The mandatory 20% gratuity comes out to nearly $22 per day. Then, contact one with a best-price guarantee and have them beat it! My Time Dining is only applicable to the Main Dining Room on your ship. I'm travelling with guests from another stateroom who selected Traditional Dining. That's exactly the case with the Amex Platinum card. 0000901784 00000 n CC Help Jenn 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. For more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPGs new cruise newsletter. Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Your browser is outdated and does not support many of the modern features of this website, 0000828884 00000 n My Time Dining is one of the options you'll get to choose from when you book your cruise. Please check your email and click the link to confirm, and you're all set! Even if you initially booked Traditional Dining, you can call your travel agent or Royal Caribbean directly to change to My Time. I'm so sorry that this post wasn't useful for you! 0000016969 00000 n 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. Discover the culinary curiosities of Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine. 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. When making a reservation you will be offered "My Time" or traditional dining times (i.e., 5:30 pm & 8:00 pm). Royal Caribbean recently added "My time dining" as a dining option. 0000417807 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 Time Dining uses the same menu as traditional seating. 0000704363 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 My Time Dining is the flexible dining option on Royal Caribbean cruises. 0000006236 00000 n Royal Caribbean | MY TIME DINING DAILY RESERVATIONS The dining staff will do all possible to accommodate the request, based on availability. At least, thats how it is supposed to work. 0000417013 00000 n We can honor requests to change only once based on availability. My Family Time dining is currently unavailable throughout our fleet. This also applies to sailings departing from Australia and New Zealand. 0000896807 00000 n If you continue to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies. 0000911365 00000 n 0000014304 00000 n xbbba`b``0 u B endstream endobj 29 0 obj <>/ViewerPreferences<>/Metadata 6 0 R/AcroForm 30 0 R/Pages 5 0 R/StructTreeRoot 8 0 R/Type/Catalog>> endobj 30 0 obj <>/Encoding<>>>>> endobj 31 0 obj <>/Shading<>/ColorSpace<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageC/ImageI]/Properties<>/MC1<<>>/MC2<<>>/MC3<<>>>>/ExtGState<>>>/Type/Page>> endobj 32 0 obj [/Indexed 47 0 R 162 85 0 R] endobj 33 0 obj [/Indexed 47 0 R 140 80 0 R] endobj 34 0 obj <> endobj 35 0 obj <> endobj 36 0 obj [/Indexed 47 0 R 147 75 0 R] endobj 37 0 obj [/Indexed 47 0 R 120 96 0 R] endobj 38 0 obj [/Indexed 47 0 R 210 122 0 R] endobj 39 0 obj [/Indexed 47 0 R 77 93 0 R] endobj 40 0 obj [/Separation/PANTONE#20281#20CV/DeviceCMYK<>] endobj 41 0 obj [/DeviceN[/Cyan/Magenta/Yellow]/DeviceCMYK 114 0 R 116 0 R] endobj 42 0 obj [/Indexed 47 0 R 128 101 0 R] endobj 43 0 obj [/Indexed 47 0 R 192 121 0 R] endobj 44 0 obj [/Indexed 47 0 R 128 110 0 R] endobj 45 0 obj [/Separation/PANTONE#202727#20C/DeviceCMYK<>] endobj 46 0 obj [/Indexed 47 0 R 3 66 0 R] endobj 47 0 obj [/ICCBased 65 0 R] endobj 48 0 obj <>stream 0000006358 00000 n 0000015069 00000 n Theres also a dining hotline you can call from the phone in your stateroom to make changes to your reservations. Answer (1 of 4): Fares purchased on the Australian website will always include pre-paid gratuities. You do have to prepay your gratuities in order to sign up to My Time Dining. The actual times, however, will vary by sailing. Royal Caribbean. . You can do this before the cruise, or during your voyage. All sent to your inbox. The old way of MTD had forced you to prepay gratuities but that changed some time ago. 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. The rates listed are per person, per day. 0000422496 00000 n 0000417581 00000 n There are even more places your Platinum Card can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks. Like what you see? Another method is to just simply show up at the Main Dining Room each night when you are ready to eat. ?xtp~?f~j)Br$7q,,"Sf%SXAii%1O=]rlsE"V3ueGWY^U?h2/?7>V1yP GoW}wA[5!>0yuoe Two brothers started Cruise Fever in 2011 when they decided they couldn't stop cruising so they might as well write about it. She also told us about gratuities added to the Seapss account. Probably because it makes it less confusing than diving up the tips. Some guests choose to recognize particularly exceptional service with an additional cash gratuity on the last night of their cruise. Best card for premium perks while traveling, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, Disney Cruise Lines Castaway Club loyalty program: Everything you need to know, 21 new Hyatt hotels where you can get 500 extra points per night, My first cruise to the Galapagos: The good, the bad and the absolutely adorable. 