royal caribbean my time dining gratuities
However, each ship does also offer specialty dining for an additional fee. Royal Caribbean does make it easy to enjoy flexible dining with My Time Dining, so just make sure you sign up to it if you want to decide when you eat each day. You can, of course, request a specific table and waiter, but they may not be able to honor this. You can even switch from My Time Dining to Traditional if you booked before understanding the differences, but you might end up with late dining depending on when you make the change, as early tends to book up quickly. At some lines, these charges run as high as $25 per day. How much to tip on a cruise is a question that trips up many first-timers. I'm travelling with guests from another stateroom who selected Traditional Dining. If you are purchasing a dining package or plan on eating dinner in one of the other complimentary venues, you may not find yourself putting too much thought into what dining style you'd prefer. Sunshine State. As soon as you place the deposit for your cruise, you will gain access to the Cruise Planner. What we experienced was that their program is NOT really "My time dining", it is RESERVATION time dining. You can choose a different time each day, so you can fit dinner around the rest of your onshore and onboard plans. This website uses cookies in order to offer you the most relevant information. My Time Dining Question : r/royalcaribbean - reddit.com If you want to use My Time Dining you must pay for tips in advance. 0000905280 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. Don't know why you want to do this (are you planning to carry cash every time you go to the WJ?) 0000911365 00000 n The problem is, I cant see anywhere how to prepay the gratuities? My Family Time dining is currently unavailable throughout our fleet. 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. Aside from formal nights, there is no enforced dress code except that bare feet and tank tops are not allowed in the Main Dining Room. 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. The flexibility of My Time Dining comes with responsibility. 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. Whats Included in a Royal Caribbean Cruise? Heres my confusion: I understand prepaid gratuities is required for My Time Dining. Jon lives in the foothills of North Carolina and wishes there were a cruise port that far inland. Enrollment required. The big advantage to paying cruise tips in advance is that you lock in the current rate. Have you noticed over the years that daily grats have been increasing almost every year to make up for the non tippers. Read on to learn all about cruise ship tipping culture and how much you'll need to tip on your next cruise, based on which cruise line you're sailing. Both Royal Caribbean and Carnival have slightly different daily gratuities. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. You can save even more $$$ by eating in the Lido on the last evening and avoiding your cabin steward that night also ? In exchange for the annual fee, you'll unlock access to the Amex Membership Rewards program that let you access airline and hotel transfer partners, along with new lifestyle and travel credits. If you are asking by prepaying gratuities in advance does that force you to do MTD, then the answer is no. Royal Caribbean | MY TIME DINING DAILY RESERVATIONS But even so, it's more likely to keep up with cost of living, not to make up for those who don't tip. HW[U5}@iy% $Q'i'xNg2f(-E2obIcUHQ?/yZ!X}qu`?x %PM-*9:^C^%4eKYT,wybq6hkG7w@N5r~ wj,_u';d'QLOC >g18&fa[2.K\TXHkAnA;C:j>, F nf9|t&ix2KXRlb@}dnMqe@Vc8pXN-:{d2{sPVuINq?1k0BaL ;>9tH4w%E3@NH"e&z j9VMF}|^~*h hXH9K They work very long hours all day long. We do not prepay gratuities because we always have OBC and they will be deducted from the OBC daily. The flexible option allows you to select your own dining time and table companions on a daily basis. Related: The best cruise booking perks and which ones are actually free. I noticed the My Time doesn't offer reservations until 6:45. If, for example, two people would like to eat earlier around 6:30pm, you would make them their own reservation. 0000421346 00000 n The rates listed are per person, per day. Kudos to NCL for no longer allowing grats to be removed onboard. 0000897170 00000 n This is an unfair statement. If you prefer to pay for tips once you're on board your cruise, youll generally find that the gratuities automatically appear on your bill. Royal Caribbean gratuities for children and infants My Time Dining is not available for breakfast, but you can still use it for both lunch and dinner. ;p, You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By 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. Once you have decided on the perfect ship and itinerary, you are ready to move forward with the cruise booking process. Instant Real Time Pricing American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. 