Be sure to join my email list for my best cruise tips and handpicked deals each week. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays. Then, Norwegian Cruise Line decided to shake things up a bit with "freestyle dining", an innovation that allows guests to eat dinner anytime . KA^tQmy9*yE'6C'VBz@JKz+I_0U{:$asg* \ endstream endobj 157 0 obj <>/Size 28/Type/XRef>>stream 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. We do not prepay gratuities because we always have OBC and they will be deducted from the OBC daily. 0000027181 00000 n If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. 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. 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?! $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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Dine as you want, when you want. The big advantage to paying cruise tips in advance is that you lock in the current rate. My Time Dining usually begins around 6:00pm and lasts until 9:30pm, giving you a wide range of times to choose from. 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. 0000418076 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. But to the OP's question, we have MTD on Mariner next month and have not prepaid our gratuities. . Suggested read: 6 Things You MUST Know About Formal Night on a Royal Caribbean Cruise. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. My Time Dining is only applicable to the Main Dining Room on your ship. Search Now 0000902161 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. But its not strict. 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. The actual times, however, will vary by sailing. Youll be told which restaurant to go to based on your choice. 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. This dining option requires you to "pre pay" your gratuities. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. LauraS 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. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. 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. I noticed the My Time doesn't offer reservations until 6:45. Find the right card for you. Online, you can only book My Time Dining for up to eight guests. On a Royal Caribbean cruise, you need to register for My Time Dining if you dont want a set dining time. For your convenience, prepaid gratuities are automatically added to your flexible option reservations. Hi! Additionally, if you are traveling with a large party, you might find Traditional Dining to be easier. The actual times, however, will vary by sailing. 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. Seldom travelers may not get enough value to warrant the cost. What is Royal Caribbean's service gratuities (tips) price and policy? Jon got hooked on cruising after his first cruise on his honeymoon, and today he is always looking for cruise deals and reading information about the cruise industry. How Does Royal Caribbeans My Time Dining Work? In this case, no gratuities will be charged to your onboard account. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 20 cruises. If you keep things as they are, everyone who is supposed to be tipped, WILL be tipped. You also will not be able to switch after the second day, so you'll want to visit Guest Services and/or the Main Dining Room when you embark-- Guests can only participate in one dining style per sailing. Princess, for example, has added a Princess Plus plan as a booking option. 0000892388 00000 n Your browser is outdated and does not support many of the modern features of this website, 0000901714 00000 n Automatic gratuity charge: None. 0000747552 00000 n 0000003836 00000 n This website uses cookies in order to offer you the most relevant information. 0000891340 00000 n The high annual fee is only worth it if youre taking full advantage of the cards benefits. Also (and I'm probably being the grammar police on this one) do you really mean "you HAVE to pay the gratuities up front at the time of booking" or do you mean they have to be added to your bill at time of booking? Brilliance of the Seas is operated by RCL (UK) Ltd., a subsidiary of Royal . 156.1k. Personally, I wouldn't dream of NOT tipping people that are doing me a service. Enrollment required. Well, this is NOT the only option and you can still choose to eat in the traditional manner. Started August 27, 2021, By Never feel pressured to add an extra tip when you've already paid one. A world of culinary exploration awaits you onboard Royal Caribbean. On a Royal Caribbean cruise, you need to register for My Time Dining if you don't want a set dining time. You dont really get to know the people you are eating with that well. Dont worry: When lines offer such deals, it doesnt mean the crew will receive fewer tips the week you cruise. I'm travelling with guests from another stateroom who selected Traditional Dining. 0000911365 00000 n They will be seated in one of the main dining rooms. 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. "=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 0000737875 00000 n But its definitely not for everyone. It's easy, convenient, and if you wish to recognize outstanding service you can always tip extra cash personally. Royal Caribbean "My Time Dining" Review. However, the suggested dress code remains the same. 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. At many big lines, such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, its not uncommon for a family of four staying in a single cabin to see around $80 a day in service fees added to their bills. Ive worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and now my blog helps over a million people to plan their cruises each month. My Time Dining is the flexible dining option on Royal Caribbean cruises. Unlike Traditional Dining, My Time Dining is only marked as lasting for fifteen minutes. It is recommended that you book a table though. Royal Caribbean has done the latter keeping the option for traditional dining service but also offering My Time Dining. Answer (1 of 4): Fares purchased on the Australian website will always include pre-paid gratuities. We strongly recommend reserving your dining times through Cruise Planner prior to your sailing as dining times may fill up. 0000892817 00000 n 0000901423 00000 n I am looking at cancelling my gratuities when I get on board so I can pay these personally. 