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. $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. I sailed on the explorer last year and the trick then was we could only cancel them on day 3 of the trip[obviously hopeing for a lot of forgetful customers] its a damn cheek that they are desperately trying to take this right for the customer to cancel ,,after all I never had gratuities for slogging my guts out in the kitchens and bakeries in my career and I don't suppose many ouy there do either. 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. If a guest requests My Time dining, can wine be ordered through Royal Gifts to be delivered to the dining room? Flexible seating works very much like standard restaurant seating. 0000420293 00000 n 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. 0000841664 00000 n My Time Dining is therefore available to anyone who wants to mix things up. By Yes. We always choose My Time dinning. 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. 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. Breakfast in the Main Dining Room is first come, first serve, regardless on whether or not you selected My Time or Traditional Dining. M&-]f_Le}BXJ.D7CCx. 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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); About Us | Royal Caribbean charges a gratuity of $16.00 per person, per day. My Time Dining - Gratuities?? - Cruise Critic Community 0000916923 00000 n Be sure to join my email list for my best cruise tips and handpicked deals each week. 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. 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. The big advantage to paying cruise tips in advance is that you lock in the current rate. $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card on one or more of the following: Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The New York Times. You may find that you are split up at different tables that are not located near each other. Do you plan on dining anywhere except the dining room? 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. 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. 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. It is much simpler, and fairer, to leave them in place. Start with these stories: The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. My time dining and gratuities - Royal Caribbean International - Cruise Here's how it works on Royal Caribbean: As of September 7 th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per . Can I participate in My Time Dining but make a reservation for a specific time? 0000005866 00000 n 0000831970 00000 n She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 20 cruises. 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. However, spaces may be limited so it may not be possible if you leave it too late. I am looking at cancelling my gratuities when I get on board. We strongly recommend reserving your dining times through Cruise Planner prior to your sailing as dining times may fill up. 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. 0000902188 00000 n Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Started August 27, 2021, By Traditionally, dinner on a cruise ship has been served at two specific seating times. Automatic gratuity charge: $16 to $18.50 per . Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. 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! 0000828837 00000 n To this day it still references dynamic dining in the cruise planner even though that is long gone. Someone else that pays more will take up the slack for you. Privacy Policy | We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. 0000755747 00000 n Royal Caribbean My Time Dining: What You Must Know! Check out Intelligent Cruiser here for a better cruise vacation. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. My Family Time Dining | Royal Caribbean Cruises 0000422260 00000 n 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). 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). 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. You also do not get to know the wait staff as well, since you may be seated in a different area every night. 0000424501 00000 n $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline. 0000417308 00000 n A list of those who do this is available to the staff. Find the right card for you. You can post now and register later. In many cases, the service charges are adjustable. I take any thread older than a year (sometimes less) with a grain of salt. 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. Can I reserve the same table or waiter at the same time in My Time Dining? If you want to change to My Time Dining, youll need to speak to Guest Services within the first two days of your cruise. You post the same made up garbage in every thread. I am looking at cancelling my gratuities when I get on board so I can pay these personally. It's kind of a runaround to personally get to everyone who is included (my opinion). My Time Dining is now a choice within the booking process. 0000897170 00000 n 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. If you are adjusting a gratuity charge downward, expect to be asked about the reasons behind the adjustment. 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. Clear editor. 