If tips are considered a part of Crusing,shouldn't Insurance be also

[steveaaaa]

I have been reading many posts over the past years and it seems that tips are considered a part of Crusing,but insurance is not.When something goes wrong we get the usual "I want to be insured even though I did not buy it attitude".

I had a medical emergency.

I had a breakdown.

My plane was late.

My tranfer left too late.

My companion decided not to sail.

Work needs me now.

The ship was delayed a day

Ect.

 

Well stop whining.You should have bought the insurance.:D

 

 

If you think tipping is part of the fare, then you think the insurance is as well.Am I wrong?

 

Steve

Disclaimer. The above reasons for insurance are not directed at any poster and are for discussion purposes only,so please don't take it any other way.:)

[AdmiralJohnson]

I totally disagree with that...

 

I self insure and am fully aware of the risks and costs, but at my age and my health and the insurance I carry for medical, I don't currently "get" anything out of insurance. I have never bought it, and until my health changes or maybe another 15 - 20 years, I won't be buying it. I also will not whine about it, if I have to pay.

 

Now services on the ship - I recieve those everyday, now if they offered a cruise where I cleaned up my own room, served myself dinner etc, then maybe, like insurance, if I did not recieve anything, I would not expect to pay for it.

 

Your whole problem with tips, is that they are expected. Whether under the current system, for better or worse, or whether they included it in the fare - which I am against (I like control over my service), it is something known in advance and I don't hold a grudge.

 

...all you have to do is pretend it is included, and prepay the tips, maybe your anxiety will go away...

[hubofhockey]

Some people don't have as much of a need for insurance as others. Everyone should tip. There's a big difference.

[klfrodo]

Steve,

 

I agree with you regarding travel insurance. Travel insurance is a gamble. The insurance company is gambeling that nothing will go wrong. The people who purchase travel insurance are usually protecting their investment. Heck, even insurance companies "reinsure" their business by purchaseing insurance to protect themselves against a major loss.

Those who don't purchase travel insurance are either like the 'Admiral" who can afford the loss with minimal impact or they are willing to take the risk.

 

To those who decide to take the risk and can't afford the loss,,,,NO WHINNING PLEASE,,,,, you took the risk and came up snake eye's.

 

To Ljber, I think maybe you forget that not all cultures around the world tip as we do in North America. Some cultures tip very little and to some cultures it is insulting to them if you even try to tip them. So please don't assume that EVERYONE should tip.

[truecruiser]

the service on the ship is a given. thus, it is only approprite to tip...at the very least the minimal $10 pp/per day. the risks associated w/ needing that ins coverage are unknown. if people want to take the chance, let them. but no whining if you have a problem. same thing w/ passports. if they don't want to get them now, then no complaining if they can't be flown to meet up w/ the ship.

[selucrey]

Tipping is for a service rendered and Insurance is strictly for CYOA. There are too many variables for insurance to be a mandatory inclusion.

[CaptainEdwardJohnSmith]

Some cultures tip very little and to some cultures it is insulting to them if you even try to tip them.....

 

 

I wonder if there are many cruiseship workers in our part of the world who subscribe to that kind of culture :D :D :D :D :D

[firefly333]

Some people don't have as much of a need for insurance as others. Everyone should tip. There's a big difference.

 

Well stated.

 

If I drive to the port and do a last minute fare, I dont feel I want insurance. If I am flying somewhere and have to plan further ahead that's another thing. I am not really that worried about my health and dont do dangerous excursions.

[EdukatedRedHed]

I don't necessarily think insurance should be considered a norm, as tipping should. Insurance is a personal choice. Heck, the only reason I bought insurance for this upcoming cruise is because my grandparents are in poor health and I don't know from one day to the next if they're going to make it. As morbid as this sounds, buying insurane is my guarantee they'll be around at least through my cruise, b/c Murphy says if I hadn't bought it I'd be cancelling last minute for a funeral! :(

[PaulMedik]

steveaaaa,

 

I don't consider the tip to be part of the fare, nor do I think tips should be built into the fare. The way the system works now is fine by me; auto tips take the hassle out of finding everyone, I can add tips where I deem appropriate, and if the need arises I can even remove specific auto tips.

