Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Royal Caribbean recently added "My time dining" as a dining option. "=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 You do have to prepay your gratuities in order to sign up to My Time Dining. 0000006450 00000 n That is really the biggest flaw with My Time Dining. 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. My Time Dining uses the same menu as traditional seating. My Time Dining is not available for breakfast, but you can still use it for both lunch and dinner. Follow along on this incredible voyage! Due to availability, however, you may not have as many times to choose from. You dont have to do anything. I'm travelling with guests from another stateroom who selected Traditional Dining. The current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. Traditional seating will mean that guests will keep the same wait staff and dining companions throughout the cruise. 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. 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. 0000891478 00000 n You can save even more $$$ by eating in the Lido on the last evening and avoiding your cabin steward that night also ? MY FAMILY TIME DINING MY TIME DINING DAILY RESERVATIONS Awards FOLLOW US JOIN CROWN & ANCHOR SOCIETY CALL US NOW +971 4 331 4299 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. Reservations are strongly recommended. Hi! 0000024527 00000 n For your convenience, prepaid gratuities are automatically added to your flexible option reservations. The guest relations staff will want to know if youve experienced particular service issues. Seating can also be reserved while onboard. What happens if I cancel the gratuities? 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. View All Cruises 0000003714 00000 n Heres how I get the lowest price when I book a cruise. 0000896807 00000 n I noticed the My Time doesn't offer reservations until 6:45. Legal Information | Your browser is outdated and does not support many of the modern features of this website, And that they aren't simply following the outdated information still present on Royal's website as pointed out above? You will be able to see the exact times that My Time Dining is offered each evening once you book your cruise. But I remember the days before MTD and Automatic Tips when, on the last night, TIP Night, people would eat at other venues and skip out on tipping the wait staff. In that sense, the current system is more equitable than the old system of cash tipping, which favored certain workers, lines say. You may find that you are split up at different tables that are not located near each other. 0000902670 00000 n 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. 0000008654 00000 n 0000828394 00000 n Australians typically do not tip because the minimum wage in Australia is $20.33 AUD/hr ($14.56 USD/hr). Do you plan on dining anywhere except the dining room? 0000883078 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. 0000906914 00000 n 0000422260 00000 n We do not prepay gratuities because we always have OBC and they will be deducted from the OBC daily. 0000901330 00000 n If, for example, two people would like to eat earlier around 6:30pm, you would make them their own reservation. Weve booked a cruise through an agent. 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. But its definitely not for everyone. 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. Hes sailed on more than 150 ships. It isn't a hidden charge, since we all know about the charge and of course it subsidizes the wage bill. John2195, June 24, 2017 in Royal Caribbean International. 0000901784 00000 n Royal Caribbean gratuities for children and infants How much to tip on a cruise is a question that trips up many first-timers. 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. ?xtp~?f~j)Br$7q,,"Sf%SXAii%1O=]rlsE"V3ueGWY^U?h2/?7>V1yP GoW}wA[5!>0yuoe My Family Time dining is currently unavailable throughout our fleet. How much to tip extra on a cruise is entirely up to you because it is in no way required. 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. 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. 0000891084 00000 n Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. 0000735845 00000 n |, www.royalcaribbean.ae is part of Royal Caribbean Arabia owned by Safeen Tourism LLC the Sole Middle East Representative of Royal Caribbean International, 2023 All Rights Reserved | ROYAL CARIBBEAN ARABIA. E{3bEi_,FdTneL m!TlmJ=&esmh~rqbo)q9V'{7_LA74us i%@MZC1twwBjkC%{'BLTzP64Z{C@gC;qdF\u4:}NiIYmKzuu>k&dOWd1ydzW ]EhWJt*iLAcGMUyhvjw%m&_I;jxt' jg|zn~7_{ksiY15M HHnV6@,,TnMv9GU{$ 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. 0000898322 00000 n 0000002916 00000 n Your browser is outdated and does not support many of the modern features of this website, 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. 0000905280 00000 n 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. All rights reserved. If a guest requests My Time dining, can wine be ordered through Royal Gifts to be delivered to the dining room? 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. You can then book dinner in the Main Dining Room for any time you want, or just walk in without a reservation. It gives passengers prepaid gratuities, a single-device Wi-Fi plan and a basic beverage package for a single bundled price of $50 per person, per day. Their memory is incredible and they really do make you feel special. If you feel anyone has been particularly helpful you can always tip them extra in cash. There will be a My Time Dining check-in desk at the entrance to the dining room with wait staff to greet guests. Can I reserve the same table or waiter at the same time in My Time Dining? Their website explains it as such: "By selecting My Time Dini. 0000916095 00000 n 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. 0000422815 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). 