Gratuities, MTD, Prepaid or Not... so confused

[Kenlorz]

Can you all help me out? We are planning to sail the Allure (first time cruisers). My TA has upped our OBC to a very nice $325 to compete with an email offer I had received for "all gratuities paid plus additional $150 OBC". She tells me that her offer works out better for us than the "all gratuities included" offer and that I can just choose to use the OBC to prepay my gratuities directly through RCCL.

 

First question, I have no idea how much prepaid gratuities are for 7 days for 2 people. Does anyone know?

 

Second question, does this cover all gratuities except for additional specialty dining, drink orders, & room service? Or are there other people I should be tipping on top of the those three?

 

Third question, I remember reading on the Boards that in order to do MTD, you had to prepay gratuities. We only plan to eat in the MDR on 2 evenings (the 2 formal nights). If we prepay gratuities, can we really do the MTD even though we know we will only be in the MDR on two evenings? Do we just let them know which nights and what times we want to use the MDR?

 

Thanks!!!

[alexgtp]

Gratuities per person come out to $81.50 for a 7 day cruise. So Gratuities come out to $163.00 for 2.

 

Gratuities include.

Cabin attendent

MTD head waiter

MTD waiter

MTD assistant waiter

 

If you prepay with MTD :

On the second to last day you will receive prepaid vouchers. You will than put these in envelopes and hand them to the appropriate people. Always feel free to add more if the service you received was better than you thought.

 

 

Now if you plan on doing MDR than you do not need to prepay gratuities! But need to select from early or late dining times.

With MTD you can pretty much show up to eat anytime you want between your selected times (as a courtesy i always told my wait staff what time i planned on dining at and if i was going to miss a night due to specialty dining)

 

But having paid gratuities before the Cruise is a great idea, one less payment you have to worry about.

[setsail]

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/subject.do?snav=&faqSubjectName=Gratuities&faqSubjectId=415&pnav=

 

Yes covers all-roomservice

 

If you sign up for mtd(which will trigger pre paid tips) you can eat any amount of nights you want-0-7. No need to let them know,just show up at the time you prepicked or just show up when you want(some waiting to be expected)

[Let'sGo!]

Congratulations on booking your first cruise!

I have not done MTD before, but the way I understand it, you do have to pre-pay your gratuities.

 

Your main dining room wait staff will very likely be doing "double duty" and working in other "free" eating areas - so that covers your tips for them in there (buffet, cafes, etc).

 

As far as the amount, this is from the RCCL Website:

Waiter:$3.75 USDa day per guestAssistant Waiter:$2.15 USDa day per guestHead Waiter:$.75 USDa day per guestStateroom Attendant/

Other Housekeeping Services:$5.00 USDa day per guestSuite Attendant/

Other Housekeeping Services:$7.25 USDa day per guest

Waiter:

$3.75 USD

a day per guest

Assistant Waiter:

$2.15 USD

a day per guest

Head Waiter:

$.75 USD

a day per guest

Stateroom Attendant/

Other Housekeeping Services:

$5.00 USD

a day per guest

Suite Attendant/

Other Housekeeping Services:

$7.25 USD

a day per guest

 

 

Drinks ordered from the bars will have a gratuity automatically added.

Specialty restaurants will not be covered by your regular Main Dining Room tips, so you would probably want to leave a tip in those.

 

On our next cruise, we have decided to NOT eat in the MDR at all -- only going to the Windjammer, SeaView and specialty restaurants. But we will pay our full wait staff tips, knowing it will be parseled out to the right people.

 

Hope this helps!

Ann

 

Waiter:$3.75 USDa day per guestAssistant Waiter:$2.15 USDa day per guestHead Waiter:$.75 USDa day per guestStateroom Attendant/

Other Housekeeping Services:$5.00 USDa day per guestSuite Attendant/

Other Housekeeping Services:$7.25 USDa day per guest

[njmomof2]

One thing that has not been clarified here is the following:

 

If you do MTD, you will prepay your gratuities WITH YOUR FINAL PAYMENT. So you pay in advance of boarding. Any OBC that your TA gives you cannot be used to pay these gratuities.

 

If you go with traditional dining, then you can charge your gratuities to your on board account, and any OBC that you have will be used to offset these charges.

 

You've gotten enough information about how the gratuities are divided. If you decide you only want to do formal nights in the DR but you want to use your OBC to cover the costs of the gratuities, I'd then recommend that you do traditional dining, have your gratuities charged to your on board account (so the OBC will cover) and just let your waiter know when you won't be coming to the DR for dinner.

 

And as you already saw, your prepaid (or on board charged) gratuities cover your wait staff (including head waiter, waiter and asst. waiter) and cabin steward.

