pgold128

Are you suggesting "honest" means something different? We all know what it means, but starting off the bat with "Do you want an honest review" absolutely carries the implication that other reviews are less than honest (If not, why distinguish yours as an honest one?).

 

And this is hardly a new phenomenon here. The same suggestion pops up regularly. Maybe I'll help pull that tree stump out of your sphincter, then you can help with the rod in mine. ;)

Dude lighten up! Everything isn't about you!

It's about the OP and their experience. And that's all!

Deck 13, just forward of the Flowrider.

Thank you...

It is by the flowrider and the minigolf. There is a charge. Here is the info from last December: Back then it was $25 per hour for up to 4 people.

 

Wow !

Thanks!

I am pretty sure I walked by it last month and saw it mentioned in the compass on the schedule.

Sounds good.

Do remember where you might have see it?

Does anyone know if there is a golf simulator on Freedom?⛳️

I know they had it at one time.

Yes, please enlighten us. ThirstyCruiser is 100% correct. Your luggage, once dropped off curbside and and the porter given a healthy tip, will go through no fewer than 20 or 30 more luggage handling individuals before it finally arrives at your cabin door. How on Gods green earth is $100 curbside tip going to translate to the guy that delivers your luggage to your door?

Like I said

You miss the point

Tip nothing and see what happens.

What, exactly, is your issue with the comment "well said".

Nothing

I am sorry I made a mistake and quoted the wrong person

pgold128, enlighten us. Imagine one gives the porter a $100 tip. Walk us thru the process on how that bag arrives at the room faster.

 

I tip $5 per bag, and assume it has zero impact on when my bags arrive at my cabin.

You are taking what I said out of context.

What I am saying is tip nothing and see what happens!

3$ for a beer on P&O no tip.

 

6-8$ for a beer on RCCL plus 18% tip.

 

So the answer is give even more money for service on a rip off beer?

 

The American tipping system is a complete farse and good service should be included on a half decent wage that they are paid. Not with bribes. Forced 18% tip to hand a bottle of beer over is rediculous let alone pay on top.

All I can say to that is.

You just don't get it.

You said you tipped so that you got your bags early. There's no way a tip has any bearing on that since the porters don't work for the cruise line, don't board the ship, and don't deliver the luggage. They load up the trolleys. That's all. I said I tipped for their services and because it is a physically demanding job, it has nothing with thinking my luggage gets special treatment. What happens if you don't tip a porter? Probably exactly the same thing that happens if you tip them $5 or $20.

 

And yeah, I agree with you on tipping the porters when disembarking; $20 and you speed right through the customs line. That's a valuable service.

Think what you want.

However you foolish you sound

Porters are salaried. They also have nothing to do with the distribution of luggage once it gets on the ship. They don't work for the cruise lines and their job ends once they load up a cage with luggage. Then a longshoreman loads it onto the ship. I tip them because they are doing a service and a physically demanding job, but I don't think for a second it has any bearing on when my luggage actually arrives at my room.

I was making a point.

OMG! And yes it does have a bearing on when my luggage arrives.

Anyway how would you know what would happen if you don't tip?

I don't understand. This is what you asked.

 

 

 

And the person you are now ignoring said that even with sodas, s/he tipped every time, to make sure the bartenders remembered him/her and gave good service.

 

An exact, actual, real-life-experience-based, answer. To a question you asked.

 

Why do you think they didn't read your post? Why are you so against that poster/answer? They actually helped you.

 

 

 

 

Does that really make sense to you? I mean, as far as I know, they only GET the tips if they help you, so if they don't help you they don't get a part of that 18%. Right? I've assumed that a lack of service (or perceived lack) is because they are BUSIER now that more people are buying packages and ordering more drinks.

 

 

 

 

That's my understanding, at least.

 

 

 

You feel you get what you pay for despite many people who are not "heavy" tippers getting good to great service anyway.

 

You self-describe as being a heavy tipper. Then you said you're cheap if you don't tip "well". There IS a middle ground, of tipping in line with expectations, with tradition. And that's not being cheap. But maybe you don't really feel you're a heavy tipper, but that everyone should go along with what you feel is appropriate? I likely disagree with that :)

 

 

Look you have something to say about everyone that does not agree with you😊

Tip what ever you want and think what ever you like.

If you think servers are calling me a fool for tipping good.

All I can do is laugh at you. Because that is the most ridiculous thing I've read.

And if you don't want to tip because you are CHEAP that's you're problem. Or you think they already got what they deserve and you ain't giving another dime. That's up to you. And if you think that servers should not expect tips then let me ask you this, what the hell are they working for if it ain't tips?!

People like you that don't think they should tip extra are looking for a cheap vacation and probably bitch about a lot more than having to hand out tips.

I tip the the porters that Handel my luggage well and I always find my luggage early at my cabin and at the end of the cruise they remember me grab my luggage speed me thru customs and bring it right to my car. And according to you they calling me a fool as they are walking away. Or as people think I bribed him.

LMAO! I don't think so.

What happened is. I just paid the server a good tip! Cause that's what they are working for Tips!

Well said Sherri

YEAH!!

What a joke! Grow up!

So why quote me out of context when I covered that as well in my statements? I said "If you're handing the money out because you've had great service or you really enjoy handing the money out so be it, that's a different story altogether and not really an issue or anyones business."

 

Seems you get great service and / or enjoy giving extra; so what's the issue? Why are you so offended at a different statement that you don't feel applies to you (and was not directed at you?). You're a heavy tipper because you are either getting great service, or enjoy tipping heavy, or some combination of both of those. Some other people are heavy tippers because they want favors or priority. Why is that offensive?

