Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. For more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPGs new cruise newsletter. Whats Included in a Royal Caribbean Cruise? MY FAMILY TIME DINING MY TIME DINING DAILY RESERVATIONS Awards FOLLOW US JOIN CROWN & ANCHOR SOCIETY CALL US NOW +971 4 331 4299 A The automatic service gratuity is $16.00 USD per person, per day for guests in Junior Suites and below, or $18.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Grand Suites and above, applied to each guest's SeaPass account on a daily basis. I always find that funny when peeps complain about the added on grats listed as a separate charge..do they ever look at their cable bill, electric bill, phone bill.etcetc. 0000006236 00000 n Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. Those grats are also handed out to WJ staff, cafe staff, etc. Royal Caribbeans award winning dining program, My Time Dining, offers flexible and traditional options. I have just booked the allure this afternoon and was told by the iglu cruiserep that if I wanted my time dining then I would HAVE to pay the gratuities up front at the time of booking,but if I had first or second sitting then I didn't need to pay I was imformed that royal had made this part of their booking conditions 2 months ago. In addition to this, an 18% gratuity is automatically added to all drinks, spa and salon services. 0000015069 00000 n So for those who like some solitude, they may find that this more freestyle approach works better, but not everyone likes the NCL style of eating. This is an unfair statement. 0000426236 00000 n To request a call back from one of our cruise experts, kindly provide us with the details requested bellow and we will get back to you as soon as possible. You dont have to attend dinner at the same time, and you can arrange a table that works for you. Click the button above to compare the prices of cruises from all travel agents. We know booking a cruise can be a complicated process, so if you need any help or would even like us to fill out your information for you please get in touch. Even if you initially booked Traditional Dining, you can call your travel agent or Royal Caribbean directly to change to My Time. If you have multiple people in your stateroom or travel party, you can make multiple reservations each evening to accommodate everyone's preferences. Additionally, several major lines in the past couple of years have begun offering bundle pricing to customers who pay for cruise tips, Wi-Fi charges and an onboard drinks package all at once in advance of sailing, potentially at a discount. However, many people now prefer to enjoy more flexibility with dinner, so cruise lines have either done away with traditional dining altogether or set up an alternative option. Instant Real Time Pricing Suggested read: 6 Things You MUST Know About Formal Night on a Royal Caribbean Cruise. Read on to learn what My Time Dining is, the benefits that it offers, and how to book. You can, however, always tell your waitstaff that you have other plans, and they will do their best to serve you as quickly as possible. 0000418111 00000 n 0000422260 00000 n With My Time Dining, you can simply walk up to the host stand to be seated or make reservations in advance for your preferred time. If you have a smaller party, you might find that you do not have to wait as long as larger parties. 156.1k. If you are adjusting a gratuity charge downward, expect to be asked about the reasons behind the adjustment. Daily service charges are not the only cruise tips you will pay on board. We have my time dining and according to the threads it looks like the gratuities are asked to be prepaid. Ships registered in the Bahamas. My Time Dining uses the same menu as traditional seating. John2195, June 24, 2017 in Royal Caribbean International. However, a lot of people do uphold the dress code, so if you turn up in a t-shirt and shorts then you may look out of place. Since they are not . The flexible option allows you to select your own dining time and table companions on a daily basis. Contact Us Get support by Phone or Email 866-562-7625 Email Your Questions You may tip extra if you feel you have been "WOW'd". Im sorry you never received a tip in your years of "slogging your guts out." Perhaps as more and more cheapos remove their grats the cruise lines will finally just increase fares so everyone pays the same in tips. This website uses cookies in order to offer you the most relevant information. Be the first to rate this post. I suspect that the automatic tipping is a hidden charge for the customers who already paid to go on the cruise to subsidise the company's wage bill. Tipping on a cruise does not have to be complicated, but you need to understand the big picture to budget for your vacation appropriately. u"7QV-gL)qO^>#~r{e7|W(WFAX>B|zj&u{P$LEi7+?X!^ If you want to reserve it on-board then visit Guest Services. Guests who have signed up for My Time Dining will have their SeaPass card designated with the dining room and deck number. Also as others have stated, prepaid gratuities and MTD have nothing to do with each other anymore. Also (and I'm probably being the grammar police on this one) do you really mean "you HAVE to pay the gratuities up front at the time of booking" or do you mean they have to be added to your bill at time of booking? The best way to fully take advantage of the My Time Dining program is to make your reservations before you board the ship! 0000906128 00000 n but it's so much better to leave the automatic tips in place and just give extra cash to those you feel deserve it. You will be seated with whomever you arrive to the dining room with. You may request a certain waiter each night, and we will work to seat your party in his or her area depending on availability. trailer <]>> startxref 