royal caribbean my time dining gratuities

Planning a cruise? The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Royal Caribbean Blog. 0000006236 00000 n 0000897721 00000 n 0000901423 00000 n You can choose a different time each day, so you can fit dinner around the rest of your onshore and onboard plans. has written about cruising for more than 25 years and for many years oversaw USA Todays award-winning cruise site. You may find that you are split up at different tables that are not located near each other. Depending on the choice of the guests on board, there may be designated restaurants for those on a traditional dining plan and those on a My Time Dining plan. 0000906128 00000 n Ships registered in the Bahamas. #4. If youre late then your table may be given away, and youll have to wait for another one. 0000690334 00000 n The big advantage to paying cruise tips in advance is that you lock in the current rate. If you pay them onboard, it will be charged automatically each day of the cruise. At least, thats how it is supposed to work. 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! The lines that offer these deals say theyll pay a normal gratuity to the crew on your behalf. 0000011539 00000 n My Time Dining - Gratuities?? - Cruise Critic Community Automatic Gratuities were added to lessen the event of "skipping out" on tips and to make sure MTD waiters were tipped. 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. 0000417078 00000 n 0000027181 00000 n 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 whenever they like during dining hours, according to availability. The recommended dress code for the Main Dining Room for traditional dining or My Time Dining is smart casual. please click here to update it. My time dining and gratuities - Royal Caribbean International - Cruise Be the first to rate this post. You can post now and register later. Royal Caribbean "My Time Dining" Review. By If not, just leave blank, How to book My Time Dining on Royal Caribbean, What you need to know about Royal Caribbean's My Time Dining, Royal Caribbean My Time Dining versus Traditional Dining. 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. What we experienced was that their program is NOT really "My time dining", it is RESERVATION time dining. 0000419636 00000 n The group we are going with have all chosen the early 5pm dinner reservation. So if I cancel my gratuities what will be added to my account for my time dining. but only parties of 20 or less can be seated at one time. Speciality restaurants require reservations but they dont have traditional dining times. A. Brilliance of the Seas is operated by RCL (UK) Ltd., a subsidiary of Royal . A list of those who do this is available to the staff. My Time Dining usually begins around 6:00pm and lasts until 9:30pm, giving you a wide range of times to choose from. Have you noticed over the years that daily grats have been increasing almost every year to make up for the non tippers. 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. 0000419103 00000 n Search Now document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Dine as you want, when you want. ;) Can we opt out of those added on charges also?? 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. Its much better if youre someone who likes to play it by ear for dinner, based on how hungry you are. I am looking at cancelling my gratuities when I get on board. 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. 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. 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. 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. 0000006312 00000 n You can disable the usage of cookies by changing the settings of your browser. If you feel anyone has been particularly helpful you can always tip them extra in cash. 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. If you keep things as they are, everyone who is supposed to be tipped, WILL be tipped. You can save even more $$$ by eating in the Lido on the last evening and avoiding your cabin steward that night also ? Just make sure to turn up at the reserved time. 0000417807 00000 n 0000905656 00000 n 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{$ 0000916809 00000 n All rights reserved. If not, you might be stuck eating even later than the second seating! 0000891423 00000 n If you are asking by prepaying gratuities in advance does that force you to do MTD, then the answer is no. This is an unfair statement. I'm travelling with guests from another stateroom who selected Traditional Dining. What is Royal Caribbean's gratuity price and policy? - Cruises Welcome aboard! 0000891812 00000 n 0000897240 00000 n If a guest requests My Time dining, can wine be ordered through Royal Gifts to be delivered to the dining room? ;p, You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By My Time Dining is great for guests who wish to experience a flexible dining schedule onboard their cruise. 0000026625 00000 n Additionally, an 18% gratuity is added to bar bills, dining room wine purchases and Lotus Spa services. Whats Included in a Royal Caribbean Cruise? 6 Things You MUST Know About Formal Night on a Royal Caribbean Cruise. To ensure quick seating, we encourage guests who have selected the Flexible option to place a reservation for each evening. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. It's also not possible to update every forum discussion when information changes so it can be confusing to read conflicting threads. 