rolloman

alrighty then...just for the record...please list your "fun" machines since everyone else's list seem to suck. Without it, it is just too easy for you to proclaim everyone in the band is out of step but you.

Well Carl...they may suck...but at least they are fun and I don't have to speak chinese to play them.

Shocking...I knew something just was not right....As for the 25K...nice but guaranteed visit to customs at debarkation with that one....

One other item of note...we all know the cheese plate is gone from the classic menu but they took it a step further on this ship...the cheddar cheese is now a soft processed cheese similar to the old Kraft orange slices that do not melt in a fire. So be alert if you are getting orange cheese on a sandwich or some slices in the buffet...it may not be what you expect.

I am sure there are plenty who played 20 bucks and won 30 then ran out of the casino proclaiming a windfall. 😁

I agree with Pandamonia...what pros??? People touched the buttons anyway...so yeah..it is a non-working gimmick to make a few people feel better. Reminds me of the time a friend of mine told me his wife always complained about the house being too hot or too cold. So he put in a fake thermostat...each night she would go over to it and move the dial...and then proclaim how much more comfortable she was.

Omg...can't believe I didn't see you in there...of course it has been a few years since I last met you. I saw one big hit on the Wheel of fortune...three 5X pay symbols and he won 5K...outside of that...brutal...for an 8 night cruise there should have been considerably more action. Now that you say it was not an anomaly actually bums me out further lol.

Thanks for your opinion...I too have spent my share of time in the casino...last year alone I went on 11 casino royale cruises on multiple ships...so...machines like Scarab, the Devil Wicked Wheels, Tiki's, Captain Riches, Golden Egypt, Rich little pigs... just to name a few...all missing...matter of fact...I found it to be a small casino. Fact is...for whatever reason...It did not pay out like normal on "this cruise"...maybe you should be glad you were not on it.

Fixed it for you...😜

Just came back from the Spring Break 8 night to Aruba. I think there have been plenty of reviews about this relatively new ship but I would like to present a few of my thoughts. This particular sailing set a ship record for the number of passengers, and it certainly felt like it. Two thumbs down- the elevators...whoever came up with the bright idea of touchless floor selection buttons on a cruise ship should be fired immediately. These buttons are so sensitive that if you came within 3 inches of the panel it would light it up like a Christmas tree and then you were headed to every floor. The concept may work fine if you have 2-3 guests... but on an overcrowded ship...absolutely horrible. In addition, countless times, the elevator would just sit there trying to figure out what to do...prompting people to get off thinking it was broke. Continuing with two thumbs down- The Casino. Since this ship was originally set to go the Asia route and then did a Covid re-route... most of the slot machines onboard are marketed towards passengers from that area. A lot of the machines normally found on other ships were not present. Outside of a small spattering of hand-pays, these machines were cold as ice...the worst I have witnessed in 30 years of cruising. Rooms are smaller, our balcony room had less space and overall storage was at a premium. The two biggest storage areas are above the bed...not what I consider to be a place which can easily be accessed. Dining- We had early seating... like real early...like are you kidding me early...5:00pm... what happened to 6pm....or the super early 5:30pm? I can only imagine this is another ploy to push even more passengers to go the buffet or specialty route. Even with the now condensed menu the dining room staff were overwhelmed. Do not try to use your D+-Pinnacle vouchers in the dining room...good chance you will earn a chance to head to guest services to get the charge removed. After a couple fails, I proceeded to get my drink before dinner and enter the dining room with it. Ok...now for Two thumbs up-The Sea-Plex, not because of the super-sized Playmakers or the countless events which actively take place throughout each day.... but because of the venue itself. All kids had a place to hang out and interact. This cut-down on the clogged stairwells and mischief normally found on a sailing this time of year. The I-Fly and North Star... both are a really a great experience. They go out of their way to ensure safety and is a must do while onboard. The Diamond lounge is in a super convenient location...fwd. of the ship right off the stairwell on deck 4. These days, I usually never bother to venture in but due to this great location I actually visited a couple times...and no it was never crowded. This cruise was a milestone cruise and on the last day I did receive the crystal block...however, it was not in color as the latest benefit updates suggested. Captain Per is an awesome Captain and goes out of his way to socialize with his passengers. In closing...will I cruise Odyssey again??...probably not...maybe one of its sister ships (if it happens to sail out of Port Canaveral). I like the Oasis class as I find them easier to navigate and have better crowd control. All in my opinion.