 

Insurance is totally useless for me. It's an additional cost and what I'll miss if I miss my cruise can't be replaced; the experience itself. Trip insurance may refund my cruise fare, air fare, hotel fare etc, but what good does that do me if I don't have any time available to spend the refund? If I schedule and pay for a cruise, the money I use to pay for it is gone after the cruise regardless, so obviously I could afford to loose it. :rolleyes:

 

Will I whine if I have to cancel a cruise or miss a cruise for some other reason? No. I may feel like crap about it and may vent about it, but getting the money back is irrelevant and wouldn't make me feel any better at all.

[firefly333]

Before someone tells me about the gamble, I dont have health insurance either. I quit working early and insurance costs once you hit 50 are ridiculous. Had a discount plan, that seems to have gone bye bye, so Im totally without health insurance. I pay full price if I go to the doctors here in the US and would if I were in a foreign country. Only difference is I would have to pay to fly myself home.

 

I know its a risk and dont like it, but hate the price of insurance they want to charge me and not going to take a job just to get insurance.

[klfrodo]

I wonder if there are many cruiseship workers in our part of the world who subscribe to that kind of culture :D :D :D :D :D

 

I hear ya Captain. Actually I was refering to my experience when I traveled to Japan. I was just trying let the poster know that the world is much larger than just North America.

I don't believe that a blanket statment that "All people should know to tip" is a valid statement. This is the WORLD Wide Web, not the North American web.

[truecruiser]

I hear ya Captain. Actually I was refering to my experience when I traveled to Japan. I was just trying let the poster know that the world is much larger than just North America.

I don't believe that a blanket statment that "All people should know to tip" is a valid statement. This is the WORLD Wide Web, not the North American web.

 

well, on a cruise ship they should know this. this forum isn't about hitting a pub in london or ireland where the bartenders don't accept tips.

[nrdsb4]

steveaaaa,

 

 

Will I whine if I have to cancel a cruise or miss a cruise for some other reason? No. I may feel like crap about it and may vent about it, but getting the money back is irrelevant and wouldn't make me feel any better at all.

 

 

It's too bad more people don't have your philosophy. How many times a month is there a thread started by someone who misses the ship, says, "I didn't buy the insurance" but wants to be compensated for their loss anyway? Some of the people even come out and say the cruiseline SHOULD refund them because their reasons for missing or canceling are legitimate (illness, death in the family, airline snafus, etc.).

 

Can you imagine not getting fire insurance for your home, then coming on to a message forum and stating that someone should rebuild your house after a fire because "it wasn't my fault?"

 

I'm all for personal choice regarding travel insurance, but I don't get why many who don't buy it still demand to be treated with the same regard as someone who did purchase it?

[hubofhockey]

To Ljber, I think maybe you forget that not all cultures around the world tip as we do in North America. Some cultures tip very little and to some cultures it is insulting to them if you even try to tip them. So please don't assume that EVERYONE should tip.

 

The culture on cruise ships is to tip and I consider it nothing less than CHEAP not to tip those who provide the service.

[ParrotRob]

Steve,

 

To Ljber, I think maybe you forget that not all cultures around the world tip as we do in North America. Some cultures tip very little and to some cultures it is insulting to them if you even try to tip them. So please don't assume that EVERYONE should tip.

 

Everyone should tip on a Carnival ship, and it has nothing to do with your culture. If you visit Whattheheckistan, you are under the obligation to abide by their customs, not yours. Guests should adapt to the culture of your hosts, NOT vice versa.

[truecruiser]

Everyone should tip on a Carnival ship, and it has nothing to do with your culture. If you visit Whattheheckistan, you are under the obligation to abide by their customs, not yours. Guests should adapt to the culture of your hosts, NOT vice versa.