0000006636 00000 n You can disable the usage of cookies by changing the settings of your browser. Jon can be reached at. 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. Guests who have signed up for My Time Dining will have their SeaPass card designated with the dining room and deck number. For your convenience, prepaid gratuities are automatically added to your flexible option reservations. That's exactly the case with the Amex Platinum card. We hate spam as much as lounge chair hogs. By his definition the answer is yes. I always prepay my gratuities and do traditional dining. If you're wondering how much you should tip on the specific cruise line you're considering or have already looked, we've compiled that information here. You can reserve My Time Dining when you first book your cruise, or by logging onto the Royal Caribbean website to amend your booking. 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. Are you sure that isn't an Iglu Cruise rule? My Time Dining is not available for breakfast, but you can still use it for both lunch and dinner. 0000006312 00000 n I think you probably have had you questions answered already but I wanted to show an example. I'm travelling with guests from another stateroom who selected Traditional Dining. 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. 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 traveling with more than eight people, My Time Dining might become a hassle. In this line of thinking, lines with these charges are essentially breaking out a good chunk of onboard labor costs as a separate line item on your bill. 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. The old way of MTD had forced you to prepay gratuities but that changed some time ago. 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. What happens if I cancel the gratuities? 0000426585 00000 n Details: Gratuities are included in the fare. It is possible to snag dining times around 7:00pm every night, but this is a highly desirable dinner time. Sometimes it's worth a large investment to reap the benefits of a great credit card. My Time Dining is one of the options youll get to choose from when you book your cruise. What happens if I cancel the gratuities? 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. The longer you wait to arrive, however, the longer you will have to wait for an available table. 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. If youre not someone who has cruised before, you might not be aware of traditional dining times on cruise ships. 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. 0000902670 00000 n Australians typically do not tip because the minimum wage in Australia is $20.33 AUD/hr ($14.56 USD/hr). What we experienced was that their program is NOT really "My time dining", it is RESERVATION time dining. The problem is, I cant see anywhere how to prepay the gratuities? Upon checkout, you will be charged $0.00, unless you are also purchasing other add-ons. I will HAPPILY pay my gratuities, and feel that having them paid in advance is very convenient, andprobably saves me some money. You may tip extra if you feel you have been "WOW'd". 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. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. 0000006046 00000 n Royal Caribbean charges a gratuity of $16.00 per person, per day. If you are asking by prepaying gratuities in advance does that force you to do MTD, then the answer is no. Main Dining Room on Allure of the Seas Alternatively, you can have the charges added to your room bill on board. 0000427335 00000 n So therefore it does not show on our invoice. 0000891423 00000 n Get Cruise Savvy with our FREE Newsletter! We want to do MTD, but Im asking will this stand without finding a way to prepay the gratuities beforehand (Id guessed it would have been in Cruise Planner but evidently not), The gratuities is distributed amongst the entire cruise staff including the dining staff. ( use to happen frequently). u"7QV-gL)qO^>#~r{e7|W(WFAX>B|zj&u{P$LEi7+?X!^ 0000901330 00000 n The Amex Platinum comes with access to a premium concierge service that can help you with everything from booking hard-to-get reservations to finding destination guides to help you plan out your next getaway. Paste as plain text instead, But whether My Time Dining works for you or not really depends on what your preferences are. 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. Can guests move between My Time Dining and Traditional Dining during their cruise? 0000419636 00000 n 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. 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 others could make a separate My Time Dining reservation for 8:15pm. Unlike traditional dining - where a dining time is assigned to you - guests who opt for My Time Dining can eat in the Main Dining Room whenever they like during dining hours, according to availability. All rights reserved. But even so, it's more likely to keep up with cost of living, not to make up for those who don't tip. Member Title: 100,000+ Club. 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. Pardon? Your automatic gratuities also cover your cabin steward and other behind the scenes personnel; not just dining room staff. However, each ship does also offer specialty dining for an additional fee. I'm so sorry that this post wasn't useful for you! %PDF-1.4 % 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. However, spaces may be limited so it may not be possible if you leave it too late. At most lines, you can pay your service charges in advance of sailing (at the same time you pay your cruise fare). 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. 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?? 0000737498 00000 n 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. 