marymorn513

So the TA scheduled for 1 November is cancelled?

2 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

How would you manage to get the envelopes to all the wait staff in the Buffet or to behind the scenes housekeeping, or to the waiters serving lunch in the MDR.  I wish the cruise lines would just charge a mandatory service charge and be done with it. Maybe even like Las Vegas where every hotel charges a mandatory resort fee. 

We don’t go to the Buffet as it’s a madhouse and never use the MDR.  We frequent a separate dining room and have the same waiter nightly.  I would simply hand him an envelope at the last meal to show my appreciation and do the same for the room steward.  Increase fares and pay a decent wage if you must avoid cutting into profits but  make tipping what it originally was........an extra reward for good service.

6 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

maybe  she  needs to have a word with her manager then

 

LHT28 she’s not the kind of girl to make waves and likes the job too much.

5 minutes ago, Pyrate13 said:

Exactly my point.

Seriously Pyrate13?  Would you frequent any restaurant asking for a tip before you even sat down?

4 minutes ago, Texas Tillie said:

 

Are you aware that in restaurants the waiters have to give part of their tips to the bus boy, the hostess and sometimes people in the kitchen?? I'd call that a communal pot.

My special needs daughter has worked at TGIF for over ten years helping prepare meals as well as running food to tables and helping wherever she can.  She seldom sees any tip money and perhaps the diners should be required to pony up a few dollars before being seated.

While I’m certainly not proficient with computers, I did look for posts on tipping and found nothing.  As for the crew returning year after year, it’s likely because they know no other life or routine and what they do earn  is probably more than what would be earned in their home country.  I do realize we will all pay in the end one way or another but it seems we are be compelled to “tip” in more and more venues everyday.

3 minutes ago, sloopsailor said:

 

If you can't trust the cruise line to properly distribute the gratuities as they promise, how can you trust that they can run the rest of the ship safely, efficiently, and do the other things that they promise to do, such as get you to the right ports, feed you food that isn't spoiled, and clean your room effectively? I just don't get these conspiracy ideas that they will some how steal the money from the crews they depend on to keep their customers happy. If the crews are ripped off by the cruise line, don't you think that the crew would provide poorer service and lose the company customers? Makes no sense at all your fear that the crew won't get their share. 

Not thinking conspiracy but questioning if the people actually doing the real work are seeing the “appreciation “ we provide through mandatory fees.  In reality I for one would prefer to return to the idea of tipping for superior service 

and not be forced to kick in to some communal pot.

What is the current thinking on the mandatory tip add on most lines use?  How do we know our waiter or stateroom attendant 

ever saw their share?  How difficult is it to tell Guest Services to remove the add on and return to individual envelopes? I have 

very mixed feelings on this and wonder why we should be paying wages when the cruise lines are making money hand over fist.

Has anyone ventured over to Toppers Rhum distillery and, if so, how far from the dock area?

Will be there in November and wondered how to get to St. Nicholas Abbey.

Just saw your posting and would also like a copy. My daughter and I will be there in July. Thank you. billdon44@comcast.net

You betcha, it will! Of course, it depends on which hotel you stay at. The Canada line goes from the Airport to the waterfront. Along the way, it will stop at the River Rock Casino and Hotel, which is a great venue if you so desire. At the terminus station, there are a couple ways about getting to the cruise terminal and hotels.

 

One of which is to follow the flow of people through the hallway to the escalator/elevator. Follow the signs to the Sea Bus/Expo Line/Millennium line(?) through the large open hall. You will be turning left. You'll see a set of stairs down to the platform for the Expo and Millennium line. Go down, cross the platform and take the set of stairs at the other end. You'll hang a right, go up some stairs and you will emerge right at the cruise terminal, Canada Place and the appropriate hotels.

We will be arriving from our cruise on 07/07/14 and have booked a room at the Radisson Airport. Can we get there easily from the dock by Skytrain?

How about putting a bottle in your checked baggage?

 

 

Do they confiscate from them? I would like to bring a bottle on, but I can wait to have it until my checked bags are brought to my room.

 

Would that have a better chance then trying to bring it in my carry on?

Explorer of the Seas, 1/28-2/6 and they checked all carry-ons. At each stop carry-ons are x rayed and bottles confiscated to be returned the last day. Purchased a bottle of wine and some fruit off their website prior to boarding and had it in the room for the voyage. In checked baggage was a plastic mouthwash bottle filled with rum in a plastic bag holding toothpaste, brush, razor and shaving cream. Always had ice in the room and paid the $2 for a can of Coke. Good luck.