0000844607 00000 n You also do not get to know the wait staff as well, since you may be seated in a different area every night. That said, some people do leave a little extra for crew members who go above and beyond. $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card. All sent to your inbox. Started August 27, 2021, By Gratuities haven't been going up "almost every year." Booking MTD on certain ships requires individual checkouts for each night while other ships you can make reservations for the whole cruise and check out once. My Time Dining is one of the options you'll get to choose from when you book your cruise. KA^tQmy9*yE'6C'VBz@JKz+I_0U{:$asg* \ endstream endobj 157 0 obj <>/Size 28/Type/XRef>>stream My Time Dining - Gratuities?? - Cruise Critic Community If you are adjusting a gratuity charge downward, expect to be asked about the reasons behind the adjustment. Or do they not notice those "add on" charges? 0000008654 00000 n The wait staff will have your table ready for you so can avoid a delay in seating. The only thing you should HAVE to pay at booking is the deposit. Never feel pressured to add an extra tip when you've already paid one. That is how it works for those employees who get paid with tips. 0000735845 00000 n ;) Can we opt out of those added on charges also?? Still reserve a table if you can otherwise, you might be waiting with a grumbling stomach until a table becomes free if you just walk in. Having to arrive early, though, defeats the purpose of being able to dine whenever you'd like. 0000422815 00000 n 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. Display as a link instead, 0000736746 00000 n Due to availability, however, you may not have as many times to choose from. Understood, and many passengers also feel this way. MY FAMILY TIME DINING MY TIME DINING DAILY RESERVATIONS Awards FOLLOW US JOIN CROWN & ANCHOR SOCIETY CALL US NOW +971 4 331 4299 Would we pay them on the first day onboard? You can disable the usage of cookies by changing the settings of your browser. 0000755470 00000 n The actual times, however, will vary by sailing. At many big lines, such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, its not uncommon for a family of four staying in a single cabin to see around $80 a day in service fees added to their bills. 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. The recommended dress code for the Main Dining Room for traditional dining or My Time Dining is smart casual. Youll be told which restaurant to go to based on your choice. 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. Brilliance of the Seas is operated by RCL (UK) Ltd., a subsidiary of Royal . 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. Flexible seating works very much like standard restaurant seating. 0000812508 00000 n Prior to checking out, you will have to make a decision on dining style. You will not be able to make your choice until the last step in the booking process; all passenger names will have to be entered first! 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. You dont really get to know the people you are eating with that well. trailer <]>> startxref 0 %%EOF 158 0 obj <>stream It's easy, convenient, and if you wish to recognize outstanding service you can always tip extra cash personally. You can wait to make your My Time Dining reservations until you board your cruise ship. I don't mind tipping for good service. On a Royal Caribbean cruise, you need to register for My Time Dining if you dont want a set dining time. 0000755747 00000 n Do I have to pre-reserve My Time Dining through Cruise Planner? 0000747552 00000 n Smart cruise advice, cruise deals, and breaking news. There is no need to remove the "pre=paid" or "included" tips. 0000916809 00000 n |, www.royalcaribbean.ae is part of Royal Caribbean Arabia owned by Safeen Tourism LLC the Sole Middle East Representative of Royal Caribbean International, 2023 All Rights Reserved | ROYAL CARIBBEAN ARABIA. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Related: Use these credit cards to maximize your next cruise vacation. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 20 cruises. 0000024527 00000 n 0000005911 00000 n 0000006450 00000 n There is a $9.75 gratuity per day that is required and this actually covers not only the wait staff but your room steward. 