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willcruiseanythyme

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Posts posted by willcruiseanythyme

    Welcome to Tightwad Cruising - What Do You Do?

    in Saving Money on Your Cruise - Tips & Advice

    Posted

    She Who Must Be Obeyed and I cruise 2-3 times a year and lean toward longer cruises - our record so far is a 49 day cruise around the Horn. We are both retired. We know from side comments that lots of our friends don't "get it" and a few have even joked about our backyard money tree.

     

    Here's what most people don't "get". We lived below our means the whole time we were working and maxed out our 401k plans. We bought a smaller house than we could afford. I'm a shadetree mechanic, so I'm a stickler about maintenance - with the result that SWMBO drives a 10 year old Subaru with over 200K miles on it - and it still looks and runs brand new. I drive a 12 year old pickup with 150K on it - and it still looks and runs brand new. No car payments in over 8 years.! The kids are long out of college and they went to state schools where the tuition was less and we paid their schools bills from the college fun savings that we started when they were born. We don't need the latest gadgets and tend to "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"

     

    Thus, we can travel and cruise whenever and wherever we want - and believe me, I search out every bargain and benefit that I can. That's the Tightwad Way!

    Good for you!! That's awesome!

     

    Sent from my SM-G925V using Forums mobile app

    Are my sums wrong (tipping)

    in Saving Money on Your Cruise - Tips & Advice

    Posted

    You have some info confused and some is variable by person and cruise line. First, is it just one steward? Very difficult for one steward to cover 28 cabins...that is more likely for two steward teams, like Holland America uses. I think for one steward, 16-18 would be a more realistic number. Some cruise lines assign number of cabins by type- for example, as suites are larger, the stewards will be assigned fewer. They might be assigned more of smaller cabins.

     

    Second, tipping is rarely mandatory...a number of people don't tip at all.

     

    Third, your amount of money is typically spread over many staff- dining room as well as room stewards, not just room stewards. The cruise lines I am familiar with it is about $5 per day, per person in a cabin, for the room steward team, out of a standard 12.5 USD per person, per day tip..

     

    So, no, the cabin stewards don't make anywhere near that much for their very hard work.

    Oh my gosh...are there really people who don't tip at all???

     

    Sent from my SM-G925V using Forums mobile app

    Classic Drink Question

    in Celebrity Cruises

    Posted

    Hoping this isn't a dumb question....we are getting the classic drink package as a perk on our upcoming cruise. Does that mean that an added tip will be added to our shipboard account each time we order a drink or just the added 18% for the daily cost of this "free" perk?

    We have never had this particular freebie so I'm confused. Thanks!

     

    Sent from my SM-G925V using Forums mobile app

    Zika Warning

    in Celebrity Cruises

    Posted

    A couple weeks ago I was waiting at my pharmacy for a prescription and a woman came in and asked the pharmacist where she could find an insect repellant with some new ingredient in it because she was leaving on a cruise in a few days and the CDC recommended a product with this ingredient in it. The pharmacist said he'd never heard of it so he researched it quickly on his computer and said it was so new that none of the products that are the norm even have the ingredient listed in them! It caught my attention because of my upcoming cruise! Now I'm wondering how many have contracted Zika while cruising in the Caribbean...oh well, I'm still going![emoji2]

     

    Sent from my SM-G925V using Forums mobile app

    I am a chair hog

    in Celebrity Cruises

    Posted

    If a returning chair hog confronts the new occupant of their abandoned seat the rest of us should all chant "chair hog". Embarrass them once and they may never do it again.

     

    Also like the idea of pretending to photograph them as they set up in the morning and telling them the pics will be displayed on the "cc chair hog wall of shame".

    Love this!! I would so do this too!

    I'm on Reflection in March! I plan on posting a review after. Think I will include pictures of said hogs!

     

    Sent from my SM-G925V using Forums mobile app

    I am a chair hog

    in Celebrity Cruises

    Posted

    I wish that each cruise line would publish a bulletin that is delivered to each stateroom at the beginning of every cruise stating....THERE WILL BE NO LOUNGE CHAIR SAVING ON ANY DECK AT ANY TIME. IF WE SEE THIS HAPPEN, WE WILL REMOVE YOUR ITEMS AND YOU CAN CLAIM THEM AT.... (WHERE EVER)....WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST ITEMS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER AS WE WANT EVERYONE TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY THEIR CRUISE.

     

    Sent from my SM-G925V using Forums mobile app

    I am a chair hog

    in Celebrity Cruises

    Posted

    On Eclipse a few years ago, my husband and I were flabbergasted to see a lady (probably about 40ish) settling all her "Teddy Bears" on their own lounger. Her husband and she took one on either side! She even put sun lotion on them (messy!). The bears looked after the other 2 loungers when the pair went for lunch. I was tempted to chuck them overboard, but as I am a rule follower, didn't dare!!

