Has Royal changed their dining policy?

[Paulette3028]

Well, that really ticks me off. You seem to be saying I can't get my choice of early traditional dining because my fellow pax choose it because they are too cheap to pay actual money for tips. Shameful. Or they don't want to pay tips for their kids when any server can tell you a table with kids is MORE work. Again, shameful.

 

I don't believe the issue of being unable to get early traditional dining pre-arranged at the time of cruise booking has anything to do with other passengers and their tipping habits (whether families with children or not). I have booked a cruise more than 7 months out, and the cruise wasn't close to half booked, yet I was told that early seating was unavailable.

 

THAT is ridiculous.

[Paulette3028]

I am not really saying this as fact but it is a scenario that does hold some merit.

 

I am sure those who use OBC for Grats and families with young children are not trying to be cheap but it may well sway their dinning preference if MTD did not require pre paid grats same as Traditional dinning:)

 

I am sure the higher number of the above cruisers would not care either way and just pay their grats but you dont have to search far on this forum to see just how many prefer to pay cash tips only to see who chooses traditional dinning because of grats:)

 

RCI knows this as well;)

 

We are not 'huge spenders on cruises' but we spend more than the OBC's that we receive....so regardless of what is on our sea pass account, our OBC will end up lowering our out of pocket expenses.

 

What I don't like about pre-paid gratuities is similar to the dislike that I have with a restaurant at home automatically adding 18% to a group of 8 or more, when they don't automatically add the tip to smaller groups. Yes the wait staff will have more to do for a larger group, but providing good service should be the same concept for small or large groups.

 

I want to control the value of my gratuities, based on the service I received, not on an automatic calculation done by someone else; least of all months in advance of the service I will be receiving.

[Folk Singer]

we have no problem with the pre-paid and you can modify them at the Guest services on board if you are not happy with your service.

[Paulette3028]

we have no problem with the pre-paid and you can modify them at the Guest services on board if you are not happy with your service.

 

There is a difference with tips automatically being added to my sea pass account when I am ON the cruise....that is fine -- if service is poor, I can have those tips taken off. But PRE-PAYING tips when I book a cruise, months in advance of my cruise is a different thing.

[ryano]

I don't believe the issue of being unable to get early traditional dining pre-arranged at the time of cruise booking has anything to do with other passengers and their tipping habits (whether families with children or not). I have booked a cruise more than 7 months out, and the cruise wasn't close to half booked, yet I was told that early seating was unavailable.

 

THAT is ridiculous.

 

Yet I just booked two days ago for a cruise in 8 months and early seating was no problem getting.

 

With that said, Im gonna try and get on MTD when I get on board the ship :D 5:30 is too early and 8:00 is too late. Why didnt I sign up for MTD now? I dont want to prepay the 168.00 in gratuities months in advance ;)

[Wolffypa]

What does OBC mean?

[Clarea]

What does OBC mean?

On Board Credit. An amount added to your onboard account that you can use for anything you purchase onboard the ship.

[Wolffypa]

Ive read most people have had no problems with lines for MTD. I am so pleased to hear that..it is just my husband n I (no kids) so we had no problem prepaying gratiuties...one less thing to worry about...but we took MTD because it sounded convient to us ..we never checked if regular seating times were available.

Im sorry to see so many angry and not getting their wanted seating time but I am just soo excited and feel lucky that my husband and I can Now take these wonderful cruises together and with all the friendly,kind n helpful people we have met on cruise critic... I had my frustrations making my plans for shows, excursions, our travel agent etc. And Royal Caribbeans website n cruise planner UGh...But I planned my best and NOW MY HUSBAND N I WILL ENJOY THE CRUISES N TRIPS n not let the little things or even big things that happen out of our control...whats done is done as far as planning n getting the best deal, best shows,excursions etc and now its time to ENJOY!!!!!

