0000005051 00000 n Have you noticed over the years that daily grats have been increasing almost every year to make up for the non tippers. Rather, you will be seated wherever there is availability. Just head over to the Main Dining Room to speak with a head waiter, and they will assist you! Jon lives in the foothills of North Carolina and wishes there were a cruise port that far inland. Can a family in one stateroom dine at different times with My Time Dining? Prior to checking out, you will have to make a decision on dining style. 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. Traditional dining is great for anyone who enjoys the classic cruise dinner experience, meeting new people and enjoying a dedicated waiter for the duration of your sailing. ( use to happen frequently). If you plan on spending most of your time in the buffet restaurant anyway, then you might not be concerned about the Main Dining Room and your dining times. If you have an issue with how the crew get paid don't withhold your tips since that will only penalize the crew. 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. 0000421346 00000 n This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. 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. Automatic gratuity charge: $16 to $18.50 per . 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. Unsubscribe whenever you want. 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. 0000026625 00000 n Enrollment required. 0000027181 00000 n Details: Gratuities are included in the fare. 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. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline. The folks who WERVE YOU are the ones who get your tips. If the gratuities are pre-paid, it should be part of the cruise booking. 0000014874 00000 n The only thing you should HAVE to pay at booking is the deposit. For lines that do have them, service and gratuity charges are touted as a convenient alternative to the practice of cash tipping on cruise ships something that once was common. please click here to update it. Every Royal Caribbean ship includes meals at many included restaurants, including the main dining room and the buffet. What is Royal Caribbean's service gratuities (tips) price and policy? 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. 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. 0000736952 00000 n How Does Royal Caribbeans My Time Dining Work? 0000735845 00000 n document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); | Still need help? The early seating is usually around 5:30pm, while the late seating is around 8:00pm. It's easy, convenient, and if you wish to recognize outstanding service you can always tip extra cash personally. You can be seated with the party you arrive with or be seated at your own table. No votes so far! I think the crew would let it be know if they were not receiving their share of the gratuities. Many smaller and higher-end cruise operators are folding tips and gratuities into their base fares. Hes sailed on more than 150 ships. ?xtp~?f~j)Br$7q,,"Sf%SXAii%1O=]rlsE"V3ueGWY^U?h2/?7>V1yP GoW}wA[5!>0yuoe To ensure quick seating, we encourage guests who have selected the Flexible option to place a reservation for each evening. Your automatic gratuities also cover your cabin steward and other behind the scenes personnel; not just dining room staff. 0000902188 00000 n This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Their memory is incredible and they really do make you feel special. 0000016969 00000 n Wondering if anyone can help out with this? And that they aren't simply following the outdated information still present on Royal's website as pointed out above? If a guest requests My Time dining, can wine be ordered through Royal Gifts to be delivered to the dining room? If youre already booked and have chosen the flexible option, you can easily pre-reserve specific days and times online. If we paid the gratuities up front when onboard would we still have able to do MTD? 0000897748 00000 n Its much better if youre someone who likes to play it by ear for dinner, based on how hungry you are. Automatic Gratuities were added to lessen the event of "skipping out" on tips and to make sure MTD waiters were tipped. You'd likely pay it at final payment date. The exact times, however, will vary according to your cruise itinerary. There will be a My Time Dining check-in desk at the entrance to the dining room with wait staff to greet guests. We do not prepay gratuities because we always have OBC and they will be deducted from the OBC daily. 0000422815 00000 n The group we are going with have all chosen the early 5pm dinner reservation. Im sorry you never received a tip in your years of "slogging your guts out." However, spaces may be limited so it may not be possible if you leave it too late. You will be seated with whomever you arrive to the dining room with. Two brothers started Cruise Fever in 2011 when they decided they couldn't stop cruising so they might as well write about it. xdOHTQ7Ho1bJ!IP"th+5ha0P"..\h! hQhE9; It is possible to snag dining times around 7:00pm every night, but this is a highly desirable dinner time. A world of culinary exploration awaits you onboard Royal Caribbean. This also applies to sailings departing from Australia and New Zealand. 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. 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. We strongly recommend reserving your dining times through Cruise Planner prior to your sailing as dining times may fill up. 0000005956 00000 n However, the suggested dress code remains the same. Ive worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and now my blog helps over a million people to plan their cruises each month. 