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eroller

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About Me

  • Location
    Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
  • Interests
    Ships, ocean liners, aviation
  • Favorite Cruise Line(s)
    Cunard, Celebrity, Disney, Royal Caribbean
  • Favorite Cruise Destination Or Port of Call
    Australia and Greece
  • If you have a personal or hobby CRUISE or TRAVEL BLOG, include the url here:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/27450992@N06/sets/

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  1. Glad to hear everything is good so far. No doubt someone tried flushing something they shouldn’t down the toilet. So frustrating. Even with the signs at every toilet and warning notices in Passages.
  2. I don’t think anyone ever said you can’t tip extra if you want. That is on you. But the gratuities are included in the cruise fare and there is no expectation to tip extra. So yes, tips are absolutely included in the cruise fare.
  3. According to Regent’s own advertising, gratuities are already included in your cruise fare. Nothing else is expected. Yes if you feel compelled to tip extra that is on you. No one will stop you. But entirely unnecessary.
  4. Pretty much every cruise line is hiring. If crew can make more on other lines no one is stopping them. Bottom line Regent promotes that gratuities are already covered in the cruise fare. It’s not my place to know what the crew gets paid or feel guilted into to paying an additional gratuity. That is their relationship between them and their employer. They sign an employment contract knowing full well that Regent is a non-tipping line. I assume that they are compensated to offset the gratuities that are paid out on other lines where tips are basically mandatory. If not there would be no retention at Regent and crew would simply avoid them like the plague. Too many other lines they can work for.
  5. And honestly I think this is the risk when people tip on a non-tipping line. It then becomes expected and people feel obligated. It’s a slippery slope. There are other ways to show appreciation. As mentioned earlier, for something extraordinary I can understand. For just doing your job and even doing it well, the tips are covered. As an American where we tip for everything, it’s refreshing not to have to worry about it on a Regent cruise.
  6. I wish you luck and hope everything is perfect for your cruise. ICON was a prototype design just like SUN PRINCESS, and its introduction was flawless. Royal built in tons of buffer time which Princess should have done.
  7. The thread topic is “tipping”. Move on if you’re not interested.
  8. I’m in 100% agreement! I’ll also add I’ve sailed on quite a few inaugural sailings on various cruise lines. Yes things are generally not perfect and that can be part of the excitement, but none have been the debacle of SUN PRINCESS. Even with a few extra weeks to prepare they can’t get it together. Also not fair to those onboard now who are the guinea pigs not receiving a whole product but paying full price. They never anticipated being the first.
  9. What’s done is done now. I just feel it could have all been avoided per my previous post. Really poor planning on the part of Princess and a big fail. They really miscalculated the readiness of this ship, even with their own employees at the shipyard for the entire build.
  10. I’m just really disappointed with Princess. They majorly screwed up the most anticipated new build they have introduced in years. I feel most of it could have been prevented with better coordination with the shipyard, better advanced planning (knowing this is a prototype ship), and better communication with their customers. Complete fail.
  11. Even if you have regular contact with a crew/staff member, no tip is required or expected on Regent. That includes butlers. Its all been covered, and as you mention Regent is much more expensive than your average cruise line, and in part because gratuities are included. As others have mentioned, a heart felt "thank you", acknowledgement on the surveys, or thank you card goes a long way. Americans feel this compulsion to tip even when it's absolutely not required. Don't feel remotely pressured to fall into this trap. Enjoy the no-tipping culture on Regent ... it's one thing that sets them apart from the rest.
  12. I’m just amazed that even with two cruises canceled (last minute) that so much is incomplete on SUN PRINCESS. It’s obvious this ship was nowhere near ready from a passenger service standpoint, let alone technically. Meanwhile ICON was 99% complete and ready to go with all entertainment when the first pax stepped onboard. The next ship is even going to be delivered early. Clearly some differences in the way these two lines handle new builds.
  13. Carnival wasn’t so “family friendly” back then, yet I don’t recall the bad behavior, fights, etc that you see on Carnival today, nor the need for a large security force. Different times.
  14. Zero need to tip. One of the reasons for sailing an all-inclusive line like Regent is not having to worry about tipping. It’s all taken care of so no need to give it a second thought. Do keep in mind that it’s a different ball-game once you step off the ship, and also if you buy a spa service onboard a tip will be expected there. The Spa is a concession and not run by Regent itself.
  15. I enjoyed a lovely visit with my mom today and she presented me with some things she wanted me to have. Included was this treasure trove of ephemera from a 1986 cruise on the original MARDI GRAS. It’s so sweet she kept it all these years. In those days Carnival presented every passenger with a beautiful water color print of the ship, and the daily program was called Carnival Capers. Chocolates on the pillow every night at turndown too. Those were the days! My first Carnival cruise was actually on the FESTIVALE in 1982 but I remember this MARDI GRAS cruise in 1986 well. Fond fond memories of a bygone era.
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