Cant wait to meet you all on the Oasis or/ Liberty in Sept 2014.. If not Enjoy your trip cause I know I will. :)

[Wolffypa]

On Board Credit. An amount added to your onboard account that you can use for anything you purchase onboard the ship.

Thanks Clarea...would should have close to $300.oo by cashing in our points from our Royal Caribbean credit card....so u cant use the points for gratituies? Are there any other restrictions or things i can use the OBC for? IM new at all thus n would appreciate any help b feedback..

Thanks

Cindy

[suzyluvs2cruise]

In the US...MTD gratuities are added to your invoice at booking....and paid for at final payment....not months in advance.

[Wolffypa]

Thanks Clarea...would should have close to $300.oo by cashing in our points from our Royal Caribbean credit card....so u cant use the points for gratituies? Are there any other restrictions or things i can use the OBC for? IM new at all thus n would appreciate any help b feedback..

Thanks

Cindy

Oh my...i didnt ck my spelling or words.. i meant to say "we should have $300.00 OBC" n "what other restrictions are on the OBC" & "what else can we NOT use OBC for?"

Sorry about my that..

Cindy

[Clarea]

Thanks Clarea...would should have close to $300.oo by cashing in our points from our Royal Caribbean credit card....so u cant use the points for gratituies? Are there any other restrictions or things i can use the OBC for? IM new at all thus n would appreciate any help b feedback..

Thanks

Cindy

You can use OBC for gratuities if you have traditional dining because your gratuities are charged daily to your onboard account if you have traditional dining. However, if you choose My Time dining, then your gratuties are charged before the cruise, and you cannot use OBC for things purchased before the cruise.

 

Other things you can use OBC for: excursions, specialty restaurants, drinks, shops on board, bingo. Just remember - if you want to use OBC for something, then don't buy it until you are on board the ship.

Edited August 15, 2014 by clarea

[Wolffypa]

On Board Credit. An amount added to your onboard account that you can use for anything you purchase onboard the ship.

Clarea. Please look at my post a few post down....its a little clearer. THANKS

CINDY

[Wolffypa]

You can use OBC for gratuities if you have traditional dining because your gratuities are charged daily to your onboard account if you have traditional dining. However, if you choose My Time dining, then your gratuties are charged before the cruise, and you cannot use OBC for things purchased before the cruise.

 

Other things you can use OBC for: excursions, specialty restaurants, drinks, shops on board, bingo. Just remember - if you want to use OBC for something, then don't buy it until you are on board the ship.

Ok...well our both our cruises are pd in full so our grats are also..most of our excursions n drink packages are pd for also..for both ships..but my husband never got a drink package for the 13days on Oasis so I can use my OBC for that right? And also any speciality dinning, spa treatments, onboard shopping etc that we purchase on ship...Is this a correct assumption?

CINDY

[Clarea]

Ok...well our both our cruises are pd in full so our grats are also..most of our excursions n drink packages are pd for also..for both ships..but my husband never got a drink package for the 13days on Oasis so I can use my OBC for that right? And also any speciality dinning, spa treatments, onboard shopping etc that we purchase on ship...Is this a correct assumption?

CINDY

Yes, you can use the OBC for a drink package, but only if you wait to purchase on board. Correct with your other assumptions too.

[Wolffypa]

Yes, you can use the OBC for a drink package, but only if you wait to purchase on board. Correct with your other assumptions too.

Thanks Clarea

 

Is anyone on here sailing Sept 1st 2014...on Oasis to Barcelona?

[Clarea]

Thanks Clarea

 

Is anyone on here sailing Sept 1st 2014...on Oasis to Barcelona?

 

Just a couple of folks on the roll call:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1811200

[Paulette3028]

Yet I just booked two days ago for a cruise in 8 months and early seating was no problem getting.