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. Similarly, if youre on a higher-end ship that lists gratuities as being included in the fare, that means just what it says. View All Cruises 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. If you want to change to My Time Dining, youll need to speak to Guest Services within the first two days of your cruise. 0000024527 00000 n Automatic gratuity charge: None. Some people like to get to know their wait staff and sitting with other people at a table is not a problem, while others like to dine anytime they feel like it and prefer to eat with just their party. When booking a Royal Caribbean cruise, you have two options for dining: My Time Dining and Traditional Dining. For your convenience, prepaid gratuities are automatically added to your flexible option reservations. 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. Guests who have signed up for My Time Dining will have their SeaPass card designated with the dining room and deck number. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Dine as you want, when you want. 0000418111 00000 n So therefore it does not show on our invoice. Jon can be reached at. Privacy Policy | Hi! 0000891340 00000 n Started June 21, 2021, By At least, thats how it is supposed to work. 0000737875 00000 n We hate spam as much as lounge chair hogs. You dont have to do anything. 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. This card comes with a long list of benefits, including access to Centurion Lounges, complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott, at least $500 in assorted annual statement credits and so much more. You can be seated with the party you arrive with or be seated at your own table. 0000819210 00000 n 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. Traditionally, dinner on a cruise ship has been served at two specific seating times. If you would like a specific waiter or table, they are more likely to be able to accommodate your request with advance reservations (however, please note this is based on availability). 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. Click the button above to compare the prices of cruises from all travel agents. The lines that offer these deals say theyll pay a normal gratuity to the crew on your behalf. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu. My Time Dining is now a choice within the booking process. The menu for My Time Dining is still the same, so you will get the same quality meals. 0000901330 00000 n I take any thread older than a year (sometimes less) with a grain of salt. 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. 0000017159 00000 n Be the first to rate this post. Passengers in mini-suites pay $17, while those in bigger suites pay $18. Pardon? 0000909755 00000 n Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. If you want, you can even try to switch onboard. You will be able to see the exact times that My Time Dining is offered each evening once you book your cruise. No, no, no, no, no. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Another method is to just simply show up at the Main Dining Room each night when you are ready to eat. You can post now and register later. 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.". 0000738152 00000 n If you cancel prepaid gratuities, you can visit Guest Services once you are onboard and request they discontinue automatic gratuties. The longer you wait to arrive, however, the longer you will have to wait for an available table. Princess, for example, has added a Princess Plus plan as a booking option. As soon as you place the deposit for your cruise, you will gain access to the Cruise Planner. (Enrollment required for select benefits.). Contact Us Get support by Phone or Email 866-562-7625 Email Your Questions Legal Information | 0000005676 00000 n The current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. Fortunately, Royal Caribbean still offers both traditional and My Time Dining options. Discover the culinary curiosities of Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine. 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. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? 0000750166 00000 n Finally, the evening shows are often scheduled around Traditional Dining times with early and late showings. 0000422496 00000 n Display as a link instead, There are even more places your Platinum Card can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks. This website uses cookies in order to offer you the most relevant information. I am not trying to get out of tipping, I would like to be convinced that the automatic charge actually gets passed on to the crew?? In that sense, the current system is more equitable than the old system of cash tipping, which favored certain workers, lines say. Clear editor. Upon checkout, you will be charged $0.00, unless you are also purchasing other add-ons. If you are asking by prepaying gratuities in advance does that force you to do MTD, then the answer is no. Do you plan on dining anywhere except the dining room? Reservations arestronglyrecommended in order to avoid a delay in seating (reservations will be taken once onboard, based on availability). It's also not possible to update every forum discussion when information changes so it can be confusing to read conflicting threads. 