Mandatory Prepaid Gratuities for My Time Dining

[Zigggypup]

But hasn't the policy changed? I thought everybody effective March 1st no matter if you are MTD or not is having the pre-paid gratuity added to the total cost of their cruise.

[Charles4515]

But hasn't the policy changed? I thought everybody effective March 1st no matter if you are MTD or not is having the pre-paid gratuity added to the total cost of their cruise.

 

No, only MTD has prepay gratuities. Everyone else has automatic gratuities, $12 a day, deducted every day from their account. Prepaid are paid with final payment. Automatic are paid from onboard accounts

[Debde]

But hasn't the policy changed? I thought everybody effective March 1st no matter if you are MTD or not is having the pre-paid gratuity added to the total cost of their cruise.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details/print.do?faqId=5520&faqSubjectId=415&faqSubjectName=Gratuities&pagename=frequently_asked_questions&faqType=faq

[kingsgirl]

As I understood the OP is doing the prepay tips. Are we talking about a different OP?

 

No, I was just trying to tell the OP of another option is all. Sorry for the confusion.

[Charles4515]

No, I was just trying to tell the OP of another option is all. Sorry for the confusion.

 

They said that prepay is their only option because they booked late and only MTD was available.

[fishtaco]

Those who do MTD are paying an upfront "service charge" that cannot be adjusted!

This service charge is not a "Tip".

 

This is clearly stated in the Australian RCI Terms and conditions,that the Gratuities are a "Service Charge"!

 

Under USA Law a Tip cannot be compulsory or held by a company to be distributed as "They" feel fit,. but a service charge is.

 

People must realize that ships Gratuities are not a tip!

 

If you dont believe it try to remove the Tip added to a drink if you get really bad service! You cannot because it is not a tip but a service charge same as for MTD.

 

Den

 

 

.

[VillaHappy]

Sorry but IMO kids are a heck of a lot more work for wait staff and housekeeping than adults. They are messy eaters and often have nighttime accidents. Any issue with service can easily be resolved if you bring it to someone's attention.

 

Actually, this sounds more like my 80 year old parents than my kids. But RCI treats everyone the same when it comes to the service charge.

[MrCruzdoggie]

My family of four, including my 2 young children (3 and 1), will be traveling on the Explorer of the Seas in August for 9 nights. Because we booked relatively late in the game, the only available dining option was My Time Dining, for which RC requires prepaid gratuities. We are typically generous tippers for good service (20% in restaurants is the norm for us), but do not like to reward substandard service. I was shocked to learn that prepaid gratuities cannot be adjusted downward. RC's rationale is that with My Time Dining, we will likely have different wait staff every evening. While I understand that, the $12/day/pp gratuity goes to the stateroom steward and the housekeeping staff too. The bottom line is that My Time Dining cruisers' tips are not optional, but they are for the rest of the passengers. When I called customer service, I was told that my service will not be unsatisfactory. Very self-serving on RC's part. Also, I find it unfair that I am being forced to pay $108 in gratuities for each of my infant and toddler -- the same amount as for me and my wife. I find the $12/day to be fair (if not a bit low) for an adult, but $108 for each of my children is a bit of a money grab. If I was able to adjust my tips for my children on board, I would not eliminate the gratuity, but I would clearly adjust them downward 30%-40%. Unfortunately, I appear to be stuck. I am most concerned if we receive inferior service. Am I totally stuck, or will RC do something for me on board if I have a real issue?

 

I suggest one of two things

1. Cancel the cruise

2. Don't take the kids

[silygirl77]

I suggest one of two things

1. Cancel the cruise

2. Don't take the kids

 

I agree 100% if you don't like the policy cancel the cruise. Why book it in the first place?

[MrsPete]

My family of four, including my 2 young children (3 and 1), will be traveling on the Explorer of the Seas in August for 9 nights. Because we booked relatively late in the game, the only available dining option was My Time Dining, for which RC requires prepaid gratuities. We are typically generous tippers for good service (20% in restaurants is the norm for us), but do not like to reward substandard service. I was shocked to learn that prepaid gratuities cannot be adjusted downward. RC's rationale is that with My Time Dining, we will likely have different wait staff every evening. While I understand that, the $12/day/pp gratuity goes to the stateroom steward and the housekeeping staff too. The bottom line is that My Time Dining cruisers' tips are not optional, but they are for the rest of the passengers. When I called customer service, I was told that my service will not be unsatisfactory. Very self-serving on RC's part. Also, I find it unfair that I am being forced to pay $108 in gratuities for each of my infant and toddler -- the same amount as for me and my wife. I find the $12/day to be fair (if not a bit low) for an adult, but $108 for each of my children is a bit of a money grab. If I was able to adjust my tips for my children on board, I would not eliminate the gratuity, but I would clearly adjust them downward 30%-40%. Unfortunately, I appear to be stuck. I am most concerned if we receive inferior service. Am I totally stuck, or will RC do something for me on board if I have a real issue?

