matrixman48

"You can also go to the Princess Personalizer , sign in, go to your booking then go to payments then a tab called crew incentives, and it will show you what you will need to pay for the gratuities.  You can pay it there with a credit card."

"Need" implies that the tip is mandatory. By definition, a tip/gratuity is discretionary and voluntary as is the amount, otherwise it is a charge.

13 hours ago, skynight said:

It's a play on words. But the incentive is for the housekeeping staff to do an excellent job. They are rated by their supervisors. Excellent ratings over time = higher distribution from the incentive pot.

My question was rhetorical. I contend that a tip that is prepaid removes, or at least lessens the incentive. Do you tip your waiter before dinner or after?

If it's pre-paid, what's the incentive?

We sailed the Majestic in late September. Due to the ship being only 63% of passenger capacity, the buffet was never crowded and seating was always easy to find. The selections were decent to good.

Within each cabin category, there are subcategories. Usually the distinctions have to do with the location of the cabin, rather than the features/dimensions of the cabin. Typically the closer to the mid ship, the higher the classification. 

To the original post...As others have clarified in their daily accounting, it is not "FREE". A great value if you enjoy a few drinks a day, but no "free".

I find it hard to believe that a single passenger can accurately gauge what the dining occupancy is at either the MDR or buffet and then attribute those totals to a single cause.

There were NO games on MUTS or in your stateroom during the Alaska cruise on the Majestic. MUTS was basically rained out most of the cruise anyway.  The wifi aboard many cruise ships are very hit & miss and often not strong enough to stream sporting events. In my opinion, this shouldn't even be a topic because it should be a given. The bars, especially the sports bars and casinos would be much busier and livelier if they showed more live major sporting events.

While a ship or two may no longer be on the list, the underlying point is current and accurate. I just sailed on the Majestic Princess on an Alaskan cruise with no foreign ports. This is an issue that even my Princess cruise planner acknowledged and said routinely gets a lot of complaints. Cherry-picking a ship here or a ship there, or that play-off games are more likely to be shown, misses the point entirely. If games are shown on some ships, but not others, the question is, "Why?" Is it geographical, satellite range, licensing fees?? If there is a logistical explanation, fine, but this information should be readily available to a customer when booking their cruise and not a crap-shoot after you board.

Rather than comment about the restaurants, excursions, cabins, etc...I am writing with a singular focus on Sports viewing aboard the ship. My complaint is the limited live television sporting events that are available on your cruises. The VIP Casino Bar on the Majestic was a ghost town cuz all they ever showed was European soccer. The bartenders there said it's always like that and the only time people enter the bar is to walk through it. If you guys are implementing sports book betting, it would be great to offer access to viewing events that are "relevant" to the country/region that you are servicing. I found a website that said that Princess offers NFL games fleetwide EXCEPT Diamond Princess, Sapphire Princess, Ruby Princess, Golden Princess, Majestic Princess, Pacific Princess, Sea Princess and Sun Princess. Not sure why the cut-out for those ships or if the information on the website is accurate. Pay the licensing fees so your customers can actually enjoy a game that they bet on. It's 2021...just too much technology available not to make this happen. Really surprised it isn't already a feature.

One complaint is the limited live sporting shows that are available on your cruises. The VIP Casino Bar on the Majestic was a ghost town cuz all they ever showed was European soccer. The bartenders there said it's like that all the time and the only time people enter the bar is to walk through it. If you guys are implementing sports book betting, it would be great to offer access to viewing events that are "relevant" to the country\/region that you are servicing. I found a website that said that Princess offers NFL games fleetwide EXCEPT  Diamond Princess, Sapphire Princess, Ruby Princess, Golden Princess, Majestic Princess, Pacific Princess, Sea Princess and Sun Princess. Not sure why the cut-out for those ships or if the information on the website is accurate. Pay the licensing fees so your customers can actually enjoy a game that they bet on. It's 2021...just too much technology available not to make this happen. Really surprised it isn't already a feature.

I took my wife on her first cruise, a 10-day, to Mexico. We placed the patches on, BEFORE debarkation, as directed and changed them every 3 days, alternating sides. We navigated through some rough seas and both of us were fine. We removed them after getting off the boat and had no residual side effects. In no way do I diminish other people's experience; I just wanted to let people know that it also works great for some people.

How about le Blanc? I know its pricier, but will pay more if the food/service and accomadations are exceptional. Looking for more relaxing and tranquil resort as opposed to party-central.

Hi!

 

Cancun is great if it is your first time in Mexico. It offers lots of nightlife, shopping, and partying. If you are looking for a more relaxed time or something a little more adult for the 30's to 50 somethings, then I would pick Playa del Carmen and the surrounding area. The resorts there are great, most are not more than 10 minutes from the center of town, which by the way offers everything Cancun does, but with more of a Jimmy Buffet style of life. The ferry to Coz is right there, an the snorkeling is fabulous. The Riu resorts are always a good choice. The Iberostar resorts are very good, but more expensive. The Palace resorts are more luxurious, but of course you will pay for it. They also offer tours to the ruins, and exchange priviledges with the other 6 properties in the Mayan riviera, with transportation to boot. If you are considering any particular resort, just ask as I have been to most of them. Also, best time to go and save money is October, early November. Prices are best then.

 

Christine McCabe

Harbor Light Cruises & Travel:)

What about le Blanc? I know it's expensive but I will pay more if the food and service are exceptional and the resort is more tranquil/relaxing.