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. 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. 0000417078 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. 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. Brilliance of the Seas is operated by RCL (UK) Ltd., a subsidiary of Royal . Heres how I get the lowest price when I book a cruise. In addition to this, an 18% gratuity is automatically added to all drinks, spa and salon services. Posted June 24, 2017. 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. My Time Dining is only applicable to the Main Dining Room on your ship. Also as others have stated, prepaid gratuities and MTD have nothing to do with each other anymore. Here is why some people dislike the more informal dining option. You may request a certain waiter each night, and we will work to seat your party in his or her area depending on availability. 0000828837 00000 n Another method is to just simply show up at the Main Dining Room each night when you are ready to eat. April 7, 2008. 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. 0000422815 00000 n I don't mind tipping for good service. In many cases, the service charges are adjustable. Traditional seating will mean that guests will keep the same wait staff and dining companions throughout the cruise. We strongly recommend reserving your dining times through Cruise Planner prior to your sailing as dining times may fill up. 0000006358 00000 n 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. If you arrive as soon as the Main Dining Rooms open, you will be able to be seated shortly. 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. We hate spam as much as lounge chair hogs. You can then book dinner in the Main Dining Room for any time you want, or just walk in without a reservation. My Family Time dining is currently unavailable throughout our fleet. No, no, no, no, no. You can choose a different time each day, so you can fit dinner around the rest of your onshore and onboard plans. But its definitely not for everyone. 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. 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. Welcome aboard! Sorry- Im not expressing myself too well! Check here before booking an award fare. You can choose a different time each day, so you can fit dinner around the rest of your onshore and onboard plans. The same applies if you want to switch from My Time Dining back to traditional dining. You can eat anytime between 6:00 pm and 9:30 pm. Check out Intelligent Cruiser here for a better cruise vacation. 0000841939 00000 n 0000897721 00000 n 0000916809 00000 n In that sense, the current system is more equitable than the old system of cash tipping, which favored certain workers, lines say. How to book My Time Dining on Royal Caribbean This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Cruise lines say they pass the money collected from service charges to the shipboard crew. Also if staff are chastised for receiving cash, why do all the posts advocate tipping over and above the automatic gratuities for good service? 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. Princess, for example, has added a Princess Plus plan as a booking option. You may request a certain waiter each night, and we will work to seat your party in his or her area depending on availability. The big advantage to paying cruise tips in advance is that you lock in the current rate. The others could make a separate My Time Dining reservation for 8:15pm. 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! At most lines, you can pay your service charges in advance of sailing (at the same time you pay your cruise fare). So if I cancel my gratuities what will be added to my account for my time dining. On a Royal Caribbean cruise, you need to register for My Time Dining if you dont want a set dining time. I did find My Time Dining rather a contradiction as theoretically you could dine anytime between the hours of 6.30 9.30, but, its best to make a reservation, as it turned out the waiting time was approximately the same for both cases. 0000755470 00000 n Youll be asked to pre-pay your gratuities. *Please see all applicable Terms & Conditions for Promotions. If not, you might be stuck eating even later than the second seating! Can they join me in the My Time Dining Room? 0000418920 00000 n It is recommended that you book a table though. 0000910770 00000 n 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. For example, Norwegian offers a complimentary Open Bar drinks package for travelers who book its "free at sea" promotion. Do you have to pay gratuities on Royal Caribbean Australia? 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. Yes. Some people assume that, because My Time Dining offers more flexible dining, it has a more flexible dress code. Contact Us Get support by Phone or Email 866-562-7625 Email Your Questions Weve booked a cruise through an agent. 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 and earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. 0000909755 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. 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. Love Cruise Fever?Sign Up to Our FREE Newsletter! As soon as you place the deposit for your cruise, you will gain access to the Cruise Planner. 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. 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. What is My Time Dining? | Royal Caribbean Cruises has written about cruising for more than 25 years and for many years oversaw USA Todays award-winning cruise site. Many cruise lines will tack an automatic gratuity charge onto the bill for extra-fee drinks, restaurant meals and spa treatments. Royal Caribbean Gratuities: Everything You Need to Know 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. You will be able to see the exact times that My Time Dining is offered each evening once you book your cruise. Contact Us Get support by Phone or Email 866-562-7625 Email Your Questions Locate a Travel Agent If you cancel prepaid gratuities, you can visit Guest Services once you are onboard and request they discontinue automatic gratuties. 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?! 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. The mandatory 20% gratuity comes out to nearly $22 per day. 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. You also do not get to know the wait staff as well, since you may be seated in a different area every night. Unlike Traditional Dining, you will not be seated at the same table with the same wait staff if your choose My Time. 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. Note that this only applies to dinner in the Main Dining Room. 0000014874 00000 n 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. With Traditional Dining, you will have the same reserved seating each night of your cruise, and there are two seatings to choose from: first (early) and second (late). It is possible to snag dining times around 7:00pm every night, but this is a highly desirable dinner time. The old way of MTD had forced you to prepay gratuities but that changed some time ago. Would we pay them on the first day onboard? For more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPGs new cruise newsletter. And that they aren't simply following the outdated information still present on Royal's website as pointed out above? 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. 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. Most of the biggest cruise lines automatically add some type of service or gratuity fee onto passenger bills. I take any thread older than a year (sometimes less) with a grain of salt.