bchalker

You think $50 for 7 nights is a low amount for the concierge? That's what most people are posting.

 

Drink service: If you figure $1 per drink average, and a couple has 4-6 drinks per night total (seems average to me) it's about $40 for the bar servers for the week. So $20 per server seems appropriate as well.

 

How much extra are you giving your waiters? They are probably spending a lot more time and effort on you.

Any tip you give them is about what they get from the tip "pool". The bartenders switch positions each week so they all get from the "pool". We leave $1 per drink in addition to the mandatory 15%.

OK.

I did NOT make a call. I am a UK mobile phone user with a plan that allows me use in the US. I get updates from the provider stating the rate I am on as the provider changes. When ashore I received the update stating my US plan was in operation. Came back to ship. I went online in WindJammer. I subsequently saw that I was on the Cellular at Sea network. Not bright enough to have checked that I was still on the US provider system. I did say I had learnt my lesson. And it's never free for me when I am out of the UK.

Bottom line is the ships towers do NOT operate in port. Glad you learned your lesson though.;)

The standard for ship towers is to automatically shut down when the signal strength from other towers exceeds a certain level. This SHOULD occur some distance outside the port, but it is not foolproof.

 

I'm curious if you read the post immediately above yours (and posted almost four hours before you). Apparently there is a chance.

yes because if someone posted it thn its true. :rolleyes: More likely she made a call before port. If you are bright enough to see on your phone display that you are on cellular at sea or at least roaming. Who just picks up their phone making calls willy nilly in a foreign country assuming 'hey it must be free'? sheesh

I would hope that it does not happen much. Imagine locals in port connecting to the ship's cell service automatically and the locals getting large bills for normal phone calls.

Exactly why NO country allows it to happen.

They certainly can use their towers in port. They are not supposed to, but the ship controls whether the tower is on, and if they "forget" to turn it off (intentional or otherwise) it is operational. There are a number of reports where the ship tower operated in port.

No they do NOT run the towers in port. They would get a huge fine if that happened. Not a chance. Is it physically possible? Yes. Is it likely? Nope.

i couldnt care less why people smuggle.

 

if u wanna drink on your balcony and need to go to the bar and it is a pain in the azz so i can understand it. not one of them are making claims that what theyre doing are changing prices for everyone.

 

please back up your claim or stop posting ridiculous claims.

Yeah cause the bar thats 5 mins from your cabin is a real pain in the azz. :rolleyes: Any idiot can figure out it cost those that follow the rules money. They will make less on the bar and therefore charge those that abide by the cruise contract will pay more. Good riddance cheapskates. Spin it however you want but you are cheap. Face it.

enjoy paying $50+ a day for weak drinks that will end up costing you the same price as your cruise.

 

as far as ice, theres plenty of guys working all day and night that can give you ice. trust me, i know. its easier getting ice than a good drink on a cruise ship.

and the cheapskate argument continues:rolleyes:

Mmm...you can bring wine water or soft drinks on Carnival but the amounts are set. Different cruise lines have different rules.

You must be lost as this is a Royal Caribbean discussion :rolleyes:

you eat all your meals in the windjammer????? you never eat in the MDR ??? IMHO boy you are missing a lot.....

Missing alot? Dont think so. Same menu without having to sit thru a 2.5 hr meal. Well you do miss out on the singing and waving your napkin around. :rolleyes:

You are allowed to bring soda and water on I thought. But now you are switching your argument to it being against the rules and just using the cheapskate route to belittle. But you are okay with being cheap, as long as it doesn't break rules.

 

Guess what, when you get a good deal on a cruise, someone else is paying for it. That cruise line is going to do everything they can to meet their revenue goals, so, if you buy a lower fare, that just means they have to make that up somewhere else. If you don't book excursions through the cruise, they loose some revenue. They take that into account and jack up prices elsewhere to make up for that. So, if you've done either of those, count yourself as one of "the cheap idiots". Welcome aboard!

You lack of knowledge is impressive. Q: Can I bring liquor or non-alcoholic beverages (from home or from a port) onboard?

A: Guests are not allowed to bring beer, hard liquor or non-alcoholic beverages onboard for consumption or any other use.

