antsp

Key cards still exist onboard, the crew do use medlions, the ones you see them wearing are not active and are just for show

I was just thinking of yourself and your travelling companion

29 minutes ago, rbtan said:

I'm referring to an electric kettle that you plug in..

Yes I know, they are allowed and we have had them provided loads of times

8 minutes ago, Snaxmuppet said:

Not all phones allow you to share a wifi connection. 

Any decent modern smartphone will

Just use your phone as a hot spot, the you can share the WiFi with upto 9 devices 

12 hours ago, New2cruise2022 said:

That is exactly how I would describe San Pedro! Haha 

Agree, the staff at San Pedro are idiots, possibly the worst port to board from anywhere in the world. Last time the security woman wanted us to wait 10 minutes so she could search our hand luggage, she scanned it and gave it to us, then said wait and I'll rescan it....... Walked off in the end with bag. 

6 hours ago, rbtan said:

Tea kettle will NOT be provided. Too much of a fire hazard for SOLAS to allow.

Incorrect 

6 minutes ago, LACruiser88 said:

This happened a few years ago in San Pedro as we were boarding.  An off-duty law enforcement officer "forgot" to leave his weapon in his car before boarding the ship as a passenger.  He was allowed to store the weapon in his car and boarded.

God bless America

4 minutes ago, capriccio said:

Thanks for the explanation.  Do you know whether "tips" refers only to the automatic gratuities and automatic service charges only or if tips handed to servers, stewards, etc. are also pooled?  We were told by both servers and stewards that they got to keep those tips.

No idea, one thing I've learned since she has been onboard, different departments have very little to do with each other

4 minutes ago, dog said:

May be true for your dd. Not for all . A family crew member has told me that they know- some talk.

OK, we agree to disagree. 

I don't know how the tip pool is distributed as our daughter is in the 'entrainment dept' she's friends with a few bar tenders, (always useful) and they don't know who's removed the auto tip, as far as she understands tips are pooled fleetwide and most crew now are on a minimum fixed salary 

5 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

 

That’s what I wondered.  How do they know?  Does GS tell them?  Do they have access to your folio?

 

I know years ago, they knew.  But,

I thought now, they do not know?

 

Interesting.

Our dd works onboard a Princess ship, and is currently on a contract. 

Because I have 100% up to date information 

8 hours ago, Bgwest said:

Yours is such an outstanding and thoughtful post that I encourage you to keep a copy of it and repost it in each and every tip tread that comes along

 

Bravo!!!

This information may be out of date, the individual crew member does not know if the auto tip is removed 

5 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

I am still not sure why people insist on bringing anything onboard that they’ve deemed to be not allowed.  
oh well, it is what it is!  

Because they are allowed, oh well, it is what it is! 

One time we took a load of rum and vodka onboard in Rum Runners. This one time security didn't see it. 

Explorers lounge holds all the same events as Princess live, it's just a much nicer space

Our dd has this job, look up jobs under Holland America group 

58 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

 

But that would be a lie.

 

Do you reside with this person at the same address?

 

Were the other posts you read about comps as well?

 

 

You know it's OK to lie to Princess 

11 hours ago, cruzsnooze said:

Do you prefer to tip in advance the ridiculous suggested amount. Do you tip in advance at other places you visit like the local restaurants? 

You can adjust your daily tip up or down, or remove it completely. This is carried out at the passenger service desk. 

40 minutes ago, nho9504 said:

 

You think Princess rate is high?  Holland America charges $29.99 a day and there is NO pay as you go feature.  Oh, there is also ZERO discount even if you are 5 star Mariner...

 

The thing is, many of us do NEED the internet to take care of things that we cannot completely leave behind on a long trip.  The Net these days is a TOOL that people use it to handle all sorts of things, including checking your home when you are away,  you handle your mundane or not so mundane financial matters while you are in the middle of the ocean... just to name a few matters that requiring internet access.  Besides, I dont think many are interested in listening to others on their trips after they come home...  may include those who tell your trip stories to, just sayin.  Hence your notion of Internet that is just for social media is very wrong and bordering to being ignorant, that is the charity to say it.

 

We once met a couple in their 40's who took a 36 days from Australia to Alaska, and they actually marveled about the internet worked on their cruise so they could keep their work schedule with little disruption...

In your mind, this couple should not take on a wonderful cruise because they could not live without Internet due to they had works to do? 

 

You may not realize your room steward has to give the tips you pay him directly to the "pool" so those behind the scene like works laboring in the hot and humid laundry so that you can enjoy your fresh linen and bedding and table cloth and napkin etc etc will also share a bit of the gratuity.  If you are those who are CHEAP that thinking to pay Less than the daily amount automatically charge to your shipboard account, then your room attendant would have to make up the shortfall so his support people would not be short changed by people who are Cheapskates (not meaning you but somehow those unwilling to have the daily gratuity charged to their shipboard account have a high tendency to short pay...  Otherwise, why just pay a bit extra directly to your room attendant / dining room wait staff, while keeping the daily gratuity intact?

You are correct about the Internet, not on tips. Tips given to crew members no longer have to be turned in. All auto tipping is pooled across the entire fleet. Crew are now on a fixed amount 

6 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I can only relay information that is passed on to me first hand.  I see no reason why I would be mislead.  I am not here is dispute what is or is not.

Our daughter works on Princess, all is not what it appears 

Just now, cr8tiv1 said:

 

On my last cruise, I was told by the wait staff and assistant manager that they were tested weekly since I was concerned for their exposure at out table.  I have left covid tests for crew who seemed happy to receive them.

I can assure you crew are not tested every week, and not even when they start a new contract. What crew tell you, and what's reality is different 

1 hour ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

The ship can only do so much.  The crew is tested every week.  Most passengers are not wearing masks.  I did, but not as diligently as I normally do.  Caught covid (I'm sure...on an excursion bus at the beginning of the cruise).  

 

On another cruise (post covid but without newest booster), did not catch covid although both of our table mates (breakfast, lunch, dinner) came down with covid.  I'm sure I had lots of antibodies.  Cabin mate did not catch covid (boosted).  

 

You need to assess your risk factor.  I'm not stopping cruising....Hopefully Princess will continue to cover costs.

Crew are not tested

8 minutes ago, BDevilCruiser said:

I was on the Regal in April 2023.  I did not find any water bottle filling stations.  I filled my bottle in the buffet, using a buffet glass to get ice and water.  (I thought i had explored the entire ship, but might have missed one, perhaps in the gym?)

Might of been on the Sky, all cruises blend into one after a while, but they definitely exist