Pre-paid tips - My Time Dining Questions

[lysolqn]

Will be on FOS later this summer and our family of seven has decided to try My Time Dining.

 

TA just called to advise that she called RCCL to make the change and they require automatic tipping in the amount of $68.50 per day (the total for all seven of us) paid in full now. We've no objections whatsoever to tipping $68.50 per day (and will go above and beyond that for excellent service) but expected the automatic charges required for My Time Dining would be posted to our onboard accounts (as they were on Princess when we opted for Anytime Dining and as they were on other cruise lines when we've opted for auto-tipping) - especially because our three cabins have a total of $700 in OBC posted to them. It seems unreasonable to have to shell out an additional almost $500 in advance when our past cruising experience, which is quite extensive, shows we'll not otherwise use up the onboard credit we have. I've read that we can sign up for MTD once on the ship, at which time the auto-tipping will be charged to our account, so I can't begin to imagine why the cruise line finds it so necessary to collect tips in advance if we opt for MTD before we get on the ship. I've told the TA not to change anything because right now, I'm a bit miffed. This seems to be a matter of form over substance, the proverbial difference without a distinction and I'm bothered by it.

 

If you've tried My Time Dining, did you have to pay gratuities prior to your cruise?

 

Can we, in fact, change from our current dining time to MTD once on the ship?

 

If we cave and pay for the tips now but don't use up our onboard credit, will RCCL refund unused OBC to our credit card post-cruise or will it be lost?

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks.

[Lynnees]

Yes, you can sign up for MTD once you board the ship. On our recent TA Brilliance, many people did this. At that time they will automatically post the gratuities to your onboard account.

 

Unused obc is normally posted back to your cc at the end of your cruise.

 

My advise would be not to sign up for MTD until you board.

 

I also don't believe in pre-paying gratuities anyway so we won't consider MTD.

[aloha43]

Will be on FOS later this summer and our family of seven has decided to try My Time Dining.

 

TA just called to advise that she called RCCL to make the change and they require automatic tipping in the amount of $68.50 per day (the total for all seven of us) paid in full now. We've no objections whatsoever to tipping $68.50 per day (and will go above and beyond that for excellent service) but expected the automatic charges required for My Time Dining would be posted to our onboard accounts (as they were on Princess when we opted for Anytime Dining and as they were on other cruise lines when we've opted for auto-tipping) - especially because our three cabins have a total of $700 in OBC posted to them. It seems unreasonable to have to shell out an additional almost $500 in advance when our past cruising experience, which is quite extensive, shows we'll not otherwise use up the onboard credit we have. I've read that we can sign up for MTD once on the ship, at which time the auto-tipping will be charged to our account, so I can't begin to imagine why the cruise line finds it so necessary to collect tips in advance if we opt for MTD before we get on the ship. I've told the TA not to change anything because right now, I'm a bit miffed. This seems to be a matter of form over substance, the proverbial difference without a distinction and I'm bothered by it.

 

If you've tried My Time Dining, did you have to pay gratuities prior to your cruise?

 

Can we, in fact, change from our current dining time to MTD once on the ship?

 

If we cave and pay for the tips now but don't use up our onboard credit, will RCCL refund unused OBC to our credit card post-cruise or will it be lost?

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks.

 

I'm a bit confused as to how Royal Caribbean is "demanding" prepaid gratuities for MTD. I thought prepaid gratuities were optional.

 

I wouldn't pre-pay my gratuities again. Last time, they were applied incorrectly by my TA as a "special occasion gift on board credit" and we used them up before we realized what it was, and then had to come up with more on the last day. Besides, if you don't eat in the dining room, they are getting tips that are undeserving...or if you get staff that give bad service, they'll get it anyway.

 

In my opinion, gratuities should be dependent upon good service....not a requirement.

[phoenix1181]

OP, I think you're taking a policy decision personally and that is certainly not the intent. It would be virtually impossible for RCCL to review every-one's past history to see who spends how much and then make a decision as to who is required to prepay tips versus billing your SeaPass account.