1. You're starting with the assumption that you'll receive poor service. While I understand your reluctance to accept the "It's not gonna happen" from the company, who stands to make money from you, you should believe it from a wide range of strangers on the internet who have experience with Royal Caribbean and no vested interest in lying to you.

 

Speaking only for my own family, we've always received good service from the dining staff. We have had horrible table assignments with traditional dining, but that's not the fault of the waiters.

 

2. It's totally reasonable to expect the same low gratuity for the children. The wait staff will bring them food, clean up after them just like they'll do for an adult -- in fact, they'll probably do more: They'll bring a high chair for the infant, a booster seat for the toddler, and they'll probably clean up more after you're gone.

 

This really isn't a reason to complain.

[yolanda1]

Is it only customers in the UK who now have to prepay tips regardless of their dining arrangements? :confused: Our last 2 cruises have been Traditional Dining, not MTD, and the gratuities have been automatically added on before the final payment date. There is no option to have the gratuities added to the onboard account.

 

Sounds like US guests don't have to prepay unless they have MTD, or am I missing something?

[springfire]

Not at all. My real issue is that passengers without MTD are able to adjust their gratuities if warranted. MTD passengers cannot. Not very equitable. FYI: I am not assuming that I will have substandard service. Cruise lines generally go above and beyond in the customer service area. Also, I understand the replies re: kids' service, but that is not my issue (aside from the fact that we will not leave ANY diapers in a small stateroom -- self explanatory). It just isn't right that the MTD passengers do not have the right to adjust gratuities, if necessary, while non-MTD can. That is essentially my beef.

 

I agree!

[Wahed]

The thread is back from the dead 6 months later :-)

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - now Free

[pcur]

Seems to me some of the posters here didn't read the entire first post by the OP, because this was included:

 

I find the $12/day to be fair (if not a bit low) for an adult, but $108 for each of my children is a bit of a money grab. If I was able to adjust my tips for my children on board, I would not eliminate the gratuity, but I would clearly adjust them downward 30%-40%. Unfortunately, I appear to be stuck.

 

However, the OP did also comment on wanting to reduce or eliminate the auto-tips if given bad service.

 

I think it's been proven that reducing the tips for children is unfair to the crew, since they actually work harder for child passengers.

 

I think the OP has also been well advised if the service is below standard that the auto-tips can be removed. I do NOT think you can reduce them; I believe it's all or nothing.

 

Just summarizing, because we have kind of a schizoid thread going in two directions here.......................................

[Clarea]

Is it only customers in the UK who now have to prepay tips regardless of their dining arrangements? :confused: Our last 2 cruises have been Traditional Dining, not MTD, and the gratuities have been automatically added on before the final payment date. There is no option to have the gratuities added to the onboard account.

 

Sounds like US guests don't have to prepay unless they have MTD, or am I missing something?

That's true, US guests do not have to prepay gratuities if the choose traditional dining. If we don't prepay, the daily gratuity amount is automatically added to our SeaPass account. We have the ability to alter or remove the automatic gratuities.

[yolanda1]

That's true, US guests do not have to prepay gratuities if the choose traditional dining. If we don't prepay, the daily gratuity amount is automatically added to our SeaPass account. We have the ability to alter or remove the automatic gratuities.

 

 

 

Thank you. I did wonder why people were still saying that only MTD guests pay gratuities upfront, while we had no option. Seems strange to have different policies for different nationalities though!

[Clarea]

Thank you. I did wonder why people were still saying that only MTD guests pay gratuities upfront, while we had no option. Seems strange to have different policies for different nationalities though!

I never knew that UK guests had no choice but to prepay gratuities. Is this the case no matter how you book, direct with Royal or using a travel agent?

[yolanda1]

I never knew that UK guests had no choice but to prepay gratuities. Is this the case no matter how you book, direct with Royal or using a travel agent?

 

 

I'm not sure to be honest. Our 2 most recent bookings were booked direct with Royal online and both were Traditional Dining, with gratuities added. The previous one was booked via a TA, and was for MTD anyway, so we expected to prepay for that reason.

[DirtyDawg]

Cruise lines should just add gratuities to the cruise fare or call them a resort fee. It is just part of the cost of cruising. As for the daily charge of $12 for adults and children...also fair in my opinion. I guarantee you little ones require a lot more work on the part of the staff than a normal adult!

