Ret MP

At least it doesn't come with a bill.

Peameal, not pealmeal. Damn

Who's buried in Grant's Tomb? NOTE: the not so obvious is that nobody is buried in a tomb. Does it take 18 months for twins to be born? Is Chocolate Milk made from brown cows?

And I won't fault you for that. It's your decision based on your experience. It's not mine but that doesn't matter.

As I've stated, I take at least $200.00 worth of $2.00 bills on board, when I can get them. I've used them at Customer Service. I don't know what else I can say. If the crew's stores don't accept them, there are other options. Hell, I bet there isn't much of a task to find other crew members that save them and can be traded in. I really don't understand the resistance to this issue. It's a none issue issue. EDI\ITED IN: BTW, I don't have a specific memory of this but I'm fairly sure that I've, at the end of the crews, used the remaining $2.00 bills in the slots on the last evening. That memory could be flawed though.

Getting back to the original post of mine about tipping crew members with $2.00 bills. Someone said that the use of the bill is strictly for the benefit of the person giving them out or words to that effect. While I don't disagree with that in total, it is very convenient for me. And, I'll repeat, I've never had a crew member hint that they would appreciate anything other than a $2.00 bill. Next, I'm sorry if it is a little inconvenient for the crew member. While I don't go out of my way to make things inconvenient for ANYBODY, I think many requests that we all make of crew members or any service worker are inconvenient to them. They bring you your coffee but you want more creamer or sugar or a sugar substitute rather than the one you got, that's inconvenient to the person. At least the minor inconvenience that I am causing is a profitable one. There is no doubt in my mind that it is a small inconvenience to go to the ship's cashier and exchange the $2.00 bill(s) for whatever they want in its place.

I've lived in much of the U.S. and traveled most of it, including the Midwest. I've lived in IN and MI and many other states from the west coast to the east coast, from the north to the south. I've never ever had a $2.00 bill refused. But, that's my experience. I don't doubt yours.

I said a business/country that derives much/most of its revenue from U.S. tourism. I happen to know that many businesses in Hollywood, Florida accept Canadian dollars, at an exchange rate, of course. Canadians flood Hollywood Beach in the winter months. At least when I lived there many years ago, they did. Hell, many hotels on Hollywood Beach have french signage out front. Let's not forget that many countries use the U.S. dollar as their official currency or currency of choice or their currency is backed up by the U.S. dollar.

As I tried to elude to, I try not to. But, fair play is fair play and necessary at times. It's not like it is standard practice for me. If the business or employee wants to play hardball, I'm happy to pay. I bend over backward to try to speak the local language. I learned to speak a lot of German when I was stationed in Germany. Germans are also required to take English in high school or was when I was there. So, there is no excuse to not meet halfway. When I was in Italy, I picked up a few keywords right away. If a business is dependent on U.S. tourism, it should be willing to accept U.S. legal tender, including the $2.00 bill.

Not to mention the damage done to pockets. I'd much rather have 10 $1.00 bills or 5 $2.00 bills in my pocket. It's also expensive for financial institutions to move coins around.

And U.S. residents

When I travel abroad, I go out of my way to NOT be the ugly American. However, when I go to countries where much of their revenue is from American tourists and they don't 1. try to meet me halfway in speaking English and 2. won't accept a $2.00 bill, I'll tell/ask them that 1. if they want my money, they need to try to communicate with me and 2. if they want to sell their product to me they need to take my legal tender as is. Some change their attitude right away while others couldn't care less. But, I guarantee that if a business doesn't accept a $2.00 bill the next business next door or one down the street will. Making a blanket statement, not that anyone here has, that businesses or banks don't or won't accept a $2.00 bill is a stretch. BTW, when I lived in Europe for 6 years, I was also the Secretary/Treasurer of a fraternal organization over there. $2.00 bills weren't a problem with the banks or paying for products with local businesses if paying in cash.

Funny, I just read an article the other day about this. The article stated that no matter how old or how new a $2.00 bill is, it depends on how many of a certain series were made or what color the seal is and there were two definite dates that stood out. I can't remember any of the specifics now and I can't find the article again. But, new or old, it might be worth our time to check out the $2.00 bills before spending them. One thing is for sure, they are worth $2.00. I know I have many $2.00 bills that my wife got from her mother that we will never spend. We'll pass them on to the kids along with many other coins and bills.

The epitome of ignorance for sure!

When I can, I exchange about $200.00 to $2.00 bills just before a cruise, 7 or 8 day cruise. Sometimes, the bank can't do it. I find that the crew has mixed feelings about them. Some really like them as they are different from what they are used to and others don't show any feelings for or against them. Some people will say that some crew don't like them because their financial institutions back home won't accept them. That's hard to believe but if that is true and the crew members know about it, they can spend them in ports of call or at the ship's crew stores (if they take cash), and/or exchange them in the casino's cashier. I like using them because it standardizes what cash I'm carrying in my pocket while on the ship. I reach into my pocket and pull out a $2.00 bill or two or three, every time, no mistakes, no second guessing what I just did, etc. But, I've never had a crew member complain about receiving them, not even a hint of dissatisfaction.

It's too bad that the WJ or other venues that serve breakfast, don't serve Pealmeal Bacon. I know my Canadian friends will understand what that is.