 

Based on your knowledge that you more than likely won't spend all of the OBC, you have two options. Pay the tips now to ensure you'll have My Time Dining and have the cruise line refund any unused OBC or wait until you board and sign up for My Time Dining so your SeaPass can be charged. If you wait until you board, you have to take the time to sign everyone up and hope there's availability.

Whatever you decide, have a great cruise and please let us know how you like My Time Dining if you opt to go that route!

[SherriZ366]

OP, I think you're taking a policy decision personally and that is certainly not the intent. It would be virtually impossible for RCCL to review every-one's past history to see who spends how much and then make a decision as to who is required to prepay tips versus billing your SeaPass account.

 

Based on your knowledge that you more than likely won't spend all of the OBC, you have two options. Pay the tips now to ensure you'll have My Time Dining and have the cruise line refund any unused OBC or wait until you board and sign up for My Time Dining so your SeaPass can be charged. If you wait until you board, you have to take the time to sign everyone up and hope there's availability.

Whatever you decide, have a great cruise and please let us know how you like My Time Dining if you opt to go that route!

You can also take money out at the casino if you don't think you will use your entire OBC.

 

Those that want MyTime MUST follow the guidelines to prepay the tips -- either before you sail if you reserve MyTime before on once you are on the ship (when it comes out of your shipboard account). This is the only way that RCI can ensure that servers get tipped.

[RetireeWannabee]

Prepaying grats is generally optional, but is required for MTD.

 

I understand why, but I agree that it would be nice to just apply it to shipboard account. I would wait until boarding to make the change so that it does work out that way.

[Merion_Mom]

What no one knows is how popular MTD is on the Freedom in the summer.

 

I believe that they are still limiting how many can use MTD.

 

lysolqn, you can definitely gamble on NOT signing up for MTD now, but waiting until you are onboard. There is a *chance* that they will tell you, "sorry, it's full." Unlikely, but possible.

 

If you sign up onboard, then the pre-paid gratuities will be entered immediately on your SeaPass account.

 

I agree with phoenix 1181: don't take it personally. It's just a policy. Having passengers pre-pay gratuities if they have MTD is their way of ensuring that everyone is tipped, regardless of your table each day. In traditional that never changes; on MTD it can and probably will.

[Merion_Mom]

I'm a bit confused as to how Royal Caribbean is "demanding" prepaid gratuities for MTD. I thought prepaid gratuities were optional.

 

I wouldn't pre-pay my gratuities again. Last time, they were applied incorrectly by my TA as a "special occasion gift on board credit" and we used them up before we realized what it was, and then had to come up with more on the last day. Besides, if you don't eat in the dining room, they are getting tips that are undeserving...or if you get staff that give bad service, they'll get it anyway.

 

In my opinion, gratuities should be dependent upon good service....not a requirement.

 

Aloha, you are misunderstanding the situation.

 

Only passengers who opt for My Time Dining are required to pre-pay their gratuities. Since they won't have the same servers every day, RC will take charge of seeing that all the service people in the My Time Dining section get their fair share of the gratuities.

[lysolqn]

I agree with phoenix 1181: don't take it personally. It's just a policy. Having passengers pre-pay gratuities if they have MTD is their way of ensuring that everyone is tipped, regardless of your table each day. In traditional that never changes; on MTD it can and probably will.

 

Of course it's just a policy and nothing personal; however, I think it's a poor policy for which there is really no justification other than getting their hands on pax dollars long before those dollars are due.

 

I'm not sure how pre-paying gratuities two months prior to a cruise for My Time Dining does anything more to ensure that everyone is tipped (despite our having different tables/wait staff each day), than charging those very same gatuities to my onboard account should I opt for My Time Dining once on the ship. Either way, RCCL will see to it that everyone who needs to be tipped, will be tipped.

 

If I can be sure that any OBC that remains unused at the end of the cruise will be credited back to my charge card, I guess I would have an easier time pre-paying tips ahead of time. That said, while I still think the policy is an unjustified imposition on pax, I'm certainly not taking it personally.

 

Thanks everyone for your replies.

[Merion_Mom]

Of course it's just a policy and nothing personal; however, I think it's a poor policy for which there is really no justification other than getting their hands on pax dollars long before those dollars are due.

