Mutany on the Mary

[cincicruisers]

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060123/BUSINESS/601230354/1003/BUSINESS

 

This was posted on RCCL board by cruiserfriends. Thought those who were thinking of removing their tips should read it.

[travel-to-go]

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060123/BUSINESS/601230354/1003/BUSINESS

 

This was posted on RCCL board by cruiserfriends. Thought those who were thinking of removing their tips should read it.

 

Notwithstanding the cruise lines get cheap efficient labor and don't have to follow the labor rules of countries like the US (Which is why there is currently only 1 US flagged cruiseship) copies of that article should be passed out to every passenger. (wouldn't want to ruin their vacation!)

Anyone who stiffs thier waiter, steward or other crew member after reading that has no heart.

I literally had tears in my eyes reading that, and I know it to be true. I know people who have worked on ships. One of my friends married a former Maitre D' from Goa (India) Another friend was a Maitre D' on Costa. He now owns our favorite drinking hole and neighborhood restaurant. Its one reason we try to get to know some of our crew and staff members, ALWAYS tip more than the "recommended" and try to learn a little bit about the area they are from and their culture. Our waiter this past cruise is from Hungary and he is engaged. These guys go all out for us. I was going to make a towel animal to put on my bed to make my Steward laugh (Cunard doesn't do this) but I couldn't figure out how! (Gotta get a book before our next cruise!) I stayed in from doing other things a couple of times to clean up our cabin so it wouldn't be too difficult to clean, (and usually find out where to get my own ice- I would HATE to call my steward to do something off hours- their ragged, broken hours of sleep.)

Shame on those spoiled brats who are withholding tips! Maybe they should see how the other half lives. And be at the whims of someone like them who gets a hair across their.. uh, wallets.

 

Karie

(feeling mightly lucky right now, to live the way I do.)

[Nancyquilts]

While the captain may always be technically in charge of his ship, it would seem to me that they would always trust the local pilots to know each port. I'm waiting to see passengers threatening action against Florida and the port, for it was the fault of the local pilot that the ship was damaged. (IMHO)

[Nancyquilts]

Oops. Sorry.

[alsas]

Wow what a tough problem,,,At sea or at work hummm....This is now a repositioning cruise, normally a discounted cruise. 50% discount is okay maybe not perfect B U T. THE B-TCHING AND MOANING GETS LITTLE SYMPATHY FROM THOSE OF US WORKING. Yes dissapointment, NO to total refund. Sorry but be reasonable, fight when you get home.Happy sailing Alsas

[chasetf]

Cunard cannot budge... it would send a message across the industry this is a technique that works. :(

 

I know they would never do it, but it would be nice to see Cunard announce to those who have cancelled their tips, that their reservations in the dining room are cancelled and the are free to eat the rest of their meals in the buffet. :cool:

 

Additionally, anyone not departing and staging a sit-in will be forceably removed in handcuffs and blacklisted on all of Carnival's lines for life. ;)

[Sandyone]

'NEVER P#SS OFF THE PEOPLE HANDLING YOUR FOOD AND BEVERAGE"

 

That's what I'm talkin' about!! I used to wait tables and I have seen some pretty uncool stuff happen to the dishes of customers. I should have said or done something about it, but I was just a kid. These days, no one would even want to let me know they were thinking of doing something untoward.

 

I hope that all service people know just who has cancelled their tips. Of course, perhaps some are cancelling to show the corporation their displeasure but are still planning on giving the cash at the end. Most people don't know how the tipping and pooling work.

 

It's probably pretty easy to figure out who has cancelled the tips. The ship really ought to consider claiming that it ran out of booze...they don't need these people all liquored up.

 

Another twist could be that the news and perhaps the purser is putting out that so many have cancelled tips so that others will tip extra. That wouldn't be too cool.

 

Oh, my...this post is all over the place. I have been reading this thread and there are so many aspects to consider. I wonder when the taxi drivers, restaurant owners and tour operators at the missed ports will be filiing their lawsuits???

 

*sigh*

[mufi]

The Austrailians had the right word when they called us whinging poms!

 

.

 

Didn't I read somewhere that 1500 passengers had witheld their tips? How many Brits are aboard?

 

David.

[jimneycrkit]

Good morning All

 

Today we have rounded the corner of Brazil and heading south. Very nice and warm outside even at 6 am ships time. last night free wine was given to all at dinner in all the venues.

 

Yesterday yet another meeting with the commodore. They had the BBC articlle in hand and told him that he had lied. They said that all the people in the room were angry and everyone on board was upset. NOT TRUE I said I wasn't I was just there to listen to the idiots. Most of the people withholding tips are British. I have convinced a few that I have run into to put them back on. After explaining that Cunard doesn't get a cut . They had been told that Cunard takes a percentage and keeps it that was why they had taken them off.