    WOW! JUST WOW! I think I may actually be speechless!

     

    Sent from my SM-G925V using Forums mobile app

    I am a chair hog

    in Celebrity Cruises

    Posted

    This topic is already making my blood pressure rise! I learned after my first 2 cruises that I had to be up no later than 7:30 am to acquire a lounge chair by the pool!! I could not believe all the chair hogs everywhere but no actual person sitting in said chairs! The difference was, I actually stayed in my chair!! Yep, me and 2 others were sitting in our chairs while 67 others were being hogged!! I stayed until lunch time and gave up my chair because I was done in the sun for the day. What blows my mind still till this day though is at 12:00 when I was leaving....39 of those chairs STILL hadn't been claimed! Ok. Done venting. Still holding out hope that one day people will stop being chair hogs.....

     

    Sent from my SM-G925V using Forums mobile app

    Chosen to stay on board during St Kitts port...mistake?!

    in Celebrity Cruises

    Posted

    We haven't seen any excursions we feel like doing either so we are just catching a taxi to Carumbola beach, renting 2 chairs and an umbrella and spending the day on the beach. Very reasonable price and already reserved the chairs. I figured we have to at least get into the ocean! If it weren't for already having 3 sea days on our cruise I may have opted to stay on board. But this way I still get to feel the warm Caribbean waters! Good luck!

     

    Sent from my SM-G925V using Forums mobile app

    Do-it-yourself tour

    in St. Kitts & Nevis

    Posted

    Has anyone ever just walked off their ship and hired a taxi for a flat rate for say, 4 hours and have them take you wherever you wanted to go? We will be in port in March and we toured this way in Grenada and it worked out wonderfully! I think we paid $35 and our driver took us wherever we wanted to go! Is this safe in St. Kitts? Of course we tipped quite well as we thought $35 was a steal! Wondering what a reasonable cost for doing this might be?? Our reasons for liking to do it this way is we have control of what we want to see and how long we want to stay at places. An organized excursion does not allow for this. Any input would be appreciated!!

     

    Sent from my SM-G925V using Forums mobile app

    Shoe Shopping

    in San Juan, PR

    Posted · Edited by willcruiseanythyme

    Ok. Don't laugh. But several years ago we stopped in San Juan while on a cruise and we ended up just walking around the shops. I found two awesome shops that sold THE CUTEST SHOES/SANDALS! We probably spent way too much time in there and walked out with 2 pairs each, ONLY because our luggage couldn't hold anymore. The prices were awesome too! My delimma is that I can't remember where the shops were in town! I remember the stores also sold women's clothing but many many styles of shoes as well! One of the shops had a 2nd story full of shoes too! Anyone know where these shops are? Maybe you've been to San Juan recently and happened by them? I'm looking for a general area...because walking that Old Town can be exhausting! Thanks for your help!!

     

    Sent from my SM-G925V using Forums mobile app

    Sniffles - boarding medical questions

    in Celebrity Cruises

    Posted

    I always bring antibacterial wipes with me and wipe down my airline tray tables and seat belt when flying and then everything in my stateroom that we touch! Haven't been sick yet but the family gives me the eye roll as I'm wiping!😂

    But, I would hope people don't lie on these forms! At the very least, stay in their cabin till all symptoms pass!!

     

    Sent from my SM-G925V using Forums mobile app

    Celebrity Reflection January 14 to 21 2017

    in Celebrity Cruises

    Posted

    I'm a newbie to your reviews! Thanks for the pics! We will be on the Reflection on March 18th but doing the Eastern side. Can't wait to read about the sea days. This will be our first Celebrity but 8th cruise.

    Can I just say that the fact that I do the same thing your wife does at the beginning of each cruise...wipe down the room with clorox wipes...makes me feel so proud! Haha! Those I've traveled with, roll their eyes at me, but hey! Haven't been sick yet! I think you must be married to one smart lady!😁

     

     

    Sent from my SM-G925V using Forums mobile app

    CELEBRITY - Do they monitor this site?

    in Celebrity Cruises

    Posted · Edited by willcruiseanythyme

    Well, I totally understand that you can't please everyone, but I hate reading that many think the service has deteriorated. Service is everything! We will be on the Reflection in March...first time on Celebrity! Have sailed on 6 different lines in the past. My bucket list is to try every cruise line at least once!😀 Having said that, my top lines are Disney, HAL, and Princess...with Windstar thrown in the mix somewhere too. I plan on posting a review after our sailing. I have noticed that other lines definitely monitor these boards so I would assume they all do! Happy cruising!

     

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