Anthem Review- March 7-19, 2016

[marci22]

WOW, we've never had any influence before..........wonder why all of a sudden now??

 

My thoughts exactly.

[Merion_Mom]

 

One of the waiters told me that the change was because many of the C & A upper tier levels were complaining.

 

Waiters? Not my idea of a "source" of "why".

 

Like Marci and Cruisenfever, I don't believe that "upper tier C&A complaints" would be the driving force.

[CRUISEBOY305]

Waiters? Not my idea of a "source" of "why".

 

Like Marci and Cruisenfever, I don't believe that "upper tier C&A complaints" would be the driving force.

 

I doubt that's the reason either :rolleyes:

Edited March 21, 2016 by CRUISEBOY305

[robtulipe]

We did not play any tournaments. We play in a casino because we enjoy it. We are well aware of the odds. I never mentioned if we won or lost either. People here just take things that they know nothing about and create a whole new story to suit themselves!!! I simply wrote a review and look what happens! Lol

 

 

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You sure are sensitive about anything that you perceive as being about you.

I didn't quote you nor did I say any about your play and only mentioned our experience with slots. DW can attest to that as she no longer plays the casino slots onboard cruises. I never have played them other than in roll call slots pulls which isn't really a tournament. It's really a group pool gambling social event with prizes donated by the casino so that is an additional benefit. It's similar to door prizes given by the cruise line at the Meet & Mingle party.

Not that DW really played slots that much before. She set a budget and considered it the cost of her entertainment but now finds better use for that money.

It's a well know fact that casino slots is one sector that the pay out odds can be easily adjusted simply by what chip is in these computerized machine. This is usually what happens when there isn't any other options or competition for that type of gambling like on a cruise ship. The competition between casinos in places like Las Vegas, Reno and Atlantic City forces casino to publish their pay out odds to attract the gamblers. I recall seeing published slot payout in the high eighties and even into the nighties percentages in the above places. Cruise ship slot payouts are way lot lower.

Edited March 21, 2016 by robtulipe

[Guest maddycat]

I feel Anthem will become like MTD... shouldn't be called MTD at all, should be called "Don't Bother Showing Up When You Want, Reserve Months Before You Sail Else You Wait Until Late Dining"

 

So accurate. My DH calls it "your time dining". You show up at MTD at 6:30 and are told that you can't be seated until 7:15.

[UandMe4Ever]

That money DOES go to the staff. It is put into the crew welfare fund.

 

To me, personally, the bionic bar is ridiculous! a waste of space and money which RCI could put to better use...An indoor cigar bar! They took away balcony and other areas for smokers, but they could make space for a bionic bar? Gotta tip those robots when it screws up your drink Just sayin!

Edited March 21, 2016 by UandMe4Ever

[Lady Luck T]

The times I have been at the bionic bar there was a staff member present.

 

 

There was not a staff member there when we were there and even if there was I'm not in the habit of tipping just because someone is present.

 

 

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Edited March 21, 2016 by Lady Luck T

[Lady Luck T]

Well, aren't you just the charming human being. :cool:

 

 

 

Tipping IS supporting the crew. You have harpooned your own arguement.

 

 

Tipping is rewarding someone for good service. I didn't harpoon anything. ... And thanks for the compliment. I am quite charming.

 

 

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[Lady Luck T]

Such a delightful "person". :eek:

 

Lol! Such an Uppity person!! Eek!!!

 

I don't go on vacation to worry about financially taking care of the employees. I tip based on service provided. If you don't agree so be it.

 

 

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[Lady Luck T]

To me, personally, the bionic bar is ridiculous! a waste of space and money which RCI could put to better use...An indoor cigar bar! They took away balcony and other areas for smokers, but they could make space for a bionic bar? Gotta tip those robots when it screws up your drink Just sayin!

 

 

I agree. Most of the times we went by there it was empty. The first 2 nights it seemed people were trying it and then the novelty wore off. Maybe it was the fact that you were forced to tip a pile of metal[emoji15]

 

 

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[Lady Luck T]

It's so funny to me how the "experts" here will debate the experience of a person that was actually on a cruise. They weren't even there but they know better, they know how it should be, they know why things happened, who said what, they weren't there but they know better that the person actually writing the review!! It's so crazy!!!

 

 

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Edited March 21, 2016 by Lady Luck T

[tserface]

PMFJI,

 

The cruise lines are very careful to call them "gratuities" and there's a slight difference in the terms. Most of the time we just consider tip and gratuity to be synonymous, but, for example, the IRS treats automatic gratuities more like a part of standard wages. I think the cruise lines are trying to present this type of model.

 

http://www.news-press.com/story/money/2014/07/06/irs-ruling-changes-game-auto-gratuity/12246247/

 

I've just decided to consider the pre-paid gratuity (or auto paid) a service charge that is just part of the cruise and anything I give above that is my tip. There is no obligation to do a tip since it's sort of covered by the gratuity/wage, but if the service is really good we always feel like giving a little extra.

 

I think there's also some benefit to the cruise line for keeping it separated from wages (if there even is much else added as wages).

 

This whole concept presents some interesting dilemmas for workers in places where they are raising the minimum wage. Some restaurants in Seattle have adopted a no-tipping policy saying that the tip in included (as the new part of the wage they didn't have to pay before). Some of them have even raised the cost of the food as well.

 

Kind of not what the minimum wage raise advocates were hoping for...