 

They said they have 1100 signatures that are going to do a classs action suit against Cunard. One guy stood up and blabbed that he was going to banckrupt Cunard and shut it down. The more he talked the worse it became. The Commodore actually got quite angry at one guy because he had misquoted him. Yes the number is quite right when it comes to taking tips off in fact it seems to be growing. The staff is working very hard and going out of their way to be friendly.

 

They said that all the news organizations were going to be at the pier and that news people were calling the ship for interviews. How I don't know but that is what they said. Boy would I like to tell them a thing or two in favor of Cunard.

 

I don't know where anyone heard we weren't going to Montevideo but we are hust a shortened time leaving in the middle of the night vs am. All ports are on just a few with shortened times.

 

Oh Yeah they claimed that the Commodore took the BBC off the tv so people couldn't hear what they were saying. The commodore said he didn['t even know they were on tv as he doesn't have the time to watch tv. We are out of satelittel range for the BBC.

 

Oh well having a great time. All the complainers are now sunburned from yesterday. They are having such a bad time laying in the sun.. Believe me it is only the 1500 that are compalining not everyone, in fact most people I have talked to are thinking these people are nuts. The group of 1500 are 98 percent british. No offense to anyone British but they are making you all look quite bad. Everytime I see a crew memeber I make sure I tell them what a wonderful job they are doing. Sorry for the bad typing but I am speeding thru this to use less time which is now half price.

 

Melissa

[elaine61]

Well, I've read through the first page of replies to this post!!

 

First of all in reply to some of the comments, if I had booked a leg of this trip that was say Fort Lauderdale to Rio and all my expected ports of call had been cancelled then I would not be very happy, especially as the ship went back into FL for a day or two and I thought that at this point I could have had the option of whether I wanted to continue or not!! I do have to agree with one of the other comments that it is not always about ports of call. QM2 is a resort in itself!! But and I found this on our trip back in September, Cunard just do not have a very good customer service on board!! I personally felt that we were doing them a favour paying to go on QM2!! Just my views with a couple of issues that arose whilst we were on board. Also I do think it's taking the mickey a bit when the US citizens are calling the British whingers and whiners!!! Where did all this compensation culture start in the first place???? Certainly wasn't over here!!!!!! I have to say that seeking compensation is one of my biggest pet hates!! OK so things don't always go to plan, but you don't sue at the drop of a hat when things don't go exactly to plan!! I fell over once in a council run car park that had lots of pot holes!! I didn't go running off to find a solicitor!! I just picked myself up and thought what a stupid cow I must have looked sprawled on the floor :o !! Kids can't go to school here if it snows because they may fall over and break their arm and then their parents will sue!! Crikey it wasn't like that in my day!!!!!!! Compensation claims have just got way out of hand!! We have just returned from Xmas on the Oriana and to be honest I had a real bad feeling of de ja vous!! We had a wonderful xmas and new year on board but coming back across the atlantic the ship had an engine problem and had to reduce speed, thus we missed our port of call at Ponta Delgada (no big disappointment there)! But we were also on the Aurora the previous year when she returned to Southampton late prior to her ill fated world cruise. These things do happen!!!!!! That's life!!!!!!

Elaine

[guernseyguy]

Good morning All

Oh well having a great time. All the complainers are now sunburned from yesterday.

 

Melissa,

 

Delighted on both counts!

 

Peter

[elaine61]

That's what I'm talkin' about!! I used to wait tables and I have seen some pretty uncool stuff happen to the dishes of customers. I should have said or done something about it, but I was just a kid. These days, no one would even want to let me know they were thinking of doing something untoward.

 

I hope that all service people know just who has cancelled their tips. Of course, perhaps some are cancelling to show the corporation their displeasure but are still planning on giving the cash at the end. Most people don't know how the tipping and pooling work.

 

It's probably pretty easy to figure out who has cancelled the tips. The ship really ought to consider claiming that it ran out of booze...they don't need these people all liquored up.

 

Another twist could be that the news and perhaps the purser is putting out that so many have cancelled tips so that others will tip extra. That wouldn't be too cool.

 

Oh, my...this post is all over the place. I have been reading this thread and there are so many aspects to consider. I wonder when the taxi drivers, restaurant owners and tour operators at the missed ports will be filiing their lawsuits???

