The traditional dining experience allows you the choice of either early or late seating times for each day of your cruise. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). John2195, June 24, 2017 in Royal Caribbean International. Reservations are strongly recommended. Due to availability, however, you may not have as many times to choose from. 0000024527 00000 n Plus, your own feed of TPG content. 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?? The recommended dress code for the Main Dining Room for traditional dining or My Time Dining is smart casual. 0000425403 00000 n Once you have made your My Time Dining reservations, they will appear in your cruise calendar, both on Cruise Planner tab and Royal Caribbean's app. The others could make a separate My Time Dining reservation for 8:15pm. Speciality restaurants require reservations but they dont have traditional dining times. For your convenience, prepaid gratuities are automatically added to your flexible option reservations. 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. 0000897721 00000 n Your statement You cannot sign up for My Time Dining until you are on board the vessel is incorrect you can do this online when you book the Cruise. 0000736952 00000 n Then, Norwegian Cruise Line decided to shake things up a bit with "freestyle dining", an innovation that allows guests to eat dinner anytime . My Time Dining is the flexible dining option on Royal Caribbean cruises. The only real downside beyond having to pay your gratuities in advance is that you arent guaranteed the same waiter every night. The actual times, however, will vary by sailing. When planning your other evening activities, make sure that you allot yourself at least 75 minutes for your Main Dining Room experience. There are even more places your Platinum Card can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks. 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! If youre already booked and have chosen the flexible option, you can easily pre-reserve specific days and times online. Flexible seating works very much like standard restaurant seating. Start with these stories: The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. Some people assume that, because My Time Dining offers more flexible dining, it has a more flexible dress code. The high annual fee is only worth it if youre taking full advantage of the cards benefits. 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. 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. Reservations are highly recommended, as the wait time can be long if you choose to eat during the prime dinner hours of 6:30-8:00pm. 0000914358 00000 n 0000901330 00000 n 0000420293 00000 n You can be seated with the party you arrive with or be seated at your own table. Or do they not notice those "add on" charges? This website uses cookies in order to offer you the most relevant information. You dont have to do anything. 0000902670 00000 n Once you have decided on the perfect ship and itinerary, you are ready to move forward with the cruise booking process. 0000916414 00000 n Similarly, if youre on a higher-end ship that lists gratuities as being included in the fare, that means just what it says. 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. has written about cruising for more than 25 years and for many years oversaw USA Todays award-winning cruise site. You will see the same helpful crew members waiting on you in the WJ as you did last night in the MDR. You can disable the usage of cookies by changing the settings of your browser. All sent to your inbox. After sneaking a peek at our dining table the 1st night out & seeing we were seated with 4 elderly women, we decided to consider switching to My Time. 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. 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. They work very long hours all day long. Can guests move between My Time Dining and Traditional Dining during their cruise? 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. 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. 0000005956 00000 n 0000005141 00000 n My Time Dining usually begins around 6:00pm and lasts until 9:30pm, giving you a wide range of times to choose from. 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. Royal Caribbeans award winning dining program, My Time Dining, offers flexible and traditional options. %PDF-1.4 % Ships registered in the Bahamas. trailer <]>> startxref 0 %%EOF 158 0 obj <>stream Perhaps as more and more cheapos remove their grats the cruise lines will finally just increase fares so everyone pays the same in tips. You can choose a different time each day, so you can fit dinner around the rest of your onshore and onboard plans. 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. 0000022110 00000 n Your previous content has been restored. 0000910197 00000 n Youll be asked to pre-pay your gratuities. That explains it and answers my question- youre right, it does still say it on parts of the website. 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. 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.this is royal caribeans latest sneaky trick to get you to part with more money than you need to.the gratuities payment are VOLUNTARY you have the choise to pay them or request onboard the ship to take them off of your account . Some guests choose to recognize particularly exceptional service with an additional cash gratuity on the last night of their cruise. 0000426585 00000 n document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); | 0000844607 00000 n 0000828884 00000 n You will be seated with whomever you arrive to the dining room with. Finally, the evening shows are often scheduled around Traditional Dining times with early and late showings. The group we are going with have all chosen the early 5pm dinner reservation. 0000891340 00000 n If you dislike tipping on cruise ships, but can't afford to sail on an all-inclusive line, look for promotions when cruise lines with service charges throw in free gratuities as a booking incentive. 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. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. I am looking at cancelling my gratuities when I get on board so I can pay these personally. 0000891478 00000 n They are per person. Still, some critics see the charges as a sneaky way for cruise lines to make their fares appear lower than they really are. 