If you’re new to cruising, you might be wondering whether cruise ships have room service like hotels do. The answer is yes! Not only are you able to order from room service menus during your voyage, but you’ll also pay way less than you would for most room service menu items on land (on many cruise lines it’s even free!).

Let’s jump into everything you need to know about cruise ship room service — such as what’s included, how to order, how to handle tipping, and more.

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What You Need to Know About Room Service on a Cruise

What is room service on a cruise?

During a cruise, room service gives you the ability to order food and beverages right to your stateroom without having to go eat at a sit-down restaurant or pick up a snack from another spot on the ship. It’s perfect for when you want a lazy morning with breakfast in bed, want to enjoy a romantic dinner on your balcony, or are looking for some late-night snacks after an evening at the nightclub.

After ordering, you’ll usually get an estimated time period for when you can expect your food to arrive. Once it’s ready, a crew member will bring it right to your cabin door. They’ll often bring the trays of food and drinks inside for you so you don’t have to carry them from the doorway.

What is included in cruise ship room service?

Each cruise line has its own unique menu, but overall you can expect room service on a cruise to include a selection of things like soups, salads, sandwiches, pizza, burgers, steak, chicken tenders and/or wings, and pasta.

Coffee, tea, milk, lemonade, juice, soda, and alcoholic beverages are also available, as are a selection of desserts. Keep in mind that, though room service is still available in the middle of the night, those hours may have a limited menu.

Continental breakfast, which is generally free even on lines that charge for other room service items, includes basic things such as cold cereals, toast, bagels, muffins, fruit, and yogurt. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, juice, and milk are also continental breakfast staples.

Many cruise lines have additional breakfast items on the room service menu to choose from, which may or may not incur a fee. These include things like scrambled eggs and omelets, pancakes, French toast, oatmeal, breakfast sandwiches, bacon, sausage, and hash browns.

How do you order room service on a cruise?

On most cruise lines, you can order room service via the telephone in your cabin. There’s a dedicated number to dial that will take you directly to the room service department. Here, you’ll place your order with a crew member and they’ll give you an estimated time that you can expect your food to arrive.

As cruise lines continue to add more capabilities to their stateroom TVs and smartphone apps, you may be able to order room service through those devices as well. It just depends on which cruise line and ship you’re sailing.

Breakfast, however, is usually done a bit differently. On most lines, room service breakfast must be ordered the night before; usually via a door hanger menu that’s placed outside on the door handle before you go to sleep.

On the menu, you choose the timeframe that you’d like breakfast delivered — usually they’re 30-minute windows. Then, you place a checkmark or number in the boxes next to each menu item you want and the quantity you’d like. Come morning, your breakfast should be delivered within your chosen time period. We recommend eating it in bed or, if you have a balcony, outside as the perfect way to welcome the day.

Breakfast room service is especially helpful if you want to maximize your sleeping time on a port day and eat as you get ready, or if you want to stay in bed as long as possible on a sea day without missing breakfast completely.

Aside from breakfast, you may be wondering when you can order room service. The answer is anytime! Across the cruise industry, room service is pretty much available 24 hours a day.

How much do you tip room service on a cruise?

On some cruise lines, gratuity is automatically added into your room service charge (if room service is not free on that cruise line). In that case, don’t feel any pressure to add an additional tip — though on most lines you’ll be allowed to if you wish.

If room service is entirely free on your cruise line or an automatic gratuity is not included in the charge, how much you tip the crew member who brings your order is entirely up to you. Someone who orders two items might not feel the need to tip as much as someone who orders an entire smorgasbord of items for their four-person family plus drinks.

Tipping is not mandatory, but a good rule of thumb is to tip at least a few dollars. The exact amount is entirely up to you.

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Is room service free on cruises?

The answer to this question depends on the cruise line; each brand handles the cost (or lack thereof) of room service differently. For a breakdown on room service by cruise line, read on.

