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Um..NO....Order a bottle of wine at NCL and they charge 18% on the $400 or $40 dependig on which you buy. Same for specialty restaurants. Which I believe is BS but that's how tipping works in most places. Except maybe bars in the US

Not how I grew up regarding tips but certainly you are within your rights to tip as you see fit. RCCL and other cruise lines are kind of a hybrid in that they follow your formula for Stewards, Waiters, and other hotel staff but not the specialty restaurants and bars where they charge the 18% on the sales price. Again just curious, how do you reconcile that?

Just so I understand your logic and reasoning you are telling me when you go anyplace that tips are generally part of the expected bill you leave the same amount? I'm just curious if you ate in two different places with one costing $200 and another $50 you would leave the same amount of tip in both places?

Just listen to your self righteous dribble..... Do you really believe you need to tip every single worker on the ship because the cruise line told you too? I'd really like to know if everyone proclaiming we must tip every one of the non commissioned offers do the same thing on land, if not you are just playing into the cruise lines brain washing.

That's not the way tips work and you know it, I suspect you are just joking around intentionally trying to be a wise guy. Either way, I really don't care. We're all grown ups and can make our own choices.

Cruised for over 40 years and for most of that time paid the gratuities recommended or withheld as the whole process evolved into what its become today. Then when the increases started to be frequent and not just the $0.25 change but several dollars (i.e. NCL jump to $20) it reached a boiling point. One day room service, reduction in food quality and choice, etc.etc. etc. we said no more. We don't buy into tipping behind the scenes workers and people we wouldn't tip on a land vacation so we now remove the prepaid and tip the waiters, bus boys, cabin stewards and bar tenders directly and never received negative service. The other thing that irks me is the blanketed amounts that every cabin pays either $18 for balconies and below and $20.50 for suites and above as if its logical amounts. Seems to me the gratuity should be based on what you are getting such as better food (coastal kitchen) and larger staterooms and should be based on your cruise price. I just looked up a random 7 day cruise out of NJ and the cost of the cheapest room is just under $1,700 (for two) compared to a suite at over $4,000 for a couple. If I went into any restaurant and ordered hamburgers that cost $25 and the table next to me ordered steak at $100 our tips would be very different, why are the cruise lines different? Well, because they made it up and and play on our emotions. There's no right or wrong answer here, do what you feel is best and it will be fine.

Has any of you taken a long cruise (30+Days) in cabin #2505 on the Volendam. Wife is a light sleeper so we are wondering about noise and any insight on the good, bad or ugly......

We are thinking of a Mediterranean cruise that stops in 15 to 20 countries, does anyone know if there is a list or web site that list required vaccinations, if any. We just don't want to be denied boarding or denied entry into as country because there was something required. We called HAL but they said they don't provide any guidance on required Vaccines. Thanks in advance for any help.

For some reason I had to create a new account so this is not my first post. in fact, we are experienced cruiser with close to 100 cruises completed. Since HAL moved out of NY all that time ago we have not had the opportunity to sail on this line since 2012. We are considering an extended cruise close to 47 days in total and can't get straight answers from the HAL representatives, hopefully you guys and gals can help us out. We are considering opting for the "have it all" option which supposedly includes Specialty dinning, Alcohol plan, Gratuities and premium wifi plan. When I read the details on the Holland America web site it has contradictory information so I called HAL and here's what I've been told about the have it all plan: For a 47day cruise the included specialty dinners total 3, does anyone know if that's correct? The plan also includes the premium internet plan and to upgrade to the "stream" plan its $16 per day. Does that sound correct and is it for one or two devices. The web site lists the premium plan at $35/day and the stream plan at $45/day. Then in the footnotes it lists the premium plan at $22.86/day and the stream plan at $35/day. Complete inconsistency and I have no idea what the actual rates and up charges are. The plan also includes "crew appreciation" which I understand is prepaid gratuities but then in the footnotes on the web site it state wine stewards, bar tenders, specialty dining and waiters are not included. When I called HAL they said main dining room waiters were included, does anyone know who's in and who's out in these prepaid gratuities. Finally, Even though alcohol is included one rep told me there's a $17/day charge (each passenger?) for gratuities yet when I go to the payment page nothing is added. Does anyone know if there is a $17/day gratuity for the included beverage plan in the have it all option and when is it added? Thanks folks for any insight.