0 %%EOF 158 0 obj <>stream Can they join me in the My Time Dining Room. One thing Ive read over and over again from people who really like My Time Dining is that they dont have to worry so much about what time dinner is. 0000738858 00000 n Smart cruise advice, cruise deals, and breaking news. Some guests do not plan on eating in the Main Dining Room each day or would rather do so at the time of their choosing. Youll be told which restaurant to go to based on your choice. My Time Dining usually begins around 6:00pm and lasts until 9:30pm, giving you a wide range of times to choose from. I am looking at cancelling my gratuities when I get on board so I can pay these personally. If you want to change to My Time Dining, youll need to speak to Guest Services within the first two days of your cruise. My Family Time Dining is a dining option for families with children ages 3-11 years that aims to help kid's complete dinner within 45 minutes, freeing parents to enjoy coffee and . Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. The dining staff will do all possible to accommodate the request, based on availability. 0000005866 00000 n I don't mind tipping for good service. Learn the cruise secrets most people don't know and cruise like a boss. Follow along on this incredible voyage! Not every ship has it though, so you should check out their website to see if your ship will offer this service if you are interested. Upload or insert images from URL. Youll be asked to pre-pay your gratuities. The old way of MTD had forced you to prepay gratuities but that changed some time ago. Yes, if there is availability in the My Time Dining Room, we would be happy to accommodate the request. Note, however, that this means you may not be able to have as flexible of a dining experience as you might be hoping for, especially if prime reservations have been secured in advance by other guests. Best card for premium perks while traveling, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, Disney Cruise Lines Castaway Club loyalty program: Everything you need to know, 21 new Hyatt hotels where you can get 500 extra points per night, My first cruise to the Galapagos: The good, the bad and the absolutely adorable. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. If you are choosing My Time Dining because you are not a fan of either set dining times, you will need to ensure that you make nightly reservations as soon as possible via the Cruise Planner. CC Help Jenn Could you please tell me how I can improve it? That's because some cruise lines tack daily service fees onto passenger bills yet many travelers still hand out additional cash gratuities, either as a matter of course or for exemplary service. Automatic gratuity charge: None. Theyll be able to make recommendations based on what youve previously ordered and make sure your favourite drink is waiting for you, if you want them too. Some dont charge a service fee at all. When making a reservation you will be offered "My Time" or traditional dining times (i.e., 5:30 pm & 8:00 pm). 0000021713 00000 n 0000755470 00000 n If you pay them onboard, it will be charged automatically each day of the cruise. #4. Reservations are strongly recommended. Do you have Cruise Fever too? At least, thats how it is supposed to work. 0000014874 00000 n Personally, I wouldn't dream of NOT tipping people that are doing me a service. There have been both positive and negative reports on Royal Caribbeans My Time Dining. Getting to know the staff and allowing them to get to know you is also a fun part of cruising for some people and My Time Dining would severely limit activity. Seating can also be reserved while onboard. You can reserve My Time Dining when you first book your cruise, or by logging onto the Royal Caribbean website to amend your booking. 0000417807 00000 n Jon got hooked on cruising after his first cruise on his honeymoon, and today he is always looking for cruise deals and reading information about the cruise industry. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. If you have an issue with how the crew get paid don't withhold your tips since that will only penalize the crew. 0000911365 00000 n Quote tiny260 Members 2.4k LocationOklahoma Posted January 11, 2019 I think you probably have had you questions answered already but I wanted to show an example. It truly depends, though. 20102023Regal Sea Media LLC. Be sure to join my email list for my best cruise tips and handpicked deals each week. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Related: Use these credit cards to maximize your next cruise vacation. 0000022110 00000 n If you are unable to book show times in advance via the Cruise Planner when you are making your My Time Dining reservations, you may end up booking a dinner time that clashes with one of the shows. Many cruise lines will tack an automatic gratuity charge onto the bill for extra-fee drinks, restaurant meals and spa treatments. Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings, which requires a minimum two-night stay, through American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card. You can post now and register later. Start with these stories: The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. Your previous content has been restored. Answer (1 of 4): Fares purchased on the Australian website will always include pre-paid gratuities. The early seating is usually around 5:30pm, while the late seating is around 8:00pm. You can eat anytime between 6:00 pm and 9:30 pm. If you arrive as soon as the Main Dining Rooms open, you will be able to be seated shortly. 