 

Should I feel offended that you think anyone that doesn't give more than standard is cheap? If the standard isn't enough for good and efficient service, what is the point of having it be the standard anyways? Are you saying that anyone that gives the standard amount is not entitled to good and efficient service unless the add more? I don't think that is what you are saying because you seem to agree that the standard amount should cover the majority of services expected and rendered. Or should I just take it that that is your opinion that you are sharing?

The standard in my opinion is low. I tip minimum 20% if not more most of the time.

I think it's offending because you said people that tip extra is bribery or just throwing money around. That to me is offensive.

I feel they work on tips and that is where most of their income comes from.

Its not about bribing anyone it's about paying them what they deserve.

Go figure it out take the 18% that you paid and divide it up per server on the ship and yhen decide if you're server will get a fair shake of what he deserves.

I don't even think they get 18% I think it's more like 15% they get and the other 3% goes elsewhere.

Sorry if you can not understand where WE heavy tippers are coming from.

But our servers appreciate us as WE do them.

A big shout out to all the servers out there !!! 🍺

So you're tipping extra to jump the queue, shouldn't you tip the other passengers for them letting you go in front of them, after all they have been waiting patiently and perhaps planning to tip extra at the end of the cruise as is customary?

Come on get real?? Not saying ....

Keep expecting something from service personnel and not paying them for it.

😎

My original posting was being typed when you posted yours. I did not see yours before beginning my posting and it was not a response to yours. It was not intended to be directed at you or your comments in any personal way.

 

I stand by my statements and characterizations however.

Quote.

I also believe some are heavy "tippers" to garner favors and priority over others and those exist in almost all situations where someone isn't getting good service and subsequently rewarding it, but putting up a wad of money with the unspoken expectation of receiving better / faster /additional services than standard. That is not a tip, but a bribe.

Sorry but I think you may have offended a lot people with this statement.

We heavy tippers are not looking for anything more . we feel you get what you pay for.

And in my opinion if you don't tip well you are Cheap.

Or you honestly received bad service.

More likely the person is cheap.

If the cruise line is automatically charging that, shouldn't that get you good and efficient service though?

Yes I agree. However there are more people on the ship today than yesterday.

And what seems to be the same amount of servers. And from what I read people aren't happy with the slowed service. If you don't extra tip you're just another passenger that will have to wait his or her turn.

I agree with this. To boil it down; if I am being charged a gratuity or service charge automatically (anywhere, for anything) I do expect good, efficient service. Not that the server need to be entertaining or do something out of the ordinary, or do cartwheels or anything; just that if the price includes a service charge, well, then good service should be expected by the patron.

 

I think if you feel compelled to hand out $1 or more per drink (that already has a gratuity attached to it) just to get standard service then there is a problem with the service and the money is just legitimizing service issues.

 

If you're handing the money out because you've had great service or you really enjoy handing the money out so be it, that's a different story altogether and not really an issue or anyones business.

 

I also believe some people feel awkward if they do not go through the act of adding more money when they are face to face with someone, which I think has a lot to do with this phenomenon of constantly tipping on top of tips. The "concierge effect" where some people say "Oh we only tipped $50 to the concierge because we never used his services. Our stateroom attendant was the best ever; we gave him an extra $20". Why did the concierge get 2.5X more than the best stateroom attendant ever for no interaction? Just a "for example"

 

I also believe some are heavy "tippers" to garner favors and priority over others and those exist in almost all situations where someone isn't getting good service and subsequently rewarding it, but putting up a wad of money with the unspoken expectation of receiving better / faster /additional services than standard. That is not a tip, but a bribe.

A bribe??? I never said you give me this and I'll give you this back??

They work for tips.. That's how they make their money..

So what you saying is that servers are nothing more than extortionists?

An I have fallen prey to them? Or I am nothing more than a big shot throwing my money at them? That is ridiculous.

It's very simple in my opinion. You want exceptional service, tip like that's what you want. You want mediocre service do not tip extra. These people work for tips just like in you're favorite restaurant that you frequent a lot. Tip like you're a cheapskate and you'll get treated that way. I go to my favorite restaurant and there's a wait my waiter brings me drinks and assures me he will get me a table ASAP. He knows I take good care of him and he returns it with exceptional service. A cruise is service oriented and yes in my opinion you must take care of them with a little extra. 15%-18% is just not enough for the exceptional service we all love to have.

Just my opinion!😉

The curve of the balcony affects nothing....the cabins are still rectangular!!! The curve is very gradual...you don't notice it.

Correct. However the balcony walls are offset.

Therefore you lose privacy. However so slight.

Ok!! 😡

Not on the Explorer as the walls between the cabins are solid metal, could not see our neighbours even if we wanted to.

Aren't the walls uneven on the curve of the hump unlike the center of the hump?

If you are on the aft curve of the hump cabins further back of the hump can see a small portion of you're balcony?

I personally don't like hump balconies

I think you're privacy is cut slightly.

No. Ship water is desalinated and purified with only select minerals added. It is the higher (cater to the average palate) salt content of the food served that swells ankles.

Yes it is the water. The water is desalinated not unsalinated. They can not get all the salt out. Spring water is much much better.

Any cruise ship's drinking water is as clean/pure as any bottled water (if not more so). Why not just bring a refillable bottle?

The water on the ship is clean and clear and also taste good. However it is hi in sodium and causes my ankles to swell.

You don't even need to get chips, the casino will give you cash.

Wow i did not know that..good to know!!! thank you!