cx7owner

Enforcement basically means no flip flops, shorts, or tank tops (this only applies to men really as women can do whatever they want). Polo and Khaki pants are well above minimum for every evening.

Just off the Legend and I can assure you they were not enforcing "no shorts" in the dining room, as I and many others wore them. I think it remains on the list to give them the flexibility to enforce it against inappropriate short-wearers (workout shorts, I suppose). I did see someone in sweatpants, but I didn't judge and it didn't ruin my time.

I find it's best not to concern ourselves with other people's business. You don't know the facts, and the cruise staff appear to have allowed this to happen, so does it really matter? Enjoy your vacation :)

The bulk of the line was actually behind port security, not RCI staff, and that's who let them in front. And I'll add that unlike dress code violators, it's not just their business, as they jumped ahead of everyone else in line. In the grand scheme of things it didn't matter much since it was two people, but if many people started doing skipping the line, it could be ugly.

Was it perhaps a Gold Seapass Card? As part of the suite program suite guests have priority tender?

Nope it was a big blue handicap parking hang tag that the state issues to disabled drivers. And they were holding it out for all to see as they marched by to the front. It was clear they were using it to justify cutting to the front of the line.

Was it perhaps a Gold Seapass Card? As part of the suite program suite guests have priority tender?

Nope it was a big blue handicap parking hang tag that the state issues to disabled drivers. And they were holding it out for all to see as they marched by to the front. It was clear they were using it to justify cutting to the front of the line.

On the Legend and saw something I'd never seen before. We were in a fairly long line for the tender to return to the ship and this couple walks by all of us with an automotive handicap hang tag in one of their hands and walks to the very front of the line and cuts in.

I was very surprised by this, as there were a number of passengers around us with canes and even a wheelchair and none of them tried to go to the front (this cruise has a surprisingly high average age, and probably half of the couples had someone that would probably qualify as handicapped). The interesting part was the couple with the handicapped permit was not that old and were walking quite well (and quite fast).

Anyway, I've never seen that, and assuming it is generally permitted, I hope I'd never need it.

After a little rocky of a start (Mexican customs at the border were a bunch of incompetent baboons that kept each bus there for an hour and a half or more), it's been a great trip over to the islands.

Fyi hump is middle part of ship where ship bulges out. Back part of ship where WJ seating area is is aft. You had me worried for a second about my upcoming cabin location:D

"Hump" might have a different meaning in this context.....:D

It's a dangerous practice to give male cabin attendants or mini-bar attendants a master key to passenger cabins.

Kind of sexist, isn't it?

Salary figures for last 3 years from SEC filings on April 17, 2015

 

It looks like about $3M cash to me. You can't really count the equity awards. Those are really just hypothetical numbers and he may never earn any of it (depending on his performance and share price).

Nonsense!

CEO salaries in 2013 were over 300 times the average worker!

CEO salaries in 1996 were 100 times the average worker!

You think they are smarter now, better then in 1996, by 200 times?

The system is broken, the top are taking it all!:mad:

No more excuses, look at the facts!:mad:

While these low paid workers are being let go, the RCL CEO got $12 million!:eek:

In most cases the CEOs of those companies are worth every penny of it to the shareholders who employ them. And you know who a lot of those shareholders are? Yours and my 401(k)s. CEO is a tough job and they usually don't last that long (for a variety of reasons, good and bad). If they weren't worth that much to the company they would not be paid that. It is very naive to suggest that CEO pay is why outsourcing needs to be done. It is just the market functioning as it should.

"Innovation" isn't searching for a cheaper option, achieved by outsourcing.

 

When you outsource, the employee (or resource in the jargon some prefer to use) no longer has any loyalty to the company, but is just "a resource." As a result you often find issues, which companies try to compensate by the use of SLAs and KPIs. Of course, this can only be achieved after the fact, which is why you have larger call centres to deal with issue resolution.

 

Of course, some laud this as progress and innovation. Not really. It's just purely cost saving, at the trade off of quality and commitment.

Ah, the innovation was by the contracting company, who came up with an idea to make money by offering a cheaper or better solution. Outsourcing is not always intended to result in direct cost savings. It can be to provide a better product or allow the company to focus on their core service. The term outsourcing has a negative stigma mostly because of outsourcing jobs overseas, but we really need to look internally as to why we (as a country) were not able to supply the same cost/quality of labor (again this comes back largely to US regulations/policies enacted by short-sighted politicians--like high minimum wages).

Shame on these folks at the top of the food chain. Until they are faced with having to make it on little to nothing- they will never understand.

It's all part of the free-market economy. Companies need to and should strive to operate as efficiently as possible (within the law/rules) if they want to survive. Otherwise the next guy will be more efficient and everyone, including those at the top, will be out of a job. You take that ability to innovate away, and the whole system fails. The drive for efficiency and profit is what makes this country great and the world leader in innovations. Yes, some people get temporarily displaced, but when the system is working, there will be new and better opportunities.

Unfortunately, our current leaders don't appreciate the greatness of America, which is disappointing on many levels. The harm being done may take decades to fix. /rant off/

Just off Legend. Wi-Fi speed very variable- mostly quite slow. Seemed to take ages to log out- meaning precious minutes wasted. Cost- expensive! I paid $29.95 for 60 minutes to be used throughout the cruise- did that 3 times, but only went online for very short periods each day to check emails etc.Unlimited plan was either $299 or $399 for 15 day cruise as far as I can remember- haven't got the info from the ship!