 

Don't give gratuities another thought...it's just part of the cost of cruising.

 

How about the abnormal adults? :D

 

..... or some your fellow CC'ers? ;)

[FLACRUISER99]

I think they should close threads that have not been used for over 90 Days!

[LMaxwell]

I think they should close threads that have not been used for over 90 Days!

 

Why? Old posts are quite useful and bringing up a topic prevents a new redundant post from being made. Now that CC search is not working, using Google to find old threads is fast and easy.

 

I am now fully paid up(and have been) for my cruise next week. I am in My Time Dining and had to pre-pay my gratuities. I would have preferred that they be added to my SeaPass (i.e. - billed AFTER the cruise) for the simple fact that I had to part with money months ahead of time before receiving service while others get to defer payment until services are rendered.

 

The amount is the same in the end and I have no contention with the amount, but I don't like to part with money earlier than necessary. It is of no direct benefit to me. The monthly budget and bank statements tell the story; either my money is working for me or it isn't, and if I have to pay for something months in advance that others don't I am in a fundamentally disadvantageous position. I don't get sticker shock at receiving bills for things I've purchased. I don't psychologically trick myself into feeling better about pre-paying for things.

 

I can understand and sympathize with the OP's gripe about MyTimeDining being forced to pay with the cruise payment. I would have no issue if this were charged daily or at the end of the cruise. I am glad I found this thread because I also had MTD on the Allure and it was...a mess. At the time I believed nothing could be done about pre-paid gratuities, I now know better. I had brought issues to the head waiter and they were not really resolved to satisfaction. Of course I expect good service and I anticipate to receive it with RCI.

 

I booked a cruise 13 months in advance for a party of 6 and early/late seating was filled out (I have a very hard time to believe early and late seating was filled 13 months out). I was forced to choose MTD. That means I will have to part with $500 in gratuities at least 3 months earlier than people in early / late seating. As a small business owner that grates. I couldn't run my business paying utility companies and vendors three months in advance of services. But cruising is not like dealing with AT&T either...thankfully.

 

Anyways, I understand OP's main point. Thanks OP for taking the verbal abuse of these forums; at least they proved useful for some of us to be enlightened about policies.

[Debde]

One gets moved and another returns!! LOL

 

All tips can be removed if your prefer to pay them in cash. Like I said on the last thread that had me drained from that posting run.......... :D

 

After this thread and the last thread-I am sure NO ONE here knows anything. Staff has told each and every person a different thing. People just make stuff up and post it to get a rise out of people. Like the one on the last thread that heard you get a phone call if you remove them!!:rolleyes: They told me they pool, they told me they don't pool, they have to turn in cash tips, they get to keep cash tips, they post a poster in the MDR kitchen on who removed the tip, the staff carries a list in the cart who removed tip.................people-we know NOTHING.

 

No one on CC knows anything about the inner financial workings of Royal so if you choose to tip yourself-by all means, you should. But please, tip. The staff you come in direct contact with that brings you food and keeps your home for the week clean do work for tips. Do the right thing. Either cash or put on your account, whatever makes you feel comfortable.

 

Don't let someone with a screen name of cute bunny from somewhere USA tell you what they know to be true. Some cr&* posted here is just that........ a line of cr%^!!

 

What I can tell you to be true is it is very easy and no line if timed correctly to remove your tips and give cash instead.

[kc320]

One gets moved and another returns!! LOL

 

All tips can be removed if your prefer to pay them in cash. Like I said on the last thread that had me drained from that posting run.......... :D

 

After this thread and the last thread-I am sure NO ONE here knows anything. Staff has told each and every person a different thing. People just make stuff up and post it to get a rise out of people. Like the one on the last thread that heard you get a phone call if you remove them!!:rolleyes: They told me they pool, they told me they don't pool, they have to turn in cash tips, they get to keep cash tips, they post a poster in the MDR kitchen on who removed the tip, the staff carries a list in the cart who removed tip.................people-we know NOTHING.

 

No one on CC knows anything about the inner financial workings of Royal so if you choose to tip yourself-by all means, you should. But please, tip. The staff you come in direct contact with that brings you food and keeps your home for the week clean do work for tips. Do the right thing. Either cash or put on your account, whatever makes you feel comfortable.

 

Don't let someone with a screen name of cute bunny from somewhere USA tell you what they know to be true. Some cr&* posted here is just that........ a line of cr%^!!

 

What I can tell you to be true is it is very easy and no line if timed correctly to remove your tips and give cash instead.

 

NOT if you have MTD....adjusted "MAYBE"...but they will NOT let you remove them completly...