Radiance of the Seas departing Sydney

I've heard that things are changing, but from your experience is the currency onboard still US dollars from an Australian port (returning to the same port).

Also, for an 11 night cruise how much do you think I should budget for "extra tips" on top of the prepaid gratuities. I know I don't have to pay extra, but if I choose to I'd like to be prepared.

Yes, all RCL cruises here have an onboard currency of USD.

As you say, you've already prepaid tips, so there's no expectation of anything further. If you do want to pay more, the amount is entirely up to you.

As it sounds like it might be your first cruise though, just for your awareness, extra things that are optional may still have gratuities which are additional to the prepaid amounts as it's based on the amount extra spent. For example, if you take on spa treatments, staff there normally take tips, and drinks may have gratuities added (although previous seasons RCL changed the price to include gratuities, so I expect that's the same this coming season). Also, room service staff usually receive tips.

As The Big M has said, all RCI ships US dollars. All prices on board will be shown in US$ and your final account will be in US$.

If you order room service, it is customary to tip them, so you can just swap Australian dollars for US dollar bills from guest services. We usually tip $2, and feel it is nicer to tip them with 2 x $1 notes than an Australian $2 coin!

On our early sailings with RCI, the drinks prices were shown in the menu, and then an additional 15% tip was added on top of this to the account you signed for. They have changed the drink prices now to just include the 15%. I believe in the spa and other pay for use services, the 15% is still shown as a separate line on the account.

At the end of the cruise, even though we always pre-pay our gratuities, the room steward, waiter and assistant waiter have usually done such a wonderful job, we give them $20 each extra in an envelope with a little thank you card. But we do use Australian dollars for this. Sometimes Bill has also tipped a favourite bar person as well. But you certainly are under no obligation to add extra.

I hope you have a great cruise!

I've heard that things are changing, but from your experience is the currency onboard still US dollars from an Australian port (returning to the same port).

 

Also, for an 11 night cruise how much do you think I should budget for "extra tips" on top of the prepaid gratuities. I know I don't have to pay extra, but if I choose to I'd like to be prepared.

The currency onboard is $US but we have found the staff are happy to take any currency in tips. I always like to budget $2 to $10 for room service depending on what they are delivering.And also an extra $20 each for the room attendant and our 2 waitstaff.

We usually tip $2, and feel it is nicer to tip them with 2 x $1 notes than an Australian $2 coin!

I was thinking the same thing, the idea of handing over notes is much more appealing.

Thanks everyone for all your confirmation and extra tips. Although not great for the Americans, I've been keeping an eye on the dollar and with their current situation I'm going to try and jump on a good exchange now and buy up before it drops again, then get the larger bills changed into $1 once onboard to use for tips.