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. This may not seem like a big deal if youre new to cruising, but cruise ship waiters are exceptional at their job and they are very good at learning all about you. If you tip personally in cash, those people must turn it in or face dismissal. The cost of that package is typically $109 per person, per day. You can then book dinner in the Main Dining Room for any time you want, or just walk in without a reservation. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. The best way to fully take advantage of the My Time Dining program is to make your reservations before you board the ship! Please note, you can only choose one dining style per sailing so once they join you they must use My Time Dining for the rest of the cruise. 0000828394 00000 n You can disable the usage of cookies by changing the settings of your browser. Smart cruise advice, cruise deals, and breaking news. 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. The agent asked us which dining option wed like and we chose my time. 0000420293 00000 n 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. 0000897170 00000 n Your link has been automatically embedded. Brilliance of the Seas is operated by RCL (UK) Ltd., a subsidiary of Royal . 0000910197 00000 n All sent to your inbox. You can reserve My Time Dining when you first book your cruise, or by logging onto the Royal Caribbean website to amend your booking. 0000738858 00000 n 0000896807 00000 n 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. Could you please tell me how I can improve it? 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. It is recommended that you book a table though. To this day it still references dynamic dining in the cruise planner even though that is long gone. Alternatively, you can have the charges added to your room bill on board. 0000704363 00000 n 0000906618 00000 n 0000417308 00000 n For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit. That is not the case anymore but Royal is not great about updating their website information. That said, some people do leave a little extra for crew members who go above and beyond. My Time Dining is therefore available to anyone who wants to mix things up. 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. You can eat anytime between 6:00 pm and 9:30 pm. The only real downside beyond having to pay your gratuities in advance is that you arent guaranteed the same waiter every night. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. We always choose My Time dinning. This can trick many cruisers into tipping twice. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays. 0000008654 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. So if I cancel my gratuities what will be added to my account for my time dining. Theres also a dining hotline you can call from the phone in your stateroom to make changes to your reservations. Love Cruise Fever?Sign Up to Our FREE Newsletter! In many cases, the service charges are adjustable. At most lines, you can pay your service charges in advance of sailing (at the same time you pay your cruise fare). 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. You don't have to tip on these cruises because the line is already paying gratuities to the staff on your behalf. At the same time, you will be able to add prepaid gratuities and vacation protection, if you choose to do so. When you are reserving your cruise, you will be given the option to select "Traditional Dining" or "My Time Dining.". 0000916095 00000 n 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. 0000423354 00000 n Related: A beginners guide to picking a cruise line. Do I have to pre-reserve My Time Dining through Cruise Planner? The actual times, however, will vary by sailing. 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. You can then book dinner in the Main Dining Room for any time you want, or just walk in without a reservation. Having to arrive early, though, defeats the purpose of being able to dine whenever you'd like. You can choose a different time each day, so you can fit dinner around the rest of your onshore and onboard plans. Are you sure that isn't an Iglu Cruise rule? That is really the biggest flaw with My Time Dining. 0000006312 00000 n 0000003714 00000 n If you want to reserve it on-board then visit Guest Services. 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. The annual airline fee statement credit can be complicated to take advantage of compared to the broader travel credits offered by competing premium cards. Some people assume that, because My Time Dining offers more flexible dining, it has a more flexible dress code. We do not prepay gratuities because we always have OBC and they will be deducted from the OBC daily. That's exactly the case with the Amex Platinum card. Enrollment required. but only parties of 20 or less can be seated at one time. 0000906128 00000 n My confusion is to do with the My Time Dining - If gratuities havent been prepaid, do we still have the My Time Dining thats on the invoice?! 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. Have you noticed over the years that daily grats have been increasing almost every year to make up for the non tippers. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. ;) Can we opt out of those added on charges also?? These 9 Drinks Are Free on Royal Caribbean Cruises. On a typical seven-night cruise, thats nearly $600 in fees. 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. 