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. Who knows? No reservation is needed, but Royal Caribbean strongly encourages you to get a reservation if you dont want to spend a lot of time waiting when you go to dinner. Gratuities haven't been going up "almost every year." It's easy, convenient, and if you wish to recognize outstanding service you can always tip extra cash personally. That is really the biggest flaw with My Time Dining. If you continue to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies. ?xtp~?f~j)Br$7q,,"Sf%SXAii%1O=]rlsE"V3ueGWY^U?h2/?7>V1yP GoW}wA[5!>0yuoe If you keep things as they are, everyone who is supposed to be tipped, WILL be tipped. 0000736746 00000 n 0000737875 00000 n At most lines, you can pay your service charges in advance of sailing (at the same time you pay your cruise fare). Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. 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. 0000911365 00000 n To ensure quick seating, we encourage guests who have selected the Flexible option to place a reservation for each evening. MY FAMILY TIME DINING MY TIME DINING DAILY RESERVATIONS Awards FOLLOW US JOIN CROWN & ANCHOR SOCIETY CALL US NOW +971 4 331 4299 0000828394 00000 n It is possible to snag dining times around 7:00pm every night, but this is a highly desirable dinner time. 0000747552 00000 n 0000906618 00000 n Seating can also be reserved while onboard. 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. TPG values it at $1,600. Cheap people have been around for years. 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 also do not get to know the wait staff as well, since you may be seated in a different area every night. 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). This also applies to sailings departing from Australia and New Zealand. Weve booked a cruise through an agent. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Dine as you want, when you want. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. I'm travelling with guests from another stateroom who selected Traditional Dining. Heres my confusion: I understand prepaid gratuities is required for My Time Dining. 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. There will be a My Time Dining check-in desk at the entrance to the dining room with wait staff to greet guests. A world of culinary exploration awaits you onboard Royal Caribbean. 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. 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. ( use to happen frequently). Never feel pressured to add an extra tip when you've already paid one. What we experienced was that their program is NOT really "My time dining", it is RESERVATION time dining. Still need help? 0000005051 00000 n Sometimes it's worth a large investment to reap the benefits of a great credit card. It is usually at the very bottom below the dining packages, specialty restaurants, and other exclusive dining experiences. 0000419636 00000 n Click the button above to compare the prices of cruises from all travel agents. 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. But its definitely not for everyone. 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. If you are asking by prepaying gratuities in advance does that force you to do MTD, then the answer is no. ;) Can we opt out of those added on charges also?? 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. What happens if I cancel the gratuities? please click here to update it. From there, you can go ahead and make a reservation for each night of your cruise. 0000424501 00000 n You may tip extra if you feel you have been "WOW'd". However, each ship does also offer specialty dining for an additional fee. 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. Their memory is incredible and they really do make you feel special. The old way of MTD had forced you to prepay gratuities but that changed some time ago. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. Prior to checking out, you will have to make a decision on dining style. Note that this only applies to dinner in the Main Dining Room. We have my time dining and according to the threads it looks like the gratuities are asked to be prepaid. . 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. I don't mind tipping for good service. (Enrollment required for select benefits.). Yes. 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. 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. But to the OP's question, we have MTD on Mariner next month and have not prepaid our gratuities. Its much better if youre someone who likes to play it by ear for dinner, based on how hungry you are. 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. Breeze through security with CLEAR lanes available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your membership when you use your Card. Royal Caribbean. We want to do MTD, but Im asking will this stand without finding a way to prepay the gratuities beforehand (Id guessed it would have been in Cruise Planner but evidently not), The gratuities is distributed amongst the entire cruise staff including the dining staff. The agent asked us which dining option wed like and we chose my time. . Are you sure that isn't an Iglu Cruise rule? Please note, you can only choose one dining style per sailing so once they join you they must use My Time Dining for the rest of the cruise. Traditional dining is great for anyone who enjoys the classic cruise dinner experience, meeting new people and enjoying a dedicated waiter for the duration of your sailing. E{3bEi_,FdTneL m!TlmJ=&esmh~rqbo)q9V'{7_LA74us i%@MZC1twwBjkC%{'BLTzP64Z{C@gC;qdF\u4:}NiIYmKzuu>k&dOWd1ydzW ]EhWJt*iLAcGMUyhvjw%m&_I;jxt' jg|zn~7_{ksiY15M HHnV6@,,TnMv9GU{$ If you arrive as soon as the Main Dining Rooms open, you will be able to be seated shortly. This card is also incredibly rewarding for travel purchases, helping you rack up a ton of Membership Rewards points for your next award trip. But its not strict. If, for example, two people would like to eat earlier around 6:30pm, you would make them their own reservation. If you continue to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies. 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. Upon checkout, you will be charged $0.00, unless you are also purchasing other add-ons. Ive worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and now my blog helps over a million people to plan their cruises each month. By his definition the answer is yes. Learn the cruise secrets most people don't know and cruise like a boss. 0000750166 00000 n A list of those who do this is available to the staff. How much to tip extra on a cruise is entirely up to you because it is in no way required. If you want to use My Time Dining you must pay for tips in advance. If you are traveling with more than eight people, My Time Dining might become a hassle. 