[cb at sea]

Your tips for the 2 of you should be about $164 for the week. So, the OBC yoru TA is giving you will cover the tips, and still give you some extra OBC. If you haven't chosen MTD, you'll have to ask that tips be added to your shipboard account to use the OBC for tips. If you do choose MTD BEFORE you get on the ship, they're going to want you to pay the tips right then and there....so wait until you're on the ship to pick that dining option!

 

You will pay 15% of any drink purchase...it's added to the bill.

 

The only other tip you ,may need it if you get room service delivery...$1-5 per order is standard...in cash.

[sammyh25]

Something that always confuses me about the MDR and My Time dining tips. Quite possible to have 7 different sets of waiters in the MDR over the week, so who do you give your tip vouchers to, and does it matter? Are the tips pooled and split between everyone in the MDR, or do the waiters still cash the vouchers in?

[Langley Cruisers]

One thing that tends to lend to confusion is the vouchers on the prepaid option. One does NOT have to give the vouchers in envelopes. The staff knows who has prepaid; they do not need the vouchers to receive their pay. The envelopes are provided simply as a way to have something physical to hand to your team members and to add extra if desired. You do not have to give the vouchers. Don't get caught up in that as it is a bit confusing. :)

[ryano]

Something that always confuses me about the MDR and My Time dining tips. Quite possible to have 7 different sets of waiters in the MDR over the week, so who do you give your tip vouchers to, and does it matter? Are the tips pooled and split between everyone in the MDR, or do the waiters still cash the vouchers in?

 

The vouchers are really nothing more than a symbolic thing to hand to them on the last night of the cruise Im pretty sure. they are not required for the staff to get their money. There really is no "cashing in" of the vouchers provided :)

 

I do not know how they handle who gets what though. Im sure they are all pooled together and divided up and maybe any "extra" you choose to give above and beyond goes to that specific staff member.

[sammyh25]

The vouchers are really nothing more than a symbolic thing to hand to them on the last night of the cruise Im pretty sure. they are not required for the staff to get their money. There really is no "cashing in" of the vouchers provided :)

 

I do not know how they handle who gets what though. Im sure they are all pooled together and divided up and maybe any "extra" you choose to give above and beyond goes to that specific staff member.

 

Phew, thank goodness for that... ;)

[gerif]

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/subject.do?snav=&faqSubjectName=Gratuities&faqSubjectId=415&pnav=

 

Yes covers all-roomservice

 

Room Service is NOT covered - one should tip for each order ($2-5 depending on how much is ordered) except for orders between midnight and 5 a.m. for which there is a flat $3.95 charge that includes room service.

[johneeo]

Something that always confuses me about the MDR and My Time dining tips.

 

Do not be confused.

 

If you select MTD EVERYONE knows that you have already paid the required tips.

[Langley Cruisers]

Room Service is NOT covered...

 

Normally one would tip for room service but with the institution of the service charge between midnight and 5 am, that is considered the tip. But I know what you were saying. ;)

[setsail]

Room Service is NOT covered - one should tip for each order ($2-5 depending on how much is ordered) except for orders between midnight and 5 a.m. for which there is a flat $3.95 charge that includes room service.

 

Didn't say it was. Did you read the OP's post

 

"Or are there other people I should be tipping on top of the those three?"

 

And my answer-room service:rolleyes:

[Debde]

To figure out what your tips will be:

 

http://cruisetip.tpkeller.com/

 

I have this on my favorites. Love this site!!!

[Kenlorz]

Thanks everyone!!!

 

Can't say I completely understand it all YET, LOL...but that's not your fault ;)

 

I'm just trying to still sort out in my head: I can't use my OBC to prepay MTD gratuities before I cruise, but I can wait until I board THEN change to MTD and pay for gratuities out of my OBC at the end of the cruise??????? And those vouchers are hurting my head a tad bit... <<<throb, throb>>>.... I guess I'll finally get it once it's time to settle everything up at the end of my first cruise :p

[yarlenna]

Thanks everyone!!!

 

Can't say I completely understand it all YET, LOL...but that's not your fault ;)

 

I'm just trying to still sort out in my head: I can't use my OBC to prepay MTD gratuities before I cruise, but I can wait until I board THEN change to MTD and pay for gratuities out of my OBC at the end of the cruise??????? And those vouchers are hurting my head a tad bit... <<<throb, throb>>>.... I guess I'll finally get it once it's time to settle everything up at the end of my first cruise :p

 

Don't worry - Enjoy your cruise

[subtchr]

Thanks everyone!!!

