HBE4

Hopefully there will be a free bottle(s) of wine coming your way soon to help kill any of those germs. EDIT: Or better yet, complimentary specialty dining.

Love the background view. And a similar tower like those will be in Leonard's future.

Leonard is doing well. Still adjusting to the new surroundings. Still a bit skitterish, some of the "house sounds" startle him. Things like the window A/C's or downstairs dehumidifier cycling in and out. The boiler, which is also our hot water heater in addition to providing winter time heat, kicks in every few hours will send him running into his mommy's bedroom. Hope he gets used to it by the time cold weather sets in as it will be kicking in a lot more. Which reminds me, got to order home heating oil now before prices start to go up. The only real "problem" is he likes to claw furniture despite having several scratching pads & towers. I'm told there is a spray thar can be used to discourage him. But its not a big problem just yet. Also, he's happy he is no longer the new kid on the block now that @Lionesss Lizzy and @Gardener5b Golden Retriever & Bassett Hound have joined the thread. Leonard would like to welcome them personally but he's busy chasing a moth. At least he's earning his keep by keeping the house insect free. Last night, he brought me a spider as a gift.

I'm not sure I ever mentioned this but Thor has to be the coolest pet name ever. Next pet I have will be named Thor, even if its just a goldfish. 😃

I've played those Quick Hit machine plenty of time in various casinos & cruise ships. When they get on a hot streak, it's a lot of fun and rewarding! Key word being "when"😉😄

Colonoscopy was all good. Thank you all for your well wishes. Clean bill of health and will do again in 5-7 years. I was surprised that 7 years was suggested as I thought every 5 was the standard but after 3 procedures since I was 45 and no change), the doctor said I can stretch it out to 7 years. Although I may still stick with the every 5 years just to be on the safe side and since the insurance company pays 100%! I was craving McDonalds afterwards but decided I didn't want a belly bomber to be my first meal so I went home and had a "big" salad instead. Dinner last night was coconut crusted chicken cutlet with watermelon (sry, no food porn pics) and today will be McDonald!! Pretty sure that will have the same affect on me as the Miralax did!! 😄 TMI?

I should have known better than to read this thread today. Tomorrow I'm having my routine, every 5 year colonoscopy screening which means I've been on a Low Residue diet for three days with today being a no food, clear liquids only and no alcohol day. So I come to this thread to see all the food porn, new recipes and drink ideas. Why am I torturing myself? On a positive now, I probably dropped 5 pounds. Belt is definitely 1 notch tighter. Now to keep it off!

Have you started pre-cruise celebrations? 😉

I can't believe I got sucked into a tipping thread and put in so much time & effort. I need to find a hobby 😆

It tells me that Royal respects all of their customers diverse opinions on the subject, whether the customer has high standards or comes from a culture where tipping is not a thing or needs to be earned and not handed out automatically. It also tells me that Royal is not going to put in the effort & expense of tracking why people may reduce or eliminate the auto grats as they know most customers will tip above and beyond the auto grats which will more than make up for the "lost" gratuities so their crew is still very well compensated (and not slaves begging for morsels of food as some continually suggest). So, happy crew, happy customers and profitable company. No need to change a thing.

Me too! It's like having someone finally scratching that itch that won't go away. Feels so much better afterwards. I'd go once a month if I could.

Exactly! Everyone on a cruise ship will have their own set of expectations & standards ranging from "best-in-class white glove service" to "just happy I don't have to make my bed". What I find satisfactory will be different from others and vice-versa.

Thanks! I just bookmarked that site in case this post goes **poof** into the night.

I tried posting a screen shot but for some reason, it was not working for me. Anyways, from the FAQ section of Royals website, type in Gratuities in the search bar: Q: What is Royal Caribbean's service gratuities (tips) price and policy? A:As of September 7th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per person, per day for guests in non-suites staterooms, or $18.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Suites, will be applied to each guest’s SeaPass account on a daily basis. The gratuity applies to individual guests of all ages and stateroom categories. As a way to reward our crew members for their outstanding service, gratuities are shared among dining, bar & culinary services staff, stateroom attendants and other hotel services teams who work behind the scenes to enhance the cruise experience. In the unlikely event that a guest onboard being charged the daily automatic gratuity does not receive satisfactory service, the guest may request to modify the daily amount at their discretion by visiting Guest Services onboard and will be able to do so until the morning of their departure. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/onboard-service-gratuity-expense EDIT TO ADD: Nowhere is it specified what constitutes satisfactory or unsatisfactory service so presumably it is at the guests discretion.

Very nicely said. I can't add anything as eloquently so I'll just give a +1 for @Sea Dog

Earlier, you replied to one of my post, a hockey game example, that was really just tongue-in-cheek to prove a point. But let me give a more real world example. When staying overnight at a hotel, a basic Courtyard or Days Inn on a road trip to somewhere else, I’ll leave a tip for the housekeeper but never once do wonder if they are going to share it with the person doing the laundry, or the person cleaning the pool or the landscaping crew. I seriously doubt the “holier-than-thou” types preaching here care as well. But put them on a cruise ship & they are ready to give money at anyone that smiles at them, then come here onto CC acting like they are solving third world poverty and shame people for tipping differently. Which, BTW, Royal allows for different ways of tipping. Maybe I’m just an old fashion “charity begins at home” type of guy. What I tip my server is my business. What someone else tips (or not tips) is their business. So I’ll say it again, it’s your money so feel free to over-tip, under-tip or not tip at all, it will not affect my cruise experience.

I don’t disagree with anything you wrote with the exception that Royal allows people to change/remove their gratuities with no questions asked. Period. And if that is okay with Royal, then it’s okay with me. And it should be okay with you and everyone else as well. For the record, I tip. Probably just an average tipper so nothing to brag about. I do auto-gratuities, will give the bartender a $1 cash when buying a drink whether he’s opening a beer can or making some time consuming, complicated frozen concoction. Maybe more if I have a good buzz. If the room attendant or waiter seems to be going out of their way to please me, extra money will go to them. That happens most of the time but if they seem to be doing just the basic, going thru the motions job, I probably will not give them extra on top of the auto-gratuities. What they get paid, how & who pays them is no concern of mine. That's between them and their employer.

@lenquixote66 This Leonard - who is doing his best impression of a Egyptian Sphinx - is wishing you a speedy recovery!

In all seriousness though, in all the cruises I've taken, I never once concerned myself with how others spend their own money that they presumably work hard for. I don't like when people tell me how I should spend my money so I won't do that to others as well. So feel free to over-tip, under-tip, not tip, pre-pay, whatever. Much like shorts in the MDR on formal night, it will not affect my cruise experience. 🙂

I just realize that the last hockey game I went to, I only tipped the person(s) serving me food & drinks! It never occurred to me to tip the person that scans my ticket, the usher that pointed me in the direction of my seat, the security guard keeping unruly fans in check, the players, coaches and trainers and all the other little, behind the scenes people - like the guy that mops the locker room - that make the game so enjoyable. Am I a bad person? 🤣🤣🤣 - mandatory laughing faces to show I'm joking. Or am I? 😄

Love this picture. Your DW smile is still as radiant now as it was back then.

+1 I have no words to add other than I feel the same way.

I am but I will probably not watch it for a few weeks & then binge all the episodes over a few days.

Well, since you brought it up, the saxophone is probably one of thr sexiest musical instruments. 😁 "He wiggles well". Lol. Love that description. I'm going to see if I can work it into a conversation. 😆

And I thought "Echo & the Bunny men" and "Toad the Wet Sprocket" were weird names.