royal caribbean my time dining gratuities

She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 20 cruises. 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. 0000423354 00000 n Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. Australians typically do not tip because the minimum wage in Australia is $20.33 AUD/hr ($14.56 USD/hr). Still need help? 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. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Im sorry you never received a tip in your years of "slogging your guts out." Im really asking the opposite - We havent prepaid gratuities, but the agent has booked us in for My Time Dining! What is Royal Caribbean's service gratuities (tips) price and policy? I will pay for fantastic service but can't stand getting it shoved in my face and HAVE TO pay gratuities. Could you please tell me how I can improve it? please click here to update it. 0000891812 00000 n 0000892817 00000 n 0000011539 00000 n The traditional dining experience allows you the choice of either early or late seating times for each day of your cruise. 0000897748 00000 n Due to availability, however, you may not have as many times to choose from. Suggested read: 6 Things You MUST Know About Formal Night on a Royal Caribbean Cruise. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? You can save even more $$$ by eating in the Lido on the last evening and avoiding your cabin steward that night also ? How Does Royal Caribbeans My Time Dining Work? Don't know why you want to do this (are you planning to carry cash every time you go to the WJ?) On a typical seven-night cruise, thats nearly $600 in fees. 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. Having to arrive early, though, defeats the purpose of being able to dine whenever you'd like. Guests who have signed up for My Time Dining will have their SeaPass card designated with the dining room and deck number. Maximum of 10 guests per reservation. My Time Dining is only applicable to the Main Dining Room on your ship. Read on to learn what My Time Dining is, the benefits that it offers, and how to book. The wait. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPGs editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. 0000021713 00000 n If, for example, two people would like to eat earlier around 6:30pm, you would make them their own reservation. 0000844607 00000 n Gratuities haven't been going up "almost every year." So therefore it does not show on our invoice. View All Cruises If the gratuities are pre-paid, it should be part of the cruise 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. 0000891478 00000 n | With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! Then, Norwegian Cruise Line decided to shake things up a bit with "freestyle dining", an innovation that allows guests to eat dinner anytime . Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. 0000902161 00000 n 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. For instance, in recent years, Norwegian has been continuously running free at sea promotions that include not just free crew tips but free shipboard Wi-Fi and a free drinks package, too. 0000005051 00000 n 0000819210 00000 n Upload or insert images from URL. Welcome aboard! 0000905280 00000 n You don't have to tip on these cruises because the line is already paying gratuities to the staff on your behalf. 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. 0000767892 00000 n Join 40,000 cruiserswho readmy email each week Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Royal Caribbean charges a gratuity of $16.00 per person, per day. John2195, June 24, 2017 in Royal Caribbean International. Those grats are also handed out to WJ staff, cafe staff, etc. When you are reserving your cruise, you will be given the option to select "Traditional Dining" or "My Time Dining.". 0000906618 00000 n 0000831970 00000 n By 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. Additionally, an 18% gratuity is added to bar bills, dining room wine purchases and Lotus Spa services. All rights reserved. Some guests choose to recognize particularly exceptional service with an additional cash gratuity on the last night of their cruise. *Please see all applicable Terms & Conditions for Promotions. 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?? 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. That is really the biggest flaw with My Time Dining. Hi, I'm Jenni. 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. American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. Royal Caribbean has done the latter keeping the option for traditional dining service but also offering My Time Dining. 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. There have been both positive and negative reports on Royal Caribbeans My Time Dining. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. Both Royal Caribbean and Carnival have slightly different daily gratuities. 0000913572 00000 n If youre already booked and have chosen the flexible option, you can easily pre-reserve specific days and times online. Yes, if there is availability in the My Time Dining Room, we would be happy to accommodate the request. How much to tip extra on a cruise is entirely up to you because it is in no way required. 2010 Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. The buffet restaurant doesnt offer reservations and you can visit it whenever you want. 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. Can a family in one stateroom dine at different times with My Time Dining? Hes sailed on more than 150 ships. 0000003555 00000 n The high annual fee is only worth it if youre taking full advantage of the cards benefits. But even so, it's more likely to keep up with cost of living, not to make up for those who don't tip. (Sponsored). 156.1k. I think the crew would let it be know if they were not receiving their share of the gratuities. Powered by Cruiseline.com, spoke with royal Carib rep today who said prepaid grats are now out if you are using My Time Dining. Never feel pressured to add an extra tip when you've already paid one. 