By Paste as plain text instead, Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPGs editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. You can then book dinner in the Main Dining Room for any time you want, or just walk in without a reservation. You do have to prepay your gratuities in order to sign up to My Time Dining. Booking MTD on certain ships requires individual checkouts for each night while other ships you can make reservations for the whole cruise and check out once. They will be seated in one of the main dining rooms. 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. 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 may tip extra if you feel you have been "WOW'd". Get Cruise Savvy with our FREE Newsletter! 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. 156.1k. 0000427335 00000 n This is an unfair statement. A world of culinary exploration awaits you onboard Royal Caribbean. 0000911056 00000 n If you arrive as soon as the Main Dining Rooms open, you will be able to be seated shortly. Still need help? |, 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. Do you have Cruise Fever too? Enrollment required. 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. You may find that you are split up at different tables that are not located near each other. Also if staff are chastised for receiving cash, why do all the posts advocate tipping over and above the automatic gratuities for good service? If you are asking by prepaying gratuities in advance does that force you to do MTD, then the answer is no. 0000005141 00000 n How Does Royal Caribbeans My Time Dining Work? Yes, My Time Dining is flexible. Discover the culinary curiosities of Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine. Please don't disrupt the system that works that was put in place that is fair to crew and guests . Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. 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?? Can they join me in the My Time Dining Room? These 9 Drinks Are Free on Royal Caribbean Cruises. That is how it works for those employees who get paid with tips. 0000722800 00000 n We do not prepay gratuities because we always have OBC and they will be deducted from the OBC daily. The group we are going with have all chosen the early 5pm dinner reservation. 0000828884 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. 0000420293 00000 n You can be seated with the party you arrive with or be seated at your own table. 0000417807 00000 n The exact times, however, will vary according to your cruise itinerary. Im really asking the opposite - We havent prepaid gratuities, but the agent has booked us in for My Time Dining! 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. 0000735845 00000 n The same applies if you want to switch from My Time Dining back to traditional dining. 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. 0000902161 00000 n Royal Caribbeans award winning dining program, My Time Dining, offers flexible and traditional options. I take any thread older than a year (sometimes less) with a grain of salt. Piano bar regulars know that a cash tip will increase the chances of the pianist choosing and performing your song request. 0000006404 00000 n Maximum of 10 guests per reservation. Can a family in one stateroom dine at different times with My Time Dining? The folks who WERVE YOU are the ones who get your tips. 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. 0000736952 00000 n 0000891696 00000 n Itll be one less thing on your final bill at the end of the cruise. 0000422815 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. If you have an issue with how the crew get paid don't withhold your tips since that will only penalize the crew. My Time Dining usually begins around 6:00pm and lasts until 9:30pm, giving you a wide range of times to choose from. We do not prepay gratuities because we always have OBC and they will be deducted from the OBC daily. 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. I'm so sorry that this post wasn't useful for you! Planning a cruise? Enrollment required. My Time Dining uses the same menu as traditional seating. The high annual fee is only worth it if youre taking full advantage of the cards benefits. TPG values it at $1,600. We have my time dining and according to the threads it looks like the gratuities are asked to be prepaid. Another method is to just simply show up at the Main Dining Room each night when you are ready to eat. Alas! If you opt out of daily gratuities your account will not be charged for them. 0000419636 00000 n If a guest requests My Time dining, can wine be ordered through Royal Gifts to be delivered to the dining room? You dont have to attend dinner at the same time, and you can arrange a table that works for you. 28 0 obj <> endobj xref 28 131 0000000016 00000 n For example, Norwegian offers a complimentary Open Bar drinks package for travelers who book its "free at sea" promotion. I always prepay my gratuities and do traditional dining. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. All rights reserved. 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. 0000916095 00000 n 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); | 0000897721 00000 n 0000011404 00000 n 0000841664 00000 n The dining staff will do all possible to accommodate the request, based on availability. This website uses cookies in order to offer you the most relevant information. 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. Welcome aboard! What happens if I cancel the gratuities? Should they have been paid at the time of booking? If youre already booked and have chosen the flexible option, you can easily pre-reserve specific days and times online. Due to availability, however, you may not have as many times to choose from. Sorry- Im not expressing myself too well! 0000891340 00000 n The benefits of My Time Dining are that you decide who you eat with, and when. Posted June 24, 2017. The menu for My Time Dining is still the same, so you will get the same quality meals. LauraS Having to arrive early, though, defeats the purpose of being able to dine whenever you'd like. 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 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. Hes sailed on more than 150 ships. No, no, no, no, no. Additionally, several major lines in the past couple of years have begun offering bundle pricing to customers who pay for cruise tips, Wi-Fi charges and an onboard drinks package all at once in advance of sailing, potentially at a discount. You will see the same helpful crew members waiting on you in the WJ as you did last night in the MDR. You can disable the usage of cookies by changing the settings of your browser. Started August 27, 2021, By *Please see all applicable Terms & Conditions for Promotions. Can they join me in the My Time Dining Room. There have been both positive and negative reports on Royal Caribbeans My Time Dining. Details: Gratuities are included in the fare. 