Unreal...I never said it was, corporate makes the rules...the ship follows those rules with employees who were trained by corporate ...that is what I said. Now with regards to your other definitive answers...Please substantiate those claims...it certainly would clear up a lot of confusion "if" you can.

You missed the part where I said "under corporate direction" ...You seem to running around offering definitive responses to posters opinions...however at this point they are all unsubstantiated. If you are such an insider...why not back it up with some proof? Oh and Yes...Webinar(s) have taken place in the past and one could very easily take place again with the current hot gratuity topic. Especially if metrics start showing a major uptick of guests heading to Guest Services to remove them.

Here is a better idea...how about Cruise Critic use their connections to create a tipping webinar featuring a Royal Caribbean spokesperson who can field some of these questions. I am confident it would be a highly attended event.

Incorrect. There is no way the finance team onboard (working under the direction of Corporate) has been given zero input of how their system works. The reality is those jobs are trained by Corporate before they are placed onboard a ship.

How could your comment on post 360 be in reference to post 363...now that is funny....

They Don't give free drinks at the Captains Q&A session.

I have not read where anyone is asking what does the crew make. What I have read though is: * What percentage of guests remove the auto-tips? *Does Royal Caribbean keep a portion of the auto-tips? *Do non-guest facing crew receive tips as well ? * If auto tipping is offered only as a convenience, why are passengers not allowed to opt out of auto tipping prior to boarding?

Very simple...as I already stated...go to the Captains (and his officers) Q/A session which occurs on most 5+ night voyages and ask the question. There is no need to inundate the crew with questions. Go straight to the source.

Clearly it is not a Disney reference as you replied to the poster #288...it is called "pixie dust" in Disney vernacular and is used as a term which meaning is to create magic for a guest. Secondly, just for starters... the Captain and his officers onboard do not accept tips...

You are basing your logic on a tiny sample of people who have access to this web site and narrowing it down further...the few commenting on this particular thread? Truth is that the vast majority of people on any given cruise have never heard of this website. Now, I do not dismiss the idea there are some who tip at or above guidelines with cash...however, going by human nature and vast experience in the industry.... those that remove auto tips proceed to tip less than suggested or nothing at all. The logical thinking comes into play as follows...at the end of the cruise, the average cruiser has spent their allotted discretionary cash on souvenirs, drinks and casino leaving zero behind to tip with (even if they wanted to). Again, I agree there are a few Mr. Got Rocks out there who skip down the passageways tossing 5 and 10s in the air...but those types are few and far between. Now to answer your question... Out of my many years of cruising, believe me I have seen a few cabin stewards who did not perform up to standards. I remember on at least one occasion a cabin steward being fired mid-cruise. There is a cruise true crime series with about 40 episodes playing out there on one of the popular apps...a lot of those incidents involve crew members...therefore...yes, of course I think an employee of a cruise line could act inappropriately...there are countless documented cases of it. If someone feels cheated...history has proven anything can happen. Personally, I treat the crew with respect and go out of my way to engage them in a positive manner...I was once a sailor, so I can fully understand what they are going through. Unfortunately, this whole tipping thing, coupled with cheap fares, has evolved into a mess and the losers wind up being the crew.

That's what I thought...unsubstantiated. Anyone out there onboard right now? A simple Q/A at the Captains show should clear this up...of course you will have to get your response notarized and signed by the officer who fields the question... or perhaps of video of the session would suffice. As for me, there is a famous blogger... la lido loca who put out a video on the topic...pretty much falls in line with what I have stated. The room steward, dining staff know. As someone else mentioned...might be a good idea to pack 7 sealed toothbrushes for your next week long cruise if you decide to pull those tips early lol....

Please share your source? I gave a source who says they can (albiet a non-royal cruise line).

What a reach... anyway....sorry your pancake fetish has resulted in higher prices. Nobody is suggesting stiffing anyone...in reality what is being said is due to the economy and a recent rate hike in auto gratuities there is a perfect storm being created in which something has to give...and it would only make sense auto gratuities will suffer a higher percentage of passengers removing them.

You are going way out there...Cooks, Laundry...are not in line for the auto gratuity. You can think what you want...but the fact is the room steward and your wait staff know if you removed the tips. They can log in and look it up for themselves. Next time you are on a cruise...ask your room steward. I am not aware of the average removal rate but to dismiss 10% is naive. As I mentioned before...the removal rate will be on the rise...especially with inflation and the fact the cruise lines are now trying to squeeze more out of each passenger.

It is the same on Royal...