billslowsky

The five NCL cruises that I've taken much more recently than yours from the 1990s... We could go to the dining room on the first day of the trip and reserve our seating at times we wanted for the entire week. The dinner menu changed EVERY day; our tour of the kitchens showed cycles of daily menus that went beyond a simple seven day repeat. No free lobster... eh? I'll live, especially considering the small serving my wife got on our last Royal cruise. Since you have no interest in NCL, why do you spend time watching the youtube videos? Especially ones that aren't accurate?

Their "information" is based on cruises they took more than 20 years ago.

With the availability of info from places like total wines, people can get comparative prices before they board, I don't find much of a booze bargain on board unless I want 5 bottles of the same thing. Maybe cigarettes but I'm not in that game.

In my state, the teachers' code of conduct states this: Shall not accept or offer gratuities, gifts or favors that impair or appear to influence professional judgment, decisions, or actions or to obtain special advantage. This section shall not restrict the acceptance of de minimis gifts or tokens offered and accepted openly from students, parents of students, or other persons or organizations in recognition or appreciation of service. It would be difficult to demonstrate that a gift on behalf of the entire class would violate the first sentence.

Plus the two bottles of wine per cabin can help get through dinners.

I'm going on a Canada/New England trip because it costs too much to fly to Florida.

My kids are beyond college age. Even when they were in elementary school, we received notes from the (then called) room mothers with the "suggested" donation for Christmas time and end of year "gifts".

I've never not paid the auto gratuity plus additional amounts for good service. Bottom line... pretty clear.

It was not allowed on my soda package in March. I tried.

Maternity wards in particular have many people leaving gifts for the workers. Same with pediatric units and long term care. They don't turn them down.

Neither harsh nor unkind. If the room attendants have more financially lucrative opportunities at home, why wouldn't they take them? A cruise is not a social justice encounter group.

If you "win" the bid the company collects $5,000 from you and $4,000 from the other person. Total $9,000. If the other person's bid is accepted, the company collects $3,000 from you and $5,500 from them. Total $8,500. Company wants $9,000 more than $8,500.

Not to the person deciding between taking the cruise ship job or not. Your room attendant in all likelihood did not turn down a Fellowship at Oxford.

Of course it matters. Unless you believe that guy serving hot dogs in the Windjammer has given up the lucrative opportunity to be a chef at a Michelin rated restaurant in Paris. The workers weight their alternatives. A tenured university professorship at Stanford is typically not in the cards.

Why would "Haiti" want them? It's one thing to dump someone in another state, but another country is totally different. Perhaps they should consider the amounts of alcohol involved.

That you didn't have a copy or balance does not mean it was free. The feds paid for it. From taxpayer dollars. That "other people's money" thing. Not free.

I suggest looking into the time involved... the baggage can't get off the ship before you dock and get cleared. Then it has to be taken from wherever the ship stores it (separately) to the vehicle that's going to take it to the airport. Then it has to get to your airline. If you have a few hours cushion, no problem. Check their guidelines. Do you have to accompany your bags through customs? If so, you and the bags leave the port at about the same time.

Though a lab in London just might be out of network. They'll "cover it" but they might subject it to a deductible higher than the cost.

Go ahead and point out the number of posts on this thread that say that Walgreens has always charged and that it never was free. I'm pretty sure it's a lower number than the number of posts you have made on this thread, like the one where you said CVS does the tests for free. Which is also untrue.

Walgreens always charged. They were getting reimbursed by either private insurance or the government. The government support is potentially going away, Walgreens didn't do it "for free".

Walgreens always charged. They were getting reimbursed by either private insurance or the government. The government support is potentially going away, Walgreens didn't do it "for free".

"Well sir, we were going to this bingo parlor at the YMCA, well one thing led to another, and the instructions got all fouled up..."

If you find yourself at a table and don't care for the company, just leave.

With two overnights in ports. We had an aft balcony (waste of money considering how much time we were in port) and didn't notice any rough seas, we had some rainy times, nothing major. Nothing like the Atlantic during hurricane season or January. "Your experience may vary."

At home proctored tests work fine regardless. As with someone else, my insurance pays for it. People should just consult their insurance company, and the answer depends on a lot of things like whether you're on Medicare or not. Your first statement needs to be put into context.