Gratuities???

[4774Papa]

13 hours ago, Denny01 said:

And I hate to point this out (no I Love pointing this out), the $959 ‘balcony’ on the RCL Allure of the Seas is one of those internal balconies where you overlook the lower inside decks. It is Not an oceanview balcony. Those run about $1500. Not bad, but again, those prices used to show that Celebrity is 50% higher than other cruises isn’t comparing anything even close.

 

And if you want a ‘balcony’ overlooking a few thousand people milling through the open lower deck, standing in lines to dine in ‘Central Park’ and hearing all the noise as it rafts up, go for it. It isn’t a ship balcony. It’s a condo balcony with a large neverending party going on outside.

 

Good for sunbathing when you are worried about skin cancer. 

 

Den

Den,

You are correct, I didn't complete my research like I should have done, but I did find a balcony facing the ocean for  $ 1354 pp

The disparity is still HUGE

[Denny01]

1 hour ago, 4774Papa said:

Den,

You are correct, I didn't complete my research like I should have done, but I did find a balcony facing the ocean for  $ 1354 pp

The disparity is still HUGE

Look, the subject of this thread was about the X website offering prepaid gratuity options when it was part of the pricing, and we’ve kind of hijacked it into a pricing discussion.

 

yes, you found a much better real balcony price on a 5,400 passenger ship that goes to two ports and compared it to the X ships with 5-7 ports drinks, website and gratuities included. I’ve never had a bad cruise (well, a Carnival 2N with my kids was close) but I’ll not go back to the large RCL’s. It has some positives of entertainment options, but not close to what I cruise for and find on X. I have a wine or so with special coffees each day; I pay my gratitudes plus a bit more; I email my family and friends, so in reality costs at least another $500-$600pp. And love TA’s, but enjoy the chance of going to Tenerife and other Atlantic ports, which by the way does not include Nassau. I ‘enjoy’ Nassau because I have a less crowded ship to enjoy in port.

 

So enough of the ‘Huge’ price differences, at least for me. If I cruised only for cost, I guess I’d be impressed with the ‘difference’: I dont and I’m not and I look at what it really would cost.....me. And that is Not a putdown of what you find important, just my way of selecting how I spend my funds.

 

Den

[4774Papa]

21 hours ago, Denny01 said:

Look, the subject of this thread was about the X website offering prepaid gratuity options when it was part of the pricing, and we’ve kind of hijacked it into a pricing discussion.

 

yes, you found a much better real balcony price on a 5,400 passenger ship that goes to two ports and compared it to the X ships with 5-7 ports drinks, website and gratuities included. I’ve never had a bad cruise (well, a Carnival 2N with my kids was close) but I’ll not go back to the large RCL’s. It has some positives of entertainment options, but not close to what I cruise for and find on X. I have a wine or so with special coffees each day; I pay my gratitudes plus a bit more; I email my family and friends, so in reality costs at least another $500-$600pp. And love TA’s, but enjoy the chance of going to Tenerife and other Atlantic ports, which by the way does not include Nassau. I ‘enjoy’ Nassau because I have a less crowded ship to enjoy in port.

 

So enough of the ‘Huge’ price differences, at least for me. If I cruised only for cost, I guess I’d be impressed with the ‘difference’: I dont and I’m not and I look at what it really would cost.....me. And that is Not a putdown of what you find important, just my way of selecting how I spend my funds.

 

Den

Den,

Two ports is not bad for that cruise, but you failed to mention that the Rome to Tampa Royal cruise had FOUR ports, all good.   

[barbette165]

Back on original topic. 

The web-site (in the UK at least) seems to have reverted to "Always Included", offering the Elevate and Indulge as upgrades and not offering the option to pre-pay for the already included gratuities.

 

So either a correction of an error or hiding of another pricing strategy change that was added to the website before an official announcement or launch. I would be doubtful that it is a policy change, because I would think that they would need a period of 'normal working' to be able to assess whether AI was achieving the intended results.