A beginners guide to picking a cruise line, Use these credit cards to maximize your next cruise vacation, 9 times you do not need to tip on a cruise, The best cruise booking perks and which ones are actually free, pay $16 for what the line now calls a crew appreciation charge, The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship, The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship, A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines, 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly, 12 best cruises for people who never want to grow up, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 0000026625 00000 n 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. 0000913926 00000 n Once they go to the My Time Dining desk to be seated for dinner, the waiter will look up the guests stateroom and pull any special dietary needs or amenities purchased for them. They will be seated in one of the main dining rooms. 0000735845 00000 n 0000812508 00000 n So if I cancel my gratuities what will be added to my account for my time dining. So by your definition no one should tip because others will make up the difference? Main Dining Room on Allure of the Seas 0000901423 00000 n There have been both positive and negative reports on Royal Caribbeans My Time Dining. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. 0000883078 00000 n Love Cruise Fever?Sign Up to Our FREE Newsletter! But whether My Time Dining works for you or not really depends on what your preferences are. My Time Dining is great for guests who wish to experience a flexible dining schedule onboard their cruise. You can eat anytime between 6:00 pm and 9:30 pm. 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. But some people just want to eat with their own family. Your browser is outdated and does not support many of the modern features of this website, 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. I'm so sorry that this post wasn't useful for you! Any amount is fine and will be appreciated by the hard-working crew. So if I cancel my gratuities what will be added to my account for my time dining. This website uses cookies in order to offer you the most relevant information. 0000916923 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. This card is also incredibly rewarding for travel purchases, helping you rack up a ton of Membership Rewards points for your next award trip. Clear editor. Or do they not notice those "add on" charges? Automatic Gratuities were added to lessen the event of "skipping out" on tips and to make sure MTD waiters were tipped. 0000417581 00000 n Finally, the evening shows are often scheduled around Traditional Dining times with early and late showings. . The rates listed are per person, per day. But to the OP's question, we have MTD on Mariner next month and have not prepaid our gratuities. 0000424501 00000 n Having to arrive early, though, defeats the purpose of being able to dine whenever you'd like. Hes sailed on more than 150 ships. 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. They are per person. 0000418920 00000 n Some guests choose to recognize particularly exceptional service with an additional cash gratuity on the last night of their cruise. 0000425403 00000 n 0000016969 00000 n Answer (1 of 4): Fares purchased on the Australian website will always include pre-paid gratuities. 0000006236 00000 n What happens if I cancel the gratuities? Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. You cannot paste images directly. If a guest requests My Time dining, can wine be ordered through Royal Gifts to be delivered to the dining room? Sunshine State. On a Royal Caribbean cruise, you need to register for My Time Dining if you don't want a set dining time. My Time Dining and tips - Royal Caribbean Blog Sometimes it's worth a large investment to reap the benefits of a great credit card. We can honor requests to change only once based on availability. You can wait to make your My Time Dining reservations until you board your cruise ship. 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. I always prepay my gratuities and do traditional dining. The group we are going with have all chosen the early 5pm dinner reservation. These 9 Drinks Are Free on Royal Caribbean Cruises. 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. For example, Norwegian offers a complimentary Open Bar drinks package for travelers who book its "free at sea" promotion. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Do I have to pre-reserve My Time Dining through Cruise Planner? Maximum of 10 guests per reservation. My Time Dining usually begins around 6:00pm and lasts until 9:30pm, giving you a wide range of times to choose from. The flexibility of My Time Dining comes with responsibility. 0000902670 00000 n If the gratuities are pre-paid, it should be part of the cruise booking. For your convenience, prepaid gratuities are automatically added to your flexible option reservations. The benefits of My Time Dining are that you decide who you eat with, and when. No votes so far! 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. Reservations are strongly recommended. The traditional dining experience allows you the choice of either early or late seating times for each day of your cruise. Speciality restaurants require reservations but they dont have traditional dining times. 0000003388 00000 n Piano bar regulars know that a cash tip will increase the chances of the pianist choosing and performing your song request. Those grats are also handed out to WJ staff, cafe staff, etc. We hate spam as much as lounge chair hogs. 0000891696 00000 n *Please see all applicable Terms & Conditions for Promotions. 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. A world of culinary exploration awaits you onboard Royal Caribbean. Royal Caribbean My Time Dining: What You Must Know! 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. 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. 0000426236 00000 n Be sure to join my email list for my best cruise tips and handpicked deals each week. 0000736952 00000 n Their website explains it as such: "By selecting My Time Dini. 