0000812508 00000 n 0000909381 00000 n Plus, your own feed of TPG content. A list of those who do this is available to the staff. This card is also incredibly rewarding for travel purchases, helping you rack up a ton of Membership Rewards points for your next award trip. It has its advantages, but for a lot of people, its too restrictive. 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. 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. Member Title: 100,000+ Club. By his definition the answer is yes. April 7, 2008. Sometimes it's worth a large investment to reap the benefits of a great credit card. 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. 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. Even if I opt out of automatic gratuities? Royal Caribbean "My Time Dining" Review. But to the OP's question, we have MTD on Mariner next month and have not prepaid our gratuities. 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. Those grats are also handed out to WJ staff, cafe staff, etc. Seating can also be reserved while onboard. They work very long hours all day long. Flexible seating works very much like standard restaurant seating. 0000916923 00000 n You can change your dining time on your Royal Caribbean cruise using the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbeans website. Seating can also be reserved while onboard. 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{$ You may request a certain waiter each night, and we will work to seat your party in his or her area depending on availability. 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. 0000722800 00000 n 6 Things You MUST Know About Formal Night on a Royal Caribbean Cruise. 0000022522 00000 n 28 0 obj <> endobj xref 28 131 0000000016 00000 n Posted June 24, 2017. 0000005866 00000 n Be sure to join my email list for my best cruise tips and handpicked deals each week. 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. 0000014730 00000 n 0000006236 00000 n 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. If, for example, two people would like to eat earlier around 6:30pm, you would make them their own reservation. CC Help Jenn 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. But whether My Time Dining works for you or not really depends on what your preferences are. Your browser is outdated and does not support many of the modern features of this website, Additional cash gifts are not expected. 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. We always choose My Time dinning. We have my time dining and according to the threads it looks like the gratuities are asked to be prepaid. Looking for the Best Cruise Deals? My Time Dining is now a choice within the booking process. Heres my confusion: I understand prepaid gratuities is required for My Time Dining. M&-]f_Le}BXJ.D7CCx. 0000896900 00000 n When planning your other evening activities, make sure that you allot yourself at least 75 minutes for your Main Dining Room experience. I understand that once upon a time prepaid gratuities were required for MTD. It's kind of a runaround to personally get to everyone who is included (my opinion). 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 Royal Caribbeans award winning dining program, My Time Dining, offers flexible and traditional options. Check out Intelligent Cruiser here for a better cruise vacation. 0000913572 00000 n 0000914358 00000 n If you get one of these packages for free as a booking perk, as with the aforementioned Norwegian Cruise Line promotion, you may still be required to pay the gratuities on the free perk. 0000417581 00000 n What happens if I cancel the gratuities? And, unlike the typical service fee or resort fee found at a land resort, they are not per room. 0000736746 00000 n 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. 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. The actual times, however, will vary by sailing. $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. 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. 0000747552 00000 n Whats Included in a Royal Caribbean Cruise? If you feel anyone has been particularly helpful you can always tip them extra in cash. Plus Ups are excluded. In addition to this, an 18% gratuity is automatically added to all drinks, spa and salon services. The closer you get to your cruise vacation, the fewer reservations you may find. By Upload or insert images from URL. I'm travelling with guests from another stateroom who selected Traditional Dining. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. They were accurate as of the publishing of this story. #4. Piano bar regulars know that a cash tip will increase the chances of the pianist choosing and performing your song request. From there, you can go ahead and make a reservation for each night of your cruise. Yes. 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. 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! Reservations arestronglyrecommended in order to avoid a delay in seating. 0000844607 00000 n The flexible option allows you to select your own dining time and table companions on a daily basis. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. As I mentioned, most of the time you will be eating with just your party, but if you prefer to eat with others you can still request it. Tipping on a cruise does not have to be complicated, but you need to understand the big picture to budget for your vacation appropriately. Unlike Traditional Dining, My Time Dining is only marked as lasting for fifteen minutes. u"7QV-gL)qO^>#~r{e7|W(WFAX>B|zj&u{P$LEi7+?X!^
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