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. Often, even if you do have a reservation you have to wait, but the time is much shorter since they are expecting you. Most of the biggest cruise lines automatically add some type of service or gratuity fee onto passenger bills. Additionally, an 18% gratuity is added to bar bills, dining room wine purchases and Lotus Spa services. 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{$ By There will be a My Time Dining check-in desk at the entrance to the dining room with wait staff to greet guests. This website uses cookies in order to offer you the most relevant information. Prior to checking out, you will have to make a decision on dining style. If you want to use My Time Dining you must pay for tips in advance. 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. At the same time, you will be able to add prepaid gratuities and vacation protection, if you choose to do so. 0000003388 00000 n Why is it combined? Can they join me in the My Time Dining Room? 0000421346 00000 n Related: A beginners guide to picking a cruise line. Flexible seating works very much like standard restaurant seating. Youll be told which restaurant to go to based on your choice. The lines that offer these deals say theyll pay a normal gratuity to the crew on your behalf. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); | 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. PDF MY TIME DINING - Royal Caribbean International How much to tip extra on a cruise is entirely up to you because it is in no way required. but only parties of 20 or less can be seated at one time. Kudos to NCL for no longer allowing grats to be removed onboard. If you want to use My Time Dining you must pay for tips in advance. This website uses cookies in order to offer you the most relevant information. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Dine as you want, when you want. When booking a Royal Caribbean cruise, you have two options for dining: My Time Dining and Traditional Dining. 0000006636 00000 n You may request a certain waiter each night, and we will work to seat your party in his or her area depending on availability. Join 40,000 cruiserswho readmy email each week Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 0000006046 00000 n If you have an issue with how the crew get paid don't withhold your tips since that will only penalize the crew. You need to contact your TA and have her add it to your invoice in order to prepay gratuities. 0000911056 00000 n Our Best Royal Caribbean Cruise Tips And Tricks please click here to update it. Your previous content has been restored. You may request a certain waiter each night, and we will work to seat your party in his or her area depending on availability. 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. Do you have to pay gratuities on Royal Caribbean Australia? 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. 0000891696 00000 n If youre not someone who has cruised before, you might not be aware of traditional dining times on cruise ships. You will have to make each reservation individually and add them to your cart one-by-one. Some people also like to pay their service charges in advance for budgeting purposes. When you are reserving your cruise, you will be given the option to select "Traditional Dining" or "My Time Dining.". Are you sure that isn't an Iglu Cruise rule? My Time Dining is one of the options youll get to choose from when you book your cruise. I'm travelling with guests from another stateroom who selected Traditional Dining. 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. 0000011404 00000 n Cheap people have been around for years. I don't know if you have cruised before, but the gratuities cover more than your wait staff in My Time Dining. 0000897748 00000 n Still need help? But to the OP's question, we have MTD on Mariner next month and have not prepaid our gratuities. If you have a smaller party, you might find that you do not have to wait as long as larger parties. 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. 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. Guests may request a special table or waiter. 0000891340 00000 n Your browser is outdated and does not support many of the modern features of this website, Read on to learn all about cruise ship tipping culture and how much you'll need to tip on your next cruise, based on which cruise line you're sailing. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Dine as you want, when you want. The longer you wait to arrive, however, the longer you will have to wait for an available table. Royal Caribbeans award winning dining program, My Time Dining, offers flexible and traditional options. I will HAPPILY pay my gratuities, and feel that having them paid in advance is very convenient, andprobably saves me some money. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. What happens if I cancel the gratuities? Have you noticed over the years that daily grats have been increasing almost every year to make up for the non tippers. If you opt out of daily gratuities your account will not be charged for them. I understand that once upon a time prepaid gratuities were required for MTD. 156.1k. We do not prepay gratuities because we always have OBC and they will be deducted from the OBC daily. 