0000891423 00000 n A lot of cruisers were actually upset when they heard about My Time Dining and vowed to never sail with Royal Caribbean again if this was the only option. Guests may request a special table or waiter. 0000738152 00000 n xbbba`b``0 u B endstream endobj 29 0 obj <>/ViewerPreferences<>/Metadata 6 0 R/AcroForm 30 0 R/Pages 5 0 R/StructTreeRoot 8 0 R/Type/Catalog>> endobj 30 0 obj <>/Encoding<>>>>> endobj 31 0 obj <>/Shading<>/ColorSpace<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageC/ImageI]/Properties<>/MC1<<>>/MC2<<>>/MC3<<>>>>/ExtGState<>>>/Type/Page>> endobj 32 0 obj [/Indexed 47 0 R 162 85 0 R] endobj 33 0 obj [/Indexed 47 0 R 140 80 0 R] endobj 34 0 obj <> endobj 35 0 obj <> endobj 36 0 obj [/Indexed 47 0 R 147 75 0 R] endobj 37 0 obj [/Indexed 47 0 R 120 96 0 R] endobj 38 0 obj [/Indexed 47 0 R 210 122 0 R] endobj 39 0 obj [/Indexed 47 0 R 77 93 0 R] endobj 40 0 obj [/Separation/PANTONE#20281#20CV/DeviceCMYK<>] endobj 41 0 obj [/DeviceN[/Cyan/Magenta/Yellow]/DeviceCMYK 114 0 R 116 0 R] endobj 42 0 obj [/Indexed 47 0 R 128 101 0 R] endobj 43 0 obj [/Indexed 47 0 R 192 121 0 R] endobj 44 0 obj [/Indexed 47 0 R 128 110 0 R] endobj 45 0 obj [/Separation/PANTONE#202727#20C/DeviceCMYK<>] endobj 46 0 obj [/Indexed 47 0 R 3 66 0 R] endobj 47 0 obj [/ICCBased 65 0 R] endobj 48 0 obj <>stream If your line raises the rate between the time you pay and the time you sail, you wont pay more. Still need help? It can be awkward to eat with a complete stranger, and this dining option also makes it easier for folks who just want to enjoy their getaway at sea. The flexible option allows you to select your own dining time and table companions on a daily basis. It is much simpler, and fairer, to leave them in place. Can a family in one stateroom dine at different times with My Time Dining? 13 Biggest Mistakes Made by Carnival Cruise Passengers [Carnival Tips], Cruise Ship Room Service: Menus and Fees for Cruise Lines, Carnival Anytime Dining: Tips for Your Time Dining with Carnival, Carnival Bringing a Fourth Cruise Ship to Galveston, Texas, Carnival to Send Newly Upgraded Ship on 14-Day Transatlantic Cruise, Royal Caribbean Updates Perks in Loyalty Program. Discover the culinary curiosities of Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine. 0000916095 00000 n If you opt out of daily gratuities your account will not be charged for them. You'd likely pay it at final payment date. But I remember the days before MTD and Automatic Tips when, on the last night, TIP Night, people would eat at other venues and skip out on tipping the wait staff. Still need help? 0000910197 00000 n My Time Dining is the flexible dining option on Royal Caribbean cruises. 0000005096 00000 n The automatic service gratuity is $14.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Junior Suites and below, or $17.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Grand Suites and above, applied to each guest's SeaPass account on a daily basis. 0000916923 00000 n That is really the biggest flaw with My Time Dining. All of the gratuities are divided equally among the wait staff. . If you opt out of daily gratuities your account will not be charged for them. If you want to use My Time Dining you must pay for tips in advance. It also means you arent limited to eating at 5.30 pm or 8 pm you can choose any time between 6 pm and 9.30 pm for your table. 0000420293 00000 n The early seating is usually around 5:30pm, while the late seating is around 8:00pm. You can do this before the cruise, or during your voyage. My Time Dining is now a choice within the booking process. Get Cruise Savvy with our FREE Newsletter! It gives passengers prepaid gratuities, a single-device Wi-Fi plan and a basic beverage package for a single bundled price of $50 per person, per day. Automatic gratuity charge: None. A. 0000828884 00000 n It has its advantages, but for a lot of people, its too restrictive. The traditional dining experience allows you the choice of either early or late seating times for each day of your cruise. Unlike traditional dining where a dining time is assigned to you guests who opt for My Time Dining can eat in the Main Dining Room anytime they like during dinner hours, according to times availability. Many cruise lines will tack an automatic gratuity charge onto the bill for extra-fee drinks, restaurant meals and spa treatments. You do have to prepay your gratuities in order to sign up to My Time Dining. Since they are not . 