S.A.M.J.R.

OK, the consent form may not be new, but according to this letter, all children are REQUIRED to have a passport? No more BC allowed? I do wonder where this letter came from. If they handed it out at boarding, that's too late to allow parents to get the REQUIRED documents. Did they mail it (in which case, what's the rest of the date at the bottom of the letter)? According to the Royal FAQ (https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/what-family-legal-documents-do-i-need-to-board), if the last names differ, the passport AND BC (official) need to be presented, in addition to the notarized letter.

Depending where you get them, you can get candy bars for <$1 each. So I guess the "rule" here is to make sure you walk onto the ship with 10 pounds (weight) of coins, so you can tip the workers an extra 75 cents each. Or, just get a bunch of candy bars and hand them out with the cash.

Because there's a decent chance of getting the wrong answer from phone CSRs also?

Or, to keep with the OP, on a table, place a $10 bill and a candy bar. Tell the steward he can have the bill AND the candy, or just the bill. See what he chooses.

2+2 = 4 2x + 3x = 10, x=2 Anything else you'd like me to add for you?

But, there was no real reason to ask here. OP goes to the web page to book, the web page doesn't allow it, but says "Call us". Now, does it make sense to ask here, or to call Royal? As I understand it, they were down to the last hour before being cut off. So you make a post to CC, and hope someone gives you information OTHER than "call Royal"?

I understand the frustration. The frustration is NOT because the dining plan couldn't be booked, it's because the CSR couldn't give a reason it couldn't be booked. "Sold out" and "too close to sailing" are valid reasons. But the OP wasn't given a reason, just being told "nope, can't do it". I would probably be a LITTLE miffed too. I'd like to know the reason I can't do something, if it appears I'm doing everything right. If I'm doing something wrong, let me know so I'll know in the future not to do that.

Guessing the cash equivalent of the candy isn't going to pay the rent either. I doubt the crew is getting enough candy where if they had cash instead would make a realistic difference. I'm assuming the crew gets the salary THEY bargained for also. What a bunch of sour pusses.

I've used photoshop. I've used an app from here (can't remember if it was the one posted or not). I also print in color. Neither name nor color, nor even printed luggage tags are necessary. As people have mentioned, you can have the porters put on handwritten tags. BUT, why crap on someone for what they do? If they want to print out the tags in color, with their names, in special bedazzled holders, and put five on each bag, let them.

Sorry, I don't get the angst over handing out candy. #1... This would be IN ADDITION to a cash tip, not a replacement for one. #2... What candy bar cost $5? (Said in relation to the poster who kept saying "which would you rather have, a candy bar or $5). Rephrase it this way... would you rather have $x PLUS a candy bar or just $x? #3... I've had a number of people over my career purchase consumables (donuts, pizza, meals, beer, sodas, etc) to give me as "thanks". The only monetary "tip" I've ever received was bonuses from corporate. Now, I agree that tchotchkes wouldn't necessarily be the best gift because they'd have to be stored (if not thrown away). But anything edible or drinkable? Unless you're giving them so much they can't consume it all in a day or two, who cares?

How do you force the loser's attorney/law firm to foot the bill and they don't turn it around to the clients? Now, I can see a provision where if the "winners" can show it's a frivolous case, THEN the losers have to pay for their attorney fees. But, you'd need to define what's "frivolous".

Go ahead and chuckle. I don't.

Personally I don't consider it "lousy service". Yea, THAT will show Royal how upset you are! Book more cruises!

And the difference between hotels and cruise lines is... ????

The prime example is "coffee may be hot". BUT, once I found out the facts (see what I did there @MrMarc?) about that case (https://www.caoc.org/?pg=facts), I can side with the plaintiff. BUT, in that case, McDonalds had settled other lawsuits, basically acknowledging they knew their product was dangerous. I don't think that's the case with Royal. I've seen threads about this case obviously here, another message board I frequent, and YouTube. I've found ONE person saying Royal is at fault. My understanding in a civil trial, you don't need a unanimous decision from the jurors. I think it's going to be difficult for the family to get even 50% of jurors (can you have a hung jury in a civil suit?) to side with them. They MIGHT get one, and at most two. Just my opinion.

I was talking in general, not in this case. Can a judge decide, based on what's been presented, that the Plaintiffs haven't met the burden of proof (whatever the "level" is)? If so, then they CAN decide on "facts", which you said they can't do. Have you seen the video yourself? Have you been on the ship (the class if not the actual ship)? Do YOU think there should have been warning signs and/or a net?

No? So what's a "directed verdict"? Or is that only for criminal trials?

So a Judge can't decide that the plaintiffs haven't proved their case and any reasonable jury would find for the defendants? Have I been reading too many novels and watching too much TV?

Fixed it for you. 😉

What are you talking about now? I'm comparing people's complaints about cruise lines cutting service and increasing costs with hotels cutting service and not decreasing (not sure if they've increased or not) costs. I stay in hotels 5-6 nights for business trips. Because I stay in hotel rooms by myself that invalidates the point that hotels have cut room cleanings?

But hotels HAVE cut down from daily service to every 'x' days. The hotel rates haven't gone down. So, cutting service, and not cutting prices. Please explain.

I've stayed at Doubletrees and Hamptons and they all have had service every 5th day. I'm at a Home2Suites next week and I'll check again. It's just me and I eat most meals outside of the hotel, so I don't have a problem. I'm usually ready for fresh towels around day 4, but haven't bothered requesting yet.

I agree it's not unusual to get different information from different CSRs, but I still don't understand calling back a second time OR the supervisor. Here's how I'm thinking the call SHOULD have gone: OP: <dials number given> CSR: "Hello, Royal Caribbean" OP: "Hello, I had a message to call this number regarding my upcoming Celebrity cruise." CSR: "Oh, you need to talk to Celebrity, here's their number... " OP: "OK thank you." <hangs up> OP: <Calls new number given> What it sounds like happened: OP: <dials number given> CSR: "Hello, Royal Caribbean" OP: "Hello, I had a message to call this number regarding my upcoming Celebrity cruise." CSR: "Oh, you need to talk to Celebrity, here's their number... " OP: "This was the number I was told to call. I want to talk to a supervisor." CSR: "You really need to talk to Celebrity, I can't help you." OP: "I demand to talk to your supervisor!" CSR: OK, let me transfer you." <gets disconnected> OP: <dials number given> CSR2: "Hello, Royal Caribbean" OP: "Hello, I had a message to call this number regarding my upcoming Celebrity cruise." CSR2: "Oh, you need to talk to Celebrity, here's their number... " OP: "This was the number I was told to call. I want to talk to a supervisor." CSR: OK, let me transfer you." <gets disconnected> OP: <upset and creates thread>

If it's something they might want to try, look for dive training in your home area. They might offer a free (or reduced) "introductory" class (or classes). We did a free trial at an AI in Mexico 10 years ago. That was just in the resort pool. Then we signed up for training which included class work and an open water dive. It was interesting, but we never followed up on it.

I consider a cruise ship a "floating hotel". I think it's one of the better analogies. Granted, the rooms are smaller, but it's a fair comparison.