0000002916 00000 n If you cancel prepaid gratuities, you can visit Guest Services once you are onboard and request they discontinue automatic gratuties. Pardon? Discover the culinary curiosities of Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine. Check here before booking an award fare. Still, not all lines have service fees that high. has written about cruising for more than 25 years and for many years oversaw USA Todays award-winning cruise site. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. 0000897240 00000 n It has its advantages, but for a lot of people, its too restrictive. You can disable the usage of cookies by changing the settings of your browser. 0000427335 00000 n TPG values it at $1,600. Credit ranges are a variation of FICO Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application. 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. Reservations arestronglyrecommended in order to avoid a delay in seating (reservations will be taken once onboard, based on availability). 0000022522 00000 n You will be seated with whomever you arrive to the dining room with. You dont really get to know the people you are eating with that well. 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. Finally, the evening shows are often scheduled around Traditional Dining times with early and late showings. There is a $9.75 gratuity per day that is required and this actually covers not only the wait staff but your room steward. A world of culinary exploration awaits you onboard Royal Caribbean. All rights reserved. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit. | Daily service charges are not the only cruise tips you will pay on board. If the gratuities are pre-paid, it should be part of the cruise booking. A. 0000426585 00000 n The early seating is usually around 5:30pm, while the late seating is around 8:00pm. Note that this only applies to dinner in the Main Dining Room. The actual times, however, will vary by sailing. Welcome aboard! John2195, June 24, 2017 in Royal Caribbean International. Online, you can only book My Time Dining for up to eight guests. You can then book dinner in the Main Dining Room for any time you want, or just walk in without a reservation. 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. View All Cruises You cannot paste images directly. Related: The best cruise booking perks and which ones are actually free. 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. My Time Dining Question : r/royalcaribbean - reddit.com How to book My Time Dining on Royal Caribbean If you opt out of daily gratuities your account will not be charged for them. Thats the whole point of the service charge. 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. Powered by Cruiseline.com, spoke with royal Carib rep today who said prepaid grats are now out if you are using My Time Dining. For your convenience, prepaid gratuities are automatically added to your flexible option reservations. Having to arrive early, though, defeats the purpose of being able to dine whenever you'd like. You no longer have to prepay gratuities if you select My Time Dining. 6 Things You MUST Know About Formal Night on a Royal Caribbean Cruise. The menu for My Time Dining is still the same, so you will get the same quality meals. Can you opt out of gratuities on Royal Caribbean? - Quora %PDF-1.4 % 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. January 11, 2019 in Royal Caribbean Discussion. (Sponsored). Started June 21, 2021, By 0000006714 00000 n My Family Time Dining is a dining option for families with children ages 3-11 years that aims to help kid's complete dinner within 45 minutes, freeing parents to enjoy coffee and . 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. 0000422815 00000 n This is where you'll not only be able to make your My Time Dining reservations, but also where you can reserve shore excursions, drink packages, and more. You do have to prepay your gratuities in order to sign up to My Time Dining. 0000767892 00000 n Yes, if there is availability in the My Time Dining Room, we would be happy to accommodate the request. Here is why some people dislike the more informal dining option. How much to tip on a cruise is a question that trips up many first-timers. 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. I don't mind tipping for good service. But its not strict. The traditional dining experience allows you the choice of either early or late seating times for each day of your cruise. The cost of that package is typically $109 per person, per day. Sunshine State. 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. 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. By his definition the answer is yes. If you do get the same waiter every night, theyll remember your name and your preferences. My Time Dining is great for guests who wish to experience a flexible dining schedule onboard their cruise. Automatic gratuity charge: None. There have been both positive and negative reports on Royal Caribbeans My Time Dining.