mek

Two weeks ago there was an 80's party on Adventure.

36 minutes ago, sockmonkeygirl said:

This class is on sale for my cruise $34.  If it includes the tequila tasting and a margarita, seems like you could nearly drink the price you paid and walk away happy, no? 🙃

I did this on Allure several years ago and it was delicious - we were served several margaritas in addition to the tequila tasting.  Glad I didn't have to drive home.

4 minutes ago, fizzywm said:

Regardless, you are ultimately tipping employees you don't see either way. Either way they choose these jobs expecting (not "hoping") to make a fairly significant chunk of their money from tips. The minimum salary is not competitive in either scenario until tips are factored in. Like it or not, and I don't like it either. And I'm excepting the rare cases of restaurants in the US that have opted out of tipping and either make it up with higher menu prices or a service charge that actually goes to employees, like how some cruise lines include gratuities in the fare.

True, behind the scenes workers may or may not get a cut of my servers tips, but that is something I'm totally uninvolved in unlike cruise lines which specifically state that part of the auto tip goes to those people.

As I previously mentioned, at Panera I do not tip because it is pretty much a self-serve restaurant although there are people repairing my food, washing dishes etc.  I'm not sure why I should feel differently  at a full service restaurant about those workers.

39 minutes ago, fizzywm said:

The same way servers and dishwashers in US land-based restaurants make a guaranteed wage that isn't very competitive until tips or tip share is added in. People don't work in these positions "hoping" for extra money, they work with an expectation of an average salary that includes some level of tips on top of the guarantee.

But in this case the amount I tip my server is shared in a land based restaurant and I'm not expected to tip extra to cover the behind the scenes workers.

Back to food - my grandson and his wife just returned from Adventure.  They dined in the speciality restaurants 3 nights, MDR 2 nights, and the Windjammer 2 nights.  This was their first Royal cruise so nothing to compare it to, but they were pleased with the food in all venues.  The pictures they took of their meals in the MDR looked as good as or better than what I had on Allure last October before the menu changes.

16 minutes ago, broberts said:

 

😂 Let's see if I understand the logic.

 

Pay the US$18 / day or cruises will become unaffordable? Illogical.

 

Or is the argument that we should take advantage of employees so that our cruises cost less? Immoral.

 

 

It's not the $18 that is the issue.  It's the argument that the crew is exploited by the cruise lines and using the costs of living where they are from is not valid.

Totally ridiculous to not accept that in general, they are making much more on a ship than they would at home. To use pay standards for any other countries is pointless.

Most of us are not objecting to tipping the crew - as long as they are providing the services we have had in the past.  But when the cruise lines reduce services and expect us to pay more in gratuities, then some are balking at that.

I personally have a problem with tipping the behind the scenes staff - but that is an issue I have with things besides cruising.

While there may be a few who don't tip to reduce the cost of their cruise, I don't think that applies to the vast majority of cruisers. 

1 hour ago, broberts said:

 

That is akin to saying that cruise passengers have no costs over the fare. As the subject of this thread indicates, clearly not accurate.

 

Are staff provided with off duty clothing, luggage, toiletries, grooming, entertainment, legal services, communications with family, personal computing and communication devices at no charge? Just a few things we all include in our lives.

 

OK so let's have cruise ships pay a "living wage," (whatever the heck that means), and have cruise prices skyrocket to the point where only the truly affluent can afford to cruise = less ships, less jobs - not only the crew, but in all resources related to the cruise industry.

I can't wait to hear the outcry about that.

3 hours ago, Saab4444 said:

Norwegian Cruise Line Holding just proudly announce that they managed to reduce food costs by 30%. Not sure if this is really an achievement I would tell customers. Trust Royal has gone the same route…

LOL - perhaps install one less water slide and spend the money on food??????

54 minutes ago, nelblu said:

Everything looks and taste good, as long as I'm not cooking and doing the dishes.😊

I know a lot of people feel that way.  

With a few exceptions I am a bargain hunter cruiser - I look for the best deal out there and don't worry about the itinerary, ship, etc.  I've managed to travel all over the world and have saved $$$.

The only reason I mention that is because for the price I pay I'm somewhat tolerant of food, but I also know that people on the same cruise I have been on have paid considerably more and if I were them I would not be happy with some of the cutbacks that have been happening for the past 15 + years. (On all cruise lines, for that matter.)

Just now, ReRe71 said:

Our server (who was awesome) only said that it went to the restaurant and no specific reason is provided as to what is covered. We would’ve appreciated if it was mentioned on the menu, just felt blindsided when it was on the bill. 

Well...... the day I have 20% automatically added to my bill and then have to tip an additional 20% is the day I stop dining out.