Note: Basic continental breakfast menu items through room service are included on basically all cruise lines, so we aren’t factoring that into the ‘included’ and ‘cost’ sections below. As well, alcoholic beverages that are available through room service incur regular bar prices.

Carnival Cruise Line

Included? No, room service is not part of the cruise fare.

Cost: Menu items are a la carte, with most ranging from $3 to $6 each.

Hours: Room service is 24 hours a day, with breakfast served from 6 am to 10 am.

Celebrity Cruises

Included? No, room service is not part of the Celebrity Cruises‘ fare except for guests staying in The Retreat and Zenith Captain Club members.

Cost: Room service incurs a flat fee of $9.95 plus a 20 percent automatic gratuity.

Hours: Room service is 24 hours a day, with breakfast served from 6 am to 11 am. 

Cunard

Included? Yes

Hours: 24 hours a day

Disney Cruise Line

Included? Yes

Hours: Room service is 24 hours a day, with breakfast served from 5 am to 9:30 am.

Holland America Line

Included? The standard room service menu is included in the cruise fare. A limited selection of premium menu items from the ship’s restaurants are also available from room service, which cost extra.

Cost: Premium menu items are a la carte plus an automatic 18 percent gratuity, with most available for $4.95. Options from the Pinnacle Grill steakhouse range from $15 to $25.

Hours: 24 hours a day

MSC Cruises

Included? No, unless you are staying in the MSC Yacht Club.

Cost: Some items on the room service menu are included, while others are priced a la carte. Those sailing with the Bella experience will also incur a $4.99 room service delivery fee. Those sailing with the Fantastica or Aurea experience do not have the $4.99 delivery fee. Most a la carte items are around $8. Room service is entirely free for those in the Yacht Club.

Hours: Room service is 24 hours a day, with breakfast served from 6 am to 10 am.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Included? No, room service is not part of the NCL cruise fare except for those staying in The Haven.

Cost: Room service incurs a flat fee of $9.95.

Hours: Room service is 24 hours a day, with breakfast served from 6 am to 10 am.

Oceania Cruises

Included? Yes

Hours: Room service is 24 hours a day, with breakfast served from 6:30 am to 10:30 am.

Princess Cruises

Included? No, room service is not included in the Princess cruise fare except for guests who have purchased the Princess Plus or Princess Premier package.

Cost: Room service is a flat fee. Guests can either pay a one-time $14.99 fee for the whole cruise for the ability to order room service through the Princess Cruises app or the in-cabin TV through OceanNow, or — if ordering room service via phone — a $5 fee will be charged each time.

Hours: Room service is 24 hours a day, with breakfast served from 6:30 am to 10:30 am.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Included? Yes

Hours: Room service is 24 hours a day, with breakfast served from 6:30 am to 9:30 am.

Royal Caribbean International

Included? No, room service is not part of the Royal Caribbean cruise fare except for those staying in suites.

Cost: Room service incurs a flat fee of $7.95 plus an automatic gratuity of 18 percent.

Hours: Room service is 24 hours a day, with breakfast served from 6 am to 11 am.

Seabourn

Included? Yes

Hours: 24 hours a day

Silversea Cruises

Included? Yes

Hours: 24 hours a day

Viking

Included? Yes

Hours: 24 hours a day

Note: Room service is only available on Viking’s ocean and expedition ships. The river vessels do not offer room service.

Virgin Voyages

Included? No, room service is not part of the Virgin Voyages cruise fare except for those staying in a Rockstar Quarters suite.

Cost: Room service incurs a flat fee of $5. However, if you order a drink that costs money (such as a cocktail or specialty coffee), you only pay the cost of that drink and the $5 room service fee is waived.

Hours: Room service is 24 hours a day, with breakfast served from 5 am to 11 am.

Windstar Cruises

Included? Yes

Hours: Room service is 24 hours a day, with breakfast served from 6 am to 11 am.

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Comments

Do you enjoy ordering room service on a cruise? Are you willing to pay the extra fee associated with dining in the privacy of your cabin? Drop us an anchor below to share your thoughts on room service costs across the cruise industry.