Victoria2

Rather more a Cruise Credit than just Onboard then. If you find an excursion of interest, let's say a sightseeing flight for instance which indicates any kind of limited places, I would book asap.

Bit of a giveaway in the title ''onboard''!

and I answered in #4 🙂 but to be fair, tipping has come into this thread for some unknown reason although this has had an unusual slant wise. When is a tip a gratuity and when is a tip a bribe. Quite interesting. Jerry987654321, first of all, your table will have been pre-assigned and the change we found in August was, no card with your table number waiting for you in your cabin. You will find out when you first dine eg lunch. That table is yours for the duration. Secondly, in a Q2, if you were to be aboard QE or QV, I could tell you precisely where your two top table would be. Obviously, I can’t on QA, [ I refer you to my comment #4]. There are the same number of Q's 1 and 2, just in reverse order but that still means six ''top''cabins and depending on where the ''best'' area of the restaurant has been deemed, that is where your table will be. The only thing I can guarantee is, as a Q 2 passenger, you will have a two top by the window. We will be interested to see the table hierarchy on QA. I have my fingers crossed we're away from most of the footfall but as a first timer on Anne, we will go with the flow as I know we'll get a perceived ''good'' table. We'll be well informed and will ask for any specific table for the next trip.

Strangely enough, I would be very embarrassed if I tried to ''offer a tip or gesture '' in order to move tables and no table was available to move to. As asking to move tables is done discreetly at the M'ds desk, I don't see how complaining or moaning comes into it. If tables are there to move to, the move will be facilitated. If not, it won't and ''offering a gesture'' to try and get this done will have no effect whatsoever except cause embarrassment to possibly both parties Now to give a discreet gesture at the end of the holiday as a thank you, well that is a different matter and one I am all in favour of.

When I have been on shorties in the past with friends, we self disembarked and could do so as soon as the ship was cleared. I don't know if the process has changed, but we had to register with the Purser's office where we where given a self disembarkation card. We had to be able to carry all our bags ourselves.

OBC, use it or lose it and don't do what we did years ago which was go to the casino and think your obc will cover any losses. We found out the hard way, you can't use obc in the casino. OOPS! 😀 In the unlikely chance you have any left over, ask the Front Desk to add it as gratuities to the staff.

Thanks for your posts. Very interesting. Hope you don't have to rock'n roll too much!

You can request a shower stool when booking.

Short of getting the Captain to wait on us at the table, I 'm not sure what a bribe could offer in the way or a superior service and I'm not talking table position as one passenger's choice position could very well be another passenger's disaster of a table. Of course, should the Captain, after waiting on us at the table, give a superior service, we would of course reward with an extra gratuity, 🙂 To quote an oft used phrase. ''each to their own''.

It wouldn't happen.

I have no idea what negative, awkward confrontations you refer to but with hundreds of nights in QG under our belts, I think it insulting to the staff to suggest a bribe will raise service levels. The staff are eager to please and will almost fall over themselves to help in any way and to reward service after the event is of course up to an individual should they wish to show appreciation. Of course there will be occasional anomalies in levels of service but to bribe beforehand is almost saying ''I don't think your regular service will be good enough'' which in my book is demeaning.

I totally agree although if I have the cabin I want, I couldn't care less if the price drops, but when one is tracking a fare, it's impossible not to notice the fluctuations, as discussed on this thread.

Or the change would have been affected anyway without the bribe if a table was available On one cruise, our selves and another couple had had enough of our table companions by the second evening and we both moved onto tables for two. The tables were available and no bribe was required.

Fluid pricing is getting very fluid. The fare is up by thousands, per person now and that's including any early booking discount. It will be very interesting to see what happens when the pre launch interest period of grace is over. Al a bit of a gamble isn't it! 🙂

I like to think a bribe [as you seem to be inferring that is what was given] would have no bearing whatsoever on the given or exchanged table position and to imply otherwise is highly speculative and unfair.

I 100% agree and would dearly hope the M'ds are professional enough to ignore such a blatant attempt to influence. As an aside, we witnessed an almost tantrum last August when a passenger didn't get a window seat. Really amusing.

To be clear ''thousands'' refers to the cabin price, not fare pp.

buchanan101 is quite correct. I know at least one instance where the price has gone up by thousands. Edit, I know because I'm tracking three cruises as I registered our interest and the launch price is held for us until the 15th so we must decide by then if we want the launch price.

Those of us who want specific cabins, have to book asap and settling for ''second best'' doesn't work which is why we never have the opportunity to wait for a price reduction. The plus side is, the cabins we choose often rocket up in price so that's kind of satisfying! 👍

👍

We didn't have a notifying card either this August, but were very happy with our table position. There seem to be quite a few two tops on the QA deck plan, the window having thirteen but as we know, layouts are for display purposes only and are always subject to change, depending on passenger requirements. It's easy to see which tables on are designated ''best'' on QV/E as soon as you walk in the restaurant. Hopefully, the ''best'' ones on QA will be away from immediate passenger footfall.

I presume you meant, unusual. However, I have no experience of PG so can't express an opinion.

Golly. That's awful. I think words would have been said if that had ever happened to us. It hasn't by the way.

Thought I'd have to attack the Pol whatsit in August, but luckily, supplies were delivered in time. Not as quick as previous trips though!

My apologies. I don't know how many grades there are within BC.