So NONE of it is allowed under the rules. Sorry but buying a cruise at any advertised price is NOT against ANY rules. Smuggling booze, soda, or any beverages other then the stated 2 bottles of wine per cabin is against the rules. Justify it however you want but it boils down to being a cheapskate because you dont want to buy RCI booze.

So your argument has nothing to do with the policy, but rather the frugalness of the people who bring their own. This means you have a problem with anyone who brings their own soda, water or snacks. What about the people who by a drink package because it will be cheaper for them than buying as you go?

 

Using this line of argument, you should be posting on every thread here about getting good cruise deals and saving money and telling them they are cheap. But since you're no cheapskate, you've probably never visited those threads. You probably find them appalling ;).

 

Sad thing is, I hardly drink, I don't smuggle alcohol and I don't really care that much either way on the topic. I'm just wanting to help fuel the fire. It can be quite entertaining.

Good god! With all the free food onboard and bring your own snacks? If you are smuggling water and soda then yes I would have a problem with it. Last time I checked shopping for a good deal isnt against any rules of the cruise line. And if you dont think you end up paying for the cheap idiots then think again. Stealing a towel? Why not, its only one.

The ship can not use their tower while in port. They have to out at sea out of range for local towers. We use our phone till out a cpl miles.

So, you're "much to[sic] smart to follow every rule society has placed" on you. Oh please, you're not Rosa Parks lol! It's not a societal rule, it's a contract that you agreed to, at least on RCI. You just evidently see no value in keeping your word or living up to a contract. But, if it makes you feel better to think it's because you're too smart, well.....

You are right about that. Last time I checked Rosa Parks was not a cheapskate. The sorry ass excuse about having a drink on my balcony. I drink on my balcony too. Takes 5 minutes to find a bar and get 2 drinks. But then I'm no cheapskate.

We will continue to use Rum Runners as they allow us to enjoy a drink in our cabin while we are on vacation.

 

“Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively.”

― Dalai Lama XIV

Yes they allow you to be a cheap as*

Tried to search and could not find the answer.

Which ships, if any, still have the "old" paper crown and anchor value booklets?

Thanks in advance, Steve

none

what world do you live in just in central ohio a whole lot of bar and grill type restaurants have gone under. most of the ones that have made it added on an outdoor patio aand use those umbrella type heater because a large percent of their business is out on the patio smoking while the inside sits empty.

 

all the people that currently rent balcony cabins and don't smoke will continue to rent and quit the constant complaining. the folks who rented a balcony so they could smoke will opt for the cheaper inside/ov cabins. so who's going to pickup the slack of the smokers?

more bullcrap from sherlock. lets just see how much trouble they have selling balconys. prob the same drop celebrity has from their nonsmoking casinos. none at all. oh and about your misinformation go ahead and cite your source for central ohip restaurants closing because smokers were not allowed. what a load of crap.

Ok, how about vapor cigarettes or E-cigarettes? My wife is trying to quit smoking and she figured she would have to go to the regular smoking area to use hers. Havent really seen anything regulating these, but I figure rooms are off limits also?

e-cigs are included in the ban

This is what I was afraid of. I already thought the casinos were smoky...the ventilation system doesn't seem very effective.

LOL. Thats perfect for us. We have no use for the tight casinos so the smokers can kill each other off in there. :D

Werent cabin mates allowed?

We're thinking of purchasing this for our Freedom cruise in October based on what we consumed on our recent Serenade cruise in December. I was thinking of buying it once we're on board (since we'll have tons of OBC to use up). Good to know that it can be bought into the cruise as well.

 

I think there is still conflicting info on Royal's FAQ site. I just read, for example, that it's required for all days and all 21 and over in the stateroom must buy it. I know that last rule changed because we ran into people in December where one had it but the other did not. I also know that the bartenders are fairly lenient about letting someone buy someone else a drink using their package as we benefited from that a few times in one of the bars.

 

We observed two separate BOGOs this past cruiser; pool waiters going around announcing Happy Hour! BOGO until 3:00pm. We thought, too, that booze sales may have been lower than usual since we've never seen this before!

Doesnt seem unclear to me

Q: Does everyone in my stateroom need to buy a beverage package?