 

*sigh*

 

Sandyone

 

Tipping is not as big a thing here in the UK as it is in the US!! We kept our tips on the account when we were on the QM2 back in September, but I have to say I don't like the idea of being forced for want of a better word to do this!! For instance our usual British cruise line (P & O, owned by carnival) recommend £3.50 per person per day, which is nearly half what we paid on QM2!! And I have to say the service we are given on P & O IMO was equal if not at times better than QM2. At the end of the cruise you pay your tips to who you felt deserved them personally. When I asked on QM2 if they could give me a breakdown of who got what out of the $11 tip they couldn't provide me with an answer!! On our recent Xmas cruise all the staff that dealt with us personally were well rewarded.

 

Elaine

[LL-UK]

I think I've just about got my head around why they couldn't get off in FL - it all seems to be tied up with a Passenger Services Act, whereby you cannot embark in one USA port and get off in another without a 'foreign' port of call in between. There seems to be a way round this if the passengers or Cunard were prepared to pay a $200 fine per passenger to get off, but whether they were given the option who knows! No doubt I will be corrected on this if I am wrong.

 

What really riles me about all this is the passengers, and they seem to be mainly Brits, who are withholding tips. This is an absolutely disgraceful way to behave.

 

We're still hoping to do a crossing but just waiting for our daughter's moving date from Texas to Tennessee. Wish they'd get a move on as we want to book a Princess Grill cabin.

 

Lyn

[English Voyager]

According to the Cunard UK booking conditions,a passenger's on board account is automatically debited to cover tips.

So how exactly does one not tip?

[guernseyguy]

According to the Cunard UK booking conditions,a passenger's on board account is automatically debited to cover tips.

So how exactly does one not tip?

 

You ask the Purser to remove them from the account - which is apparently what many, sad to say, Brits, have done.

 

Peter

[elaine61]

I think I've just about got my head around why they couldn't get off in FL - it all seems to be tied up with a Passenger Services Act, whereby you cannot embark in one USA port and get off in another without a 'foreign' port of call in between. There seems to be a way round this if the passengers or Cunard were prepared to pay a $200 fine per passenger to get off, but whether they were given the option who knows! No doubt I will be corrected on this if I am wrong.

 

What really riles me about all this is the passengers, and they seem to be mainly Brits, who are withholding tips. This is an absolutely disgraceful way to behave.

 

We're still hoping to do a crossing but just waiting for our daughter's moving date from Texas to Tennessee. Wish they'd get a move on as we want to book a Princess Grill cabin.

 

Lyn

 

Hi Lyn

 

I think that service would have to be really really bad for me to stop the tips!!!!! Now Cunard customer services (pursers desk, tours desk) don't get the tips, so why penalise those that actually deserve it!! After all they have served these guys there meals and cleaned their cabins!! It is rather rude. I have never to this day had to not give anyone a tip!!

 

Hope to hear more about your daughter's move. Couldn't believe those figures you told me about the other day!!!!! Wow that's some house she'll be getting for her money!! Do let me know more details as you get them!!!!!

 

Elaine

 

PS are we eventually going to meet up?????????

[mufi]

Elaine - welcome back. I have been looking out for your report (and Ken C's) on your P&O cruise. Will you be posting one on the P&O board?

 

Some cruise companies include tips in the price of the cruise. I wish all would do this, but guess they want to make the quoted price seem as low as possible. Some even state that all tips are included and there is no need to give any more. There certainly is a big difference in tipping Europe v US. To be expected to add extra after you have already paid 15% on a drinks account is alien to us.

 

David

[elaine61]

Elaine - welcome back. I have been looking out for your report (and Ken C's) on your P&O cruise. Will you be posting one on the P&O board?

 

Some cruise companies include tips in the price of the cruise. I wish all would do this, but guess they want to make the quoted price seem as low as possible. Some even state that all tips are included and there is no need to give any more. There certainly is a big difference in tipping Europe v US. To be expected to add extra after you have already paid 15% on a drinks account is alien to us.

 

David

 

Hi David

 

I've only just finished ironing the mountain of washing!! It's like woods clearing!!!!!!! ;)

 

I was hoping to hear from Ken C and Melxx about their trip too!! I'd love to hear their views on Arcadia. It's amazing how many negative comments I've heard. Best way is to find out for myself.

 