0000005956 00000 n When planning your other evening activities, make sure that you allot yourself at least 75 minutes for your Main Dining Room experience. If you're wondering how much you should tip on the specific cruise line you're considering or have already looked, we've compiled that information here. That means, if you decide to visit the Main Dining Room on day 3 of your cruise, you wont be able to choose your time. Plus, your own feed of TPG content. The group we are going with have all chosen the early 5pm dinner reservation. You may tip extra if you feel you have been "WOW'd". Royal Caribbean "My Time Dining" Review - Direct Line Cruises Then, Norwegian Cruise Line decided to shake things up a bit with "freestyle dining", an innovation that allows guests to eat dinner anytime . Alternatively, you can have the charges added to your room bill on board. Their memory is incredible and they really do make you feel special. Royal Caribbean | MY TIME DINING DAILY RESERVATIONS Learn more. 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. 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. but it's so much better to leave the automatic tips in place and just give extra cash to those you feel deserve it. Thats the whole point of the service charge. The mandatory 20% gratuity comes out to nearly $22 per day. 0000419307 00000 n Reservations are strongly recommended. It is possible to snag dining times around 7:00pm every night, but this is a highly desirable dinner time. Royal Caribbean Gratuities: Everything You Need to Know In many cases, the service charges are adjustable. 0000841939 00000 n 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 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. You will be seated with whomever you arrive to the dining room with. All rights reserved. Can you opt out of gratuities on Royal Caribbean? - Quora Just head over to the Main Dining Room to speak with a head waiter, and they will assist you! 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? When you are reserving your cruise, you will be given the option to select "Traditional Dining" or "My Time Dining.". LauraS My Time Dining and tips - Royal Caribbean Blog For your convenience, prepaid gratuities are automatically added to your flexible option reservations. So by your definition no one should tip because others will make up the difference? My Time Dining Frequently Asked Questions | Royal Caribbean Cruises Daily service charges are not the only cruise tips you will pay on board. Since you stated that you have already paid you cruise in full I would not go back to your TA just to pay them, I would just pay them at the end of the cruise when you settle your account, there are 2 different rates, one for regular rooms which I believe is $14.50 per day, per person, what you see on my picture is for a suite which is $16.50 PD, PP. 0000913926 00000 n Passengers in mini-suites pay $17, while those in bigger suites pay $18. At most lines, you can pay your service charges in advance of sailing (at the same time you pay your cruise fare). 0000828394 00000 n A fun part of cruising can be meeting the same people for lunch or diner every day and discussing things about the ship or about the excursions they went on. You also will not be able to switch after the second day, so you'll want to visit Guest Services and/or the Main Dining Room when you embark-- Guests can only participate in one dining style per sailing. Legal Information | This dining option requires you to "pre pay" your gratuities. Youll be asked to pre-pay your gratuities. 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. 0000014304 00000 n There will be a My Time Dining check-in desk at the entrance to the dining room with wait staff to greet guests. Suggested read: 6 Things You MUST Know About Formal Night on a Royal Caribbean Cruise. The best way to fully take advantage of the My Time Dining program is to make your reservations before you board the ship! We have my time dining and according to the threads it looks like the gratuities are asked to be prepaid. During peak dinner times, you may have to wait as long as 45 minutes for a table. Unlike Traditional Dining, you will not be seated at the same table with the same wait staff if your choose My Time. Credit ranges are a variation of FICO Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application. Who knows? Guests who have signed up for My Time Dining will have their SeaPass card designated with the dining room and deck number. This allows you to decide when you want to eat, and who you want to sit with, instead of traditional dining where you have set times and sit with the same group each day. The extra cost of the automatic gratuity charges can be a shock to first-time cruisers. Contact Us Get support by Phone or Email 866-562-7625 Email Your Questions Locate a Travel Agent Our Best Royal Caribbean Cruise Tips And Tricks That explains it and answers my question- youre right, it does still say it on parts of the website. 