0000902188 00000 n 0000913572 00000 n They were accurate as of the publishing of this story. If your line raises the rate between the time you pay and the time you sail, you wont pay more. The standard gratuities of $13.50 per person per day for JS and below, and $16.50 per person per day for GS and better. Have you noticed over the years that daily grats have been increasing almost every year to make up for the non tippers. The rates listed are per person, per day. Two brothers started Cruise Fever in 2011 when they decided they couldn't stop cruising so they might as well write about it. When you log into the Cruise Planner, all you have to do is navigate to the "Dining" tab and scroll down until you see "My Time Dining.". Traditionally, dinner on a cruise ship has been served at two specific seating times. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. Get up to $300 back per calendar year on the Equinox+ digital fitness app, or eligible Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card. Understood, and many passengers also feel this way. Also, once you have been seated and your meal is being served, no other guests will be sat at your table. Breeze through security with CLEAR lanes available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your membership when you use your Card. The problem is, I cant see anywhere how to prepay the gratuities? Please view our advertising policy page for more information. Learn more. You will be able to see the exact times that My Time Dining is offered each evening once you book your cruise. I'm travelling with guests from another stateroom who selected Traditional Dining. 0000006358 00000 n Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Traditional dining guests may be seated with other parties to form a larger table, which can be fun if youre confident enough to make new friends. 0000424501 00000 n For guests that want to experience the Main Dining Room without the formality of having a set time, Royal Caribbean, Royal Caribbean offers its guests two choices for enjoying dinner in the main dining room: My Time Dining or. 0000022522 00000 n The Dining experience was Excellent as were the Waiting Staff, the only gripe, there had to be one, was the cost of the Wine. Cruise lines say they pass the money collected from service charges to the shipboard crew. With Traditional Dining, you will have the same reserved seating each night of your cruise, and there are two seatings to choose from: first (early) and second (late). The wait staff will have your table ready for you so can avoid a delay in seating. You may find that you are split up at different tables that are not located near each other. Automatic Gratuities were added to lessen the event of "skipping out" on tips and to make sure MTD waiters were tipped. Often, even if you do have a reservation you have to wait, but the time is much shorter since they are expecting you. I noticed the My Time doesn't offer reservations until 6:45. The traditional dining experience allows you the choice of either early or late seating times for each day of your cruise. 0000916095 00000 n In this line of thinking, lines with these charges are essentially breaking out a good chunk of onboard labor costs as a separate line item on your bill. My partner and I prefer a later dinner and have selected My Time dining however we'd still like to join them for dinner at least 1-2 nights. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions. I'm travelling with guests from another stateroom who selected Traditional Dining. If we paid the gratuities up front when onboard would we still have able to do MTD? Unsubscribe whenever you want. Some people assume that, because My Time Dining offers more flexible dining, it has a more flexible dress code. 0000423354 00000 n As soon as you place the deposit for your cruise, you will gain access to the Cruise Planner. Royal Caribbean. Royal Caribbean charges a gratuity of $16.00 per person, per day. What happens if I cancel the gratuities? Once you have decided on the perfect ship and itinerary, you are ready to move forward with the cruise booking process. E{3bEi_,FdTneL m!TlmJ=&esmh~rqbo)q9V'{7_LA74us i%@MZC1twwBjkC%{'BLTzP64Z{C@gC;qdF\u4:}NiIYmKzuu>k&dOWd1ydzW ]EhWJt*iLAcGMUyhvjw%m&_I;jxt' jg|zn~7_{ksiY15M HHnV6@,,TnMv9GU{$ If you are traveling with more than eight people, My Time Dining might become a hassle. If you cancel prepaid gratuities, you can visit Guest Services once you are onboard and request they discontinue automatic gratuties. Are you sure that isn't an Iglu Cruise rule? A list of those who do this is available to the staff. It is much simpler, and fairer, to leave them in place. Some guests choose to recognize particularly exceptional service with an additional cash gratuity on the last night of their cruise. You no longer have to prepay gratuities if you select My Time Dining. Unlike Traditional Dining, you will not be seated at the same table with the same wait staff if your choose My Time. On a cruise ship there are so many activities and fun shows, that it can be easy to lose tract of time, and not having to worry about being at diner at a specific time works for some people. Obviously through this conversation you can tell that you can pre-pay your gratuities our they will be added to your onboard account daily as you cruise. The wait. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. A list of those who do this is available to the staff. We want to do MTD, but Im asking will this stand without finding a way to prepay the gratuities beforehand (Id guessed it would have been in Cruise Planner but evidently not), The gratuities is distributed amongst the entire cruise staff including the dining staff. Clear editor. I will pay for fantastic service but can't stand getting it shoved in my face and HAVE TO pay gratuities. Finally, the evening shows are often scheduled around Traditional Dining times with early and late showings. The mandatory 20% gratuity comes out to nearly $22 per day. I will HAPPILY pay my gratuities, and feel that having them paid in advance is very convenient, andprobably saves me some money. Probably because it makes it less confusing than diving up the tips. Member Title: 100,000+ Club. What happens if I cancel the gratuities? If you want to walk in then you might have to wait for a suitable one to become available, while if youve booked it should be ready for you when you arrive. 