As for my trip on Oriana, we all had a brilliant time. I haven't been on Oriana now since the millenium cruise but I have to say that all in all I much prefer Aurora and look forward to getting back on board her for this coming christmas. Having said that we had a wonderful time. They had some acts that were new to us (a guy called John Lenahan, a US magician/comedian who has appeared at the comedy store. I think he is based in the UK). He was particularly amusing. Also a woman singer called Sharon Maughan who apparently sang Bobby's girl (which I am assuming is a 60's song)!! Didn't go and see her and reports were not that good. The weather was good to us all the way really. No trouble with the bay of biscay when we left in December. OK it was grey and cold, but sea conditions were very good. It rained on us in Madeira and we got soaked in the queue for the water taxi!! My daughter had the right idea and she rushed back on board to get her coat whilst we waited in the queue hoping that she'd get back before we boarded the water taxi!! Across the atlantic then from the next day was just lovely warm sunshine. The caribbean was kind to us too. Bit disappointing on new years eve, because it rained and the outdoor deck party was moved inside to 3 different locations. At least on Aurora if it rains they have the covered area up on deck!! My in laws were poorly though. My niece (who's 8) was ill just before christmas and my brother and sister in law were then ill about a week later with the same problem. I guess they had Norwalk virus myself, but don't know that for sure. So New Years Eve hubby and I went to the cabin by ourselves just before midnight to pour ourselves some champagne and with about 1 minute to go our daughter joined us and then we went and joined in with the celebration in the nightclub, which was jam packed!! Coming back we had to miss out Ponta Delgada in the Azores because of an engine problem. We got £70 OBC per person for the inconvenience. Nice welcome for a port we don't particularly mind missing!!!!!! Our captain had a wonderful sense of humour and could be seen around the ship frequently speaking to the passengers. Unlike when we were on QM2 and we thought Capt Warwick had gone AWOL!! It did confirm though all that we felt about our views with Cunard vs P & O and unfortunately I would have to say that P & O wins our vote. Of course it's all a personal thing. I'm glad we did the QM2 and I would like to try her in the med one day. Might take a bit of arm bending to convince my husband though. For now we look forward to trying Arcadia for ourselves in July, then look forward to Aurora for Xmas.

 

Elaine

[oldgit]

Sorry folks. Got this one wrong. It's an age thing.

[mufi]

Elaine - nice touch about the sixties singer - means you are much too young to remember her!! Think her name is Susan and she must getting on now. And still flogging "Bobby's girl" around. Used to be a rival of Helen Shapero who I think is still around too.

 

Glad to hear you enjoyed Oriana. Life does exist outside Cunard.

 

David.

[Sea-hawk]

Thank you Jimneycrkt. I have enjoyed you take on things, your level head and your website.

 

As for the tipping, Brit or not, you would be a fool not to know ahead of time of the policy prior to booking on any cruise line. If you prefer not to tip, ante up and pay, and cruise on a line that is all inclusive, like Seabourn, Silver Seas or Seadreams. They truly are all inclusive, and pay their staff well, otherwise tip.

 

Sea-hawk

[wearytraveller]

:) I know that this site has already been mentioned but it's a real goody.

 

I would like to offer sincere thank-you to the authors for taking the trouble to provide us all with a balanced view of events from the coal face as it were. It is refreshing to read such a report with no gratuitous insults regarding the actions of other passengers or crude racial stereotyping.

New to cruising, (and this board) it is my intention to cruise in the QE2 early next year and I have found the language and tone of a lot of the rhetoric from ardent cruisers and cunard fans on this thread to quite off-putting. I hope that passengers like Jack and Ann will be in the majority on QE2 next January.

 

Taking to my air raid shelter in anticipation now

[little britain]

Can I just do a quick summary from what I understand: QM2 sails from NYC/FLL to Rio stopping at St Kitts. Babados and Salvadore, - these three [and only] ports were cancelled, and Cunard have offered 100% rebate to the 38 day cruisers, but only 50% rebate to the 12 day cruisers.......Is that right??

 

I am on NCL in a few weeks - they have cancelled three of our ports - inclucuding Acupulco - and replaced them with two others - we only get a $100 per cabin credit - and hardly anyone is complaining - in fact most are happy to skip Acupulco!!!!!

 

As for the tipping comments - NCL [different class of vessel to Seabourn/SilverSeas admittedly] adds a flat $10 pp pd onto your tab at the end of the cruise. Simple!

[jackatsea]

:) I hope that passengers like Jack and Ann will be in the majority on QE2 next January.

 

Thank you for your kind comments. I've just updated www.jackatsea.com and have now started to refuse to do interviews as most things get twisted. I will continue to update the blog, but try to keep things more positive and highlight that we ARE having a great time.

 

My tip total for 38 days will be just over $400. I plan to add considerable to this.

 

Jack

 

English, British, European and a World citizen LOL

[first time cunarder]

Thank you Melissa for your report from the ship.

Sometimes things don't go the way we want them too but one needs to grin and bear it.

 

I'm surprised at the behavior of the British passengers.

 

A Boston television station news employee who sailed on 1/3/06 with us emailed me to say how childish people can behave. He also said he wouldn't mind living on the ship. I think I can say my wife and me would love to be able to do the same thing.

 

As for now, we are waiting for the final 2007 sailing schedule to be posted so we can book our 3rd voyage on the Queen. Of course we reserve the option to do a sailing later this year if all goes well.

 

Peter Chisholm