0000907210 00000 n There are even more places your Platinum Card can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks. For more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPGs new cruise newsletter. I am looking at cancelling my gratuities when I get on board. Royal Caribbean charges a gratuity of $16.00 per person, per day. If you want to change to My Time Dining, youll need to speak to Guest Services within the first two days of your cruise. 0000026625 00000 n Our dining options have been reimagined to give you a culinary experience at sea as vast, varied and eye-opening as dining in the worlds most cosmopolitan cities. You can post now and register later. Online, you can only book My Time Dining for up to eight guests. Learn more. Seating can also be reserved while onboard. 0000906914 00000 n 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). January 11, 2019 in Royal Caribbean Discussion. If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. If you want to reserve it on-board then visit Guest Services. Traditional seating will mean that guests will keep the same wait staff and dining companions throughout the cruise. 0000891587 00000 n If not, you might be stuck eating even later than the second seating! But its definitely not for everyone. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Heres how I get the lowest price when I book a cruise. 0000417078 00000 n CC Help Jenn 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. Do you have to pay gratuities on Royal Caribbean Australia? 0000006236 00000 n But its not strict. And that they aren't simply following the outdated information still present on Royal's website as pointed out above? Reservations arestronglyrecommended in order to avoid a delay in seating (reservations will be taken once onboard, based on availability). That means two people sharing a room on a seven-night cruise would pay $308 in tips for an otherwise free drinks package on top of their daily service charge fees. If you continue to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. Every Royal Caribbean ship includes meals at many included restaurants, including the main dining room and the buffet. Privacy Policy | Your browser is outdated and does not support many of the modern features of this website, Please check your email and click the link to confirm, and you're all set! It is recommended that you book a table though. And, unlike the typical service fee or resort fee found at a land resort, they are not per room. For your convenience, prepaid gratuities are automatically added to your flexible option reservations. We were unaware of the automatic (recommended amount) tipping charge applied to our credit card when we switched to My Time on the 3rd day of our recent 8 day cruise. 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. 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. How to book My Time Dining on Royal Caribbean Also, once you have been seated and your meal is being served, no other guests will be sat at your table. 0000901714 00000 n 0000005866 00000 n If you pay them onboard, it will be charged automatically each day of the cruise. 0000901330 00000 n The traditional dining experience allows you the choice of either early or late seating times for each day of your cruise. Unlike Traditional Dining, My Time Dining is only marked as lasting for fifteen minutes. Please don't disrupt the system that works that was put in place that is fair to crew and guests . You will see the same helpful crew members waiting on you in the WJ as you did last night in the MDR. 0000418076 00000 n I will HAPPILY pay my gratuities, and feel that having them paid in advance is very convenient, andprobably saves me some money. Why is it combined? I understand that once upon a time prepaid gratuities were required for MTD. Also as others have stated, prepaid gratuities and MTD have nothing to do with each other anymore. I'm so sorry that this post wasn't useful for you! On a Royal Caribbean cruise, you need to register for My Time Dining if you don't want a set dining time. Someone else that pays more will take up the slack for you. 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. The guest relations staff will want to know if youve experienced particular service issues. Princess, for example, has added a Princess Plus plan as a booking option. Maximum of 10 guests per reservation. 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. Looking for the Best Cruise Deals?