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. If we paid the gratuities up front when onboard would we still have able to do MTD? The others could make a separate My Time Dining reservation for 8:15pm. What is My Time Dining? | Royal Caribbean Cruises 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. KA^tQmy9*yE'6C'VBz@JKz+I_0U{:$asg* \ endstream endobj 157 0 obj <>/Size 28/Type/XRef>>stream Additionally, if you are traveling with a large party, you might find Traditional Dining to be easier. Well, this is NOT the only option and you can still choose to eat in the traditional manner. 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 will see the same helpful crew members waiting on you in the WJ as you did last night in the MDR. Yes, if there is availability in the My Time Dining Room, we would be happy to accommodate the request. But even so, it's more likely to keep up with cost of living, not to make up for those who don't tip. You no longer have to prepay gratuities if you select My Time Dining. Unsubscribe whenever you want. Additionally, an 18% gratuity is added to bar bills, dining room wine purchases and Lotus Spa services. Royal Caribbean | MY TIME DINING DAILY RESERVATIONS Once you have decided on the perfect ship and itinerary, you are ready to move forward with the cruise booking process. 0000891999 00000 n You will be seated with whomever you arrive to the dining room with. 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. Read on to learn what My Time Dining is, the benefits that it offers, and how to book. If you opt out of daily gratuities your account will not be charged for them. 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. However, as mentioned, it is usually just easier and more convenient to leave the auto-gratuity/service charge/hotel charge (it is called different things on different cruise lines) in place. 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. So therefore it does not show on our invoice. Theres also a dining hotline you can call from the phone in your stateroom to make changes to your reservations. You also do not get to know the wait staff as well, since you may be seated in a different area every night. 0000905656 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. If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. has written about cruising for more than 25 years and for many years oversaw USA Todays award-winning cruise site. And, unlike the typical service fee or resort fee found at a land resort, they are not per room. 156.1k. How much to tip on a cruise is a question that trips up many first-timers. 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. In addition to this, an 18% gratuity is automatically added to all drinks, spa and salon services. If you keep things as they are, everyone who is supposed to be tipped, WILL be tipped. Join 40,000 cruiserswho readmy email each week Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? My Time Dining is now a choice within the booking process. 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. The recommended dress code for the Main Dining Room for traditional dining or My Time Dining is smart casual. Understood, and many passengers also feel this way. How Does Royal Caribbean's My Time Dining Work? - Cruise Fever At some lines, these charges run as high as $25 per day. E{3bEi_,FdTneL m!TlmJ=&esmh~rqbo)q9V'{7_LA74us i%@MZC1twwBjkC%{'BLTzP64Z{C@gC;qdF\u4:}NiIYmKzuu>k&dOWd1ydzW ]EhWJt*iLAcGMUyhvjw%m&_I;jxt' jg|zn~7_{ksiY15M HHnV6@,,TnMv9GU{$ You can choose a different time each day, so you can fit dinner around the rest of your onshore and onboard plans. Note that this only applies to dinner in the Main Dining Room. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Dine as you want, when you want. Heres how I get the lowest price when I book a cruise. If youre late then your table may be given away, and youll have to wait for another one. We have my time dining and according to the threads it looks like the gratuities are asked to be prepaid. Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. All rights reserved. 0000417308 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. 0000003836 00000 n Do you have Cruise Fever too? If youre not someone who has cruised before, you might not be aware of traditional dining times on cruise ships. A list of those who do this is available to the staff. 0000891423 00000 n 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. 0000011539 00000 n 0000910770 00000 n 0000891587 00000 n If you cancel prepaid gratuities, you can visit Guest Services once you are onboard and request they discontinue automatic gratuties. Royal Caribbean and their "My time dining". - Ask a Cruise Question 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. The closer you get to your cruise vacation, the fewer reservations you may find. 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. After sneaking a peek at our dining table the 1st night out & seeing we were seated with 4 elderly women, we decided to consider switching to My Time. You may request a certain waiter each night, and we will work to seat your party in his or her area depending on availability. 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. 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. Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPGs editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. 0000014874 00000 n I don't know if you have cruised before, but the gratuities cover more than your wait staff in My Time Dining. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. Its much better if youre someone who likes to play it by ear for dinner, based on how hungry you are. . 0000892388 00000 n The annual airline fee statement credit can be complicated to take advantage of compared to the broader travel credits offered by competing premium cards. 0000418111 00000 n However, the suggested dress code remains the same. Be the first to rate this post. My Family Time Dining | Royal Caribbean Cruises 0000022522 00000 n Whats Included in a Royal Caribbean Cruise? All rights reserved. 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. What happens if I cancel the gratuities? 