Anytime Dining - Prepaid Gratuities

On Oasis, if we choose anytime dining, we are being told we need to prepay gratuities. If we are unhappy with the service, can we be refunded our money? Who refunds our money - the travel agent or Royal Caribbean? Will we get refunded on our credit card or through some sort of credit?

Anyone try to dispute this? Thanks.

If you have issues with the service in the dining room you need to raise that at the time with the Head Waiter so that it can be put right. I've not read here of anyone being refunded their pre-pay gratuities when dining anytime. Do not expect to get any sort of refund if you don't raise it then and there.

Sounds like you don't want to pay them at all. JMO.

On Oasis, if we choose anytime dining, we are being told we need to prepay gratuities. If we are unhappy with the service, can we be refunded our money? Who refunds our money - the travel agent or Royal Caribbean? Will we get refunded on our credit card or through some sort of credit?

 

Anyone try to dispute this? Thanks.

No sure why you seem convinced that the service you receive in the dining room or in your stateroom will be so bad as to require that you get a refund. In our experience the service from all RCI staff is superior but on the off chance that you do have a problem, a complaint to a supervisor (head waiter or your room steward' superior should correct the situation. Unless you are simply looking for an excuse to avoid paying the gratuities, you shouldn't notice any difference in the quality of service you receive when you pay in advance, and for many, it is simply more convenient to pay up front rather than at the conclusion of your cruise. In our experience the service has been so good that an additional gratuity at the end of the cruise was often called for.

On Oasis, if we choose anytime dining, we are being told we need to prepay gratuities. If we are unhappy with the service, can we be refunded our money? Who refunds our money - the travel agent or Royal Caribbean? Will we get refunded on our credit card or through some sort of credit?

 

Anyone try to dispute this? Thanks.

you need to go to the Head waiter and address the service IMMEDIATELY, not let it go on the entire cruise then demand a refund of the gratuities..

also keep in mind that with ATD you can get a different waitstaff every night.

if you do and it's not resolved, you go to Guest services. everything is refunded back to the original payment form used.

I think I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of (legitimate) complaints heard on this board that warranted a removal

I can only state my experience of sailing from UK - gratuities can be removed if you are not happy with the service. I personally didn't remove them, but I was of the opinion that these could be removed at any point during the cruise if I was unhappy, which was the only reason I was happy to pay in advance.

On Oasis, if we choose anytime dining, we are being told we need to prepay gratuities. If we are unhappy with the service, can we be refunded our money? Who refunds our money - the travel agent or Royal Caribbean? Will we get refunded on our credit card or through some sort of credit?

 

Anyone try to dispute this? Thanks.

Already, before cruising, you think you will have bad service. How do you know, your cruise has not happened yet? Why not go with a positive attitude?

I thought once they had been pre paid that was it.

I know you can have the daily charges removed but if you pre pay to do ATD that is not the case as far as I am aware.

No sure why you seem convinced that the service you receive in the dining room or in your stateroom will be so bad as to require that you get a refund. In our experience the service from all RCI staff is superior but on the off chance that you do have a problem, a complaint to a supervisor (head waiter or your room steward' superior should correct the situation. Unless you are simply looking for an excuse to avoid paying the gratuities, you shouldn't notice any difference in the quality of service you receive when you pay in advance, and for many, it is simply more convenient to pay up front rather than at the conclusion of your cruise. In our experience the service has been so good that an additional gratuity at the end of the cruise was often called for.

Absolutely agree totally with this statement. We had no problems whatsoever on our recent cruise. The only thing we did pick up on was a bulb was occasionally flashing on and off in the washroom. WE mentioned it to our cabin steward, and he jumped on it there and then. By the time we got back from breakfast it was fixed. One other point to note, if you do not want to pay the gratuities (which I think were well deserved), why don't you just go into the buffet restaurant?

Absolutely agree totally with this statement. We had no problems whatsoever on our recent cruise. The only thing we did pick up on was a bulb was occasionally flashing on and off in the washroom. WE mentioned it to our cabin steward, and he jumped on it there and then. By the time we got back from breakfast it was fixed. One other point to note, if you do not want to pay the gratuities (which I think were well deserved), why don't you just go into the buffet restaurant?

Or set dining.

I thought once they had been pre paid that was it.

 

I know you can have the daily charges removed but if you pre pay to do ATD that is not the case as far as I am aware.

They are still classed as gratuities (gifts) and I believe they can be removed daily. I think that would give the OP peace of mind, doesn't mean he will remove them.

I have never had service bad enough to warrant having gratuities removed or otherwise adjusted, from anyone on any cruise line. Wouldn't even think about it.

you need to go to the Head waiter and address the service IMMEDIATELY, not let it go on the entire cruise then demand a refund of the gratuities..