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. If you dont like tipping in advance to your service, and you would rather leave generous tips individually, there is nothing stopping you from going the extra mile to tip your waiter or waitress each night you use the My Time Dining option. However, you can still make reservations, based on availability, once onboard. It's kind of a runaround to personally get to everyone who is included (my opinion). Passengers in mini-suites pay $17, while those in bigger suites pay $18. ;p, You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By but only parties of 20 or less can be seated at one time. You can then book dinner in the Main Dining Room for any time you want, or just walk in without a reservation. 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. 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. When you log into the Cruise Planner, all you have to do is navigate to the "Dining" tab and scroll down until you see "My Time Dining.". You may request a certain waiter each night, and we will work to seat your party in his or her area depending on availability. 0000916809 00000 n Jon can be reached at. If your My Time Dining reservation is at 7:15pm, do not make any other reservations until 8:30pm or later. Every Royal Caribbean ship includes meals at many included restaurants, including the main dining room and the buffet. If you have multiple people in your stateroom or travel party, you can make multiple reservations each evening to accommodate everyone's preferences. Do you plan on dining anywhere except the dining room? Perhaps as more and more cheapos remove their grats the cruise lines will finally just increase fares so everyone pays the same in tips. What happens if I cancel the gratuities? Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. The exact times, however, will vary according to your cruise itinerary. 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. 0000008654 00000 n 0000828394 00000 n 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. Depending on when you go, you may have to wait until there is an available table. 0000433627 00000 n 0000006002 00000 n You definitely won't go hungry during your sailing, even if you don't purchase any dining extras. When making a reservation you will be offered My Time or traditional dining times (i.e., 5:30 pm & 8:00 pm). Royal Caribbeans award winning dining program, My Time Dining, offers flexible and traditional options. 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. 0000755470 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 . If youre already booked and have chosen the flexible option, you can easily pre-reserve specific days and times online. 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. The cost of that package is typically $109 per person, per day. Princess, for example, has added a Princess Plus plan as a booking option. My Time Dining is now a choice within the booking process. The guest relations staff will want to know if youve experienced particular service issues. For more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPGs new cruise newsletter. 0000704363 00000 n When planning your other evening activities, make sure that you allot yourself at least 75 minutes for your Main Dining Room experience. Discover the culinary curiosities of Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine. 0000006714 00000 n The old way of MTD had forced you to prepay gratuities but that changed some time ago. If you opt out of daily gratuities your account will not be charged for them. 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. Yes, if there is availability in the My Time Dining Room, we would be happy to accommodate the request. Royal Caribbean gratuities for children and infants If you cancel prepaid gratuities, you can visit Guest Services once you are onboard and request they discontinue automatic gratuties. One additional reason that you might pre-pay in the future is that Royal can change these rates at anytime, if you have them pre-paid, you are locked in to that rate. That's exactly the case with the Amex Platinum card. The longer you wait to arrive, however, the longer you will have to wait for an available table. Your browser is outdated and does not support many of the modern features of this website, 0000906128 00000 n Another method is to just simply show up at the Main Dining Room each night when you are ready to eat. Automatic Gratuities were added to lessen the event of "skipping out" on tips and to make sure MTD waiters were tipped. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. 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. 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. Clear editor. Your automatic gratuities also cover your cabin steward and other behind the scenes personnel; not just dining room staff. Automatic gratuity charge: $16 to $18.50 per . 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. There is a $9.75 gratuity per day that is required and this actually covers not only the wait staff but your room steward. 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. If you want, you can even try to switch onboard. Be sure to join my email list for my best cruise tips and handpicked deals each week. 0000735845 00000 n It is much simpler, and fairer, to leave them in place. 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. If you arrive as soon as the Main Dining Rooms open, you will be able to be seated shortly. You will be able to see the exact times that My Time Dining is offered each evening once you book your cruise. A list of those who do this is available to the staff. But whether My Time Dining works for you or not really depends on what your preferences are. 0000747552 00000 n 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. April 7, 2008. Here's how it works on Royal Caribbean: As of September 7 th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per . You can be seated with the party you arrive with or be seated at your own table. The recommended dress code for the Main Dining Room for traditional dining or My Time Dining is smart casual. These 9 Drinks Are Free on Royal Caribbean Cruises. 