drron29

It appears that Myster and I may be related! but some more for today.

Basically because you interact with your butler and room attendant on a daily basis. We do not go to bars very frequently at all. Those waiters etc that are good are all mentioned in our cruise questionnaire. But I do admit to once tipping a waiter. If you remember those days of cruising SS and a waiter would take a ladies arm and lead her to the table while the gentlemen went unescorted. But I do remember on our Amazon cruise a waiter, Cherry , A Chinese woman. We got on famously so whenever we entered the MDR she would literally run to my side and take my arm. She was a delight.

We are from Queensland Australia which is known for eating early for the evening meal. So if our waitlists are converted to 9pm start times we will not be going.

And for those of us over 60 Kenrokuen Garden gives you free admission.

It certainly isn't customary. We always contribute to the crew fund and it does mean something to the crew we are often told that it was appreciated. Once even by a fellow mopping the deck and I appreciated this thank you greatly. Now we are in the minority and do tip our butler and room attendant. Again obviously appreciated and we kept in touch with our first butler for a long time. Unfortunately he is now busy being a VP at another cruise line. We knew he was motivated which is why we tipped on our first cruise.

Well these are the 2 steaks I had in atlantide on the Dawn. not too thin for me.

On the other hand we ate at La Dame on our last Dawn cruise and didn't think it worthwhile. The beef was worse than Atlantide,service slow and the new enlarged space does not feel intimate. We will try on one night on our upcoming Moon cruise but if that is much the same doubt we will ever do it again. We found the food in Atlantide was very good. Also agree with you on Kaiseki. We ate there a lot but at lunch time where the food suited us better.

However we run into the problem as Australians that the shipboard credit is in US dollars and therefore you have to do a currency conversion on paying. I get a much better rate for US dollars doing it myself so we pay the crew fund in cash. And we normally tip the butler and room attendant with USD.

For anyone who wants to go to Silver Note make your bookings early. We are 35 days from boarding the Silver Moon for 54 days of cruising. belated decided to try Silver Note. Only wait listed for the early session starting at 8 pm as we would be asleep if we started at 9pm. Could only wait list for 2 of the 54 nights.

Our son wins prizes for his quince jelly. Was described once as the Prince of Quince.

Lorrie just one thing. If contributing to the crew fund it is one thing that US dollars are useful. Also if you do feel like tipping anyone else. not necessary but you do meet some fantastic staff. I could bring some extra along if you don't have a supply. And better than bank rates.

Shame on you @jpalbny. On our first time to Maine we managed 7 1.25 lb lobsters each in a day. Mind you I was a lot bigger then.

And we will give you the low down on the crew fund. I am sure that there are a few other Aussies on board so we might have to organise a game of two up on Anzac Day.😁

We always do our own flights so have never had a problem.

I have been related to some Polish folk. heck I was even made an honary Polish citizen by Lech Walesa in 1988. The best Polish jokes always came from the Poles I knew.

We sail in a Superior Verandah suite and did on the Dawn. The verandah suites are all the same. We choose the superior verandah as they are on deck 9 as the highest and we prefer a higher deck. But basically those on deck 9 are in a similiar position as those Classics on deck 6. Forward and aft a bit more rocking which doesn't worry us.

don't know what all the fuss is about balloons. Happens Down under a lot.

I did a report on our Dawn cruise in August. Contains a few menus and food pics. nothing on Silver Note as it is not our thing. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2891497-a-late-report-on-an-august-dawn-cruise/

We have had free laundry from our very first day. Not VIPs but our first 100 days were in Silver suites on the Explorer. Of course that hardly makes it "free".