0000419636 00000 n 0000902161 00000 n Automatic gratuity charge: $16 to $18.50 per . 0000911056 00000 n When you eat with someone different every night it can be hard to get past the introductions every night and really get to know someone. How much to tip extra on a cruise is entirely up to you because it is in no way required. 0000738152 00000 n Lines with such charges include both of the two giants of the cruise business, Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line, as well as Norwegian, MSC Cruises and Princess Cruises. Princess, for example, has added a Princess Plus plan as a booking option. But its definitely not for everyone. Here's how it works on Royal Caribbean: As of September 7 th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per . My Time Dining is the flexible dining option on Royal Caribbean cruises. After sneaking a peek at our dining table the 1st night out & seeing we were seated with 4 elderly women, we decided to consider switching to My Time. So if I cancel my gratuities what will be added to my account for my time dining. If you need to change or cancel a reservation for any reason, you will have to go into the specific order and cancel each reservation separately before you are able to rebook. I sailed on the explorer last year and the trick then was we could only cancel them on day 3 of the trip[obviously hopeing for a lot of forgetful customers] its a damn cheek that they are desperately trying to take this right for the customer to cancel ,,after all I never had gratuities for slogging my guts out in the kitchens and bakeries in my career and I don't suppose many ouy there do either. My Time Dining usually begins around 6:00pm and lasts until 9:30pm, giving you a wide range of times to choose from. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 20 cruises. 0000901714 00000 n Early dining is around 6 pm, while late dining is closer to 8:30 pm. Similarly, if youre on a higher-end ship that lists gratuities as being included in the fare, that means just what it says. You can choose a different time each day, so you can fit dinner around the rest of your onshore and onboard plans. Discover the culinary curiosities of Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine. If you dont like tipping in advance to your service, and you would rather leave generous tips individually, there is nothing stopping you from going the extra mile to tip your waiter or waitress each night you use the My Time Dining option. Breakfast in the Main Dining Room is first come, first serve, regardless on whether or not you selected My Time or Traditional Dining. 0000755747 00000 n My Time Dining is not available for breakfast, but you can still use it for both lunch and dinner. I take any thread older than a year (sometimes less) with a grain of salt. Im pretty sure were havent prepaid the gratuities, but our invoice from RCL does say that our dining is My Time Dining and the Cruise planner will let us make reservations. This card is also incredibly rewarding for travel purchases, helping you rack up a ton of Membership Rewards points for your next award trip. You can then book dinner in the Main Dining Room for any time you want, or just walk in without a reservation. 0000418920 00000 n All rights reserved. Legal Information | The old way of MTD had forced you to prepay gratuities but that changed some time ago. Can they join me in the My Time Dining Room? Gratuities haven't been going up "almost every year." 0000419103 00000 n KA^tQmy9*yE'6C'VBz@JKz+I_0U{:$asg* \ endstream endobj 157 0 obj <>/Size 28/Type/XRef>>stream That explains it and answers my question- youre right, it does still say it on parts of the website. And that's before you add in any additional tips you wish to give to your room service or favorite bartender or autogratuities tacked on to bar, restaurant and spa bills. Even if you only plan to eat in the Main Dining Room a couple of times during your cruise, it often makes sense to choose My Time Dining so that you can pick the time you want. 0000690334 00000 n Our new My Time Dining option allows you the flexibility to choose when you want to dine each evening, giving you the chance to enjoy your meals at your own pace. 0000907210 00000 n 0000005051 00000 n This can trick many cruisers into tipping twice. 0000916414 00000 n Passengers in mini-suites pay $17, while those in bigger suites pay $18. You can then book dinner in the Main Dining Room for any time you want, or just walk in without a reservation. That is really the biggest flaw with My Time Dining. Get Cruise Savvy with our FREE Newsletter! So by your definition no one should tip because others will make up the difference? Piano bar regulars know that a cash tip will increase the chances of the pianist choosing and performing your song request. 0000891999 00000 n A beginners guide to picking a cruise line, Use these credit cards to maximize your next cruise vacation, 9 times you do not need to tip on a cruise, The best cruise booking perks and which ones are actually free, pay $16 for what the line now calls a crew appreciation charge, The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship, The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship, A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines, 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly, 12 best cruises for people who never want to grow up, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information.