0000891587 00000 n has written about cruising for more than 25 years and for many years oversaw USA Todays award-winning cruise site. I will HAPPILY pay my gratuities, and feel that having them paid in advance is very convenient, andprobably saves me some money. My Time Dining is now a choice within the booking process. Most of the biggest cruise lines automatically add some type of service or gratuity fee onto passenger bills. The folks who WERVE YOU are the ones who get your tips. 0000006450 00000 n Can they join me in the My Time Dining Room. During peak dinner times, you may have to wait as long as 45 minutes for a table. 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. 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. 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. We always choose My Time dinning. 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. 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. Just make sure to turn up at the reserved time. 0000027181 00000 n 0000014874 00000 n 0000916414 00000 n This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Maximum of 10 guests per reservation. 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. 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. Have you noticed over the years that daily grats have been increasing almost every year to make up for the non tippers. 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. The automatic service gratuity is $14.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Junior Suites and below, or $17.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Grand Suites and above, applied to each guest's SeaPass account on a daily basis. Callummck Guests may request a special table or waiter. 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). Check out Intelligent Cruiser here for a better cruise vacation. To ensure quick seating, we encourage guests who have selected the Flexible option to place a reservation for each evening. To this day it still references dynamic dining in the cruise planner even though that is long gone. It is recommended that you book a table though. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. 0000011404 00000 n 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. 0000737498 00000 n We can honor requests to change only once based on availability. 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! 0000901330 00000 n 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. 20102023Regal Sea Media LLC. By his definition the answer is yes. I'm travelling with guests from another stateroom who selected Traditional Dining. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. 0000897721 00000 n Their memory is incredible and they really do make you feel special. Sometimes it's worth a large investment to reap the benefits of a great credit card. 0000891340 00000 n You also do not get to know the wait staff as well, since you may be seated in a different area every night. 0000896900 00000 n 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. Why is it combined? You can disable the usage of cookies by changing the settings of your browser. However, a lot of people do uphold the dress code, so if you turn up in a t-shirt and shorts then you may look out of place. Many cruise lines will tack an automatic gratuity charge onto the bill for extra-fee drinks, restaurant meals and spa treatments. We have my time dining and according to the threads it looks like the gratuities are asked to be prepaid. That said, some people do leave a little extra for crew members who go above and beyond. 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. For guests staying in Grand Suites and above, the fee is $18.50 per person, per day. Two brothers started Cruise Fever in 2011 when they decided they couldn't stop cruising so they might as well write about it. 0000002916 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! 6 Things You MUST Know About Formal Night on a Royal Caribbean Cruise. The rates listed are per person, per day. Well, this is NOT the only option and you can still choose to eat in the traditional manner. However, spaces may be limited so it may not be possible if you leave it too late. It's easy, convenient, and if you wish to recognize outstanding service you can always tip extra cash personally. The big advantage to paying cruise tips in advance is that you lock in the current rate. The dining staff will do all possible to accommodate the request, based on availability. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline. My confusion is to do with the My Time Dining - If gratuities havent been prepaid, do we still have the My Time Dining thats on the invoice?! Regent Seven Seas Cruises. 0000426585 00000 n Then, contact one with a best-price guarantee and have them beat it! Main Dining Room on Allure of the Seas My Time Dining is one of the options youll get to choose from when you book your cruise. Often, even if you do have a reservation you have to wait, but the time is much shorter since they are expecting you. 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. Reservations arestronglyrecommended in order to avoid a delay in seating (reservations will be taken once onboard, based on availability). Hi! 0000906914 00000 n 0000419103 00000 n Breakfast in the Main Dining Room is first come, first serve, regardless on whether or not you selected My Time or Traditional Dining. At some lines, these charges run as high as $25 per day. Sunshine State. In many cases, the service charges are adjustable. 0000909381 00000 n 0000419307 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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Dine as you want, when you want. Can guests move between My Time Dining and Traditional Dining during their cruise? 0000427335 00000 n Royal Caribbeans award winning dining program, My Time Dining, offers flexible and traditional options. 0000891423 00000 n 0000722800 00000 n 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. 0000909755 00000 n Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. 0000005141 00000 n Traditionally, dinner on a cruise ship has been served at two specific seating times. xdOHTQ7Ho1bJ!IP"th+5ha0P"..\h! hQhE9; Flexible seating works very much like standard restaurant seating. Enrollment required. Kudos to NCL for no longer allowing grats to be removed onboard. What happens if I cancel the gratuities? Still need help? That is not the case anymore but Royal is not great about updating their website information.