royal caribbean my time dining gratuities

My Time Dining Frequently Asked Questions | Royal Caribbean Cruises This website uses cookies in order to offer you the most relevant information. 0000722800 00000 n My Time Dining is great for guests who wish to experience a flexible dining schedule onboard their cruise. The current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. If you are asking by prepaying gratuities in advance does that force you to do MTD, then the answer is no. Do you have Cruise Fever too? Its much better if youre someone who likes to play it by ear for dinner, based on how hungry you are. Still, not all lines have service fees that high. 0000422496 00000 n MY FAMILY TIME DINING MY TIME DINING DAILY RESERVATIONS Awards FOLLOW US JOIN CROWN & ANCHOR SOCIETY CALL US NOW +971 4 331 4299 ( use to happen frequently). The big advantage to paying cruise tips in advance is that you lock in the current rate. When making a reservation you will be offered "My Time" or traditional dining times (i.e., 5:30 pm & 8:00 pm). %PDF-1.4 % 0000022110 00000 n 0000750166 00000 n The rates listed are per person, per day. A The automatic service gratuity is $16.00 USD per person, per day for guests in Junior Suites and below, or $18.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Grand Suites and above, applied to each guest's SeaPass account on a daily basis. Theres also a dining hotline you can call from the phone in your stateroom to make changes to your reservations. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Check here before booking an award fare. 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. 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. 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. It is usually at the very bottom below the dining packages, specialty restaurants, and other exclusive dining experiences. 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 Dont worry: When lines offer such deals, it doesnt mean the crew will receive fewer tips the week you cruise. Outside of the current welcome bonus, youre only earning higher rewards on specific airfare and hotel purchases, so its not a great card for other spending categories. 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. Powered by Invision Community. 0000736952 00000 n Also, once you have been seated and your meal is being served, no other guests will be sat at your table. If you keep things as they are, everyone who is supposed to be tipped, WILL be tipped. 0000901423 00000 n Just make sure to turn up at the reserved time. Ive worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and now my blog helps over a million people to plan their cruises each month. The group we are going with have all chosen the early 5pm dinner reservation. If you are adjusting a gratuity charge downward, expect to be asked about the reasons behind the adjustment. Piano bar regulars know that a cash tip will increase the chances of the pianist choosing and performing your song request. 0000003836 00000 n The best way to fully take advantage of the My Time Dining program is to make your reservations before you board the ship! Looking for the Best Cruise Deals? That is how it works for those employees who get paid with tips. Jon lives in the foothills of North Carolina and wishes there were a cruise port that far inland. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. Yes, if there is availability in the My Time Dining Room, we would be happy to accommodate the request. You can save even more $$$ by eating in the Lido on the last evening and avoiding your cabin steward that night also ? If youre late then your table may be given away, and youll have to wait for another one. My Time Dining is now a choice within the booking process. Your browser is outdated and does not support many of the modern features of this website, Finally, the evening shows are often scheduled around Traditional Dining times with early and late showings. All of the gratuities are divided equally among the wait staff. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. 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. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 20 cruises. You can eat anytime between 6:00 pm and 9:30 pm. 0000420293 00000 n A list of those who do this is available to the staff. This is an unfair statement. How to book My Time Dining on Royal Caribbean You will have to make each reservation individually and add them to your cart one-by-one. I noticed the My Time doesn't offer reservations until 6:45. If you arrive as soon as the Main Dining Rooms open, you will be able to be seated shortly. has written about cruising for more than 25 years and for many years oversaw USA Todays award-winning cruise site. Similarly, if youre on a higher-end ship that lists gratuities as being included in the fare, that means just what it says. The flexibility of My Time Dining comes with responsibility. My Time Dining usually begins around 6:00pm and lasts until 9:30pm, giving you a wide range of times to choose from. They will be seated in one of the main dining rooms. 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. 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. The extra cost of the automatic gratuity charges can be a shock to first-time cruisers. 0000419307 00000 n 0000844607 00000 n To ensure quick seating, we encourage guests who have selected the Flexible option to place a reservation for each evening. Plus Ups are excluded. 0000902161 00000 n Our new My Time Dining option allows you the flexibility to choose when you want to dine each evening, giving you the chance to enjoy your meals at your own pace. So therefore it does not show on our invoice. You can disable the usage of cookies by changing the settings of your browser. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! Regent Seven Seas Cruises. The flexible option allows you to select your own dining time and table companions on a daily basis. Love Cruise Fever?Sign Up to Our FREE Newsletter! In this case, no gratuities will be charged to your onboard account. Wondering if anyone can help out with this? My Time Dining is one of the options you'll get to choose from when you book your cruise. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Dine as you want, when you want. The folks who WERVE YOU are the ones who get your tips. 0000891587 00000 n Throughout the cruise, you may be able to change your My Time Dining reservations on the app or by calling the dining hotline from your stateroom's telephone, but it is dependent on availability. 0000736746 00000 n Guests can only participate in one dining style per sailing. If you want to change to My Time Dining, youll need to speak to Guest Services within the first two days of your cruise. Seating can also be reserved while onboard. 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. 0000006450 00000 n 0000418920 00000 n Two brothers started Cruise Fever in 2011 when they decided they couldn't stop cruising so they might as well write about it. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. Kudos to NCL for no longer allowing grats to be removed onboard. 0000737875 00000 n Upload or insert images from URL. Im really asking the opposite - We havent prepaid gratuities, but the agent has booked us in for My Time Dining! Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPGs editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. Suggested read: 6 Things You MUST Know About Formal Night on a Royal Caribbean Cruise. Powered by Cruiseline.com, spoke with royal Carib rep today who said prepaid grats are now out if you are using My Time Dining. 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. 0000019016 00000 n Maximum of 10 guests per reservation. If youre already booked and have chosen the flexible option, you can easily pre-reserve specific days and times online. 0000704363 00000 n Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. 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. 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. 0000423354 00000 n MY FAMILY TIME DINING MY TIME DINING DAILY RESERVATIONS Awards FOLLOW US JOIN CROWN & ANCHOR SOCIETY CALL US NOW +971 4 331 4299 For more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPGs new cruise newsletter. However, you can still make reservations, based on availability, once onboard. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Australians typically do not tip because the minimum wage in Australia is $20.33 AUD/hr ($14.56 USD/hr). Seating can also be reserved while onboard. This can trick many cruisers into tipping twice. 0000916095 00000 n Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. 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. Copyrights |, 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. Flexible seating works very much like standard restaurant seating. Your previous content has been restored. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); | Princess, for example, has added a Princess Plus plan as a booking option. Additionally, an 18% gratuity is added to bar bills, dining room wine purchases and Lotus Spa services. Sometimes it's worth a large investment to reap the benefits of a great credit card. 0000422815 00000 n 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. When planning your other evening activities, make sure that you allot yourself at least 75 minutes for your Main Dining Room experience. 0000011539 00000 n Most of the biggest cruise lines automatically add some type of service or gratuity fee onto passenger bills. 0000418076 00000 n Still need help? The old way of MTD had forced you to prepay gratuities but that changed some time ago. Cruisers should also bring cash to tip the porters who bring their bags onto the ship (usually $2 per bag), as well as tour guides in port ($5 to $10 per person for half-day tours, $10 to $20 for full-day excursions and $2 for non-guide drivers). Another method is to just simply show up at the Main Dining Room each night when you are ready to eat. 0000737498 00000 n That said, some people do leave a little extra for crew members who go above and beyond. Passengers in mini-suites pay $17, while those in bigger suites pay $18. Then, Norwegian Cruise Line decided to shake things up a bit with "freestyle dining", an innovation that allows guests to eat dinner anytime . Enrollment required. CC Help Jenn You can then make reservations for your restaurant, or just turn up at the restaurant between 6 pm and 9.30 pm and wait for a table to be available. 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. A lot of people still prefer the idea of traditional dining where you sit for dinner at the same time every evening, with the same party and with the same waiter. During peak dinner times, you may have to wait as long as 45 minutes for a table. 0000021713 00000 n 0000891696 00000 n So with My Time Dining, you might lose some of that experience, but the flexibility of your own table and time is often preferable anyway. The included tip amount varies by cruise line, but is typically 15% to 20% of the bill. Understood, and many passengers also feel this way. Details: Gratuities are included in the fare. Started August 27, 2021, By 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. April 7, 2008. The actual times, however, will vary by sailing. 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. Early dining is around 6 pm, while late dining is closer to 8:30 pm. So if I cancel my gratuities what will be added to my account for my time dining. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. We hate spam as much as lounge chair hogs. 0000417308 00000 n 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 are traveling with more than eight people, My Time Dining might become a hassle.