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. Alternatively, you can have the charges added to your room bill on board. For guests staying in Grand Suites and above, the fee is $18.50 per person, per day. 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. 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. Reservations arestronglyrecommended in order to avoid a delay in seating (reservations will be taken once onboard, based on availability). Can guests move between My Time Dining and Traditional Dining during their cruise? You can be seated with the party you arrive with or be seated at your own table. Sorry- Im not expressing myself too well! 0000019459 00000 n Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. So therefore it does not show on our invoice. Having to arrive early, though, defeats the purpose of being able to dine whenever you'd like. Pardon? 0000747552 00000 n Still, not all lines have service fees that high. It is recommended that you book a table though. Just make sure to turn up at the reserved time. KA^tQmy9*yE'6C'VBz@JKz+I_0U{:$asg* \ endstream endobj 157 0 obj <>/Size 28/Type/XRef>>stream Be warned that the receipt often includes a line for an additional gratuity, even when one is automatically added. Often, even if you do have a reservation you have to wait, but the time is much shorter since they are expecting you. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); | Im sorry you never received a tip in your years of "slogging your guts out." For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit. You can reserve My Time Dining when you first book your cruise, or by logging onto the Royal Caribbean website to amend your booking. Then, contact one with a best-price guarantee and have them beat it! 0000844607 00000 n April 7, 2008. 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. You no longer have to prepay gratuities if you select My Time Dining. 0000897240 00000 n 0000426236 00000 n A list of those who do this is available to the staff. If you are asking by prepaying gratuities in advance does that force you to do MTD, then the answer is no. Every Royal Caribbean ship includes meals at many included restaurants, including the main dining room and the buffet. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? On a Royal Caribbean cruise, you need to register for My Time Dining if you dont want a set dining time. Royal Caribbeans award winning dining program, My Time Dining, offers flexible and traditional options. Related: The best cruise booking perks and which ones are actually free. I don't mind tipping for good service. You may request a certain waiter each night, and we will work to seat your party in his or her area depending on availability. 0000417807 00000 n Any amount is fine and will be appreciated by the hard-working crew. The annual airline fee statement credit can be complicated to take advantage of compared to the broader travel credits offered by competing premium cards. Don't know why you want to do this (are you planning to carry cash every time you go to the WJ?) Never feel pressured to add an extra tip when you've already paid one. And, unlike the typical service fee or resort fee found at a land resort, they are not per room. 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. Piano bar regulars know that a cash tip will increase the chances of the pianist choosing and performing your song request. This website uses cookies in order to offer you the most relevant information. The group we are going with have all chosen the early 5pm dinner reservation. 0000722800 00000 n This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. 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. 0000005676 00000 n 0000421346 00000 n It truly depends, though. 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. If you opt out of daily gratuities your account will not be charged for them. During peak dinner times, you may have to wait as long as 45 minutes for a table. 0000027181 00000 n 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. Your link has been automatically embedded. Ships registered in the Bahamas. You do have to prepay your gratuities in order to sign up to My Time Dining. Guests can only participate in one dining style per sailing. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. 0000892817 00000 n But whether My Time Dining works for you or not really depends on what your preferences are. 0000750166 00000 n Once you have decided on the perfect ship and itinerary, you are ready to move forward with the cruise booking process. 0000003836 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. Why is it combined? In this case, no gratuities will be charged to your onboard account. All rights reserved. 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. Now you have a choice to prepay gratuities or not with either Traditional or MTD. 0000905656 00000 n Unlike Traditional Dining, you will not be seated at the same table with the same wait staff if your choose My Time. 0000914358 00000 n Also as others have stated, prepaid gratuities and MTD have nothing to do with each other anymore. 0000901714 00000 n If we paid the gratuities up front when onboard would we still have able to do MTD? 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. A lot of cruisers were actually upset when they heard about My Time Dining and vowed to never sail with Royal Caribbean again if this was the only option. I think you probably have had you questions answered already but I wanted to show an example. You don't have to tip on these cruises because the line is already paying gratuities to the staff on your behalf. 0000017159 00000 n Powered by Cruiseline.com, spoke with royal Carib rep today who said prepaid grats are now out if you are using My Time Dining. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. On a typical seven-night cruise, thats nearly $600 in fees. Smart cruise advice, cruise deals, and breaking news. All of the gratuities are divided equally among the wait staff. please click here to update it. Clear editor. At some lines, these charges run as high as $25 per day. Note that this only applies to dinner in the Main Dining Room. 0000911056 00000 n The old way of MTD had forced you to prepay gratuities but that changed some time ago. 0000417078 00000 n 0000417308 00000 n Regent Seven Seas Cruises. ;p, You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By The menu for My Time Dining is still the same, so you will get the same quality meals. Still need help? 0000426585 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. 0000005911 00000 n 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. You definitely won't go hungry during your sailing, even if you don't purchase any dining extras. She also told us about gratuities added to the Seapss account. Posted June 24, 2017. My Time Dining usually begins around 6:00pm and lasts until 9:30pm, giving you a wide range of times to choose from. So therefore it does not show on our invoice. We have my time dining and according to the threads it looks like the gratuities are asked to be prepaid. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. Learn the cruise secrets most people don't know and cruise like a boss. 0000841664 00000 n If you do get the same waiter every night, theyll remember your name and your preferences. 0000737875 00000 n By 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. My Time Dining is therefore available to anyone who wants to mix things up. 2011-2023, Cruise Fever . We have my time dining and according to the threads it looks like the gratuities are asked to be prepaid. I understand that once upon a time prepaid gratuities were required for MTD. The early seating is usually around 5:30pm, while the late seating is around 8:00pm. If you want to change to My Time Dining, youll need to speak to Guest Services within the first two days of your cruise. Seldom travelers may not get enough value to warrant the cost. A world of culinary exploration awaits you onboard Royal Caribbean. 156.1k. If you have multiple people in your stateroom or travel party, you can make multiple reservations each evening to accommodate everyone's preferences. Read more: Whats Included in a Royal Caribbean Cruise? Related: A beginners guide to picking a cruise line. 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. However, the suggested dress code remains the same. The only thing you should HAVE to pay at booking is the deposit. Yes, My Time Dining is flexible. (Enrollment required for select benefits.). 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. It is usually at the very bottom below the dining packages, specialty restaurants, and other exclusive dining experiences. 0000831970 00000 n 0000022110 00000 n If you tip personally in cash, those people must turn it in or face dismissal. When making a reservation you will be offered "My Time" or traditional dining times (i.e., 5:30 pm & 8:00 pm). 0000003388 00000 n 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. Im really asking the opposite - We havent prepaid gratuities, but the agent has booked us in for My Time Dining! 0000006046 00000 n 0000005956 00000 n You post the same made up garbage in every thread. Rather, you will be seated wherever there is availability. 0000005096 00000 n On a Royal Caribbean cruise, you need to register for My Time Dining if you don't want a set dining time. You can then book dinner in the Main Dining Room for any time you want, or just walk in without a reservation. but it's so much better to leave the automatic tips in place and just give extra cash to those you feel deserve it. Can a family in one stateroom dine at different times with My Time Dining? The exact times, however, will vary according to your cruise itinerary. Thanks Matt- We paid for the cruise at the time of booking. So if I cancel my gratuities what will be added to my account for my time dining. Thats the whole point of the service charge. Can they join me in the My Time Dining Room. I understand that once upon a time prepaid gratuities were required for MTD. 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. It's also not possible to update every forum discussion when information changes so it can be confusing to read conflicting threads. 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. If you are adjusting a gratuity charge downward, expect to be asked about the reasons behind the adjustment. 0000003555 00000 n If your line raises the rate between the time you pay and the time you sail, you wont pay more. 0000910197 00000 n 0000916414 00000 n 0000913572 00000 n My Time Dining is great for guests who wish to experience a flexible dining schedule onboard their cruise. 0000913926 00000 n This card is also incredibly rewarding for travel purchases, helping you rack up a ton of Membership Rewards points for your next award trip. I think the crew would let it be know if they were not receiving their share of the gratuities. Search Now Some guests choose to recognize particularly exceptional service with an additional cash gratuity on the last night of their 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. You'd likely pay it at final payment date. Then, Norwegian Cruise Line decided to shake things up a bit with "freestyle dining", an innovation that allows guests to eat dinner anytime . When you are reserving your cruise, you will be given the option to select "Traditional Dining" or "My Time Dining.". Many cruise lines will tack an automatic gratuity charge onto the bill for extra-fee drinks, restaurant meals and spa treatments. 0000897170 00000 n Cheap people have been around for years. CC Help Jenn That explains it and answers my question- youre right, it does still say it on parts of the website. 0000891423 00000 n Well, this is NOT the only option and you can still choose to eat in the traditional manner. The traditional dining experience allows you the choice of either early or late seating times for each day of your cruise.