Tips and advice

[Craig_K]

I've been reading this thread for months in anticipation of my February sailing. Although a lot of information such as reviews and questions, I think it would be really helpful to start a basic "tips" thread going. No long reviews but things like where are the best places to sit for the shows, how to avoid certain lines, certain food to avoid or get, best pools, best places to view the parades, etc. Anything specific that prior cruisers could contribute to help the future cruisers out!

 

Thanks in advance!

[emmy]

I've been reading this thread for months in anticipation of my February sailing. Although a lot of information such as reviews and questions, I think it would be really helpful to start a basic "tips" thread going. No long reviews but things like where are the best places to sit for the shows, how to avoid certain lines, certain food to avoid or get, best pools, best places to view the parades, etc. Anything specific that prior cruisers could contribute to help the future cruisers out!

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Okay I will start... read the compass

Now at home I am reading stuff I missed. I usually am an avide compass reader but with so much to see on this ship I found I did not make the time to do that

 

Best place to view the parade..right in front of the store Focus at the end of Sorrentos

 

Aqua Theatre show seats ~ I am shorter 5"2" and found the seats a bit slanted back and if I sat with my back to the chair back I could not see that well with the person in front. I would suggest sitting on the bench that is in front of the row of seats.

 

Beach pool is very popular...love that one the best...salt water in this pool

 

Must try the cantilevered hot tubs...huge and a great place to relax with an awesome view

 

Zipline ~ sign up as soon as you get on the ship or soon thereafter. On the Dec 5 sailing 1 zip per cruiser. This way you will not be disappointed.

 

Windjammer ~ best seat is all the way aft around the corner from the food stations and sit directly looking at the wake of the ship out past the Aquatheatre. This can be a great location in the evening when the show is on or just to watch the zipliners.

 

Breakfast place ~ Johnny Rockets made to order breakfast with eggs, pancakes, french toast and it is free for breakfast and hardly anyone there.

 

Best quick lunch... Park Cafe.. best roast beef sandwiches and great salads

 

Well that is a start.... :)

[viva-vegas]

Thought I would share a tip, tip that really made our last cruise much more pleasant.

 

Shortly after boarding the ship (Navigator) we proceeded to our two adjoining PR staterooms (one of for us, one of our 10 month old and nanny), in the kids room we discovered both beds set-up and no room for the "pack and play" we were planning on using for the youngsters sleeping.

 

When the room attendant introduced herself I inquired about having a bed removed from the room, she infaticaly stated there was no way to remove a bed as they had no place to store it for the week. I tracked her down a few minutes later and gave her a nice folded $50 bill and proceeded to get lunch.

 

Upon our return, the one bed amazingly disappeared from the room and we got just the best service the remainder of the week. BTW, we also did the recommended tip at the end of the week.

 

Long story short, $50 can fix alot of things!

 

Craig

OASIS JAN 02 2010

[ubiquitous]

Good one viva, I too always believe in "greasing the wheels". :)

[ahornb]

Good one viva, I too always believe in "greasing the wheels". :)

 

Do you usually give an extra tip to your stateroom attendant in advance?

[ubiquitous]

Them and the concierge(s). Wait staff not so much, not that I don't value them and their service, it just seems the envelope at the end is a tradition. :)

[ahornb]

Them and the concierge(s). Wait staff not so much, not that I don't value them and their service, it just seems the envelope at the end is a tradition. :)

 

Someone once told me that when you give your stateroom attendant a tip at the beginning of the cruise, it makes that person think they aren't going to get a tip at the end. I'm sure some people have done this, but I would never. Do you think it's true? I always give the recommended as well as some additional $ to everyone.

[ubiquitous]

I always tell them that they will receive their normal gratuity and that this is extra in anticipation of the great service we already know we will receive. :)

[ahornb]

I always tell them that they will receive their normal gratuity and that this is extra in anticipation of the great service we already know we will receive. :)

 

Oh, Okay. I think we'll do the same. :)

[MickeyB426]

Do you usually give an extra tip to your stateroom attendant in advance?

 

I, for one, absolutely do.

 

I believe in giving a nice tip. The first thing I do when I meet our stateroom attendant...after we exchange initial pleasantries, I slip him/her $100 for both my rooms (we usually have 8 in our party) and I tell him/her, "I hate surprises. Please make sure my family is taken care of and, believe me, I will make it worth your effort."

 

Works every time and everyone wins.

[ubiquitous]

Exactly, that is how it is done. Good wording.:)

[lauderdalebob]

As I recall, the only time I tipped in advance was on JRCCL ewel of the Seas when it was new and we went out of Ft. Lauderdale. Had read in advance that robes did not come with regular balcony cabins and I did want two so when the attendant appeared she asked if there was anything she could do to make our cruise more enjoyable and I mentioned the robes and stuck $20 in her palm and later that day upon returning to the cabin there they were all neatly laid out on the beds. RCCL really should "do" robes in each category. I think out of the lines I've taken (Cunard, Princess, HAL, Carnival) they all supplied robes to balcony cabins. Coming up in October after Oasis is MSC in New England and I don't think they do either supply them, but time will tell.

[ubiquitous]

There are tips for advanced tipping, I got mine from Playboy Magazine in the sixties (also good advice about owning a tuxedo). I honed my tipping skills in Las Vegas (the world capitol of tipping).

 

1. Never make the recipient feel like he/she is being bribed, the tip is for future services you are already grateful for. The exception is for those who expect a tip (in those cases, the amount is the sole consideration). Still the presentation can be important. In Las Vegas, the rules are different, everyone expects to be tipped, still this can be exploited because most people do not get this. It means you can move to the head of the line if you know how.:)

[ubiquitous]

I once arrived at the airport from my hotel's shuttle.(don't remember the airport or the hotel). Curbside check-in was mobbed (remember curb-side check-in?). The driver unloaded my luggage and I tipped him. I looked around and caught the eye of a curb-side-checkin-guy. I held aloft a 10 dollar bill and pointed toward my luggage. He dropped what he was doing and came around the counter, gathered up my luggage and checked me through. A women on the waiting line raised a stink, she was incensed that i breezed through curd-side because I greased the staff. She was very agitated and screamed in my ear as well as creating a disruption at the curbside check-in. I ignored her and proceeded to my gate, later she accosted me in the airport for having bypassed her in line with a tip (bribe). :)

[ahornb]

I once arrived at the airport from my hotel's shuttle.(don't remember the airport or the hotel). Curbside check-in was mobbed (remember curb-side check-in?). The driver unloaded my luggage and I tipped him. I looked around and caught the eye of a curb-side-checkin-guy. I held aloft a 10 dollar bill and pointed toward my luggage. He dropped what he was doing and came around the counter, gathered up my luggage and checked me through. A women on the waiting line raised a stink, she was incensed that i breezed through curd-side because I greased the staff. She was very agitated and screamed in my ear as well as creating a disruption at the curbside check-in. I ignored her and proceeded to my gate, later she accosted me in the airport for having bypassed her in line with a tip (bribe). :)

 

No way?! I can't believe she had the gall to approach you again inside the terminal! :eek:

 

So do you tip something every day, or just once in the beginning and once at the end?

[Barnfather]

I find the whole tipping thing in the states ridiculous to be honest. Especially when it is expected regardless of service, which it seems to be on cruise ships.

 

If 'greasing the wheels' pre-cruise means you get a better service from your room attendant, then that doesn't say much for the attendant or the cruise line really.

 

I've no doubt it works, but its pathetic really. Especially when you are paying such a large amount for your holiday