I would be happy to pay more for the cruise up front and have wi-fi included! I'm sure RCI would make more money that way!

Thank you! Bummer about the speed. Does anyone else have info on the cost of the unlimited package?

Does anyone have any recent experience with the wifi on the Legend? Is it decent/upgraded speed? Are they offering an unlimited package?

I need to stay connected for work and am deciding whether to buy some cell data (sign up for a plan) or rely on the wifi. TIA

Just read it out loud with a British accent and it makes perfect sense. :D

Have you even attempted to do a booking ?

Huh?:confused: I have two cruises booked right now. One in May on RCI and one next April on Celebrity. I've never had a problem getting the advertised (or better) price. Of course, I realize port fees and taxes will be added.

To be honest, when I think about what I was paying for cruises from 2007-2010, I don't think I'm paying more now. Taxes and tips have gone up, but not the base fares. Then and now, we typically cruise in the off or shoulder seasons, so maybe peak season fares are up if that's what others are seeing.

Before repo is much better than before dry dock, where work often does start during the cruises leading up to it. The two things can come to mind are that that is sometimes when they make big crew changes (so you might get a brand new crew or one on their last cruise) and the themed Tshirts and other souvenirs might be in short supply (but the ones that are left will probably be heavily discounted).

I just did! We have gotten SO bored with the RCCL Caribbean itineraries..... and just decided we needed a change! Celebrity didn't have ANY sailings we could do..... which would have been our first choice..... so we are now booked on the Carnival Dream in August. :eek:

Having been on all three, I would say that RCCL and Carnival are a closer overall product than RCCL and Celebrity. Celebrity is a full step above RCCL, while Carnival is only a half step below RCCL. IMHO, anyway.

The Aqua Spa Cafe is open to everyone. However lately they've started charging for some of the items, like yogurt parfait and a few other items that I can't remember right now.

Wait. When did that start‽ What all are they charging for at this free venue and how much?

Increasing the per day auto tip makes some sense. It's a fixed fee not based on any other cost. If the tip were 15% of room cost and it went to 18% then that would be a different story since room costs vary so much.

 

Increasing the auto tip for the bars is kind of a double edged sword. It works OK so long as they don't raise the prices, but if they raise the prices of drinks and the percentage of auto tip then it's effectively raised twice. Plus, 18% tip for bar service seems kind of over the top to me. Even restaurants don't charge that kind of tip unless you have a really large group. I suspect many will compensate compensate by doing less extra tipping (so they are kind of stealing that joy), but since you have no choice paying tips for bar service really they've increased the cost of drinks. I assume this also increases the cost of the drink packages. If nothing else they get a bunch of ticked off people over a very small amount of money. For example, a $9 drink now costs $10.62 instead of $10.35 so it's only $.27 difference. It sounds worse than it is, but it's really like a sales tax more than a tip since you have no choice.

 

I remember when tipping used to be 10% and 15% when service was super excellent, but it keeps creeping up.

 

And, a tip that is non-negotiable (like the bar tab) is not a tip. So, basically, this is just a tricky way to increase the price of drinking.

 

Tom

Correct on all counts.

Why is that? Is it because you don't have kids in swim diapers, and doesn't affect your vacation? Are you a trained epidemiologist like the USPH/CDC staff so that you can make the decision as to which is a more important source of transmission? Many shoreside public pools allow children in swim diapers, why not ships then?

 

And allowing you to refill your bottle, who may take all precautions to prevent cross-contamination, does that mean that everyone is allowed to, even those who are not as careful, or only your chosen ones.

 

Since you believe you know better than the USPH, I'll wait until you review the 300 page VSP Operations manual, and the 100 page VSP Construction manual, and report back with your recommendations of what is "silly" and what is mandatory, before I'll respond again.

Two words: Code Brown.

If someone allows their kid in the pool who is not potty-trained, are you okay with that as well, or is that one USPH regulation that you feel must be followed?

That is one that MUST be followed. Good to point that out because it illustrates the difference between silly rules and ones that need to be followed. We make those calls every day and common sense must prevail.

Because you are supposed to take a clean glassevery time you use the dispenser. So, if you need two glassfuls to fill your bottle, you take two clean glasses, and they never retouch the dispenser. Just as you are not supposed to bring your glass back for a refill, you get a clean glass every time.

What if I want to fill my glass with half punch and half lemonade? Do I have to fill two new glasses half full and mix them back at my table? :D I don't see what everyone is worked up about. As if there aren't hundreds of silly government rules. ;)

It's not about 'backwash' or mouth contamination, it's about someone handling their bottle or cup all during the day, all during the cruise. Who knows what is on their hands. Now it's all over the cup.

 

I can't believe people do not understand this. It's baffling.

So how is using a cup to fill up my water bottle any better? It seems that my same grubby hands will be in the same place--probably for longer and touching more things.

For the record, I don't even bring a water bottle, but I do find it amusing when people get all worked up over meaningless things.

It's also in vomit.

Good point. I propose the following re-write of the sign:

"Dear Passengers: If you have recently eaten poop (aside from the food in the dinning room) or used your water bottle to catch your vomit, please do not fill your water bottle from this station (unless it has a straw)."

That should cover all bases and remove what appears to be among the most dangerous hazards of cruising. :D