 

ROFLMAO!:D

[AdmiralJohnson]

If you visit Whattheheckistan, you are under the obligation to abide by their customs, not yours. Guests should adapt to the culture of your hosts, NOT vice versa.

 

Is that next to Idontunderstan???

[ParrotRob]

Is that next to Idontunderstan???

 

lol, Whattheheckistan is a term we use at work to refer to generic, unnamed countries. Except we generally replace the second "he" with two other letters that also commonly precede "ck" :cool:

[redlef]

I have been reading many posts over the past years and it seems that tips are considered a part of Crusing,but insurance is not.

If you think tipping is part of the fare, then you think the insurance is as :)well.Am I wrong?

.

 

As far as trip interruption and cancellation are concerned, I think insurance just takes the place of a cruise line offering a generous refund policy.

 

Refunds cost the cruise line money, so they put the onus on the consumer to plan for that, instead of passing the cost around to all the passengers.

 

Business is competitive and they need to find ways to generate income, (or avoid losing income in the case of trip refunds) without raising fares, hence the premium dining, drinks, soda cards, etc.

 

It would be nice if insurance was included in the fare, but not if the fare was $150 higher as a result.

 

As far as the tip is concerned - it really bugs me when a restaurant adds 18% to a party of 6 or more. Why don't they just pay their help and leave their customers along? But that's the way the game is played. $10 per person per day is cheap for the service you receive on a ship - I think we come out ahead, versus leaving 18-25% for meals, $5 or $10 a day for the room steward, etc..... we always give extra to our steward and servers and bartenders because the $10 PP is less than we'd give on land.

 

Does anyone flip the captain a fin for getting them back safely?

[hubofhockey]

The service we all get in the rooms and at the dining restaurants on cruise ships is far and away better than we get from land based hotels and restaurants. Room stewards are in the rooms three times per day and always available. Head waiters provide wonderful service as well. I know we've had threads here as to whether we should tip full amounts for our kids if we have four total people in our cabin, but I do it anyway. It just seems like the right way to treat some very hard working people. I had a conversation with our waitress (Ralitsa on Carnival Liberty) and she told me that they get ZERO days off during the life of their contract (6-8 months). I tip my hat to all of them.

[EdukatedRedHed]

lol, Whattheheckistan is a term we use at work to refer to generic, unnamed countries. Except we generally replace the second "he" with two other letters that also commonly precede "ck" :cool:

 

LIck?

DUck?

HIck?

TAck?

DIck?

TIck?

HAck?

LUck?

SAck?

BUck?

MAck?

:p

[kgk]

Steve,

 

Travel insurance is a gamble. The insurance company is gambeling that nothing will go wrong. .

 

No no no. I assure you insurance is the exact opposite of gambling for both the consumer and the insurance company. For the consumer, insurance REDUCES risk. Gambling increases risk. For the insurance company -- well insurance companies (the good ones) never gamble. They KNOW something will go wrong sooner or later and have calculated the amount of premium dollars they need to collect to cover those loses. The insurance companies do not make the tons of money they make (like the casinos) by gambling -- it is calculated and studied over and over again. (for example, if an average cruise cost $1000 and one out of 10 people need to cancel, the cost of the insurance is $100 per person -- the insurance company adds a little for administration and also knows what they will make on the investment of your money -- bottom line, nice profit, no gamble). Consumer goes to casino, 100% of money is at risk, consumer buys insurance, 0% of money (less deductible?) is at risk.

 

Should insurance be included. I think it should be a choice (but the cost would be cheap if everyone was covered!)

[Sirwinston]

I consider insurance to be part of the cost of my cruise. But I usually do not spend any money in the casino. And I do also tip well.

I buy insurance because so much could happen. A close relative could get sick/die . Car accient. NOT TO MENTION THE AIRLINES.... But I also really subscribe to the fly in the day before school of thought. Really I am buying peice of mind. Oh and I do carry a passport.

 

Tom in Long Beach

Who just had a great 13th cruise :D.