Royal Caribbean My Time Dining

[Sequim88]

If they charge your father for everyone's tips, you could always reimburse him individually.:)

 

Not likely. That has become a real issue. They are paying for enough already. Trying to pay him back will be like trying to push money through a brick wall.

 

One of my SILs is our cruise TA and making all the arrangements and so far has been able to charge stuff to different credit cards. Like our upgrade to balcony from inside (or parents' surprise upgrade to balcony from their inside). I think she may be able to work it out. In fact the single charge may have been on purpose and I may have been charged already but not seen the statement yet. Either way I need to call her to make sure we are all on MTD.

[CruiseLover15]

Did MTD on the Freedom and loved it. Just showed up when we wanted to eat, ask for a table for 2, never waited over 5 minutes, and was out in a little over an hour every night.

[firegal773]

Question about the pre-charged tips....

Are these just the dinning room portions or does it cover the cabin steward too? How much do they pre-charge for a 7 night cruise?

 

Reason for asking is that my father is paying for the cruise for all four couples. He noted a credit card charge the other day for $138. Enough maybe for tips (dinning room and cabin) for one couple. This is good since my brothers and I wanted to cover our own tips. Is there a chance that RCI pre-charged for just one cabin on the reservation and not all four? Or perhaps only signed up one cabin for MTD?

 

The my time dining covers all tips. Mine for 2 people on a 7 nighter was $137 so its likely 1 room was charged.

Edited August 17, 2010 by firegal773

[firegal773]

I've followed all the responses to this post hoping MY question would be answered also but I didn't see it.

 

Is there a fee for MTD? We're traveling the Serenade of the Seas 10/10/10 & have chosen the late dining time because hubby & I, although travelling alone - and yes, we DO enjoy each others company ;)- would like to mingle at dinner with other guests.

 

With MTD do you always get seated alone? Or do they have you join other folks already seated?

 

Just wondering.....

 

Thanks!

Joan

 

No fee, just prepaid tips. $9.75 per day per person (2 people for 7 nights is $136.50)

[jackdiamond]

Any particular reason you don't want to prepay tips?

Guess?

[Gone Fishing]

Thanks for all your help! I was not sure I made the right decision to change from traditional dining to MTD. After 4 RC cruises with TD I went on a terrible cruise on Ruby Princess. We had table mates from hell! The man was 94 and his wife clipped a bib to the front of him to keep his clothes clean. It didn't bother me till I realized why he needed a bib.He never stopped talking so every bite he took was followed by conversation and we got to watch the food tumble out. I have a hard time moving because I don't like to hurt peoples feelings so I usually just stay put and smile.On the last night of the cruise I had enough and wanted to enjoy just 1 dinner. I went to MTD room and it was better. We had a great time.

 

Sorry but that has to be one of the funniest posts I have seen on CC.

 

I understand it is not a good thing but I can’t help picturing that scene.

 

I would have never been able to eat. I would have been laughing so hard.

 

The kids would have loved it!!!! They would have shown up at dinner wearing their swim goggles

 

They would wait until he took a big bite of peas and ask “So Pops, were you in the war?”

 

Pops, “Well, let me tell you kids something bout that…. gurgle, gurgle….splat….ping!!!”

 

LOL!!!!!! :D:D:D

Edited August 17, 2010 by Gone Fishing

[negc]

I've followed all the responses to this post hoping MY question would be answered also but I didn't see it.

 

Is there a fee for MTD? We're traveling the Serenade of the Seas 10/10/10 & have chosen the late dining time because hubby & I, although travelling alone - and yes, we DO enjoy each others company ;)- would like to mingle at dinner with other guests.

 

With MTD do you always get seated alone? Or do they have you join other folks already seated?

 

Just wondering.....

 

Thanks!

Joan

There is no fee associated with My Time Dining. You do have to pay your tips upfront,but since you will likely be paying tips to your room steward and wait staff regardless of your dining arrangement, the only difference is timing of when the tips are charged.

You can choose to sit with others or by yourselves. Normally they won't seat you with others who have already ordered or received their meals but with others who have just been seated and who have indicated that they are open to having other guests seated with them. We have experienced both seating arrangements whenever we have had MTD and are always asked our preference. Obviously there could be a time when no other guests are willing to share their table, but it would seem to be a very unusual occurrence since we have found most cruisers enjoy meeting their fellow passengers (not everyone feels that way, mind you, but many do).

 

Try MTD and ask to sit with others, or sign up for it and when you find other passengers who seem compatible and who are also signed up for MTD, suggest that you all go to dinner together.

[jdc2204]

We have enjoyed my time dining as well. If your excursions are such that it pushes you to meet a schedule then MTD is for you. Europe and Alaska (long daylight hours) are good examples to use MTD. We will use MTD on our S. Caribbean cruise in March. As far as tips.The whole ship staff work hards for you. I always make sure they are rewarded for good service.