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 want to use My Time Dining you must pay for tips in advance. Brilliance of the Seas is operated by RCL (UK) Ltd., a subsidiary of Royal . Do you have Cruise Fever too? 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 $16 for what the line now calls a crew appreciation charge, The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship, The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship, A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines, 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly, 12 best cruises for people who never want to grow up, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. In this case, no gratuities will be charged to your onboard account. You cannot paste images directly. Royal Caribbean Dining. In addition to this, an 18% gratuity is automatically added to all drinks, spa and salon services. Member Title: 100,000+ Club. M&-]f_Le}BXJ.D7CCx. 0000008654 00000 n If not, you might be stuck eating even later than the second seating! The wait staff will have your table ready for you so can avoid a delay in seating. My Family Time dining is currently unavailable throughout our fleet. 0000896807 00000 n Thats the whole point of the service charge. Started August 27, 2021, By 0000891587 00000 n Additional cash gifts are not expected. The buffet restaurant doesnt offer reservations and you can visit it whenever you want. Regent Seven Seas Cruises. On a Royal Caribbean cruise, you need to register for My Time Dining if you don't want a set dining time. 2011-2023, Cruise Fever . Lines that now cover gratuities in their fares include Azamara, Ponant, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, Seabourn, SeaDream Yacht Club, Silversea Cruises and Virgin Voyages. Dont worry: When lines offer such deals, it doesnt mean the crew will receive fewer tips the week you cruise. KA^tQmy9*yE'6C'VBz@JKz+I_0U{:$asg* \ endstream endobj 157 0 obj <>/Size 28/Type/XRef>>stream By We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. Piano bar regulars know that a cash tip will increase the chances of the pianist choosing and performing your song request. The same applies if you want to switch from My Time Dining back to traditional dining. 0000027181 00000 n Maximum of 10 guests per reservation. Here's how it works on Royal Caribbean: As of September 7 th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per . Posted June 24, 2017. 0000006679 00000 n Have you noticed over the years that daily grats have been increasing almost every year to make up for the non tippers. Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. Even if you initially booked Traditional Dining, you can call your travel agent or Royal Caribbean directly to change to My Time. Hes sailed on more than 150 ships. The flexible option allows you to select your own dining time and table companions on a daily basis. 0000422815 00000 n The included tip amount varies by cruise line, but is typically 15% to 20% of the bill. You can be seated with the party you arrive with or be seated at your own table. That said, the total number of lines with a service fee has been shrinking over the years. Privacy Policy | 0000905656 00000 n We have my time dining and according to the threads it looks like the gratuities are asked to be prepaid. On a typical seven-night cruise, thats nearly $600 in fees. Related: A beginners guide to picking a cruise line. Learn more. 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. Can they join me in the My Time Dining Room. ;). Unlike Traditional Dining, My Time Dining is only marked as lasting for fifteen minutes. We always choose My Time dinning. 0000916809 00000 n However, you can still make reservations, based on availability, once onboard. 0000722800 00000 n 0000005096 00000 n 0000006450 00000 n $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. If your My Time Dining reservation is at 7:15pm, do not make any other reservations until 8:30pm or later. *Please see all applicable Terms & Conditions for Promotions. I understand that once upon a time prepaid gratuities were required for MTD. 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. 0000755747 00000 n Even if I opt out of automatic gratuities? Now you have a choice to prepay gratuities or not with either Traditional or MTD. 0000738858 00000 n You don't have to tip on these cruises because the line is already paying gratuities to the staff on your behalf. CC Help Jenn 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. 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. Yes, if there is availability in the My Time Dining Room, we would be happy to accommodate the request. 0000003714 00000 n 20102023Regal Sea Media LLC. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 20 cruises. 0000891812 00000 n Unlike Traditional Dining, you will not be seated at the same table with the same wait staff if your choose My Time. 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. Thanks Matt- We paid for the cruise at the time of booking. Your browser is outdated and does not support many of the modern features of this website, 0000913572 00000 n Read more: Whats Included in a Royal Caribbean Cruise? The Dining experience was Excellent as were the Waiting Staff, the only gripe, there had to be one, was the cost of the Wine. My Time Dining usually begins around 6:00pm and lasts until 9:30pm, giving you a wide range of times to choose from. 0000841664 00000 n 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. 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. Powered by Invision Community. 0000755470 00000 n Guests can only participate in one dining style per sailing. If you pay them onboard, it will be charged automatically each day of the cruise. 0000417308 00000 n If you do not prepay gratuities, they will be charged to your onboard account automatically, on a daily basis. 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. 0000841939 00000 n The current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. 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.
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