 

also keep in mind that with ATD you can get a different waitstaff every night.

 

if you do and it's not resolved, you go to Guest services. everything is refunded back to the original payment form used.

 

I think I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of (legitimate) complaints heard on this board that warranted a removal

It should also be noted that if you find an exceptionally good team of servers in MTD, you can request having them for the remainder of your cruise and the dining room staff will do their best to accommodate you. That is much more likely than getting inferior service for the duration of your cruise.

Everyone talks about bad service in the Dining Room and the gratuities. That gratuity that you pay up front, goes to all of the workers that have contact with you on the ship. It gets divided between many people. It is not just for the waiters. So, when you remove it or don't pay it, that effects many other people who may be doing a great job for you.

They are still classed as gratuities (gifts) and I believe they can be removed daily. I think that would give the OP peace of mind, doesn't mean he will remove them.

Nope.

MTD gratuities are paid up front pre-cruise so cannot be refunded so easily as they have already been charged. He cannot remove them.

They are still classed as gratuities (gifts) and I believe they can be removed daily. I think that would give the OP peace of mind, doesn't mean he will remove them.

I don't believe that is the case.

On Oasis, if we choose anytime dining, we are being told we need to prepay gratuities. If we are unhappy with the service, can we be refunded our money? Who refunds our money - the travel agent or Royal Caribbean? Will we get refunded on our credit card or through some sort of credit?

 

Anyone try to dispute this? Thanks.

you need to go to the Head waiter and address the service IMMEDIATELY, not let it go on the entire cruise then demand a refund of the gratuities..

 

also keep in mind that with ATD you can get a different waitstaff every night.

 

if you do and it's not resolved, you go to Guest services. everything is refunded back to the original payment form used.

 

I think I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of (legitimate) complaints heard on this board that warranted a removal

I believe this is the best answer to the OP's question. The MTD gratuities which are paid at final payment can be adjusted or completely refunded by visiting Guest Services prior to debarkation.

I believe this is the best answer to the OP's question. The MTD gratuities which are paid at final payment can be adjusted or completely refunded by visiting Guest Services prior to debarkation.

No. They can't stay in My Time with Gratuities removed. If they change to timed seating that's another story altogether. The whole premise of MTD is that gratuities are pre-paid. And they cover room steward as well as dining staff.

No. They can't stay in My Time with Gratuities removed. If they change to timed seating that's another story altogether. The whole premise of MTD is that gratuities are pre-paid. And they cover room steward as well as dining staff.

Maybe with UK sailings that is true, I don't know. But this Q&A from RCI indicates otherwise:

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=415&faqSubjectName=Gratuities&faqId=5563

Maybe with UK sailings that is true, I don't know. But this Q&A from RCI indicates otherwise:

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=415&faqSubjectName=Gratuities&faqId=5563

Ah..... I see where the confusion lies..... you're going from the website.... which is talking about the automatic gratuities as well as those that are optionally pre-paid..... no mention there of MTD.

Ah..... I see where the confusion lies..... you're going from the website.... which is talking about the automatic gratuities as well as those that are optionally pre-paid..... no mention there of MTD.

There are many references to removing or adjusting gratuities and there is no discrimination between those applying to MTD and the normal pre-paid or auto gratuities. Likewise, the cruise contract mentions nothing about MTD gratuities being totally non-refundable or non-adjustable, only that they are required to be paid in advance. Oh and I understand about trusting information on the RCI web site.... many here over the years have mentioned terribly out of date info still posted. Regardless, if I am totally wrong on this, my apologies. :(

Nope.

MTD gratuities are paid up front pre-cruise so cannot be refunded so easily as they have already been charged. He cannot remove them.

I didn't remove them so I didn't experience it, but we were told:

If you are not happy with your service you can get your gratuities removed, daily, by guest services. Is that not the case then?

Here is a thought everyone...answer the OP's question or don't respond. So many responses "why would you ever" or "I have NEVER thought that warranted" etc etc....

the OP asked a question...if you don't want to answer....don't post.

I didn't remove them so I didn't experience it, but we were told:

 

If you are not happy with your service you can get your gratuities removed, daily, by guest services. Is that not the case then?

It certainly is the case that you can remove gratuities when you do not have My Time Dining and have not prepaid gratuities. However, it was my understanding that if gratuities are prepaid, or you transition from traditional to My Time Dining during the cruise, then gratuities cannot be removed.

Here is a thought everyone...answer the OP's question or don't respond. So many responses "why would you ever" or "I have NEVER thought that warranted" etc etc....

 

the OP asked a question...if you don't want to answer....don't post.

I agree with that, because if we take out all the opinion, it still appears we are confused about the facts. I am anyway. :confused:

I can't see how, if we call something a gratuity, it can't be removed. Really not being difficult, I just can't see how that can be.