JDC2204

[andrzej5914]

g because I don't like to hurt peoples feelings so I usually just stay put and smile.On the last night of the cruise I had enough and wanted to enjoy just 1 dinner. I went to MTD room and it was better. We had a great time.

 

Just so you know, I believe you're confusing Windjammer Cafe with MTD, entirely different concept.

 

Windjammer will take anybody at any time (when they're open of course), even traditional dining and MTD people.

 

MTD will ONLY take the passengers that sign up for it either before or on the first day of the cruise. If you're not on a list, you can't just walk in.

 

MTD is in the same room as traditional dining, it's just a reserved section.

[twilightcruiser14]

First of all it was not on RCCL it was Princess. I do know the difference between the formal dining room and Windjammer Cafe. I would never wear flip flops to the main dining room...LOL. I guess I just used the wrong term. On Ruby it seemed you were taken to a dining room that was not part of the main dining room. It is possible that it was just on a different floor than our "scheduled" dining room.

[twilightcruiser14]

I laughed so hard at your post I had more tears runnung down my cheeks than Pops had food running down his face! I was reading it to my husband and he kept saying "stop laughing so I can understand what you are saying. Thanks for the really good laugh!

[John Henry on CC]

I sailed On the Liberty last December , did MTD.I was told you have to choose before you get on the ship and have to pre-pay the gratuities. Their were couples wanting to change to MTD once onboard and were refused. The MTD section was on deck 5. We arrived at 6 the first night and made a 6 pm reservation on the way out of the dining room every night after that. We also had the same wait staff every night. I loved MTD. I am sailing the Liberty again in Oct. and choose MTD. I already made my daily 6pm reservations online. Happy sailing!!!

 

You do know, with rare exceptions, main seating is at 6 P.M.?

 

Making a standing reservation for 6 P.M. is.................doing main seating. :confused:

[Mighty Fierce]

RCI pushes MTD to counteract those folks who do not pay gratuities. While booking, the only option may be MTD. RCI discriminates here. They force you to prepay all gratuities 85 day prior to sailing. That is $12 per day per guest. This is also non-refundable. If you decide not to go to the dining room for a few meals, you cannot adjust the gratuities. These policies do not apply to everyone else on board, who are not in MTD. How can they force this on some guest and not others? Other guest do not pay gratuities until the last day of the cruise (on a 10 day cruise, that is 95 day later than the MTD folks). Also, other guest can adjust their gratuities as they please. Pure discrimination.

[parrotfeathers]

Love my time dining. Usually sit at a different table every night.

 

Don't give any thought on paying the gratuities before hand and I think it is actually more convenient. I never adjusted tips downward on traditional dining and don't think many people really do.

Edited November 30, 2013 by parrotfeathers

[Kellie Poodle]

RCI pushes MTD to counteract those folks who do not pay gratuities. While booking, the only option may be MTD. RCI discriminates here. They force you to prepay all gratuities 85 day prior to sailing. That is $12 per day per guest. This is also non-refundable. If you decide not to go to the dining room for a few meals, you cannot adjust the gratuities. These policies do not apply to everyone else on board, who are not in MTD. How can they force this on some guest and not others? Other guest do not pay gratuities until the last day of the cruise (on a 10 day cruise, that is 95 day later than the MTD folks). Also, other guest can adjust their gratuities as they please. Pure discrimination.

 

It's my understanding that with the MTD there was a concern that the guests would not have the same wait staff each evening and not want to pay gratuities, so they made the gratuities pre-paid to insure people would pay them as many people, such as yourself think the gratuity is a "tip" for services rendered. It is really a service charge and it's expected.

 

The only time I adjust my gratuities is when we give the staff additional gratuities in the form of cash in an envelope on the last night of a cruise.

 

We do this as the gratuities are pooled and go to some crew members that you will never meet, but whose services you enjoy during your cruise. They also go to the staff in the Windjammer, so even if you don't use the MDR, someone is deserving of a gratuity.

[kc320]

RCI pushes MTD to counteract those folks who do not pay gratuities. While booking, the only option may be MTD. RCI discriminates here. They force you to prepay all gratuities 85 day prior to sailing. That is $12 per day per guest. This is also non-refundable. If you decide not to go to the dining room for a few meals, you cannot adjust the gratuities. These policies do not apply to everyone else on board, who are not in MTD. How can they force this on some guest and not others? Other guest do not pay gratuities until the last day of the cruise (on a 10 day cruise, that is 95 day later than the MTD folks). Also, other guest can adjust their gratuities as they please. Pure discrimination.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic...and congrats on finding a 3 year old thread to make your first post....if you wish to use MTD and NOT Pre-Pay your tips at final payment...then wait until you are onboard the ship & switch then...your tips will then be charged to your Seapass card...the same as everyone else's onboard who are not using MTD....