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. 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. Search Now 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. There are even more places your Platinum Card can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks. Cheap people have been around for years. With My Time Dining, you can simply walk up to the host stand to be seated or make reservations in advance for your preferred time. You can reserve My Time Dining when you first book your cruise, or by logging onto the Royal Caribbean website to amend your booking. 0000426585 00000 n Jon can be reached at. Unlike Traditional Dining, My Time Dining is only marked as lasting for fifteen minutes. Youll be told which restaurant to go to based on your choice. 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. The annual airline fee statement credit can be complicated to take advantage of compared to the broader travel credits offered by competing premium cards. 0000896807 00000 n The wait. The agent asked us which dining option wed like and we chose my time. 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. 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. I'm travelling with guests from another stateroom who selected Traditional Dining. Someone else that pays more will take up the slack for you. 2011-2023, Cruise Fever . 0000015069 00000 n When you are reserving your cruise, you will be given the option to select "Traditional Dining" or "My Time Dining.". Those grats are also handed out to WJ staff, cafe staff, etc. Jon lives in the foothills of North Carolina and wishes there were a cruise port that far inland. 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. 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 . When making a reservation you will be offered "My Time" or traditional dining times (i.e., 5:30 pm & 8:00 pm). The actual times, however, will vary by sailing. Flexible seating works very much like standard restaurant seating. 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. No votes so far! 0000737875 00000 n 0000767892 00000 n Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. I noticed the My Time doesn't offer reservations until 6:45. The traditional dining experience allows you the choice of either early or late seating times for each day of your cruise. On a Royal Caribbean cruise, you need to register for My Time Dining if you dont want a set dining time. 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. Remember that all additional tipping is at your discretion. January 11, 2019 in Royal Caribbean Discussion. 0000897170 00000 n 0000909755 00000 n The flexible option allows you to select your own dining time and table companions on a daily basis. *Please see all applicable Terms & Conditions for Promotions. 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. (Sponsored). The closer you get to your cruise vacation, the fewer reservations you may find. But to the OP's question, we have MTD on Mariner next month and have not prepaid our gratuities. 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. Love Cruise Fever?Sign Up to Our FREE Newsletter! Prior to checking out, you will have to make a decision on dining style. 0000006312 00000 n 0000891423 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. Reservations are strongly recommended. Royal Caribbean gratuities for children and infants 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. What happens if I cancel the gratuities? Speciality restaurants require reservations but they dont have traditional dining times. 0000426236 00000 n They were accurate as of the publishing of this story. My Time Dining is only applicable to the Main Dining Room on your ship. If you keep things as they are, everyone who is supposed to be tipped, WILL be tipped. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. It is much simpler, and fairer, to leave them in place. 0000916923 00000 n Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays. 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. 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. Royal Caribbean recently added "My time dining" as a dining option. 2010 Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. In this case, no gratuities will be charged to your onboard account. ;) Can we opt out of those added on charges also?? Obviously through this conversation you can tell that you can pre-pay your gratuities our they will be added to your onboard account daily as you cruise. Are you sure that isn't an Iglu Cruise rule? 0000422260 00000 n Some people assume that, because My Time Dining offers more flexible dining, it has a more flexible dress code. ?xtp~?f~j)Br$7q,,"Sf%SXAii%1O=]rlsE"V3ueGWY^U?h2/?7>V1yP GoW}wA[5!>0yuoe (Enrollment required for select benefits.). So therefore it does not show on our invoice. 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 Unlike Traditional Dining, you will not be seated at the same table with the same wait staff if your choose My Time. MY FAMILY TIME DINING MY TIME DINING DAILY RESERVATIONS Awards FOLLOW US JOIN CROWN & ANCHOR SOCIETY CALL US NOW +971 4 331 4299 A list of those who do this is available to the staff. 0000006679 00000 n 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. Don't know why you want to do this (are you planning to carry cash every time you go to the WJ?) All of the gratuities are divided equally among the wait staff. The extra cost of the automatic gratuity charges can be a shock to first-time cruisers. 0000017159 00000 n 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). A list of those who do this is available to the staff. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Dine as you want, when you want. To ensure quick seating, we encourage guests who have selected the Flexible option to place a reservation for each evening. Royal Caribbean has done the latter keeping the option for traditional dining service but also offering My Time Dining. Seldom travelers may not get enough value to warrant the cost. CC Help Jenn If youre already booked and have chosen the flexible option, you can easily pre-reserve specific days and times online. That explains it and answers my question- youre right, it does still say it on parts of the website. Do you plan on dining anywhere except the dining room? However, you can still make reservations, based on availability, once onboard. Clear editor. Princess, for example, has added a Princess Plus plan as a booking option. Can I reserve the same table or waiter at the same time in My Time Dining? Privacy Policy | You can change your dining time on your Royal Caribbean cruise using the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbeans website. Guests can only participate in one dining style per sailing. Pasted as rich text. 0000891084 00000 n 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. 