 

With that said, Im gonna try and get on MTD when I get on board the ship :D 5:30 is too early and 8:00 is too late. Why didnt I sign up for MTD now? I dont want to prepay the 168.00 in gratuities months in advance ;)

 

Why does Freedom of the Seas have a 5:30pm Early Dinner Seating?....The earliest I have seen on the 15 cruises we have been on has been 6pm.

 

Please don't tell me it is the class of ship, because when we were on Liberty the Early Seating was at 6PM, and Liberty is in the same class.

 

You are correct in feeling that you don't want to prepay gratuities MONTHS in Advance....that is realistic.

[Clarea]

Why does Freedom of the Seas have a 5:30pm Early Dinner Seating?....The earliest I have seen on the 15 cruises we have been on has been 6pm.

 

Please don't tell me it is the class of ship, because when we were on Liberty the Early Seating was at 6PM, and Liberty is in the same class.

 

You are correct in feeling that you don't want to prepay gratuities MONTHS in Advance....that is realistic.

Don't know, but Navigator (Galveston) also has early dining at 5:30pm, and Enchantment (Port Canaveral) has 5:45pm. I'd say it has to do with the embarkation port, not the ship. Monarch also had 5:45pm dining at PC, and Voyager had 5:30pm dining at Galveston.

Edited August 15, 2014 by clarea

[fishtaco]

Yet I just booked two days ago for a cruise in 8 months and early seating was no problem getting.

 

With that said, Im gonna try and get on MTD when I get on board the ship :D 5:30 is too early and 8:00 is too late. Why didnt I sign up for MTD now? I dont want to prepay the 168.00 in gratuities months in advance ;)

 

You Cad! lol

 

You may have denied a person wanting early traditional dinning from getting it and being wait listed and in the possess forced them to cough up the $168 in advance for you:D

[fishtaco]

In the US...MTD gratuities are added to your invoice at booking....and paid for at final payment....not months in advance.

 

Yes I have already mentioned this:)

 

In Australia all dinning options now require Pre paid grats at booking time (Sailings from Australia) and our final payment is a lot earlier than those who cruise from U.S. Given our final payment is 3 months before cruise date then it is for us paid months in advance:)

[Paulette3028]

Don't know, but Navigator (Galveston) also has early dining at 5:30pm, and Enchantment (Port Canaveral) has 5:45pm. I'd say it has to do with the embarkation port, not the ship. Monarch also had 5:45pm dining at PC, and Voyager had 5:30pm dining at Galveston.

 

Our very first cruise was on Navigator, back in 2003, and we did not make any of the travel arrangements our 'experienced cruiser friends who we were traveling with did'. That was the only time we did late seating....and for us it was horrible.

 

We felt as if we missed lots of the activities going on during the evening that we would have enjoyed. At that time it was sailing from Miami.

[ianj]

We're new to RCCL cruising, would someone be kind enough to answer a few questions on 'my time dining'.

1. We're on the Explorer of the seas, are we allocated a specific dining room or can we choose any one of the three?

2. Re the wine packages, do you get to choose any wine from the regular wine list?

Thanks a million in advance for any help.

[Clarea]

We're new to RCCL cruising, would someone be kind enough to answer a few questions on 'my time dining'.

1. We're on the Explorer of the seas, are we allocated a specific dining room or can we choose any one of the three?

2. Re the wine packages, do you get to choose any wine from the regular wine list?

Thanks a million in advance for any help.

My Time Dining is on deck 5 (highest deck) of the dining room. Each deck of the dining room serves the same food.

 

The wine package has a specific list of wines:

 

http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/royal/en_US/pdf/sample-winedine-menu.pdf

Edited August 16, 2014 by clarea

[nicstress]

Attached is information from RCI regarding Dynamic Dining as will be introduced on Quantum class ships.

 

Per last spring's webinar with Adam Goldstein there are no plans to roll this out to other ships until it has been proven successful with Quantum class and then if expanded, it will likely on new builds only at first.

 

No longer true! Freedom will get a version of Dynamic Dining in February as will Oasis!