My Time Dining

[MustSailNOW]

 

Thankyou. That is 100% exactly what I meant, this post is only about the dining room. I tip everyone, do I think a baby should pay the same, no I dont and I wont change my mind. The cabin staff, kids club are amazing and we go above and beyond plus we happily tip the dining staff again no probs, we just feel its a bit insane for a BABY in arms who is still just drinking formula from a bottle to be expected to pay the same amounts as a full grown adult.

 

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The minimum age to cruise is 6 months. By then, most children are on solids along with formula/breastmilk. I don't know about your kids, but mine are messy, lol. We are taking our kids on Freedom in October, one of which will be 10 months old. We already know she will make a mess because we've been there, done that with our other 2 kids (this will be our 3 year old's 4th cruise). Based on this, I think the dining room staff does earn their tips for babies.

 

And just to clarify, I'm not saying that YOUR baby should be eating solids by then. Just that MOST babies are and the cruise line probably took that in to consideration when coming up with this policy.

 

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[Stephluva2711]

 

Stop right there, do not say that, read what I said. I absolutely believe staff deserve tips, I said about a baby paying to dining room staff is a bit much, I actually mentioned the wine waiter in particular, I was talking ONLY about a baby paying tips in particular to a wine waiter is stupid in my opinion.

I would never "stiff" anyone for tips, what u have said is not true.

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This post that you were commenting on I didn't post that, I agree with you, I think lines got crossed somewhere?

[gbadge]

Another good reason to cruise with Princess. You pay as go on daily basis and cand adjust the amount anytime.

[LuvBNatC]

I just wish RCCL would come clean with WHAT they plan to do across the fleet with dining. Period.

 

For my Vision t/a November 2013, I booked 5 months in advance and was waitlisted for late seating, which I eventually got. However, my table for 10 had 4 empty seats and the dining room was half-deserted EVERY NIGHT.

 

So why the waitlisting?

 

For my upcoming Grandeur cruise in May, I booked through RCCL and was able to pick late seating. No problem.

 

If they intend to end traditional seating and convert all the ships to NCL Freestyle (you KNOW they have a date set for that, with drydock schedules already in place) they should just announce it and let the chips fall where they may, rather than sending all these absurdly mixed messages to everybody and looking inept. JMHO. :)

 

And gratuities, pre-paying or paying onboard should be every passenger's choice. Demanding tips for service months before it's rendered so as to enjoy the float is just tacky.

[negc]

The conspiracy theorists are at it again. :eek:

[handbellplayer]

We love My Time Dining and have chosen it on every cruise since it became available. I have not objection to tips being charged automatically - we have always tipped our servers/steward the recommended amounts plus more for outstanding service.

 

My major objection: We will have a large OBC on our next cruise (we haven't been able to cruise for a couple of years due to family issues). I would really like to be able to use the OBC for gratuities. Choosing MTD doesn't allow me to do that.

[LongTimeTvlr]

Hard to generalize but I am sympathetic with the OP.

 

Just booked our 7th RCCL cruise - May on the Serenade. Was told only dining option available was MTD which I dislike.

 

Paid the fees, including gratuities and was immediately told I was now confirmed at first seating.

 

Coincidence?

 

Maybe, but how often does this coincidence occur?

 

Now I have $550 in OBC that I would have preferred to use to pay gratuities and for our dinner wine.

 

So I am waiting to book excursions until we are on-board so I can use the OBC for that.

 

Just a Royal annoyance. Pun intended.

[Clarea]

Hard to generalize but I am sympathetic with the OP.

 

Just booked our 7th RCCL cruise - May on the Serenade. Was told only dining option available was MTD which I dislike.

 

Paid the fees, including gratuities and was immediately told I was now confirmed at first seating.

 

Coincidence?

 

Maybe, but how often does this coincidence occur?

 

Now I have $550 in OBC that I would have preferred to use to pay gratuities and for our dinner wine.

 

So I am waiting to book excursions until we are on-board so I can use the OBC for that.

 

Just a Royal annoyance. Pun intended.

Will they allow you to remove prepaid gratuities now that you are on traditional dining?

[Pezlady]

Will they allow you to remove prepaid gratuities now that you are on traditional dining?

 

 

When do you find out if your wait list time is confirmed? We are scheduled for 4/24 RCCL out preferred 6:30 time was not available and had to choose MTD. We also prepaid tips.

 

 

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[poncho1973]

Just FYI... I'm selling tin foil hats, specifically adapted for internet use, for $4.99 each or 2 for $12.99 [supplies are limited].

[negc]

We really enjoy MTD and do not mind paying our gratuities in advance of sailing. However, now that they have decided that traditional diners will have the gratuities added to their onboard accounts on a daily basis, I would have no problem should they decide to extend this practice to those who have selected My Time Dining. :)

[Clarea]

When do you find out if your wait list time is confirmed? We are scheduled for 4/24 RCCL out preferred 6:30 time was not available and had to choose MTD. We also prepaid tips.

You can see your dining time by checking your reservation on Royal's website.

[Sunkissed Mommy]

To those that don't want to tip for a baby, think about this.

 

Our last cruise was our first with our son who was 9 months old at the time. Our wait staff EARNED their tip/gratuity from him. They were great! They brought plain steamed veggies for him every night. Even cut the veggie in to small pieces for him to gum. Played with him and entertained him during dinner when they didn't have to rush around like crazy people. Babies make HUGE messes when they are eating. Had the high chair ready for when we arrived at the table each night.