 

I'm not sure how pre-paying gratuities two months prior to a cruise for My Time Dining does anything more to ensure that everyone is tipped (despite our having different tables/wait staff each day), than charging those very same gatuities to my onboard account should I opt for My Time Dining once on the ship. Either way, RCCL will see to it that everyone who needs to be tipped, will be tipped.

 

If I can be sure that any OBC that remains unused at the end of the cruise will be credited back to my charge card, I guess I would have an easier time pre-paying tips ahead of time. That said, while I still think the policy is an unjustified imposition on pax, I'm certainly not taking it personally.

 

Thanks everyone for your replies.

 

I think that it may be a way to get a more accurate count of who is doing MTD on any given cruise. If people have pre-paid their tips, it's a pretty clear indication that they are intent on having MTD.

 

It is different on Princess. There is always a waiting list for TRADITIONAL. They WANT everyone/more people to select anytime dining. Therefore there is no reason to know how many have anytime. It's traditional they need a strict headcount for.

[negc]

It at least gives them a base number to work from and as they gain experience with the program, they can make an educated guess as to the additional guests who will sign up for it once onboard, and have a good approximation of how many tables in the dining room they will need to accommodate those guests who want MTD. As far as being charged for the tips before you actually sail, it is no different than their procedure for pre-booking excursions. Princess doesn't charge for pre-booked excursions until you are onboard, while RCI charges your credit card when you make the reservation. Either way, if you have to cancel the excursion your payment will be refunded and it is really a matter of 'pay me now, or pay me later' and isn't really a cause for the outrage some express.:rolleyes:

[lysolqn]

It at least gives them a base number to work from and as they gain experience with the program, they can make an educated guess as to the additional guests who will sign up for it once onboard, and have a good approximation of how many tables in the dining room they will need to accommodate those guests who want MTD.

 

Opting for MTD is no different than opting for main or late seating - there's no need to approximate how many tables will be needed because based on reservations, they know exactly how many. They also know that a certain percentage of pax will want to change from main to late/late to main once onboard and can make those changes only insofar as space is available. In theory it should be no different for MTD.

 

I appreciate the noble attempts to explain the need to pre-pay gratuities if one opts for MTD. For better or worse, I still think that policy is unjustified.

 

Either way, if you have to cancel the excursion your payment will be refunded and it is really a matter of 'pay me now, or pay me later' and isn't really a cause for the outrage some express.:rolleyes:

 

Not quite sure why or where you detect "outrage" in this thread. I think it exhibits a particularly courteous exchange of ideas in a manner that is about as far from outrage as possible.

[negc]

I apologize for my use of the term "outrage" which was based on someone's comment (not yours) which talked about RCI "demanding" advance payment of gratuities. It was not a proper description of the tenor of this thread.

I do think that RCI is making a conscious effort to avoid the problems that Princess experienced with its Anytime Dining, by attempting to get a firmer picture of how many tables they need to set aside for those who want one style of dining over the other. The problem with Princess has been that even though they clearly know how many passengers want traditional vs

anytime dining, they have been inflexible in their designation of traditional vs. anytime Dining rooms with the result that there have been interminably long wait lists for traditional dining and many guests have claimed that they were forced to take anytime dining even when they had requested traditional dining many months prior to the sailing.

[lysolqn]

No need to apologize - I thought perhaps you picked up on something I missed.

 

I understand your point about RCCL wanting to have a good idea about how much space to set aside for MTD and thereby avoid problems experienced by Princess, and I applaud them for their efforts. I even understand and totally agree with why they require auto-tipping for MTD pax. What I don't understand is how requiring pre-payment of gratutities months before a cruise from pax who opt for MTD in any way, shape or form helps to accomplish that goal. Just one of life's great mysteries I suppose! Thanks for your input.

[cruisePRN]

I resent mandatory prepaid gratuities because of MTD. I tip at the end of a meal or in the case of a cruise at the end of the week AFTER I have received the service. The incentive to work for tips is gone under this system. It's actually a service fee not a tip because tips don't come first. This system will discourage some from adding above and beyond the pre paid gratuity amounts. I did anyime dining on Princess last month and it was great. I put the suggested tips on my seapass card the next to last day of the cruise and used my OBC.

