still in planning before there was a fee said they would not do it. $90 is a money grab, not crowd control.
It is not shell game if everyone is playing the same way. None of the major cruise lines show pricing with the gratuities. If one of the lines did show pricing with the gratuity then theirs would seem higher than the others that don't. And please don't remove gratuities because you can't afford them or think they should be included in the price. You are not punishing the right people.
I have always liked the beds on Royal Caribbean. I don't like a soft matress. I didn't think they were that hard though. People must like really soft beds.