156.1k. The only real downside beyond having to pay your gratuities in advance is that you arent guaranteed the same waiter every night. Cruise lines say they pass the money collected from service charges to the shipboard crew. They are per person. Royal Caribbean and their "My time dining". - Ask a Cruise Question Also if staff are chastised for receiving cash, why do all the posts advocate tipping over and above the automatic gratuities for good service? If you leave the service charge on your room bill, you are not expected to leave additional cruise tips for your room attendant or waiters. Display as a link instead, 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. 0000736952 00000 n Pasted as rich text. It is possible to snag dining times around 7:00pm every night, but this is a highly desirable dinner time. April 7, 2008. My Time Dining is therefore available to anyone who wants to mix things up. If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. Reservations arestronglyrecommended in order to avoid a delay in seating (reservations will be taken once onboard, based on availability). Additional cash gifts are not expected. KA^tQmy9*yE'6C'VBz@JKz+I_0U{:$asg* \ endstream endobj 157 0 obj <>/Size 28/Type/XRef>>stream If you continue to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies. How to book My Time Dining on Royal Caribbean 0000911056 00000 n However, as mentioned, it is usually just easier and more convenient to leave the auto-gratuity/service charge/hotel charge (it is called different things on different cruise lines) in place. I did find My Time Dining rather a contradiction as theoretically you could dine anytime between the hours of 6.30 9.30, but, its best to make a reservation, as it turned out the waiting time was approximately the same for both cases. 0000902161 00000 n We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. Powered by Cruiseline.com, spoke with royal Carib rep today who said prepaid grats are now out if you are using My Time Dining. It truly depends, though. If you want to change to My Time Dining, youll need to speak to Guest Services within the first two days of your cruise. What happens if I cancel the gratuities? %PDF-1.4 % They will be seated in one of the main dining rooms. This can trick many cruisers into tipping twice. What happens if I cancel the gratuities? Fortunately, Royal Caribbean still offers both traditional and My Time Dining options. The traditional dining experience allows you the choice of either early or late seating times for each day of your cruise. 0000003836 00000 n 0000022110 00000 n Just head over to the Main Dining Room to speak with a head waiter, and they will assist you! Why is it combined? If youre not someone who has cruised before, you might not be aware of traditional dining times on cruise ships. Love Cruise Fever?Sign Up to Our FREE Newsletter! 0000755747 00000 n This is why we recommend making reservations for My Time Dining, whether that be in advance via the Cruise Planner or onboard by speaking with a head waiter. | Their website explains it as such: "By selecting My Time Dini. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. 0000419307 00000 n 0000426585 00000 n 0000417581 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. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Your previous content has been restored. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. You definitely won't go hungry during your sailing, even if you don't purchase any dining extras. Royal Caribbean | MY TIME DINING DAILY RESERVATIONS Dont worry: When lines offer such deals, it doesnt mean the crew will receive fewer tips the week you cruise. If you arrive as soon as the Main Dining Rooms open, you will be able to be seated shortly. Early dining is around 6 pm, while late dining is closer to 8:30 pm. The others could make a separate My Time Dining reservation for 8:15pm. 0000891340 00000 n You can be seated with the party you arrive with or be seated at your own table. 0000422815 00000 n 0000841664 00000 n Related: A beginners guide to picking a cruise line. I take any thread older than a year (sometimes less) with a grain of salt. There will be a My Time Dining check-in desk at the entrance to the dining room with wait staff to greet guests. Traditional seating will mean that guests will keep the same wait staff and dining companions throughout the cruise. That is really the biggest flaw with My Time Dining. 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. Started in 2010, Royal Caribbean Blog offers daily coverage of news and information related to the Royal Caribbean cruise line along with other relevant topics of cruising, such as entertainment, news, photo updates and more. If you opt out of daily gratuities your account will not be charged for them. It has its advantages, but for a lot of people, its too restrictive. This is where you'll not only be able to make your My Time Dining reservations, but also where you can reserve shore excursions, drink packages, and more. Then, contact one with a best-price guarantee and have them beat it! My Time Dining Frequently Asked Questions | Royal Caribbean Cruises That is not the case anymore but Royal is not great about updating their website information (I've heard they still talk about Dynamic Dining on Quantum class ships which only lasted one year). 