Of course, there are many variables involved. But, the OP is lacking in details. What insurance company? Is the "Partner and/or his/her mother" actually part of the traveling party? Is the "Partner" and/or his/her mother legally or by blood a family member OR covered in the policy? What options were purchased with the insurance? And a lot more questions, I could have. I don't disagree that contacting RCI is a good thing. I just don't think they would be very sympathetic, especially if the "Partner's mother" isn't legally or by blood a family member OR covered in the policy. And it complicates things even more if the "Partner" isn't legally or by blood a family member OR covered in the policy. This is all opinion, of course. I'm not an insurance expert and I didn't stay in a Holiday Inn last night. But, I have read a lot of horror stories that fall into this type of situation.

I agree, kinda! I do prepay but I wait until the last possible minute to pay in full, the 90-day out mark. I just don't like a large bill upon debarkation day, no surprises. My onboard account is usually very very low when I cruise in a balcony cabin, I prepay for just about everything.

I would call the insurance company and ask what their definition of "Partner" is. Old school was by marriage. Who knows, today. The mother of a "partner" may not fall into one of the approved categories. I honestly don't think the cruise line will be very sympathetic. I hope I'm wrong though.

Just to be clear, again, I have two daughters that worked as servers to pay for their gas money while in High School. They worked at a restaurant that would be considered an entry-level employer establishment. They actually loved the job and did very well, they made more than what was at the time, "minimum wage", much more, more than the other kids that were working at Burger King or the local gas station. They did not "suck up any extra tips" from anybody else. They worked very hard and earned the money they made, they didn't take any "extra tips" from anybody else. As far as moving on, if they wanted to better themselves and stay in the industry, they could have built up their resume and moved on to the more high-end restaurants. Many servers in high-end restaurants make very good money, way above the "minimum wage" and the "Living Wage" and they don't do it on the backs of anybody else. Although there is a very small percentage of people that will try to screw over anybody else, it's just their nature. Thankfully, my desire/opinion, they moved on to other industries (medical and electronic/IT). I have an old vinyl album, or I used to, of Frank Sinatra where in his monolog, he jokes about how the owners of the casinos in Vagas borrowed the money to build the casinos/hotels from the cocktail waitresses. Wait staff can do very very very well, just not at a local Waffle House, Chinese Buffet, or Ryan's Steakhouse. If you get a 20% tip on a meal in the Waffle House vs a 20% tip at Ruth's Chris, you are going to do much much better at Ruth's Chris, right! So, bottom line, being a waiter/ress isn't much different than most other careers, if you desire and are motivated, and kept your nose clean, you can have a very successful career. Cruise ship workers have the same opportunities and don't have to be satisfied with just being a server in Johnny Rockets, they can move to other venues, like Chops, and make much more money. If they do well there, who knows? The shame is that "SOME" employers won't let their employees move into management positions, regardless of their capabilities unless they have a degree. It doesn't matter what the degree is, it could be in underwater basket weaving".

Bacon

Good communication is always the best way of dealing with such things and I wouldn't wait until you get seated to inform the wait staff. Go on day one or at least the day before and discuss it with the host(ess). Or better said, like you said how you handled it at the MDR on past cruises. Then when you get to the venue, before your/her meal is ordered, ask if they got the message.

My first visit to a Fish N Ships was on the Ovation of the Seas last May. It was the ship's second revenue cruise of the Alaska season. I must say, the Fish and Chips didn't meet my expectations. HOWEVER, I did and do take into consideration that it was just post-pandemic and there was a whole lot of new crew and there were many shortages or substitutions to make up for the shortages of usual brands or substandard supplies. Therefore, I'm looking forward to trying again. We love good old pub-style Fish n Chips. In fact, we had some today at a pub in Senoia (home of the Walking Dead), GA to celebrate my oldest daughter's birthday.

I get what you are saying and your premise is correct but it is the employer/business that makes the determination upon hiring an individual. But, as I said earlier and below, don't be wrong. No government agency, including the IRS, is going to hold your hand while making employment decisions. Based on the IRS' guidance, a well-intended employer could be making an innocent mistake. AND yes, that can be true for just about every decision made in business. But, most other legal Human Resource decisions (State & Federal) are fairly well spelled out by the agency's regulations/laws/rules that oversee Human Resources/employment. The IRS only offers guidelines and some minimum requirements. That's why I said a business owner had better make the right decision and it is the business decision in that an employer doesn't have to contact the IRS or anybody else to get permission to consider someone as an employee or an IC and the IRS says that the business/employer should consider all guidelines when determining if a person is an employee or an IC. Then business owner/employer makes the decision based upon some convoluted suggestions and vague requirements, and the IRS agrees with me. The decision makes its best-informed decision on whether a person should be an employee or an IC. If the business owner/employer is right, no problem, if the business owner/employer is wrong, look out, fines, fees, and back taxes to the IRS, Social Security, and Medicare will follow if audited and found to be wrong. https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/independent-contractor-self-employed-or-employee Facts that provide evidence of the degree of control and independence fall into three categories: Behavioral: Does the company control or have the right to control what the worker does and how the worker does his or her job? Financial: Are the business aspects of the worker’s job controlled by the payer? (these include things like how worker is paid, whether expenses are reimbursed, who provides tools/supplies, etc.) Type of Relationship: Are there written contracts or employee type benefits (i.e. pension plan, insurance, vacation pay, etc.)? Will the relationship continue and is the work performed a key aspect of the business? "Businesses must weigh all these factors when determining whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor. Some factors may indicate that the worker is an employee, while other factors indicate that the worker is an independent contractor. There is no “magic” or set number of factors that “makes” the worker an employee or an independent contractor. The keys are to look at the entire relationship and consider the extent of the right to direct and control the worker. Finally, document each of the factors used in coming up with the determination".

Yes yes yes and yes. Totally agree!