duquephart

Indeed. I'm pointing out that OP seems to be confusing the terms.

Again ----- you need to replace prepaid with automatic.

Are you confusing prepaid with automatic. If you do not prepay "gratuities" they will automatically be added to your onboard account.

There is a groundswell view that tipping has gotten out of control.

Only Joey Heatherton ("Buy a Perfect Sleeper"). Well ----- maybe Jacqueline Bisset as well.

Compare apples to apples on pricing. You are paying for "everything that Viking includes." It's all baked in the cake. The fact that you're "stunned" is evidence that their marketing is working well.

Americans, I think, tend to go overboard - going so far as to seek out opportunities to tip. I cited my wife's tendencies in a previous thread as an example of this phenomenon. This is why I suggested that you'd make a good American. Tipping up front (and extra) almost smacks of a bribe.

Do you realize a 15% "tip" is included in the drink price?

I bet they figure you for an American though.

Your stance qualifies you to be an American 🙂.

What happens if you find a bartender you like even more on the second day of the cruise?

You know you "really like" a bartender "in the beginning of the cruise"?

Carnegie.

Which is really the only way to drink it. Same with Heinekin. And the closer to the brewery the better.

Great question! The little paper umbrella has a long and storied history as a garnish. While associated with Tiki cocktails the umbrella is more likely to be found in drinks at the sweeter, fruitier, more Polynesian end of the range. Classic Tiki - and the Mai Tai is as classic as it gets - leans more towards balance of exotic ingredients. In Hawaii it's not unusual to find an orchid floating atop your Mai Tai. But the drink is not from Hawaii. For the "authentic" (if there is such a thing) way to garnish a Mai Tai you need half a spent lime (spent in obtaining fresh juice) and a nice sprig of mint - meant to evoke a tropical island with a palm tree.

Last cruise we were in 8000, a PS1 cabin. As high and far forward as you can get on the ship. Why wouldn't the spendier cabins be in more stable areas? Going for 8004 next time - we really like the extra room, bigger shower, second TV, "free" laundry, etc.

Checking MJV often probably a good idea as well.

To be clear --- my position is that what Viking calls a Mai Tai is not a regional variation as you suggest. It's an adomination. An insult to the Tiki world.

I'm suggesting what Viking calls a Mai Tai is a company rather than regional thing.

Variations --- sure --- mostly due to the fact that Trader Vic kept the recipe under his hat prompting lots of attempts to duplicate. What I'm 'trying' to point out is that Viking doesn't even come close. And, what "region" is Viking Cruises?

"The Mai Tai is one of the most famous Tiki drinks in the world. Composed of rum, orange curaçao, fresh lime juice and orgeat (a nuanced almond syrup), it’s held sway over cocktail enthusiasts and Tiki aficionados for decades." ----- Liquor.com

The Mai Tai is about as iconic as a drink gets. Figuring out how to at least come close isn't that far a fetch. Sorry ----- I'm a Mai Tai purist ----- and I'm not alone.

Good for you. Maybe. Not good for the ducks.

Try to remember that the agent is a salesperson - the old "only driven by a little old lady on Sunday" line applies here. Any ship motion will be more pronounced at either end and top/bottom. The closer you get to the "middle" of the ship the better if motion is an issue for you.

I wonder why. Certainly no skin off them. My head position comment may apply here.