[phoenix1181]

What I don't understand is how requiring pre-payment of gratutities months before a cruise from pax who opt for MTD in any way, shape or form helps to accomplish that goal. Just one of life's great mysteries I suppose! Thanks for your input.

 

They don't actually require the prepaid tips be paid until final payment. So what it really boils down to is bookkeeping................ :rolleyes:

[negc]

No need to apologize - I thought perhaps you picked up on something I missed.

 

I understand your point about RCCL wanting to have a good idea about how much space to set aside for MTD and thereby avoid problems experienced by Princess, and I applaud them for their efforts. I even understand and totally agree with why they require auto-tipping for MTD pax. What I don't understand is how requiring pre-payment of gratutities months before a cruise from pax who opt for MTD in any way, shape or form helps to accomplish that goal. Just one of life's great mysteries I suppose! Thanks for your input.

You could be right that it doesn't help them accomplish the goal of knowing how many guests want MTD, although one might argue that having prepaid the tips may discourage folks from having second thoughts and changing back to traditional once they board, but I also believe that it is simply a matter of the different way that RCI and Princess handle these kinds of things. RCI charges your credit card when you pre-book a shore excursion and Princess waits until you board the ship. As I said, it is sort of a "pay me now or pay me later" kind of thing and there are those who prefer one method over the other and some who really don't care which way it is done.:)

[Cruise Gopher]

To the OP I have the same feelings. I want to do MTD but can't justify paying 9 months to over a year in advance for my tips so RCI can earn interest on the money all that time.

 

So we are just going to chance it and run to the dining room as soon as we get on board and hope to still get MTD.

[lysolqn]

To the OP I have the same feelings. I want to do MTD but can't justify paying 9 months to over a year in advance for my tips so RCI can earn interest on the money all that time.

 

So we are just going to chance it and run to the dining room as soon as we get on board and hope to still get MTD.

 

I think we're going to do the same thing. Pre-paying at this point in time just doesn't sit well with me. I've heard that sometimes shortly before sailing, the cruise line sends an e-mail asking if you wish to switch to MTD. If that's true, we may consider switching closer to the sail date.

[phoenix1181]

To the OP I have the same feelings. I want to do MTD but can't justify paying 9 months to over a year in advance for my tips so RCI can earn interest on the money all that time.

 

So we are just going to chance it and run to the dining room as soon as we get on board and hope to still get MTD.

 

It seems to me you've got things a bit twisted. Prepaying your tips is nothing more than an additional line item on your invoice . Other than the deposit you've already paid, none of it needs to be paid until final payment is due. Paying it off before then is entirely in your hands.............

[Tropixx]

If you get shoddy service when you use MTD, can you lower the tip paid to that server or do they get the whole amount regardless? Same question for the regular pre-paid tipping also...

 

 

J & Shelli

[Lynnees]

If you get shoddy service when you use MTD, can you lower the tip paid to that server or do they get the whole amount regardless? Same question for the regular pre-paid tipping also...

 

 

J & Shelli

 

 

You cannot lower the amount. If you have pre-paid regular you can remove all gratuities and give as you feel you should, but there is no way to lower one person's gratuity. It's basically all or none. I don't think you can do anything about shoddy service if you are utilizing MTD.

[negc]

If you get shoddy service when you use MTD, can you lower the tip paid to that server or do they get the whole amount regardless? Same question for the regular pre-paid tipping also...

 

 

J & Shelli

 

You can't adjust your tips, but you can and should complain to the Maitre'd or on the guest survey that you receive towards the end of the cruise. The tips are spread among all of the MTD servers and eveb if you could reduce your tips, the effect on the server who provided you with shoddy service, would be minimal and would be the same as on the server who provided you with excellent service.:)

[Tropixx]

Thanks for the fast replies.

 

I guess we can try it out on a short cruise and see if its worthwhile. If we get a shoddy server we'll just change to a different table/time or get room service.

 

 

Thanks again,

 

J & Shelli