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?? You can disable the usage of cookies by changing the settings of your browser. In many cases, the service charges are adjustable. My Time Dining is one of the options you'll get to choose from when you book your cruise. You can, of course, request a specific table and waiter, but they may not be able to honor this. 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. Learn more. 0000901330 00000 n
Weve booked a cruise through an agent. Yes, if there is availability in the My Time Dining Room, we would be happy to accommodate the request. Thats the whole point of the service charge. The actual times, however, will vary by sailing. The closer you get to your cruise vacation, the fewer reservations you may find. 0000003555 00000 n
Australians typically do not tip because the minimum wage in Australia is $20.33 AUD/hr ($14.56 USD/hr). 0000011539 00000 n
Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. My Time Dining is now a choice within the booking process. All rights reserved. Well, this is NOT the only option and you can still choose to eat in the traditional manner. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. 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. Often, even if you do have a reservation you have to wait, but the time is much shorter since they are expecting you. If youre late then your table may be given away, and youll have to wait for another one. 0000425403 00000 n
Please check your email and click the link to confirm, and you're all set! The traditional dining experience allows you the choice of either early or late seating times for each day of your cruise. You post the same made up garbage in every thread. The benefits of My Time Dining are that you decide who you eat with, and when. The lines that offer these deals say theyll pay a normal gratuity to the crew on your behalf. 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. Still need help? Note that if you purchase a dining or beverage package, the cruise line will charge you gratuities based on a percentage of the package price. 0000755470 00000 n
Looking for the Best Cruise Deals? 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. 0000424501 00000 n
2011-2023, Cruise Fever . Hi, I'm Jenni. 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. Similarly, if youre on a higher-end ship that lists gratuities as being included in the fare, that means just what it says. 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. They work very long hours all day long. Speciality restaurants require reservations but they dont have traditional dining times. 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. 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. We do not prepay gratuities because we always have OBC and they will be deducted from the OBC daily. 0000841939 00000 n
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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. Seldom travelers may not get enough value to warrant the cost. Display as a link instead, Learn the cruise secrets most people don't know and cruise like a boss. 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. Also as others have stated, prepaid gratuities and MTD have nothing to do with each other anymore. Pasted as rich text. M&-]f_Le}BXJ.D7CCx. As soon as you place the deposit for your cruise, you will gain access to the Cruise Planner. Guests who have signed up for My Time Dining will have their SeaPass card designated with the dining room and deck number. 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. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. 0000418076 00000 n
Can a family in one stateroom dine at different times with My Time Dining? 0000735845 00000 n
Jon can be reached at. If you want to change to My Time Dining, youll need to speak to Guest Services within the first two days of your cruise. 6 Things You MUST Know About Formal Night on a Royal Caribbean Cruise. Royal Caribbean gratuities for children and infants 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. 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. To this day it still references dynamic dining in the cruise planner even though that is long gone. The Amex Platinum comes with access to a premium concierge service that can help you with everything from booking hard-to-get reservations to finding destination guides to help you plan out your next getaway. It isn't a hidden charge, since we all know about the charge and of course it subsidizes the wage 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. Some people assume that, because My Time Dining offers more flexible dining, it has a more flexible dress code. Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. *Please see all applicable Terms & Conditions for Promotions. I think you probably have had you questions answered already but I wanted to show an example. My Time Dining is now a choice within the booking process. %PDF-1.4
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The big advantage to paying cruise tips in advance is that you lock in the current rate. That is not the case anymore but Royal is not great about updating their website information. 2010 Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. The recommended dress code for the Main Dining Room for traditional dining or My Time Dining is smart casual. 0000006404 00000 n
I understand that once upon a time prepaid gratuities were required for MTD. 0000891999 00000 n
u"7QV-gL)qO^>#~r{e7|W(WFAX>B|zj&u{P$LEi7+?X!^ Who knows? 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. 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. 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). I don't mind tipping for good service. My Time Dining is the flexible dining option on Royal Caribbean cruises. The old way of MTD had forced you to prepay gratuities but that changed some time ago. Perhaps as more and more cheapos remove their grats the cruise lines will finally just increase fares so everyone pays the same in tips. Join 40,000 cruiserswho readmy email each week Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. All rights reserved. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Dine as you want, when you want. Others tip their room service or wait staff at their favorite bar, either early in the cruise in the hope of getting better service or at the end to thank them for enhancing the vacation experience. 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. LauraS MY FAMILY TIME DINING MY TIME DINING DAILY RESERVATIONS Awards FOLLOW US JOIN CROWN & ANCHOR SOCIETY CALL US NOW +971 4 331 4299 We have had really wonderful waiters in the WJ, some that even remember my DH loves those ranger cookies and will bring him some when they see us. Heres my confusion: I understand prepaid gratuities is required for My Time Dining. The group we are going with have all chosen the early 5pm dinner reservation. 0000902670 00000 n
You will be able to see the exact times that My Time Dining is offered each evening once you book your cruise. 0000911365 00000 n
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). On a typical seven-night cruise, thats nearly $600 in fees. For example, Norwegian offers a complimentary Open Bar drinks package for travelers who book its "free at sea" promotion. 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. 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). So if I cancel my gratuities what will be added to my account for my time dining. 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. For your convenience, prepaid gratuities are automatically added to your flexible option reservations. 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. 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. (Sponsored). Check here before booking an award fare. Then, contact one with a best-price guarantee and have them beat it! | Click the button above to compare the prices of cruises from all travel agents. Should they have been paid at the time of booking? 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. Both Royal Caribbean and Carnival have slightly different daily gratuities. 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! This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). You will be able to see the exact times that My Time Dining is offered each evening once you book your cruise. Princess, for example, has added a Princess Plus plan as a booking option. 0000006714 00000 n
Or do they not notice those "add on" charges? The early seating is usually around 5:30pm, while the late seating is around 8:00pm. Search Multiple Sites at Once For guests staying in Grand Suites and above, the fee is $18.50 per person, per day. Can they join me in the My Time Dining Room. There have been both positive and negative reports on Royal Caribbeans My Time Dining. What happens if I cancel the gratuities? It's also not possible to update every forum discussion when information changes so it can be confusing to read conflicting threads. So therefore it does not show on our invoice. If you have selected My Time Dining for your next Royal Caribbean Cruise vacation, here's everything you need to know about how to book My Time Dining and secure your nightly dining reservations. Additionally, if you are traveling with a large party, you might find Traditional Dining to be easier. The wait. Callummck You can be seated with the party you arrive with or be seated at your own table. 0000767892 00000 n
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. My Time Dining is great for guests who wish to experience a flexible dining schedule onboard their cruise. The annual airline fee statement credit can be complicated to take advantage of compared to the broader travel credits offered by competing premium cards. Discover the culinary curiosities of Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine.