DWBirdman

3 hours ago, ray98 said:

Same thing at the end of the day.

Not really. Tips, for many, are a reward for a job well done, above the expected. 
For me, if I go to dinner and my basic needs are met, then a minimal gratuity may be given. However, if the service is engaging and extending my experience (i.e. recommendations, personalized service, extra benefits) then the gratuity will reflect that service. 

A line item on the bill means that all optional and extended gratuities are put away. 

Just now, PTC DAWG said:

I always leave owing them money, they get it right away...every cruise line I have ever been on. 

That's what I am finding odd. With RC for instance, by the time we disembarked, the accounts were already paid. With MSC we are still in limbo...

Similar here. I liked RCs way of addressing this. They offered us the ability to add a "gratuity" when purchasing our vacation. They also informed us that we could forego that option and tip as we desired while on board. 
 

My entire family was quite surprised with everyone (including children) received a charge on their account for Hotel Services Charge. When asked about this charge and why it was being charged to children, MSC responded that the HSC was for all of those servicing our room, table, etc. 

This fee directly impacted my independent tipping as an additional $1000+ dollars was attempting to be charged to me post boarding. I had the kids charges removed. The cabin steward and waiter in the MDR lost out due to this tactic.

Just returned from a cruise on the MSC Seaside. Quite a change from RC. 

Anyway, how long does MSC take to settle account balances? It has been 2 days and we have not seen the drafts come through.

2 hours ago, time4u2go said:

Exactly. That's another reason I hope NCL prevails. Let the free market work it out. 

Agreed, get the CDC out of the free market and let companies decide how they want to cater to their customers.

3 minutes ago, BSocial said:

Does this mean beginning July 18, Royal  and Celebrity will drop the separate venues on Florida sailings, and no mask or vaccine mandate on board? 

One can hope.

Hopefully this can be the first nail in the coffin of the CDC overreach.

4 hours ago, CRUISEFAN0001 said:

There's a reason they give vaccinated people a documentation card. 

 

All Royal needs to do is ask people to upload their card, and they can put a "V" on their SeaPass for vaccinated.  Seems easy and inexpensive to do.

 

Those who are still "scared" or refuse to get vaccinated are more than welcome to stay home until they have reason to change their minds.

 

NO sense in shutting down the industry for those folks.

Except, the tyrannical vaxxers are the threat to society as demonstrated here. 

You take care of you, and everyone can have a good time.

11 minutes ago, gc said:

Here is just a thought..."Civic responsibility means active participation in the public life of a community in an informed, committed, and constructive manner, with a focus on the common good".

Balanced with liberty.

5 minutes ago, TheConstantCruiser said:

Bonus for artwork.

Just now, HBE4 said:

Is "Looking for a Home Port, any Home Port, of the Seas" too long? 

It's a long ship, it should fit.

Now, the t-shirts might be a problem...

2 minutes ago, LoriLoriLori said:

Perhaps I am cynical but maybe they did know that the July revenue cruises weren't going to happen. Less than one percent of their crew has Covid.    Theoretically they could quarantine these crew members and hold a test cruise, and do another test well in advance of the first revenue sailing and these crew members would likely have negative swabs.  A part of me asks -- Who needs to know that 8 members were infected?  Bad vibes.  Bad press.  Seems like something else is going on and Odyssey not ready but of course can't know for sure. 

Was thinking the same thing but along the lines of didn't want to deal with vax vs unvax.

8 minutes ago, LoriLoriLori said:

Yes, I am aware that crew were vaccinated.  They either had Covid in progress before vaccination or developed Covid shortly after vaccination administered.  And yes, I am talking about future cruises where passengers will have Covid.   The point of my post -- wondering how RCI will proceed when there will be  passengers with Covid.

Maybe we have reached a point to expect it and treat it like the flu. Quarantine, maybe in the medical ward, until clear.

Due to the continual challenges to the Odyssey's first sailing and its mythological history, we hereby seek a new name for this floating wonder.

9 minutes ago, LoriLoriLori said:

What will happen if the July 31cruise happens and there are guests with positive cases onboard?  Logically there will be positive cases if they are allowing unvaccinated guests. Will they cancel the August 8 cruise or proceed with a new batch of guests?  I am wondering how they are going to handle this going forward because of course there will be some Covid cases on every ship departing from Florida. A part of me feels somewhat dumb for booking.  How is this going to work?  Realistically a handful of covid cases can be dealt with and sailings should go on, yet wondering if RCI going to react with an "abundance of caution" each time Covid presents on a ship.  

 

So far, all of the cases have been in persons who were vaccinated. I think you can drop the unvaccinated part.

Going forward, there will be cases period.

4 minutes ago, mpk said:

 

Sure it does.  Vaccination reduces the odds.  Otherwise, why vax at all?   🙂 

 

This could explain why vaccinated cruisers want 100% vaccinated cruises.  They went to the effort of getting the shots to lower the chances.  But their efforts could be canceled out by another party.

Good question.

Even on the initial Diamond Princess, the odds were low.

2 minutes ago, mpk said:

 

Say an unvaccinated party tested positive...  but sat at the same Teppanyaki table next to a vaccinated party they do not know.

 

Do both parties get debarked at the next port?

Does it matter if they're vaxed if positive? If you're a carrier you're a carrier.

3 hours ago, BOOKBOOKBOOK said:

 

The cruise industry has been disproportionately hurt by the pandemic as opposed to its peers in the travel/hospitality sector. A private business requiring vaccinated folk for health and safety reasons is far different from the government stepping in to tell people what goes inside their bodies with the force of law. There's bipartisan movement against vaccine passports in the public sphere, so I see no reason why the anti-vax crowd needs to continue pushing this slippery slope Orwellian future that's ahead of us if we allow cruising to restart with vaccines in mind.

 

If you want cruising to restart in a year or two when this pandemic is finally "over", then that's your opinion. That's not the view that the majority of us cruisers on this forum hold. We want safe, normal cruising ASAP, and we're already seeing glimpses of it in the Caribbean with protocols that work.

Not hurt by the pandemic, but rather the tyrannical emotional zealots.

2 hours ago, jrapps said:

Royal is going to have to decide very quickly if they are trying to cater to a vaccinated or un-vaccinated crowd. This trying to please everyone walk the line approach is only going to hurt more than help.

 

If you want a ship with as many vaccinated people as possible, just make the ship 95% like the other lines and make a mask-free experience. Lean into the demographic and make an experience they want.

 

If you want a ship with families and a mix of vaccinated and un-vaccinated people, then don't try to charge an arm & leg for a covid test as a discouragement. Lean into the demographic and make as safe a cruise as you can allowing unvaccinated people to sail.

 

I think they way they are approaching this, they are just going to discourage everyone.

Problem is, this would put RC into a cruise cancel position and then have to write millions in checks.

RCs driver is revenue. They hope to entice everyone possible.

7 hours ago, iuki said:

Imagine how many people would have been ill if RC didn’t require vaccinations or testing.

Not much different vaxed or unvaxed. 

Absolutely. Would prefer the cruise lines enable "sail at your own risk" with waivers.

How about we quit fretting about what could be and deal with what is. Declining numbers on all fronts for infection and death. Increased natural immunity and herd immunity. Increased vaccination for those desiring to be vaccinated.

It should be fairly observable that we have reached a break even point. To strap additional stresses upon travelers does little to promote health and continues to degrade mental wellbeing. COVID more than likely isn't going away and we must, like all others before it, learn to live with it in the background. 

We can bring up a hundred "what ifs". What if an unvaxed person brings back the virus... What if a vaxed person brings back the virus... What if a vaxed person leads to the death of an unvaxed person due to their unsanitary procedures... But none of that matters. It comes down to being an adult, making wise choices for yourself, and being responsible for said choices. 

If we look at the science, it is interesting to find that the infectious distribution shows no difference between those that followed CDC recommendations (isolation, masks, etc.) and those that didn't. 

For cruising, this means continued washing and healthy patterns without segmenting nor isolating cruisers due to opposing choices which both support healthy living. 

Fine. Been fine for 2 years.