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. 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 . If your My Time Dining reservation is at 7:15pm, do not make any other reservations until 8:30pm or later. You also do not get to know the wait staff as well, since you may be seated in a different area every night. You post the same made up garbage in every thread. please click here to update it. Remember that all additional tipping is at your discretion. Note that this only applies to dinner in the Main Dining Room. Cruise lines say they pass the money collected from service charges to the shipboard crew. If you continue to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies. Some dont charge a service fee at all. Additionally, an 18% gratuity is added to bar bills, dining room wine purchases and Lotus Spa services. HW[U5}@iy% $Q'i'xNg2f(-E2obIcUHQ?/yZ!X}qu`?x %PM-*9:^C^%4eKYT,wybq6hkG7w@N5r~ wj,_u';d'QLOC >g18&fa[2.K\TXHkAnA;C:j>, F nf9|t&ix2KXRlb@}dnMqe@Vc8pXN-:{d2{sPVuINq?1k0BaL ;>9tH4w%E3@NH"e&z j9VMF}|^~*h hXH9K 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. Start with these stories: The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. Check out Intelligent Cruiser here for a better cruise vacation. Seating can also be reserved while onboard. If youre already booked and have chosen the flexible option, you can easily pre-reserve specific days and times online. Feel free to leave a comment below to let the community at Cruise Fever know how you feel about My Time Dining in the comment section below. If you cancel prepaid gratuities, you can visit Guest Services once you are onboard and request they discontinue automatic gratuties. 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 . However, you can still make reservations, based on availability, once onboard. It is more difficult for the Main Dining Room to accommodate larger groups with My Time Dining, as there are fewer tables set for bigger parties. 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. And, unlike the typical service fee or resort fee found at a land resort, they are not per room. Unlike traditional dining where a dining time is assigned to you guests who opt for My Time Dining can eat in the Main Dining Room anytime they like during dinner hours, according to times availability. When you are reserving your cruise, you will be given the option to select "Traditional Dining" or "My Time Dining.". They were accurate as of the publishing of this story. If you arrive as soon as the Main Dining Rooms open, you will be able to be seated shortly. If youre already booked and have chosen the flexible option, you can easily pre-reserve specific days and times online. Maximum of 10 guests per reservation. Reservations arestronglyrecommended in order to avoid a delay in seating (reservations will be taken once onboard, based on availability). Related: A beginners guide to picking a cruise line. You can, of course, request a specific table and waiter, but they may not be able to honor this. Learn more. 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. 2011-2023, Cruise Fever . If you opt out of daily gratuities your account will not be charged for them. In many cases, the service charges are adjustable. Check here before booking an award fare. When making a reservation you will be offered My Time or traditional dining times (i.e., 5:30 pm & 8:00 pm). There will be a My Time Dining check-in desk at the entrance to the dining room with wait staff to greet guests. You need to contact your TA and have her add it to your invoice in order to prepay gratuities. | 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. Traditionally, dinner on a cruise ship has been served at two specific seating times. If you want to change to My Time Dining, youll need to speak to Guest Services within the first two days of your cruise. 0000022522 00000 n The guest relations staff will want to know if youve experienced particular service issues. 0000005866 00000 n 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." (Sponsored). Posted June 24, 2017. 0000898322 00000 n For guests staying in Grand Suites and above, the fee is $18.50 per person, per day. No, no, no, no, no. CC Help Jenn American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. 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. My Time Dining is one of the options you'll get to choose from when you book your cruise. 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. Related: Use these credit cards to maximize your next cruise vacation. 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. When you eat with someone different every night it can be hard to get past the introductions every night and really get to know someone. 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. Gratuities haven't been going up "almost every year." 0000006358 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. 0000421346 00000 n As soon as you place the deposit for your cruise, you will gain access to the Cruise Planner. 0000014730 00000 n This also applies to sailings departing from Australia and New Zealand. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Looking for the Best Cruise Deals? 0000722800 00000 n 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. xdOHTQ7Ho1bJ!IP"th+5ha0P"..\h! hQhE9; 0000901784 00000 n The Dining experience was Excellent as were the Waiting Staff, the only gripe, there had to be one, was the cost of the Wine. To ensure quick seating, we encourage guests who have selected the Flexible option to place a reservation for each evening. Plus Ups are excluded. That said, some people do leave a little extra for crew members who go above and beyond. I will pay for fantastic service but can't stand getting it shoved in my face and HAVE TO pay gratuities. 0000417013 00000 n This website uses cookies in order to offer you the most relevant information. Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Get up to $300 back per calendar year on the Equinox+ digital fitness app, or eligible Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card.