A:

No, packages can be purchased by individual guests. Cannot be shared by multiple people.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=336&faqSubjectName=Food+%26+Beverage&faqId=5805

That's what I call being honest. They explained it was for convenience, not for being "cheap". You stated in your original post that you thought it was cheap / sad and then asked for peoples opinions. People are being honest with you that they do it and are giving you their opinions and you then say it doesn't matter, they are just cheap. If you're going to flame people for participating in an honest way don't count on them participating.

 

I bring my own shampoo/conditioner/body wash because I like what I like. So should I demand a partial refund from the cruiseline? How about I'm cool with Mr. Balcony drinker having a nite cap instead?

I'm also cool with Mr Balcony drinker. He should buy his drink at a bar (cant go 10 ft without tripping over one) like the rest of us and not be a cheapskate.

More like being smart!

Like he said. CHEAP

I would say, yes, bring extra cash. You have already prepaid gratuities so you are not obligated to pay any extra. That said, some people do leave extra here and there. Also for the luggage porters at the airport and at the cruise terminal. You will also want cash in the ports during excursions, beach trips, etc. You will usually be able to get extra cash on board if you would like as well but we always just travel with it and put it in our safe.

 

Debbie

Also remember they do charge a fee for getting cash onboard so for us that would be an emergency backup. Try to bring it with you.

You're allowed to have that opinion. It DOES represent a cost savings, so while someone may be offended being called "cheap" there's no denying the end result is the same; it saves some money.

 

But I really believe people do it for other reasons that just money. If it were only money I don't believe they'd pay $60 for a $20 bottle. But I believe they would because of the convenience having "en suite" liquor would mean.

 

I also think some people just get a thrill/fun out of breaking a rule that isn't going to harm someone else.

 

Some people do it out of "necessity" because they have to have their brand.

 

I'm sure the list of reasons, valid or not who can say, goes on and on.

 

As far as picking on the poster who said they enjoy cocktails on their balcony, you asked so they could afford a balcony but not an alcohol package, which I would ostensibly assume you meant for two? Big difference between sneaking on the contents of a $10-50 bottle of liquor vs paying nearly $800 for 2 people for a week to enjoy that same balcony cocktail. Okay, so they don't need the package, why not just order a la carte? Convenience. RCI should just sell them a bottle at 3X markup and deliver it to the room; everyone is happy in that scenario, no?

The same people that think it is a rule the "isnt going to harm anyone else" and the same ignorant people that think ripping of the big insurance companies doesnt harm anyone. Or cheating on their taxes doesnt harm anyone. Who do these ignorant people think end up paying for their actions? You just cant fix stupid.

I'm sure this post will irritate some people, but I just need to ask the opinions of other long-time cruise passengers their opinions on RCI/RCCL. I'm a long-time Diamond C&A member (not that it matters). I've not been able to sail the past six years as I've been caring for my elderly parents' needs and their deaths.

 

I'm finally sailing again with RCI this Friday (in less than two days), and I've been going on various RCI's Cruise Critic forums and have seen multiple postings suggesting that the passengers are feeling that they're being ignored (whether in the dining rooms, or in their cabins) due to everyone these days doing prepaid gratuities.

 

I personally don't care about chocolate on my pillows, or turn-down service for my bedding (and I've never cruised in any cabin class lower than a Junior Suite). But putting all of the chocolates on the pillows, turn-down service and towel animals aside, so many passengers appear to feel that the crew members that would normally be attentive towards the passenger's needs, are now almost "numbed out" and "non-caring" because the gratuities are prepaid, so they're just "going through the motions".

 

My last cruise was in 2007 and I had already been doing the prepaid gratuities (for all the cruise lines) since they originated prior to that time....but I hate to feel that I'm going to be "just a number" and ignored this coming cruise because the RCI/RCCL (as I always knew it) no longer exists? I don't want to think that I've got to just cruise on Celebrity or HAL, etc. to be more than "just a number" to the crew members and the ship's staff? Yes, I always do the prepaid gratuities, and even today I went to my bank to get a lot of cash for extra tips on the ship, but I truly wish a sense of apathy has not taken over the cruise experience?

Good question. Like you we havent sailed since before the auto tipping started. I do not like the idea any more than I like it in a land based restaurant. I cant say if it has affected service but wouldnt be all that surprised. We are sailing in two weeks but if the service is not what we expect from RC then I will def go down to guest services and cut the tip. I believe it was done because of all the alternative dining offered. Too many doing that and not going to the dining room and tipping.