0000828394 00000 n Once they go to the My Time Dining desk to be seated for dinner, the waiter will look up the guests stateroom and pull any special dietary needs or amenities purchased for them. Lines that now cover gratuities in their fares include Azamara, Ponant, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, Seabourn, SeaDream Yacht Club, Silversea Cruises and Virgin Voyages. 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. Flexible seating works very much like standard restaurant seating. There is a $9.75 gratuity per day that is required and this actually covers not only the wait staff but your room steward as well. 0000909381 00000 n A world of culinary exploration awaits you onboard Royal Caribbean. Should they have been paid at the time of booking? 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. The dining staff will do all possible to accommodate the request, based on availability. 0000916095 00000 n Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. You may request a certain waiter each night, and we will work to seat your party in his or her area depending on availability. (Sponsored). Royal Caribbean charges a gratuity of $16.00 per person, per day. Can they join me in the My Time Dining Room. I have just booked the allure this afternoon and was told by the iglu cruiserep that if I wanted my time dining then I would HAVE to pay the gratuities up front at the time of booking,but if I had first or second sitting then I didn't need to pay I was imformed that royal had made this part of their booking conditions 2 months ago. 0000006404 00000 n 0000005676 00000 n So by your definition no one should tip because others will make up the difference? *Please see all applicable Terms & Conditions for Promotions. 0000828884 00000 n 0000417013 00000 n Kudos to NCL for no longer allowing grats to be removed onboard. But even so, it's more likely to keep up with cost of living, not to make up for those who don't tip. "=0 2BNX/edbi-:w)ddA(BTec;B&r9mE(!Rp#nZbCE2$*,U3Qg+sm{_`S.c xj"PxglZ%Ter_&8W}.l|2cs='g}:f kyMFNG7xFdI"^Jd\O&+W\^:_6 XEljBWm6jk2Tn)a0jGG\E My Time Dining is not available for breakfast, but you can still use it for both lunch and dinner. Thanks Matt- We paid for the cruise at the time of booking. Contact Us Get support by Phone or Email 866-562-7625 Email Your Questions What is My Time Dining? | Royal Caribbean Cruises The flexibility of My Time Dining comes with responsibility. Understood, and many passengers also feel this way. If you cancel prepaid gratuities, you can visit Guest Services once you are onboard and request they discontinue automatic gratuties. Royal Caribbean Gratuities: Everything You Need to Know If you opt out of daily gratuities your account will not be charged for them. Or do they not notice those "add on" charges? However, if you dont sign up for My Time Dining within the first two days of your cruise, then youre stuck with traditional dining times. MY FAMILY TIME DINING MY TIME DINING DAILY RESERVATIONS Awards FOLLOW US JOIN CROWN & ANCHOR SOCIETY CALL US NOW +971 4 331 4299 Start with these stories: The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. Search Multiple Sites at Once 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. During peak dinner times, you may have to wait as long as 45 minutes for a table. 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. 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. If you want to reserve it on-board then visit Guest Services. Be warned that the receipt often includes a line for an additional gratuity, even when one is automatically added. Both Royal Caribbean and Carnival have slightly different daily gratuities. Any amount is fine and will be appreciated by the hard-working crew. Yes, if there is availability in the My Time Dining Room, we would be happy to accommodate the request. Main Dining Room on Allure of the Seas They say the money is shared not just with front of house crew, such as room attendants and waitstaff, but also with behind-the-scenes workers. 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. The high annual fee is only worth it if youre taking full advantage of the cards benefits. This card is also incredibly rewarding for travel purchases, helping you rack up a ton of Membership Rewards points for your next award trip. Piano bar regulars know that a cash tip will increase the chances of the pianist choosing and performing your song request. Discover the culinary curiosities of Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine. Your link has been automatically embedded. If you are traveling with more than eight people, My Time Dining might become a hassle. Guests may request a special table or waiter. You can then book dinner in the Main Dining Room for any time you want, or just walk in without a reservation. At some lines, these charges run as high as $25 per day. Started August 27, 2021, By Sunshine State. You do have to prepay your gratuities in order to sign up to My Time Dining. If you continue to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies. No votes so far! One additional reason that you might pre-pay in the future is that Royal can change these rates at anytime, if you have them pre-paid, you are locked in to that rate. The only thing you should HAVE to pay at booking is the deposit. 28 0 obj <> endobj xref 28 131 0000000016 00000 n You can choose a different time each day, so you can fit dinner around the rest of your onshore and onboard plans. 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. You may tip extra if you feel you have been "WOW'd". 