I guess I don't understand why they simply don't raise their prices 20%.

7 minutes ago, ReRe71 said:

Just experienced this last weekend. Went to brunch at a restaurant (downtown DC) , food was very good (expensive but good) and there was a 20% service fee on the check. Server informed us that it was not a gratuity (which I’m sure most guests assume it is) and that it goes straight to the restaurant and we had to add the tip separately. Gotta admit that it didn’t sit well with us. 

I live in the mid west and haven't experienced this. Perhaps it's a common in certain areas of the country? Did you happen to ask what the service fee covered?

My grandson and his wife, first time on Royal,  just got off Adventure today and I will interested to hear their thoughts on the food.

22 hours ago, Kellie in Texas said:

Or the one you had to cook the night you got home. 😄 

LOL - I never cook when I return home.  That night is always pizza night.

6 hours ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

Why does it matter what anyone ELSE does with their tips?  Whether they don't tip at all, do automatic gratuities, do automatic grats and then more, or remove automatic grats and tip in cash?  Multiple someones on your cruise and all other cruises are doing all of them.  

 

These tipping threads are nothing more than a way for people to brag.  They're either bragging how they're "fighting the man" and removing the automatic tips or bragging how much more over the automatic amount they're giving.  

I think they can be helpful.  Right now I'm on a crusing leave of absence and I'm not as active as in the past.  My grandson and his wife are on Adventure, so I have been paying more attention to these boards this past week.

I really need to visit more often to keep up even if I'm not currently planning any cruises.

13 hours ago, njdealguy said:

With the figures you gave think will stick to the auto gratuities, yours exceeded what the auto one would be!

I'm not sure exceeding the auto gratuity is an issue for many of us because some tip extra and for that reason we generally exceed the auto amount.

I think quite a few of us object to an auto increase with reduced services and also including "behind the scenes" staff.  Those people should be paid by the cruise line and not rely on tips to supplement their salaries.

I loved auto tipping when it first started because it was easy.  Unfortunately it has become part of the trend to tip everyone for everything and at some point I will draw a line in the sand and say, "no."

Just like Panera - I have no problem tapping on the "no tip" button - I have to stand in line to place my order, pick it up, and then clean my table, but there are those who would argue that people are preparing my food, washing dishes, etc.  Nope - won't do that. The tipping mentality has gotten out of control.

2 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

The “other hotel services” category is a major problem for me, and is why I quit participating years ago 

Years ago, before auto tips, we cash tipped to only those who directly provided a service to us. I agree with you, the distribution for other hotel services is a problem for me. 

Unfortunately my husband's health has prevented us from cruising since last October and he will never cruise again.  If and when I decide to return to cruising I might just go back to cash tips.

1 hour ago, OCSC Mike said:

Yep, on Allure now, was a bit windy in the  morning then sunny and warm… was actually nicer with the wind. Beautiful day.

Glad to hear that.  This is a delayed honeymoon - cruises hadn't started back up after Covid when they were married.

3 hours ago, mek said:

I've been following Adventure this week as my grandstand his wife are currently on it.  Looks like they along with Allure had a full day at CC.

Grandstand - LOL - I guess everyone knows I meant grandson.

I've been following Adventure this week as my grandstand his wife are currently on it.  Looks like they along with Allure had a full day at CC.

13 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

No show requires reservations on any ships besides Oasis & Quantum class AFAIK.

Great - didn't realize that. it's been a long time since I was on anything beside the Oasis class ships

Is the ice show the only one that requires advance reservation on Adventure? 

44 minutes ago, orville99 said:

Everything except for physically showing up at the muster station so they can scan your sea pass card is now done on the app - very quick and easy.

I thought that was great last year on Allure, but I thought I had heard some talk about it going back to the old way.

Glad to hear it hasn't changed and I'll update my grandkids so they know what to do.

On 9/5/2023 at 3:29 PM, smokeybandit said:

Using an image taken from somewhere else to rant, nice.

I was on Adventure a few weeks ago and everything was great.

My mid 30's grandson and his wife will be on Adventure next month - I'm glad to hear this.

Thanks again for the help.  My last cruise was on Allure last October and it looks like it will be the last with my husband who is in poor health.

Right now I'm cruising vicariously through my grandkids.

1 hour ago, orville99 said:

Top five things to do as soon as they board - in order of priority:

1) go to a specialty restaurant and make all their dining reservations;

2) Find the nearest bar and start relaxing;

3) Do the muster drill on the app;

4) Find another bar and get a second dose of relaxation, and:

5) Take that drink and find their muster station

Didn't realize muster is still being done on the app.