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/24/business/economy/as-minimum-wage-rises-restaurants-say-no-to-tips-yes-to-higher-prices.html?_r=0

 

Tom

 

Tipping is rewarding someone for good service. I didn't harpoon anything. ... And thanks for the compliment. I am quite charming.

 

 

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[Lady Luck T]

PMFJI,

 

 

 

The cruise lines are very careful to call them "gratuities" and there's a slight difference in the terms. Most of the time we just consider tip and gratuity to be synonymous, but, for example, the IRS treats automatic gratuities more like a part of standard wages. I think the cruise lines are trying to present this type of model.

 

 

 

http://www.news-press.com/story/money/2014/07/06/irs-ruling-changes-game-auto-gratuity/12246247/

 

 

 

I've just decided to consider the pre-paid gratuity (or auto paid) a service charge that is just part of the cruise and anything I give above that is my tip. There is no obligation to do a tip since it's sort of covered by the gratuity/wage, but if the service is really good we always feel like giving a little extra.

 

 

 

I think there's also some benefit to the cruise line for keeping it separated from wages (if there even is much else added as wages).

 

 

 

This whole concept presents some interesting dilemmas for workers in places where they are raising the minimum wage. Some restaurants in Seattle have adopted a no-tipping policy saying that the tip in included (as the new part of the wage they didn't have to pay before). Some of them have even raised the cost of the food as well.

 

 

 

Kind of not what the minimum wage raise advocates were hoping for...

 

 

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/24/business/economy/as-minimum-wage-rises-restaurants-say-no-to-tips-yes-to-higher-prices.html?_r=0

 

 

 

Tom

 

 

It's ok for you to look at it that way but I disagree. I'm not tipping or paying gratuity for bad or nonexistent service. My tips are based on service provided. I did not remove the auto tips until the 4th day of really bad service. I could write a complete 2nd review about the detailed situations but what difference would it make?

 

 

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[Nhsaltshaker]

I tried to understand your reasoning until you said "I don't go on vacation to support the crew".

 

Agreed, if the service sucks that bad, adjust the tips.

 

But I would like to remind you that some of us are or have been in the service business and tend to get offended, including me.

 

The crew supports every part of your cruise. Yes, there might be a crummy waiter here or there. There might be a Guest Service rep that doesn't give you exactly what you want. But there are other ways to correct situations, labeling the whole crew tends to ruffle a few feathers.

 

I'm sure you did not mean to condone all the crew, but please understand why some took offense.

[Merion_Mom]

There was not a staff member there when we were there and even if there was I'm not in the habit of tipping just because someone is present.

 

 

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There is always always always always always always always a staff member present when the Bionic Bar is open for business.

[libertybelle41]

I agree. Most of the times we went by there it was empty. The first 2 nights it seemed people were trying it and then the novelty wore off. Maybe it was the fact that you were forced to tip a pile of metal[emoji15]

 

 

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Or maybe RC applies the tip because they know if they don't people will probably wait in line for the pile of metal to make them a drink rather than a real live person to save the 18% :)

[libertybelle41]

There is always always always always always always always a staff member present when the Bionic Bar is open for business.

 

 

LOL, I love the size thing....Need to remember that ;) :D

[riclop]

Thanks for the review.

[Lady Luck T]

There is always always always always always always always a staff member present when the Bionic Bar is open for business.

 

 

You are wrong because there was not a staff member there when we were there. How could you possibly know if you weren't there?

 

 

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[Lady Luck T]

I tried to understand your reasoning until you said "I don't go on vacation to support the crew".

 

Agreed, if the service sucks that bad, adjust the tips.

 

But I would like to remind you that some of us are or have been in the service business and tend to get offended, including me.

 

The crew supports every part of your cruise. Yes, there might be a crummy waiter here or there. There might be a Guest Service rep that doesn't give you exactly what you want. But there are other ways to correct situations, labeling the whole crew tends to ruffle a few feathers.

 

I'm sure you did not mean to condone all the crew, but please understand why some took offense.

 

 

How does simply posting a review come to all of this?? We paid for our cruise, in fact as cruise go it was expensive. It is not my obligation to support or pay the salaries of the crew. This would be up to RCI, that is their responsibility. It is up to me to simply tip for good service (which by the way we did, very well I might add) and I did indicate that in my review. It is also my right to be put off by being forced to tip a robot. If you are offended by that that is on you. My report is my opinion.

 

 

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[Lady Luck T]

LOL, I love the size thing....Need to remember that ;) :D

 

 

Size of the ego that thinks they know all??? When they weren't even there?

 

 

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[Lady Luck T]

The night we tried the bionic bar there were orders from four terminals. None of us realized that you had to place your card down to make the finished drink move forward. It would have been nice to have someone there to ask..,, but there wasn't!!

 

 

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[ONECRUISER]

It's not my responsibility or desire to contribute to a crew welfare fund! I don't go on vacation to support the crew. Tipping a robot is ridiculous! .... And a ripoff

 

 

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WOW!...Just WOW!

[MattInFLL]

One thing I have to say though is - and I'm truly not joking - the robot consistently made me the best drink on board the Anthem (with the possible exception of Lawrence in Schooner).

 

I really appreciated being able to customize my ingredients.

[CRUISEBOY305]

You are wrong because there was not a staff member there when we were there. How could you possibly know if you weren't there?

 

 

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maybe you just didn't notice them.

 

 

she's hardly ever wrong. FYI ;)