 

Our room steward also earned his, he would straighten the sheet & blanket in the crib as well as organize the toys on the couch so that they weren't scattered all over the cabin as we sometimes had (inadvertently) left. We put the diapers in the portable diaper genie bags, but he still had to empty our cans much more frequently than usual.

 

I can only hope that our next cruise, in May, we get the same great service for the little guy! I don't mind paying the grats for him when they make things easier on us.

[readytolose]

Just a little tip for you, perhaps u should not be so aggresive in ur manner, was it really necessary to have the "and before u say anything" bit?? Each to their own, u think kids should pay double, good for u, then u pay double then, bet u dont though, also change ur own kids nappy and try clean up some of the mess at least, just expecting the staff to do it for you is rude.

 

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OK, first of all there was no aggression in my post. I've been around this message board long enough to know what kind of responses I was going to get. So to stop some of those I pointed out that Yes, I have in fact cruised with young children.

 

Also, for your information. I do pay double tips for the kids. More than double actually. Because I think everyone we have encountered on the cruise went out of there way to be nice to the kids. I've never had the staff change a diaper (ridiculous that you would even say that) and I don't leave messes for them to clean up. However, I've never gotten the vacuum out after dinner and actually done a thorough cleaning so my opinion is that they earn their tips.

 

I stated my opinion. Obviously you think differently. Do as you please, and I'll do as I please!

[LongTimeTvlr]

Will they allow you to remove prepaid gratuities now that you are on traditional dining?

 

I would like to know the answer to that question. I did not ask. I intend to pay in any case, I just would have preferred to use the OBC for this purpose.

 

In my case it was only few weeks early. I am just annoyed that it appeared to me to be a game. Pay the gratuities and then we will give you your seating request.

 

Maybe it was just an accident it worked out that way, but the transactions, including making the reservation, my paying, then getting 1st seating, all happened in less than 2 hours. And I am not E, D or D+. I am just a P.

[ADogLover]

I disagree with the OP saying that My Time dining is getting "orced on people. A couple of weeks ago, I called RCL to book my first cruise ever for this August. The lady on the phone explained the dining options to me and let me choose which one I liked most. She could've easily taken advantage of my naivety and told me there was only My Time dining left, but she didn't. :)

[Guest maddycat]

We always book MTD. We prefer it to traditional dining. However, we would like to pay our gratuities once on board so that we can use our OBC for that purpose.

[janice2348]

Thought I'd add my two cents.

 

We loved MTD on our first cruise and will do it again on our next one. However, I agree that prepaying gratuities is not fair to those on MTD. Everyone should pay in advance, or have the gratuity added to their sign and sail card on a daily basis....I'm not sure why RCCL still has things set up this way.

 

I agree that the servers more than earn their tips, but I would like to pay cash to those who earn it. Not in advance. If you went out to dinner, would you pay the waiter in advance? No, because tips should be earned. And I know that the tips are split between all of the staff (endless debates on this). I almost feel like I am being made to feel cheap if I don't prepay. And we did tip extra on our first cruise. All of the staff was outstanding.

 

I also agree that the cruise lines are playing games here with unavailable seating times until you pay up. I think eliminating traditional dining is a good idea. It's old fashioned and needs to be changed.

 

If the cruise lines paid a decent wage, this would not be an issue. Same goes for restaurants in the US.

 

Ok rant over. :D

[Pezlady]

You can see your dining time by checking your reservation on Royal's website.

 

 

It still says MTD wait list 6:00 ( or 6;30, whenever the earlier seating is )

 

 

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[Clarea]

It still says MTD wait list 6:00 ( or 6;30, whenever the earlier seating is )

It should change to "6:00pm no waitlists" once you clear the wait list.

[caribbean sailor]

The point is that more and more MTD is the only available option even when booking well in advance.

 

Our last three cruises we were told traditional dining was full,then they try to push this my time dining.Ten months out and all traditional dining is full give me a break.We will not cruise without early dining.Funny when you refuse it they will give you what you want.We will not prepay tips again. :)

[Pezlady]

I disagree with the OP saying that My Time dining is getting "orced on people. A couple of weeks ago, I called RCL to book my first cruise ever for this August. The lady on the phone explained the dining options to me and let me choose which one I liked most. She could've easily taken advantage of my naivety and told me there was only My Time dining left, but she didn't. :)

 

 

We booked two months ago and it was stated no 6:00 availability, only MTD and we were wait listed???

 

 

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[caribbean sailor]

Personally I think Royal is going to take the Quantum concept and apply it across the board.

 

I booked Jewel of the Seas California Coastal for 2015 as soon as it opened. The only option was MTD. I am okay with it because we would rather do MTD. We've done it since 2009 and never turned back. But it was suspicious that it was the only option right off the bat.

 

Anyone else experience this as well?

 

They can apply the Quantum concept if they like.And people who dislike this can sail other cruise lines. :)

[Robinola]

Personally I think babies/children should pay double gratuities. Who do you think takes care of the dirty diapers? Cleans up the food smashed into the carpet? Tries to keep the little ones entertained so mom and dad can have a nice dinner?

 

And before you say anything, yes, I've cruised with a young child and had absolutely no problem paying the tips and also adding more!

 

You know what......you need your own cruise radio talk show host position.

You rock!

[Ken Greco]

We booked the IOS for New Years Eve 2014 and was told only MTD was available. We have always dined lte 8:30 PM with a large table. I would be very disapointed if we have to use MTD. You rarely get to know your table mates.