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. All of the gratuities are divided equally among the wait staff. ( use to happen frequently). What is Royal Caribbean's service gratuities (tips) price and policy? If youre already booked and have chosen the flexible option, you can easily pre-reserve specific days and times online. 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. Smart cruise advice, cruise deals, and breaking news. 0000901330 00000 n That said, some people do leave a little extra for crew members who go above and beyond. That said, if you want to, you can often adjust the charges (either up or down) while youre on board by visiting the guest relations desk. 0000420293 00000 n 0000916923 00000 n Additionally, if you are traveling with a large party, you might find Traditional Dining to be easier. TPG values it at $1,600. Australians typically do not tip because the minimum wage in Australia is $20.33 AUD/hr ($14.56 USD/hr). My Time Dining is now a choice within the booking process. The extra cost of the automatic gratuity charges can be a shock to first-time cruisers. 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. On a typical seven-night cruise, thats nearly $600 in fees. We do not prepay gratuities because we always have OBC and they will be deducted from the OBC daily. Often, even if you do have a reservation you have to wait, but the time is much shorter since they are expecting you. Privacy Policy | Some guests choose to recognize particularly exceptional service with an additional cash gratuity on the last night of their cruise. Can you opt out of gratuities on Royal Caribbean? - Quora Breakfast in the Main Dining Room is first come, first serve, regardless on whether or not you selected My Time or Traditional Dining. Can they join me in the My Time Dining Room? Posted June 24, 2017. Tipping on a cruise ship: Everything you need to know With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! Even if I opt out of automatic gratuities? 0000005866 00000 n 0000015069 00000 n That explains it and answers my question- youre right, it does still say it on parts of the website. Tipping on a cruise does not have to be complicated, but you need to understand the big picture to budget for your vacation appropriately. 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. 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. 0000898322 00000 n Yes. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Pardon? Jon lives in the foothills of North Carolina and wishes there were a cruise port that far inland. A world of culinary exploration awaits you onboard Royal Caribbean. Whether you cruise multiple times per year or you're new to cruising, the goal of Royal Caribbean Blog is for it to bea useful resource for keeping up to date with what's new and exciting with Royal Caribbean. 0000418111 00000 n I always prepay my gratuities and do traditional dining. Two brothers started Cruise Fever in 2011 when they decided they couldn't stop cruising so they might as well write about it. 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. 0000021713 00000 n CC Help Jenn 0000006714 00000 n You cannot paste images directly. If, for instance, you plan on staying late in port one day but still wish to eat in the Main Dining Room, you could make a reservation for later in the evening, rather than miss out on the experience because you have early dining. Guests who have signed up for My Time Dining will have their SeaPass card designated with the dining room and deck number. 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. 2010 Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. 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. 0000913926 00000 n If youre already booked and have chosen the flexible option, you can easily pre-reserve specific days and times online. Answer (1 of 4): Fares purchased on the Australian website will always include pre-paid gratuities. 0000841939 00000 n January 11, 2019 in Royal Caribbean Discussion. The annual airline fee statement credit can be complicated to take advantage of compared to the broader travel credits offered by competing premium cards. The benefits of My Time Dining are that you decide who you eat with, and when. In that sense, the current system is more equitable than the old system of cash tipping, which favored certain workers, lines say. You also do not get to know the wait staff as well, since you may be seated in a different area every night. You dont really get to know the people you are eating with that well. 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. This website uses cookies in order to offer you the most relevant information. Cheap people have been around for years. 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. It is usually at the very bottom below the dining packages, specialty restaurants, and other exclusive dining experiences. Royal Caribbeans award winning dining program, My Time Dining, offers flexible and traditional options. M&-]f_Le}BXJ.D7CCx. Some dont charge a service fee at all. On a Royal Caribbean cruise, you need to register for My Time Dining if you don't want a set dining time. 0000910197 00000 n Yes, if there is availability in the My Time Dining Room, we would be happy to accommodate the request. My Time Dining is the flexible dining option on Royal Caribbean cruises. You can, of course, request a specific table and waiter, but they may not be able to honor this. LauraS Read more: Whats Included in a Royal Caribbean Cruise? gratuities amongst the other My Time Dining waiters; feel free to reward your waiter with an extra tip for providing excellent service .