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. Note that if you purchase a dining or beverage package, the cruise line will charge you gratuities based on a percentage of the package price. This dining option requires you to "pre pay" your gratuities. ;p, You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By When planning your other evening activities, make sure that you allot yourself at least 75 minutes for your Main Dining Room experience. 0000019459 00000 n Traditional seating will mean that guests will keep the same wait staff and dining companions throughout the cruise. You will be seated with whomever you arrive to the dining room with. 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! Royal Caribbean 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. 0000002916 00000 n As soon as you place the deposit for your cruise, you will gain access to the Cruise Planner. trailer <]>> startxref 0 %%EOF 158 0 obj <>stream I don't know if you have cruised before, but the gratuities cover more than your wait staff in My Time Dining. But whether My Time Dining works for you or not really depends on what your preferences are. Hi, I'm Jenni. Contact Us Get support by Phone or Email 866-562-7625 Email Your Questions Locate a Travel Agent The cost of that package is typically $109 per person, per day. 0000014874 00000 n Instant Real Time Pricing 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. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. %PDF-1.4 % Like what you see? Also, once you have been seated and your meal is being served, no other guests will be sat at your table. 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. If you cancel prepaid gratuities, you can visit Guest Services once you are onboard and request they discontinue automatic gratuties. $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. Started June 21, 2021, By What is Royal Caribbean's service gratuities (tips) price and policy? 0000006450 00000 n My Time Dining is now a choice within the booking process. 0000896900 00000 n 0000911365 00000 n However, if you dont sign up for My Time Dining within the first two days of your cruise, then youre stuck with traditional dining times. Learn the cruise secrets most people don't know and cruise like a boss. Wondering if anyone can help out with this? Then, contact one with a best-price guarantee and have them beat it! Many cruise lines will tack an automatic gratuity charge onto the bill for extra-fee drinks, restaurant meals and spa treatments. Even if you initially booked Traditional Dining, you can call your travel agent or Royal Caribbean directly to change to My Time. 0000418920 00000 n 0000027181 00000 n but only parties of 20 or less can be seated at one time. I understand that once upon a time prepaid gratuities were required for MTD. When making a reservation you will be offered My Time or traditional dining times (i.e., 5:30 pm & 8:00 pm). If youre late then your table may be given away, and youll have to wait for another one. 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. 0000755470 00000 n Automatic gratuity charge: $16 to $18.50 per . There is no special dress code for My Time Dining it has the same dress code as traditional dining. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. 0000003555 00000 n Why is it combined? Sunshine State. I have just booked the allure this afternoon and was told by the iglu cruiserep that if I wanted my time dining then I would HAVE to pay the gratuities up front at the time of booking,but if I had first or second sitting then I didn't need to pay I was imformed that royal had made this part of their booking conditions 2 months ago. American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. If not, you might be stuck eating even later than the second seating! Related: A beginners guide to picking a cruise line. What we experienced was that their program is NOT really "My time dining", it is RESERVATION time dining. My Time Dining is therefore available to anyone who wants to mix things up. Check out Intelligent Cruiser here for a better cruise vacation. 0000418111 00000 n Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. Please note, you can only choose one dining style per sailing so once they join you they must use My Time Dining for the rest of the cruise. 0000905280 00000 n "=0 2BNX/edbi-:w)ddA(BTec;B&r9mE(!Rp#nZbCE2$*,U3Qg+sm{_`S.c xj"PxglZ%Ter_&8W}.l|2cs='g}:f kyMFNG7xFdI"^Jd\O&+W\^:_6 XEljBWm6jk2Tn)a0jGG\E Here's how it works on Royal Caribbean: As of September 7 th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per . 0000422496 00000 n Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Could you please tell me how I can improve it? If you opt out of daily gratuities your account will not be charged for them. No reservation is needed, but Royal Caribbean strongly encourages you to get a reservation if you dont want to spend a lot of time waiting when you go to dinner. My Time Dining is one of the options youll get to choose from when you book your cruise. The wait staff will have your table ready for you so can avoid a delay in seating. 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). Theres also a dining hotline you can call from the phone in your stateroom to make changes to your reservations. Now you have a choice to prepay gratuities or not with either Traditional or MTD. 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. 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. You cannot paste images directly. Thanks Matt- We paid for the cruise at the time of booking. 0000883078 00000 n Be warned that the receipt often includes a line for an additional gratuity, even when one is automatically added. Cruise lines say they pass the money collected from service charges to the shipboard crew. Reservations arestronglyrecommended in order to avoid a delay in seating. I don't mind tipping for good service. 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. 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. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline. 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. It is recommended that you book a table though. My Time Dining usually begins around 6:00pm and lasts until 9:30pm, giving you a wide range of times to choose from. If you want to change to My Time Dining, youll need to speak to Guest Services within the first two days of 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. If youre not someone who has cruised before, you might not be aware of traditional dining times on cruise ships. Learn more. My Family Time dining is currently unavailable throughout our fleet. 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.