Balsam12

This would be so much easier if RC did the same in the US as they do in Australia... there is no "gratuity" charge here. You pay a bit more for your cruise in the first place, then only tip staff if you want to.

There are no "gratuities" to remove, and this thread never existed...

2 hours ago, legaljen1969 said:

Wouldn’t you notice that the contents of the luggage wasn’t yours once you opened it? Even if it was pretty generic looking on the outside? 

Last cruise was at the end of a month long trip to three countries in cold climates. We put the woolies in one suitcase before leaving the last of these countries and never opened it again until arriving home.

5 hours ago, johnjen said:

5 hours ago, johnjen said:

 

For the same reason people hack others - to be jerks.

 

Not that I'm suggesting people don't take online security seriously, but with the frequency that I check the cruise planner, any unauthorised changes won't last very long.

3 hours ago, johnjen said:

 

Because there was that one time it happened to me. All I did was give RCL our name and I actually at that point in time didn't have our booking number. The agent literally used my name, then asked me for the number....I told him that I didn't have it. But from there, we made changes to the itinerary anyway.

 

 

My question here.... what does somebody have to gain by making changes to your itinerary?

So I find out your name, your cruise date and your partner's name. I might even know some more information about you so that I can call up RCI and pretend to be you.

What can I gain by calling up and changing your itinerary or adding removing things on your cruise planner? 

As others have noted, of more importance is telling the social media world that your house might be empty for two weeks while you're away.

3 hours ago, Deafcruise said:

 It can be quite difficult seating with strangers if we cannot communicate. Don’t want any awkward moments. 

We are pretty sociable when on holidays... we like talking to other people about their experiences and finding out how their trip is going.

Having said that, we were a bit apprehensive about being stuck at a dinner table for two hours with people who were not as sociable.

For our first cruise, we actually had friends on the same cruise (not booked with us, just randomly happened to be on the same cruise) so we dined with them most of the time. We all had MTD. On one night, our friends did their own thing, so we reserved a dining time, and were asked if we were happy to share a table. We decided that for one night, we would be happy to share.

It turned out to be a wonderful dinner with some lovely people.

Discussing it later, we worked it out... we were worried about being seated with unsociable people. We then realised that unsociable people would have requested a table for two, not a shared table.

From this, we have decided that on our next cruise, we will request a shared table if we are dining in the MDR. We may not have such a good time, but it is only for one night with those dinner companions, so not a huge issue. The next night, we will probably be with a completely different set of dinner companions, and the conversation will be completely new. We purchase the three night dining package, so have at least three nights on our own, and if shared tables get too much, can request a table for two with MTD.

The upshot of my post is that if you are on holiday to meet people as well as see sights, go for a shared table. If you prefer to dine with only your partner, ask for a table for two. Just be aware that a table for two might have only two inches separation from the next "table for two".

14 hours ago, ChollaChick said:

  I learned to go up when I really wanted to go down because as long as I was on the elevator at some point I would get to my destination. 

 

Now that's called smart thinking....

Not sure what things are like on US cruises, but after a cruise on Voyager out of Singapore, we never saw any of the claimed rudeness, and we were travelling with a friend in a wheelchair (sometimes motorised, sometimes not). You will always get the occasional rude person who is in to much of a hurry to wait, but as a general rule, people gave her priority when getting in an elevator.

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

Depends on your definition of bigger- early info suggests Icon will be slightly bigger by GT measure. 

Where are you seeing that info?

Everything I've read indicates around 200,000GT for icon.

I believe there are other ships planned/under construction that will carry more pax than Oasis class, but I haven't seen any with higher tonnage.

Not trying to start an argument here... just interested in the info.

Just wondering what prices people have paid for their deluxe beverage packages on Radiance for sailings out of Sydney?

The current price for our sailing next year is AUD 87.68, which also includes the 18% gratuity.

We paid AUD 70 for a recent sailing on Voyager out of Singapore, so now wondering if the price is likely to drop?

2 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

I've seen them in JS staterooms on Adventure.

OK... just seems like the sort of easy addition for every cabin on every new ship nowadays. Don't see it as a retrofit thing, but for new ships it should be a no brainer...

Are there USB outlets in any cabins on any RC ships?

Nobody has questioned the fact that some crew members can access the safes in cabins. Anyone with an IQ higher than their shoe size knows this.

The question here is whether they did so in the OP's case?

I do not believe they did. You can form your own opinion, but the risk for the crew is far more than the possible reward, especially when there are much easier ways they could steal from passengers.

The whole concept here is not the security of the safes, but the security of the crew.

The are also too many gaps in the OP's story, and, as usual, they have not come back to clarify.

I hope their insurance claim comes up with the correct result.

12 minutes ago, Sizzlechest said:

 

That's a funny way of saying you were wrong.

Ummm... I've not questioned anything you've said about the safes. I've not seen the safes used on Anthem, nor am I a locksmith or safe expert.

Please clarify what you think I am wrong about?

The only knowledge you have claimed is what you have found on the internet.

Unless you have some other claim to safe knowledge, you are speculating.

2 minutes ago, Sizzlechest said:

 

Should we believe you who has no actual knowledge of how it actually works, just your unfounded assumptions or the literal manual to the actual safes used on the ship? Hmmmm... Tough call.

...and your claim to being the font of knowledge on all things related to safes is watching youtube videos?

3 minutes ago, rimmit said:

 

On our May 2017 sailing on the Anthem two Xboxes were gone and the plastic container they were contained in was cracked open.  I asked the crew what happened, and they told me they had been stolen.  Maybe not,  and maybe they were lying but I can’t imagine any other reason someone would crack the plastic at the point of the lock other than to steal an Xbox.

 

my son and I were really disappointed because there were only three xboxes,  the one on the big tv and 2/4 on the smaller TV.   

Really?

You really think the luggage scanning on the ship couldn't detect an xbox? Especially if they know one has been stolen and are therefore looking for it. Add to the cameras on the ship that could track whoever stole it as well.

Stolen xboxes are more far fetched than the OP's story about stolen jewellery.

1 minute ago, Sizzlechest said:

 

You can open it with the code, the owner key, a master key, OR a physical key. Not a combination of those methods. EITHER of them. Anyone on the ship who knows the code doesn't need any keys to open the safe. Anyone with a key doesn't need the code. Nowhere in the manual does it say the temporary code, which is what the passenger is using, is reset if any other method to gain entry is used. YOU WILL NOT KNOW YOUR SAFE HAS BEEN OPENED BY THE STAFF!

So what you are suggesting is that a crew member, who is at a rank high enough to have access to one of these methods, went into the cabin, opened the safe, went through the items in there, and took only a few selected items?

Why is this particular passenger so special that her jewellery is stolen, but nobody else has anything touched?

Do you have any idea what happens if an allegation of this nature is made while still on the ship? Crew cabins would be turned over by security looking for the items, and if found, the crew member is put off at the next port and handed to local authorities. They then have to pay their own travel costs,  plus the cost of getting a replacement crew member to the ship.

Again, not worth it to the crew, so I simply don't believe it happened.

Here's another theory... OP is about to make a completely bogus insurance claim for jewellery that was never there in the first place. They post here on CC hoping to gain some information that might assist them with the claim.

That's more believable than a crew member going into the safe and stealing selected items of jewellery...

21 minutes ago, Sizzlechest said:

 

 The only thing that's known is that there was a theft.

Incorrect.

The only thing we know is that the OP is claiming there was a theft.

Personally, I don't believe a crew member of any kind would steal something from a safe. If they were inclined to steal, there would be plenty of things just left out in the open in cabins that would be easier to steal.

22 minutes ago, CRUISEFAN0001 said:

There is some truth to your point. Here are the real economics:

 

In the case of most cruise lines...there is an operating cost and also (separately) profit centers.

 

Most cruises are scheduled and priced to basically break even, in that there are fuel, personnel (the largest segment), licenses & fees for ports, and other expense that vary depending on the ship and destination. This is why (for example) a Panama Canal cruise costs more since there is an added "passage tax per vessel". Food for a full ship of passengers is also one of those costs that is "baked into" (pun intended) the overall operating costs.  As specific ship bookings fill up the available cabins, their operating costs get met.

 

"Sales" are also done periodically for cruises to assure enough cabins are sold to cover their operating costs. A ship does not have to be sold out entirely to meet those operating costs. If sold out, there is actually a slight excess in revenue.

 

Optional services (such as excursions, drink packages, specialty restaurants, internet services, etc.) are the real profit centers of a cruise line. Recently they added "The Key", which is a new optional service.

 

On every cruise, the assumption is a full passenger list (as far as food brought on board). In reality, not all the food is consumed on most cruises. Due to allergies, lack of attendance for dinner, variety of appetite, planned excess of some food portions, and other factors, there is virtually always extra food in the main dining room for passengers who request it - in fact - we have personally experienced several cruises where servers practically begged passengers "are you sure you don't want another..." - to avoid having food go to waste.

 

Until and unless the overall cost vs revenue model changes, it's reasonable to assume things won't change in the main dining room when it comes to the availability of an extra entree, appetizer, or other meal portion.

I can't argue with anything you have said. It all makes perfect sense.

It does not, however, change what I posted...

25 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Ok, whatever you say. Do you really think those guys at RCI can't multitask? They look at each department individually and attempt to maximize all areas. 

 

Feel free to tell me what I have no idea about. I won't be so rude back to you.

You were both rude and wrong when you said that charging for extra food had no effect on the price of the beverage package.

And you have no idea about economics.

Of course they look at every department. Then they decide to either introduce new charges or increase existing charges. For the case in point, they decided to introduce a new charge for extra food. In turn, this means they didn't increase existing charges... ergo, the beverage package stayed at the same price.

I am not for a minute suggesting the price of the beverage package will decrease, nor am I suggesting it will never increase. The simple fact is that while they are looking at other areas to increase revenue, they are not increasing (or limiting)  the beverage package.

2 hours ago, tinkr2 said:

 Long Island Teas have 2oz. of liquor, as does a manhattan , a real martini, an old fashioned or any liquor on the rocks. The problem with teas is not the amount of liquor in them, its generally bc they are sweeter and chugged.

A correctly made Long Island iced tea has four shots of alcohol.. Rum, Vodka, Gin and Triple Sec (e.g. Cointreau).

A Manhattan or Old fashioned has two shots of alcohol ...Whisky/Bourbon and Vermouth.

I don't know about "oz" as I use the metric system like pretty much all of the civilised world, but from what my converter tells me, 1oz is equal to 30ml, which is a standard shot.

Sweet drinks are definitely "chugged" more than ones like Manhattans (or my favourite, the Rusty Nail), and when they have more alcohol to start with...

4 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Charging for something in the MDR is not going to have any affect on the price of drink packages, temporary or otherwise.

Then you have no idea about economics.

Cruise line needs to increase revenue. They have many options, including charging for extra food, or increasing the cost of the beverage package.

They choose to charge for extra food. It has now had an effect on the beverage package because they chose not to increase the price.

5 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

Not directly.

 

But perhaps given the choice of raising the price of the drink package OR charging for a 2nd entree, by choosing the charge for a 2nd entree, the drink package is given a temporary reprieve from price increases. ...emphasis on temporary.

 

Charging for 2nd entree is certainly not going to lower the cost of anything.

Precisely the point I was making.

Just now, HBE4 said:

 

Is it 15 total drinks or 15 alcohol drinks?

 

I get the deluxe beverage package and will have 5 bottles of water, plus 2-3 specialty coffee's, maybe a juice or smoothie drink. That would push me more than halfway past my daily allotment and I havn't even had an adult beverage yet!   **** crosses Carnival off the list of cruise lines to sail  ****

VERY good question....

1 minute ago, nelblu said:

 

WOW, 15 drinks and still not satisfied.  I've got to believe that it's for safety.

It does depend on how and what you are drinking... if you're on light beer for example, 15 probably isn't an issue. If you're drinking Long Island Iced Teas, then you're probably catatonic after 15. Also consider how much they are spaced out... did you start at 10am and then have one per hour until midnight, or did you start drinking a 6pm and have 15 by the end of dinner?

7 minutes ago, nelblu said:

 

I wonder if it's due to safety as liquor is basically cheap, especially in volumes.  

Probably a combination of both cost and safety.

15 alcoholic drinks per day is a pretty good effort, especially if you consider most cocktails have more than one shot, and it would discourage people from wasting them.

From the safety aspect, should there be an emergency situation, the last thing the crew needs is a ship full of drunks....

8 minutes ago, LMaxwell said:

 

If Royal REALLY wanted to save money they would put a daily limit on the alcohol package.  There is more waste there than with food. 

This is probably the most offensive thing I have read on Cruise Critic.

Wash your mouth out and go stand in the corner until you realise the error of your ways...

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