0000916809 00000 n You definitely won't go hungry during your sailing, even if you don't purchase any dining extras. 0000690334 00000 n 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. There are even more places your Platinum Card can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks. You can disable the usage of cookies by changing the settings of your browser. When booking a Royal Caribbean cruise, you have two options for dining: My Time Dining and Traditional Dining. Royal Caribbeans award winning dining program, My Time Dining, offers flexible and traditional options. The cost of that package is typically $109 per person, per day. CC Help Jenn Member Title: 100,000+ Club. %PDF-1.4 % Often, even if you do have a reservation you have to wait, but the time is much shorter since they are expecting you. Royal Caribbean | MY TIME DINING DAILY RESERVATIONS What is My Time Dining? | Royal Caribbean Cruises In this case, no gratuities will be charged to your onboard account. You will have to make each reservation individually and add them to your cart one-by-one. 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 the same time, you will be able to add prepaid gratuities and vacation protection, if you choose to do so. 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.". I understand that once upon a time prepaid gratuities were required for MTD. 0000896900 00000 n Reservations arestronglyrecommended in order to avoid a delay in seating. My Time Dining is the flexible dining option on Royal Caribbean cruises. 0000019016 00000 n ;) Can we opt out of those added on charges also?? Also if staff are chastised for receiving cash, why do all the posts advocate tipping over and above the automatic gratuities for good service? Hi! It has its advantages, but for a lot of people, its too restrictive. Learn the cruise secrets most people don't know and cruise like a boss. 0000737498 00000 n 0000002916 00000 n With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! Heres my confusion: I understand prepaid gratuities is required for My Time Dining. Rather, you will be seated wherever there is availability. 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. After 23 Royal Caribbean Cruises, What I've Learned About Tipping If you do get the same waiter every night, theyll remember your name and your preferences. 0000005911 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 . You may tip extra if you feel you have been "WOW'd". By 0000902161 00000 n Editorial disclaimer: 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. If you are traveling with more than eight people, My Time Dining might become a hassle. $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. 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. I think the crew would let it be know if they were not receiving their share of the gratuities. No, no, no, no, no. Someone else that pays more will take up the slack for you. My Time Dining Frequently Asked Questions | Royal Caribbean Cruises Display as a link instead, To ensure quick seating, we encourage guests who have selected the Flexible option to place a reservation for each evening. The old way of MTD had forced you to prepay gratuities but that changed some time ago. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. The guest relations staff will want to know if youve experienced particular service issues. 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. So for those who like some solitude, they may find that this more freestyle approach works better, but not everyone likes the NCL style of eating. How to book My Time Dining on Royal Caribbean Powered by Cruiseline.com, spoke with royal Carib rep today who said prepaid grats are now out if you are using My Time Dining. Also, once you have been seated and your meal is being served, no other guests will be sat at your table. If you pay them onboard, it will be charged automatically each day of the cruise. but it's so much better to leave the automatic tips in place and just give extra cash to those you feel deserve it. The folks who WERVE YOU are the ones who get your tips. | 0000910197 00000 n Why is it combined? My Time Dining is one of the options youll get to choose from when you book your cruise. However, spaces may be limited so it may not be possible if you leave it too late. 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. We always choose My Time dinning. 0000828837 00000 n $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. But its not strict. Smart cruise advice, cruise deals, and breaking news. It is recommended that you book a table though. If youre already booked and have chosen the flexible option, you can easily pre-reserve specific days and times online. If you have an issue with how the crew get paid don't withhold your tips since that will only penalize the crew. 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. Still need help? LauraS On a Royal Caribbean cruise, you need to register for My Time Dining if you dont want a set dining time. 0000841664 00000 n If you are asking by prepaying gratuities in advance does that force you to do MTD, then the answer is no. 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. Please check your email and click the link to confirm, and you're all set! 0000006046 00000 n When making a reservation you will be offered My Time or traditional dining times (i.e., 5:30 pm & 8:00 pm). 0000015069 00000 n You can do this before the cruise, or during your voyage. 0000738152 00000 n document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Dine as you want, when you want. Your automatic gratuities also cover your cabin steward and other behind the scenes personnel; not just dining room staff. Just head over to the Main Dining Room to speak with a head waiter, and they will assist you! Contact Us Get support by Phone or Email 866-562-7625 Email Your Questions Ships registered in the Bahamas. 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). 0000909755 00000 n Don't know why you want to do this (are you planning to carry cash every time you go to the WJ?) Still need help?
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