 

Can't say I completely understand it all YET, LOL...but that's not your fault ;)

 

I'm just trying to still sort out in my head: I can't use my OBC to prepay MTD gratuities before I cruise, but I can wait until I board THEN change to MTD and pay for gratuities out of my OBC at the end of the cruise??????? And those vouchers are hurting my head a tad bit... <<<throb, throb>>>.... I guess I'll finally get it once it's time to settle everything up at the end of my first cruise :p

 

I think you have it now, and the only potential problem is that MTD could be "full" after you board, which means you would not be able to switch. But if you are only dining in the MDR two nights, would it be okay with you to have a set dining time those two nights?

[poffles]

So reading this, am I correct in concluding that the prepaid per day gratuity is not the sum of RCL's new daily recommended for everyone? I was adding up what they recommend each day and it comes to much more that $11 something a day (or $80 something a week) that others are mentioning here, so where does this number come from?

 

RCL daily recommended seems to come to over $18 when you add it all up. Can't find the prepaid daily amount anywhere on their site.

[megr1125]

So reading this, am I correct in concluding that the prepaid per day gratuity is not the sum of RCL's new daily recommended for everyone? I was adding up what they recommend each day and it comes to much more that $11 something a day (or $80 something a week) that others are mentioning here, so where does this number come from?

 

RCL daily recommended seems to come to over $18 when you add it all up. Can't find the prepaid daily amount anywhere on their site.

 

YES...the TOTAL is for all except room service as stated above

your math is off and/or the post with amounts above is confusing..

 

it is not 18 bucks a day for a regular cabin...it's closer to 11......

 

let me see if i can help translate the copy/paste from above.....i think it went nuts when it was copied from RCI's site.....

 

 

Waiter:

$3.75 USD

a day per guest

 

Assistant Waiter:

$2.15 USD

a day per guest

 

Head Waiter:

$.75 USD

a day per guest

 

Stateroom Attendant/

Other Housekeeping Services:

$5.00 USD

a day per guest

 

Suite Attendant/

Other Housekeeping Services:

$7.25 USD

a day per guest (ONLY if in a GS or above...)

 

so to add up all BUT the suite attendant....11.65

 

if you have a SUITE (GS or UP) it is 14.40 per day if i did the math right

[poffles]

YES...the TOTAL is for all except room service as stated above

your math is off and/or the post with amounts above is confusing..

 

it is not 18 bucks a day for a regular cabin...it's closer to 11......

 

let me see if i can help translate the copy/paste from above.....i think it went nuts when it was copied from RCI's site.....

 

 

Waiter:

$3.75 USD

a day per guest

 

Assistant Waiter:

$2.15 USD

a day per guest

 

Head Waiter:

$.75 USD

a day per guest

 

Stateroom Attendant/

Other Housekeeping Services:

$5.00 USD

a day per guest

 

Suite Attendant/

Other Housekeeping Services:

$7.25 USD

a day per guest (ONLY if in a GS or above...)

 

so to add up all BUT the suite attendant....11.65

 

if you have a SUITE (GS or UP) it is 14.40 per day if i did the math right

 

That clears it up perfectly, thanks. I was adding both Housekeeping Services and was thinking that seemed pretty high compared to other cruise lines.

 

Thanks a bunch!!

[goldesq]

Normally one would tip for room service but with the institution of the service charge between midnight and 5 am, that is considered the tip. But I know what you were saying. ;)

 

I don't think a service charge (for room service) is the same as a tip. I never ordered that late but if I did, I would also be tipping. How do you know where the service charge ends up?

(For example, I know Dominos charges a service charge now in my area for deliveries. That is not considered the tip. The delivery guy doesnt get that service charge, Dominos does). If RCI considered the service charge a tip, they would call it something like automatic / prepaid gratuity like MTD has.

 

 

As an aside, I think the service charge is to try and discourage multiple drunk room service orders. However, when your drunk, I don't think you care about 3.95.... you just have the munchies.

[Langley Cruisers]

As an aside, I think the service charge is to try and discourage multiple drunk room service orders....

 

Well yes, that and people were calling up room service in the early hours, ordering copious amounts of food, and then passing out before eating any of it. Quite a waste, I'm sure.

[negc]

Something that always confuses me about the MDR and My Time dining tips. Quite possible to have 7 different sets of waiters in the MDR over the week, so who do you give your tip vouchers to, and does it matter? Are the tips pooled and split between everyone in the MDR, or do the waiters still cash the vouchers in?

 

It doesn't matter because the tips in MTD are pooled, but frequently we have requested and had the same servers even when we were in MTD. We have been more than satisfied with the quality of service we have received whether from the same or different servers each evening. If you wait until you board the ship to sign up for MTD, you can use your OBC to pay the gratuities.

[megr1125]

That clears it up perfectly, thanks. I was adding both Housekeeping Services and was thinking that seemed pretty high compared to other cruise lines.

 

Thanks a bunch!!

 

any time...:)