datolim

Appreciate all the posting here.

After Bob said that he no longer book from NC on board here I and many others here just have a passing interest on the NC cruises. I will answer all after lunch here while you are all asleep.

I will answer this the best I can. I went to the NC station with no intent of making any booking. The guy ask fr my cabin number. Check his computer and knows which country I am from and the TA I book from and must know the price the TA is selling to me.

I went back to my cabin and check my TA price and RC website price. With that I went back to the guy and sure enough it is 20% less than myTA price. RC price is 20% higher than my TA price.

So I decided to book for a date I am comfortable with.

The one draw back was I thought I would lose the $200 OBC. but the guy told me I could use it in the casino. So that seal the deal for me. May not be able to post some more now as I am boarding a plane.

I'm wondering if this is specific to ships sailing from Asia.

The guy says for ships homeport in China they only do non-refundable. But if I book on the Mariner homeport in SG they have refundable deposit.

Did your booking rules require a non-refundable deposit?

Yes, the guy says they only do non-refundable deposit only.

Just got off the Ovation.

Last day thought I drop by the Next Cruise station for some info.

For the cruise on some future date this is what they offer.

20% off on my TA price. My TA price is already 20% lower than the ship RCL website price.

Also instant $200 OBC. Since it is the last night already l cash out the $200 in the ship casino. No gamble required. There is a 5% or $10 charge to do this.

So all in I am paying about 40% of the RC price. Paying $400 gratuities included for 3N on Mariner balcony cruising solo.

This could explain why my Calendar has changed to "At Your Leisure" instead of the times I have pre-booked for MTD.

Pixels, other shows and activities not bookable in cruise planner.

First day at lunch on the table there is a sign that Pixels can be booked for $29 pp.

Found out that it could be book for free later on. It seems that $29 booking is what they call VIP booking for the first 2 rows.

We sailed the Ovation last year from Honk Kong but ate in the Coastal Kitchen every night as we didn't care for the food in some of the 4 dining rooms. Do they still do the rotation of the 4 MDR? Hope you are enjoying your cruise. Great ship.

Having a great time. Ovation is 5 star ship. Mariner and sister ships I think is 4 star.

Same menu In the restaurant every night. But the 4 dining rooms have different menus.

Could you not go to a different venue to change the menu?

Yes I could but the menu there I could not find what l like. Also the change in the ship time would throw my regular dining time out of whack.

Are the menus different across venues?

Yes but the same every night. So I had double serving of escargots and lamb shank for 2 nights. Got to have something different so I eat in windjammer.

If you ask RCL yes they do hkia transfer to Kia Tat cruise terminal also.

But it is for an absurb price of US$60 pp.

Anybody who has been to HK knows you don't even need a TA for this

You take the Airport Express for Hk$90 and take a taxi to the cruise terminal for about the same price.

Some would chose to take the taxi from hkia and it would cost you HK$300(US$ 35)

RCL run their sales/promotion program with finesse to a tee.

They keep their list price high and show a very attractive discount.

I am on the Ovation now on a 5N Cruise.

On the second day they drop the price to $60 for 4 days or $30 per 24 hours.

On the fourth day they drop the price to $30 for 2 remaining day or $20 per 24 hours.

So you can decide what is best for you.

Do they still offer fixed (traditional) dining as an option?

No not anymore. I was on the Marina last month and they still do there

I am presently on the Ovation on their first sailing from their HK homeport. RCL do not honour any dinner booking. All must now line up outside the MDR whether you have a booking or not.

You can always book with a local TA with your specific preferences and timing. Probably cheaper.

If it really has been a while, also be aware you are allowed to bring two bottles per room onboard with you (don't forget to bring a corkscrew). If you bring your bottle to the MDR you *might* be charged a corkage fee (as you might see in other discussions here, this is not consistent), if so you can get your own wine glasses and pour yourselves a glass to take to the MDR with you.

Talking about taking glass of wine to the MDR would it be embarrassing to order 2 or 3 extra bottles of wine on the first night of the cruise. The reason I ask is on my last cruise wine is at 25% discount then in the MDR so is it even allowed or you have to order wine by the glass.

Is it possible for you to easily call C&A somehow? I'd see if they can help.

Thanks Bob for the suggestion. Will call them.

The $600/mo is probably the floor that RCI guarantees (if everyone took off the tips) - it is also close to the $614 JMC min set by the ILO for able seafarers. A $3000/mo figure has been mentioned in a few places as about the going rate for some of the tipped positions, however that does not translate to $36K per year since they don't have 12 mo contracts.

I would half that to $300/mo. ILO is just a talking shop and their recommendation is just some numbers.

Tips are big with the cruiselines. Why do the crew uniform have no pockets. So the crew is suppose to hand in and pool their tips. Who do you thing run the pool and what they do you think they do with it. So when you hand your cash tips to the crew think again if he will get to keep the tips.

Cannot book for MTD in my Cruise Planner. Could it be because I am cruising solo.

The message appears and says you may not qualify for this.

Other hotel services usually refers to the helpers for the stateroom attendant.

Are there helpers for room attendant. I thought they are at the bottom of the totem pole.

How are the dining services tips split up between the waiter and assistant waiter? Also, what is "other hotel services"?

For large outlets like the dining rooms the tips are pooled together. I understand for some outfit the staff uniform don't have pockets for obvious reasons.

I think with what RCL is doing to their crew we need to play RCL at their own game. The crew need the 10 score like their life depends on it. Any other way you do it may actually hurt the crew. Comments whatever you say is difficult for RCL to actually evaluate it. A 10 score or anything else is what will stick in their mind.

So it is a 10 score or nothing if you want to help the crew.

Any monster tips you give will end up in RCL pocket and help them perpetuate their system.

You have made a lot of sensible comments.

Service level are definitely lower now along with less crew and where previously i always gave a 10 to help the crew i will in future mark and comment accordingly.

Why don't you miss the survey if you don't give him a 10. You don't do him any good and he is at best in no-man land.

Great article from USA Today. So do you believe the cruiselines or the crew.

There are people here that parrot the cruiselines propaganda for a reason.

Theoretically the cruiseline is correct. But the crew only see the extra money if and when their total tips exceed their basic pay.

I am going next week and the dining packages are available.

Couldn't book for mtd and couldn't understand that. maybe it is because of my solo status.

On my last cruise I was begged to do the Survey. He also said it is more important than tips I gave him. How do you read from this.

Agree, I would say at least once on every cruise and many times more than that the cabin steward opens the door for us when he sees us coming.

To be true, Ken I also had the doors open for me previously as well as having to go to guess services.

But my point is really the presence of the cameras all over the ships and the crew knows that it is very difficult to hid anything from surveillance.