basor

I would sail on Explora just to sail with Ray again....but haven't found an itinerary that can justify coffee and trivia with Ray - sigh!

It is simply access to the Aquamar terrace area - the steam rooms and other areas inside the spa are available for everyone so you have access to those also. No treatments are included.

.... one of people complaining the loudest about Embers had never eaten in the restaurant, in fact had never been on Vista!

Perhaps a better way to describe the "included" drinks is all "virgin" cocktails are included - i.e.- virgin pina colada, margarita, etc.

Ha, guess I better make sure our butler stops by during our dinner onboard so we can receive the same treatment!! Actually, all of our butlers have been grand so no complaints,,

WOW - we have never had that response, they have simply put the item in a small box and handed it to us to take back to our room......

If a port is missed while you are on the cruise, you do not lose the 25%....

No need for small zip bags -they are happy to box up anything for you to take back to your room....taken many a dessert back to enjoy with a glass of port on the balcony

Suburb of Portland....

We are lucky - place a pick up order at the local grocery store and daughter picks up and puts in fridge day before we get hone....

I agree - it is common to find milk in cartons in other countries since many homes do not have fridges or very small ones, I have not looked but think it is hard to find in the US...

Be sure to differentiate between a "guaranteed" cabin - which means you are assured a cabin on the cruise equal to or better than the cabin category you paid for. A "waitlist" cabin does not guarantee you a cabin on the cruise,,,big difference!

Each person will have their own account but you can only have one device signed in at a time on your account. If you are using your phone and want to use your I pad than you sign off of WIFI on phone and sign into WIFI on your Ipad...

There have been many threads on this since it was announced last week....any cruise booked after 01OCT will have pre-paid gratuities included and nothing more....drink package and excursions will be optional add ons

In response to your question, I replied that I can vouch for it actually happening 1 time....and I also believe that people booked in higher suites should enjoy additional perks such as free admission to the spa area, earlier and more specialty dining reservations, earlier cabin availabilty on embarkation day....I never questioned those "perks" as I am not the OP. This topic has evolved into a discussion on tipping/bribing which is what I commented on..

I was on a B2B cruise and this occurred on the first cruise of the B2B - so it is not a "claim" but first hand knowledge of actual incident...we do not tip anyone onboard a cruise ship before a service is rendered and receive appropriate service anyway. Bartenders/wine servers/waiters bring us our requested items in a timely manner. Restaurant maitre d"s sit us at an appropriate table in a timely manner based upon our reservation. We go with the flow and understand we are just one of 650/1250 other people onboard and are no more or less important than any of them.

us neither - just the opposite and been sailing O since 2007....

Correct

They are distributed to all staff (except the bar staff that receive the tip from drink orders)...this includes both out front staff and those behind the scenes (laundry, dishwashers, etc.)

Nothing has changed in the manner in which gratuities are distributed....

Maitre'd s have been fired for accepting a cash "tip" for a table - hope no one saw or reports this as he/she will be gone!

Did you only look for "not sharing" or did you try with "sharing"? Also, O does hold back tables to assign on embarkation day plus lots of people cancel and tables open up.

That benefit was not taken away -Silver and above receive free gratuities and a $250 OBC. Others just receive pre-paid gratuities..

Also, remember the cooking classes show up in an odd place -they are under "other options" when you go to "manage cruise"...

That sounds correct - Blue Status,,,,you would have 3 credits with your 3 cruises and it takes 5 credits to move to Bronze.